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Sunday, October 18, 2020

Hot, Cold or Lukewarm?


As the Restart quickly melts into a more "traditional" start of the 2021 season, you're either hot or you're cold. Unless you're simply lukewarm.





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Iga Swiatek, POL
..."It's amazing what a proper mind-set can do." Exactly. And that should allow the "next phase" to go more smoothly than it otherwise might.

The WTA is the World
...hardly any week of action goes by without a player breaking new (or revisiting old) ground for her nation. Just at Roland Garros, aside from Swiatek becoming the first Polish slam singles champ, Egypt had its first slam MD participant (Mayar Sherif), Mexico had its first slam MD winner in twenty years (Renata Zarazua), and Nadia Podoroska became the first Argentine slam semifinalist since 2004. Meanwhile, Alexa Guarachi (playing for Chile) reached the RG doubles final, Clara Tauson showed there's life in Danish tennis *after* Caroline Wozniacki, after all, and even while there were only three slams held in 2020 the group of singles quarterfinalists hailed from *six* different continents.

Yui Kamiji, JPN
...the current rankings won't reflect it, but Kamiji has defied expectations to become the best women's wheelchair player of 2020. A few years ago, that revelation wouldn't come as anything resembling a surprise, but after the dominance shown by Diede de Groot in '19 it might be the most unexpected "on-court" happening in tennis this year. Of course, de Groot *still* won in the lone face-off between the two in '20, in the U.S. Open final, and will likely be expected to once again lead the rollers into and throughout '21. But the long-brewing friendly rivalry between the two has taken on a somewhat different shading in light of the '20 season, just in time to take centerstage at the Paralympics next summer, with Kamiji holding a home court advantage at the Tokyo Games.



French women's tennis
...maybe 2019's shockingly disappointing RG result from the Pastries (none in the 3rd Round for the first time since '86) was a wake-up call. Since then, Fiona Ferro has emerged as a contender for French #1, Diane Parry ended 2019 as the top junior in the world, Kristina Mladenovic defended her WTAF doubles title, and Caroline Garcia returned to the good graces of the FFT as France won the very last "Fed Cup" (now Billie Jean King Cup) title. Since the end of the shutdown, French women's tennis has been making news everywhere. Ferro was the first Restart singles champ in Palermo, then at the U.S. Open Alize Cornet completed her Career Round of 16 slam as she reached the 4th Round for the first time in NYC (as she continues to close in on Ai Sugiyama's consecutive slam MD record). At this year's Roland Garros, both Garcia and Ferro reached the Round of 16, while Clara Burel got her first career slam MD win and reached the 3rd Round as a wild card. Additionally, Mladenovic (making up for a few major headaches) defended her RG doubles title, and Elsa Jacquemot was the first French girl to win the juniors in Paris in over a decade. The new ITF junior #1, Jacquemot now has the chance to be the third straight year-end junior girl #1 to hail from France.



Another Russian generation
...here we go again? Maybe we'll never see another run like that of the Original Hordettes, but Russian women's tennis is once again producing talent in waves. Currently, four Russian girls rank in the Junior Top 15, including RG finalist Alina Charaeva and semifinalist Polina Kudermetova. Meanwhile, 22-and-under talent such as Anna Blinkova, Varvara Gracheva, Liudmila Samsonova and Kamilla Rakhimova (all in the WTA Top 152) continue to make upward moves, while still-a-teenager Anastasia Potapova is set to return from her ankle injury in early '21.

USTA and FFT
...many were against holding the U.S. Open and Roland Garros at all, and quite a few players didn't play at either one or both of the Restart majors. That said, it's hard to label either tournament as anything but a "success," especially considering the unprecedented circumstances.

Champion Diversity
...while it took a global pandemic, Roger Federer's knee surgery, Rafa Nadal skipping the tournament because of the rescheduling of Roland Garros, and Novak Djokovic being defaulted for a new men's slam champion to be crowned, things are a bit more egalitarian on the women's tour. Dominic Thiem's U.S. Open title made him just the third first-time men's major champion in thirty-one slams. Swiatek's run in Paris made her the fourth in the last six for the woman, including five straight at Roland Garros. Twelve different women have shared the last fifteen major titles, with twelve first-timers being crowned in the last twenty.

2017 U.S. Open Semifinalists
...what a difference a few years can make. Three years ago, Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys, Venus Williams and CoCo Vandeweghe comprised an all-Bannerette final four in New York. In 2020, they're a combined 17-30, with only the underproductive Keys (third-ranked U.S. woman) even maintaining a Top 4 standing in the *national* rankings (Stephens 7th, Venus 14th, Vandeweghe 32nd).

On the flip side, at the time of the '17 U.S. semis, neither Simona Halep nor Naomi Osaka had yet won their first major. They've since combined to win five (and spent 89 weeks at #1). At Flushing Meadows in '17, future first-time slam winners Ash Barty (3rd Rd.), Sofia Kenin (3rd Rd.) and Bianca Andreescu (Q1, after having made her slam MD debut at Wimbledon) failed to reach the Round of 16, while Iga Swiatek was still a season away from winning the Wimbledon juniors.

2020's three slam winners have nearly as many match wins *each* as the "long ago" semifinalists have had combined this season. Kenin is 24-9, Osaka 16-3 and Swiatek 14-5.

Also slam semifinalists in 2017: Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (retired), Timea Bacsinszky (out since September '19) and Magdalena Rybarikova (retired).

Johanna Konta, GBR
...the Brit was a '17 slam semifinalist (at Wimbledon), too. She was in '19 (at RG), as well, but 2020 saw her slump yet again, fire a(nother) coach, and flame out (1-3) in the majors (again). 3-5 before the shutdown, 5-4 in the Restart, Konta's 8-9 campaign once again makes Konta a player of mystery heading into 2021. That said, the "year after" notion might be Konta's best bet for a rebound. After back-to-back 9-4 slam years in 2016-17, Konta's 2-4 '18 run was followed by a sterling 14-4 combined W/L mark in majors last year.



Elina Svitolina, UKR
...she won in her Restart return in Strasbourg, but again came up small in the clutch in the Roland Garros QF. At 26, and ranked #5, time and opportunity remain in abundance for the Ukrainian. That long awaited career-defining/changing moment *can* finally come. But will it ever?

Australia
...the AELTC and the LTA passed on holding Wimbledon and the grass court season in 2020, but the Club had the insurance policy in place to come out of the pandemic in good financial standing. The USTA and U.S. Open jumped into the fray first and, though things didn't go *perfectly*, emerged looking fairly good in the first Restart slam. The FFT and Roland Garros weathered a few more complaints, but pulled things off without a major hitch, too. Tennis Australia and the AO... you got next.

Wimbledon has already made the decision to go forward, in whatever form, in 2021, but first we'll see how things go Down Under. Most of the Aussies didn't leave home during the Restart, and strict quarantine protocols for those coming into the country have already precipitated schedule changes elsewhere in order to comply with the upcoming standards.

Something to consider: Australia and January have been a hot zone for calamity in recent years (last January, remember, it was the raging bushfires), so let's hope 2021 opens as something other than anything that resembles the bastard child of humanity that 2020 turned out to be.

Bianca Andreescu, CAN
...after dragging out her return date from last year's knee injury at the WTAF, Andreescu finally decided that she wouldn't play at all in 2020. If if means she'll be fully "good to go" in '21, then it sounds like a fine plan. Low and behold, we finally got evidence this week of a return to the courts by the '19 U.S. Open champ. (Crossing fingers... and toes.)



Dayana Yastremska, UKR
...around a year ago, there was excitement surrounding Yastremska's immediate future after the hiring of Sascha Bajin as coach. After an Adelaide final in her second event, Yastremska has gone on to put up 15-10 numbers on the season (2-3 in slams), had a few big social media missteps, and fired Bajin. After ending '19 at #22, she's still yet to break into the Top 20 (currently #29). The talent remains overflowing, but the search to extract and refine it continues.

Karolina Pliskova, CZE
...with the next generation of talent now fully entrenched as major title challengers (and winners), is the Czech still a *realistic* slam contender? After reaching the QF or better at seven of ten majors from 2016-19, Pliskova has failed to advance as far at the last six. With opportunity present for a breakthrough, as the #1 and #2 seed, Pliskova was ousted in the 2nd Round of both Restart slams.

Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
...see (mostly) Pliskova above. Sabalenka is still seeking her first QF result after twelve slam MD appearances (and has just one Round of 16, when she lost a fireballing battle vs. eventual champ Osaka at the '18 U.S. Open). Not that long ago, the Belarusian seemed like "the next big thing," but now she's swimming in very different -- and far more crowded -- waters in competition for the very same honor.

Diede de Groot, NED
...the most dominant wheelchair player in the world experienced her first real downturn in results in 2020. After winning seven of eight major titles in '19, de Groot won "just" two of the six awarded this season (US singles, RG doubles) as she battled against her own serve and inconsistency in her relatively few opportunities to play during a shutdown-decimated schedule. On the bright side, she's *still* the best player in the world (and still ranked #1), and her slump didn't coincide with her opportunity to finally achieve Paralympic success since the Games were pushed back to 2021. While it may not have been the case had they taken place in '20, next year's Tokyo Games could prove to provide a Golden opportunity (or two) to Diede the Great.


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ITF PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA
...yep, she's at it again.

In the $15K challenger in Funchal, Portugal, Haddad grabbed her fourth 2020 title since her return from suspension. Wins over Alexandra Yepifanova and former NCAA champ Arianne Hartono (Mississippi '18) preceded a 6-3/6-3 rain-interruped victory in the final over Portugal's Francisca Jorge. Haddad also reached the doubles final with fellow Brazilian Ingrid Gamarra Martins, falling to the all-Dutch duo of Hartono & Eva Vedder.

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BIA HADDAD CONQUISTA EM FUNCHAL 4º TÍTULO NO SOLO PORTUGUÊS. A brasileira Beatriz Haddad (#378) (@biahaddadmaia) conquistou mais um título em sua sequência de torneios no piso duro português. Na decisão do ITF W15 de Funchal, Bia derrotou em sets diretos a promessa local Francisca Jorge (#474), por duplo 6/3. _ A conquista rende 10 pontos no ranking à brasileira, que deve aparecer entre as 360 primeiras em atualização daqui a 8 dias. Após seis torneios disputados em Portugal, Bia conquistou seu 4º título, além de contar com um vice-campeonato e uma semifinal, acumulando 27 vitórias e apenas 2 derrotas. _ DUPLAS: Por muito pouco Bia e a também brasileira Ingrid Martins não fizeram dobradinha nacional. Na decisão, elas foram derrotadas de virada pelas holandesas Arianne Hartono e Eva Vedder, por 4/6, 6/1 e 10-7. As brasileiras acumulam 6 pontos no ranking de duplas. _ Por: @patricksimao_

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With comeback results of W-RU-W-W-SF-W, Haddad is currently on a 27-2 run.
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DOUBLES: Robin Anderson & Jessika Ponchet, USA/FRA
...the pair won the doubles at the $25K challenger in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France. It's the seventh ITF win for the duo, who claimed two $60K titles last year in Lexington and Toronto. Anderson (the NCAA singles #1 in 2015 while playing for UCLA) & Ponchet defeated Brits Harriet Dart & Sarah Beth Gray in a 10-8 deciding super-TB 3rd set in the final to earn the crown.

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WHEELCHAIR: --
...after the pandemic turned what was set to be her farewell season upside-down (and extended her eligibility into next year), Marjolein Buis has made her 2021 decision, and it's that she won't be playing at all. The efforts to overturn the decision by the Paralympic ruling body to exclude athletes with Ehlers–Danlos syndrome from future wheelchair athletics (a rule change adopted by the ITF for the WC tennis tour in order to keep the sport in good standing with the Games) continues, but an ultimately favorable result won't likely impact Buis. Though, at age 32 (and still the world #4), who's to say what the future holds?

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Dear followers and fans, In the past few months I’ve been thinking thoroughly about my ambitions. Tokyo 2020 became Tokyo 2020NE, so I was presented with the choice: do I want to practice top sport for one more year? It hurts me to tell you, but I’m convinced I made the right decision: I’ve decided to end my professional sports career. Roland Garros was my final tournament. For many years I’ve played tennis at the highest level with passion and full commitment. Since 2010 I’ve been ranked in the top-8 of the world and I’ve trained and lived as a full time athlete. I enjoyed it very much! I’ve travelled all over the world and booked many victories, including two Paralympic medals, six Grand Slam titles, two Doubles Masters titles and I was world number 1 in doubles and world number 3 in singles. Many memories were made to never forget. Sadly it’s over now. Physically it’s no longer possible for me to train fulltime and to play three set matches at the highest level. And if I can’t give everything it takes to be a top athlete, I don’t want to be one. I’ve also really been enjoying life at home since the Corona pandemic. I picked up my studies in clinical psychology and over the past few months I have experienced what my life after tennis may look like. And I really like it! I’m looking forward to my new life. My amazing career would not have been possible without the support of everyone surrounding me. My coaches, trainers, family, friends, sponsors and fans. You all believed in me and in my ambitions and supported me throughout my whole career. I thank you so much for everything you have done for me. It meant the world to me. Best wishes, Marjolein Buis #wheelchairtennis

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Buis won five WC slam titles (including the '16 RG singles), Paralympic Gold (2012) and Silver ('16) in doubles, as well as being a two-time Masters Doubles champ (2017-18).
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1. Ostrava Q2 - Dasha Kasatkina def. Marie Bouzkova
...6-4/5-7/7-5. The Russian's fall run was only temporarily delayed by her turned ankle in Rome. Her qualifying stint this weekend in Ostrava, including a win over #2-seeded Bouzkova, makes her 7-2 in recent weeks (7-1 in completed matches). She'll face Elena Rybakina in the 1st Round.



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2. $25K Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, FRA Final - Kaia Kanepi def. Harriet Dart
...6-4/6-4. The 35-year old Estonian wins her 16th career ITF title, her 20th overall pro singles crown (her most recent of four WTA wins was in '13).

Kanepi, who upset then-#1 Simona Halep as recently as the '18 U.S. Open 1st Round, posted opening round Restart slam wins at both the U.S. Open and Roland Garros in recent weeks. Her MD appearances in New York and Paris were her 11th and 12th consecutive in a major, after having failed to appear due to injury or unsuccessful qualifying attempts in the previous seven in 2016-17. Kanepi made her slam MD debut at the 2006 RG, and her slam qualifying debut eighteen years ago in Melbourne.
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3. $15K Sharm El Sheikh EGY Final - Sandra Samir def. Joanna Garland
...6-4/6-2. On the heels of Mayar Sherif's historic slam qualifying run in Paris, fellow 22-year old Egyptian Samir claimed her 11th career challenger crown this weekend.
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HM- $15K Monastir TUN Final - Maria Lourdes Carle def. Weronika Falkowska
...6-3/2-6/6-1. In the week after Nadia Podoroska's record-breaking semifinal result as a qualifier at Roland Garros, another Argentine tastes success. 20-year old Carle (Univ.of Georgia) picked up her sixth career ITF win, her second in 2020. Carle lost to Spain's Yvonne Cavallé Reimers in the final of another $15K in Monastir last week.

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Different decade but same (winning) forehand. ??

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*JUNIOR RANKINGS - week of October 12*
1. Elsa Jacquemot, FRA
2. Alexandra Eala, PHI
3. Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, AND
4. Daria Snigur, UKR
5. Diane Parry, FRA
6. Polina Kudermetova, RUS
7. Robin Montgomery, USA
8. Alexandra Vecic, GER
9. Kristina Dmitruk, BLR
10. Alexa Noel, USA
11. Kamilla Bartone, LAT
12. Weronika Baszak, POL
13. Oksana Selekhmeteva, RUS
14. Alina Charaeva, RUS
15. Maria Bondarenko, RUS
16. Leylah Annie Fernandez, CAN
17. Priska Madelyn Nugroho, INA
18. Linda Fruhvirtova, CZE
19. Dana Guzman, PER
20. Linda Noskova, CZE

*WHEELCHAIR RANKINGS - week of October 12*
1. Diede de Groot, NED
2. Yui Kamiji, JPN
3. Aniek Van Koot, NED
4. Marjolein Buis, NED
5. Jordanne Whiley, GBR
6. Zhu Zhenzhen, CHN
7. KG Montjane, RSA
8. Momoko Ohtani, JPN
9. Angelica Bernal, COL
10. Sabine Ellerbrock, GER
11. Dana Mathewson, USA
12. Lucy Shuker, GBR
13. Macarena Cabrillana, CHI
14. Manami Tanaka, JPN
15. Maria Florencia Moreno, ARG

*2020 ITF TITLES*
4 - BEATRIZ HADDAD MAIA, BRA
3 - Nadia Podoroska, ARG
3 - Zheng Qinwen, CHN
2 - Nefisa Berberovic, BIH
2 - Cindy Burger, NED
2 - MARIA LOURDES CARLE, ARG
2 - Federica Di Sarra, ITA
2 - Ingrid Gamarra Martins, BRA
2 - Georgina Garcia Perez, ESP
2 - Yuliya Hatouka, BLR
2 - Maddison Inglis, AUS
2 - Nina Potocnik, SLO
2 - Ankita Raina, IND
2 - SANDRA SAMIR, EGY
2 - Shalimar Talbi, BLR
2 - Clara Tauson, DEN

*2020 WTA CHAMPIONS BY RANKING*
#1 - Ash Barty (Adelaide)
#2 - Karolina Pliskova (Brisbane)
#2 - Simona Halep (Dubai)
#2 - Simona Halep (Prague)
#2 - Simona Halep (Rome)
#5 - Sofia Kenin (Lyon)
#5 - Elina Svitolina (Strasbourg)
#7 - Elina Svitolina (Monterrey)
#8 - Kiki Bertens (Saint Petersburg)
#9 - Naomi Osaka (US Open)
#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)
#54 - Iga Swiatek (Roland Garros)
#59 - Victoria Azarenka (Cincinnati-NYC)
#63 - Jennifer Brady (Lexington)
#69 - Heather Watson (Acapulco)
#88 - Patricia Maria Tig (Istanbul)

*2020 WTA CHAMPIONS BY AGE*
19 - Iga Swiatek (Roland Garros)
20 - Elena Rybakina (Hobart)
21 - Sofia Kenin (Australian Open)
21 - Sofia Kenin (Lyon)
21 - Aryna Sabalenka (Doha)
22 - Naomi Osaka (US Open)
23 - Ash Barty (Adelaide)
23 - Fiona Ferro (Palermo)
25 - Ekaterina Alexandrova (Shenzhen)
25 - Elina Svitolina (Monterrey)
25 - Jennifer Brady (Lexington)
26 - Patricia Maria Tig (Istanbul)
26 - Elina Svitolina (Strasbourg)
27 - Heather Watson (Acapulco)
27 - Karolina Pliskova (Brisbane)
28 - Magda Linette (Hua Hin)
28 - Kiki Bertens (Saint Petersburg)
28 - Simona Halep (Dubai)
28 - Simona Halep (Prague)
28 - Simona Halep (Rome)
31 - Victoria Azarenka (Cincinnati-NYC)
38 - Serena Williams (Auckland)

*2020 TOP JUNIOR EVENT CHAMPIONS*
COFFEE BOWL CRC G1: Mi Lan, CHN
COPA BARRANQUILLA COL G1: Dana Guzman, PER
RPM JUNIOR OPEN CZE G1: Kristina Dmitruk, BLR
TRARALGON AUS G1: Polina Kudermetova, RUS
MUNDIAL JUVENIL DE TENIS ECU G1: Julia Garcia, MEX
VICCOURT CUP UKR G1: Julia Avdeeva, RUS
AUSTRALIAN OPEN JUNIORS: Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, AND
ASUNCION BOWL PAR G1: Dana Guzman, PER
PORTO ALEGRE BRA G1: Matilde Paoletti, ITA
BANANA BOWL BRA GA: Elvina Kalieva, USA
YELTSIN CUP RUS G1: Romana Cisovska, SVK
NONTHABURI THA G1: Anchisa Chanta, THA
USTA CLAY COURT NATIONALS 18s: Amelia Honer, USA
PANCEVO SRB G1: Erika Andreeva, RUS
ROLAND GARROS JUNIORS: Elsa Jacquemot, FRA

*ITF YEAR-END GIRLS #1's*
2004 Michaella Krajicek, NED
2005 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2006 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
2007 Urszula Radwanska, POL
2008 Noppawan Lertcheewakarn, THA
2009 Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
2010 Dasha Gavrilova, RUS
2011 Irina Khromacheva, RUS
2012 Taylor Townsend, USA
2013 Belinda Bencic, SUI
2014 CiCi Bellis, USA
2015 Dalma Galfi, HUN
2016 Anastasia Potapova, RUS
2017 Whitney Osuigwe, USA
2018 Clara Burel, FRA
2019 Diane Parry, FRA
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
Restart Week 2: Jennifer Brady, USA
Restart Week 3: Victoria Azarenka, BLR
Restart Wk.4/5: Patricia Maria Tig, ROU
US Open: Naomi Osaka, JPN
Restart Week 6: Simona Halep, ROU
Restart Week 7: Elina Svitolina, UKR
RG Q: Mayar Sherif, EGY
Roland Garros: Iga Swiatek, POL





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*THREAD*




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Four US Open singles titles in FIVE years. ??

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Shocking, I know, that the Roland Garros social media team would be the *only* group from the four majors to not make note of Martina's birthday today... but it is what it (unsurprisingly) is.


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No one would *dare* try to topple her, would they?


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Be Safe.
All for now.
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