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Friday, May 31, 2019

RG.6- Muguruza in the Midst



Garbine Muguruza has always been one of, if not *the* most confounding player on the WTA tour. Her talent is sterling, and her big match expertise often brilliant. She's stared down a Williams in a major final and lived to tell the tale of her triumph. Twice. She's been ranked #1. She's won multiple major titles.

So why does such negativity and lament swirl when her career is the topic of discussion? Well, because she's earned it.

Earlier in this Roland Garros, just the sight of Muguruza's coach (Sam Sumyk) in the stands led Martina Navratilova, commentating on a match that the Spaniard was *winning*, to immediately say that she could use a "change of scenery." It's seemed that way for a while, actually, yet in a tennis world in which players discard coaches even after career-best seasons, Muguruza has stood firm (even after she seemed to have a weight lifted off her shoulders when Conchita Martinez sat in for an absent Sumyk for an entire slam-winning run at one point). Is it because of a sense of loyalty to the relationship, an aversion to change, or something far more complicate and/or psychological? We may never know, but it's easy to determine *why* thoughts such as those of Navratilova come flowing so easily where Muguruza is concerned.

Largely, it's because when she's not winning majors and making everyone wonder why she doesn't win bigger, and more often, and take her rightful place as a consistent slam threat occupying a Top 5 ranking (not scrambling to stay in the Top 20 like she was as this Roland Garros began) while battling it out for the mythical "best player on earth" tag, she's often walking around in a daze on the court, losing to someone she shouldn't, or involved on the short end of a far more uncompetitive match against a top player than should be the case. She's retiring from matches, or getting in petulant verbal skirmishes with her coach during a changeover. It's easy, and probably accurate, to say that Muguruza needs a (different?) helping hand to balance things out more effectively. A player of such great physical skill, and with such a sometimes brilliant smile, shouldn't look so down or achieve as little between the lines as often as she does.

But then, invariably, Muguruza will find a moment to stand and remind everyone of what she's capable of, and all the rest will be "forgotten" (maybe even by her). Well, at least until it's time to re-up her tennis titan bonifides about sixteen months or so later after another *lacking* stretch.

After a year of middling results (though even then she won a minor tour title and reached a slam semi, making up for never getting out of the 2nd Round in other three majors in '18), the thought heading into 2019 was that Muguruza was "due" to do something great again.

Reaching the Round of 16 in Melbourne wasn't it. Neither was back-to-back Top 10 wins (over Serena and Bertens) in Indian Wells, though they were her first in over a year. Completing her first successful title defense in Monterrey was nice, but also small potatoes. But Roland Garros?
Now, that might fit the bill.

Even while her "live" place in the game's hierachy wavers on a regular basis, the season's second major has always been there for her when she's needed it. It was where she notched her first career #1 win (over Serena in '14). It was where she reached her first major quarterfinals (2014-15), setting the stage for a Wimbledon final run. It was where she won her first slam in 2016. She arrived this spring with a 24-5 career mark in the event (easily her best major) and five straight years of Round of 16 or better results. Roland Garros is the *one* place where the Venezuela-born Spaniard has actually been consistent. So far at this RG, Muguruza's held up her end once again.

Paris has been there for her, but she's been there for it, too,

On Day 6, #19-seeded Muguruza reached her sixth straight 4th Round in the event, improving her career record in Paris to 27-5 while coming through in straight sets against #9 Elina Svitolina, a player who has so far only been able to dream of the sort of slam success that Muguruza virtually toys with on an occasional basis. The Ukrainian is the only player in tour history with 13+ "regular season" (even w/ her WTAF win last November) titles who has never reached a major semifinal, though she did come perilously close in Paris two years ago when she led Simona Halep by a set and 5–1 and held a MP before crumbling and being chased from Court Suzanne-Lenglen via a love 3rd set.

She was back today to try again, this time on Chatrier, the site where Muguruza has experienced some of her very career best moments.

The 1st set was a virtual "break-fest," with the first six games going the way of the returner. But once Muguruza finally held serve, she ran away with the set at 6-3. Down a break at 3-2 in the 2nd, Muguruza again finished strong, sweeping the final four games to win 6-3/6-3 to reach her thirteenth career slam 4th Round.



Muguruza won 62% of her return points on Svitolina's serve, converting 7-of-13 BP chances while holding impressive edges in winners (23-11) and total points (69-49). After dropping serve three times in the 1st set, she lost it only once in the 2nd.

With the bottom half of the draw losing another top seed (#2 Pliskova) today, the Spaniard is now just one of two former slam champions left to fight it out for a spot in the women's final. She's the only multi-slam winner, as well as the only former #1 remaining there. Of course, the most experienced of the lot -- '18 finalist and #7 Sloane Stephens, another player whose focus, as we saw today, is sometimes carried off with the wind but can be positively awesome for an extended time when she's on her stuff -- will be Muguruza's *next* opponent.

Two will enter, but only one will walk out.

Meanwhile, since nearly (finally) breaking through her self-imposed slam ceiling in 2017 at RG, Svitolina has failed to advance to the second week the last two years.

It's a rare thing to say, but Svitolina would be better off if she had a bit of Mugu in her. She might not shine brightly all the time, but when she does it can be a sight to behold.

As we head to the second week of another major with her still in the mix, could it soon be time for it to be a prerequisite to wear shades when watching Garbi? Not to cover one's eyes to a sight they'd rather not see (as is sometimes the case), but for safety purposes. So that we don't get singed if she decides that *now* is the time to burn brightly once again.



Hmmm.




=DAY 6 NOTES=
...in the other 2nd and 3rd Round matches that finished on Friday, drama and history abounded.

In the wrap up to their late 2nd Rounder from yesterday, when Aleksandra Krunic served for the match at 5-4 and 6-5 against a cramping Lesia Tsurenko, holding a MP before dropping serve and play being suspended at 6-6, the Bracelet was made to lament her lost opportunity, and a few more. She served for the match two MORE times today, only to see Tsurenko take an 11-9 3rd set.



As it turns out, some of Tsurenko's issues on Thursday weren't necessarily tennis-related...



Sometimes there's far more going on than you know.

#31 Petra Martic, with more clay court wins than any other woman this spring as she's climbed into the Top 30 for the first time, took down #2 Karolina Pliskova hard, winning 6-3/6-3 to win her fourth match in five meetings with the Czech. She broke her serve five times on the day. It's the 28-year old Croat's fifth career slam Round of 16. She's done it at three of the four majors, with only the U.S. Open left off her career resume.




Pliskova's exit means that Naomi Osaka has already been assure of retaining her #1 ranking, with all four other contenders for the spot having lost before the middle weekend.



In the day's most dramatic match, #12 Anastasija Sevastova outlasted #20 Elise Mertens, saving five MP in a 3:18 battle. The Latvian has now reached the Round of 16 at three straight slams.





The aforementioned Stephens visited both ends of the spectrum against Polona Hercog, taking a 6-3/2-0 lead and serving for the match at 5-4, 40/15 before taking yet another mental sabbatical that nearly cost her the match. Failing to convert four MP in the game (all due to errors), she dropped serve, failed to convert two BP a game later, and was broken again to lose the set 7-5. After leading 4-0 in the 3rd, Stephens saw Hercog close the gap again, getting to 5-3 before Stephens finally served out the 6-3/5-7/6-4 win to reach her sixth RG 4th Round.




#26 Johanna Konta, still riding surprisingly high this clay season, defeated Viktoria Kuzmova in straight sets to become the first British woman to reach the Round of 16 in Paris since 1983.



Meanwhile, #23 Donna Vekic (def. #15 Belinda Bencic), Marketa Vondrousova (def. #28 CSN) both won to reach the 4th Round at Roland Garros for the first time. Veteran Kaia Kanepi came back from a set down to defeat Veronika Kudermetova, winning a love 3rd to post her best result in Paris since 2012. She's reached the Round of 16 at two of the last three majors.

...in doubles, two singles players who lost earlier than they'd have liked -- Dasha Kasatkina & Anett Kontaveit -- went about a step toward salvaging the trip to Paris by upsetting the Chan sisters in the doubles 2nd Round.






...LIKE ON DAY 6: It's gotta be the shortz...



It's always gotta be the shortz.

...LIKE ON DAY 6: Fearlessly Taylor...



...LIKE ON DAY 6: Points...



...LIKE ON DAY 6: "Hi, I'm Tikki." "I'm Harriet."



...BRITISH KATIE UPDATE ON DAY 6:

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“We need to normalize it. We can’t make people feel as if they have some kind of disease just because they are seeking help and talking to a psychologist. You have all these people telling you things, but you need to find that one person, who you truly connect to, that can give you the tools to overcome your issues. Many obstacles I faced were not only on the court. During a tournament I was at with my coach last year in Spain, he got some awful news. His five-year-old son went through a glass window and had his throat cut on the glass. His son thankfully went through life saving surgery. I, of course, understood when my coach had to be home with his family but it left me trying to find my way at the beginning of the grass season. I had some help from my other coach to fill in a few weeks, but he was dealing with his wife sadly battling cancer, who succumbed to this disease at the end of last year. On top of all the devastating events my team and I had to deal with, my boyfriend returned home from Nigeria late last year and was diagnosed with Malaria. For a few days we weren’t sure if he was going to make it but heroically fought through it. With the distressing events that took place in 2018, I was expecting 2019 to be ‘the’ year. The idea that if my team and I could get through this, we could get through anything. That idea abruptly ended when I had a full back spasm at only the second tournament of the year. After working so physically hard in the pre season, I did not think this would ever be an issue. This was followed by one of lowest periods in my tennis career. I thought I was being dramatic after everything that took place last year. It took some time to understand that there is no need to compare your obstacles with past ones. No matter the hardship it should be given full respect no matter the size. It took a while to open up about the pressures I faced but with the help of my friends, family and team, I was able to see the positives. I deserve to be here and I found my fight again.”

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...LIKE ON DAY 6: Bolsova rising...










=WOMEN'S SINGLES ROUND OF 16=
x vs. x
x vs. x
x vs. x
x vs. x
#7 Sloane Stephens/USA vs. #19 Garbine Muguruza/ESP
#23 Donna Vekic/CRO vs. #26 Johanna Konta/GBR
Marketa Vondrousova/CZE vs. #12 Anastasija Sevastova/LAT
Kaia Kanepi/EST vs. #31 Petra Martic/CRO

=GIRLS SINGLES SEEDS=
1.Clara Tauson, DEN
2.Leylan Annie Fernandez, CAN
3.Diane Parry, FRA
4.Maria Camila Osorio Serrano, COL
5.Alexa Noel, USA
6.Zheng Qinwen, CHN
7.Hurricane Tyra Black, USA
8.Natsumi Kawaguchi, JPN
9.Emma Navarro, USA
10.Kamilla Bartone, LAT
11.Joanna Garland, TPE
12.Alina Charaeva, RUS
13.Sada Nahimana, BDI
14.Anastasia Tikhonova, RUS
15.Elli Mandlik, USA
16.Park So-hyun, KOR






















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#nofilterneeded

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Issa meme

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[from Sharapova's Instagram Story]




*BEST 2019 SLAM RESULTS*
[wild cards]
3rd Rd. - Kimberly Birrell, AUS (AO)
2nd Rd. - Lauren Davis, USA (RG)
2nd Rd. - Zoe Hives, AUS (AO)
2nd Rd. - Priscilla Hon, AUS (RG)
2nd Rd. - Diane Parry, FRA (RG)

*RG "LAST WILD CARD STANDING"*
2008 Mathilde Johansson/FRA & Olivia Sanchez/FRA (2nd Rd.)
2009 Olivia Rogowska/AUS (2nd Rd.)
2010 Jarmila Groth (Gajdosova/Wolfe)/AUS (4th Rd.)
2011 I.Bremond/FRA, C.Garcia/FRA & P.Parmentier/FRA (2nd Rd.)
2012 C.Feuerstein/FRA, M.Oudin/USA & I.Pavlovic/FRA (2nd Rd.)
2013 Virginie Razzano/FRA (3rd Rd.)
2014 Pauline Parmentier/FRA (4th Rd.)
2015 Virginie Razzano/FRA & Amandine Hesse/FRA (2nd Rd.)
2016 M.Georges/FRA, V.Razzano/FRA & T.Townsend/USA (2nd Rd.)
2017 Chloe Paquet/FRA (2nd Rd.)
2018 Pauline Parmentier/FRA (3rd Rd.)
2019 Lauren Davis/USA, Priscilla Hon/AUS & Diane Parry/FRA (2nd)




TOP QUALIFIER: #22q Elena Rybakina/KAZ
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #2 Karolina Pliskova/CZE
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q3: #1q Bernarda Pera/USA def. #21q Kaja Juvan/SLO 6-4/1-6/7-6(1) [Juvan up break three times in 3rd, served at 5-4]
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - #1 Naomi Osaka/JPN def. Victoria Azarenka/BLR 4-6/7-5/6-3 (down 6-4/4-2, BP for 5-2)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #31 Petra Martic/CRO (def. Jabeur/TUN)
FIRST SEED OUT: #5 Angelique Kerber/GER (1st Rd./Potapova)
UPSET QUEENS: Russia
REVELATION LADIES: Russia
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Italy (0-2, none in RG 2nd Round for first time since 1982)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: In 3rd Rd.: Blinkova, Bolsova
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Lauren Davis/USA, Priscilla Hon/AUS, Diane Parry/FRA (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST PASTRY STANDING: Carolina Garcia, Krisinta Mladenovic & Diane Parry (all 2nd Rd.)
MADEMOISELLE/MADAM OPPORTUNITY: Nominee: Martic, Sevastova, Konta, Kanepi
IT "??": Nominees: Swiatek, Anisimova, Vondrousova, (de Groot?)
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominees: Petkovic, Puig, Azarenka
CRASH & BURN: Alona Ostapenko, LAT (1st Rd.; zero RG wins before/after '17 title)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF PARIS: Nominees: Blinkova (Q2: trailed 6-3/3-1 vs. Kalinina; Q3: trailed Glushko 3-0 in 3rd; 1st Rd.: trailed Gaspayarn 4-0 in 3rd; 2nd Rd.: trailed Garcia 3-0 in 3rd); #1 Osaka (1st Rd.-Schmiedlova served twice for match; 2nd Rd.-Azarenka led 6-4/4-2, BP for 5-2); #15 Bencic (2nd Rd.-Siegemund led 6-4/4-2; lost 4-1 lead in 3rd and finished next day); Tsurenko (2nd Rd.-Krunic 1 MP and for match four times); Sevastova (3rd Rd.-Mertens 5 MP)
DOUBLES STAR: xx
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): xx
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominee: Parry (young MD winner since '09)
Légion de Lenglen HONOREE: Court Simonne-Mathieu
Coupe LA PETIT TAUREAU: awarded on LPT Day/June 1




All for Day 6. More tomorrow.
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