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Friday, September 8, 2023

US.11- Stuck Like Glue


Well, when you bring a slam to New York, you get *all* of the city, I guess. But in these U.S. Open semis, Coco Gauff wasn't going anywhere.



This hard court summer has belonged to Coco Gauff. Armed with a new coaching arrangement and altered, more aggressive, mindset the 19-year old coasted into this final slam of the season on a roll unlike any other. Wins in Washington and Cincinnati, the latter the biggest of her career, and a first-ever win over Iga Swiatek put a significant wind behind her back. Like a chip on the shoulder of a chesty teen, she dared New York to knock her off line. So far, no one -- and on Thursday, no *thing*... in this case, a nearly hour-long mid-match delay because of three protesters and a jar of glue (it was a *whole* big headache) -- has been able to alter Gauff's intended course.

Sporting a 16-1 summer hard court mark, the #6 seed faced off in the opening semifinal night match against #10-seeded Karolina Muchova, the Czech looking to reach her second slam final of the season (RG) after fighting off injuries for the last few years.

Three weeks ago, Gauff had won a 6-3/6-4 final over Muchova in Cincinnati, and after a week and a half of backing up her recent run found herself just one more win away from having the chance to be a match away from completing her long-predicted rise to the top of the sport with, oddly enough, a swiftness that wouldn't have been predicted to be possible two months ago.

Gauff broke quickly out in front in the 1st, keeping her shots deep in the court as Muchova committed too many errors and her varied game was tardy in arriving. Gauff broke serve in game 2, and held to lead 3-0.



With the set seemingly out of reach, though, the Czech's game tentatively started to better click. She held to cut the lead to 5-2, then used a drop shot and down the line forehand combination (w/ the help of a Gauff backhand error) to take a 15/30 lead in game 8. A point later, Muchova followed a deep shot into the net and put away a volley for 15/40. Another Gauff error (forehand) later and suddenly the set was back on serve with a three-game Muchova winning streak.

But just as Muchova had gotten back into things, she stumbled as she served to knot the score. A routine missed volley put her down love/30, then two more errors (#16 and #17 in the 1st) dropped serve and saw Gauff take the opening set at 6-4.



Just one game into the 2nd set, though, climate protesters decided were allowed to take over the tournament, as the three attention-getters were surrounded by security and law enforcement (Gauff told her coaches officials said they were "negociating, like it's a hostage situation"), with one apparently refusing to leave his seat (literally glueing his bare feet to the floor... rolls eyes) once everyone showed up.

Climate protesters ran roughshod, ridiculously throwing confetti and puzzle pieces all over the place at this year's Wimbledon, too. Because, you know, protesting at "soft-target" tennis matches is surely going to end the use of fossil fuels. (Fact is, these sort of stunts only make the cause seem unserious and the protesters laughingstocks and easy targets for those on the *opposite* side of the issue, likely setting back the whole movement they seek to bring attention too... like the idiots who throw paint on priceless art to protest... umm, I'm not really sure, which sort of makes my point.)



I'd say, at the very least, it's time for a temporary jail to be built beneath Ashe, like at the old Vet in Philadelphia... or for tickets to clearly state you'll be dragged down the aisle by your feet if you decide that you're going to try and become a star tonight. Of course, they may not have applied here, eh?

Hmmm, am I wrong to think they should have just ripped his bare feet off the concrete and chalked it up as a "protester occupational hazard?" (Oh, too harsh?)



44 minutes after the whole embarrassing delay began, the players (Muchova sporting a sleeve on her right arm, as she'd been looked at by trainers early on in the delay) returned and, after a short warm-up, resumed the action around five minutes later.

Gauff committed multiple forehand errors in the opening game, but reigned things in quickly enough to hold a game later. Muchova held off a early push by Gauff, saving a BP in game 4 with a low slice to the short court and lob combo, keeping pace at 2-2. Later, with Gauff up 4-3, the teenager took a 15/30 lead on the Czech's serve, but two UE got the game back to deuce. On GP, Muchova DF'd, then two points later saw her backhard error hand Gauff the break and a chance to serve for the match.

Gauff got within two points of the final at 30/love, but a DF and Muchova forehand down the line evened the score. Gauff's ultra-wide serve and drop shot from the baseline worked as Muchova had been taken too far off court to reach the ball, giving Gauff her first MP. But she couldn't close things out, saving one BP but then seeing a forehand error put the set back on serve at 5-4.



Serving down 6-5 to force a TB, Muchova quickly fell behind 15/40, setting off a long game that wouldn't see the Czech reach GP but instead save four MP. Finally, Gauff won a 40-shot rally to give herself a fifth MP in the game, and sixth overall.

[Two tweets of the same rally, in case one is removed.]




Muchova's long backhand ended a short rally that closed the match, with Gauff winning 6-4/7-5 to reach her second career slam final before age 20, at 19 becoming the youngest U.S. woman to reach the Open final since 17-year old Serena Williams did so (and won) in 1999.



Thus, while Muchova's third slam semifinal (second this season) further stamps her a continuing major title threat as long she can maintain her health (she'll be at a new career high -- #8 -- next week), the Summer of Coco story will continue into the final weekend of her home slam.

So much was said about Gauff, and predicted for her, when she first burst onto the scene four years ago. While her progress to this point hasn't maybe been as lightning quick as some impatient tennis watchers may have liked over the last few seasons, this is always where she's seemed eventually headed.

Now she just has one thing left to do.




=DAY 11 NOTES=
...the second semifinal, between #2 Aryna Sabalenka and #17 Madison Keys, promised a match-up of feral power. We got that, as well as some of the other things that have followed around the careers of both women.

Both Keys and Sabalenka have a history of not only fierce power, but also a few troubling in-match collapses. The main reason Keys has remained slam-less for her career, and without a major final since 2017, has been her ability to fall into error-prone stretches that would make even Alona Ostapenko cringe; while Sabalenka, even while she's won a major title in '23 and will be #1 on Monday, has left quite a few points (and possibly big titles) on the table this season by squandering 3rd set leads in the semis at both RG (vs. Muchova) and Wimbledon (vs. Ons Jabeur).

Sabalenka opened this match noticeably tight, while Keys let loose like a performance sports car. Keys got the break of serve to open the match and by game 3, with a clean backhand return winner on a Sabalenka GP, she was getting inside the Belarusian's head. Sabalenka followed up with a DF that gave Keys a BP, then a wide crosscourt forehand put her down double-break at 3-0. The soon-to-be new #1 never got things straight in the set, losing it at love as Keys coasted into the 2nd.

Keys took an early break lead in the set, sending Sabalenka to her knees with a keep return that put her up 2-1. But rather than set up another Keys run it was the first of three straight breaks. The Bannerette missed on a series of first serves in game 6, but Sabalenka's errors prevented her from taking advantage. Keys held and led 4-2.

But, as they say, no one can turn a Keys match quicker than Keys... well, I think *I've* said that over the years, or thought or alluded to it on a number of occasions. And that's what happened as Keys served for the final at 5-4.

Traditionally, errors can flow off of Keys' racket in bunches just like the winners had for most of this match, and such a stretch came at the worst moment possible. A DF put Keys down love/40. Forehand error, and a break. More errors came in Sabalenka's service game. The Belarusian's ace sealed a second straight love game, a 12th consecutive point and a 6-5 lead.

Suddenly serving to stay in the set, Keys fell behind 15/40 a game later. A series of nerve-less serves got the hold, but Sabalenka ran away with a 7-1 TB to tie the match and send things, improbably, to a deciding 3rd set.

The opening game of the final set saw Keys throw in three forehand errors, but Sabalenka failed to convert a BP and the Bannerette got the hold. After taking a 40/love lead then seeing things get close at 40/30 a game later, Sabalenka didn't let it happen again, firing a big second serve to secure the hold at 1-1.

But just as Keys can flip a match the other way, a bad few minutes from Sabalenka can do the same. With Keys serving at 2-2, 15/15, Sabalenka missed wide on a falling back overhead shot from the middle of the court, and it suddenly sent an even set the other way. A big Keys serve got the hold, then Sabalenka's DF and two forehand errors in the following game gave Keys the break lead at 4-2.

But one good turn deserves another, and Sabalenka grabbed a 15/40 lead in the next game. When Keys couldn't get back a big return, the set was back on serve. After a DF to open game 8, Sabalenka battled from behind, saving a pair of BP, to hold for 4-4.

Things calmed down over the next few games. Keys held from 30/30, then Sabalenka fired an ace to tie things at 5-5. Keys went up 40/love, and edged ahead again. Serving again to stay in the match, and force a match TB, Sabalenka held at love, closing with back-to-back aces.

As occurred to end the 2nd, Sabalenka quickly ran away from Keys in the breaker, taking a 4-0 lead and never really looking back. Well, except for maybe when she took a 7-3 lead and thought the match was over, forgetting that it was a first-to-10 MTB. No matter, she reached MP at 9-3. It took three attempts, but Keys' long return finally ended it as Sabalenka took the TB 10-5 (combined score of the two TB: Sabalenka 17-6) to win 0-6/7-6(1)/7-6(10-5).



The win sends Sabalenka into her second slam final this season, as she becomes just the second to reach both the AO/US finals in a season in the past decade (w/ Angelique Kerber, who swept the titles in '16). She avoids falling to 1-6 in career slam semis, while dropping Keys to 1-5.

...in the wheelchair QF, all four seeds advanced to the semis, as Diede de Groot won her 120th consecutive match with a 6-2/6-0 victory over Lucy Shuker. She'll play #4 Momoko Ohtani, while #2 Yui Kamiji and #3 Jiske Griffioen will face off the other semi.

De Groot (teaming with Griffioen, with whom she won this year's Wimbledon) advanced to the doubles final with a love & 1 win over Zhu Zhenzhen & Maria Florencia Moreno (de Groot reached this year's RG final with the Argentine). She'll play for her sixth U.S. doubles title in seven years (w/ a fourth different partner) in the final vs. #2 Kamiji & Kgothatso Montjane.

...the results of the junior quarterfinals keep alive the possibility of an all-Czech final, as #9 Tereza Valentova (def. #4 Sara Saito) and #10 Laura Samsonova (def. Hannah Klugman) both advanced to the semifinals. Valentova will face off with top-seeded Slovak Renata Jamrichova, who eliminated the last remaining Hordette (#11 Anastasiia Gureva), while Samsonova gets U.S. wild card Katherine Hui, who continued her path through the draw by knocking off her second seed (#6 Ena Koike) this week.

...meanwhile, in this week's 125 in Bari, Italy, top-seeded Alize Cornet's 2nd Round win over Valentini Grammatikopoulou sent her into the event's QF. It sets up an interesting "tipping point" moment on Friday, as it also leveled her combined record over the past three seasons at 77-77.

Speaking of Cornet, it should come as no surprise (see #WhereIsPengShuai?) that in the overwhelming vacuum of silence on tour about the recent Alphabet rulings (or lack thereof) regarding Simona Halep's status (and Mikael Ymer, too, for that matter), the veteran Pastry the other day became one of the few (only?) active players to voice an objection over the treatment.



Of course, Cornet is familiar with the tactics of the organizations, having managed to fight and dodge a suspension a few years ago after they attempted to push her out for "missing a test" after a representative had showed up at her apartment to perform a doping test, only to find a broken intercom, pressing it four times in a hour, but not calling her until the ticking clock that would mark the test as "missed" had just three minutes remaining (the call went to voice mail, and the tester left no message). Cornet was upstairs, eating breakfast.

No player responded in the tweet's long comment thread, by the way. Shocking, I know, huh?

There but for the grace of the Tennis Gods go I, I guess. Until they do.





*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#6 Coco Gauff/USA vs. #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES SF*
#16 Dabrowski/Routliffe (CAN/NZL) vs. #8 Hsieh Su-wei/Wang Xinyu (TPE/CHN)
#12 Siegemund/Zvonareva (GER/RUS) vs. Brady/Stefani (USA/BRA)

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Pegula/Krajicek (USA/USA) vs. Danilina/Heliovaara (KAZ/FIN)

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S SF*
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. #4 Momoko Ohtani/JPN
#3 Jiske Griffioen/NED vs. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN

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

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR SINGLES SF*
#1 Maylee Phelps/USA vs. Luna Gryp/BEL
Rio Okano/JPN vs. #2 Ksenia Chasteau/FRA

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR DOUBLES SF*
#1 Chasteau/Phelps (FRA/USA) vs. Miranda/Schogt (BRA/NED)
Czauz/Takamuro (USA/JPN) vs. #2 Gryp/Okana (BEL/JPN)

*GIRLS SINGLES SF*
#1 Renata Jamrichova/SVK vs. #9 Tereza Valentova/CZE
#10 Laura Samsonva/CZE vs. (WC) Katherine Hui/USA

*GIRLS DOUBLES SF*
#1 Jamrichova/Quevedo (SVK/USA) vs. N.Saito/S.Saito (JPN/JPN)
Kinoshita/Sonobe (JPN/JPN) vs. #8 Gae/Gureva (ROU/RUS)







...UPSET!... ON DAY 11:




Many people are complaining about the travel -- going from Asia to North America and then to Europe for the BJK Finals -- but at least they can go the beach. They *have* to take the annual iconic WTAF group photo -- they can call it "dresses in the sand" -- by the water, right?




...SO IN 2024 THERE WILL BE *NO* U.S. WOMEN IN THE DRAW, I GUESS... ON DAY 11:




Though the top seed in the junior wheelchair competition -- Maylee Phelps -- *is* from the U.S., and into the semis.


...EVERY TIME GAUFF SPEAKS, SHE TENDS TO APPEAR TO BE THE "ANTI-OSAKA" (thank goodness)... ON DAY 11:




















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*SLAM FINALS IN 2020's*
4 - Iga Swiatek, POL (4-0)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (0-3)
2 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-0)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2 - ARYNA SABALENKA, BLR (1-0)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (1-1)
2 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (1-1)
2 - COCO GAUFF, USA (0-1)
1 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Emma Raducanu, GBR (1-0)
1 - Marketa Vondrouosva, CZE (1-0)
1 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (0-1)
1 - Jennifer Brady, USA (0-1)
1 - Danielle Collins, USA (0-1)
1 - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (0-1)
1 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Garbine Muguruza, ESP (0-1)
1 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (0-1)
1 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (0-1)

*U.S. OPEN FINALS IN 2020s*
2 - BLR (0-1) - Sabalenka
1 - CAN (0-1)
1 - GBR (1-0)
1 - JPN (1-0)
1 - POL (1-0)
1 - USA (0-0) - Gauff
1 - TUN (0-1)
[slams 2020-23 - 15 slams, 30 finalists]
6 - USA (1-4) - Gauff
4 - POL (4-0)
4 - CZE (2-2)
3 - BLR (1-1) - Sabalenka
3 - TUN (0-3)
2 - AUS (2-0)
2 - JPN (2-0)
2 - KAZ (1-1)
1 - GBR (1-0)
1 - CAN (0-1)
1 - ESP (0-1)
1 - RUS (0-1)

*RECENT BEST U.S. WOMEN'S SLAM RESULTS*
=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)
=2023=
AO: Jessie Pegula (QF)
RG: Coco Gauff (QF)
WI: Madison Keys and Jessie Pegula (QF)
US: Coco Gauff (in final)

*AO/US FINALS IN SEASON - OPEN ERA*
[AO/US Jan/Sept events; 1969-76]
1969 Margaret Court (W-W)
1970 Margaret Court (W-W)
1973 Margaret Court (W-W)
1973 Evonne Goolagong (L-L)
1974 Evonne Goolagong (W-L)
1975 Evonne Goolagong (W-L)
1976 Evonne Goolagong Cawley (W-L)
[US/AO Sept/Dec events; 1977-86]
1980 Hana Mandlikova (L-W)
1981 Martina Navratilova (L-W)
1982 Chris Evert-Lloyd (W-W)
1983 Martina Navratilova (W-W)
1984 Chris Evert-Lloyd (L-W)
1985 Martina Navratilova (L-W)
[AO/US Jan/Sept events; 1987-present]
1987 Martina Navratilova (L-W)
1988 Steffi Graf (W-W)
1989 Steffi Graf (W-W)
1990 Steffi Graf (W-L)
1991 Monica Seles (W-W)
1992 Monica Seles (W-W)
1993 Steffi Graf (L-W)
1994 Steffi Graf (W-L)
1994 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (L-W)
1996 Monica Seles (W-L)
1997 Martina Hingis (W-W)
1998 Martina Hingis (W-L)
1999 Martina Hingis (W-L)
2000 Lindsay Davenport (W-L)
2006 Justine Henin-Hardenne (L-L)
2012 Victoria Azarenka (W-L)
2013 Victoria Azarenka (W-L)
2016 Angelique Kerber (W-W)
2023 Aryna Sabalenka (W-?)

*TEEN SLAM FINALISTS SINCE 2000*
2000 AO - Martina Hingis, SUI (19)
2001 RG - Kim Clijsters, BEL (18)
2001 WI - Justine Henin, BEL (19)
2001 US - Serena Williams, USA (19)
2003 RG - Kim Clijsters, BEL (19) (19)
2004 WI - Maria Sharapova, RUS (17) - W
2004 US - Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS (19) - W
2006 US - Maria Sharapova, RUS (19) - W
2007 AO - Maria Sharapova, RUS (19)
2009 US - Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (19)
2019 RG - Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (19)
2019 US - Bianca Andreescu, CAN (19) - W
2019 RG - Iga Swiatek, POL (19) - W
2021 US - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (19)
2021 US - Emma Raducanu, GBR (18) - W
2022 RG - Coco Gauff, USA (18)
2023 US - Coco Gauff, USA (19)

*CAREER SLAM SF - active*
23 - Venus Williams, USA (16-7)
9 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (6-3)
9 - Simona Halep, ROU (5-4)
8 - Angelique Kerber, GER (4-4)
7 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (3-4)
7 - Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (3-4)
7 - ARYNA SABALENKA, BLR (2-5)
6 - MADISON KEYS, USA (1-5)
5 - Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS (4-1)
5 - Garbine Muguruza, ESP (4-1)
5 - Iga Swiatek, POL (4-1)
4 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (4-0)
4 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (2-2)
4 - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (2-2)
3 - Genie Bouchard, CAN (1-2)
3 - Sara Errani, ITA (1-2)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (3-0)
3 - KAROLINA MUCHOVA, CZE (1-2)
3 - Sloane Stephens, USA (2-1)
3 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-3)
2 - Jennifer Brady, USA (1-1)
2 - Danielle Collins, USA (1-1)
2 - COCO GAUFF, USA (2-0)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (2-0)
2 - Sabine Lisicki, GER (1-1)
2 - Alona Ostapenko, LAT (1-1)
2 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2-0)
2 - Maria Sakkari, GRE (0-2)
2 - CoCo Vandeweghe, USA (0-2)
2 - Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (2-0)






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TOP QUALIFIER: #15 Wang Yafan/CHN
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #6 Coco Gauff/USA
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Elsa Jacquemot/FRA def. #2 Diana Shnaider/RUS 6-7(5)/7-5/6-3 - down 7-6/5-3, saved 7 MP in 2nd set (trailed 5-4, 40/love)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - #32 Elise Mertens/BEL def. Mirjam Bjorklund/SWE 3-6/6-3/7-6(10-3) - down 3 MP at 4-5, love/40 in 3rd, won 4 con. pts to hold; wins TB 10-3
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 4th Rd. - #20 Alona Ostapenko/LAT def. #1 Iga Swiatek/POL 3-6/6-3/6-1 (improves to 4-0 in head-to-head; Sabalenka replaces Swiatek as singles #1)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #10 Karolina Muchova/CZE (def. WC Hunter)
FIRST SEED OUT: #8 Maria Sakkari/GRE (1r- lost to Masarova/ESP)
FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS: Eva Lys/GER, Lily Miyazaki/GBR
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Jennifer Brady/USA (3rd Rd.); Dasha Saville/AUS (2nd Rd.), Patricia Maria Tig/ROU (2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER MD WINS: Yanina Wickmayer/BEL (2nd Rd.)
UPSET QUEENS: United States
REVELATION LADIES: China
NATION OF POOR SOULS: France (1-6 in 1st; 9 of FRA Top 10 out Q/1r)
CRASH & BURN: #8 Maria Sakkari/GRE (3 consecutive slam 1st Rd. losses)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: #32 Elise Mertens/BEL (5 MP saved 1r/2r; 4-5, love/40 in 3rd vs. Bjorklund/SWE 1r; 2 MP 2nd set TB vs. Collins/USA 2r)
IT ("??"): Nominee: Zheng Q., Czech juniors, (wc)
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: Nominees: Gauff, Sabalenka, (wc)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Kaja Juvan/SLO, Greet Minnen/BEL (3rd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Caroline Wozniacki/DEN (4r)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: Coco Gauff/USA (in final)
COMEBACK: Caroline Wozniacki/DEN
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Sorana Cirstea/ROU
DOUBLES STAR: x
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Peyton Stearns/USA
BROADWAY-BOUND: "Jabeurwocky"
LADY OF THE EVENING: Alona Ostapenko/LAT
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x







All for Day 11. More tomorrow.
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