Serena Williams came to Wimbledon having barely played since the Australian Open, and having not been pain-free since then, either. The knee that contributed to her shocking loss to Karolina Pliskova in the AO quarterfinals (sure, she'd been stunned by less surprising players, but not after leading 5-1 in the 3rd and holding MP's) had been an issue ever since. Williams has said all tournament that she's felt better during Wimbledon than she has since February, and her play is starting to show it.
Faced with a true grass court opponent in Alison Riske, Williams was forced to lift the best aspects of her game in order to advance. Riske pressured Williams with her forward approach, and often came out on top when she was able to get the seven-time SW19 champ into extended rallies. As she usually does, though, Serena found a way to keep a step ahead of her countrywoman and broke Riske to win the 1st set 6-4.
But Riske kept close on the scoreboard, and seized upon the chances she had. After having converted both her BP in the 1st set, she did the same on the *only* one she'd see in the 2nd. At 4-4, she found her way to the net and put away a volley winner to give herself a chance to serve for the match. After Williams had her ankle re-taped, Riske quickly held to win the 2nd and set up her fifth straight three-set match at this Wimbledon.
Going the distance again...
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2019
Having won every match at #Wimbledon this year by three sets, Alison Riske wins the second set against Serena Williams pic.twitter.com/LgAamWEhp7
According to the WTA, Alison Riske is the first women's player in the Open era at Wimbledon to go three sets in her R1, R2, R3, R4 and QF singles matches.
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) July 9, 2019
Williams grabbed the early momentum in the 3rd, taking a 3-1 lead. But Riske got the break back, converting for the fifth time on the five BP (!!) she'd seen on Serena's serve on the day. But Williams held her ground, relying on the shot that has essentially carried her through her historic two-decade career. Already with half a dozen aces in the 3rd set, she held at love for 4-3. Smelling the finish line, Williams increased her pressure on Riske a game later, utilizing a drop shot and charges toward the net to move things along. Finally, Riske blinked. Having saved three BP moments earlier in game #8, she DF'd on the fourth.
Serving for her 12th Wimbledon semifinal, and 37th in her career (at age 37) in a major, Williams opened game #9 with ace, and ended it with one, as well. They were #18 and #19 on the day, as the most lethal shot in women's tennis history showed that it's still in fine and deadly form after all these years.
A titanic tussle comes to an end ??@serenawilliams outlasts fellow ????Alison Riske in 3 tough sets to reach the Semifinals in London...#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/lkYt9azZKC
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) July 9, 2019
Williams' 6-4/4-6/6-3 victory moves her within one win (again) of playing for a 24th major title in her career, which would match Margaret Court's all-time mark. She's had two opportunities in the past year to record the victory, but has lost on both occasions, in London a year ago to Angelique Kerber and then in New York against Naomi Osaka.
Meanwhile, Riske's career-best run at this Wimbledon comes to an end, but her career (especially when it comes to the grass) will have a new feel about it after what's she done over the past month, the past week and a half, as well as in this match. She'll jump eighteen spots in the rankings after this Wimbledon, back into the Top 40 and within one spot of her career best standing. Riske knew what she was up against on this day, but she put on a performance that would have defeated most. Including Serena, who admitted she would have lost today if the match has been played a few weeks ago, before she began to round into the form she's currently sporting.
Riske: "She's something our sport has never seen before. It was an honor to play against her.
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) July 9, 2019
"I take a lot of confidence and a lot of pride from what I did do out there. Because I do think I played against the best Serena today. I was right with her.” #Wimbledon
And that's really what it's about, isn't it? It has been for a while. About twenty years, in fact.
Yes, we most definitely know *this* woman.
Semifinals Set @Wimbledon:
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) July 9, 2019
[11] Serena Williams vs. Barbora Strycova
[7] Simona Halep vs. [8] Elina Svitolina
Rest and load for Thursday. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/yeHDbXz7qJ
...the day's other three quarterfinals were a collection of hard won moments, claimed after long careers, trials, errors and even a triumph that has served to soothe the nerves of even one the highest-strung perfectionists in the game.
Barbora Strycova is 33. Today she became the oldest first-time slam semifinalist ever, topping a 32-year old Roberta Vinci's U.S. Open run from four years ago.
A round ago, the Czech vet overcame a set and 5-2 deficit against Elise Mertens, and today -- with a Centre Court crowd rooting for her opponent -- the former Fed Cup stalwart chipped away at Johanna Konta's 4-1 1st set lead, employing all her slicey-dicey spins and variety-filled game to force a tie-break. There, again, Konta grabbed the lead with a picture-perfect backhand pass to grab a 5-4 edge... and then didn't win another point in the set. The Czech put away a volley to knot the score, then the Brit's back-to-back forehand errors -- off a deep second serve, then a sinking Strycova slice -- to gave her opponent the final 7-5 advantage.
Playing perhaps the best match of her career, Strycova continued her roll in the 2nd. A 3-1 lead was bolstered by a little pinch of luck, as a backhand shot skipped off the net cord and hopped over the waiting Konta's racket before she could put away a volley. The point gave Strycova a 4-1 lead, and any hopes of a crowd-stoking Konta turnaround were soon lost. Failing to secure four game points (three from 40/love up), Konta was broken via a DF and a wild swing volley miss that put Strycova a game away from the semis. Rallying from 15/30 down, Strycova held to close out the 7-6(5)/6-1 win, going her '14 SW19 quarterfinal run one better by posting her best slam result in her 53rd MD appearance.
...Elina Svitolina is 24. Today she removed her name from its rather undesired place atop (well, as the day began, she was the actually the *only* player on it) the list of players in WTA history with at least thirteen tour-level singles titles but no slam semifinal appearances. The Ukrainian was always *supposed* to be the first from her nation to reach such a stage, but as she's totaled up titles, Top 10 wins and important trophies (including at last year's WTA Finals in the grittiest performance of her career) she'd remained a particular failed experiment at the four most important two-weeks stretches of the season. Last week, her teenage countrywoman Dayana Yastremska put her name into the conversation as a potential final four participant in a major in the near future, reaching her maiden slam Round of 16.
First Ukrainian woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final ????#Wimbledon | @ElinaSvitolina pic.twitter.com/Ib9tfiqs6A
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2019
Finally, on Day 8 of the 2019 Wimbledon, in her 28th slam appearance, Svitolina became the first Ukrainian to reach a major semi. Four times she'd gotten to within a game of such a feat, but four times she'd lost. She'd been run out in blink-and-you-missed-it fashion -- by 3 & 2, 0 & 4 and 4 & 1 scores -- and squandered a big lead (up a set and 5-1, with a MP) in her previous attempts.
After rising to the occasion in Singapore last fall, Svitolina has struggled in recent months. With injury, and quite possibly with a decided lack of focus, as well, as social media (over) attention seemed to take up way too much of her brain space, and things such as taking the time to respond to meaningless comments (biting back at a media member's comment about her Nike dress having a rather plain design) hours after a match spoke to symptoms of a player paying close attention to details, only not the details she probably *should* be paying attention to.
Has Svitolina moved past all that? Hmmm. Maybe. Truthfully, it's been difficult to tell since she's been seemingly living under a (Rad-lined?) golden cloud this entire fortnight. She probably would have been ousted in the 2nd Round by Margarita Gasparyan, as the Russian (who'd already beaten her once this grass season) was within two points of a straight sets win, only for her to suddenly suffer severe cramping and be forced to retire (while still leading the match) around fifteen minutes later. In the Round of 16, Svitolina faced an exhausted Petra Martic after the Croat had survived multiple three-setters, and only had a finite amount left to give once the Ukrainian had shown up on the other side of the net. Today the opponent was Karolina Muchova, the she's-going-places 22-year old Czech who staged a comeback to defeat Karolina Pliskova yesterday... after nearly three and a half hours and a 24-game 3rd set. On an even playing field, Muchova may have won today. But it wasn't that.
Still, even a "lesser" Muchova was a competitive Muchova. But the sharp edge that allowed her to take down her countrywoman was a bit dulled today, as mistakes at key times helped to spell her doom. Svitolina eeked out a 7-5 1st set win, and was seemingly cruising to a straight sets victory in the 2nd. But then her past slam QF demons started whispering in her ear.
Serving up 5-2, she played a tight-as-a-drum, rush-through-it-in-order-to-not-think-about-the-past-or-the-future game while Muchova's final dash of adrenaline kicked in. The Czech got the break, and held to pull within 5-4. If Svitolina had dropped serve again, one could easily have seen another collapse, as long as Muchova was able to pull herself to the finish. But it never came to that. Even after Muchova pulled off a Navratilova-level backhand volley of an otherwise-brillaint Svitolina backhand crosscourt passing shot to close to within 30/15. At MP, Svitolina closed it out -- and flayed at least one demon -- with a big wide serve to win 7-5/6-4.
Serena Williams awaits for a place in the #Wimbledon final…@BaraStrycova is into her first ever Grand Slam semi-final after beating Johanna Konta pic.twitter.com/vHPxMvFwV7
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2019
But there's still another Svitolina demon waiting around the corner. Her name is Simona. It was *she* who overcame the 5-1 and MP deficit in Paris two years ago to deny her what would have/should have been her maiden slam semifinal appearance.
A semi-finalist once again…@Simona_Halep defeats a spirited Shuai Zhang 7-6(4), 6-1 to make the #Wimbledon final four for the first time since 2014 pic.twitter.com/IVGkZ9Njxl
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2019
Simona Halep is 27, and she's had to slay a few of her own demons over the seasons. The full year that has passed since she finally claimed her maiden slam crown has served to muffle many of the negative voices that used to ring in her head. While she hasn't won a singles title since her Roland Garros run, the Romanian has been solid at every turn. When she's lost she's been beaten rather than allowing herself to be beat.
Her string of performances at this Wimbledon, the first since her full year as the reigning RG champ, is potentially telling. Already at peace with her career legacy (though there is still that Olympic dream, and maybe the Fed Cup, should she give the new "fast-food style" format a go next year), maybe we're seeing the Halep that we'll gaze upon for the rest of her career. She's still a fighter, but with a quiet confidence that doesn't run hot-and-cold, and is always at the ready when the call goes out --
Halep had already lost in the past to Zhang Shuai (twice, actually), her opponent today. When she fell behind 4-1 in the 1st set, and saw the Chinese vet a point away from a double-break lead at 5-1, a different Simona may have thrown up her hands, or berate herself for games for allowing the situation to happen, even if she'd escaped it. But the Simona we've seen at this Wimbledon isn't that Simona. She held on and did her work.
She held for 4-2, saw Zhang DF to get back on serve and went on to win a 7-4 tie-break, then ran away with the 2nd at 6-1 to reach her second SW19 semi (2014) and seventh at a major in her career. She's dropped just one set (the 2nd in her 2nd Rd. match-up with countrywoman Mihaela Buzarnescu), and for the first time in her career has reason to believe she may truly have a chance to win Wimbledon, the only major her idol, Justine Henin (a two-time finalist) never could.
But first she'll have to get through Svitolina, looking to right a wrong against the player who helped wrong her in the first place.
It could be quite the intriguing moment, maybe even career defining. For both of them.
...in the girls singles, the final sixteen are set. The remaining players hail from eleven different nations, with only the U.S. (w/ 5) and France (2) with more than one competitor. Winners today included #1 Emma Navarro, #3 Zheng Qinwen and #4 Diane Parry, as well as Roehampton champ Daria Snigur, Elli Mandlik (daughter of Hana Mandlikova), Polina Kudermetova (sister of Veronika) and, finally, another rising Czech, Linda Fruhvirtova, who knocked off #2 Maria Camila Osorio Serrano.
...the wheelchair draws have been released, and #1-ranked Diede de Groot will thus go about her attempt to sweep the titles at a fifth straight slam. She'll open up her singles title defense vs. countrywoman Marjolein Buis. #2 Yui Kamiji, seeking to join de Groot as the only player to win all eight major titles, has yet to reach the Wimbledon singles final. She'll start this year with Brit Jordanne Whiley in her first slam appearance since the 2017 Wimbledon, before becoming a mother. Whiley has gone 33-4 since returning this season, so don't be surprised if the upset happens. They haven't played against each other since June 2016.
(@jordanne_joyce)
Once again, it'll be de Groot & Aniek Van Koot topping the four-team doubles competition, with Kamiji & Whiley (a 9-time slam winning duo, including four in a row at SW19 from 2014-17) facing off with the pair in the opening match. The two good friends haven't partnered since before Whiley's maternity break two years ago. Last year, Kamiji won her fifth straight Wimbledon WD title while teaming with de Groot.
The star-studded duos participating in that opening doubles match have combined to win most of the slam titles since Esther Vergeer's retirement after 2012. As a group, they've had a hand in 40 of the 46 titles contested, including all 25 doubles crowns, and 15 of 21 singles (all but four won by Jiske Griffioen, and one each by Buis and Ellerbrock):
=SINGLES=
6 - de Groot
6 - Kamiji
2 - Van Koot
1 - Whiley
=DOUBLES=
13 - Kamiji
9 - Whiley
8 - Van Koot (+2 previously)
6 - de Groot
LIKE ON DAY 8: C-L-A-S-S-I-C.
As ever, expect the unexpected in the invitation doubles ??#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/89u9v6Sf6T
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2019
LIKE ON DAY 8: Coming soon to a court near someone...
We’ve got matching smiles and teeth ?????????? pic.twitter.com/UBehGufES4
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 9, 2019
Sania, not the baby. Although...
POOR MEMORIES ON DAY 8: During the Svitolina match, ESPN's Rennae Stubbs recalled the Ukrainian's WTA Finals title run in which "she barely lost a set."
Umm, yeah... except that four of her five matches in the tournament went three sets. I mean, other than that, yeah, she barely lost a set.
SCENARIOS ON DAY 8:
Doubles No.1 Scenarios
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) July 9, 2019
With Babos/Mladenovic advancing to the semifinals, Barbora Strycova must win the title in order to overtake current WTA doubles No.1 Kristina Mladenovic at #Wimbledon.
Babos/Mladenovic and Hsieh/Strycova could potentially meet in the semifinals.
LIKE ON DAY 8: Nice shot, partner.
How about this for a return? ??#Wimbledon | @serenawilliams pic.twitter.com/120ThjXFjM
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2019
LIKE ON DAY 8: Si-mo-na.
Nice moment at the net between @Simona_Halep and @zhangshuai121:
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) July 9, 2019
Zhang: "I wish she can win the tournament because she's the best player I like. I like her not only because she play good tennis, because she's great person."#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/RoBwNc6NDZ
After four years, @GarbiMuguruza and Sam Sumyk have parted ways.
— WTA (@WTA) July 9, 2019
The duo achieved two Grand Slam titles and the No. 1 ranking during their partnership--> https://t.co/vRuvQZxuza pic.twitter.com/z9Xbtp1C4I
Few words to announce the end of an Extraordinary ride. 2 Grand Slams and World N 1. Beyond grateful for this last 4 years. Merci Sam
— Garbiñe Muguruza (@GarbiMuguruza) July 9, 2019
Long time coming, honestly. Now, to find the elusive "Garbi Whisperer."
Too bad Conchita Martinez (who helped her win Wimbledon in Sumyk' absence) is taken. Hmmm... maybe Spanish Fed Cup coach Anabel Medina-Garrigues? I don't think she's officially coaching anyone at the moment, is she?
It's really not about changing huge swaths of Muguruza's game, it's just about finding ways to keep her engaged and focused at all times. Sumyk is a good coach, but he seemed to serve to set her nerves on edge (and vice versa) most of the time.
A little interesting truth: when I'm online and go to check Wimbledon's Instagram page, I type in "Wi" in that little box and the list of choices of past pages I've visited comes up. The only one that comes close to the page I'm looking for isn't the main Wimbledon Instagram page, but is (for some reason) this one. I always just click on *it* because it's easier than finding exactly what I'm looking for, which is just one additional click away.
The "interesting" thing is that what I always see is an inadvertent, but constant, reminder of what Muguruza *should* be. Hopefully she can be that again. Her next decision can make it a reality, or send her hopes even farther out to sea.
But, hey, no pressure.
#11 Serena Williams/USA vs. Barbora Strycova/CZE
#8 Elina Svitolina/UKR vs. #7 Simona Halep/ROU
=WOMEN'S DOUBLES QF=
#1 Babos/Mladenovic (HUN/FRA) def. #7 Melichar/Peschke (USA/CZE)
#3 Hsieh/Strycova (TPE/CZE) vs. #6 Mertens/Sabalenka (BEL/BLR)
(PR) Collins/Mattek-Sands (USA/USA) vs. #4 Dabrowski/Xu (CAN/CHN)
#8 Groenefeld/Schuurs (GER/NED) vs. #2 Krejcikova/Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
=MIXED DOUBLES ROUND OF 16=
#1 Melichar/Soares (USA/BRA) vs. S.Williams/A.Murray (USA/GBR)
Yang Zhaoxuan/Middlekoop (CHN/NED) vs. Brady/Daniell (USA/NZL)
#4 Sh.Zhang/Peers (CHN/AUS) vs. Ostapenko/Lindstedt (LAT/SWE)
#12 Olaru/Skugor (ROU/CRO) def. #6 Rosolska/Mektic (POL/CRO)
#5 Peschke/Koolhof (CZE/NED) vs. N.Kichenok/Qureshi (UKR/PAK)
Siegemund/Sitak (GER/NZL) vs. #3 Dabrowski/Pavic (CAN/CRO)
#9 L.Chan/Dodig (TPE/CRO) vs. #11 Klepac/Roger-Vasselin (SLO/FRA)
(WC) Silva/Hoyt (GBR/GBR) def. Sai.Zheng/Vliegen (CHN/BEL)
=GIRLS SINGLES ROUND OF 16=
#1 Emma Navarro/USA vs. (Q) Katrina Scott/USA
Elli Mandlik/USA vs. #6 Natsumi Kawaguchi/JPN
#3 Zheng Qinwen vs. (Q) Polina Kudermetova/RUS
Daria Snigur/UKR vs. Robin Montgomery/USA
Elsa Jacquemot/FRA vs. Mai Napatt Nirundorn/THA
Wong Hong Yi Cody/HKG vs. #4 Diane Parry/FRA (WC)
Matilda Mutavdzic/GBR vs. #10 Alexa Noel/USA
Priska Madelyn Nugroho/INA vs. Linda Fruhvirtova/CZE
=GIRLS DOUBLES QF=
x vs. x
x vs. x
x vs. x
x vs. x
=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES QF=
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. Marjolein Buis/NED
KG Montjane/RSA vs. Sabine Ellerbrock/GER
Aniek Van Koot/NED vs. Giulia Capocci/ITA
(WC) Jordanne Whiley/GBR vs. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN
=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES SF=
#1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) vs. Kamiji/Whiley (JPN/GBR)
Ellerbrock/Montjane (GER/RSA) vs. #2 Buis/Capocci (NED/ITA)
=WOMEN'S INVITATIONAL DOUBLES=
xx
Grass, I think I love you ??
— Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) July 9, 2019
What a battle today. #Wimbledon final four here we come ???? pic.twitter.com/T36gCy8feV
*ALL-TIME WIMBLEDON MATCH WINS*
120...Martina Navratilova
97...SERENA WILLIAMS
96...Chris Evert
89...Venus Williams
74...Steffi Graf
*ALL-TIME SLAM SF*
52...Chris Evert
44...Martina Navrtailova
37...Steffi Graf
37...SERENA WILLIAMS
36...Margaret Court
*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
*FIRST-TIME SLAM SEMIFINALISTS - last 3 years*
=2017=
AO: CoCo Vandeweghe/USA
RG: Alona Ostapenko/LAT (W)
WI: Magdalena Rybarikova/SVK
US: -
=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
--
=NOTES=
* - first-timer at 24 of last 26 slams (25/28)
* - first-timer at 10 consecutive Wimbledons (2010-19)
*WIMBLEDON SEMIFINALS - last 5 years*
2015 #1 S.Williams d. #4 Sharapova, #20 Muguruza d. #13 A.Radwanska
2016 #1 S.Williams d. Vesnina, #4 Kerber d. #8 V.Williams
2017 #10 V.Williams d. #6 Konta, #14 Muguruza d. Rybarikova
2018 #11 Angelique Kerber d. #12 Ostapenko, #25 S.Williams d. #13 Goerges
2019 #11 S.Williams vs. Strycova, #7 Halep vs. #8 Svitolina
*CAREER SLAM SF - active*
37 - SERENA WILLIAMS (31-5)
23 - Venus Williams (16-7)
20 - Maria Sharapova (10-10)
7 - SIMONA HALEP (4-2)
7 - Victoria Azarenka (4-3)
7 - Angelique Kerber (4-3)
7 - Caroline Wozniacki (3-4)
6 - Petra Kvitova (3-3)
6 - Jelena Jankovic (1-5)
5 - Svetlana Kuznetsova (4-1)
5 - Samantha Stosur (2-3)
4 - Garbine Muguruza (3-1)
4 - Vera Zvonareva (2-2)
4 - Madison Keys (1-3)
*SLAM SF - DECADE OF 2010's - 2010-19*
20 - SERENA WILLIAMS (17-2)
10 - Maria Sharapova (6-4)
7 - SIMONA HALEP (4-2)
7 - Victoria Azarenka (4-3)
7 - Angelique Kerber (4-3)
6 - Li Na (4-2)-ret.
6 - Petra Kvitova (3-3)
6 - Caroline Wozniacki (2-4)
5 - Venus Williams (2-3)
5 - Aga Radwanska (1-4)-ret.
4 - Garbine Muguruza (3-1)
4 - Samantha Stosur (2-2)
4 - Madison Keys (1-3)
*2019 WTA SF*
7 - Kiki Bertens, NED (3-4)
5 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (4-1)
5 - Angelique Kerber, GER (1-3+W)
4 - Ash Barty, AUS (4-0)
4 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (4-0)
4 - SIMONA HALEP, ROU (2-1)
4 - Belinda Bencic, SUI (2-2)
4 - Donna Vekic, CRO (2-2)
4 - BARBORA STRYCOVA, CZE (0-3)
4 - ELINA SVITOLINA, UKR (0-3)
*2015-19 WTA SF*
34 - SIMONA HALEP = 9/6/7/8/4
33 - Karolina Pliskova = 8/6/8/6/5
32 - Angelique Kerber = 8/11/3/5/5
28 - ELINA SVITOLINA = 6/7/6/5/3
25 - Caroline Wozniacki = 7/4/8/5/1
23 - Petra Kvitova = 5/6/2/6/4
22 - Garbine Muguruza = 5/3/7/6/1
21 - Kiki Bertens = 1/5/3/5/7
20 - Julia Goerges = 0/4/7/7/2
20 - Aga Radwanska = 8/9/2/1 (ret)
19 - SERENA WILLIAMS - 9/6/1/2/1
18 - Caroline Garcia = 2/4/7/3/2
*2019 WTA SEMIFINALISTS BY COUNTRY*
19 - CZE*
13 - USA*
8 - GER
7 - AUS,CRO,NED,UKR*
6 - RUS,SUI
5 - BLR,FRA,ROU*
4 - ROU
3 - BEL,CAN,GBR,JPN,SLO,SVK
2 - CHN,ESP,EST,GRE,KAZ,POL,TPE
1 - BRA,DEN,LAT,PUR,TUN
*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 - 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 - Angelique Kerber, 2018 (W)
#11 - Bettina Bunge, 1982
#10 - Venus Williams, 2017 (RU)
#10 - Gabriela Sabatini, 1986
#10 - Billie Jean King, 1983
*RECENT BEST U.S. WOMEN'S SLAM RESULTS*
=2012=
AO: Serena Williams (4th)
RG: Sloane Stephens (4th) & Varvara Lepchenko (4th)
WI: Serena Williams (W)
US: Serena Williams (W)
=2013=
AO: Sloane Stephens (SF)
RG: Serena Williams (W)
WI: Sloane Stephens (QF)
US: Serena Williams (W)
=2014=
AO: Sloane Stephens & Serena Williams (4th)
RG: Sloane Stephens (4th)
WI: L.Davis, M.Keys, A.Riske, S.Williams, V.Williams (3rd)
US: Serena Williams (W)
=2015=
AO: Serena Williams (W)
RG: Serena Williams (W)
WI: Serena Williams (W)
US: Serena Williams (SF)
=2016=
AO: Serena Williams (RU)
RG: Serena Williams (RU)
WI: Serena Williams (W)
US: Serena Williams (SF)
=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
*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
*WIMBLEDON MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF) TOP PLAYER AWARDS*
2006 Justine Henin-Hardenne, BEL [RU]
2007 Justine Henin, BEL [SF]
2008 Zheng Jie, CHN [SF]
2009 Serena Williams, USA [W]
2010 Serena Williams, USA [W]
2011 Maria Sharapova, RUS [RU]
2012 Victoria Azarenka, BLR [SF]
2013 Sabine Lisicki, GER [RU]
2014 Petra Kvitova, CZE [W]
2015 Garbine Muguruza, ESP [RU] & Maria Sharapova, RUS [SF]
2016 Angelique Kerber, GER [RU]
2017 Garbine Muguruza, ESP [W]
2018 Alona Ostapenko, LAT [SF]
2009 Serena Williams, USA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #1 Ash Barty/AUS
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #11 Serena Williams/USA
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: #20 Kaja Juvan/SLO def. Basak Eraydin/TUR 4-6/7-6(3)/6-3 (trailed 6-4/4-1 40/15)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Alison Riske/USA def. #22 Donna Vekic/CRO 3-6/6-3/7-5 (Vekic led 4-1 in 3rd; first Ct.1 roof closure)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - (WC) Coco Gauff/USA def. Polona Hercog/SLO 3-6/7-6(7)/7-5 (down 6-3/5-2; Hercog 3 MP in 2nd)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Madison Keys/USA (1st Rd. def. Luksika Kumkhum/THA)
FIRST SEED OUT: #10 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (lost 1st Rd. to Rybarikova/SVK)
UPSET QUEENS: Slovenia
REVELATION LADIES: Russia
NATION OF POOR SOULS: BLR (1-3 1st; 3/4 of "Dream Team" lose, including #10 Sabalenka)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Coco Gauff/USA (4th Rd.) (LL: L.Davis/USA - 3rd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Harriet Dart/GBR (3rd Rd.)
LAST BRITS STANDING: Johanna Konta (QF)
IT ("Kid"): Coco Gauff, USA
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: Nominees: Svitolina, Halep, Kamiji (for WC Career Slam)
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominee: Svitolina, Mattek-Sands
CRASH & BURN: #2 Naomi Osaka/JPN (1st Rd. - lost to Putintseva/KAZ)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON: Elina Svitolina/UKR (2nd Rd.: Gasparyan two points from win at 7-5/5-4, cramps, retires when leading match)
DOUBLES STAR: xx
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Barbora Strycova/CZE
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREE: (Bad Donna) Vekic/CRO + ??
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: xx
RAD REMEMBRANCE DAY malevolent activity notes...
June 26 official: In Eastbourne, a day after her first Top 10 victory in over a year (and first consecutive wins in back-to-back events since last grass season), '18 Wimbledon semifinalist (and former SW19 girls champ) Alona Ostapenko is forced to retire from her 3rd Round match with a hip injury.
Day 3 observed: Margarita Gasparyan, having overcome three knee surgeries and missing most of two years between 2016-18, comes within two points of defeating #8-seeded Elina Svitolina at 7-5/5-4. Five minutes later, she serves and lands awkwardly on her "bad" leg and immediately doubles over in pain. She is treated for cramping, and ultimately, in tears, retires while still leading 7-5/5-6, with an 82-81 points edge and 42-15 lead in winners.
