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Sunday, January 28, 2024

AO24 - G'day, Melbourne

It's all over Down Under for AO24.










=AO NOTES=
One (more) more thing, as on her last day in Melbourne Hsieh Su-wei added still further to her Australian pleasure...



The final women to lift trophies at this AO were Hsieh and doubles partner Elise Mertens, who teamed for their second slam win as a pair (w/ '21 Wimbledon), taking the WD crown with a 6-1/7-5 victory over first-time slam finalists Lyudmyla Kichenok & Alona Ostapenko.



The win gives Hsieh a WD/MX sweep of the AO titles. The last time that happened was in 2000, when Rennae Stubbs did it. It's Hsieh's 7th career WD slam win, and 8th major title overall. It's her first doubles win in Melbourne, leaving her a U.S. Open title away from a Career Slam.

It's Mertens' fourth slam win, second at the AO ('21 w/ Sabalenka). She'll re-take the #1 ranking from Storm Hunter on Monday, assuming the top spot for the eighth time in her career (it'll be week #28); while Hsieh will move to #2 (she's spent 47 weeks at #1 in her career).








1. Aryna Sabalenka, BLR ...if Sabalenka's seasonal fortunes are foretold by her performance in Melbourne, then we're in for another season-long battle at the top of the rankings. The Belarusian's no-set-loss defense of her AO crown gives her two titles (and three finals) in the last three hard court majors, and she has #1 Swiatek in her sights yet again.
2. Zheng Qinwen, CHN ...her promise is great, and her momentum since last fall seems to have her pointed in the direction of even bigger and better things. But Zheng wasn't quite ready to seize the slam spotlight from Sabalenka in her maiden slam final appearance in Melbourne.
3. Hsieh Su-wei, TPE ...if Hsieh truly is exiting through the back door after this season she's making sure to clean up on her way out. Her sweep of the AO WD/MX titles is the first in the event since 2000, and gives her eight total slam wins in her career. She's won *four* of them -- including 3 WD majors w/ 3 different partners -- since returning last spring from a one-season sabbatical.
4. Elena Rybakina, KAZ ...she didn't follow-up her brilliant run in Brisbane, where she didn't lose a set and demolished Sabalenka love & 3 in the final (the Belarusian's only loss this season), falling in the 3rd Round in Melbourne after reaching the final in '23. But like a certain pojjjd-ing Czech, Rybakina's mind's eye footprint lingers well after she's gone (an exiting 42-point TB doesn't hurt, of course).
5. Coco Gauff, USA ...she came into Australia with more pressure than usual as the winner of the most recent major title last summer in New York. After defending her 250 title in Auckland, improving to 5-0 in 2023-24 finals, Gauff reached the AO semifinals despite not quite touching the top level of her game.
6. Diede de Groot, NED (WC) ...working with an injury and a cold, de Groot wasn't at her best in Australia. She still went undefeated in both singles and doubles, sweeping the Melbourne Open and the AO (the latter her 14th s/d combo in slam competition). Her singles winning streak stands at 135 matches, she's won a record 13 straight slam titles (a new WC record), and is tied with Esther Vergeer for the most overall women's singles wins w/ 21.
7. Dayana Yastremska, UKR ...finally coming into her own, the Ukrainian's big-hitting game hit on its best-ever run in Melbourne as she went from qualifier (w/ 3 three-set wins) to first-time slam semifinalist with wins over a pair of former slam champs (a hampered Vondrousova, a resurgent Vika) and a January title winner (Navarro).
8. Hsieh/Mertens, TPE/BEL ...the new (well, they've been there before) top-ranked doubles players in the world, minted once more with the AO crown, their second slam title as a pair.
9. Alona Ostapenko, LAT ...the Latvian had quite the January, winning a singles title in Adelaide, doubles crown in Brisbane and reaching her first slam WD final in Melbourne w/ Lyudmyla Kichenok. Her 3rd Round AO loss to Azarenka stands as a mild disappointment.
10. Emma Navarro, USA ...continued her under-the-radar rise up the rankings with her maiden tour title in Hobart. As a first-time slam seed, Navarro reached her first slam 3rd Round, losing to eventual semifinalist Yastremska.
HM Amanda Anisimova/USA, de Groot/Griffioen, NED/NED (WC), Haddad Maia/Townsend (BRA/USA), Anna Kalinskaya/RUS, Yui Kamiji/JPN (WC), L.Kichenok/Ostapenko (UKR/LAT), Marta Kostyuk/UKR, Linda Noskova/CZE, Laura Siegemund/GER, Iga Swiatek/POL


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With the new rankings coming out Monday, a quick update on the new state of things...

* - Aryna Sabalenka stays at #2, but cuts Iga Swiatek's lead from 975 to 865 points

* - Zheng Qinwen moves up from #15, cracking the Top 10 at #7 (second CHN woman behind Li Na's #2 ranking ten years ago). #10 Ostapenko loses her just-reclaimed standing, falling to #12.

* - Top 30 career highs for Emma Navarro (#23), Jasmine Paolini (#24), Marta Kostyuk (#28) and Linda Noskova (up 20 to #30). In fact, Noskova is part of a perfectly-aligned Ukrainian-Czech rankings sandwich (on Russian bread), along with Dayana Yastremska (up 64 spots)



* - Elina Svitolina is back in the Top 20 (#19) for the first time since 2022

* - Victoria Azarenka, going from AO semifinalist to 4th Rounder, falls 11 spots to #33

* - Mirra Andreeva's rise continues. She picks up 12 more spots for a career-high of #35.

* - AO quarterfinalist Anna Kalinskaya finally cracks the Top 50 for the first time, moving up 37 to #38. Her previous career high was #51 in 2022. Meanwhile, Magdalena Frech moves up to a career high #51.

* - 2023 AO semifinalist Magda Linette's 1st Round retirement drops her from #32 to #56

* - The biggest riser in the Top 100: #100 Maria Timofeeva, up 70 spots. Fellow Hordette AO qualifier achievers: Anastasia Zakharova (up 57 to CH #133) and Alina Korneeva (up 38 to CH #141)

* - 16-year old Czech Brenda Fruhvirtova cracks the Top 100, going from #107 to #96. Meanwhile, 34-year old Aussie Arina Rodionova rises to a career-high #101.

* - After her first AO 1st Round exit in eleven years, Karolina Pliskova ('23 quarterfinalist) drops 39 spots to #77, her lowest ranking since 2013

* - DOUBLES: Elise Mertens replaces Storm Hunter as #1, taking over the spot for the eighth time since the start of 2021. AO partner Hsieh Su-wei moves up to #2. The 2022-23 AO doubles champions? Katerina Siniakova falls to #23, and Barbora Krejcikova to #25.

* - Also: Caroline Wozniacki continues her slow rise, adding 47 more to #205. Angelique Kerber is #607 (+48), and Naomi Osaka #760 (up 71, but just one spot ahead of *Bianca* Fernandez, Leylah's little sister)

* - Biggest Rise in the Top 650: Amanda Anisimova, up 228 spot to #214. Biggest Fall: Zhang Shuai, dropping 358 to #603





...UNDERSTATED GLAMOUR FOR THIS YEAR'S CHAMPION'S PHOTOSHOOT AFTER, well, whatever that was last year...:




...SOME HAVE QUESTIONED WHETHER THE *ACTUAL* IGA REALLY POSTED THIS, OR IF IT WAS JUST "ONE OF HER PEOPLE":

It does seem sort of rote, but so do most of Swiatek's tweets (which may -- or may not -- back up the notion, I suppose).




...BUT I DOUBT ANYONE QUESTIONS WHETHER THE *REAL* ARYNA POSTED THIS:




...THE RECENT LINZ TROPHIES WERE PRETTY BAD:



So this is a welcome improvement...



Umm... hello, GERMAN OPEN. (Cough-cough, tapping foot.)

After last year's embarrassing trophy effort... surely *your* trophy change is coming next, right? Right?

Last year's, hmmm, "effort"...




...ALMOST MAKES UP FOR AO TWITTER MISSING ON DE GROOT'S SLAM WINS (AGAIN)...:



Almost.



...AND IT'S THAT TIME OF THE SEASON AGAIN:










=WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL=
#2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR def. #12 Zheng Qinwen/CHN 6-3/6-2

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL=
#2 Hsieh/Mertens (TPE/BEL) def. #11 L.Kichenok/Ostapenko (UKR/LAT) 6-1/7-5

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
#3 Hsieh/Zielinski (TPE/POL) def. #2 Krawczyk/N.Skupski (USA/GBR) 6-7(5)/6-4 [11-9]

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Diede de Groot/NED def. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN 7-5/6-4

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
#2 de Groot/Griffioen (NED/NED) def. #1 Kamiji/Montjane (JPN/RSA) 6-3/7-6(2)

=GIRLS SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Renata Jamrichova/SVK def. #6 Emerson Jones/AUS 6-4/6-1

=GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL=
#3 Grant/Jovic (USA/USA) def. Pastikova/Stusek (CZE/GER) 6-3/6-1







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*RECENT AO WOMEN'S DOUBLES CHAMPIONS*
2018 Timea Babos / Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2019 Samantha Stosur / Zhang Shuai, AUS/CHN
2020 Timea Babos / Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2021 Elise Mertens / Aryna Sabalenka, BEL/BLR
2022 Barbora Krejcikova / Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2023 Barbora Krejcikova / Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2024 Hsieh Su-wei / Elise Mertens, TPE/BEL

*RECENT WD SLAM CHAMPIONS*
[2020]
AO: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
US: Laura Siegemund/Vera Zvonareva (GER/RUS)
RG: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
[2021]
AO: Elise Mertens/Aryna Sabalenka (BEL/BLR)
RG: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
WI: Hsieh Su-wei/Elise Mertens (TPE/BEL)
US: Samantha Stosur/Zhang Shuai (AUS/CHN)
[2022]
AO: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
RG: Caroline Garcia/Kristina Mladenovic (FRA/FRA)
WI: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
US: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
[2023]
AO: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
RG: Hsieh Su-wei/Wang Xinyu (TPE/CHN)
WI: Hsieh Su-wei/Barbora Strycova (TPE/CZE)
US: Gaby Dabrowski/Erin Routliffe (CAN/NZL)
[2024]
AO: Hsieh Su-wei/Elise Mertens (TPE/BEL)

*CAREER WOMEN'S DOUBLES SLAM TITLES - active*
14...Venus Williams, USA
7...HSIEH SU-WEI, TPE
7...Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
7...Katerina Siniakova, CZE
6...Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
5...Sara Errani, ITA
5...Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA
4...Timea Babos, HUN
4...ELISE MERTENS, BEL

*RECENT AO "DOUBLES STAR" WINNERS*
2014 Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
2015 Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2016 Martina Hingis & Sania Mirza, SUI/IND
2017 Abigail Spears, USA
2018 Timea Babos & Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2019 Astra Sharma, AUS
2020 Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2021 Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2022 Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2023 Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2024 Hsieh Su-wei/Elise Mertens, TPE/BEL

*CAREER OVERALL SLAM TITLES - ACTIVE*
[singles/doubles/mixed]
23 - Venus Williams, USA (7-14-2)
11 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (1-7-3)
9 - Kristina Mladenovic, FRA (0-6-3)
9 - Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA (0-5-4)
8 - HSIEH SU-WEI, TPE (0-7-1)
7 - Katerina Siniakova, CZE (0-7-0)
5 - Sara Errani, ITA (0-5-0)
5 - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (0-3-2)
4 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (2-0-2)
4 - Timea Babos, HUN (0-4-0)
4 - Latisha Chan, TPE (0-1-3)
4 - Desirae Krawczyk, USA (0-0-4)
4 - ELISE MERTENS, BEL (0-4-0)
4 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (4-0-0)
4 - AYRNA SABALENKA, BLR (2-2-0)
4 - Iga Swiatek, POL (4-0-0)
4 - Elena Vesnina, RUS (0-3-1)

*CAREER WTA DOUBLES TITLES - active*
33 - Latisha Chan
33 - HSIEH SU-WEI
28 - Kristina Mladenovic
28 - Bethanie Mattek-Sands
28 - Sara Errani
24 - Timea Babos
23 - Katerina Siniakova
22 - Venus Williams
20 - Chan Hao-ching
19 - Shuko Aoyama
19 - ELISE MERTENS
18 - Barbora Krejcikova

*AO "KIMIKO CUP FOR VETERAN ACHIEVEMENT" WINNERS*
2015 Venus Williams/USA & Martina Hingis/SUI
2016 Angelique Kerber, GER
2017 Venus Williams/USA & Serena Williams/USA
2018 Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2019 Samantha Stosur/Zhang Shuai, AUS/CHN
2020 Jordanne Whiley, GBR (WC)
2021 Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2022 Alize Cornet/FRA & Kaia Kanepi/EST
2023 Sania Mirza, IND
2024 Hsieh Su-wei, TPE






TOP QUALIFIER: Alina Korneeva, RUS
TOP EARLY ROUND (1r-2r): #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Alina Korneeva/RUS def. Ma Yexin/CHN 6-7/6-4/7-6(5) - '23 AO girls champ saves 2 MP; qualifies and is youngest in women's MD
TOP EARLY RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - Anna Blinkova/RUS def. #3 Elena Rybakina/KAZ 6-4/4-6/7-6(22-20) - on 10th MP after saving 6 MP in MTB (at 42 points, the longest in women's slam history)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - Linda Noskova/CZE def. #1 Iga Swiatek/POL 3-6/6-3/6-4 - 19-year old (#50) gets first #1 win; ends Swiatek's 18-match streak, and is earliest AO exit by #1 since 1979
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/DB/Jr.): Mixed Final - #3 Hsieh Su-wei/Jan Zielinski (TPE/POL) def. #3 Desirae Krawczyk/Neal Skupski (USA/GBR) 6-7(5)/6-4 [11-9] - saved MPat 9-8 in MTB
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Kamilla Rakhimova/RUS (def. Emina Bektas/USA)
FIRST SEED OUT: #13 Liudmila Samsonova/RUS (1r-lost to Anisimova/USA)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Brenda Fruhvirtova/CZE, McCartney Kessler/USA, Alina Korneeva/RUS, Maria Timofeeva/RUS, Anastasia Zakharova/RUS
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: 4r: Anisimova/USA; 3r: Badosa/ESP; 2r: Raducanu/GBR, Tomljanovic/AUS
UPSET QUEENS: France (only nation to defeat multiple seeds in 1st Rd.)
REVELATION LADIES: Unseeded Russians (9-1 in 1st Rd.)
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Seeds from Russia (1-4 in 1st Rd.)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Dayana Yastremska/UKR (in SF)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: McCartney Kessler/USA, Caroline Wozniacki/DEN (2nd Rd.)
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: Storm Hunter/AUS (3rd Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Zheng Qinwen/CHN
IT (Ukrainians): Marta Kostyuk/UKR and Dayana Yastremska/UKR
COMEBACK PLAYER: Amanda Anisimova/USA
CRASH & BURN: #6 Ons Jabeur/TUN (2r- 2 games vs. M.Andreeva)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Anna Blinkova/RUS (2r- saved 6 MP vs. Rybakina, wins on 10th MP)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Hsieh Su-wei/TPE
LADY OF THE EVENING: Aryna Sabalenka (5-0 RLA night) and Linda Noskova/CZE (def. #1 Iga Swiatek)
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: "Crikey!" (Blinkova & Rybakina play slam record 42-point tie-break)
DOUBLES STAR: Hsieh Su-wei/Elise Mertens, TPE/BEL
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Renata Jamrichova/SVK





All for now.
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