Backspin Sites

Thursday, January 18, 2024

AO24 - Iga with an Aye-yi-yi

Well, that almost happened. But, by the skin of her, well, skin, Iga Swiatek lives to play another day.



Should she have? Hmmm. Probably not.

For most of the time that mattered during her 2nd Round match the world #1 surely seemed to be playing her too-worn-by-now role in yet another predictable encounter with a big-hitting opponent -- only this one wasn't named Aryna or Elena, and isn't nipping at her heels in the rankings -- as Danielle Collins often put forth her very best self against the same Swiatek that she defeated in the Australian Open semifinals two years ago. Of course, she'd since gone 0-3 against the Pole, including a pair of matches last year (in Cincinnati and Doha) in which she won just a single game, and perhaps *that* memory prevailed before her day was through.

After unexpected rain pushed the match under the Laver Arena roof, Swiatek and Collins played a tight opening set. Collins led 3-1, and had opportunities to take a late lead with a chance to serve for the set. But Swiatek pulled away, winning the 1st at 6-4 and breaking Collins to open the 2nd.

It was then that a ginned up Collins began firing, and soon things turned decidedly in her favor as Swiatek once more seemed flummoxed about what to do against a player knocking back fire from her side of the court and forcing her to think fast or else quickly fall behind. And fall behind she did. Collins took a 5-1 lead, won the set 6-3 and carried over her roll into the decider. She grabbed a 4-1, two-break edge on Swiatek, and the Pole seemed about to be roasted on the slam spit with her earliest exit in a major since 2019, *before* she won her first slam title in Paris a season later.

Trailing love/40 on serve, down 4-2, Swiatek was staring in the face a knock-out of epic AO proportions.



In the Open era, just *one* AO women's #1 seed has failed to at least reach the Round of 16. In 1979, Virginia Ruzici lost in the 1st Round, but other than that, since seeding began in the tournament 100 years ago (in 1924) only other one #1 had lost so early: Nancy Wynne back in 1939. Six times the top seed has lost in the 4th Round, with one of those players being Swiatek herself just last year.

**EARLIEST EXIT BY SLAM #1 AT AO**
[pre-Open era; seeds began in 1924]
1939 2nd Rd. - Nancy Wynne
[Open era]
1979 1st Rd. - Virginia Ruzici
1997 4th Rd. - Steffi Graf
2009 4th Rd. - Jelena Jankovic
2014 4th Rd. - Serena Willams
2017 4th Rd. - Angelique Kerber
2019 4th Rd. - Simona Halep
2023 4th Rd. - Iga Swiatek


From there, the comeback was on.

Granted, it wasn't one of the Serena-like, take-it-by-the-scruff-of-the-neck variety. Swiatek didn't drop her chin and head for the door (as some top players might under such circumstances), which is to her credit. But, still, it was more an oh-you-don't-want-it-okay-I'll-take-it-then-thank-you-very-much sort of deal, as Collins' game quickly began to fall off as she became more tentative and errors helped to turn the tide. In a flash, it was 4-4. Steady as she went, a quick love hold gave Swiatek a 5-4 lead seemingly just minutes after, as she noted afterward, she was pretty much at the airport on her way out of the country.

Serving to stay in the match, Collins faced a pair of match points, but saved them both (one with the help of an overhead that Swiatek didn't put away). Collins actually reached GP, but consecutive unforced errors gave Swiatek a third MP. Swiatek raced to a Collins drop shot, putting away a winner down the line into the corner to win 6-4/3-6/6-4 in 3:14, the longest women's match so far at this AO.



So, crisis averted. Barely. And largely not necessarily of her own doing. But if Swiatek wins five more matches -- adding to her current 18-match winning streak that dates back to last fall -- no one will remember such pesky details.

Meanwhile, take a moment to remember Collins in your thoughts tonight. Because she's going to have a hard time forgetting this one. Especially after what she announced after the match.









...WELP...:







kosova-font

*RECENT AO "LAST WILD CARD STANDING" WINNERS*
2013 Madison Keys, USA (3rd)
2014 Casey Dellacqua, AUS (4th)
2015 K-C.Chang/TPE, O.Dodin/FRA & I.Falconi/USA (2nd)
2016 Han Xinyun, CHN (2nd)
2017 Ash Barty, AUS (3rd)
2018 Olivia Rogowska, AUS (2nd)
2019 Kimberly Birrell, AUS (3rd)
2020 Patricia Hon/AUS & Arina Rodionova/AUS (3rd)
2021 Dasha Gavrilova/AUS & Samantha Stosur/AUS (2nd)
2022 Maddison Inglis, AUS (3rd)
2023 K.Birrell/AUS, O.Gadecki/AUS, T.Townsend/USA (2nd)
2024 McCartney Kessler/USA & Caroline Wozniacki/DEN (2nd)




kosova-font



kosova-font






All for now. More soon.
Posted by at