Backspin Sites

Friday, May 26, 2017

RG.Q- To Qualify is Divine

Some came to Paris certain to be included in main draw action. Well, as long as all their body parts cooperated, that is. But some had to fight for their right to party at Roland Garros next week.



A look back at the Roland Garros qualifying rounds...


*TOP Q-PLAYERS*

1. Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (17, #94)
...the Czech teen continues her meteoric ascent. Vondrousova played the role of juggernaut in the Q-rounds, coming in as the #2 seed (off a $100K challenger title) in her first career slam action outside of junior play. She dropped just six total games through three qualifying matches against Nadia Podoroska, Barbara Haas and Anna Blinkova. Four of them came against Blinkova in Vondrousova's last of six sets on the week. One year after she lost in the 3rd Round of the girls singles in Paris, the Czech will make her her slam debut vs. Amandine Hesse, with the possibility of Daria Kasatkina (2nd Rd.) and Simona Halep (3rd) looming. Though maybe it's the recent clay court WTA title winners who should worry.

2. Sara Errani, ITA (30, #91)
...yep, the Italian vet, former Top 5 player and RG finalist (2012) has seen her ranking drop far enough to force her to play qualifying. It was a breeze. The 30-year old, the top Q-seed, lost no sets and just seven total games. She even held serve twenty-two straight times (!!).


3. Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA (20, #101)
...the rising South American has had quite the spring. The most improved player of the 2Q (so far) had already put up a Top 20 win and WTA QF singles result, won a tour-level doubles title and $100K singles crown, as well as setting a new career-high ranking. Now she adds her slam MD debut after riding her #3 Q-seed to a no-sets-lost week with wins over Silvia Soler-Espinosa, Jana Fett and Jil Teichmann.


4. Ana Bogdan, ROU (24, #106)
...the Swarmette has made it through qualifying at her third straight slam event, making it three consecutive slam MD debuts starting with last summer's U.S. Open. After opening with a tight win over countrywoman Alexandra Dulgheru, Bogdan defeated Basak Eraydin and Virginie Razzano to make it through.


5. Petra Martic, CRO (26, #285)
...back from injury (and already with some great ITF '17 success), Martic entered the qualifying competition with a protected ranking and knocked off Irina Falconi, Tamara Korpatsch and Marina Zanevska (the latter in three TBs in the Q3). The Croat, who reached the RG Round of 16 in 2012 and also qualified in 2015, last posted a MD win at a major four years ago at Wimbledon.



THE REST...
Kateryna Kozlova, UKR (23, #140): wins over Aryna Sabalenka, Ipek Soylu and Aleksandra Krunic will allow the Ukrainian to make her RG debut (her previous best was a Q2 loss in '14). She's 0-4 in career slam MD matches, though.
Richel Hogenkamp, NED (25, #105): the #4 seed lost zero sets, finishing up with a final round win over Heather Watson. Hogenkamp lost in the opening round of qualifying in earlier qualifying attempts in Paris in 2014 and '15.
Quirine Lemoine, NED (25, #160): the second Dutch player to qualify (NED is the only nation w/ multiple players advancing), Lemoine will make her slam MD debut after saving two MP against countrywoman Arantxa Rus in the final round.
Francoise Abanda, CAN (20, #191): already a Fed Cup star this spring, Abanda is finally on the good end of some tour-level success. She'll play in her first slam MD since 2014.

Alison Van Uytvanck, BEL (23, #112): wins over Sonya Kenin and Lucie Hradecka get the former RG quarterfinalist (2015) back into the MD. She's never advanced past the 2nd Round at any other majors. 0-6 in AO/US play, she's just 5-11 in her slam MD career (w/ four wins coming during the one RG QF run).
Miyu Kato, JPN (22, #196): Kato will make her slam debut after wins over Arina Rodionova, Rebecca Sramkova and Ons Jabeur.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA (32, #116): BMS reached the RG Round of 16 in 2013, but hasn't posted a singles MD win at a major since the 2015 U.S. Open.

LUCKY LOSER...
Ons Jabeur, TUN (22, #113): the Tunisian will play in her first RG main draw. She's a two-time RG girls finalist, losing to Elina Svitolina in 2010 and defeating Monica Puig to take the crown in '11.


=Q1=
Ipek Soylu def. #11 Aryna Sabalenka
...4-6/6-1/7-6(3).
The 21-year old Turk, who became the second woman from her country (after Cagla Buyukakcay) to play in a slam MD singles match last year in Paris, survives a battle that included eight consecutive breaks of serve in the 3rd set, taking out the Fed Cup star from Belarus.


===============================================
#5 Ana Bogdan def. Alexandra Dulgheru
...2-6/6-3/7-6(5).
Bogdan wins the all-Swarmette clash, overcoming Dulgheru serving for the match at 6-5 in the final set.
===============================================
Tereza Smitkova def. Bianca Andreescu
...6-1/3-6/6-3.
The 16-year old Canadian's slam debut will have to wait.
===============================================
#2 Marketa Vondrousova def. Nadia Podoroska
...6-0/6-1.
Not many players can say they won their first career WTA singles title before they'd even played in a Q-round match at a major, but the 17-year old Czech is one of them. In her slam debut, she made (somewhat surprisingly) quick work of the clay proficient Argentine. Oh, Marketa!


===============================================
Kateryna Kozlova def. Conny Perrin 6-2/4-6/6-3
#6 Chang Kai-chen def. Tara Moore 6-2/7-5
...
peace in the household, or shared misery, I guess.
===============================================
Polona Hercog def. (wc) Harmony Tan
...3-6/6-4/6-4.
In Hercog's first match since the U.S. Open (injuries/health), the Slovenian had to recover from a 3-6/2-4 deficit. She did it by winning eight straight games (to 4-0 in the 3rd) and then held on for the win.



Hercog fell in the second round of qualifying to Zarina Diyas.
===============================================

=Q2=
#2 Marketa Vondrousova def. Barbara Haas
...6-0/6-1.
Sheesh.


===============================================
#14 Anna Blinkova def. (pr) Alexandra Panova
...7-5/5-7/7-6(3).
Meanwhile, Hordettes...
===============================================

=Q3=
#2 Marketa Vondrousova def. #14 Anna Blinkova
...6-1/6-4.
Anna's got Marketa's number. I mean, she got FIVE WHOLE GAMES off her.
===============================================
Quirine Lemoine def. Arantxa Rus
...2-6/7-6(3)/6-3.
In an all-Dutch battle, Lemoine battled back from 6-2/5-3 down, saving two MP.


===============================================


Q3 - FRANCOISE ABANDA def. #18 Jang Su-Jeong
...6-3/6-2.
The last tennis-playing WTA sister to qualify for Paris was Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in 2013. Hopefully, Franckie will have a better go of things than AKS has of late.
===============================================


*ROLAND GARROS "Q-PLAYER OF THE WEEK" WINNERS*
2006 Julia Vakulenko/UKR
2007 Timea Bacsinszky/SUI & Raluca Olaru/ROU
2008 Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez/ESP & Yanina Wickmayer/BEL
2009 Yaroslava Shvedova/KAZ
2010 Kaia Kanepi/EST
2011 Sloane Stephens/USA
2012 Kiki Bertens/NED
2013 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova/SVK
2014 Grace Min/USA
2015 Veronica Cepede Royg/PAR
2016 Viktoriya Golubic/SUI
2017 Marketa Vondrousova/CZE
[2017 slams]
AO: Elizaveta Kulichkova, RUS
RG: Marketa Vondrousova/CZE




*WILD CARDS*
...well, we know who *didn't* get a wild card into the draw in Paris, but just which players *did* the French Federation of Tennis (FFT) feel it wasn't necessary to invoke any sort of self-righteous "moral obligation" to keep out of the festivities?

Tessah Andrianjafitrimo, FRA - the 18-year old you wish success just so that everyone would have to learn to spell her name gets her second straight RG wild card, and is still looking for her first career slam MD win
Amanda Anisimova, USA - the 15-year old won the USTA Wild Card Playoff tournament race, and will become the first player born in 2001 to contest a main draw slam singles match. The 2016 RG girls runner-up, Anisimova has reached three ITF challenger finals (0-3) in '17.
Fiona Ferro, FRA - three years ago, Ferro was the youngest player in the women's MD in Paris. Now, at 20, she's back with her third WC berth in four years. She's still seeking her first RG match win.
Jaimee Fourlis, AUS - a WC recipient in her second '17 slam, the 17-year old posted 1st Round win over Anna Tatishvili in Melbourne
Myrtille Georges, FRA - with two consecutive '17 slam WC, and two in a row at RG, as well, 26-year old Georges' only slam MD win came in Paris last year
Amandine Hesse, FRA - twice a late add by the FFT to the French Fed Cup roster after other players had the "gaul" , Hesse gets her third consecutive RG wild card. The 24-year old won a 1st Round match in Paris in 2015.
Alize Lim, FRA - at 24, Lim gets her fourth straight WC in the RG main draw. She's gone 0-3 in her earlier 1st Round matches.
Chloe Paquet, FRA - the 23-year old Pastry makes her slam MD debut. She's 1-5 in career ITF finals, including a March loss in a clay court challenger in Pula, Italy.

*YOUNGEST 2017 SLAM...*
=WC=
RG - Amanda Anisimova, USA (15)
AO - Destanee Aiava, AUS (16)
AO - Kayla Day, USA (17)
AO - Jaimee Fourlis, AUS (17)
RG - Jaimee Fourlis, AUS (17)
RG - Tessah Andrianjafitrimo, FRA (18)
AO - Lizette Cabrera, AUS (19)
=Q=
RG - Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (17)
AO - Anna Blinkova, RUS (18)
AO - Natalia Vikhlyantseva, RUS (19)
AO - Elizaveta Kulichkova, RUS (20)
AO - Rebecca Sramkova, SVK (20)
RG - Francoise Abanda, CAN (20)
RG - Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA (20)

=OLDEST 2017 SLAM...=
=WC=
AO - Arina Rodionova, AUS (27)
RG - Myrtille Georges, FRA (26)
RG - Alize Lim, FRA (26)
=Q=
RG - Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA (32)
RG - Sara Errani, ITA (30)
AO - Mona Barthel, GER (26)
AO - Stefanie Voegele, SUI (26)
RG - Petra Martic, CRO (26)
=LL=
AO - Marina Zanevska, BEL (23)
RG - Ons Jabeur, TUN (22)

=LOW-RANKED 2017 SLAM QUALIFIERS=
#285 - Petra Martic, CRO (RG)
#217 - Eri Hozumi, JPN (AO)
#196 - Miyu Kato, JPN (RG)
#191 - Francoise Abanda, CAN (RG)
#189 - Anna Blinkova, RUS (AO)
#160 - Quirine Lemoine, NED (RG)
#150 - Mona Barthel, GER (AO)

=MOST 2017 SLAM Q=
2 - Ana Bogdan, ROU (AO/RG)

=MOST 2017 SLAM WC=
2 - Jaimee Fourlis, AUS (AO/RG)
2 - Myrtille Georges, FRA (AO/RG)

=CONSECUTIVE SLAM Q - active streaks=
3 - Ana Bogdan, ROU ('16 US/'17 AO/'17 RG)

=CONSECUTIVE RG Q=
2 - none

=CONSECUTIVE SLAM WC=
2 - Jaimee Fourlis, AUS ('17 AO/'17 RG)
2 - Myrtille Georges, FRA ('17 AO/'17 RG)

=CONSECUTIVE RG WC=
4 - Alize Lim, FRA
3 - Amandine Hesse, FRA
2 - Myrtille Georges, FRA
2 - Tessah Andrianjafitrimo, FRA

*BEST 2017 SLAM RESULTS*
[qualifiers]
4th Rd. AO - Mona Barthel, GER
4th Rd. AO - Jennifer Brady, USA
[wild cards]
3rd Rd. AO - Ash Barty, AUS
[lucky losers]
1st Rd. AO - Marina Zanevska, BEL

*2017 SLAM QUALIFIERS BY NATION*
3...Russia (3/0)
3...United States (2/1)
2...Japan (1/1)
2...Netherlands (0/2)
2...Romania (1/1)
1...AO: BLR,CHN,GER,SUI,SVK
1...RG: BEL,BRA,CAN,CRO,CZE,ITA,UKR
--
LL: BEL (AO), TUN (RG)



Artist: Paul Thurlby


All for now.