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Monday, July 5, 2021

W.7- Boom-Shaka-Lenka

Finally, with a grand slam QF on the line, Aryna Sabalenka lowered the boom on someone else rather than vice versa.



On Day 7, the only two current Top 20 players yet to have reached a slam semifinal faced off for the chance to be one *more* victory at SW19 away from personally vetoing that particular line item from their career bio. But for #2-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, there was a little bit *more* at stake than there was for #18 Elena Rybakina.

While her Kazakh opponent is still a relative newcomer to the slam stage, and just reached the Roland Garros final eight in her seventh career MD apperance in a major, Sabalenka (in her 15th MD) was *still* seeking her first quarterfinal. As the #4-ranked player in the world, that she was the *only* player in the Top *30* who'd yet to knock down that particular career milestone was starting to be become, well, an issue. It hadn't yet reached the point of being an "ultra-pressurized distraction" quite yet, largely because Sabalenka hadn't fallen apart in the two times she'd gotten close to a QF -- pushing the likes of Naomi Osaka ('18 US) and Serena Williams ('21 AO) in three-setters in her two previous Round of 16 chances -- and that she's been a consistently dominant figure in the tour's "regular season" for the past two and a half seasons, leading or breathing down the neck of whomever is in virtually every major category involving titles and finals, going 10-4 since the start of '18, while also reaching #1 in doubles and winning two slam titles. She'd carried over a season-ending winning streak from 2020 into '21, eventually winning fifteen straight matches and three consecutive titles.

Yet she'd still been unable to reach a stage that sixteen *different* women did in the first two majors this season and, coming into today, thirty-one had done since the start of last season. Needless to say, it was THIS CLOSE to becoming "a thing."

In what was expected to be a big-hitting 4th Round affair, Sabalenka and Rybakina engaged in a virtual tug-of-war that never seemed to result in even a temporary stalemate. In many ways, what resulted was a somewhat disjointed match similar to their previous two meetings in which -- until the closing moments -- neither woman was able to fully "open up the throttle" of their game and "gun it" at high velocity to its full effect.

Rybakina, like Sabalenka, early last season showed an ability to hit full speed and sustain it for multiple events. The Kazakh reached four finals in the pre-pandemic opening months of the '20 season (ultimately leading the tour with five on the year), but was never quite able to resume her overpowering play once the Restart came into being.

Early in the 1st set today, Rybakina's deep power shots were clearly bothering Sabalenka. After back-to-back breaks to open the match, Rybakina saved two BP and held for 2-1. She reached BP on Sabalenka's serve in the very next game with a huge backhand return, only to push a forehand volley wide rather than into an open court. Seemingly close to being able to make a big move, Rybakina netted a backhand a point later and then saw Sabalenka fire an ace on the line to hold. Rybakina began the next game with a loose forehand error and double-fault and was broken, while Sabalenka finished off another hold witn an ace to lead 4-2. After falling behind love/30 and saving a BP, a big Rybakina serve handcuffed Sabalenka and the Kazakh put away the resulting short ball to stem the tide of the Belarusian's game, but she still wasn't able to string a significant number of good points together. Down 5-3, she DF'd to hand Sabalenka the set-ending break at 6-3, ending the 1st with a 47% first serve percentage and twice as many unforced errors (14-7) as her opponent.

As quickly as she'd lost it, after the between-set break, Rybakina rediscovered her rhythm, jumping up love/40 on Sabalenka's service game and opening the 2nd with a break. From 15/30 down, she reeled off three consecutive aces for 2-0, and held for 3-1. But her surge, again, didn't last. Sabalenka got an important hold a game later, then broke the Kazakh to level the set at 3-3. Despite looking discouraged, Rybakina broke back, then finished off a hold with an ace to lead 5-3. Two games later, she added two more and held at love to win 6-3 and send the match to the 3rd set.

For a bit, the 3rd played out like the first two sets, with both players taking turns "in the driver's seat" for brief periods, with there never ever really being a stretch (or, really, even more than a point here or there) where they were in tip-top form at the same time.

Sabalenka held at love to start, then Rybakina nearly fell victim to what was largely a poorly-called match filled with many missed line calls (on shots that weren't particuarly close) and several questionable umpiring decisions.

At 30/30, Rybakina fired a serve up the "T" that was incorrectly called out. Sabalenka was so out of position that she never even moved significantly toward the shot, which wasn't called out by the linesperson until the ball essentially hit the back wall. Rybakina challenged the call and got it overturned, but the chair umpire made Rybakina replay the point rather than giving her the ace (and GP) she'd earned. It was such a wrong move that *Rybakina* engaged in a long argument with the umpire, so you *know* it was an egregious error.

Rybakina then lost the replayed point when she missed a forehand and went BP down. She ultimately got the hold, but it took more effort than should have been necessary and any chance that the game might get her momentum rolling had been lost in the moment.

In game #5, at 30/30, Rybakina spanned wide to her right and put back a forehand return deep into Sabalenka's side of the court to reach BP, but she flew a second serve return backhand and Sabalenka went on to hold for a 3-2 lead. Two games later, Sabalenka was finally able to create a tide of success -- the first for either woman on the day -- that she was able to sustain down the stretch. Back-to-back aces got a hold for 4-3, then as she turned up her power shots Rybakina wasn't able to meet the requirement to pull things back in her favor. A DF put Rybakina down love/40 and she dropped serve at love, giving the Belarusian the chance to serve out the match. Sabalenka took a 40/love lead, and on MP took a ball out of the air in the mid-court and put away a forehand winner to close out the 6-3/4-6/6-3 victory.



In truth, there was really little doubt that Sabalenka would *eventually* reach her first QF, and likely take things even further soon afterward. It was just a matter of when and where it would happen. 2021 was a good bet, though one of the hard court majors seemed a "safer" call. But Wimbledon will do nicely, as well, thank you very much.

Sabalenka still has work to do, though, to finally remove any lingering doubts about her slam title contender legitimacy. After seeing it take nearly three additional years to reach the stage that she *almost* did back in 2018 in New York, one would think that she'd recognize the urgency of the moment, and the opportunity.

In a Final 8 that contains just one previous Wimbledon champion or finalist, and one other former major champ, Sabalenka finds herself in the bottom half of the draw with two *other* players who've never reached a slam semi, and a third for whom Wimbledon has always seemed just "out of reach."

Now is not the time to simply politely knock on the door, now is the time to try to bust the door down. Sabalenka has the power to totally *overturn* the one lacking accomplishment of her career, turning it from a negative to a flashing-light positive by the end of this weekend. It's just a matter of going out and taking *this* event like she has so many others.

Ready, set.. go get it.




=DAY 7 NOTES=
...in the other early women's 4th Rounder, #21 Ons Jabeur continued her grass court rise. Against #7 Iga Swiatek, the Birmingham champ outserved (9 aces, and a 75% first serving winning pct.) and out-hit (30-20 winners) the former Roland Garros champion, dominating on the match's biggest points. The Tunisian was a remarkable 7-for-7 in BP chances (vs. 3/15 for the Pole), and outpointed her 92-65.



Still, Swiatek managed to take things to three sets, virtually stealing what was a tight 1st, rallying from 5-3 down and breaking Jabeur to win 7-5. In the final two sets, though, Jabeur dominated on the scoreboard, as their stats were virutal opposites throughout. The Tunisian out-pointed Swiatek 56-24 in the two sets, while saving all five BP she faced (and converting all five of her own). Jabeur won 90% of her first serve points in the final two sets, while Swiatek's own first serve percentage dipped under 42%. Swiatek had just three winners in each of the 2nd and 3rd sets, while Jabeur had seven aces alone (and 24 total winners).



Jabeur won 5-7/6-1/6-1, knocking off her second straight former slam champ (after Muguruza) to reach her second career slam QF ('20 AO), adding yet a few more "first to..." to her career resume -- first Arab/Tunisian woman ever, first Arab overall since Egypt's Ismail El Shafei in the men's in 1974 -- by doing so for a maiden time at SW19. Jabeur will face Sabalenka in the next round, with the winner advancing to her first career slam semifinal.

...meanwhile, #8 Karolina Pliskova continues to lead from behind, slipping her way through the draw almost unnoticed after operating well "offscreen" for much of the '21 season. Her opponent today, Russian wild card Liudmila Samsonova arrived on Court 12 riding a 10-match grass court winning streak and with the look of one of the sort of players who make this time of year where she might traditionally shine. But Samsonova never found her game today, while Pliskova took advantage of her errors to lift her own fortunes, winning 6-2/6-3 to reach her first Wimbledon QF, completing a personal Career QF Slam. The Czech is the 15th active player with QF results at all four majors, with the 36 majors it took her to achieve the feat the second-longest of those women (37 - Pavlyuchenkova, '17 AO).

Pliskova fired ten aces in the match, while Samsonova's day can be summed up with her own five DF, 1/5 BP chance numbers and 11/25 winners/unforced errors comparison. Just not the sort of game that she's going to win with, especially not against a Pliskova playing within herself and gaining confidence with each round at SW19, having yet to lose a set.



...#1 Ash Barty took to Court 1 and quickly found herself down an early break. She trailed #14 Barbora Krejcikova 4-2, with the Czech having a chance to build her lead to that of a double-break in game #7. She held a BP, but the Aussie held for 4-4 in a three-deuce game then broke Krejcikova to edge ahead on the scoreboard. The Czech saved a SP at 5-4, but then two games later fell down love/40. Barty got the break to complete her late rush and take the 1st 7-5.

Barty carried over her momentum to the 2nd, leading 4-2. Krejcikova took a love/40 lead on the Aussie's serve a game later, but Barty used a series of big serves to seize early control of the rallies to reach deuce. After squandering a fourth BP in the game (making her 1-of-8 on the day), Krejcikova finally converted on #5, only to see Barty break back a game later to get within a game of her first Wimbledon QF. She then served out the 7-5/6-3 victory, saving a BP and firing an ace on MP to end the Czech's 15-match winning streak.



Two years ago, like Krejcikova, Barty reached the SW19 Round of 16 riding a 15-match winning streak that included a title in Paris. She lost to Alison Riske. But, ten years after winning the Wimbledon junior crown, Barty is finally into the Last Eight (she and Riske can now share a beverage in that special section of the AELTC) on the lone major played on her favorite surface. While she's yet to do so in New York, reaching the 4th Round in 2018-19, Barty has done so in five of the last seven slam MD in which she's appeared.

...in Paris, #30-seed Paula Badosa reached her first career slam QF only to come up short of something even greater when she failed to take advantage of several 3rd set opportunities against Tamara Zidansek, ultimately losing the set 8-6. Today, on her best-ever Wimbledon run, against #19 Karolina Muchova the Spaniard's lost chances occurred in the early going.

In the 1st set, Badosa held a 5-2 lead on the Czech, and served for the set. But Muchova forced things into a tie-break, where Badosa got off to a similar 5-2 lead. Serving two, though, Badosa dropped *both* points. A bad forehand error knotted the score at 5-5. Badosa held a SP at 6-5 after aggressivly moving into the net and forcing a Muchova error, but the Spaniard's missed forehand and DF gave Muchova her own SP. Badosa proceeded to miss on a down the line backhand as Muchova stole the set with an 8-6 TB win.

Having put herself behind in the match, Badosa was continually forced to serve from behind in the second as the Czech opened the set on serve. The two combined for five straight service holds before Muchova broke to take a 4-2 lead. Badosa broke back a game later, but couldn't yet again hold to stay in the match. Serving at 4-5, Badosa fell behind love/30, then saw the Czech put in a brilliant lob over her head to reach MP at 15/40. Badosa netted a forehand on her first groundstroke of the MP rally, ending the 7-6(6)/6-4 match that might have gone very differently had she been able to only seize *one* of her key moments in the 1st.



The win gives Muchova, an AO semifinalist this year, her second consecutive QF berth at SW19.

...#23 Madison Keys squandered fewer chances than Badosa in *her* Round of 16 match, but that was mostly because she didn't really have that many against unseeded Viktorija Golubic, who improved upon her remarkably consistent '21 success by advancing to her first career slam QF with a 7-6(3)/6-3 win.

In fact, it was almost Golubic who let one slip. The 28-year old world #66 opened the match with a break of serve, and had pushed it to a double-break lead at 5-2. She twice failed to serve out the opening set, though, and saw Keys get things back on serve and force a TB. There Golubic again grabbed a 5-2 lead as she blistered a one-handed backhand down the line. She won the breaker 7-3, then quickly took control of the 2nd, as well.



Before this Wimbledon, Golubic had never advanced past the 2nd Round in seventeen slam MD appearances. In fact, she's *still* a combined 1-14 at the AO, RG and US. Her four-match winning streak at SW19 has doubled her career total of slam MD victories. She's now 7-3 at Wimbledon, and 43-12 across all levels this season.

...whatever deal #25 Angelique Kerber made with the Tennis Gods it must have been a good one, because she's looking like her old self again. Without a major QF result since her '18 Wimbledon title run and after having been the first seed ousted at *both* of this season's first two slams (and three times in the last eight majors), since the grass court season began the 33-year old German been as spot-on as she's been since her very best runs between 2016-18. Today she won her ninth straight grass match this summer, and schooled 17-year old #20 seed Coco Gauff in the process.

The match began with five consecutive breaks of serve until Kerber held for 4-2. A game later, Gauff finally held in a game in which she fitfully put away a smash (TAKE THAT, DAMN YOU!) on what was her third swing at the net on the same point, then used that anger to fire off back-to-back aces for 4-3. Kerber never let her back in the set, though, and served it out at 6-4 (and gave it the ol' double-clenched fist that has become her celebratory bread-and-butter).



Kerber took a 3-1 lead in the 2nd, and soon again found herself up 4-3. For a brief moment, it looked as if a "RoCoco" (Rollercoaster Coco) sighting might be in order, as Gauff went up 15/40 on the German's serve. But Kerber threw in an ace, then Gauff was short on a drop shot attempt. Kerber held for 5-3, and two games later had the chance to serve her way into the QF. She opened the game with a beautiful running lefty forehand pass...



Kerber built her lead to 40/love, then aced Gauff to finish things off. Her 6-4/6-4 win puts her into the fifth QF of her Wimbledon career (all in her last nine appearances). But since her SW19 win three years ago had given her a 16-2 slam mark that season through the first three majors (and 42-8 from the start of '16), she'd gone just a combined 12-10 before arriving in London for this fortnight. It just goes to show that you never know who'll "have the beat" in the WTA these days, or when.



In the weeks leading up this Wimbledon, after her own QF result in Paris, Gauff just didn't look as ready for such success at a second straight major. As it turned out, she wasn't, though she'd played well against opponents she *should* have beaten to reach her second straight SW19 4th Round. Kerber, at this point, was just too much for her. In a year or two, though, no matter *who* it is on the other side of the net in London, that may no longer be the case.

...the final Round of 16 of the day was the one that likely most of Great Britain had been waiting for as #338-ranked 18-year old Brit Emma Raducanu, already the youngest representing the nation to reach this stage in the Open era at the AELTC, was looking to extend her wild card slam debut run into the Last Eight by becoming the lowest ranked women's quarterfinalist ever at Wimbledon.

Meanwhile, 28-year old Tomljanovic (#75) was looking to belatedly make due on the early-career promise that had seen her crack the Top 50 seven years ago and reach her first tour final before a 2016 shoulder injury that sent her ranking plummeting into the #900's. Since then, she's gone from representing Croatia to Australia, reached three more finals (she's still seeking her maiden title) and set a new career high (#39 in '19). But her *big* moment has always seemed to elude her, from that 0-4 mark in finals (three decided in three setters) to her inablity to reach another slam Round of 16 since doing so in Paris in just her fourth career MD in a major back in 2014. Tomljanovic even served for the match in a big night clash at this year's AO against Simona Halep, only to see the Romanian steal the spotlight by sweeping the final five games.

The chance to upend a Brit in Wimbledon to reach her maiden slam QF, a round after surviving a wild encounter with Alona Ostapenko (both within and outside the lines) seemed like a perfect time for Tomljanovic's "moment" to arrive. It finally did, but also sort of felt like it didn't.

After the six straight holds that had opened the match, Tomljanovic continued to hold firm in back-to-back serve games in the back-half of the set, saving BP to hold for 4-3 and two more for 5-4. In game #10, a three-deuce battle that saw the Aussie come within two points of the set three times before finally reaching BP, Tomljanovic took the 1st when Raducanu's forehand went long to produce the match's first break of serve. Tomljanovic barely edged the teenager, who was even on her heels (39-37) when it came to total points won.

But rather than a triumphant run down the stretch of this match, after the Aussie took a 2-0 lead it became clear that the Brit wasn't feeling well. With a trainer waiting just off the court throughout game #3, Raducanu failed to convert two BP and Tomljanovic held for 3-0. Soon after, following a meeting with medical personal in the changeover area, Raducanu was taken off court. A short time later an announcement was made that she'd have to retire from the biggest match of her young career.

It was difficult to celebrate a career accomplishment under such circumstances, as it felt not only anticlimactic, but somehow "wrong." Tomljanovic acknowledged as much afterward. But it remains a huge moment in the Aussie's career, yet also a second straight round at this Wimbledon in which her victory has been overshadowed by a situation involving her opponent.

Her win sets up another big deal, a QF match-up with #1 and fellow Aussie Barty, the first all-AUS SW19 quarterfinal since 1980, with the winner becoming the first Australian semifinalist at Wimbledon since a 17-year old Jelena Dokic in 2000.






*LADIES' SINGLES QF*
#1 Ash Barty/AUS vs. Ajla Tomljanovic/AUS
#19 Karolina Muchova/CZE vs. #25 Angelique Kerber/GER
#8 Karolina Pliskova/CZE vs. Viktorija Golubic/SUI
#21 Ons Jabeur/TUN vs. #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES QF*
#1 Krejcikova/Siniakova (CZE/CZE) vs. #15 Kuzmova/Rus (SVK/NED)
#12 Gauff/McNally (USA/USA) vs. (PR) V.Kudermetova/Vesnina (RUS/RUS)
Dolehide/Sanders (USA/AUS) vs. #7 Chan/Chan (TPE/TPE)
Krunic/Stojanovic (SRB/SRB) vs. #3 Hsieh/Mertens (TPE/BEL)
#5 Aoyama/Shibahara (JPN/JPN) vs. #16 Bouzkova/Hradecka (CZE/CZE)

*MIXED DOUBLES ROUND OF 16*
(PR) Mirza/Bopanna (IND/IND) vs. #14 Klepac/Rojer (SLO/NED)
x/x vs. #7 Krawczyk/N.Skupski (USA/GBR)
#4 Melichar/Roger-Vasselin (USA/FRA) vs. Ar.Rodionova/Vasilevski (AUS/BLR)
#17 Sh.Zhang/Peers (CHN/AUS) vs. x/x
(WC) Broady/Chardy (GBR/FRA) vs. #10 Jurak/Klaasen (CRO/RSA)
L.Kichenok/Marach (UKR/AUT) vs. x/x
Mattek-Sands/Ram (USA/USA) vs. Peschke/Krawietz (CZE/GER)
#13 Carter/Gille (USA/BEL) vs. #2 Dabrowski/Pavic (CAN/CRO)






...LIKE ON DAY 7:

The sort of nice things a slam's team can produce when, you know, someone gives a tinker's crap about utilizing social media platforms during one of the four stretches (and maybe three, considering the AUS time difference with the majority of the world) times during the year when the eyes of the sporting world are actually focusing on the sport (i.e. the exact opposite of what was often occuring during this year's RG, on both the tournament and WTA side of things). I mean, they could sell that sort of artwork as a poster that many Angie fans (and those of the other players who've gotten the same honor at this Wimbledon) would surely love to frame on their wall at home.




...LIKE ON DAY 7:

Yes! I think I patented this one a few years ago, though.




...Ummm... ON DAY 7:

So, the Cornet lob over Andreescu on MP doesn't make this montage? But, naturally, the carnival sideshow act gets the first slot (and then appears injured as he walks back to the baseline afterward).




...Ummm... ON DAY 7:

Last paragraph: "Ms. Osaka sometimes describes herself as shy, but she told Racquet: “Tennis is a thing that I’m least shy about. At the end of the day, even if I don’t win that match, I know that I have played better than 99 percent of the population, so there’s not anything to be shy about.”

Also a paragraph: "Ms. Osaka walked into the middle of that dynamic during the French Open. While tennis news conferences can be quite weird — some local journalist in the room amuses the traveling press by confusing one Russian player for another, or asks a particularly off-the-wall question — the mood is usually pretty sedate. Most players roll with them without complaint. And Ms. Osaka wasn’t being grilled about her personal life or her mental health. She was bothered by questions about her performance on clay courts. Another recent question concerned what she planned to wear to the Met Gala, a high-society Manhattan event of which she is a co-chair."







SW19 Memories...


Serena Williams sweeps the 2012 singles and double titles




Williams then returns a month later and sweeps the Olympic Golds at the London Olympics




The iconic singles Medal stands features the three top players of the moment in the women's game













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*2021 WIMBLEDON FINAL 8*
[by career slam QF]
11 - Angelique Kerber, GER
8 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE
5 - Ash Barty, AUS
3 - Karolina Muchova, CZE
2 - Ons Jabeur, TUN
1 - Viktorija Golubic, SUI
1 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
1 - Ajla Tomljanovic, AUS
[by career WI QF]
5 - Angelique Kerber
2 - Karolina Muchova
1 - Ash Barty
1 - Viktorija Golubic
1 - Ons Jabeur
1 - Karolina Pliskova
1 - Aryna Sabalenka
1 - Ajla Tomljanovic
[w/ consecutive slam QF]
none
[w/ consecutive WI QF]
2 - Karolina Muchova
[2021 slam QF - unseeded]
AO - Hsieh Su-wei, Jessica Pegula
RG - Barbora Krejcikova, Tamara Zidansek
WI - Viktorija Golubic, Ajla Tomljanovic
[2021 1st-time GS QF]
AO - Hsieh Su-wei
AO - Jessica Pegula
RG - Paula Badosa
RG - Coco Gauff
RG - Barbora Krejcikova
RG - Elena Rybakina
RG - Maria Sakkari
RG - Tamara Zidansek
WI - Viktorija Golubic
WI - Aryna Sabalenka
WI - Ajla Tomljanovic
[2021 slam QF]
2 - Ash Barty (AO/WI)
2 - Karolina Muchova (AO/WI)
1 - 20 players
[2021 slam QF - by nation]
4...USA (1/1/0)
4...CZE (1/1/2 - Muchova,Ka.Pliskova)
3...AUS (1/0/2 - Barty,Tomljanovic)
1...BLR (0/0/1 - Sabalenka)
1...ESP (0/1/0)
1...GER (0/0/1 - Kerber)
1...GRE (0/1/0)
1...JPN (1/0/0)
1...KAZ (0/1/0)
1...POL (0/1/0)
1...ROU (1/0/0)
1...RUS (0/1/0)
1...SLO (0/1/0)
1...SUI (0/0/1 - Golubic)
1...TPE (1/0/0)
1...TUN (0/0/1 - Jabeur)
[WTA career slam QF - active]
54...Serena Williams, USA
39...Venus Williams, USA
19...Kim Clijsters, BEL
17...Victoria Azarenka, BLR
16...Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
15...Simona Halep, ROU
13...Petra Kvitova, CZE
11...Angelique Kerber, GER
8...Garbine Muguruza, ESP
8...Karolina Pliskova, CZE
7...Sara Errani, ITA
7...Madison Keys, USA
7...Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
7...Samantha Stosur, AUS
7...Elina Svitolina, UKR
7...Carla Suarez-Navarro, ESP
[WTA slam QF & W/L in 2020's]
3 - Barty (1-1) *
2 - Brady (2-0)
2 - Halep (1-1)
2 - Jabeur (0-1) *
2 - Kenin (2-0)
2 - Kvitova (1-1)
2 - Muchova (1-0) *
2 - Osaka (2-0)
2 - Pavlyuchenkova (1-1)
2 - Swiatek (1-1)
2 - S.Williams (2-0)
1 - Azarenka (1-0)
1 - Badosa (0-1)
1 - Collins (0-1)
1 - Gauff (0-1)
1 - Golubic (0-0) *
1 - Hsieh (0-1)
1 - Kerber (0-0) *
1 - Kontaveit (0-1)
1 - Krejcikova (1-0)
1 - Mertens (0-1)
1 - Muguruza (1-0)
1 - Pegula (0-1)
1 - Pironkova (0-1)
1 - Ka.Pliskova (0-0) *
1 - Podoroska (1-0)
1 - Putintseva (0-1)
1 - Rogers (0-1)
1 - Rybakina (0-1)
1 - Sabalenka (0-0) *
1 - Sakkari (1-0)
1 - Siegemund (0-1)
1 - Svitolina (0-1)
1 - Tomljanovic (0-0) *
1 - Trevisan (0-1)
1 - Zidansek (1-0)
--
* - to play QF
[WTA slam QF by nation in 2020's - 6 slams/48]
10-USA
6-CZE
4-AUS
2-BLR,ESP,GER,JPN,KAZ,POL,ROU,RUS,TUN
1-ARG,BEL,BUL,EST,GRE,ITA,SLO,SUI,TPE,UKR



*WIMBLEDON UNSEEDED/WC/Q in QF, w/ 32-SEEDS*
2001 - -
2002 - Likhovtseva/RUS
2003 - -
2004 - Sprem/CRO
2005 - -
2006 - Bremond/FRA(Q)
2007 - -
2008 - Tanasugarn/THA, J.Zheng/CHN(WC)
2009 - Lisicki/GER, Schiavone/ITA
2010 - Kanepi/EST(Q), Kvitova/CZE, Pironkova/BUL
2011 - Lisicki/GER(WC), Paszek/AUT
2012 - Paszek/AUT
2013 - Kanepi/EST
2014 - Zahlavova-Strycova/CZE
2015 - Vandeweghe/USA
2016 - Shvedova/KAZ, Vesnina/RUS
2017 - Rybarikova/SVK
2018 - Cibulkova/SVK, Giorgi/ITA
2019 - Muchova/CZE, Riske/USA, Strycova/CZE, Sh.Zhang/CHN
2021 - Golubic/SUI, Tomljanovic/AUS

*WTA "CAREER QF SLAM" - active*
[with slam at which completed]
Azarenka - 2012 US (28th)
Clijsters - 2002 AO (11th)
Halep - 2015 US (22nd)
Kerber - 2016 AO (33rd)
Keys - 2018 RG (23rd)
Konta - 2019 US (24th)
Kuznetsova - 2006 RG (16th)
Kvitova - 2015 US (30th)
Pavlyuchenkova - 2017 AO (37th)
Ka.Pliskova - 2021 WI (36th)
Stephens - 2018 RG (25th)
Svitolina - 2019 US (29th)
S.Williams - 2001 RG (12th)
V.Williams - 1998 WI (6th)
Zvonareva - 2010 US (31st)

*WIMBLEDON "COMEBACK" WINNERS*
2007 Venus Williams, USA
2008 Tamarine Tanasugarn, THA
2009 Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2010 Vera Zvonareva, RUS
2011 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2012 Mirjana Lucic, CRO
2013 Marion Bartoli, FRA
2014 The White Shorts (of Victoria Azarenka)
2015 Aga Radwanska, POL
2016 Serena Williams/Venus Williams, USA/USA
2017 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2018 Serena Williams, USA
2019 Alona Ostapenko, LAT (MX)
2021 Angelique Kerber, GER

*WIMBLEDON "LAST WILD CARD STANDING"*
2008 Zheng Jie, CHN (SF)
2009 Elena Baltacha/GBR & Michelle Larcher de Brito/POR (2nd Rd.)
2010 none to 2nd Rd.
2011 Sabine Lisicki, GER (SF)
2012 Yaroslava Shvedova, KAZ (4th Rd.)
2013 Alison Riske, USA (3rd Rd.)
2014 Vera Zvonareva, RUS (3rd Rd.)
2015 Alona Ostapenko, LAT (2nd Rd.)
2016 Tara Moore/GBR & Evgeniya Rodina/RUS (2nd Rd.)
2017 Zarina Diyas/KAZ & Heather Watson/GBR (3rd Rd.)
2018 Katie Boulter/GBR, Ons Jabeur/TUN & Katie Swan/GBR (2nd)
2019 Harriet Dart, GBR (3rd Rd.)
2021 Emma Raducanu/GBR, Liudmila Samsonova/RUS (4th)

*BEST 2021 SLAM RESULTS*
[wild cards]
WI 4th Rd. - Emma Raducanu, GBR
WI 4th Rd. - Liudmila Samsonova, RUS
AO 2nd Rd. - Dasha Gavrilova, AUS
AO 2nd Rd. - Samantha Stosur, AUS
RG 2nd Rd. - Astra Sharma, AUS
RG 2nd Rd. - Harmony Tan, FRA
WI 2nd Rd. - Katie Boulter, GBR

*RECENT FIRST-TIME SLAM CHAMPS AND NEXT MAJOR RESULT*
2008 Ana Ivanovic (RG): Wimbledon 3rd
2010 Francesca Schiavone (RG): Wimbledon 1st
2011 Li Na (RG): Wimbledon 2nd
2011 Petra Kvitova (WI): U.S. 1st
2011 Samantha Stosur (US): Australian 1st
2012 Victoria Azarenka (AO): Roland Garros 4th
2013 Marion Bartoli (WI): retired
2015 Flavia Pennetta (US): retired
2016 Angelique Kerber (AO): Roland Garros 1st
2016 Garbine Muguruza (WI): Wimbledon 2nd
2017 Alona Ostapenko (RG): Wimbledon QF
2017 Sloane Stephens (US): Australian 1st
2018 Caroline Wozniacki (AO): Roland Garros 4th
2018 Simona Halep (RG): Wimbledon 3rd
2018 Naomi Osaka (US): Australian W
2019 Ash Barty (RG): Wimbledon 4th
2019 Bianca Andreescu (US): DNP 2020; Australian 2nd
2020 Sofia Kenin (AO): U.S. 4th
2020 Iga Swiatek (RG): Australian 4th
2021 Barbora Krejcikova (RG): Wimbledon 4th







TOP QUALIFIER: Ana Konjuh/CRO
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #25 Angelique Kerber/GER
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q3 - Lesley Pattinama Kerhkove/NED def. Jule Niemeier/GER 6-4/2-6/9-7 (saved 2 MP)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - #25 Angelique Kerber/GER def. Sara Sorribes Tormo/ESP 7-5/5-7/6-4 (3:19; wins on MP #2 1:20 after first MP)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (def. Niculescu - first official match at AELTC in 715 days)
FIRST SEED OUT: #10 Petra Kvitova/CZE (1st Rd.-Stephens)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove/NED, Maria Camila Osorio Serrano/COL, Emma Raducanu/GBR
UPSET QUEENS: Czech Republic
REVELATION LADIES: South America
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Canada - 0-2 1st Rd. (#5 Andreescu, Fernandez), while Bouchard (injured) DNP
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Maria Camila Osorio Serrano/COL (3rd Rd.) (LL 2r: Ahn)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Emma Raducanu/GBR, Liudmila Samsonova/RUS (both 4th Rd.)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: Andrea Petkovic/GER, CoCo Vandeweghe/USA, Elena Vesnina/RUS (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST BRIT STANDING: Emma Raducanu (4th Rd.)
Ms./Miss OPPORTUNITY: xx
IT "Teen Brit": Emma Raducanu/GBR
COMEBACK PLAYER: Angelique Kerber/GER
CRASH & BURN: #6 Serena Williams, USA & #10 Petra Kvitova, CZE (both 1st Rd;. won 6 of last 11 Wimbledon; Williams ret. for second career 1r slam exit)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON (early-round): Kristie Ahn/USA (already a lucky loser, also saved MP vs. Watson/GBR in 1st Rd.)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON (mid/late-round): Nominee: Kerber (2 con. slam First Seed Out; won 3:19 2r vs. Sorribes Tormo)
DOUBLES STAR: xx
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): xx
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: xx
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREES: xx
RAD REMEMBRANCE DAY malevolent activity notes...
=June 26 official=
All quiet, but on 25th Ula Radwanska loses in final qualifying round and on 27th top-ranked Brit Konta w/d due to COVID quarantine
=Day 3 observed=
After two days of rain following a 715-day break since the last Wimbledon, the Day 3 schedule includes 39 women's (23 1r/16 2r) and 41 men's (27 1r/14 2r) singles matches. Slips and falls that led to back-to-back Centre Court retirements (including S.Williams) on Day 2 continued, and the day began with the unusual news that a pair of lucky losers -- Astra Sharma and Tsvetana Pironkova -- were being added to the draw three days into the event due to injuries (both former semifinalist Tsvetana Pironkova and Astra Sharma lost, the latter after holding a 4-2 3rd set lead). In all, three Top 10 women's seeds (#4 Kenin, #5 Andreescu and #9 Bencic) were ousted, longtime Wimbledon "marathon" man John Isner *lost* a five-setter, and 41-year old five-time champ Venus Williams was defeated a day after her sister left the tournament due to injury (marking just the fourth time in their long slam history that neither reached the 3rd Round of a major, and the first time ever at Wimbledon, where Venus became the first Williams to make her debut 24 years ago).






All for Day 7. More tomorrow.
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