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Thursday, September 8, 2022

US.10- Walking Deadly


Both Karolina Pliskova and Aryna Sabalenka seemingly signed an agreement with the Devil Department of the Order of the Tennis Gods in order to reach today's quarterfinal face-off on Ashe. Apparently, Sabalenka inked the better deal, because she's still in the mix to become a maiden slam singles champion at this U.S. Open.



Both women, big servers who traditionally lead or are near the top of the heap for aces each season, have often been labeled as slam "underachievers." Former #1 Pliskova has reached a pair of major finals (both went three sets), while former #2 Sabalenka didn't finally crack the slam semifinal barrier until last year (when she did it twice, in London and New York). Neither has lifted a slam singles crown despite both having been in the mix (or leading the charge) as the "best player without a major title" at some point in recent seasons.

The U.S. Open has proven to be a relatively "safe haven" for Pliskova and Sabalenka over the years, an interesting development since the similarities in their big games stand in stark contrast to their on-court personalities. Sabalenka is known for an overtly emotional style, while the relatively unemotional persona displayed by Pliskova sets her well apart from the generally-excitable fellow Czechs of her generation. Both extremes have found a "comfort zone" in New York, though, proving that the city welcomes all sorts, as long as they commit to returning the favor. Both have expressed an affinity for the season's final slam, and their success at Flushing Meadows backs it up. A finalist six years ago, Pliskova has reached the Open QF five times in seven years, while Sabalenka reached her maiden second week at a major in the event back in '18, then last year backed up her SW19 semi with a consolidating second consecutive final four run in NYC.

Still, both Pliskova and Sabalenka very easily could have added another slam disappointment to their "underachieving" list at this Open, as it took a few strange twists of fate for them to even survive long enough to reach the first weekend.

Pliskova teetered on the edge of oblivion in her first outing at this slam, trailing Magda Linette 4-1 in the 3rd set, then seeing her own 7-2 MTB lead turn into an 8-7 deficit before sweeping the final three points to win. Against Victoria Azarenka in the Round of 16, the Czech saw the Belarusian serve for the 1st set and hold a pair of SP, only to fumble away her lead. Pliskova took the set 7-5, then outlasted Azarenka in the 3rd after dropping a 2nd set TB.

Sabalenka, though, did her one (or a few) better. In the 2nd Round, she had one and a half feet (at least four toes on her left foot) out the door, trailing Kaia Kanepi 6-2/5-1. The Estonian twice served for the match, and held two MP in the eventual 2nd set TB before Sabalenka managed to come out on top.

This U.S. Open offered one final chance at an affirming, and season-defining, result near the end of what have been trying campaigns for both Pliskova and Sabalenka. The Czech's offseason broken bone in her arm caused her to miss the Australian Open (her first slam absence since 2012), and her season didn't start (and when it did, it did so slowly) until March. She came into Flushing Meadows without an appearance in a final in a season for the first time in a decade, and was bounced in the 2nd Round in both Paris and London. She parted ways with coach Sascha Bajin (and her trainers) earlier this summer, and looked at this major as a chance to salvage her season as she's finally reached full health.

Sabalenka began her season seemingly unable to avoid seeing her game awash in double-faults, nearing or surpassing 20 per match on multiple occasions Down Under. To her credit, even while battling one of her biggest shots, she still managed to reach the AO 4th Round, and later matched her best Roland Garros result (3r) before the RUS/BLR ban prevented her from defending her '21 Wimbledon semi. As the Open arrived, she'd reached SF in Rome and Cincinnati, but was still title-less (it's been 16 months since she last won in Madrid) after going 0-2 in finals in Stuttgart and Rosmalen.

With only one being able to advance to keep their slam dream alive in 2022, the Ashe court roof was opened just before the start of play.

As she had been at the start of the year, Pliskova was slow out of the gates. Sabalenka opened the match with a break of the Czech's serve, then took a 40/15 lead in game 2 before her serve (w/ 2 DF on GP) made things a bit more difficult than necessary. She got the hold for 2-0, and extended her lead to 4-0 (holding with an ace) before Pliskova, whose game was previously peppered with UE and DF, finally held serve to get on the board.

As has occurred as she's corralled her serve enough over the last few months to avoid the sort of disastrous season her first few events seemed to threaten, Sabalenka was in control of her game in the set even if she wasn't really dominating Pliskova, who was seemingly at least partly "still in the lockerroom." The Czech, down 5-1, likely *wanted* to hold serve to build her confidence for set 2, force Sabalenka to serve out the 1st, and maybe get the chance to open the 2nd with a hold to finally take a lead in the match. But instead she quickly dropped serve again in game 7 as Sabelanka took the set 6-1.

With the match nearly half over, Pliskova finally settled into it. The two women combined for six consecutive holds in the 2nd before the Czech had a chance to make a move. She led love/30 on Sabalenka's serve, but the Belarusian held for 4-3. A game later, Pliskova battled out of a love/30 hole, saving a BP and holding to continue the trend. But it was too little, too late.

By the time the two had played deep into a 2nd set without either having dropped serve, Sabalenka still hadn't even faced a BP in the match. Serving to reach a TB, Pliskova avoided going MP down with a defensive slice forehand of a huge Sabalenka crosscourt return. Her shot skimmed the net and landed in the short court for a winner. The Czech held for a sixth straight time to force a TB, only to see Sabalenka pull away mid-way through the breaker, taking a 5-2 lead with a backhand slice drop shot off a ball in the short court.

A Sabalenka forehand winner gave her triple MP at 6-3, and she converted on her second try with a forehand return winner to win 6-1/7-6(4).



Sabalenka's second straight U.S. SF is her third major semi in her last five majors played, and improves her record at Flushing Meadows to 15-4. More important, perhaps, is that her recently changed serving motion seems to have allowed her to control her DF totals. She said that she's now going for targets on serve rather than simply aces, putting the reigns on a shot that has often been as much of a liability as a strength, though not rendering it a "neutral" non-weapon.

If today is any indication, it could be a tipping point for Sabalenka's prospects. Free from donating so many points to her opponent, and learning to play within herself and avoid the sort of wild swings that have often been precipitated by her building frustration as her DF totals soared, Sabalenka may finally be able to settle herself, focus and put to bed that "underachieving" label forever.

It could be a true "game-changer" not just for Sabalenka, but for this entire tournament.




=DAY 10 NOTES=
...in the closing women's semifinal in the night session, #1 Iga Swiatek and #8 Jessie Pegula met for the second time in a major this season, having faced off in the same QF round in Paris in the second of two matches (the other was in the Miami SF) won by the Pole the during her 37-match winning streak earlier this season.

While Swiatek was trying to add another layer of accomplishment to her time atop the women's game on courts far faster than the red clay on which she's won two major titles (and with the fluffier tennis balls that she's made clear she doesn't like), Pegula was seeking the *moment* on which to hang a tennis career that she's fought hard to have at all (through hip and knee injuries that have delayed her climb up the rankings until her late twenties), and which to date has consisted of a series of impressive "good" to "very good" results without the sort of hardware -- or fanfare -- that have come in the early stages of the time on tour for her Polish opponent (who turned 21 in the middle of her second RG title run earlier this season).

On a night when Swiatek didn't bring her very best tennis, and seemed to be in a constant struggle to figure out the correct string tension with which to control the balls sometimes flying errantly off her racket (she had rackets sent out to be re-strung multiple times during the match), Pegula had opportunities to put real pressure on the top seed and potentially get the U.S. crowd behind her. But she was never able to do it.

After having failed to convert a BP in the opening game of the match, Pegula did finally grab an advantage five games in. After taking a love/30 lead on Swiatek's serve, Pegula sailed a shot and couldn't get out of the way of a body serve. But she got a BP chance thanks to an Iga error, then the break when Swiatek flew a forehand long. Up 3-2, then 30/love on serve, Pegula seemed ready to make her move. But then her "inner Buffalo" seemed to come out (as in the Pegula-family owned Buffalo Bills, who've to date never seen a Super Bowl they couldn't stumble and fall in before the clock hit 00:00).

Seemingly coasting one moment, Pegula was adrift literally moments later. She wildly over-hit a swing volley in the third point of game 6 (it wasn't "wide right", per se, but the impact was similar), and from that point the set was over. A sprayed backhand error followed, then back-to-back forehand errors that handed the break back to Swiatek, who then held for 4-3, having won eight of nine points (five via Pegula UE).

After falling down love/40, Pegula's long backhand ended game 8, another break for the Pole, who then immediately served out the set at 6-3, having won 16 of the final 18 points (mostly unwrapped gifts from her opponent) from the moment that Pegula was two points from a 4-2 lead.

One would have suspected that it would have been at that point that Swiatek would shift into "Iga mode" and dominate the 2nd, perhaps notching another of her bagel-set runs. But that didn't happen. Instead, the 2nd proved to be a sloppy affair from both sides of the net until (perhaps, maybe) the closing games, as neither player could hold any sort of advantage for long. The opening four games of the set featured breaks of serve, as did the final six before the set-deciding tie-break. In the middle of all this, Swiatek took a break lead on five occasions but never once consolidated it with a hold, and twice served for the match but was unable put away the win.

In the breaker, naturally, the returner won the first five points before Swiatek finally held for 4-2. Ultimately, neither woman managed to win both service points on the four occasions when one or the other served two until Swiatek finally did so in her final turn, winning back-to-back service points to close out a 7-4 TB win when a Pegula final backhand went -- you guessed it -- wide right, ending the 6-3/7-6(4) match and sending Swiatek into her fourth career slam semifinal, but her first at the U.S. Open.

She's 19-2 in slam play in '22, and 49-12 in her career.



...the women's doubles semifinal duos were set on Wednesday. Joining #10 Melichar-Martinez/Perez, who managed to win through yesterday, are #3-seeded Czechs Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova, who defeated #5 Dabrowski/Olmos.



The pair have already won Australian Open and Wimbledon titles this season (giving them 5 career slams), but didn't play RG due to Krejcikova contracting Covid. Should they win this title, the Czechs will not only complete a Career Doubles Slam, but it'd be Golden (w/ '21 Tokyo). They've also won a WTAF crown ('21), so they could become the first women's team in tennis history to win all six of the sport's biggest WD titles.

Six women's pairs have won a Career Slam -- Court/Tegart, K.Jordan/A.Smith, Navratilova/Shriver, G.Fernandez/Zvereva, Williams/Williams (the only others besides the Czechs also with Olympic Gold) and Errani/Vinci -- but just two women (Pam Shriver and Gigi Fernandez) have won all six big titles, but only did so as individuals and not as part of a single duo for the entire set. The Bryans and Woodies (Woodbridge/Woodforde) did it for the men, with Daniel Nestor doing it as an individual.

Of course, the only three players to accomplish the six-crown feat in singles are Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams. Both current WC #1's (Diede de Groot and Shingo Kunieda) have completed the AO-RG-WI-US-Paralympic-Masters set within the past year, becoming the first two to do so.

Joining the other two paris in the WD semis are #12 Storm Sanders/Caroline Dolehide (def. #14 Garcia/Mladenovic) and Caty McNally/Taylor Townsend (def. #6 Krawczyk/Schuurs).



With the MX semis set, and one finalist pair decided today, two woman are still in contention to with *both* crowns.

McNally, who reached the WD final a year ago alongside Coco Gauff, also advanced to the MX semis today as a wild card pair with William Blumberg, where they'll face Sanders and John Peers.

Meanwhile, Kirsten Flipkens finally advanced to her first career slam final as a pro, joining with Edouard Roger-Vasselin to defeat #2-seeded Zhang Shuai & Mate Pavic in the semis.

...after seeing all matches cancelled yesterday, the junior draw worked double-time to get back on schedule today, with half the 2nd and all of the 3rd Round matches being contested to pare the remaining girls down to a final eight.

Exiting in the 2nd Round were #3-seeded Bannerette Liv Hovde (Wimbledon girls' champ) to Brit Ranah Akua Stoiber, #13-seeded Dane Johanne Svendsen to Canadian Kayla Cross, and Repentigny champ Ella Seidel (GER) to Hordette Ekaterina Khayrutdinova. Polish qualifier Weronika Ewald knocked out #11 Luca Udvardy of Hungary (and little sister of Panna).

With the Round of 16 match-ups established, #10 Alex Eala (PHI) defeated #8-seeded Aussie Taylah Preston, and #9-seeded Canadian Victoria Mboko eliminated wild card Iva Jovic (who'd staged a massive 2nd Rd. comeback over #5 Solana Sierra). Also upset was top-seeded Sofia Costoulas, the AO junior RU and current girls' #2 (a winner of five J1/JA titles in '22). Costoulas led #14-seeded Russian Mirra Andreeva 7-5/3-1, but lost the lead and the match, 5-7/6-4/6-1. Costoulas is now 36-5 in junior action this season.

The quarterfinals include players from seven different nations, with Russia (w/ Andreeva and #7 Diana Shnaider) the only nation with more than one. Canada had a chance at three, but only Mboko survives after 3rd Round losses from Cross and Mia Kupres. Clervie Ngounoue is the only Bannerette remaining (six U.S. girls have reached the Open final in the last six competitions at Flushing Meadows, with Kayla Day, Amanda Anisimova and Robin Montgomery winning in 2016, '17 and '21, respectively), while #2-seeded RG champ Lucie Havlickova represents the Crush of Czechs.

...the first-ever Round of 16 wheelchair singles matches were played at the U.S. Open on Wednesday. #1 Diede de Groot won her 62nd straight singles match, allowing just two games to Lucy Shuker, while #2 Yui Kamiji dropped just one to Macarena Cabrillana.

#3 Aniek Van Koot eliminated Dana Mathewson, the only U.S player in the draw (she became the first U.S. WC player to win a slam title at Wimbledon, taking the doubles with Kamiji). #4 Zhu Zhenzhen fell to former WC #1 Jiske Griffioen (who won four wheelchair singles slams in her 1.0 career, but never reached the U.S. final prior to nor has she since her comeback). Since Zhu's stunning upset of de Groot in the opening round of the 2020 AO, she's gone 0-3 in slam singles (all this season, as she didn't play Wimbledon).




*WOMEN'S SINGLES SF*
#1 Iga Swiatek/POL vs. #6 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR
#17 Caroline Garcia/FRA vs. #5 Ons Jabeur/TUN

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES SF*
#10 Melichar-Martinez/Perez (USA/AUS) vs. #3 Krejickova/Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
#12 Dolehide/Sanders (USA/AUS) vs. McNally/Townsend (USA/USA)

*MIXED DOUBLES SF*
(WC) McNally/Blumberg (USA/USA) vs. #4 Sanders/Peers (AUS/AUS)
(PR) Flipkens/Roger-Vasselin (BEL/FRA) def. #2 Sh.Zhang/Pavic (CHN/CRO)

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S ROUND OF 16*
#1 Diede de Groot/NED def. Lucy Shuker/GBR
Momoko Ohtani/JPN def. Angelica Bernal/COL
#3 Aniek Van Koot/NED def. Dana Mathewson/USA
Katharina Kruger/GER def. (WC) Pauline Deroulede/FRA
Manami Tanaka/JPN def. (WC) Shioria Funamizu/JPN
Jiske Griffioen/NED def. #4 Zhu Zhenzhen/CHN
Kgothatso Montjane/RSA def. Saki Takamuro/JPN
#2 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. Macarena Cabrillana/CHI

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S DOUBLES QF*
#1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) vs. Bernal/Funamizu (COL/JPN)
Deroulede/Kruger (FRA/GER) vs. Tanaka/Zhu (JPN/CHN)
Cabrillana/Takamuro (CHI/JPN) vs. Griffioen/Ohtani (NED/JPN)
Mathewson/Shuker (USA/GBR) vs. #2 Kamiji/Montjane (JPN/RSA)

*GIRLS SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
#14 Mirra Andreeva/RUS def. #1 Sofia Costoulas/BEL
#10 Alex Eala/PHI def. #8 Taylah Preston/AUS
#4 Celine Naef/SUI def. Anastasiia Gureva/RUS
#9 Victoria Mboko/CAN def. (WC) Iva Jovic/USA
#7 Diana Shnaider/RUS def. (Q) Weronika Ewald/POL
Ranah Akua Stoiber/GBR def. Kayla Cross/CAN
Clervie Ngounoue/USA def. Ekaterina Khayrutdinova/RUS
#2 Lucie Havlickova/CZE def. Mia Kupres/CAN







...DELPO IN THE HOUSE... ON DAY 10:




...HOLY F-ING CHRIST, HERE WE GO AGAIN... ON DAY 10:


From this first ridiculous tweet, to the resurrection of a 16-year old "open letter" from the then-editor of Tennis magazine, to a thread that highlights the mind-numbing number of a-holes who consider themselves "tennis fans," this is just too much. Again. This *cannot* *happen* *again*. Evert doesn't deserve it, and once again continues to just do her job as a *tennis commentator.* Gauff doesn't deserve it, and in no way does or says anything that should even give a whiff of creating an aura around her career that should cause anyone to attack others in her name (or use her as a proxy to defend Serena, even in retirement) -- she's way too smart for that, and more mature than a lot of tennis "fans" far older than she. And, lastly, tennis itself needs to be above this BS.



Kudos to Evert for the appropriate (and accurate) response to one tweet griping about a *16-year old story*, but anything she says is a trigger to a certain group of social media warriors so she probably should have just let the subject rest in peace.












A sampling of Madonna summers, from "Papa Don't Preach" (1986) to "Who's that Girl?" (1987) and "Cherish" (1989)...



















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*CAREER SLAM SF - active in '22*
40 - Serena Williams, USA (33-7)
23 - Venus Williams, USA (16-7)
9 - Simona Halep, ROU (5-4)
8 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (5-3)
8 - Angelique Kerber, GER (4-4)
7 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (3-4)
5 - Madison Keys, USA (1-4)
5 - Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS (4-1)
5 - Garbine Muguruza, ESP (4-1)
5 - Samantha Stosur, AUS (2-3)
4 - Ash Barty, AUS (3-1)
4 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (4-0)
4 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (2-2)
4 - Iga Swiatek, POL (2-1) *
4 - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (2-2)
3 - Genie Bouchard, CAN (1-2)
3 - Sara Errani, ITA (1-2)
3 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (0-2) *
3 - Sloane Stephens, USA (2-1)
2 - Danielle Collins, USA (1-1)
2 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (1-0) *
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (2-0)
2 - Sabine Lisicki, GER (1-1)
2 - Alona Ostapenko, LAT (1-1)
2 - Jennifer Brady, USA (1-1)
2 - Maria Sakkari, GRE (0-2)
2 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-2)
2 - CoCo Vandeweghe, USA (0-2)
1 (W) Andreescu,Fernandez,Gauff,Krejcikova,Rybakina
1 (W) Pavlyuchenkova,Raducanu,Vondrousova
1 (-) Garcia (0-0) *
1 (L) Anisimova,Bencic,Flipkens(ret.WS),Kasatkina
1 (L) Maria,Mertens,Muchova
1 (L) Petkovic(ret.),Pironkova(ret?),Podoroska,Sevastova
1 (L) Trevisan,Vesnina(ret.),Wickmayer,Zidansek
--
*-to play SF

[SLAM SF 2020-22]
4 - Iga Swiatek, POL (2-1) *
3 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-1)
3 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (0-2) *
2 - Jennifer Brady, USA (1-1)
2 - Simona Halep, ROU (0-2)
2 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (1-0) *(
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (2-0)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2 - Maria Sakkari, GRE (0-2)
2 - Serena Williams, USA (0-2)
1 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (1-0)
1 - Danielle Collins, USA (1-0)
1 - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (1-0)
1 - Dasha Kasatkina, RUS (0-1)
1 - Angelique Kerber, GER (0-1)
1 - Madison Keys, USA (0-1)
1 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Caroline Garcia, FRA (0-0) *
1 - Coco Gauff, USA (1-0)
1 - Martina Trevisan, ITA (0-1)
1 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Tatjana Maria, GER (0-1)
1 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Garbina Muguruza, ESP (1-0)
1 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (1-0)
1 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Nadia Podoroska, ARG (0-1)
1 - Emma Raducanu, GBR (1-0)
1 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (1-0)
1 - Tamara Zidansek, SLO (0-1)
--
*-to play SF

[2022 SLAM SF BY NATION]
3 - POL (1-1) - Swiatek
3 - USA (2-1)
2 - TUN (1-0) - Jabeur
1 - AUS (1-0)
1 - BLR (0-0) - Sabalenka
1 - FRA (0-0) - Garcia
1 - GER (0-1)
1 - ITA (0-1)
1 - KAZ (1-0)
1 - ROU (0-1)
1 - RUS (0-1)

[SLAM SF BY NATION 2020-22 / 11 slams]
9 - USA (5-4)
4 - BLR (1-2) - Sabalenka
4 - CZE (2-2)
4 - POL (2-1) - Swiatek
3 - AUS (2-1)
2 - GER (0-2)
2 - GRE (0-2)
2 - JPN (2-0)
2 - ROU (0-2)
2 - RUS (1-1)
2 - TUN (1-0) - Jabeur
1 (W) - CAN,GBR,ESP,KAZ
1 (L) - ARG,SLO,ITA
1 (-) - FRA - Garcia

[2022 US SEMIFINALISTS - career US SF]
2 - Aryna Sabalenka (2021-22)
1 - Caroline Garcia
1 - Ons Jabeur
1 - Iga Swiatek

[2022 US SEMIFINALISTS - career US W/L]
15-4...Aryna Sabalenka
15-9...Caroline Garcia
12-6...Ons Jabeur
11-3...Iga Swiatek




*W/L in SLAM QF - 2020-22*
5 - SWIATEK (4-1)
4 - Barty (3-1)
4 - JABEUR (2-2)
4 - PEGULA (0-4)
3 - GAUFF (1-2)
3 - Halep (2-1)
3 - Krejcikova (1-2)
3 - KA.PLISKOVA (1-2)
3 - SABALENKA (3-0)
3 - TOMLJANOVIC (0-3)
2 - Brady (2-0)
2 - Collins (1-1)
2 - Fernandez (1-1)
2 - Kenin (2-0)
2 - Kvitova (1-1)
2 - Muchova (1-1)
2 - Osaka (2-0)
2 - Pavlyuchenkova (1-1)
2 - Rybakina (1-1)
2 - Sakkari (2-0)
2 - Svitolina (0-2)
2 - Trevisan (1-1)
2 - S.Williams (2-0)
1 - Anisimova (0-1)
1 - Azarenka (1-0)
1 - Badosa (0-1)
1 - Bencic (0-1)
1 - Bouzkova (0-1)
1 - Cornet (0-1)
1 - GARCIA (1-0)
1 - Golubic (0-1)
1 - Hsieh (0-1)
1 - Kanepi (0-1)
1 - Kasatkina (1-0)
1 - Kerber (1-0)
1 - Keys (1-0)
1 - Kontaveit (0-1)
1 - V.Kudermetova (0-1)
1 - Maria (1-0)
1 - Mertens (0-1)
1 - Muguruza (1-0)
1 - Niemeier (0-1)
1 - Pironkova (0-1)
1 - Podoroska (1-0)
1 - Putintseva (0-1)
1 - Raducanu (1-0)
1 - Rogers (0-1)
1 - Siegemund (0-1)
1 - Stephens (0-1)
1 - Zidansek (1-0)

*MOST WTA SF in 2022*
9 - IGA SWIATEK, POL (6-2) *
7 - Simona Halep, ROU (2-4 +L)
6 - ONS JABEUR, TUN (5-0) *
6 - CAROLINE GARCIA, FRA (3-2) *
6 - Dasha Kasatkina, RUS (2-4)
5 - Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA (3-2)
5 - ARYNA SABALENKA, BLR (2-2) *
5 - Veronika Kudermetova, RUS (1-2 +WW)
4 - Anett Kontaveit, EST (3-1)
4 - Anastasia Potapova, RUS (2-2)
4 - Maria Sakkari, GRE (2-2)
4 - Alona Ostapenko, LAT (2-2)
4 - Paula Badosa, ESP (1-3)

*2022 WTA SEMIFINALISTS BY COUNTRY (w/ W/O as "W/L")*
23 - RUS (11-12)
22 - USA (12-10)
13 - ROU (4-9)
10 - CZE (5-5)
10 - FRA (3-6) - Garcia
9 - POL (6-2) - Swiatek
7 - BLR (4-2) - Sabalenka
7 - ITA (2-5)
6 - TUN (5-0) - Jabeur
6 - BRA (4-2)
6 - CHN (2-4)
6 - ESP (1-5)
5 - EST (4-1)
5 - SUI (2-3)
4 - AUS (3-1)
4 - GRE (2-2)
4 - KAZ (2-2)
4 - LAT (2-2)
3 - GER (2-1)
3 - JPN (1-2)
3 - UKR (1-2)
2 - CAN (2-0)
2 - SRB (2-0)
2 - COL (1-1)
2 - SLO (1-1)
2 - HUN (0-2)
1 - CRO (1-0)
1 - BEL (0-1)

*RECENT BEST U.S. WOMEN'S SLAM RESULTS*
=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 (RU)
US: Serena Williams (RU)
=2020=
AO: Sofia Kenin (W)
US: Serena Williams and Jennifer Brady (SF)
RG: Sofia Kenin (RU)
=2021=
AO: Jennifer Brady (RU)
RG: Coco Gauff (QF)
WI: Coco Gauff and Madison Keys (4th)
US: Shelby Rogers (4th)
=2022=
AO: Danielle Collins (RU)
RG: Coco Gauff (RU)
WI: Amanda Anisimova (QF)
US: Coco Gauff and Jessie Pegula (QF)

*RG/US TITLES IN SEASON - OPEN ERA*
1969 Margaret Court, AUS
1970 Margaret Court, AUS
1972 Billie Jean King, USA
1973 Margaret Court, AUS
1975 Chris Evert, USA
1980 Chirs Evert, USA
1984 Martina Navratilova, USA
1988 Steffi Graf, FRG
1991 Monica Seles, YUG
1992 Monica Seles, YUG
1993 Steffi Graf, GER
1994 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, ESP
1995 Steffi Graf, GER
1996 Steffi Graf, GER
2002 Serena Williams, USA
2003 Justine Henin, BEL
2007 Justine Henin, BEL
2013 Serena Williams, USA

**RECENT U.S. OPEN "ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK" WINNERS**
2015 Dasha Kasatkina, RUS
2016 Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2017 Madison Keys, USA and Sloane Stephens, USA
2018 Katerina Siniakova, CZE
2019 Donna Vekic, CRO
2020 Varvara Gracheva, RUS
2021 Elise Mertens, BEL and Rebeka Masarova, ESP
2022 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
[2022]
AO: Amanda Anisimova, USA
...3r: saved 2 MP, def. defending champ Naomi Osaka
RG: Sloane Stephens, USA
...lost to #306 Nefisa Berberovic pre-RG; RG 1r: set and 4-4, sitter for love/30 vs. Niemeier; 2r: Cirstea led 6-3/2-0, Stephens 12 con. games; 4r: Teichmann 2-0, Stephens 12 con. games
WI: Elise Mertens, BEL
...2r: P.Udvardy 2 MP in 2nd set, Mertens wins set and play suspended; takes 3rd set a day later for 17th con. slam 3r
US: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
...2r: trailed Kanepi 6-2/5-1, Kanepi twice for match and 2 MP in 2nd set TB




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TOP QUALIFIER: Sara Bejlek/CZE (16; youngest in MD)
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): Serena Williams/USA (PR/#413; def. #2 Kontaveit; into 3rd Rd. at age 40) and Liudmila Samsonova/RUS (off back-to-back titles; def. '21 RU Fernandez 2r; 12 con. wins/14 con. sets)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #17 Caroline Garcia/FRA
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q3 - #28 Clara Burel/FRA def. #7 Misaki Doi/JPN 2-6/6-4/7-6(10) - Doi led 6-2/3-1, Burel up 4-2 in 3rd; Burel saves 4 MP at 5-6 down in 3rd (rain before MP #1) and 5th in TB before winning 12-10
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - (Q) Daria Snigur/UKR def. #7 Simona Halep/ROU 6-2/0-6/6-4 (#124-ranked qualifier gets upset in slam debut)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. -#21 Petra Kvitova/CZE def. #9 Garbine Muguruza/ESP 5-7/6-3/7-6(10) (Mugu wins 1st from 4-2; Mugu up 5-2 in 3rd, and Kvitova saves 2 MP at 6-5, then won 12-10 MTB on own MP #4)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Anna Kalinskaya/RUS (def. Peterson/SWE)
FIRST SEED OUT: #7 Simona Halep/ROU (1st Rd./lost to qualifier Snigur/UKR in slam MD debut; 3rd 1r U.S. exit in last five app.)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Cristina Bucsa/ESP, Linda Fruhvirtova/CZE, Elli Mandlik/USA, Daria Snigur/UKR, Yuan Yue/CHN
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Evgeniya Rodina/RUS (2r), Serena Williams/USA (3r)
UPSET QUEENS: China
REVELATION LADIES: Ukraine
NATION OF POOR SOULS: GER veterans (Maria/Petkovic/Siegemund 0-3, pregnant Kerber DNP; Petkovic to retire)
CRASH & BURN: #7 Simona Halep/ROU (1r- lost to #124-ranked qualifier Snigur/UKR in slam MD debut)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: #6 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (2nd Rd. - trailed Kanepi 6-2/5-1, Kanepi twice for match and 2 MP in 2nd set TB)
IT ("??"): x
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: x
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Clara Burel/FRA and Yuan Yue/CHN (both 3rd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Elli Mandlik/USA (2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: Coco Gauff/USA and Jessie Pegula/USA (both QF)
COMEBACK: Nominees: Rodina, Garcia, Griffioen (WC), Townsend
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Alize Cornet/FRA (63rd con. slam; def. DC Raducanu 1r)
DOUBLES STAR: Nominees: McNally, Sanders, Krejickova/Siniakova, Flipkens
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Nominees: Mandlik, McNally (WD/MX), Ngounoue (jr.), Melichar-Martinez, Dolehide
BROADWAY-BOUND: "Danimal After Dark" (Danielle Collins/USA - all four matches in night session)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Serena Williams: The End
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x






All for Day 10. More tomorrow.
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