Wednesday, January 21, 2026

AO26 - Everybody Loves Zeynep




With players from *so* many different nations finding historic success on a regular basis on tour, it's become almost commonplace to see a handful of "first woman from (insert nation here) to reach the (insert slam event and round here)..." moments over the course of a four-major schedule.

Over the past year, Turkey's Zeynep Sonmez has done it more than once.

A tour singles champion in 2024, Sonmez played in the MD at all four slam events for the first time last season. At Wimbledon, she became the first Turk to reach the singles 3rd Round at a major in the Open era. She cracked the Top 70 in October, then before the start of 2026 it was announced that Ons Jabuer (off tour while expecting her first child) would serve as a mentor for Sonmez this season, with the Tunisian's coach, Issam Jellali, leading the Turk's coaching team.

Last week, Sonmez played her way through AO qualifying, and earlier this week posted her first AO MD victory, a big one over #11 Ekaterina Alexandrova, as well as coming to the rescue of a ball kid that had fainted in the Aussie sun. In an instant, Sonmez's fanbase grew exponentially.



Today the #112-ranked 23-year old added to her Melbourne highlight reel, knocking off Anna Bondar 6-2/6-4 in front on an adoring very-pro-Zeynep crowd on Court 7. As she basked in the love of the fans at courtside, Sonmez's fanbase from afar likely grew exponentially once again.



Already the first Turk to reach the 3rd Round of a major, now Sonmez is first to do so twice. In the Top 80 in the "live" rankings, she'll face Yulia Putintseva in her next match.

Hmmm, the next one should be interesting considering the way Sonmez generally comports herself on the court, and how Putintseva does the same (or doesn't do the same, in this case), especially when her opponent's fans get going.



One gets the sneaky suspicion that Zeynep's fanbase might just naturally grow exponentially once again over the next few days.












=AO NOTES=
...after such a great start to the AO for the Aussie women, with six reaching the 2nd Round for the first time since 1992, things started to come back (crashing) down to earth on Day 4.

It didn't *have* to be that way, as wild card Talia Gibson seemed set to reach the 3rd Round of a major for the first time in her career. Facing #23 Diana Shnaider, the 21-year old from Perth had The Bandanna perched on the very edge of the match. After taking a 6-3 1st set, Gibson rallied from 3-1 down in the 2nd to lead 5-4 and hold three MP on return.

But Shnaider got the match-saving hold, then broke Gibson a game later before serving out the set, taking both of the final two games at 15. She went on to claim the 3rd and a 3-6/7-5/6-3 victory.



In the 3rd Round in Melbourne for a second straight year, Shnaider's win officially checked off one of the depleted corps of Hordettes' items on their collective slam To-Do List as at least one Russian woman has now reached the 3rd Round at 99 of the last 101 (eligible) majors, including at the last 23. Later in the night session on MCA, #8 Mirra Andreeva joined her in the Final 32 with a love & 4 victory over Maria Sakkari.

Not long afterward, Aussie qualifier Storm Hunter fell to Hailey Baptiste, while the night session saw only things get worse, with countrywomen Ajla Tomljanovic (vs. Gabriela Ruse) and Priscilla Hon fell (vs. #29 Iva Jovic on Laver) losing to drop the home favorite women to 0-4 on Day 4.



Remaining Aussies Taylah Preston and Maddison Inglis are set to play their 2nd Rounders on Day 5.

...since the late-season version of Roland Garros in 2020, Clara Tauson has made her bones knocking off seeds in majors. The Dane has the wristbands of six seeded slam opponents hanging on her wall back home. But since her climb up the rankings last year, she's now the *hunted* rather than the hunter.

As the #14 seed at this AO, the big-hitting Tauson was taken the distance in the 2nd Round by (newly Uzbeki) Polina Kudermetova, and struggled to get over the finish line in the 3rd set just days after having retired from final pre-AO match in Adelaide last week. Twice Tauson took a break lead in the decider only to see it slip away, and she failed to serve out the match at 5-4.

But she got herself another chance, breaking Kudermetova to hold a break advantage for a third time in the set at 6-5. This time, it stuck, as Tauson served out the 6-3/4-6/7-5 win to reach the 3rd Round for the second straight year in Melbourne, and third time in four AO MD appearances (she was also the junior AO champ in '19). She's reached at least the 3rd Round at four of the last five slams, posting nine of her career 22 wins in majors over the stretch.

Now 7-3 as a seeded player in slam play, Tauson will find herself on more familiar ground in her next outing, as the underdog vs. a seed, #17 Victoria Mboko.

...meanwhile, the top seeds are generally cruising along, with none of the Top 10 having yet been knocked out.

Two of the top-seeded favorites had little problem during the day session, as #1 Aryna Sabalenka handled qualifier Bai Zhuoxuan 6-1/6-3, improving to 40-2 in her last 42 matches in Australia. Since 2023, she's gone 22-1 in the AO, and 41-2 in hard court majors (19-1 U.S.), winning four titles and reaching two other finals. She's off to a 7-0 start in '26.



The last player to pull off the US/AO double was Naomi Osaka, with back-to-back slam wins in 2018-19, and then winning the two titles again in 2020-21 (but in that case with a major -- the '20 RG -- in between, though Osaka didn't play in Paris that fall).

Also in the top half of the draw on Day 4, #3 Coco Gauff took out Olga Danilovic 6-2/6-2, improving to 16-3 in majors in the last two seasons.



...meanwhile, in the last big junior event before play begins in Melbourne, China's Xinran Sun defeated Pastry Ksenia Efremova 6-1/6-3 to take the Traralgon tournament title.

Last year, the 15-year old became (then at just 14) the youngest Chinese player to ever win an ITF pro challenger title, claiming a pair of $15K wins in back-to-back events in Sharm El Shiekh October/November, the closed out '25 by winning the junior Orange Bowl crown.



...in the Melbourne Open (1000) wheelchair event, Diede de Groot notched a QF win over Aniek Van Koot, while Yui Kamiji defeated Ksenia Chasteau. The two will have their first 2026 singles meeting in the semifinals.

They had their first match of the new year in doubles today, with Kamiji & Zhu Zhenzhen knocking off de Groot & Kamiji to reach the final vs. Kgothatso Montjane/Manami Tanaka.





...ANOTHER TOUR GOODBYE on Day 4:




...IS IT JUST ME, OR DOES GIBSON RESEMBLE A CERTAIN RECENTLY RETIRED PLAYER? on Day 4:



Angie Kerber?



...IT SHOULD BE SO EASY FOR THE WTA TO FIND A BETTER WAY TO SELL THINGS LIKE THIS (which happen quite often, really, with only the flags and faces changing) IN AN ENTERTAINING, INCLUSIVE AND ATTENTION-WORTHY WAY on Day 4:

Yet, we consistently get things like #RallyTheWorld (Version 3, or was it 4?).























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*RECENT TRARALGON JR. CHAMPIONS; w/ AO Jr. RESULT*
2015 Katherine Sebov, CAN (2r)
2016 Vera Lapko, BLR (W)
2017 Iga Swiatek, POL (1r)
2018 Liang En-shou, TPE (W)
2019 Clara Tauson, DEN (W)
2020 Polina Kudermetova, RUS (QF)
2021 DNP
2022 Sofia Costoulas, BEL (RU)
2023 Melisa Ercan, TUR (1r)
2024 Emerson Jones, AUS (RU)
2025 Jeline Vandromme, BEL (QF)
2026 Xinran Sun, CHN

*BACK-to-BACK US/AO TITLES OVER TWO SEASONS - Open era*
1969-70 Margaret Court, AUS
1970-71 Margaret Court, AUS
1988-89 Steffi Graf, FRG
1989-90 Steffi Graf, FRG
1991-92 Monica Seles, YUG
1992-93 Monica Seles, YUG
1993-94 Steffi Graf, GER
1997-98 Martina Hingis, SUI
2002-03 Serena Williams, USA
2003-04 Justine Henin-Hardenne, BEL
2008-09 Serena Williams, USA
2010-11 Kim Clijsters, BEL
2014-15 Serena Williams, USA
2018-19 Naomi Osaka, JPN
--
1982 - Chris Evert, US Sept./AO Dec.
1983 - Martina Navratilova - US Sept/AO Dec.
2020-21 - Naomi Osaka - RG Oct.'20 held between '20 US/'21 AO







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We are watching one of the wildest things a nation-state has ever done: A superpower is committing suicide because the GOP Congress is too cowardly to stand up to the Mad King. This is one of the wildest moments in all of geopolitics ever.

[image or embed]

— Garrett M. Graff (@vermontgmg.bsky.social) January 19, 2026 at 5:59 PM


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Old helmet cars... IYKYK.




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Hmmm, 3F. A sane person behind you (w/ the chance to casually overhear an interesting conversation to keep you entertained), a good person to your right, and a nice angle (and a safe distance) from which to watch whatever craziness happens up in the front. Or you could just look out the window or take a nap, with little chance of being bothered.

Some might say 2C... but, you know, you're on a flight with a dead guy whose last one didn't end very well (bad omen). (Sorry, that was too easy.)

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TOP QUALIFIER: Guiomar Maristany/ESP
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): x
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Guiomar Maristany/ESP def. Tatiana Prozorova/RUS 6-2/2-6/7-6(10-7) - saved four MP (at 6-5 in the 3rd), reached maiden slam MD
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): x
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: (WC) Talia Gibson/AUS (def. Anna Blinkova/RUS)
FIRST SEED OUT: #26 Dayana Yastremska, UKR (1r- lost to Gabriela Ruse/ROU)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Nikola Bartunkova/CZE (1st slam MD), Linda Klimovicova/POL (1st), Petra Marcinko/CRO (1st), Taylah Preston/AUS (3rd), Oksana Selekhmeteva/RUS (5th)
PROTECTED RANKING BEST: in 2r: Pliskova/CZE
LUCKY LOSER BEST: 0-1 in 1r
UPSET QUEENS: The Crush of Czechs
REVELATION LADIES: Australia (6 in 2r most since 1992)
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Russia (4-5 1st Rd.; only 9 in MD after AO-best 9 to 2r in '25; has lost 7 notable players to other nations since '23; lost 2 Top 20 seeds)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: in 2r: Bai/CHN (L), Bartunkova/CZE, L.Fruhvirtova/CZE, Hunter/AUS (L), Inglis/AUS, Klimovicova/POL (L), Sonmez/TUR (W)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: in 2r: Gibson/AUS (L), Hon/AUS (L), Preston/AUS
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: in 2r: Gibson (L), Hon (L), Hunter (L), Inglis, Preston, Tomljanovic (L)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: x
IT (?): Nominee: Zeynep Sonmez (Turk)
COMEBACK PLAYER: x
CRASH & BURN: Nominees: first two seeds out are UKR (Yastremska/Kostyuk) in back-to-back ANZ Arena matches on Day 1
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Nominees: Siegemund (down 6-0/5-2 vs. Samsonova in 1r; saved 2 MP 5-3, then down 3-1 in 3rd); Shnaider (saved 3 MP at 6-5 in 2nd set vs. Gibson)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Nominee: Venus Williams/USA (at 45 years and 7 months, breaks 2015 record of Kimiko Date as the oldest woman in an AO singles MD match)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Nominees: Sabalenka, Osaka
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: Nominees: Ash Barty's "Don't Call it a Comeback" return in AO opening ceremonies; Jacquemot/Kostyuk play first three-TB women's MD match at AO; Osaka's jellyfish/butterfly-inspired "My Fair Lady" nighttime intro outfit
DOUBLES STAR: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x





All for now. More soon.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 8:18 AM  0 comments

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

AO26 - Can Everything New Be New Again?


Three days into AO26, we finally got a belated peep at the AO25 champion in her return to the court where her career dreams came true a year ago.



Through the opening weeks of the new season, there was conflicting information regarding whether or not the new year was going to give us a sequel to the smash hit "New Madi" that ran through the opening months of '25. Last year Down Under, Madison Keys went 14-1 in Australia, winning titles in Adelaide and Melbourne as part of a dominant 18-1 beginning to her season, which included her saving a MP in the AO semis vs. #2 Iga Swiatek, then winning in three in the final vs. #1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Keys was a far more down to earth 19-15 after her early hot streak, including a season-ending four-match losing streak (0-2 at the WTAF before pulling up stakes with a RR match to play).

Before today, 2026 had already seen Keys show *some* of the old "New Madi" mettle she'd displayed en route to her maiden slam crown. She won a tight contest vs. Diana Shnaider in Brisbane, but saw Sabalenka make quick work of her in a pseudo-rematch on Aussie soil. In her return to Adelaide as the defending champ, she handled Czech teen Tereza Valentova, only to fall in three sets to Canadian teen Victoria Mboko.

Whether the #9 seeded Keys was ready for a legitimate defense in Melbourne was an open question, and when she quickly fell behind 4-0 to Oleksandra Oliynykova in the Ukrainian's slam MD debut things didn't look particularly encouraging. But then New Madi popped up again, showing Keys' far greater experience on the big stage. She ran off five games to lead 5-4, but still saw Oliynykova serve for the set at 6-5. Keys got the break to force a tie-break, then fell behind 4-0, facing down a pair of SP at 6-4.

Then...



Having kicked things into gear, Keys followed up her four straight points to take the 1st set with a 4-0 carry-over lead into the 2nd. She'd allow just one game in the stanza, winning 7-6(6)/6-1 to win for the 35th time in 45 career AO singles matches, including the last eight in a row.



A single win doesn't mean that Keys has suddenly recaptured the magic of her '25 run, but she'll be around in the 2nd Round to try to build one more result atop this one. Countrywoman Ashlyn Krueger will be up next, with the likes of another U.S. woman, #6 Jessie Pegula, possibly around the corner.

But Keys' fortunes have generally revolved around Keys, not her opponents. When she can play, consistently, at her best, very good things can happen. At the very least, with this one win she's reversed her downward trending slam result string (QF-3r-1r) since her AO title run last year.

And maybe that'll be enough to light her fire all over again.










=AO NOTES=
...no, it wasn't suddenly 2015 again in Melbourne today (oh, my... how much of a culture shock -- and a good one, too -- that would be, eh?), but you wouldn't have known that from the sight at Kia Arena.

There we saw Karolina Pliskova (currently the world #1057 after missing so much time with an ankle injury that required two surgeries) faced off against Sloane Stephens (thirteen years past her memorable AO SF in 2013, and ranked #1102 after seeing her successful qualifying run last week end what had been a 13-match losing streak that stretched back to the '24 Wimbledon). It was their first meeting on outdoor hard court since 2015 in Beijing.

Though Stephens came in with the sudden winning streak, it was Pliskova who posted the 7-6(7)/6-2 win, turning around had been a 1-6 mark in the head-to-head series with her first win over Stephens since 2018.



...meanwhile, the sound of the rise of Pliskova's young Czech countrywomen has been clear on many levels of tennis over the past few years, but save for junior success (three RG girls' champs since 2021) and a few individual women's singles runs -- Linda Noskova's AO24 QF, Linda Fruhvirtova's 4th Rd. at AO23 -- there hasn't really been a full-fledged Crush of Czechs sighting in a major, with the new generation operating as a collective force of achievement (ala the Original Hordettes two decades ago).

But at a slam -- this one -- in which the veteran Czechs are putting up a good showing, with the likes of Pliskova, Karolina Muchova, Marie Bouzkova and Katerina Siniakova all advancing into the 2nd Round in Melbourne, the reason the Czech Republic will have more women (w/ 8) in the Round of 64 than any nation other than the U.S. is because of the success of the younger set.

On Day 3, the player who was the *first* of the junior group to claim a tour-level singles title, along with maybe the "Crusher Most Likely...," both punched their ticket to the next round.

Back in 2022, Linda Fruhvirtova was the first of the Crusher generation to win a tour title, in Chennai. Soon after she reached the second week in Melbourne, and cracked the Top 50 in the summer of '23. But she couldn't keep her rise going, and a year later finished the '24 season at #201. She had a pair of matching nine-match losing streaks in both 2023 and '24, before finally beginning to find her footing again last year. In 2025, she reached her biggest finals in three years -- at a pair of 125 events -- and posted her best 1000+ result (Miami 3r) since her AO 4th Round run in her Down Under debut. She climbed back into the Top 135.

Fruhvirtova, 20, made her way through AO qualifying last week, and on Tuesday in Melbourne she notched her first MD win in a major in three years, defeating Lulu Sun 6-3/7-5.



Fruhvirtova's 2nd Round opponent will be none other than fellow Crusher Tereza Valentova, an 18-year old hitter who bares a striking resemblance to a player who could do some very big things not far off down the road. A junior slam finalist at the U.S. Open in '23, she won the girls' Roland Garros crown in '24. Last season, she posted women's MD wins in her two major MD debuts (RG/US, and in the latter put up a good fight vs. Elena Rybakina in a 6-3/7-6 2r loss), won a pair of 125 crowns, cracked the Top 100 (w/ a combined pro mark of 87-17 in 2024-25), and reached her first tour-level SF in Prague before playing in her maiden WTA final in Osaka late in the season.

Today Valentova recorded her first win in a major over a seed, "upsetting" (but maybe not *really*) #30-seeded Aussie Maya Joint, 6-4/6-4, in the Czech's AO women's singles MD debut.



The all-Crusher match-up in the next round will push one into what will be the biggest match of her career. The possible 3rd Round opponent for the winner might be an interesting one, especially for Valentova, as she could get another shot in a major at the #5-seeded Rybakina, who got a 6-4/6-3 win today over Kaja Juvan (making the Kazakh 14-1 since mid-October).

Adding herself to the pile of Crushers late in the day was slam MD-debuting 19-year old qualifier Nikola Bartunkova, who joined Valentova in spoiling the home crowd's hopes with a 7-6(7)/0-6/6-3 win over Dasha Kasatkina in the former Hordette's debut AO match as a newly-minted Australian. Of note, the majors had been Kasatkina's saving grace in what was an otherwise poor '25 campaign, as she posted two second week runs (AO/RG) and was a combined 10-4. She was 9-18 in her other matches.



In addition to today's winners, on Day 2 the group saw the highest ranked of the Crushers, #13-seeded Linda Noskova, 21, allow just three games to Darja Semenistaja.

...meanwhile, Eva Lys dropped her third AO match in two years on Day 3. Last year, she reached the Round of 16 as a lucky loser, but in her return she fell to Sorana Cirstea, 3-6/6-4/6-3, in the opening major of what the Romanian vet says will be her final year on tour.

Later, with Germany looking square in the face of an opening round 0-4 mark, Laura Siegemund swooped in to save the day, and her match against #18 Liudmila Samsonova.

Throwing her hat into the middle of the "Zombie Queen of Melbourne" nomination ring, the 37-year old rallied from a massive 6-0/5-2 hole in a match in which Samsonova served for the win at 5-3 and held a pair of MP. After the German forced a 3rd set, she fell behind again at 3-1 only to fight her way across the finish with a 0-6/7-5/6-4 victory.



...at this time a year ago, Janice Tjen was in the process of extending her barnstorming run across the tennis landscape, adding to her number of 2024-25 ITF challenger crowns (she eventually claimed 13 across the two seasons). After putting together 20 and 15-match winning streaks in '24, she strung together 27 wins in a row last year.

Tjen finally made her tour-level MD debut as a qualifier at the U.S. Open, upsetting Veronika Kudermetova in the 1st Round (the first win by an Indonesian woman in a major in more than two decades).

By the end of 2025, the former NCAA player (Oregon/Pepperdine) added an additional 125 title, two at tour level in doubles and reached a pair of WTA singles finals, sweeping the s/d trophies in Chennai (becoming the first INA WTA singles champ in 23 years) and nearly cracking the Top 50 (getting as high as #53). Over the 2024-25 seasons, Tjen went a combined 118-18 in singles on all pro levels.

Tjen, who has already added another WTA WD title (Hobart) in '26, experienced her AO MD debut today, and immediately made her presence known again, upsetting #22 Leylah Fernandez by a 6-2/7-6(1) score, overcoming her inability to serve out the match at 5-4 by seizing control of the tie-break and ushering out the former slam finalist Canadian at 7-1.



...say what one will about some of the wild cards handed out by Tennis Australia for the women's MD, the group has seen their Aussie selections back up TA's faith in them. Today, Taylah Preston, fresh off her maiden WTA semifinal in Hobart, collected her first career MD win in a major. She's the third of the four Australians given women's singles wild cards to advance to the 2nd Round (w/ Talia Gibson and Priscilla Hon).

Two weeks ago, the 20-year old Preston lost in the final round of Brisbane qualifying to Zhang Shuai, falling in three sets. Today the Aussie got some measure of revenge against the Chinese veteran, defeating Zhang 6-3/2-6/6-3.



...late in the evening, in a JCA affair that lasted until arond 12:30 a.m. in Melbourne, qualifier Maddison Inglis won an all-Aussie battle with Kimberly Birrell to record her first MD win in a major since her 3rd Round AO run back in 2022.

Inglis nearly let it all slip away, losing a 7-6/5-2 lead and being unable to serve out the win at 5-3. In the 2nd set TB, she fell behind 5-2 and saved a pair of SP before holding two MP. Birrell surged back to win 11-9.

But, in the 3rd, Birrell couldn't complete her comeback. The two combined to carve out just one BP chance (for Birrell in game 4) in the first eight games before Inglis finally gained an edge with a break to lead 5-4. She then served out the victory at love.



...with the 1st Round over, some notes and honors...

UPSET QUEENS/REVELATION LADIES: these two came down to a Group of Four achieving nations in the opening round.

The U.S. get a nomination (but first exit) simply due to putting the most players (12) into the 2nd Round, including a group of younger women that includes the likes of Iva Jovic, Caty McNally, Hailey Baptiste, McCartney Kessler, Peyton Stearns, Ann Li, Alycia Parks and Ashlyn Krueger in addition to the "usuals" (aka one-namers Coco, Amanda, Jess and Madi). But with 19 players in the MD to start with, some big upsets and *stunning/unexpected* names (of which none of those dozen are) would be necessary. So, no.

Next up, the 4-0 Poles -- with Iga Swiatek, Magda Linette, Magdalena Frech and newcomer Linda Klimovicova -- submit there name, but there's no "eyebrow raising" feel there other than the teenager... but stay tuned, because she's still (sorta) in the mix.

The Aussies have been impressive, especially when you consider that the nation's Top 3 players -- #31 Joint, #43 Kasatkina and #76 Birrell -- went a combined 0-3. The group *still* pushed six players (of 10 in the MD) through to the 2nd Round, with three of Tennis Australia's four in-house wild cards (Talia Gibson, Taylah Preston and Priscilla Hon) advancing, as well as a pair of qualfiers (Storm Hunter and Maddison Inglis, w/ the former being a Q-round WC). Preston notched her first slam MD win after reaching her maiden tour SF in Hobart, upsetting (?) Zhang Shuai, while Inglis knocked off higher-ranked countrywoman Kimberly Birrell and Gibson took down recent AO star Anna Blinkova. Sounds like a group of "Upset Queens."

As for the "Revelation Ladies," an opportunity to highlight the "Crush of Czechs" who have been collectively rising up the junior ranks and debuting on bigger and bigger stages the last few years will not be passed by, so the honors go there.

As a group, *all* the Czechs went 8-2 in the post-Petra era, even with Marketa Vondrousova withdrawing (again) before her opening match and Barbora Krejcikova (again) dealing with an injury in a loss. Not too shabby. The winners included "blast from the past" Karolina Pliskova, "familiars" like Karolina Muchova, Marie Bouzkova, Katerina Siniakova and the officially the highest-ranked member of the Crusher generation, #13 Linda Noskova. The attention-getting wins came from the youngsters, though, as Tereza Valentova (18) won for the third time in her debut at a major (def. #30 Maya Joint), qualifier Linda Fruhvirtova (20) got her first slam MD since in three years (def. Lulu Sun), and fellow qualifier Nikola Bartunkova (19) won in her maiden MD match in a major (def. Dasha Kasatkina).

So the "RL" goes to, hmmm, on second thought (after looking at those wins), the Czechs get the "Upset Queens" trophy while the Aussies get "Revelation Ladies."

Oh, and about Klimovicova, since she's a *former* Crusher, the 21-year old Pole (since '24) sort gets a half-credit here, too.

NATION OF POOR SOULS: there were a few to choose from here.

As a whole, the *continent* of South America went winless in Melboune, combining to go 0-4 (COL 0-2, ARG 0-1, BRA 0-1), but this isn't the time or place.

Germany very nearly stole the (dis)honors with its own 0-4 mark, but Laura Siegemund's 2 MP-saving rally from 6-0/5-2 down vs. Liudmila Samsonova threw the group a lifevest.

In an odd turn, the other two nominees were Ukraine and Russia.

Ukraine went 1-5 in the 1st Round, with the first two seeds to lose being #26 Dayana Yastremska and #20 Marta Kostyuk (who was also injured), falling in back-to-back matches on the same court on Day 1 (*that'll" keep them alive for the "Crash & Burn" pick if no top seed gets sent packing in the 2nd Round). Anhelina Kalinina, Yuliia Starodubtseva and Oleksandra Oliynykova also didn't get out of the 1st Round, something only #12 Elina Svitolina was able to do.

I think the plight of the (remaining) Hordettes was more noteworthy, though. "Poor Souls"-like, in fact.

They came into Melbourne with an already reduced contingent of just nine women, after having led the AO a year ago with nine players advancing to the 2nd Round, due in large part to the fact that seven notable former Hordettes have started to represent other nations since the start of 2023, including three -- Rakhimova/UZB, Potapova/AUT and P.Kudermetova/UZB -- in the latter stages of the '25 season or just before '26. Additionally, *Veronika* Kudermetova pulled of the AO for what were called "personal reasons" (after she'd already had an opening week that included some embarrassment due to comments on Elena Vesnina's podcast), which turned out to be an indisclosed surgery that will keep her out for several months.

The group opened 0-3 on Day 1, with #11 Ekaterina Alexandrova exiting, started 0-4, and then #18 Samsonova's blown Day 3 match provided a second Top 20 seed out the door. They managed to rebound to go 4-5, with Mirra Andreeva clearly having the best chance for a deep run, but the downward turn feels like a trend that will likely pick up a bit of speed as the slam season goes forward, especially if more decide to no longer be "flagless" on the major stages of the sport.







...ONE WAS TEMPTED TO SAY CERTAIN THIS WAS MORE THAN A BIT *MUCH*, but Osaka saved it with a touch of inadvertent truth in the end on Day 3:




...BRINGING SOMEWHAT MUCHOVA VIBES WITH THE CASUALNESS (but countrywoman Karolina would have probably won the point) on Day 3:




...THIS IS JUST CRAZY on Day 3:




...YOU EVER GET THE FEELING THAT, NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU'RE TRYING, YOU'RE JUST IN THE WAY? (from Day 2):

























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**AO 1st ROUND BY NATION - alphabetical**
0-1 - ARG
6-4 - AUS
2-0 - AUT
1-0 - BEL
1-1 - BLR
0-1 - BRA
1-2 - CAN
2-2 - CHN
0-2 - COL
1-2 - CRO
8-2 - CZE
1-0 - DEN
1-3 - ESP
2-2 - FRA
1-3 - GBR
1-3 - GER
1-0 - GRE
1-2 - HUN
1-0 - INA
1-1 - ITA
2-1 - JPN
2-1 - KAZ
1-1 - LAT
0-1 - MEX
0-1 - NED
0-1 - NZL
0-1 - PHI
4-0 - POL
2-1 - ROU
4-5 - RUS
0-2 - SLO
1-0 - SRB
1-2 - SUI
0-1 - SVK
0-2 - THA
1-0 - TUR
1-5 - UKR
12-7- USA
1-1 - UZB
===
TOTAL MD NATIONS: 40
MOST IN 2nd RD. (29 nations): 12-USA, 8-CZE, 6-AUS, 4-POL, 4-RUS
UNDEFEATED 1st RD.: 4-0 (POL); 2-0 (AUT); 1-0 (BEL,DEN,GER,INA,SRB,TUR)
BEST NON-UNDEFEATED 1st RD.: 8-2 (CZE); 6-4 (AUS); 2-1 (JPN,KAZ,ROU)
WORST 1st RD.: 0-2 (COL,SLO,THA); 1-5 (UKR); 1-3 (ESP,GBR,GER)
SEEDS OUT: 9 (2-RUS, 2-UKR, 2-USA, 1-AUS, 1-CAN + 1-CZE w/d)
DEF.SEEDS: (1 each) CZE,FRA,GER,INA,POL,ROU,TUR,USA

*RECENT AO "NATIONS OF POOR SOULS"*
=2020=
BLR (0-2 1st Rd., #11 Sabalenka high seed; Azarenka DNP)
=2021=
CHN (1-5 1st Rd., two seeds and 3 Top 50 players ousted)
=2022=
CAN (0-2 1r, #23 Fernandez out; Andreescu/Bouchard DNP)
=2023=
GER (1-4 1st Rd.; Petkovic ret., Kerber DNP/pregnant; NextGen 0-2)
=2024=
RUS seeds (1-4 1st Rd.)
=2025=
CZE (1-4 1st Rd.; no Kvitova/Pliskokva; Krejcikova/Vondrousova w/d; Bouzkova First Loss; Noskova First Seed Out; Bejlek 0-5 slam MD)
=2026=
RUS (4-5 1st Rd.; only 9 in MD after AO-best 9 to 2r in '25; has lost 7 notable players to other nations since '23; lost 2 Top 20 seeds)

*RECENT AO "UPSET QUEENS" WINNERS*
2016 Russia
2017 United States
2018 Ukraine
2019 United States
2020 Spain
2021 United States
2022 Romania
2023 Ukraine
2024 France
2025 Great Britain
2026 The Crush of Czechs

*RECENT AO "REVELATION LADIES" WINNERS*
2016 China
2017 Australia
2018 Estonia
2019 Teens (6 in 2nd Rd.)
2020 Kazakhstan
2021 Estonia
2022 China
2023 Czech Republic
2024 Unseeded Russians
2025 Germany
2026 Australia

*MAIDEN CAREER SLAM MD WINS AT AO-RG-WI-US - 2020-26*
-AUSTRALIAN OPEN (36)-
2020 Paula Badosa, ESP
2020 Barbora Krejickova, CZE
2020 Ann Li, USA
2020 Greet Minnen, BEL
2020 Elena Rybakina, KAZ
2021 Olga Danilovic, SRB
2021 Liudmila Samsonova, RUS
2021 Mayar Sherif, EGY
2021 Nina Stojanovic, SRB
2022 Lucia Bronzetti, ITA
2022 Jaqueline Cristian, ROU
2022 Maddison Inglis, AUS
2022 Nuria Parrizas Diaz, ESP
2022 Gabriela Ruse, ROU
2022 Wang Xinyu, CHN
2022 Wang Xiyu, CHN
2022 Maryna Zanevska, BEL
2022 Zheng Qinwen, CHN
2023 Anna Bondar, HUN
2023 Olivia Gadecki, AUS
2023 Diana Shnaider, RUS
2023 Lucrezia Stefanini, ITA
2024 Brenda Fruhvirtova, CZE
2024 McCartney Kessler, USA
2024 Alina Korneeva, RUS
2024 Maria Timofeeva, RUS
2024 Anastasia Zakharova, RUS
2025 Destanee Aiava, AUS
2025 Talia Gibson, AUS
2025 Suzan Lamens, NED
2025 Rebecca Sramkova, SVK
2026 Nikola Bartunkova, CZE
2026 Linda Klimovicova, POL
2026 Petra Marcinko, CRO
2026 Taylah Preston, AUS
2026 Oksana Selekhmeteva, RUS





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I think people should have assumed this months ago...


Called it "CNN has just confirmed that the classified East Wing bunker - where Trump intends to permanently reside - will have a fully rebuilt command center and entire living quarters. He's building Bunker-a-Lago at taxpayer expense.: OP: www.threads.com/@brittainfor...

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— Jenn🦋Anne💙Miller😷 (@jennannemiller.bsky.social) January 19, 2026 at 4:36 PM

A dictator in a bunker… how very April 1945…

— Catherine Ball (@catcopywriting.bsky.social) January 19, 2026 at 5:50 PM


It'd come in handy when trying to subvert a peaceful exchange of power in a few years (again). Wouldn't even have to leave to throw a party.



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What took them so long to bring this guy back? Ten years??? They should never have stopped that ad campaign in the first place.




That Dos Equis didn't realize a decade ago that the best thing that ever happened to the company was that ad campaign is, really, WTA-level marketing stupidity.


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TOP QUALIFIER: Guiomar Maristany/ESP
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): x
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Guiomar Maristany/ESP def. Tatiana Prozorova/RUS 6-2/2-6/7-6(10-7) - saved four MP (at 6-5 in the 3rd), reached maiden slam MD
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): x
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: (WC) Talia Gibson/AUS (def. Anna Blinkova/RUS)
FIRST SEED OUT: #26 Dayana Yastremska, UKR (1r- lost to Gabriela Ruse/ROU)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Nikola Bartunkova/CZE (1st slam MD), Linda Klimovicova/POL (1st), Petra Marcinko/CRO (1st), Taylah Preston/AUS (3rd), Oksana Selekhmeteva/RUS (5th)
PROTECTED RANKING BEST: in 2r: Pliskova/CZE
LUCKY LOSER BEST: 0-1 in 1r
UPSET QUEENS: The Crush of Czechs
REVELATION LADIES: Australia
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Russia (4-5 1st Rd.; only 9 in MD after AO-best 9 to 2r in '25; has lost 7 notable players to other nations since '23; lost 2 Top 20 seeds)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: in 2r: Bai/CHN, Bartunkova/CZE, L.Fruhvirtova/CZE, Hunter/AUS, Inglis/AUS, Klimovicova/POL, Sonmez/TUR
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: in 2r: Gibson/AUS, Hon/AUS, Preston/AUS
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: in 2r: Gibson, Hon, Hunter, Inglis, Preston, Tomljanovic
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: x
IT (?): x
COMEBACK PLAYER: x
CRASH & BURN: Nominees: first two seeds out are UKR (Yastremska/Kostyuk) in back-to-back ANZ Arena matches on Day 1
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Nominees: Jacquemot (saved MP in 1r vs. Kostyuk in first AO Open Era 3-TB women's match; 3:31); Siegemund (down 6-0/5-2 vs. Samsonova in 1r; saved 2 MP 5-3, then down 3-1 in 3rd)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: x
LADY OF THE EVENING: Nominees: Sabalenka, Osaka
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: Nominee: Ash Barty's "Don't Call it a Comeback" return in AO opening ceremonies
DOUBLES STAR: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x





All for now. More soon.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 12:20 PM  2 comments

Monday, January 19, 2026

AO26 - Step One, Day Two

One down...













=AO NOTES=
...after a Day 1 that saw no women pick up their maiden career slam MD victory, two notched such victories early on Day 2.

First, 20-year old Croatian Petra Marcinko, finally making her MD debut at a major after claiming the junior title at the 2022 AO and being a former girls' #1 (she lost in qualifying at nine of the last twelve slams before gaining automatic MD entry as #85 at this event), defeated Tatjana Maria 6-3/7-5 after having saved a SP in the 2nd.

The match completes an odd, tickling-the-edges-of-the-tour's-age-spectrum start to the 38-year old German's '26 season, as she opened the year in Brisbane by losing to an opponent 21 years her junior (17-year old Emerson Jones), then defeated 45-year old Venus Williams in Hobart last week. Here the age difference between herself and Marcinko was *only* 18 years.

All Grown Up Petra Marcinko burst on the scene as a grand slam junior champion at 16yo. Now 20yo, the Croatian has needed some time to acclimate to the pace at the next level of the game. But, in her grand slam main draw debut, she gets the win over Tatjana Maria, 6-3, 7-5.

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— Tick Tock Tennis (@ticktocktennis.bsky.social) January 18, 2026 at 9:00 PM


Soon afterward, Polish qualifier Linda Klimovicova, 21, picked up her first slam victory (in her maiden MD) when Francesca Jones retired down 6-2/3-2 due to a thigh/leg injury. This marks the third straight event over the past two seasons in which the Brit has retired in-match, and the 16th (w/ an additional two walkovers) since the start of 2023 (after having ended '22 with another mid-match retirement).



...fellow qualifier Storm Hunter continued her successful comeback, as the Aussie (who ruptured her Achilles in '24) claimed a 4 & 4 win over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, as the Spaniard's '26 season now includes her first Top 10 win (over Coco Gauff in the UC) and a 0-3 record in all her other matches (two L's in straights, and the other via a love 3rd set).

This is Hunter's first slam singles win since she reached the AO 3rd Round (her career-best result in a major) just a few months before her injury.



Later, Aussie wild card Emerson Jones finally got the host nation's first loss on the women's side after a 3-0 start, falling to #17 Victoria Mboko 6-4/6-1. The Canadian has gone 13-2 since late last season.



Later in the day, Ajla Tomljanovic improved the Aussies' collective record to 4-1 with a comeback victory over qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva, winning 4-6/7-6(3)/6-1.

Five more Australian women are set to play on Day 3, with one all-AUS match-up (Birrell/Inglis) and three big names -- new Aussie Dasha Kasatkina, multiple WTA title winner Maya Joint and Hobart semifinalist Taylah Preston -- still to come.

...elsewhere, Camila Osorio put up quite a fight against Ann Li, saving three MP at 6-5 in the 2nd set, then three more at 5-3 in the 3rd, only to eventually see the Bannerette break her serve in the 12th game of the decider on MP #8 to win 6-4/6-7(5)/7-5.

The result gives Osorio four straight 1st Round losses in majors, after she'd posted nine MD wins over a four-year slam stretch from the '21 RG to the '25 AO (including a 3r in London five seasons ago). It also means that, despite having multiple players in every women's slam MD starting with last year's RG, Colombia has gone a combined 0-6 at the last three events (w/ Emiliana Arango also having garnered three consecutive 1st Round exits after a 2nd Rd. result in Paris last year).

...Marie Bouzkova got the win over Renata Zarazua, but the Mexican woman's appearance in a ninth consecutive slam MD means she continues to add to the nation's longest slam appearance run in the majors in her lifetime.

Angelica Gavaldon played in thirteen straight MD in the 1990s, a run that ended at the AO in 1996, about 20 months before Zarazua was born.

...one of the WTA's pre-season stories revolved around the exodus of Hordettes from their flag-less reality on tour to new official "ports of call," as the recent new nationality changes of Dasha Kasatkina (AUS), Varvara Gracheva (FRA), Maria Timofeeva (UZB) and Elina Avanesyan (ARM) were joined by those of Anastasia Potapova (AUT), Kamilla Rakhimova and Polina Kudermetova (both migrating to UZB), with likely more to come. As a result, the Russian contingent was down to just nine at this AO.

Coming into Melbourne, at least one Hordette has reached the 3rd Round of 98 of the last 100 majors (excluding the '22 WI), and 22 straight, and the 4th Round at 88 of the last 99. As a group, the remaining Hordettes went 0-3 on Day 1, including an exit by #11 Ekaterina Alexandrova, then opened Day 2 with a fourth straight defeat as Anastasia Zakharova fell 2 & 1 to #6 Jessie Pegula (who has once again outlasted her family's Buffalo Bills franchise in January, and their head coach, as it's turned out).

The group finally got on the board when Oksana Selekhmeva notched her maiden career slam MD win (in her fifth MD) via a love 3rd set victory over Ella Seidel. Later, seeded Mirra Andreeva (#8) and Diana Shnaider (#23) added stats to the good side, though it took some effort after slow starts against tough 1st Round opponents.

Both dropped the 1st set, but Adelaide camp Andreeva rallied to win 4-6/6-3/6-0 over Donna Vekic, while Adelaide semifinalist (and Mirra's doubles partner) Shnaider got past Barbora Krejcikova, 2-6/6-3/6-3.



Liudmila Samsonova and Anna Kalinskaya are still to play on Day 3.

...overnight, Laver saw #2 Iga Swiatek extend her streak of opening wins in knock-out events to 66 (she's lost just once in the 79 such events since the start of the '21 season, falling only at Cincinnati that year to Ons Jabeur), getting the 7-6(5)/6-3 win under the lights vs. Yuan Yue. Yuan had served for the opening set.

Swiatek is 27-1 in career slam 1st Rounds, with 25 straight wins, losing only at Wimbledon in 2019.



Aside from her opponent's quick start, perhaps Swiatek's biggest issue in this one might have been a pesky, ill-fitting skirt given to her for this AO by On. Eventually, she adjusted mid-match and fixed the issue. Now, if she can do something similar in a few tight matches in Melbourne maybe that Career Slam *is* in play.



While Australia has the most players other than the U.S.'s 10 with 1st Round victories, with four, the host nation isn't alone. Poland has just as many, and has yet to lose a match, with Klimovicova, Magda Linette and Magdelana Frech joining Swiatek in the 2nd Round.

...meanwhile, Bianca Andreescu ended her weekend by winning her first singles title in almost six and a half years. Yep, that's a real thing.

Skipping AO qualifying and instead deciding to undertake a handful of challenger events in order to get her game in order, the Canadian played her way to the title in a $35K in Bradenton, Florida, defeating Vivian Wolff 6-2/7-5.

Andreescu's last singles title on any level, before a series of injuries essentially kept her off tour more than she's been on ever since, came with her career-defining run at the U.S. Open in 2019.



The win will get Andreescu back into the Top 200.






...WHEN YOUR EYES ARE BIGGER THAN YOUR STOMACH on Day 2:



Then...




On the bright side, there's a 125 in the Philippines next week, and now guess who can be there...





...DAY 1 POSTSCRIPT on Day 2:































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*MEXICAN WOMEN IN SLAM WS MD, since 2000*
2000 AO - Angelica Gavaldon (2r)
2020 RG - Renata Zarazua (2r)
2022 RG - Fernanda Contreras (2r)
2022 WI - Fernanda Contreras (1r)
2024 AO - Renata Zarazua (1r)
2024 RG - Renata Zarazua (1r)
2024 WI - Renata Zarazua (1r)
2024 US - Renata Zarazua (2r)
2025 AO - Renata Zarazua (2r)
2025 RG - Renata Zarazua (1r)
2025 WI - Renata Zarazua (2r)
2025 US - Renata Zarazua (2r)
2026 AO - Renata Zarazua (1r)
-
Most recent QF: 1995 AO - Gavaldon (3r: 1995 WI/US)
-
[MEXICANS WITH SLAM MD WINS; Open era; #-mult.wins]
Elena Subirats#
Angelica Gavaldon#
Renata Zarazua#
Fernanda Contreras
[MOST RECENT CON. SLAM MD]
13 - Angelica Gavaldon, 1993 AO-1996 AO
9 - RENATA ZARAZUA, 2024 AO-current
5 - Angelica Gavaldon, 1990 AO-1991 AO









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Machado presents Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize Any bets what happens next?

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— Ann Telnaes (@anntelnaes.bsky.social) January 16, 2026 at 3:56 PM


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Trump texts Norway's PM linking Nobel snub to Greenland anntelnaes.substack.com/p/trump-text...

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— Ann Telnaes (@anntelnaes.bsky.social) January 19, 2026 at 12:25 PM

Trump cheered China for Tiananmen Square (violent crackdown on pro-democracy protestors) and cheered Russia for invading Ukraine (unprovoked aggression in pursuit of conquest). Minneapolis and Greenland shouldn't be a surprise. But for whatever reason, tons of people chose not to take him seriously.

— Nicholas Grossman (@nicholasgrossman.bsky.social) January 19, 2026 at 11:50 AM


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We had endless articles and TV clips about Biden's mental capacity but silence about Trump's obvious unfitness when he says he's going to start a war with Denmark over Greenland because he didn't get the Nobel Peace Prize.

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— Max Kennerly (@maxkennerly.bsky.social) January 19, 2026 at 9:41 AM


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Just call him "The Closer"...











TOP QUALIFIER: Guiomar Maristany/ESP
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): x
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Guiomar Maristany/ESP def. Tatiana Prozorova/RUS 6-2/2-6/7-6(10-7) - saved four MP (at 6-5 in the 3rd), reached maiden slam MD
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): x
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: (WC) Talia Gibson/AUS (def. Anna Blinkova/RUS)
FIRST SEED OUT: #26 Dayana Yastremska, UKR (1r- lost to Gabriela Ruse/ROU)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Linda Klimovicova/POL, Petra Marcinko/CRO, Oksana Selekhmeteva/RUS
PROTECTED RANKING BEST: 1st Rd. wins: xx
LUCKY LOSER BEST: 0-1 in 1r
UPSET QUEENS: x
REVELATION LADIES: x
NATION OF POOR SOULS: x
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: 1r wins: Bai/CHN, Hunter/AUS, Klimovicova/POL, Sonmez/TUR
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: 1r wins: Gibson/AUS, Hon/AUS
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: 1r wins (of 10 MD): Gibson, Hon, Hunter, Tomljanovic
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: x
IT (?): x
COMEBACK PLAYER: x
CRASH & BURN: Nominees: first two seeds out are UKR (Yastremska/Kostyuk) in back-to-back ANZ Arena matches on Day 1
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Nominee: Jacquemot (saved MP in 1r vs. Kostyuk in 3-TB, 3:31 match)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: x
LADY OF THE EVENING: x
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: Nominee: Ash Barty's "Don't Call it a Comeback" return in AO opening ceremonies
DOUBLES STAR: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x





All for now. More soon.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 12:29 PM  2 comments