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Friday, July 14, 2023

W.12- The Day Before the Day










=DAY 12 NOTES=

...lest anyone forget who's in charge around here...



With the rain cancelling all the matches for Friday on the non-roofed courts, the women's wheelchair singles semis kept on schedule for Saturday's final with today's match-ups taking place on Court 1.

In the opener, as was sort of hinted at as a possibility from the start in this space, Jiske Griffioen upset #2 Yui Kamiji, 6-3/7-5. The 37-year old, the first Wimbledon WC singles champ back in 2016, thus reaches her first slam singles final since her 2019 return from her retirement in 2017. Her last final came at the '17 AO. She's also in the doubles final alongside Diede de Groot.



Griffioen's win ends Kamiji's 74-match winning streak vs. non-de Groot opponents. She's still 36-1 vs. such opponents this season, and 79-2 the last two years.

Griffioen's opponent will be... (drumroll)... yeah, de Groot. Come on! Of course it's Diede the Great!

De Groot defeated Aniek Van Koot 6-2/6-0, winning her 110th consecutive match and 13th in a row over Van Koot (11 of which have come during the streak). The last time de Groot lost to Van Koot was in the 2019 Wimbledon final. De Groot has gone 42-2 in slam singles matches since then, including the last 35 (w/ 10 straight titles, so far) since then.

As far as the rain, the bright side of that is that because of it we found out just what it takes for Wimbledon's Twitter account to post something about a player on a now 110-match win streak (without actually mentioning the 110-match win streak, mind you) -- almost NO other matches being played other than the two men's semis.



The career head-to-head between de Groot and Griffioen is 5-5, but de Groot has won four straight during her two and a half year undefeated run.

...the women's doubles final is set, and Hsieh Su-wei, and Barbora Strycova, and Elise Mertens are back for more.



Mertens & Storm Hunter defeated Caroline Dolehide/Zhang Shuai 1 & 1 in today's semi, putting the Belgian into her third straight Wimbledon final. She'll be going for slam title #4, but already has an SW19 win (2021) and needs Roland Garros to complete a Career Slam. Hunter won the U.S. Open MX title last year. The duo won in Rome this spring.

Mertens' '21 Wimbledon title came with Hsieh, who is also playing in *her* third straight Wimbledon final, having played and won in 2019 and '21, but missing last season as she sat out the entire year. Hsieh is teaming with the returning-from-retirement/maternity leave (but for how long?) Strycova, after the two won the '19 title together (the Czech's lone slam win), and the vets took out Marie Bouzkova/Sara Sorribes Tormo today (don't worry, no ball kids were brought to tears). Hsieh/Strycova are a combined 9-2 in finals together.



Hsieh is going for a second straight slam win, having picked up the Roland Garros title (her 5th career slam) last month. I swear, I'd totally forgotten that she'd won that.

...the Bastad 125 final will feature Emma Navarro vs. Olga Danilovic, while the Contrexeville semifinals will see a qualifier (Tereza Martincova) vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and Arantxa Rus vs. wild card Fiona Ferro.







*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
Marketa Vondrousova/CZE vs. #6 Ons Jabeur/TUN

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#3 Hunter/Mertens (AUS/BEL) vs. (PR) Hsieh/Strycova (TPE/CZE)

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
#7 L.Kichenok/Pavic (UKR/CRO) def. Xu Y./Vliegen (CHN/BEL) 6-4/6-7(9)/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S FINAL*
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. Jiske Griffioen/NED

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S FINAL*
#1 Kamiji/Montjane (JPN/RSA) vs. #2 de Groot/Griffioen (NED/NED)

*GIRLS' SINGLES SF*
#1 Alina Korneeva/RUS vs. Nikola Bartunkova/CZE
#5 Renata Jamrichova/SVK vs. #2 Clervie Ngounoue/USA

*GIRLS' DOUBLES SF*
Klugman/Lacy (GBR/GBR) vs. Evans/Hamilton (USA/USA)
Kovackova/L.Samsonova (CZE/CZE) vs. #2 Jamrichova/Urgesi (SVK/ITA)







...MISSION HISTORY... ON DAY 12:




...SHOW ME A TOURNAMENT DARING THE ATP TO CANCEL IT WITHOUT THE TOURNAMENT ACTUALLY SAYING THAT IT DARES THE ATP TO CANCEL IT... ON DAY 12:




...TIP O' THE CAP... ON DAY 12:




...SO, IS THIS REALLY A DISCUSSION ANYMORE?... ON DAY 12:



Fastforward to September, and the "Numbers Guy" might have to retire. His work could be done. He's still sending me stuff, though...




...U.S. OPEN TWITTER DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING DURING WIMBLEDON... ON DAY 12:




...DARN, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO "HOME ALONE: FRANKIE TAKES OVER"... ON DAY 12:




...BRING ON THE U.S. OPEN NIGHT MATCH (I'd watch that)... ON DAY 12:



The list of men's players whom I haven't become disillusioned with over the last few years is positively miniscule, but maybe Eubanks will buck the trend. Hope so. Haven't really given much of a damn for any of them (not for long, at least) since Juan Martin del Potro's career became a series of abbreviated cameos.


...INSTANT CLASSIC TENNIS PHOTOS... ON DAY 12:




...#SimplyIrresistible, #TheyGotTheBeat... ON DAY 12:















The song of the day, or the title of the forthcoming George Santos mockumentary...








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**OLDEST FIRST-TIME SLAM CHAMPS**
33y,199d - Flavia Pennetta, 2015 U.S. Open
29y,346d - Francesca Schiavone, 2010 Roland Garros
29y,275d - Jana Novotna, 1998 Wimbledon
29y,154d - Kerry Melville-Reid, 1977 Australian Open
29y,98d - Li Na, 2011 Roland Garros
28y,277d - Marion Bartoli, 2013 Wimbledon
28y,12d - Angelique Kerber, 2016 Australian Open
--
NOTE: Jabeur (28 years, 10.5 months)

**MOST SLAMS BEFORE FIRST TITLE**
49 - Flavia Pennetta (2015 U.S. Open)
47 - Marion Bartoli (2013 Wimbledon)
45 - Jana Novotna (1998 Wimbledon)
43 - Caroline Wozniacki (2018 Australian Open)
39 - Francesca Schiavone (2010 Roland Garros)
34 - Samantha Stosur (2011 U.S. Open)
33 - Angelique Kerber (2016 Australian Open)
32 - Simona Halep (2018 Roland Garros)
32 - Amelie Mauresmo (2006 Australian Open)
29 - Jennifer Capriati (2001 Australian Open)
28 - Kerry Melville-Reid (1978 Australian Open)
26 - Lindsay Davenport (1998 U.S. Open)
25 - Victoria Azarenka (2012 Australian Open)
23 - Sloane Stephens (2017 U.S. Open)
22 - Kim Clijsters (2005 U.S. Open)
--
NOTE: Jabeur (25), Vondrousova (21)

**WORST STARTS TO SLAM FINAL CAREER**
0-4 - Kim Clijsters *@
0-4 - Helena Sukova @
0-3 - Chris Evert *@
0-3 - Jana Novotna *@
0-3 - Simona Halep *
0-3 - Mary Joe Fernandez
0-3 - Dinara Safina
0-3 - Wendy Turnbull
--
*-eventually won slam; @-in HOF
NOTE: Jabeur (0-2)

**WHEELCHAIR SLAMS BY NATION**
[SINGLES - '23 WI is 61st slam event]
48 - NED
...21-Vergeer, 18-de Groot, 4-Griffioen, 3-Van Koot, 1-Homan, 1-Buis
9 - JPN (8-Kamiji, 1-Yaosa)
2 - GER (Ellerbrock)
1 - GBR (Whiley)

[DOUBLES - '23 WI is 66th slam event]
94 - NED
...23-Van Koot, 21-Vergeer, 16-de Groot, 14-Griffioen, 7-Walraven, 5-Buis, 5-Homan, 3-Smit
19 - JPN (19-Kamiji)
12 - GBR (Whiley)
2 - FRA (Gravellier)
1 - AUS (Di Toro)
1 - RSA (Montjane)
1 - USA (Mathewson)

*WC SLAM SINGLES FINALS - active*
25 - Yui Kamiji, JPN (8-17)
22 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED (18-3) *
14 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (3-11)
7 - JISKE GRIFFIOEN, NED (4-2) *
1 - Kgothatso Montjane, RSA (0-1)
1 - Momoko Ohtani, JPN (0-1)



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So, essentially, the studio heads' dream scenario is to create produce generate artless entertainment commodities written by AI, "starring" computer-generated "actors," populated with recycled "images" as "background" performers in stories taking place in a fully digitally-manipulated "environment" (why shoot on location or build sets when a computer can make such things obsolete?) in which not a single thing actually exists in any physical sense in the real world. Directors? Why would they be needed? There'd be nothing that actually needs to be "directed." Then the studio just releases to the public what is churned out while never having to deal with "annoying" and/or "too demanding" talent, paying *no one* for their role in any of it (because no creative human had any role beyond whoever wrote the original computer program), and then keeping every cent that is generated while the executives tout the profit margin and give themselves annual $5 $10 million raises.

What could go wrong, or would be wrong with that, right?

And here I thought eSports was pointless and borderline offensive.

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TOP QUALIFIER: Jessica Bouzas Maneiro/ESP
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #25 Madison Keys/USA
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #6 Ons Jabeur/TUN
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q3 - #18 Lucrezia Stefanini def. (PR) Hsieh Su-wei 6-2/6-7(3)/7-6(11-9)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - #20 Donna Vekic/CRO def. Sloane Stephens/USA 4-6/7-5/6-4 - trailed 6-4/3-0 and 2 BP, Stephens served at 5-3
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - Lesia Tsurenko/UKR def. Ana Bogdan/ROU 4-6/6-4/7-6(20-18) - 3:40, slam-record 38-pt. TB; Tsurenko on 8th MP after saved 5 in TB
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: (PR) Barbora Strycova/CZE (def. Zanevska/BEL; first Wimb. match since 2019 SF)
FIRST SEED OUT: #15 Liudmila Samsonova/RUS (1st Rd.-Bogdan/ROU)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Bai Zhuoxuan/CHN, Jodie Burrage/GBR, Tamara Korpatsch/GER, Natalija Stevanovic/SRB
UPSET QUEENS: Romania
REVELATION LADIES: The Return of the Hordettes
NATION OF POOR SOULS: ITA (1-6 1st Rd.)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Mirra Andreeva/RUS (4th Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Elina Svitolina/UKR (SF)
PROTECTED RANKING: Jaqueline Cristian/ROU, Sara Sorribes Tormo/ESP, Barbora Strycova/CZE (all 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER WINS: Tamara Korpatsch/GER (2nd Rd.)
LAST BRIT STANDING: Katie Boulter (3rd Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Nominees: UKR women, Vondrousova, Jabeur, (WC)
IT "??": Nominees: M.Andreeva, Korneeva, Jamrichova
COMEBACK PLAYER: Elina Svitolina/UKR
CRASH & BURN: Tatjana Maria/GER ('22 semifinalist, loses 1st Rd.)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON: Lesia Tsurenko/UKR (3rd Rd.: in 3:40, wins slam record 38-pt. TB over Bogdan on 7th MP; saved 5 MP in TB; Bogdan served for match at 5-3 3rd)
DOUBLES STAR: Nominee: L.Kichenok, Hunter/Mertens, Hsieh/Strycova
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Hsieh/Strycova, (Invitational), Griffioen(WC)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominees: Ngounoue, Bartunkova
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREE: Karolina Muchova/CZE






All for Day 12. More tomorrow.
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