First time in the Top 50 and second career title ??
— wta (@WTA) August 9, 2020
Take a bow, @fioferro!#PLO20 pic.twitter.com/9jD8a5twnG
S: Fiona Ferro/FRA def. Anett Kontaveit/EST 6-2/7-5
D: Arantxa Rus/Tamara Zidansek (NED/SLO) def. Elisabetta Cocciaretto/Martina Trevisan (ITA/ITA) 7-5/7-5
Pulling everything out of the ?? of tricks!@fioferro | #PLO20 pic.twitter.com/fiQTbIOW1p
— wta (@WTA) August 9, 2020
Ferro dropped just one set while defeating Nadia Podoroska, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Sara Errani, Camila Giorgi and Anett Kontaveit in the final. The win gives the world #53 a second career tour title (Lausanne '19) and will allow her to break the Top 50 barrier for the first time this week, coming in at #44.
With the jump, she'll leapfrog fellow Pastry Caroline Garcia (#46) and move within just eight ranking points of #42 Mladenovic and becoming the new French #1.
...Kontaveit, a U.S. Open girls finalist eight years ago, has been an all-surface threat for years, though her resume has never quite filled out the way one might have expected. The 24-year old Estonian, who showed an ability to rise to the occasion early in her career (winning her first eight pro finals from 2011-13), has reached six finals on three different surfaces over the course of her WTA career. Her loss on the clay in this week's final in Palermo dropped her to 1-5 in those matches, with her title drought now extending over three years (her sole win came on the grass at Rosmalen in '17). In her first event back, Kontaveit took out Patricia Maria Tig, Laura Siegemund and #1-seeded Petra Martic, but couldn't get past Fiona Ferro.
First to the final ??
— wta (@WTA) August 8, 2020
Anett Kontaveit upends top seed Petra Martic 6-2, 6-4 and punches her ticket to a first final of the season!#PLO20 pic.twitter.com/8Wan44eCed
Kontaveit has put up better results in bigger and bigger events in recent seasons, including a Rome SF (2018), Wuhan final (2018), Miami SF (2019) and her first career slam QF run earlier this year in Melbourne. She'll climb back into the Top 20 in the new rankings, six off the career best of #14 she set in April of last year.
Camila Giorgi is raising the mask fashion level in Palermo. pic.twitter.com/AStafzvf58
— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) August 4, 2020
Giorgi is always one those sort of players who fashionably flash on occasion, making everyone marvel at her talent, but then wonder how she's not ranked higher. This week in Palermo, the 28-year old came in at just #89, then reeled off wins over Rebecca Peterson, Kaja Juvan and Dayana Yastremska, coming back from two MP down in the hard-hitting latter contest to reach her first tour semifinal since reaching the Bronx Open final prior to last year's U.S. Open. The run sparked talk of an Italian opening the Restart by reaching a tour singles final on home clay, something which hasn't happened since 2014 (Errani in Rome), or maybe even winning the title (2014: Vinci def. Errani in Palermo). Then she took the 1st set en route to falling in the semi in three (7-5 3rd) to eventual champ Ferro. Giorgi will rise to #71 on Monday, but the widened eyes, raised eyebrows and (usually) dashed hopes will likely continue indefinitely.
...#157 Cocciaretto (Backspin's #2 on the preseason "Name You'll Know..." list) reached her first career WTA quarterfinal with Palermo wins over Polona Hercog and Donna Vekic before falling to Anett Kontaveit. The 19-year old will break into the Top 150 (#144) for the first time this week.
In doubles, Cocciaretto teamed up with countrywoman Martina Trevisan to reach the first tour WD final for both, and the first in a tour event by Italians on Italian soil in six years. After posting wins over the #1 (Garcia Perez/Sorribes Tormo) and #4 (Schoofs/van der Hoek) seeds, Cocciaretto/Trevisan lost in straights to Rus/Zidansek.
Welcome to your first WTA quarterfinal, Elisabetta Cocciaretto! ??
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 5, 2020
The 19-year-old qualifier takes down world No. 24 Donna Vekic in straight sets.
THAT'S how you close out Day 3 of the #PLO20. pic.twitter.com/fV5NMEB8tn
...the #1 seed at the first event in the WTA Restart, the 29-year old (a quarterfinalist at RG in '19) reached her second '20 semifinal (Dubai) and will move up one spot on Monday, matching her career high rank of #14. In Palermo, Martic knocked off Alison Van Uytvanck, Ludmila Samsonova (after losing the 1st set to the Russian) and Aliaksandra Sasnovich (in two TB). She fell in the semis to Anett Kontaveit, who got a measure of revenge for the Croat's defeat of her in the Dubai QF in February.
...Errani has twice had to fight back from her 2017 "pasta suspension," and entered Palermo as the #169-ranked player seven years after the now 33-year old topped out at #5 (around the time she reached a slam final and two major semis over the course of a year). A five-time Palermo champion (2008 & '12 singles, and three times in WD) and four-time singles finalist, Errani received a wild card this year. She took advantage, winning three-setters over Sorana Cirstea (3-hr.) and Kristyna Pliskova (from a set down in a 21-break match) to reach her first tour-level QF since Bogota in April '19. She lost to Fiona Ferro, but will improve to #150. She's a combined 7-8 in '20 singles matches.
“Working with my psychologist is helping and I think being relaxed in your private life helps also.
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 5, 2020
"I’m just trying to play tennis being more relaxed than the last two years. It’s helping me not have that fear, that you feel like you have ghosts inside.”- Sara Errani #PL20 pic.twitter.com/p9BuX2s6c7
Sasnovich has fallen outside the Top 100 after reaching the Top 30 in 2018, but after an MVP-type Fed Cup performance in February (pushing Bertens, winning to force the deciding doubles, then winning it w/ Sabalenka to def. NED) opened the Restart with an encouraging kickoff. The Belarusian qualified in Palermo with wins over Tereza Martincova and Lara Arruabarrena, then knocked off Elise Mertens and Jasmine Paolini to reach her first WTA QF since her Sydney semi last year. Sasnovich fell in the final eight to Petra Martic, but fought into a pair of tie-breaks in a two-set loss. She'll climb fifteen spots to #104 in the new rankings, closing in on a Top 100 return.
...Yastremska had a bit of a rough go of it on social media during the shutdown, from her pro-Djokovic comments after the Serbian's COVID calamity tour as well as an odd "blackface" situation, but she quickly found her groove again *on* court in Palermo after having put up some good pre-shutdown results (including her biggest career final in Adelaide after wins over Kerber, Vekic and Sabalenka, and a post-AO title upset of Sofia Kenin in Doha).
Wins over Sara Sorribes Tormo and Oceane Dodin got the 20-year old Ukrainian into the QF, where she held two MP against Camila Giorgi only to ultimately be out-hit in an I-see-your-power-shot-and-match-it-with-one-of-my-own sort of contest.
19-year old Juvan made it through Palermo qualifying with wins over Magdalena Frech, Gabriela Ruse and Martina Trevisan, then recorded her first career Top 20 win in the 1st Round over #2-seed Marketa Vondrousova. Juvan was up a set in the 2nd Round against Camila Giorgi, but fell to the fiery Italian vet.
A top 2019 preseason Backspin "Name You'll Know..." honoree, even in this interrupted season, Juvan has been making a mark in 2020. She qualified to reach her maiden AO MD, performed well in Fed Cup and upset Venus Williams in Acapulco before the shutdown.
She'll climb to #110 on Monday, making her the sixth highest ranked player on tour under age 20, just behind #5 Wang Xiyu (they both trail Top 100 players Amanda Anisimova, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Anastasia Potapova).
Juvan lost in three sets in Prague in the second round of qualifying on Sunday to Magdalena Frech.
...Kiki's Restart didn't take long to produce a disappointment, as she squandered a 1st set win over Ekakerina Alexandrova and proceded to lose twelve of the final thirteen games in the 2nd and 3rd, helping her own exit along with a Kournikova-esque 20 double-faults. The loss drops Mladenovic to 2-6 in combined 2020 singles MD matches, and she can surely feel Fiona Ferro's breath on her neck in the race for 2020 French #1 after having lost twice to her countrywoman during the FFT's shutdown tournament schedule.
Mladenovic's next move is up in the air. In July, her potential participation in the U.S. Open was complicated by her lack of a visa, and she admitted that she could instead choose to play the shortened EuroClay lead-up to Roland Garros (including Palermo and Prague) no matter whether she was cleared for travel to the U.S. or not, what with the potential COVID risk of heading overseas.
After losing in Palermo, she then pulled out of Prague.
If the Open *is* still a possibility, Mladenovic would be faced with the intriguing decision to play either singles or doubles (she can only choose one due to the event's '20 protocols). At the moment, all with Timea Babos, she's already won one '20 doubles slam (AO), is the defending Roland Garros WD champion and has won back-to-back WTAF WD crowns (an event that won't take place this season after China cancelled all the scheduled fall events).
...the 15-year old from Washington D.C., the Orange Bowl 18s champ last year (and $25K Las Vegas winner in March in one of the final tournaments held on the challenger circuit), will make her slam debut as the youngest player in the MD after being given a women's singles wild card by the USTA.
...after opening with a win via a 10-8 match tie-break over #2 seeded Olaru/Yastremska, then a 13-11 MTB victory over Minnen/Van Uytvanck, the 7-5/7-5 triumph in the final over Cocciaretto/Trevisan was a virtual piece of cake for Rus/Zidansek, who combined for their first title together and the second in the WTA careers for both women. Rus' last win came in 2017, while Zidansek's was in '18.
...Buis is always ready.
...4-6/7-6(5)/6-3. In a heavy-hitting contest that lasted 2:52 and didn't end until 1:30 a.m., Giorgi survives 12 DF and two MP to outdistance the young, still-being-formed (on court and off) Ukrainian.
The Italian ???? fights back!
— wta (@WTA) August 7, 2020
After almost 3 hours of play, Giorgi defeats Yastremska, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3.#PLO20 pic.twitter.com/CFs1nVZclK
Princess Fiona ??@fioferro wins a second career WTA title capturing the crown over Anett Kontaveit 6-2, 7-5 at @LadiesOpenPA#PLO20 pic.twitter.com/6notROv4bQ
— wta (@WTA) August 9, 2020
2. Palermo Final - Fiona Ferro def. Anett Kontaveit
...6-2/7-5. And the countdown until Ferro is officially the new French #1 begins...
...1-6/7-5/6-4. The Slovenian teen's first career Top 20 victory comes over the #2-seeded, '19 Roland Garros finalist Czech.
Everybody loves a comeback. ??
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 4, 2020
Kaja Juvan turns it around after a tough first set to defeat Vondrousova in three: 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.#PLO20 pic.twitter.com/5aapba9PEZ
...7-5/1-6/6-4. In a late night three-hour battle, two-time Palermo champ Errani doesn't let her wild card go to waste with a one-and-done appearance. She reached the QF.
...5-7/6-0/6-1. After dropping the 1st set, the Russian gets a wonderful Restart gift from the Pastry in the form of 20 DF that help her claim twelve of the final thirteen games.
...6-3/6-1. The Argentine is the winner of the Restart's first completed match.
...6-1/6-2. The Croat is the Restart's first main draw victor.
Big win for Italy’s Jasmin Paolini tonight, she made her way into the second round in Palermo in a grueling three-hour battle against Dasha Kasatkina. pic.twitter.com/fJCUFDC4jM
— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) August 4, 2020
8. Palermo 1st Rd. - Jasmine Paolini def. Dasha Kasatkina
...5-7/6-4/6-4. After looking to rebound from a profoundly disappointing '20 season, Kasatkina was 9-7 (6-3 in 3-setters) on the year before the world came to a halt. In Week 1 (Part II), she showed that she didn't sleep away the long five-month break, but still came up short in this 3:09 match against the Italian.
???? Jasmine Paolini comes back from a set down to best Kasatkina 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 in just over three hours.#PLO20 pic.twitter.com/OmYOsm3DzZ
— wta (@WTA) August 3, 2020
...3-6/7-6(9)/6-2. De Vroome officially became the first player in the Restart to "let one slip away" when she dropped her opening qualifying match to the former Dutch junior star after having held three MP.
...7-5/7-5. While the Italian women did well in singles in Palermo -- SF Giorgi, QF Cocciaretto and Errani -- the doubles provided the only home finalists, as Cocciaretto/Trevisan became the first Italians to reach a tour WD final in Italy since 2014 (Errani/Vinci Rome RU). The home nation doubles title drought streak extends back to 2012 (Errani/Vinci Rome), with one final 2020 shot coming next month in Rome, a tournament which is now an even bigger pre-RG tune-up event what with the cancellation this week of Madrid.
...6-7(4)/6-4/7-6(3). After a good week in Palermo, Sasnovich couldn't close against Ruse on Sunday, squandering a 5-2 3rd set lead and three MP vs. the Romanian. Ruse held a MP at 6-5, then ultimately won in a deciding tie-break.
Wrapping up the day with a marathon: Elena-Gabriela Ruse has fought her way into the Q final at @tennispragueopn, beating Sasnovich in 3hrs 15 minutes! pic.twitter.com/fwtwg1XgWS
— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) August 9, 2020
Haters will say it’s fake ????? pic.twitter.com/RSrmyJEXZD
— Karolina Pliskova (@KaPliskova) August 5, 2020
...3-6/6-4/6-3. Errani evens her career mark vs. the Pliskovas (2-2) with her first victory over Kristyna.
With Bertens' withdrawal, Francesca Di Lorenzo moves into main draw as direct entry freeing up one wild card which now goes to Sachia Vickery.
— Oleg S. (@AnnaK_4ever) August 7, 2020
One suspects USTA will need a much longer wild card alternate list than this: https://t.co/DcH6KPdRUz pic.twitter.com/sdoFCMsRjG
Joint WTA/ATP statement on the cancellation of Madrid. pic.twitter.com/sKcZPde04k
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 4, 2020
Well... wow? https://t.co/JdgDTALK6V
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 9, 2020
Stay safe and smile ?? Happy to be here @tennispragueopn pic.twitter.com/BNL5HEuqQT
— Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) August 8, 2020
Omg... https://t.co/MMBHncCOoG
— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) August 9, 2020
Azarenka: "For me personally, it's a waste of time trying to predict anything or what's going to happen or trying to plan, because I think more than anything this time has taught us that sometimes our plans, no matter how much we plan, can just be wiped out by some other things." pic.twitter.com/luliPpn6lg
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 9, 2020
What does a typical day-in-the-life at home look like for @Venuseswilliams? She gave us a look into her routine, from lunchtime to game-day prep. ?? pic.twitter.com/UuqPyC5PfH
— Who What Wear (@WhoWhatWear) August 3, 2020
— Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) August 7, 2020
*2020 WEEKLY BACKSPIN PLAYERS OF THE WEEK*
Week 1: Serena Williams, USA
Week 2: Ash Barty, AUS
AO Q: Ann Li, USA
AO: Sofia Kenin, USA
Fed Cup WG MVP: Aliaksandra Sasnovich, BLR
Fed Cup Zones MVP: Dayana Yastremska, UKR
Week 6: Kiki Bertens, NED
Week 7: Simona Halep, ROU
Week 8: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
Week 9: Elina Svitolina, UKR
Restart Week 1: Fiona Ferro, FRA
*2020 WTA CHAMPIONS BY RANKING*
#1 - Ash Barty (Adelaide)
#2 - Karolina Pliskova (Brisbane)
#2 - Simona Halep (Dubai)
#5 - Sofia Kenin (Lyon)
#7 - Elina Svitolina (Monterrey)
#8 - Kiki Bertens (Saint Petersburg)
#10 - Serena Williams (Auckland)
#13 - Aryna Sabalenka (Doha)
#15 - Sofia Kenin (Australian Open)
#30 - Elena Rybakina (Hobart)
#34 - Ekaterina Alexandrova (Shenzhen)
#42 - Magda Linette (Hua Hin)
#53 - FIONA FERRO (PALERMO)
#69 - Heather Watson (Acapulco)
*MOST CONSECUTIVE SLAM MD APPEARANCES*
62 - Ai Sugiyama
61 - Francesca Schiavone
56 - Jelena Jankovic
54 - Alize Cornet [active]
54 - Nathalie Dechy
54 - Elena Likhovtseva
52 - Patty Schnyder
49 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova [active; will skip U.S.]
48 - Julia Goerges [active; injured, will miss U.S.]
48 - Ana Ivanovic
*2020 U.S. OPEN WILD CARDS; as of Aug.9*
Usue Arconada, USA
CiCi Bellis, USA
Kim Clijsters, BEL
Caroline Dolehide, USA
Ann Li, USA
Robin Montgomery, USA
Whitney Osuigwe, USA
Sachia Vickery, USA
Trump: “We’re doing very well.”
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) August 8, 2020
Coronavirus deaths over the last 7 days:
Australia: 70
Canada: 37
France: 51
Germany: 49
Italy: 55
Japan: 27
Spain: 57
Sweden: 27
UK: 414
US: 7,189
i’ve covered many frivolous, dishonest political attacks
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) August 6, 2020
but this combination - a politician who appears non-religious distorting a picture of his religious opponent ACTUALLY PRAYING IN CHURCH, then claiming the opponent opposes religion - may be the most deranged i’ve ever seen https://t.co/Reb0zDem8B
God, I wish this was just a dumb show like ours. https://t.co/n3edLDiqiq
— Julia Louis-Dreyfus (@OfficialJLD) August 4, 2020
This is the best obituary you can read. Read it top to bottom, takes 45 seconds.#TrumpPressConference pic.twitter.com/kZZsu33pKV
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) August 3, 2020
Five former directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who came together to speak about the coronavirus on @ABCNewsLive said that the U.S. is still struggling to deal with the pandemic because of one thing: mixed messages from leadership. https://t.co/nSiwV0Ikfj
— ABC News (@ABC) August 9, 2020
If you're not listening to right-wing talk radio, you're missing just how extreme the Biden bashing has become. It's offensive and other-worldly. We showed examples on @ReliableSources this morning pic.twitter.com/GV302WkZAS
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 9, 2020
Either @TimKaine and I had a very vivid shared hallucination four years ago or Maureen had too much pot brownie before writing her column again. https://t.co/J3SSwtkg7x
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 8, 2020
TERRIFYING: This bride was taking wedding photos yesterday as the explosion happened in Beirut... The explosion can be heard and the bouquet and the bottom of her dress are blown away in the aftermath that sees damage to buildings and smoke in the street. https://t.co/C2QsNyWb73 pic.twitter.com/aklFwlPfx8
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) August 5, 2020
All these "America-loving" patriots don't love their country enough to stay the hell home.
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) August 7, 2020
This kind of lack self-control and total selfishness is why we'll be decimated by this virus long after the rest of the world has moved on.
That's so MAGA.https://t.co/saQ6UYm25h
Nine people test positive for coronavirus at Georgia school that went viral for crowded photo. https://t.co/WW5Iq69KRn
— ABC News (@ABC) August 9, 2020
Happy birthday Doug Williams pic.twitter.com/dykA0h6eBE
— thom loverro (@thomloverro) August 9, 2020
I'm very pleased to have another poem published in @NewVerseNews. I invite you to read "Three Flags" https://t.co/tz5P9Dwpz6 #poetry #WritingCommunity #Diversity
— Diane Elayne Dees (@WomenWhoServe) August 8, 2020
I have a new post on my author blog https://t.co/bWDxy3Vuhm #poetry #WritingCommunity
— Diane Elayne Dees (@WomenWhoServe) August 9, 2020
27 years ago today, 46-year-old Nolan Ryan got the better of Robin Ventura. pic.twitter.com/gSzCLGgybp
— ESPN (@espn) August 4, 2020
The film crew. This is amazing. pic.twitter.com/d53Wfx9NAz
— ?????? (@leesteffen) August 1, 2020
A robot inspired by vines can grow 25,000 times its original size pic.twitter.com/XM83gcOOWK
— Mashable (@mashable) August 1, 2020
He’s ok!!! Barely. @USPS @CBSNewYork @NJGov pic.twitter.com/6GdAEwKz2J
— Chris Wragge (@ChrisWragge) August 4, 2020
The Mask Slackers of 1918
— Yashar Ali ?? (@yashar) August 4, 2020
As the influenza pandemic swept across the United States in 1918 and 1919, masks took a role in political and cultural wars. @christineNYT reports https://t.co/kbv1S73dHU
Last week Americans were about 8 times more likely to be killed by Covid than Europeans. We can protect ourselves, but only by protecting each other. Mask up. Wash hands. Keep distance. Stop indoor crowds. Continuously improve test, isolate, trace, quarantine. We can do it.
— Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) August 8, 2020
All for now.
