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Tuesday, July 5, 2022

W.9- Ons the Road Again


Ons Jabeur is on the road again, going places that she's never been, doing things that we may never see again. Who can't wait to see Ons get farther down the road again?



In the second quarterfinal on Tuesday, #3-seed Jabeur, after a slow start in which her usual flair and dramatic variety was shortcircuited by a few too many errors, the Tunisian took another step in the process that has seen her fully come into her own on tour in '22, going from a ("the first to...") footnote to a headliner in her own right, garnering plaudits, applause and admiration for her game, her personality and for her desire to not just entertain but also enlighten, encourage and inspire whomever and as many of them as she possibly can while she's active on the tennis tour and then to use the notoriety she's gained to move her works off court and hopefully continue to foster multiple stories similar to her own.

In that vein, today was just another step in Jabeur's long-term process. But it was a pretty big one. Even if it's not the biggest she may *ultimately* take by the end of this week at SW19.



Marie Bouzkova has spent much of her early career in the shadows of the many fellow Czechs who've accomplished so much in recent years. For a while today, it seemed like she might be about to write her own significant chapter in her country's tennis story at this Wimbledon. With Jabeur not quite yet on her game, Bouzkova grabbed a break lead at 3-2 in the 1st set, then rallied from 15/40 down and (helped by the Tunisian not taking advantage of a key second serve opportunity on return) to hold for 5-3. Jabeur's struggles a game later quickly surrendered the final game in the set to the Czech, as she DF'd on GP, then missed an easy backhand drop shot at the net and then another routine forehand volley to drop serve for the second time in the set as Bouzkova claimed it by a 6-3 score.



From there, though, Jabeur would quickly find her way. She took her early break lead in the 2nd and rode it out to a 6-1 win, then did the same in the 3rd. In the second game of the final set, Bouzkova took a 40/love lead on serve when she won a wonderful point while on her knees inside the service box. But rather than begin an inspired comeback run, Bouzkova had a hard time winning her next point, dropping nine straight as Jabeur broke her and then held at love to take a 3-0 lead.

The streak ended on a point where Jabeur pulled off a tweener shot, but the Tunisian still managed to take the game and a double-break lead as she, now with her full arsenal of shots at her beck and call, continued to brilliantly move the ball around the court. She lost her serve in game #5, but then pulled off a backspinning drop shot that died steps before Bouzkova could even hope to get to the ball, reaching BP. With the break and a 5-1 lead secured, Jabeur then served out the match, winning 3-6/6-1/6-1 to reach her maiden slam semifinal.



Yes, once again, she's the first Arab/Tunisian/North African woman to play so far into a major. But to note such a thing now makes it seems as if she might be satisfied with her new accomplishment and isn't looking for more, when nothing could be further from the truth.

It seems as if everyone has a Jabeur story about how nice she is, or how they're such good friends (even Serena), and her upcoming SF match-up with fellow first-time major semifinalist Tatjana Maria stands as just the latest case in which Ons and her opponent are on extra good terms. Jabeur is close with the German's family of four, and after today's match called Maria her "BBQ buddy." Not that that will likely get in her way when it comes to checking off another item from her "first to..." list ahead of all the other things she *wants* to do with her future.



Intent that her road to greatness must be paved with good intentions, Jabeur continues to do the work. That she's able to do it while also making everyone else smile along the way is a characteristically nice bonus.





=DAY 9 NOTES=
...in an all-German QF face-off for a maiden slam SF berth, players ranked within three spots of #100 (#97 Jule Niemeier, #103 Tatjana Maria) began with the question of whether Maria's tactic of using an array of defensive slices could thwart younger countrywoman Niemeier's power and produce the sort of error totals off her racket that it had while enabling Alona Ostapenko to give up her lead (and 2 MP) in the veteran's Round of 16 match two days ago.

Things didn't quite go the same hold-on-for-your-very-life way as they had during Maria's Tilt-a-Penko experience last time out, but the end result was the same.



The opening set saw Niemeier control both the baseline with her power and the net with aggression. The 22-year old German jumped out to an early break lead in game #1 and never gave up her edge, calmly going about her business even while Maria tried to employ the slice-heavy tactics she had against Ostapenko. But while that gameplan occasionally worked for Maria in the 1st set, Niemeier's forward movement, good net play and tactically smart drop shots kept her out in front. Still, there were *signs* of what was to come, as Niemeier's back-to-back DF in game #8 foreshadowed a part of her game that would soon serve to open several doors for Maria over what remainded of the match. Niemeier managed to hold for 5-3 in that two-DF game, though, then served out a 6-4 set without having faced a BP.

Things didn't play out the same way in the 2nd, as Niemeier's increasing number of DF grooved a path for nearly every chance that Maria had (or nearly had) to get back into the match. Maria then used those opportunities to seize the advantage that the younger German had given up.

As Maria began hitting her forehand with more flatness than slice, Niemeier simultaneously began to press, pulling back on her power as ill-timed errors replaced the aggressive winners that had helped her edge ahead and stay out in front in the 1st. After finding herself in a losing battle in the opener, Maria now found her way into the net rather than be content to play defense the majority of the time, grabbing the 2nd set lead despite dropping serve in the opening game.

After taking a 1-0 lead, Niemeier's DF put her down love/30 moments later. She climbed back to 30-all, but Maria earned her first BP of the match via a drop shot. Niemeier saved it with a big serve, but another DF (already #8) gave Maria another BP, which she converted with a reflex volley while reaching behind her and falling to her knees. The ball's backspin took it out of reach of Niemeier and tied the score at 1-1. Two games later, another Niemeier DF put her BP down. Maria's deep shot produced an error and gave her a 3-1 lead. Serving to stay in the set in game #8, Niemeier led 40/15, but threw in yet another DF and soon found the game at deuce. Maria ultimately got the set-closing break to send things to the 3rd.

Through the first half of the final set, Niemeier seemed to have figured things out again. She was back to solidly hitting her shots rather than trying to be too fine (or sometimes matching a Maria slice with one of her own). She missed on a volley attempt at 40/15 in game #2, but fired off an ace to knot the score at 1-1 a point later. Niemeier took a break lead at 3-2, and held for a 4-2 edge.

Come game #8, Maria had reverted back to throwing multiple slices at Niemeier and was being rewarded with errors. Niemeier quickly fell behind love/40 and relinquished back her break lead. In the moment, it felt like Niemeier's poor game had just irretrievably turned the match in Maria's favor. Right on cue, the veteran took a 40/love lead a game later and got the easy hold to lead 5-4. Niemeier didn't crumble, though. She missed an overhead in the second point of the following game, and then netted a smash attempt of a ball she allowed to bounce, but righted her path in time to get the hold, then waved around her arms (Alona-like, from the Latvian's match vs. Maria) to try to stir the crowd.

Niemeier was presented with a small window to assert herself and maybe *take* the match at 15/30 on Maria's serve in game #11, but she again wasn't aggressive enough to force the issue. Maria eventually reached GP, but it was saved by a Niemeier drop shot, and the younger German reached BP when she forcefully came in behind a deep shot, seemingly catching Maria's eye and producing an error off her racket. But Niemeier overhit a second serve return and the opportunity was lost. Maria reached GP again at the end of a wild point that included a Maria lob, scrambling Niemeier defense and then a point-closing dive, with Niemeier's racket flying, at the net that completed the veteran's hold of serve for a 6-5 lead.



Serving to stay in the match and force a TB, Niemeier netted an approach shot and fell behind 15/30, then sailed a backhand to give Maria her first MP. Niemeier's serve-and-volley rush attempt failed when she netted the second part of the equation, giving Maria a 4-6/6-2/7-5 win that makes her, at 34, the oldest first-time slam semifinalist in the Open era.

The countrywomen had a long embrace at the net at the conclusion of the point, as the likeable Maria seemed to dispense a bit of her "inner mom" (she has as many children -- 2 -- as there are slam MD in which Niemeier's name has appeared) to assure her younger foe that she had nothing to feel bad about. The good feelings extended into the immediate aftermath, as Niemeier patted Maria on the back and offered a wide smile as she passed her by in the changeover area after having retrieved her towel in the back of the court.



As women's tennis produces yet another story to remember in that of Maria's sudden and unforeseen success, it also may have simultaneously introduced the start of another with the impressive Wimbledon debut performance of Niemeier over the past two weeks. She will be back, and likely even better.



...the Ostapenko Chronicles dropped a chapter today (when she and Robert Farah lost in the MX quarterfinals), but the Latvian *is* still alive in the women's doubles semis after she and Lyudmyla Kichenok defeated Shuko Aoyama & Chan Hao-ching today. They'll next face the best doubles duo in the world -- though only the #2 seeds at SW19 -- in Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova.



...meanwhile, in the Legends event...



Aga Radwanska & Jelena Jankovic teamed on Court 14 (with the ivy-covered wall in the background, I think that may be my *favorite looking* court at SW19, after the honor was essentially retired a few years ago when they tore down the most unique non-show court on the grounds, old Court 1) to win a 6-4/6-3 match over the just-as-fun duo of Flavia Pennetta & Francesca Schiavone, who won the Legends event at this year's RG.



And, because the Italians deserve their due, as well...



...it was an odd junior schedule on Tuesday (maybe due to the extra day of play on Sunday?), as no girls' singles matches were contested. They only played doubles today, while the boys played singles after having had none of those matches on the schedule on *Sunday.* *Both* draws play singles tomorrow.

Hmmm, with such room to juggle things, maybe they could have added a few wheelchair players to the draw in a handful of matches to be played today on a spare court. Just a thought. (Maybe in 2023?)

...speaking of, the wheelchair draw was finally released today. It's only an eight-player affair, as opposed to the 12-player RG draw (the only thing that tournament got right this year) last month and the 16-player draw (take that, FFT) we'll see at the U.S. Open this summer.

#1 Diede de Groot will take her 58-match winning streak into an opening match against Dana Mathewson. #2 Yui Kamiji, who has never reached the Wimbledon singles final, has a tough opener against '21 finalist KG Montjane. *If* she manages to get past that, one of two former Wimbledon champs -- Aniek Van Koot or Jiske Griffioen -- will be waiting in the semis. The other match in de Groot's half is Brit Lucy Shuker vs. wild card Momoko Ohtani.

With her longtime WD partner Jordanne Whiley's retirement after last season, there was a wonder just which player Kamiji would team up with in doubles. Well, so far it's been something of a revolving door in that department. One would think that maybe countrywoman Ohtani might be a regular partner, but they've yet to team up in '22. At Wimbledon, Mathewson will be the sixth different doubles partner for Kamiji this season, as they'll open with a face-off with #2 Montjane (Kamiji's most regular partner, in four events) & Shuker (1). #1 De Groot/Van Koot play Griffioen/Ohtani in the other semi.

...in the Contrexeville 125, Kristina Mladenovic took the 1st set from Dalma Galfi in a 7-5 TB, then won seven games in the final two sets in a 6-7(5)/6-4/6-3 defeat, her fourth straight. She had zero aces... and 19 double-faults. As they say... FFS.








*LADIES' SINGLES QF*
Ajla Tomljanovic/AUS vs. #17 Elena Rybakina/KAZ
#16 Simona Halep/ROU vs. #20 Amanda Anisimova/USA
#3 Ons Jabeur/TUN def. Marie Bouzkova/CZE
Tatjana Maria/GER def. Jule Niemeier/GER

*LADIES' DOUBLES QF*
#1 Mertens/Sh.Zhang (BEL/CHN) vs. Klepac/Guarachi (SLO/CHI)
Collins/Krawczyk (USA/USA) vs. #11 Rosolska/Routliffe (POL/NZL)
#4 L.Kichenok/Ostapenko (UKR/LAT) def. #8 Aoyama/H-C.Chan (JPN/TPE)
#2 Krejcikova/Siniakova (CZE/CZE) def. #10 Melichar-M./Perez (USA/AUS)

*MIXED DOUBLES SF*
Ebden/Stosur (AUS/AUS) vs. Gauff/Sock (USA/USA)
#6 Pavic/Mirza (CRO/IND) vs. #2 Krawczyk/N.Skupski (USA/GBR)

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S QF*
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. Dana Mathewson/USA
Lucy Shuker/GBR vs. (WC) Momoko Ohtani/JPN
Aniek Van Koot/NED vs. Jiske Griffioen/NED
KG Montjane/RSA vs. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S SF*
#1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) vs. Griffioen/Ohtani (NED/JPN)
Kamiji/Mathewson (JPN/USA) vs. #2 Montjane/Shuker (RSA/GBR)

*GIRLS' SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Liv Hovde/USA vs. #13 Kayla Cross/CAN
Ella Seidel/GER vs. (Q) Li Yu-yun/TPE
(Q) Isabella Kruger/RSA vs. (WC) Mingge Xu/GBR
Olivia Linder/POL vs. #5 Victoria Mboko/CAN
#7 Luca Udvardy/HUN vs. #10 Annabelle Xu/CAN
Rose Marie Nijkamp/NED vs. #3 Nikola Bartunkova/CZE
Hayu Kinoshita/JPN vs. (WC) Jasmine Conway/GBR
#16 Linda Klimovicova/CZE vs. #2 Celine Naef/SUI







...AND THE WINNER FOR BEST PHOTO IN A LOSING EFFORT GOES TO... ON DAY 9:




...MOST ANNOYING THING IN TENNIS (usually it's a European thing)... ON DAY 9:

...is when a player kicks a ball out of the air, or stops/directs it with his/her foot, and we get the smattering of cheers and/or applause, I guess because the crowd members are thinking about watching a soccer match or something. Stop it! Go watch Middlebury Derry United or something is that's what you want to see.


...ODE TO THE AFOREMENTIONED OLD COURT 1 (built 1924, demolished 1997)... ON DAY 9:

Wimbledon Old Court No 1



...IT'S A GOOD THING MERTENS ALREADY PICKED UP HER "ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON" PLAQUE AT THE COURTESY DESK... ON DAY 9:





















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*LOW RANKED IN SLAM FINAL (OPEN ERA)*
NR - Evonne Goolagong 1977 Australian (W)
NR - Kim Clijsters 2009 US Open (W)
NR - Justine Henin 2010 Australian (RU)
#181 - Serena Williams 2018 Wimbledon (RU)
#150 - Emma Raducanu 2021 US Open (W)
#111 - Chris O'Neil 1978 Australian (W)
#83 - Sloane Stephens 2017 US Open (W)
#81 - Serena Williams 2007 Australian (W)
#78 - Betsy Nagelson 1978 Australian (RU)
#73 - Leylah Fernandez 2021 US Open (RU)
#68 - Barbara Jordan 1979 Australian (W)
#66 - Venus Williams 1997 US Open (RU)
--
SF: #103 Maria

*MULTIPLE UNSEEDED IN SLAM SF (OPEN ERA)*
=3=
1978 Australian - Chris O'Neil, Diane Evers, Christine Matison Dorey(Q)
1976 R.Garros - Renata Tomanova, Florenta Mihai, Virginia Ruzici
=2=
2021 US Open - Leylah Fernandez, Emma Raducanu
2021 R.Garros - Barbora Krejcikova, Tamara Zidansek
2020 R.Garros - Nadia Podoroska(Q), Iga Swiatek
2019 R.Garros - Amanda Anisimova, Marketa Vondrousova
2017 Australian - Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, CoCo Vandeweghe
2010 Wimbledon - Petra Kvitova, Tsvetana Pironkova
2010 Australian - Justine Henin(WC), Zheng Jie
2009 US Open - Kim Clijsters(WC), Yanina Wickmayer
1999 Wimbledon - Alexandra Stevenson(Q), Mirjana Lucic
1994 Wimbledon - Lori McNeil, Gigi Fernandez
1983 R.Garros - Mima Jauvosec, Jo Durie
1975 Australian - Natasha Chmyreva, Sue Barker
1971 R.Garros - Marijke Schaar, Helen Gourlay






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TOP QUALIFIER: Maja Chwalinska/POL
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #16 Simona Halep/ROU
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q1 - Jaimee Fourlis/AUS def. Dea Herdzelas/BIH 5-7/7-6(4)/6-4 (trailed 7-5/5-3, saved 2 MP)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Harmony Tan/FRA def. (WC) Serena Williams/USA 7-5/1-6/7-6(7) (Williams for match at 5-4 in 3rd, up 4-0 in TB; first match in a year for SW; Tan Wimb. debut
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #28 Alison Riske/USA (def. Y.In-Albon/SUI)
FIRST SEED OUT: #31 Kaia Kanepi/EST (1st Rd.-Diane Parry/FRA)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Maja Chwalinska/POL, Elisabetta Cocciaretto/ITA, Dalma Galfi/HUN, Catherine Harrison/USA, Mai Hontama/JPN, Katarzyna Kawa/POL, Jule Niemeier/GER, Panna Udvardy/HUN
UPSET QUEENS: France
REVELATION LADIES: Poland
NATION OF POOR SOULS: AUS (1-5 1st; DC Barty retired in March)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Maja Chwalinska/POL, Catherine Harrison/USA, Mai Hontama/JPN, Katarzyna Kawa/POL, Yanina Wickmayer/BEL (all 2nd Rd.) (LL 2r: Kerkhove/NED)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Katie Boulter/GBR (3r)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: Elisabetta Cocciaretto/ITA, Kirsten Flipkens/BEL, Yanina Wickmayer/BEL(Q) (all to 2r)
LAST BRIT STANDING: Heather Watson (4r)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Harmony Tan/FRA Additional Nominees: Rybakina, Tomljanovic, (non-de Groot WC)
IT "??": Nominees: Jabeur, Rybakina, Anisimova
COMEBACK PLAYER: Simona Halep/ROU
CRASH & BURN: #23 Beatriz Haddad Maia/BRA (1st Rd./Juvan; had won 2 grass titles); #9 Garbine Muguruza/ESP (1st Rd./Minnen; love 2nd lost when back; worst three-slam stretch of career
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON: #24 Elise Mertens/BEL (2nd Rd.: P.Udvardy 2 MP in 2nd set, Mertens wins set and play susp; takes 3rd set a day later)
DOUBLES STAR: xx
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Tatjana Maria/GER and Alize Cornet/FRA
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominees: Canadians
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREES: Nominees: Bouzkova (CZE in 1st QF), Anisimova (back from adversity)






All for Day 9. More tomorrow.
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