Backspin Sites

Thursday, September 1, 2022

US.4- Good Luck with That


And on Day 4, on Court 17, it finally happened. Victoria Azarenka met Marta Kostyuk. It turned out pretty well for one of them.



Normally the match-up, while a good one, wouldn't have come equipped with footnotes, but Kostyuk's mission this season to be a one-woman prosecutor, judge and (if she could be) jury in a virtual public trial against all the Russian and Belarusian players on tour in the wake of Vladimir Putin's Russian army invasion (w/ an assist from the Belarusian government) pretty much made the reality of real world events encroaching upon the tennis tour a prerequisite for any discussion of the contest (well, unless you were commentating it on ESPN+, I guess, but more on that in a moment).

Kostyuk has hectored RUS/BLR players with official statements since the start of the six-month long conflict, stating that (though it's an exceedingly complicated situation for the players, who have nothing to do with such decisions and sometimes no longer even spend much time in their nations of origin) they haven't condemed the actions of the invaders, desecraters and murderers strongly *enough* publicly, and/or haven't come to her *personally* to discuss the issue since she's been one of the most vocal voices in the sport regarding the conflict and its impact on tennis.

After originally getting behind the "no flags" idea, Kostyuk has also at times called for all RUS/BLR to be banned from playing anywhere in tour events (not just on English grass), questioned whether she'd ever choose to play a match against such players (she pulled out of the semis in Granby last weekend with what was termed a "shoulder injury," but it raised eyebrows because she was also a round away from her possible first career WTA final, which ultimately would have been against Russian Dasha Kasatkina), and before the start of the Open she refused to participate in the tournament's Tennis Plays for Peace exhibition for the benefit of Ukraine (on the nation's independence day) because she and other Ukrainian players hadn't been consulted about whether any RUS/BLR players would participate.

Azarenka, who has spoken out about a desire for peace (but not to Kostyuk *directly*, apparently... something which the 20-year old has attributed to her "not being ranked high enough") had originally been announced to be involved in the event, but Kostyuk's criticism ultimately led to the former #1 being removed from the roster by the USTA.

Nothing could alter the U.S. Open draw, though, and after 1st Round wins by both women they were scheduled to play against one another in the 2nd Round. The question of whether Kostyuk would show up was a no-go. She did. And she (mostly) played well, though she mixed in far too many unforced errors with her stinging groundstrokes to really put herself in a good position to challenge for a win against the three-time U.S. Open finalist and former #1, the #26-seed at this event.

For her part, Azarenka put forth a workwomanlike performance on the day. Taking a 4-1 1st set lead, she saved all four BP she faced in the set and won it 6-2, committing just six UE (vs. 9 winners, compared to Kostyuk's 16/16 numbers). The 33-year old raced to an even bigger lead in the 2nd, leading 4-0. A break gave Azarenka a 5-1 edge.

But just as occurred in her 1st Rounder vs. Ashlyn Krueger, which she led 6-1/3-0 before being forced into a 3rd set, Azarenka had a bit of (but not as much) difficulty closing things out. Of course, she often had such issues in her heyday (see Sloane at the AO, as well as a few big matches vs. Serena in slam competition).

Azarenka dropped serve in game #7, then couldn't convert two MP as Kostyuk (alternating blazing shots with errors, w/ her final W/UE numbers eventually coming in at 23/31) held for 5-3. Azarenka served out the 6-2/6-3 win on her next try, picking up her 43rd career U.S. Open match win, breaking a tie with the Australian Open as the slam where she's won most often.

After exchanging no pleasantries before the match, the two did the same afterward, offering only a quick racket tap at the net. I guess that counts as peace on the tennis tour. Kostyuk *had* finally reached out the Azarenka a day earlier... texting her to warn her that she wouldn't be shaking her hand.



Azarenka is hardly the veteran getting the most attention at this slam, but she can't be discounted. Not at this major.

A resurgent Vika last reached the final in 2020, remember, though remains title-less in the event. The thing about Azarenka, for all she's done, since so much of it (but not all... she won the "Sunshine Double" in '16, Cincinnati in '20 and was the fall Indian Wells runner-up less than a year ago) came during her peak a decade past (including four of her five slam finals, both titles and her two Olympic medals). She's seemed like a sure-thing Hall of Famer for seemingly *forever* now, but at this point her accomplishments (after so much time lost due to injuries and/or custody battles) feel a bit underappreciated, and her career maybe slightly underrated.



On a side note (but not really), one has to call out the commentating team on ESPN+ for this match -- Steve Goldsten and Irina Falconi -- for something of a dereliction of duty today. For while the pre-match discussion of this match *had* to include the off-court issues between the two players, not a *single word* about it was mentioned by the pair before, during or after the match. They found time to talk about the Serena match, and Serena's path, and the excitement of Serena for about 15 combined minutes, through... so it wasn't because the action precluded it.

Granted, no one wants *too much* talk about such things during a match, but to act as if the match existed in a vacuum (pierced only by Serena, I guess) was just as wrong.

Anyway, you know, good luck with that.

Of course, that didn't meant the issue wasn't a POST-match topic, as well.








=DAY 4 NOTES=
...there is almost always a "Bannerette Breakout" at the U.S. Open, but after Elli Mandlik dropped her 2nd Round match it looked as if no unheralded U.S. woman might make a nice first week run. But then Lauren Davis knocked on the front door.



The 28-year old, a virtual tennis archetype as a diminutive scrambler who'll fight until the proverbial "last dog dies," is perhaps best remembered for a loss (well, that and maybe her customary Isner-like bounce of a ball through her legs before each serve). She battled then #1 (and warrior goddess on that day) Simona Halep for nearly four hours in the Aussie heat in Melbourne in 2018, holding three MP but seeing the oddity of losing a toenail mid-match hamper her down the stretch as she lost a 15-13 3rd set (remember those?) that lasted 2:22. Afterward, Halep said, "I'm almost dead."

After being a pretty consistent #50-ish player for most of her career, Davis has seen her standing slip the last couple of seasons, spending most of '21 in the bottom fourth of the Top 100 and then earlier this year falling outside of it entirely. A three-time tour finalist (all from 2016-17) and solo title winner, at this Open Davis has held to her career-long style of trying to be the last player standing. In the heat of Day 2, she outlasted Lucia Bronzetti, who ended up cramping badly late and retiring with Davis two points from the win.

Today, Davis dropped the 1st set at love to #28 Ekaterina Alexandrova, but fought back to force a 3rd, and took her opponent into a match TB to decide the winner. Davis surged to a 4-0 lead, and ultimately dispatched the Hordette 10-5, winning 0-6/6-4/7-6(5) to match her best career slam result.



Davis reached five other major 3rd Rounds between 2014-19, and now is the most unexpected Bannerette (so *she's* the one!) to reach the Final 32.

...meanwhile, a walkover was given in the Petra Kvitova match. But it wasn't *from* Petra. Anhelina Kalinina pulled out of singles *and* doubles dues to illness. Kalinina had dumped Bernarda Pera out in the 1st Round. As a result, the Czech is in the U.S. 3rd Round for the tenth time in eleven years (and 12th time in her career).



As noted after Stephens' 1st Round victory, there was nothing to see there.

Iga, even with those U.S. Open balls, has only dropped eight games through two rounds and knocked off a former champion.

...the third Top 4 women's seed to drop in the opening days of this U.S. Open -- #4 Paula Badosa -- saw her time in the draw end on Day 4 at the hands of Petra Martic, who continues to chug along with her largely unnoticed resurgent '22 campaign under coach Michael Geserer (who helped Jen Brady put together *her* best career stretch last year before being let go by the Bannerette, whose injuries have kept her off tour since Cincinnati in *2021*).

Martic lost a 1st set TB to the Spaniard today, but then proceded to dominate the rest of the match, winning the final two sets 6-1/6-2 to follow up her Wimbledon Round of 16 with a third 3rd Round trip in NYC in four years (w/ 2019-20 4r). The win is Lausanne champion Martic's third Top 10 victory this season (she had four from 2012-21), and should secure her return to the Top 50 after this tournament (she's spent just one week there since last October). The Croat is now 28-16 overall in '22.



...a day after Wang Xiyu reached her maiden slam 3rd Round, two of her fellow Chinese players were in action on Day 4. 19-year old Zheng Qinwen led Anastasia Potapova 7-6/5-2 before the Hordette tightened things up and sent the set into a TB. Zheng won it 7-3 to improve to 8-3 in her debut slam season. She'll next face Jule Niemeier is an intriguing match-up of young players going nowhere but up. It'll likely be scheduled on an outside court where about 30 fans can watch.

Qualifier Yuan Yue, at 23 a slight bit older than the Li Na Generation triumverate of Zheng, Wang and Wang Xinyu, opened '22 by winning her biggest career title ($60K) and has continued to climb the ladder ever since. Starting the year at #312, she made her 1000-level debut in Miami, her BJK Cup debut (going 4-0 in s/d), her Top 150 debut, her slam debut (as a Wimbledon LL) and last week made her way through Open qualifying (upsetting Volynets, then never dropping a set) and (as the world #142) notched her first tour-level/slam MD win two days ago over Jaimee Fourlis.

Today Yuan, firing big shots all over, had the chance to serve out a straight sets victory over veteran Irina-Camelia Begu, but ended up having to go into a 2nd set TB. She fell behind 3-1, then 5-4 after Begu managed to (barely) get back a huge Yuan forehand down the line and the Chinese woman (who maybe thought the point was surely hers) floated back a loose shot that landed just out. She got the point back with a forehand winner down the line, but had to stave off a SP at 6-5. No bother. Yuan, pretty much parked at the baseline because she *could* stay there and still win, controlled the action and swept the final three points with big shots, ending a point with a clean cross court winner to reach MP and then taking the 6-3/7-6(6) match a point later.

Yuan is not just the first qualifier through to the 3rd Round at this Open, she's the first qualifier to get as far in *any* major draw in '22. (There are still a few qualifiers yet to finish or play their 2nd Round matches, including one in the night session.)

China has placed four woman into the Final 32.

...needing to make *something* of her trip to Flushing Meadows, #9 Garbine Muguruza is doing what she can to salvage her season in (almost) the eleventh hour.

Just 9-14 on the year coming into her final '22 slam opportunity, with just a single QF to her credit (back in February), the Spaniard has managed to play herself into the 3rd Round after having gone 1-3 in the previous three majors. Getting the break to serve for a straight sets victory, Muguruza found herself down love/40 against pesky 17-year old Czech qualifier Linda Fruhvirtova. But she didn't Mugu it up! She buckled down and got the hold, didn't make things messy, and has yet to lose a set at this Open, taking 2nd set TB in both rounds to avoid going three sets (where she's 1-5 this season, having lost five straight since February).

Next, in a good new/bad news sort of situation, she'll next face Petra Kvitova. So at least *one* of them will play in the second week.

...after another night of the women's action dominating the night session discussion, they'll is only one women's singles match scheduled on the show courts on Night 4. It's on Armstrong and features #19 Danielle Collins. Again. She plays against Cristina Bucsa, so it's not an opponent-driven return for the AO finalist. Oddly, the higher-seeded Jessie Pegula (the U.S. #1, who defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich today), a New York state native, is still awaiting her *first* turn. So is *world* #1 Iga Swiatek. Featuring Serena is one thing, but I'm not sure how Collins got this match under the lights.

Speaking of Williams, she and Venus open their doubles journey (but if Serena keeps winning in singles, how long will her "second tennis job" continue at this slam?) on Ashe in a rare featured WD night match.





...ABOUT WEDNESDAY NIGHT... ON DAY 4:



Great visual, by the way, of the live twirling taking place in front of videos of past twirling.



Although we could do without all the shots of the celebrities in the crowd trying to glom onto the moment, but who really aren't tennis fans. The ones who show up every year? Fine. The rest are just trying to ride coattails to be seen.

Next to have her turn in the barrel...




...ABOUT WEDNESDAY NIGHT (II)... ON DAY 4:




...THE ONE SIDE BENEFIT OF THE END (I guess?) OF SERENA'S TIME ON TOUR IS THE END OF HAVING TO NOTE THIS SORT OF B.S. WHERE TENNIS IS CONCERNED (then they'd just be being everyday a-holes, not Tennis Twitter a-holes)... ON DAY 4:



Fortunately, the defenders who jumped into the thread to scold such stupidity did so (mostly) with eye-rolls and "leave her alone" comments, rather than the sort of hateful attacks that have come from so many SW "fans" over the years for perceived slights and the audacity of actually achieving something on a tennis court (whether it was with SW on the other side of the net or not). If that ever changes and the tone gets more troubling from those acting on Gauff's behalf, hopefully Coco would tell them to cool it (you know, the sort of thing Williams has never done, if she's ever been made aware of the comments that are often weaponized in her "defense" on social media platforms).


...POST-WTA career+1 ON DAY 4:




...FOOTNOTE TO THE FOOTNOTE ON DAY 4:

About the Azarenka/Kostyuk commentary duo on ESPN+, I will give a tip-o-the-cap to Falconi for noting, when Azarenka led 2-0 in the 2nd, that this was the point in a match where, as her boxer husband would say, "you have to take your opponent into the deep water and drown them."

A bit dark? Yes. But that's the sort of commentary you pay attention to, right?


...WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE A SEED AND TRAIL KAIA KANEPI 6-2/5-1 IN A MAJOR ON DAY 4:

If you're Aryna Sabalenka, you win after saving two MP. Apparently.













Olivia Newton John's singing voice wasn't just a U.S. Open presence during the summer of "Grease" in 1978. Both before and after her beloved and best-remembered movie role, the Aussie hit the charts with a series of solo efforts, from "I Honestly Love You" in 1974, to "Magic" in 1980 and -- from her largely forgotten big screen re-teaming with John Travolta in "Two of a Kind" -- the movie soundtrack theme "Twist of Fate" from 1984.
















kosova-font











kosova-font

*BEST 2022 SLAM RESULTS*
[wild cards]
AO 3rd Rd. - Maddison Inglis, AUS
AO 3rd Rd. - Leolia Jeanjean, FRA
RG 3rd Rd. - Dasha Saville, AUS
WI 3rd Rd. - Katie Boulter, GBR
AO 2nd Rd. - Samantha Stosur, AUS
AO 2nd Rd. - Wang Xinyu, CHN
RG 2nd Rd. - Elsa Jacquemot, FRA
RG 2nd Rd. - Katie Volynets, USA
US 2nd Rd. - Elli Mandlik, USA
[lucky losers]
WI 2r Rd. - Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove, NED
[protected ranking]
US - SERENA WILLIAMS, USA (in 3rd Rd.)
RG 2nd Rd. - Bianca Andreescu, CAN
WI 2nd Rd. - Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ITA
WI 2nd Rd. - Kirsten Flipkens, BEL
WI 2nd Rd. - Yanina Wickmayer, BEL (Q)
US 2nd Rd. - Evgeniya Rodina, RUS

**BIANCA ANDREESCU vs.**
=Top 20=
2017...1-0
2018 -
2019...10-6
2020 - DNP
2021...1-3
2022...4-4 (3r vs. #17 Garcia)
=Top 10=
2019...8-3
2020...DNP
2021...0-1
2022...2-2

**BACKSPIN 2022 SURPRISE-OF-THE-MONTH WINNERS**
JAN (pre-AO): Patricia Hon, AUS
AO: Maddison Inglis, AUS
FEB: Dasha Saville, AUS
MAR: Lucia Bronzetti, ITA
1Q...BRONZETTI, ITA
APR: Laura Pigossi, BRA
MAY: Martina Trevisan, ITA
RG: Leolia Jeanjean, FRA
2Q Clay Court...TREVISAN, ITA
JUN: Harriet Dart, GBR
WI: Harmony Tan, FRA
2Q Grass Court...TAN, FRA
JUL: Simona Waltert, SUI
AUG (pre-U.S.): Bernarda Pera, USA
[2022 Multiple Weekly Surprise Award Wins]
4 - Harriet Dart, GBR
3 - Anhelina Kalinina, UKR
3 - Aliaksandra Sasnovich, BLR
2 - Danka Kovinic, MNE
2 - Laura Pigossi, BRA
2 - Viktoriya Tomova, BUL
2 - Martina Trevisan, ITA
2 - Maryna Zanevska, BEL

**RECENT U.S. OPEN "EARLY-RD. TOP PLAYER" WINNERS, w/ final result**
2010 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (SF)
2011 Serena Williams, USA (RU)
2012 Samantha Stosur, AUS (QF)
2013 (co) Serena Williams/USA (W) & Victoria Azarenka/BLR (RU)
2014 Serena Williams, USA (W)
2015 Simona Halep, ROU (SF)
2016 Serena Williams, USA (SF)
2017 Garbine Muguruza, ESP (4th)
2018 Kiki Bertens, NED (3rd)
2019 Madison Keys, USA (4th)
2020 Victoria Azarenka, BLR (RU)
2021 Garbine Muguruza, ESP (4th)
2022 Serena Williams/USA & Liudmila Samsonova/RUS
[2022]
AO: Ash Barty, AUS (W)
RG: Iga Swiatek, POL (W)
WI: Simona Halep, ROU (SF)
US: Serena Williams/USA & Liudmila Samsonova/RUS






kosova-font


kosova-font









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): xx
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): xx
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
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 (in 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: Nominee: #7 Halep (1r)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Nominees: Sabalenka (2r- trailed Kanepi 6-2/5-1, Kanepi twice for match and 2 MP in 2nd set TB); Ka.Pliskova (1r- trailed Linette 4-1 3rd; 7-2 MTB lead to 7-8 down, wins 10-8); Burel (saved by rain when MP down in Q3 vs. Doi, saved 5 MP; upsets Wimbledon champ Rybakina in 1st Rd.); Riske-A. (2r- down 4-1 in 3rd vs. Osorio)
IT ("??"): x
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: x
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: in 2r: Bucsa, Burel, L.Fruhvirtova(L), Kuzmova(L), Snigur(L), Yuan(W)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Elli Mandlik/USA (2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: in 2r: Collins, Davis(W), Gauff(W), Keys(W), Mandlik(L), Pegula(W), Riske-A.(W), Rogers(W), Stephens(L), S.Williams(W)
COMEBACK: x
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): x
DOUBLES STAR: x
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Nominees: Davis, Mandlik
BROADWAY-BOUND: x
LADY OF THE EVENING: Nominees: S.Williams, Cornet, Collins
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x







All for Day 4. More tomorrow.
Posted by at