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Tuesday, July 6, 2021

W.8- From Ace Queen to Grass Queen?

Karolina Pliskova has been many things over the course of her career.

A Fed Cup leader. A world #1. A slam singles finalist. Even an "Ace Queen." But one thing she's *never* really been is a Wimbledon contender, despite her big serve and Czech heritage. But could that be changing?



2021 has sometimes been a rough one for Pliskova. With her career (at least) reaching its back-half, her years of chasing her elusive maiden slam crown are surely fewer in number than the seasons in which she's already been making the attempt. So her offseason hiring of coach Sascha Bajin seemed a "Hail Mary" shot at maybe making one last big push, while still on the outside edges of the "prime" of her career, to join the glorious list of her countrywomen and men who've raised championship trophies at majors over the decades. For much of this season, though, the results have simply *not* been there.

In fact, coming into Wimbledon, save for a final run in Rome (her third straight, but one that left something more than a bad taste considering she lost love & love to Iga Swiatek), this had been her *worst* season since she burst onto the high-level tour scene in the ealry 2010s.

The 29-year old was just 15-12 (w/ 3r and 2r slam finishes), had lost to a player ranked #292 and had just fallen from the Top 10 for the first time in some 230 weeks (since 2016). She was 1-4 in her last five matches, and 0-2 on grass. Yet, as we now stand less than two days from playing the Wimbledon semifinals, Pliskova is *still* alive in the draw. Not only that, she's the only player in the women's (or men's) competition yet to drop a set.

Today's quarterfinal match-up with Viktorija Golubic saw things play out as they mostly have at this Wimbledon for #8-seed Pliskova, with her playing a clean game and her opponents rarely being in position to test or challenge her. The Czech worked a rally in her favor mid-way through the 1st set, dragging Golubic wide with a backhand and then moving in to send the Swiss' reply back with a smash to break for a 4-2 lead. After Pliskova held at love, a Golubic DF gave her SP at 15/40 a game later. Pliskova fired back her response to a second serve, producing a set-ending error off Golubic's racket as the Czech won the 1st 6-2.

Pliskova only *gained* momentum in the 2nd, acing the first-time slam quarterfinalist to hold at love in game #1, then building her lead to 3-0. Up 4-2, Pliskova staved off three BP chances, even while slipping and falling (somewhat hyperextending her knee in the process) while running for a drop shot, and held to get within a game of the win. She didn't have to serve it out, and instead converted her fourth MP opportunity in Golubic's service game to end the 6-2/6-2 match.



After having already just reached her first Wimbledon QF, thereby completing her "Career QF Slam," Pliskova's SF berth now completes her "Career SF Slam," making her one of just six active players who've reached the final four at all four majors. It's her first slam semifinal since the 2019 Australian Open, and it comes at the major at which she's had the slowest go of things. Despite back-to-back Round of 16 runs at SW19 coming into this fortnight, Pliskova was still only 11-8 in her Wimbledon career before her current five-win run.

But if this result proves anything it's that Pliskova, while her decisions have often belied as much in recent years (she'd employed at least half a dozen coaches since 2016 before hiring Bajin), does indeed possess a fair amount of patience. Many players who'd gone through the half-season of results that she has would have moved on to another situation, perhaps erasing any of the gains she'd made in practices with Bajin that hadn't yet translated to the scoreboard, but now finally are.

In the fickle world of WTA coach/player relations, *anything* is bound to happen, from jettisoning a coach after a career year to sticking with a longtime relationship that seems to all the world to be a counterproductive, if not toxic, one. So credit to Pliskova for being proven correct to have faith.



Her immediate reward is the chance to play for the sort of reward that was starting to seem as if it might be in her *past* rather than still potentially in her future. She's assured of a return to the Top 10 after this Wimbledon is over.

But, right now, Pliskova's got even bigger prey -- and a far bigger reward -- to try and track down.




=DAY 8 NOTES=
...on a day when the rain shut down the play on the outer courts for most of the day, the roofed arenas on the grounds of the All-England Club were *the* center of attention.

While Pliskova was the first woman through to the semifinals, the battle to fill the first final four slot in the bottom half of the draw followed her onto Court 1 as #25 Angelique Kerber, the '18 champ, met back-to-back SW19 quarterfinalist #19 Karolina Muchova.

For the most part, the German continued her mission to transform the AELTC into "Angie Land" -- admission is half-off if you do the double-clenched fist celebration at the front gate, 60% off if you simultaneously raise a knee with perfect timing -- by getting the drop on the Czech early in the 1st set, chasing down a drop shot and then putting away Muchova's response via an overhead to take a 2-0 lead. Up 5-2, Kerber took a love/40 lead on Muchova's serve and closed out the set at 6-2, saving both BP she faced while converting two of three chances in her own receiving game.



Muchova broke Kerber early in the 2nd, taking a 2-1 lead, but the German quickly got the set back on serve and barely looked back. Kerber served at 5-3, saving a BP (for the seventh time in eight Muchova chances on the day). She held on her second MP when the Czech sent a forehand long to end the 6-2/6-3 contest.



It's Kerber's eighth career slam semifinal, and her fourth at Wimbledon (three in the last five tournaments). While she won't face her in her next match, there remains the possibility of Kerber facing off with Pliskova again in another slam final. You'll remember, the two met in the Cincinnati final during the summer of 2016 in what was Pliskova's greatest stretch of her career, right smack in the middle of the German's career season. Pliskova won, denying Kerber the #1 ranking, but noting "maybe next time" she'll get it. She did a few weeks later, defeating the Czech in the U.S. Open final.

It'd be an interesting "career catch-up" should the two meet with *another* slam title on the line.

Of course, both women have their own difficult obstacle standing before them that could prevent such a get-together. In Pliskova's case, it's #2 Aryna Sabalenka.



The Belarusian finally broke into the Slam QF Club (so long, Anna Smashnova and Anabel Medina Garrigues and being included on that 10+ tour titles w/o a slam final eight list) with her win over Elena Rybakina a round ago in a match-up against a player with a game very similar to her own. Today, though, her foe was #21 Ons Jabeur, a woman who battles with an emotional component akin to that of Sabalenka, but whose weapons in such a clash include a far greater variety of shots.

In a 1st set in which short rallies were the norm, Sabalenka held off Jabeur in the early going, saving a break point in the opening game, and then won the key game late. With Jabeur serving down 4-5, the Tunisian's loose forehand suddenly put her down SP. It was the first BP she'd faced all match. She saved it with an ace, but a relentless Sabalenka carved out multiple additional opportunities. Twice she failed to convert BP by attempting touch shots from the mid-court forward, first netting a drop attempt and then pushing another wide. Sabalenka saved a pair of Jabeur GP and earned a fourth BP chance. But a Jabeur shot ticked off the net cord, perhaps throwing off the Belarusian's timing enough that she sailed a routine forehand long. Finally, on BP #5, Sabalenka's big return of serve allowed her to gain immediate control of the point's quick rally. Her forehand pushed Jabeur into the right side of the backcourt, a position from which the Tunisian attempted a running forehand down the line. She missed, awarding Sabalenka the 20-point game and the 1st set at 6-4.



While Jabeur lost the opening set against both Garbine Muguruza and Iga Swiatek at this Wimbledon but managed to stage a comeback to win, she was clearly tired early on in the 2nd today. Still, she managed to make Sabalenka play, taking a love/40 lead on the Belarusian's serve in the first game of the set. But Sabalenka turned up her game's power and held, then broke Jabeur for a 2-0 lead.

Jabeur didn't give up (never), and immediately got the break back, then two games later held a BP chance in game #5 to take the lead in the set. But her forehand return smacked the net cord and popped up, falling onto her side of the court. Sabalenka held for 3-2 moments later. Jabeur saved a BP in game #8, but Sabalenka's huge shots from the baseline finally eroded her efforts. With Jabeur only able to get a slap of her racket on one of the Belarusian's bombs, Sabalenka took the short ball near the net and put it away with a backhand to break for a 5-3 lead.

Serving for the match, Sabalenka closed her biggest career win (so far) with a backhand down the line, finishing off a decisive 6-4/6-3 victory to reach her first career slam semifinal. She's the only first-time slam semifinalist at this slam, but her advancement officially makes it eleven straight Wimbledons with at least one maiden final four participant.



Sabalenka holds a 2-0 edge in her head-to-head with Pliskova, and while their big shots are similar they will pose quite a contrast on the court otherwise, as Pliskova is generally (but not always, despite her longtime reputation) a calm presense on the court. Sabalenka, competing with an almost feral intensity at times, is almost *never* that. Both previous meetings went three sets, including one on grass in Eastbourne in 2018.

One of the women will reach her first final in London, and will play for a career-defining Wimbledon title on Saturday.

...in the final singles match of the day on Centre Court, for the right to face Kerber, #1 Ash Barty and Ajla Tomljanovic engaged in the first all-Aussie Wimbledon QF since 1980 (Goolagong def. Turnbull en route to the title), with the winner becoming the first Australian to reach the SW19 final four since Jelena Dokic in 2000.

After fighting her way off the court through a shoulder injury and long bout with mono, and making her way past the drama associated with her opponents on her trip through this fortnight, Tomljanovic had a difficult time doing the same with Barty. She trailed 6-1/4-1 before a brief 15-minute stretch in which the two did a mid-set "switcheroo" and Tomljanovic closed to within 4-3. But faced with the prospect of being forced to go to a 3rd set in a match she had in hand, Barty did that thing that #1's (or those that aspire to be as much) do, putting an end to Tomljanovic's run with a break in game #8 and then going up 40/love while serving for the match. It took a second MP to take care of business, but she did it with style once she did.



Two wins away from becoming the first Aussie woman to win Wimbledon since Goolagong in '80 (she's wearing a skirt at this tournament that pays tribute to her fellow aboriginal Aussie's outfit when she won her first SW19 crown in '71), and the first to win either of the singles titles in London since 2002 (Lleyton Hewitt), by lifting the Venus Rosewater Dish this weekend Barty would also become the only active player to have won both the Wimbledon girls (2011) and Ladies titles. The closest any current tour players have come was '12 junior winner Genie Bouchard reaching the singles final in '14, losing to Petra Kvitova.

...in doubles, Coco Gauff & Caty McNally lost to Veronika Kudermetova & Elena Vesnina, so that'll be the last we hear on ESPN on this thing called "doubles" during this Wimbledon.

...Roehampton champ Linda Fruhvirtova is still alive for the two-fer. If the Czech were to win the Wimbledon girls title this week she'd be the 8th of the last eleven SW19 winners to have swept both of the season's two biggest junior grass court events. But she *may* be a bit fortunate to still be alive at this event. The #8-seeded Czech dropped the 1st set to Canadian Kayla Cross in the 1st Round, and Cross broke her in the opening game of the 2nd set. Fruhvirtova advanced when Cross retired with the Czech leading 4-1 in the set.

The Canadian began play with a wrap on her right thigh, and it was clear from the early going in the 2nd that she was having a difficult time serving, and eventually wasn't really even making much of an effort to move to get to shots that weren't hit near her.

#3 seed Diana Shnaider lost to Ashlyn Krueger, while Roehampton finalist Linda Klimovicova advanced to the 2nd Round.

...the wheelchair draws are out, and there's at least one potentially interesting match-up before what *could* be the eleventh slam final meeting between #1 Diede de Groot and #2 Yui Kamiji (and third in '21).

De Groot, the AO and RG champ this year, could face doubles partner Aniek Van Koot in the semis. Van Koot denied de Groot the Wimbledon title in 2019, defeating her in the final and ultimately preventing the Dutch woman from sweeping all eight slam titles that season. No player has *ever* done that, and won't this year, either, since the Paralympic competition replaces the U.S. Open wheelchair event this year. But no one, male or female, has ever gone six-for-six in the slams and swept both Para Golds in the same season, either, so there's *still* history to be made.

Meanwhile, the Wimbledon singles is the only slam crown not yet won by #2 Yui Kamiji. In fact, she's never reached the Wimbledon final in the previous four years the singles event has been held. A few years ago, I watched all four WC QF back-to-back (and-back-to-back?) during Wimbledon and wondered if Kamiji's "issues" on grass, if there are any, might stem from her size. Being the smallest of all the WC contenders, she has the shortest arms, and I wondered if that might prevent her from maneuvering around the grass courts (surely not as smooth going as on HC or clay) as well as she normally would. Nothing scientific... just an anecdotal observation.

Unlike in 2020, de Groot has been on top of her game in the slams this season, so I'd think she'll get through. Kamiji, though, might face a significant obstacle in South Africa's Kgothatso "KG" Montjane in the semis. Montjane has never reached a slam singles final, but her results have improved a lot over the last year or two, and maybe this is her moment. Also, I *don't believe* a Black woman (or man) has ever reached a WC slam singles final, so that'd be something to look out for, as well.






*LADIES' SINGLES SF*
#1 Ash Barty/AUS vs. #25 Angelique Kerber/GER
#8 Karolina Pliskova/CZE vs. #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES QF*
#1 Krejcikova/Siniakova (CZE/CZE) 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)
(Alt.) Moore/Fery (GBR/GBR) 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. #6 L.Chan/Dodig (TPE/CRO)
(WC) Broady/Chardy (GBR/FRA) vs. #10 Jurak/Klaasen (CRO/RSA)
L.Kichenok/Marach (UKR/AUT) vs. Dart/Salisbury (GBR/GBR)
Peschke/Krawietz (CZE/GER) w/o Mattek-Sands/Ram (USA/USA)
#13 Carter/Gille (USA/BEL) vs. #2 Dabrowski/Pavic (CAN/CRO)

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S QF*
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. Lucy Shuker/GBR
Aniek Van Koot/NED vs. Jordanne Whiley/GBR
KG Montjane/RSA vs. Anjelica Bernal/COL
Momoko Ohtani/JPN vs. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S DOUBLES*
#1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) vs. Montjane/Shuker (RSA/GBR)
Bernal/Ohtani (COL/JPN) vs. #2 Kamiji/Whiley (JPN/GBR)






...HAVE YOU NO SHAME, SIR?... ON DAY 8:






...RIGHT-WINGERS LYING AND TWISTING THE TRUTH (imagine that)... ON DAY 8:




...FACTS, DAMN FACTS, AND STATISTICS (aka sometimes a duck is a duck)... ON DAY 8:




...HISTORY ON DAY 8:




...PARTING WORDS ON DAY 8:







SW19 Memories...


Jelena Dokic makes her Wimbledon debut in 1999, upsetting #1 seed Martina Hingis in the 1st Round





















kosova-font











Dashas gotta have each other's backs...













kosova-font

*CAREER SLAM SF - active*
40 - Serena Williams, USA (33-7)
23 - Venus Williams, USA (16-7)
16 - Kim Clijsters, BEL (8-8)
8 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (5-3)
8 - Simona Halep, ROU (5-3)
8 - Angelique Kerber, GER (4-3) #
7 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (3-4)
5 - Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS (4-1)
5 - Garbine Muguruza, ESP (4-1)
5 - Samantha Stosur, AUS (2-3)
4 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (4-0)
4 - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (2-2)
4 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (1-2) #
4 - Madison Keys, USA (1-3)
3 - Sloane Stephens, USA (2-1)
3 - Ash Barty, AUS (1-1) #
3 - Sara Errani, ITA (1-2)
3 - Genie Bouchard, CAN (1-2)
3 - Johanna Konta GBR (0-3)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (2-0)
2 - Sabine Lisicki, GER (1-1)
2 - Alona Ostapenko, LAT (1-1)
2 - Jennifer Brady, USA (1-1)
2 - Timea Bacsinszky, SUI (0-2)
2 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-2)
2 - CoCo Vandeweghe, USA (0-2)
1 (W) Andreescu,Krejcikova,Pavlyuchenkova
1 (W) Swiatek,Vondrousova
1 (-) Sabalenka #
1 (L) Anisimova,Bencic,Bertens,Collins
1 (L) Flipkens,Mertens,Muchova,Peng
1 (L) Petkovic,Pironkova,Podoroska,Sevastova
1 (L) Sakkari,Vesnina,Wickmayer,Zidansek

*SLAM SF - 2020-21*
2 - Ash Barty, AUS (0-1) #
2 - Jennifer Brady, USA (1-1)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (2-0)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2 - Serena Williams, USA (0-2)
1 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (1-0)
1 - Simona Halep, ROU (0-1)
1 - Angelique Kerber, GER (0-0) #
1 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Garbina Muguruza, ESP (1-0)
1 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (1-0)
1 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (0-0) #
1 - Nadia Podoroska, ARG (0-1)
1 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (0-0) #
1 - Maria Sakkari, GRE (0-1)
1 - Iga Swiatek, POL (1-0)
1 - Tamra Zidansek, SLO (0-1)

*SLAM SF BY NATION*
[2020-21]
6 - USA
4 - CZE
2 - AUS
2 - BLR
2 - JPN
1 - ARG,ESP,GER,GRE,POL,ROU,RUS,SLO
[2021]
3 - CZE (Pliskova)
2 - USA
1 - AUS(Barty),BLR(Sabalenka),GER(Kerber),GRE,JPN,RUS,SLO

*WTA "CAREER SF SLAM" - active*
[with slam at which completed]
Victoria Azarenka - 2013 RG (30th)
Kim Clijsters - 2003 US (18th)
Simona Halep - 2018 AO (31st)
KAROLINA PLISKOVA - 2021 WI (36th)
Serena Williams - 2003 AO (18th)
Venus Williams - 2001 AO (15th)

*FIRST-TIME SLAM SEMIFINALISTS SINCE 2018*
=2018=
AO: Elise Mertens/BEL
RG: -
WI: Julia Goerges/GER
US: Naomi Osaka/JPN (W), Anastasija Sevastova/LAT
=2019=
AO: Danielle Collins/USA
RG: Amanda Anisimova/USA, Ash Barty/AUS (W), Marketa Vondrousova/CZE (RU)
WI: Barbora Strycova/CZE, Elina Svitolina/UKR
US: Bianca Andreescu/CAN (W), Belinda Bencic/SUI
=2020=
AO: Sofia Kenin/USA (W)
US: Jennifer Brady/USA
RG: Nadia Podoroska/ARG, Iga Swiatek/POL (W)
=2021=
AO: Karolina Muchova, CZE
RG: Krejcikova/CZE(W),Pavlyuchenkova/RUS(RU),Sakkari/GRE,Zidansek/SLO
WI: Aryna Sabalenka/BLR

*LOW-SEEDED WIMBLEDON SEMIFINALISTS - Open Era*
[unseeded]
1968 Ann Jones
1969 Rosie Casals
1970 Francoise Durr
1971 Judy Dalton
1983 Yvonne Vermaak
1989 Catarina Lindqvist
1994 Gigi Fernandez
1994 Lori McNeil
1996 Meredith McGrath
1997 Anna Kournikova
1998 Natasha Zvereva
1999 Alexandra Stevenson (Q)
1999 Mirjana Lucic
2000 Jelena Dokic
2008 Zheng Jie (WC)
2010 Petra Kvitova
2010 Tsvetana Pironkova
2011 Sabine Lisicki (WC)
2016 Elena Vesnina
2017 Magdalena Rybarikova
2019 Barbora Strycova
[seeds]
#25 - ANGELIQUE KERBER, 2021
#25 - Serena Williams, 2018 (RU)
#23 - Lucie Safarova, 2014
#23 - Sabine Lisicki, 2013 (RU)
#23 - Venus Williams, 2007 (W)
#21 - Vera Zvonareva, 2010 (RU)
#20 - Garbine Muguruza, 2015 (RU)
#20 - Kirsten Flipkens, 2013
#18 - Marion Bartoli, 2007 (RU)
#16 - Nathalie Tauziat, 1998 (RU)
#16 - Kathy Rinaldi, 1985
#15 - Marion Bartoli, 2013 (W)
#14 - Garbine Muguruza, 2017 (W)
#14 - Venus Williams, 2005 (W)
#13 - Julia Goerges, 2018
#13 - Aga Radwanska, 2015
#13 - Genie Bouchard, 2014 (RU)
#13 - Maria Sharapova, 2004 (W)
#12 - Alona Ostapenko, 2018
#12 - Kimiko Date, 1996
#12 - Billie Jean King, 1982
#11 - Serena Williams, 2019 (RU)
#11 - Angelique Kerber, 2018 (W)
#11 - Bettina Bunge, 1982
#10 - Venus Williams, 2017 (RU)
#10 - Gabriela Sabatini, 1986
#10 - Billie Jean King, 1983

*FIRST-TIME SLAM SEMIFINALISTS AT WIMBLEDON SINCE 2010*
2010 Petra Kvitova, CZE>
2010 Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL
2011 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2011 Sabine Lisicki, GER (RU)
2012 Aga Radwanska, POL (RU)
2013 Kirsten Flipkens, BEL
2014 Lucie Safarova, CZE
2015 Garbine Muguruza, ESP (RU)
2016 Elena Vesnina, RUS
2017 Magdalena Rybarikova, SVK
2018 Julia Goerges, GER
2019 Barbora Strycova, CZE
2019 Elina Svitolina, UKR
2021 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR

*WIMBLEDON "KIMIKO CUP FOR VETERAN ACHIEVEMENT" WINNERS*
2015 Martina Hingis, SUI
2016 Venus Williams, USA
2017 Venus Williams, USA
2018 Angelique Kerber, GER
2019 Barbora Strycova, CZE
2021 Karolina Pliskova, CZE
-
NOTE: a doubles player could still share '21 award

*WON BOTH BACKSPIN EARLY & MIDDLE-RD. TOP PLAYER; w/ finish*
2006 Wimbledon - Justine Henin-Hardenne (RU)
2007 Roland Garros - Justine Henin (W)
2008 Australian Open - Maria Sharapova (W)
2008 Roland Garros - Ana Ivanovic (W)
2009 U.S. Open - Serena Williams (SF)
2010 Wimbledon - Serena Williams (W) *
2010 U.S. Open - Caroline Wozniacki (SF)
2013 Australian Open - Maria Sharapova (SF)
2013 Roland Garros - Serena Williams (W)
2013 U.S. Open - Serena Williams (W) *
2015 U.S. Open - Simona Halep (SF)
2021 Wimbledon - Angelique Kerber
--
* - co-Top Player in Early-Rds.

*WON MOST DIFFERENT WHEELCHAIR SLAM TITLES (#-active)*
8 - Diede de Groot, NED [completed set w/ '19 RG singles]#
7 - Jiske Griffioen, NED (US Open singles)#
7 - Yui Kamiji, JPN (Wimbledon singles)#
7 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (RG singles)#
7 - Esther Vergeer, NED (DNP Wimbledon singles)
[men]
7 - Shingo Kunieda, JPN (Wimbledon singles)#

*PARALYMPICS WHEELCHAIR GOLD*
1992 BARCELONA - Monique van den Bosch, NED
1996 ATLANTA - Maaike Smit, NED
2000 SYDNEY - Esther Vergeer, NED
2004 ATHENS - Esther Vergeer, NED
2008 BEIJING - Esther Vergeer, NED
2012 LONDON - Esther Vergeer, NED
2016 RIO - Jiske Griffioen, NED
2021 TOKYO - ??

*RG/WI WD SWEEPS BY DUOS in OPEN ERA*
1972 Billie Jean King & Betty Stove
1980 Kathy Jordan & Anne Smith
1984 Martina Navratilova & Pam Shriver
1990 Jana Novotna & Helena Sukova
1992 Gigi Fernandez & Natasha Zvereva
1993 Gigi Fernandez & Natasha Zvereva
1994 Gigi Fernandez & Natasha Zvereva
1997 Gigi Fernandez & Natasha Zvereva
1998 Martina Hingis & Jana Novotna
2003 Kim Clijsters & Ai Sugiyama
2018 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova

*RECENT BEST U.S. WOMEN'S SLAM RESULTS - since 2017*
=2017=
AO: Serena Williams (W)
RG: Venus Williams (4th)
WI: Venus Williams (RU)
US: Sloane Stephens (W)
=2018=
AO: Madison Keys (QF)
RG: Sloane Stephens (RU)
WI: Serena Williams (RU)
US: Serena Williams (RU)
=2019=
AO: Danielle Collins (SF)
RG: Amanda Anisimova (SF)
WI: Serena Williams (RU)
US: Serena Williams (RU)
=2020=
AO: Sofia Kenin (W)
US: Serena Williams and Jennifer Brady (SF)
RG: Sofia Kenin (RU)
=2021=
AO: Jennifer Brady (RU)
RG: Coco Gauff (QF)
WI: Coco Gauff and Madison Keys (4th)










TOP QUALIFIER: Ana Konjuh/CRO
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #25 Angelique Kerber/GER
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #25 Angelique Kerber/GER
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): 3rd Rd. - #21 Ons Jabeur/TUN def. #11 Garbine Muguruza/ESP 5-7/6-3/6-2 (first Arab woman to reach Wimbledon QF)
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): Karolina Pliskova/CZE
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 8. More tomorrow.
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