Featuring a handful of familiar faces, former finalists and burgeoning young stars, the action produced a tennis racket bag full of comeback stories and previews of potential future career success.
TOP QUALIFIER: Mona Barthel, GER (27, #114)
...the "veteran" German, still only 27, entered the week needing to qualify to keep her 29-major streak of MD participation alive, a run which she managed to maintain two years ago despite suffering from a "mysterious" illness. Having advanced to the 2nd Round at SW19 on three occasions in the past, Barthel had to fight to reach the 1st Round of her 30th consecutive slam this time around. She went three sets in the opening round vs. Fanny Stollar, saving a MP (via a DF) vs. Oceane Dodin in the second in an 8-6 3rd set, and then defeating Jamie Loeb in straights in the final round. Whew!
A happy Team Mona Barthel in Roehampton today. pic.twitter.com/n16weEbOTw
— Christopher Levy (@tennis_shots) June 28, 2018
*WIMBLEDON "Q-PLAYER OF THE WEEK" WINNERS*
2006 Meilen Tu, USA
2007 Hsieh Su-Wei, TPE & Olga Govortsova, BLR
2008 Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, ESP & Eva Hrdinova, CZE
2009 Viktoriya Kutuzova, UKR
2010 Kaia Kanepi, EST
2011 Alexa Glatch, USA
2012 Sandra Zaniewska, POL
2013 Petra Cetkovska, CZE
2014 Michelle Larcher de Brito, POR
2015 Petra Cetkovska, CZE
2016 Mandy Minella, LUX
2017 Petra Martic, CRO
2018 Mona Barthel, GER
[2018 slams]
AO: Marta Kostyuk, UKR
RG: Francesca Schiavone, ITA
WI: Mona Barthel, GER
*ADDITIONAL QUALIFIERS*
Genie Bouchard, CAN (24, #191) - the '14 finalist, who came to London as the fourth-ranked Canadian woman on tour, wins three matches in the same event for the first time since her 2017 QF run in Madrid (which included that win over Maria Sharapova). Bouchard opened with a victory over #18-seeded Zhu Lin, then reached the MD by taking down #2 Mariana Duque.
Vitalia Diatchenko, RUS (27, #132) - nine years after making her Wimbledon Q-round debut in 2009, Diatchenko reaches her third MD (2011 as a qualifier, 2015 automatically in what was her best career season). She's still seeking her maiden 1st Round victory at the All-England Club, having fallen twice before (vs. Hantuchova and Siegemund) in three-setters.
Alexandra Dulgheru, ROU (29, #126) - the Romanian's '18 comeback run continues, as she follows up her successful RG Q-run with another at Wimbledon. The #16 seeded outlasted #1 Tamara Zidansek in the final Q-round (coming from a set down to win w/ a love 3rd).
Claire Liu, USA (18, #238) - armed with a wild card into the Q-draw due to winning last year's SW19 girls title, Liu will made her Wimbledon MD debut courtesy of a straight sets Q3 win over countrywoman and #5 seeded Nicole Gibbs.
2017: Girls' Singles champion ??
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 28, 2018
2018: ?
Claire Liu qualifies for the main draw at #Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Nicole Gibbs… pic.twitter.com/be85OzPwQl
Antonia Lottner, GER (21, #128) - the German reached her second career slam MD ('16 U.S.), ending her string of six consecutive unsuccessful qualifying attempts at majors. Lottner fell in the final Q-round a year ago.
Evgeniya Rodina, RUS (29, #116) - the 29-year old Hordette didn't drop a set en route to a successful qualifying run, finally reaching a slam MD for the first time this season after falling in the preliminary rounds in Melbourne (Q2) and Paris (Q3 to Schiavone). This will be Rodina's 21st career MD at a major. Her best result is still the one from her second MD appearance back in 2008, when she reached the Wimbledon 3rd Round.
Gabriela-Elena Ruse, ROU (20, #197) - a girls singles semifinalist at SW19 in 2014, the Swarmette will make her slam MD debut after putting together wins over countrywoman Alexandra Cadantu, #13 Arina Rodionova (who got as close to a win as holding a BP that would have given her a chance to serve for the match had she converted it) and Barbara Haas.
Sara Sorribes, ESP (21, #103) - the Spaniard took down Marta Kostyuk in the final round, and now once again seeks her first career MD win (0-5) at a major.
Barbora Stefkova, CZE (23, #715) - working her way back from dual wrist injuries that cost her nine months of the '17 season, the Czech followed up her Mallorca doubles final (w/ Safarova) with a Q-run to secure her slam singles debut. She had to play back-to-back-to-back three-setters to do it.
"I did many blood tests. The first 2 suggested that it was an autoimmune disease, but the last one excluded it"
— Diego Barbiani (@Diego_Barbiani) June 28, 2018
"I had to stop in mid-March, when the pain in both wrists didn't allowed me to hold a raquet. I had pain sleeping, during daily activities..."https://t.co/ZGwwUDoblq
Viktoriya Tomova, BUL (23, #136) - the tour's top-ranked Bulgarian reaches her second career slam MD (and second of '18), but this time she does it with a successful Q-run rather than as a lucky loser, as was her path in Melbourne.
Vera Zvonareva, RUS (33, #141) - the 2010 Wimbledon finalist lost no sets -- def. #22 Sabina Sharipova and #6 Caroline Dolehide -- to qualify and set up her first slam MD appearance since the 2015 Australian, and her first at the AELTC since 2014.
A former finalist at #Wimbledon, @verazvonareva will be in tomorrow’s main draw for the first time since 2014 after a commanding Qualifying victory over Caroline Dolehide… pic.twitter.com/VgluQSRo5V
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 28, 2018
*LL*
Mariana Duque-Marino, COL (28, #97) - the Colombian lost to Bouchard, but gets into the draw via Timea Bacsinszky pulling out of yet another major. She reached the 2nd round in 2013 and '15.
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: #8 Mona Barthel def. Oceane Dodin
...6-3/1-6/8-6. The German saves a MP in game #12 of the 3rd, with Dodin DF'ing at 6-5. Barthel got the break, then took the next two games to pull off the Houdini-esque escape en route to her 30th consecutive slam MD.
Oh dear... #Dodin double-faults on match point at 6-5, 40-30 in the third, then can't put this backhand volley away & gets passed, then her foot slips on this backhand and misses it to lose the game. #Barthel then holds to go up 7-6..#Wimbledon qualies pic.twitter.com/WAER1UFgOQ
— Mert Ertunga (@MertovsTDesk) June 27, 2018
Amazing finish.. #Barthel wins 6-3 1-6 8-6 vs #Dodin on her fourth match point (she saved one two games earlier).. Kneels down in celebration..#Wimbledon qualies pic.twitter.com/sl2mINbdJM
— Mert Ertunga (@MertovsTDesk) June 27, 2018
*ADDITIONAL QUALIFYING RESULTS OF NOTE*
Q1: Genie Bouchard def. #18 Zhu Lin
...6-0/6-2. Bouchard was in something of a mood early in the week (as she dismissively consented to an on-court "interview" following this win), but it worked out well for her then, as well as in the end.
Always interesting to see what lower-ranked players makes a name for themselves at Slam qualifying.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) June 26, 2018
Impressive start by WTA #191 (Canadian #4 )Eugenie Bouchard, up 6-0 on #18 seed Zhu Lin.
At just 24, Bouchard could have an impressive career ahead of her.
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Q1: Conny Perrin def. #12 Danka Kovinic 6-2/6-2
Q1: Irina Bara def. WC Tara Moore 6-4/6-2
...had Moore won, she'd faced off with her fiancee Perrin in the second round, which surely would have garnered at least a little attention. The engaged pair have met on the court before, in 2014 (Moore winning in a $50K) and then once in a tour-level event in 2017 in Rabat (w/ Perrin winning) since announcing their future wedding plans.
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Q1: Anna Kalinskaya def. Sabine Lisicki
...6-4/7-6(3). Playing in her first match since Miami as she makes her way back from yet another injury, Lisicki (#185) posts the worst Wimbledon result of her career. She made her debut at SW19 in 2008 (1st Rd.), and missed 2010 with an ankle injury. From 2009-14, though, the German reached a Wimbledon final, SF and three QF. 3rd Round results in 2015-16 followed, and now Lisicki has lost three straight matches in Wimbledon competition. She actually started '18 quite well, though, reaching the semis in Taiwan in February. But she fights on...
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Q1: Ankita Raina def. WC Maria Lumsden
...6-2/6-1. With Sania Mirza out due to her pregnancy, the following generations of Indian women's tennis have stepped up. Raina climbed into the Top 200 and made her slam debut in RG qualifying last month, and Karmen Thandi won her maiden ITF singles crown this past weekend. This week, Raina (IND's WD #1) notched her first win in slam competition with this victory. She lost in a tough three-setter (6-2/5-7/6-4) to eventual qualifier #21 Vitalia Diatchenko in the second round.
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Q2: #23 Marta Kostyuk def. Kristie Ahn
...6-7(1)/6-3/9-7. The teenager turned around the match after calling for a medical timeout down 6-7/4-3, sweeping the remaining games of the 2nd to force a deciding set. Ahn served for the match at 5-4 and 6-5, but the AO '17 girls champ (and '18 first week star) held firm and eventually broke the Bannerette to close out a 9-7 3rd. She finished the 2:41 match with 19 aces.
The moment @marta_kostyuk - who turns 16 tomorrow - moved to within one win of the #Wimbledon main draw ??
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 27, 2018
Cue the celebrations... pic.twitter.com/Jg3ju8SFYM
When you win 9-7 in the third set to reach the final round of #Wimbledon Qualifying...@marta_kostyuk ????? pic.twitter.com/dtffB8QQaS
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 27, 2018
But her efforts here went for naught a round later on her 16th birthday, as the Ukrainian lost to Sara Sorribes Tormo 7-5/7-6 in the final round, falling in the Q-rounds at a second straight major (RG Q2) after reaching the 3rd Round in Melbourne.
As for Ahn, she had her own post-match "adventure"...
So, I got a normal hate message today on Insta. But I did some research, and his gf(?) was tagged in a photo on his profile. So I decided to send her a message. And this was the result: pic.twitter.com/Fl7w1xsd8C
— Kristie Ahn (@kristieahn) June 27, 2018
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Q2: Barbara Haas def. Dayana Yastremska
...6-4/6-2. 2016 girls finalist Yastremska would have gotten a WC into the main draw had she won the $100K singles final in Ilkley this past weekend, but her loss there to Tereza Smitkova forced her into the qualifying tournament. After losing in the Q2 in Melbourne earlier this year, she did it again at Roehampton. Ranked #127 this week, and with three $100K challenger finals under her belt since September, the 18-year old may have to hope that her rising ranking will gain her automatic entry (or WC?) into the U.S. Open if she's to make her slam MD debut in 2018.
Viktoria Kuzmova, Sofia Kenin, Dayana Yastremska have all joined the list of WTA players who have no younger player ranked above them . . .
— Coby (@_Coby_) June 27, 2018
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Q3: #16 Alexandra Dulgheru def. #1 Tamara Zidansek 5-7/7-6(4)/6-0
Q3: Genie Bouchard def. #2 Mariana Duque Marino 6-3/6-2
...everything was going well for the top two Q-seeds. Until, well, it no longer was, courtesy of two players linked in Fed Cup history by that non-handshake a few years back.
The main draw awaits…
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 28, 2018
2014 #Wimbledon runner-up @geniebouchard progresses with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Mariana Duque-Marino in Qualifying. pic.twitter.com/dfXFsI4otU
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Q3: Antonia Lottner def. Bianca Andreescu
...6-3/7-6(5). While Bouchard reached the MD, the three Canadians ranked ahead of her in the WTA rankings all fell by the wayside. Lottner personally took out two: Franckie Abanda in the opening round, and Andreescu here (Carol Zhao went on the Q1, as well). For 18-year old Andreescu this was her fifth unsuccessful qualifying effort at a major in six attempts, including Q3 losses at the last two slams (she *did* qualify a year ago at SW19).
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*WILD CARDS*
Katie Boulter, GBR (21) - second straight Wimbledon WC, she lost a three-setter to Christina McHale in the 1st Rd. in '17. Boulter recently posted solid grass court QF results in the Surbiton $100K challenger and her best-ever at a tour-level WTA event at Nottingham.
Naomi Broady, GBR (28) - Broady (whose brother Liam also got a WC from the AELTC) has been in the Wimbledon draw as either a qualifier (2008-09) or wild card (2011-12,14-15,17-18) eight times since 2008. She lost in qualifying twice (2010,13) and has only been automatically placed in the draw once (2016, when she was #83). She's only won one SW19 MD match (2014).
Harriet Dart, GBR (21) - at her career-high ranking just outside the Top 200, the London native will make her slam debut in her back yard
Katy Dunne, GBR (23) - after falling in previous efforts to reach the MD as a Q-round WC, Dunne gets an outright pass into the big draw this time around. It'll be her slam debut.
Ons Jabeur, TUN (23) - a Wimbledon qualifier in 2017, Jabeur earned her WC with a title run at the $100K Manchester event
Tereza Smitkova, CZE (23) - the Czech reached the 4th Round of Wimbledon at age 19 in 2014, but hasn't played in a slam MD since 2015. Her win at the $100K Ilkley challenger got her into this one.
Katie Swan, GBR (19) - the *third* British Katie/Katy presented with a WC, Swan reached the Wimbledon girls QF in '15, and got a women's MD WC in '16. She lost in qualifying last year, though, when the All-England Club decided to not use up all its potential WC passes (Swan was #361 at the time). Finally 100% healthy, the teenager is currently pushing for her first Top 200 ranking.
Gabriella Taylor, GBR (20) - she'll make her slam MD debut after reaching the $100K Surbiton quarters, and pushing Nottingham defending champ Donna Vekic to a 3rd set TB in the 1st Round
Ever since I was a young girl, I dreamed of playing on the biggest stage, it doesn’t come any bigger than @Wimbledon .????Thank you @Wimbledon for this incredible opportunity !!! pic.twitter.com/aM3uQBfluI
— Gabriella Taylor (@gabitaylorr) June 20, 2018
*YOUNGEST 2018 SLAM...*
=WC=
AO - Wang Xinyu, CHN (16)
AO - Destanee Aiava, AUS (17)
AO - Jaimee Fourlis, AUS (18)
WI - Katie Swan, GBR (19)
AO - Lizette Cabrera, AUS (20)
WI - Gabriella Taylor, GBR (20)
AO - Jessika Ponchet, FRA (21)
RG - Jessic Ponchet, FRA (21)
RG - Fiona Ferro, FRA (21)
RG - Isabelle Wallace, AUS (21)
WI - Katie Boulter, GBR (21)
WI - Harriet Dart, GBR (21)
=Q=
AO - Marta Kostyuk, UKR (15)
WI - Claire Liu, USA (18)
AO - Viktoria Kuzmova, SVK (19)
AO - Anna Blinkova, RUS (19)
AO - Anna Kalinskaya, RUS (19)
RG - Caroline Dolehide, USA (19)
AO - Magdalena Frech, POL (20)
RG - Magdalena Frech, POL (20)
AO - Ivana Jorovic, SRB (20)
WI - Gabriela-Elena Ruse, ROU (20)
RG - Deborah Chiesa, ITA (21)
WI - Antonia Lottner, GER (21)
WI - Sara Sorribes Tormo, ESP (21)
=OLDEST 2018 SLAM...=
=WC=
RG - Pauline Parmentier, FRA (32)
WI - Naomi Broady, GBR (28)
RG - Myrtille Georges, FRA (27)
AO - Olivia Rogowska, AUS (26)
=Q=
RG - Francesca Schiavone, ITA (37)
WI - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (33)
WI - Alexandra Dulgheru, ROU (29)
WI - Evgeniya Rodina, RUS (29)
RG - Alexandra Dulgheru, ROU (28)
RG - Mariana Duque Marino, COL (28)
AO - Irina Falconi, USA (27)
WI - Mona Barthel, GER (27)
WI - Vitalia Diatchenko, RUS (27)
=LL=
WI - Mariana Duque-Marino, COL (28)
RG - Aranxa Rus, NED (27)
RG - Dalila Jakupovic, SLO (27)
AO - Bernarda Pera, USA (23)
AO - Viktoriya Tomova, BUL (22)
=LOW-RANKED 2018 SLAM QUALIFIERS=
#715 - Barbora Stefkova, CZE (WI) - PR
#521 - Marta Kostyuk, UKR (AO)
#279 - Ivana Jorovic, SRB (AO)
#265 - Francesca Schiavone, ITA (RG)
#238 - Claire Liu, USA (WI)
#197 - Grace Min, USA (RG)
#197 - Gabriela-Elena Ruse, ROU (WI)
#191 - Genie Bouchard, CAN (WI)
#186 - Georgina Garcia Perez, ESP (RG)
#163 - Magdalena Frech, POL (AO)
#163 - Deborah Chiesa, ITA (RG)
#160 - Anna Kalinskaya, RUS (AO)
#160 - Alexandra Dulgheru, ROU (RG)
=LL=
#139 - Viktoriya Tomova, BUL (AO)
#126 - Bernarda Pera, USA (AO)
#121 - Dalila Jakupovic, SLO (RG)
=MULTI-SLAM QUALIFIER IN 2018=
2 - Alexandra Dulgheru, ROU (RG/WI)
2 - Magdalena Frech, POL (AO/RG)
2 - Viktorija Golubic, SUI (AO/RG)
