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Monday, June 3, 2024

RG.9- Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'




As the favorites rolled through Paris on Day 9, it was all about the numbers as the Final 8 were set.


1... unseeded (teenage) player advanced
2... first-time slam quarterfinalists advanced to play for a SF berth
5... the number of slam MD it took for Mirra Andreeva to reach her first QF
7... the number of seeds still remaining in the Final 8
7-1... Jasmine Paolini’s record in slam play since entering 2024 at 4-16 in MD matches in majors
8... number of different nations represented in the Final 8
11-0... Aryna Sabalenka's record in slam play in ’24
27-3... Elena Rybakina's overall record since losing a 42-point MTB at the AO







=DAY 9 NOTES=
...in many respects, the second half of the women's Round of 16 wasn't *that* much different from the first. All the favorites won, except this time rather than sweeping all eight sets en route to victory (as was the case on Sunday) they won eight of *nine*.

Well, on second thought, there was *one* big difference... for on Day 9, the Tennis Gods (in association with the Paris Council of Commerce and Tourism) finally declared, "Let there be sunlight." And so it was.



...once more, #4 Elena Rybakina ducked in and out of the office in the early hours and finished up her work for the day, this time handling #15 Elina Svitolina in straights, 6-4/6-3. It's the Kazakh's second career QF in Paris, her first since 2021 and her ninth QF+ result in ten events this season. The only miss? The one courtesy of Anna Blinkova.



Rybakina's next opponent will be one with whom she's crossed paths a couple of times already in '24. Well, just *once* face-to-face, actually, but in both cases when their names appeared next to one another in singles draws, at the end of the week, one or the other ended up lifting a trophy.

In Dubai back in February, Rybakina was set to meet Jasmine Paolini in the QF, only to withdraw due to illness. Paolini took that stroke of fortune and rode it all the way to her maiden 1000 title. Two months later, the two finally met in a '24 QF in Stuttgart, with Rybakina winning in three sets, then going on to claim the crown.

Another such QF match-up, the biggest of the Italian's career, is now on deck.

One of the most stunning stats associated with this women's RG competition remains the aforementioned far-less-than-mediocre slam record of #12 Paolini prior to this season, and her remarkable turnaround in that area in Melbourne and Paris. She added to her '24 slam numbers today after dropping the 1st set to unseeded Hordette Elina Avanesyan, quickly pulling another reversal and blowing the Russian out by a 6-0/6-1 score in the final two sets to become the sixth Italian woman to ever reach the RG quarterfinal round.



If Paolini can pull off the upset, she'll leapfrog Danielle Collins into the Top 10, becoming the fifth different Italian woman -- the first since 2016, and the first who was *not* a member of the famed Quartet -- to climb so high in the WTA singles rankings.

I don't know, maybe Paolini can pay a waiter a few extra Euros to slip some bad shrimp or something into Rybakina's dinner tonight?

...#2 Aryna Sabalenka remains undefeated in slam play in '24, complete with a slew of "traditions/superstitions" to keep up with, including "the signing of the scalp" (of her fitness trainer, started in Melbourne) and now, after incidentally being caputured before her 1st Round appearance, a pre-match dance.



So far, so good. So I guess it'll all continue.

The AO champ took care of #22 Emma Navarro today, 6-2/6-3, to reach her second straight RG QF, her seventh consecutive in slam competition (not to mention 9th in 11 majors, with the other eight all ending with either SF, RU or Champion finishes). Monday's victory lifted Sabalenka's 2024 win total on clay (15) to one more than on the hard court (14), on which she's won her two slam titles.

...finally, in the concluding Round of 16 match of the day (and women's draw), it was Mirra Aleksandrovna Andreeva. A week ago, the 17-year old Hordette officially kicked off her first *return* trip to a slam. And she's still playing.



Andreeva's opponent today was Varvara Gracheva, likewise Russian-born, but playing for France for the first time in a major at this RG. The Last (Frussian) Pastry Standing, Gracheva (15-6 on clay this year) was trying to become the first home favorite to reach the final eight in Paris since 2017.

Seven years ago, Gracheva was 16 and preparing to play the RG juniors for Russia after having recently been taken out of her final pre-Paris event in Milan by a young Pole with the unlikely name of "Iga" (hmm, I wonder whatever became of her?). She ultimately lost in the 2nd Round to Wang Xinyu.

Meanwhile, Andreeva was 10.

Already with nearly as many (or maybe even more) career slam MD wins as the likes of slam winner Emma Raducanu (who has 15), slam semifinalist Dayana Yastremska (16), and multi-title WTA singles champions Anastasia Potapova (14), Clara Tauson (12) and Camila Osorio (8), Andreeva arrived trying to reach the final eight of a major for the first time in just her fifth attempt.

Andreeva's ability to maneuver her way through a big match generally belies her youth, and that was the case again today. Throughout the first, Gracheva was nipping at her heels. After Andreeva broke to lead 4-3 in the 1st, the Pastry broke back a game later. But Andreeva got the advantage back to lead 6-5, then served out the win.

In the 2nd, the Hordette got the early break lead, only to see Gracheva put things back on serve once again. At 2-2, Andreeva grabbed another break lead and never relinquished it, serving out the 7-5/6-2 victory to improve to 13-4 in her still-fledgling slam career.



Thus far 2-4 vs. Top 10 players in her career, with both wins coming this season (Jabeur at the AO, Vondrousova in Madrid), Andreeva will next face #2 Sabalenka.



...well, the worm has turned again for Barbora Krejcikova, and this time not in a good way. After posting three straight WD/MX wins (including two in one day), her first in Paris since 2021, the Czech and partner Laura Siegemund (#4 seeds) lost in the 3rd Round today to Giuliana Olmos & Alexandra Panova. Krejcikova and Joran Vliegen then withdrew from the MX competition.

...in juniors, a big upset, as Russian qualifier Daria Shadchneva defeated #2 seed Emerson Jones, the AO girls' runner-up and recent winner of the J500 title in Milan, by a 7-6(3)/6-4 score in the 1st Round.

Unseeded Czech Crusher Vendula Valdmannova defeated #13 Antonia Vergara Rivera, 6-2/4-6/7-5. The Chilean has thrived on clay in '24, winning J300 crowns in Lima and Ascunsion, and reaching the J500 Banana Bowl semis in Brazil.





...well, the wheelchair draw is out, and #1 Diede de Groot's attempt to win a 14th consecutive slam singles crown will see her open up against... Li Xiaohui. Yes, the player who last month ended her 145-match winning streak. Game on.

De Groot still maintains a 44-match slam winning streak (and 134 in non-team events, as the loss to Li came in the World Team Cup). She's won 38 consecutive singles titles, including the last 13 majors. With another title run in Paris and de Groot will have won at least the last four singles crowns at three of the four slam events (w/ six straight U.S. Opens, which won't be held this year due to the Paralympics), and would head to Wimbledon having won the last three titles there.

Additionally, a win in Paris would move de Groot out of a 1st place tie with Hall of Famer (finally!) Esther Vergeer for the most women's singles slam titles (tied w/ 21) in WC tennis history.





*WOMEN'S SINGLES QF*
#1 Iga Swiatek/POL vs. #5 Marketa Vondrousova/CZE
#3 Coco Gauff/USA vs. #8 Ons Jabeur/TUN
#12 Jasmine Paolini/ITA vs. #4 Elena Rybakina/KAZ
Mirra Andreeva/RUS vs. #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES QF=
x vs. x
x vs. x
x vs. Olmos/Panova (MEX/RUS)
x vs. x

=MIXED DOUBLES QF=
#1 Perez/Ebden (AUS/AUS) vs. #7 Hsieh/Zielinski (TPE/POL)
#4 Krawczyk/N.Skupski (USA/GBR) vs. (PR) Zhang S./Arevalo (CHN/ELS)
Kato/Puetz (JPN/GER) vs. Eikeri/Gonzalez (NOR/ARG)
#6 Routliffe/Venus (NZL/NZL) vs. x







...HOW QUICKLY THEY FORGET... ON DAY 9:

During the Tennis Channel coverage of the Sabalenka/Navarro match, Lindsay Davenport and Chanda Rubin discussed the top seeds remaining in the women's draw and their standings when it came to being the most likely to win the title. Said Davenport, "I feel like Rybakina comes in fourth."

Over Swiatek (though the Pole has never beaten Rybakina on clay) and Sabalenka, maybe, but also Gauff? Have they forgotten Coco's 1-10 record vs. Iga and the almost dead-certain sure-thing (and there's the challenge, Marketa) that she'll have to beat her -- on clay, in Paris -- in the SF to even reach the final?

Just a reminder, Rybakina is 12-1 on clay this spring (w/ a win over Iga; only loss: Sabalenka), and has beaten two seeds at this slam; while Gauff is a good 11-3 (w/ one seeded win), but w/ the loss coming vs. Iga in Rome (4 & 3) in her last pre-RG match. Davenport and Rubin never even brought up Gauff's head-to-head vs. Swiatek.

Just sayin'.

Just Saying GIFfrom Justsaying GIFs



...SPEAKING OF RYBAKINA... ON DAY 9:



I really think the off-white/cream-and-green outfit works best on the terre battue when you also see the green tights underneath (but the length of the dress usually obscures the flash of color). Extra points for the bright orange wristband.


...DON'T KNOW IF THE CONSISTENTLY EARLY STARTS FOR HER MATCHES IS A HELP OR A HINDRANCE WITH THIS... ON DAY 9:




...IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT (I guess)... ON DAY 9:




...WHEN TENNIS GIVES YOU LEMONS, IMAGINE IT'S LEMONADE... ON DAY 9:




..."NUMBERS GUY" APPROVES... ON DAY 9:




...COCO ON... ON DAY 9:












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*RECENT RG "IT" WINNERS*
2017 [Teen] Alona Ostapenko, LAT
2018 [NextGen Hordette] Dasha Kasatkina, RUS
2019 [GenPDQ Teens] A.Anisimova/USA, I.Swiatek/POL, M.Vondrousova/CZE
2020 [New Dane on the Block] Clara Tauson, DEN
2021 [Teen] Coco Gauff, USA
2022 [Teens] Leylah Fernandez/CAN, Coco Gauff/USA, Zheng Qinwen/CHN
2023 [One-Name Star] Mirra Andreeva, RUS
2024 [Teen] Mirra Andreeva, RUS

*"FIRST SLAM..." FEATS IN 2020s at RG*
=QF=
2020 RG - Nadia Podoroska, ARG (2nd slam MD)
2020 RG - Laura Siegemund, GER (16th)
2020 RG - Iga Swiatek, POL (7th)
2020 RG - Martina Trevisan, ITA (2nd)
2021 RG - Paula Badosa, ESP (8th)
2021 RG - Coco Gauff, USA (6th)
2021 RG - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (5th)
2021 RG - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (7th)
2021 RG - Maria Sakkari, GRE (21st)
2021 RG - Tamara Zidansek, SLO (9th)
2022 RG - Veronika Kudermetova, RUS (13th)
2023 RG - Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA (12th)
2024 RG - Mirra Andreeva, RUS (5th)
2024 RG - Jasmine Paolini (18th)

*UNSEEDED/WC/Q in RG QF IN 32-SEED DRAW*
[first in 2002]
2002 C.Fernandez,Pierce,Suarez
2003 Pierce
2004 -
2005 Karatantcheva
2006 -
2007 -
2008 Kanepi,Suarez-Navarro(q)
2009 Cirstea,Sharapova
2010 Shvedova
2011 -
2012 Shvedova(q)
2013 Kuznetsova
2014 Muguruza
2015 Van Uytvanck
2016 Bertens,Pironkova,Putintseva,Rogers
2017 Ostapenko[W]
2018 Putintseva
2019 Anisimova,Vondrousova[RU]
2020 Collins,Podoroska(q),Siegemund,Swiatek[W],Trevisan(q)
2021 Krejcikova[W],Zidansek
2022 Stephens,Trevisan
2023 Muchova[RU],Pavlyuchenkova,Svitolina
2024 M.Andreeva
--
[W]=won title; [RU]=reached final; (wc)=wild card; (q)=qualifier

*2024 ROLAND GARROS FINAL 8*
[by career slam QF]
9 - Aryna Sabalenka
8 - Iga Swiatek
7 - Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur
5 - Elean Rybakina
4 - Marketa Vondrousova
1 - Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini

[by career RG QF]
5 - Iga Swiatek
4 - Coco Gauff
2 - Ons Jabeur, Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, Marketa Vondrousova
1 - Mirra Andreeva, Jasmine Paolini

[w/ consecutive slam QF]
7 - Aryna Sabalenka
3 - Coco Gauff

[w/ consecutive RG QF]
5 - Iga Swiatek
4 - Coco Gauff
2 - Ons Jabeur, Aryna Sabalenka

[2024 slam QF - unseeded]
AO - Anna Kalinskaya, RUS
AO - Marta Kostyuk, UKR
AO - Linda Noskova, CZE
AO - Dayana Yastremska, UKR (Q)
RG - Mirra Andreeva, RUS

[2024 1st-time GS QF]
AO - Anna Kalinskaya, RUS (14th MD)
AO - Marta Kostyuk, UKR (16th)
AO - Linda Noskova, CZE (6th)
AO - Dayana Yastremska, UKR (17th)
RG - Mirra Andreeva, RUS (5th)
RG - Jasmine Paolini, ITA (18th)

[2024 multiple slam QF]
2 - Coco Gauff (AO/RG)
2 - Aryna Sabalenka (AO/RG)

[2024 slam QF - by nation]
3...CZE (2/1) - Vondrousova
2...BLR (1/1) - Sabalenka
2...RUS (1/1) - M.Andreeva
2...UKR (2/0)
2...USA (1/1) - Gauff
1...CHN (1/0)
1...ITA (0/1) - Paolini
1...KAZ (0/1) - Rybakina
1...POL (0/1) - Swiatek
1...TUN (0/1) - Jabeur

[WTA career slam QF - active]
39...Venus Williams, USA
18...Victoria Azarenka, BLR
16...Simona Halep, ROU
13...Petra Kvitova, CZE
11...Angelique Kerber, GER
11...Karolina Pliskova, CZE
10...Madison Keys, USA
10...Elina Svitolina, UKR
10...Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
9...Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
8...Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
8...Iga Swiatek, POL
7...Sara Errani, ITA
7...Coco Gauff, USA
7...Ons Jabeur, TUN
7...Kaia Kanepi, EST
7...Sloane Stephens, USA

[WTA slam QF & W/L in 2020s - 17 events]
9 - Sabalenka (8-0)*
8 - Swiatek (5-2)*
7 - Jabeur (3-3)*
7 - Gauff (3-3)*
6 - Pegula (0-6)
5 - Rybakina (2-2)*
4 - Barty (3-1)
4 - Muchova (3-1)
4 - Krejcikova (1-3)
4 - Ka.Pliskova (1-3)
4 - Svitolina (1-3)
3 - Halep (2-1)
3 - Keys (2-1)
3 - Vondrousova (1-1)*
3 - Pavlyuchenkova (1-2)
3 - Tomljanovic (0-3)
2 - Azarenka (2-0)
2 - Brady (2-0)
2 - Collins (1-1)
2 - Fernandez (1-1)
2 - Kenin (2-0)
2 - Kvitova (1-1)
2 - Osaka (2-0)
2 - Ostapenko (0-2)
2 - Sakkari (2-0)
2 - Trevisan (1-1)
2 - S.Williams (2-0)
2 - Zheng Q. (1-1)
1 - M.Andreeva (0-0)*
1 - Anisimova (0-1)
1 - Badosa (0-1)
1 - Bencic (0-1)
1 - Bouzkova (0-1)
1 - Cirstea (0-1)
1 - Cornet (0-1)
1 - Garcia (1-0)
1 - Golubic (0-1)
1 - Haddad Maia (1-0)
1 - Hsieh (0-1)
1 - Kalinskaya (0-1)
1 - Kanepi (0-1)
1 - Kasatkina (1-0)
1 - Kerber (1-0)
1 - Kontaveit (0-1)
1 - Kostyuk (0-1)
1 - V.Kudermetova (0-1)
1 - Linette (1-0)
1 - Maria (1-0)
1 - Mertens (0-1)
1 - Muguruza (1-0)
1 - Niemeier (0-1)
1 - Noskova (0-1)
1 - Paolini (0-0)*
1 - Pironkova (0-1)
1 - Podoroska (1-0)
1 - Putintseva (0-1)
1 - Raducanu (1-0)
1 - Rogers (0-1)
1 - Siegemund (0-1)
1 - Stephens (0-1)
1 - Vekic (0-1)
1 - Yastremska (1-0)
1 - Zidansek (1-0)

[WTA slam QF by nation in 2020s - 17 slams/136]
27 - USA (1)
19 - CZE (1)
11 - BLR (1)
9 - POL (1)
7 - AUS
7 - RUS (1)
7 - TUN (1)
6 - KAZ (1)
6 - UKR
4 - GER
4 - ROU
3 - ITA (1)
2 - CAN
2 - CHN
2 - ESP
2 - EST
2 - FRA
2 - GRE
2 - JPN
2 - LAT
2 - SUI
1 - ARG,BEL,BRA,BUL,CRO,GBR,SLO,TPE

[WTA slam QF W/L by nation in 2020s]
27 - USA (12-14)*
19 - CZE (7-11)*
11 - BLR (10-0)*
9 - POL (6-2)*
7 - TUN (3-3)*
7 - AUS (3-4)
7 - RUS (2-4)*
6 - KAZ (2-3)*
6 - UKR (2-4)
4 - GER (2-2)
4 - ROU (2-2)
3 - ITA (1-1)*
2 - CAN (1-1)
2 - CHN (1-1)
2 - ESP (1-1)
2 - EST (0-2)
2 - FRA (1-1)
2 - GRE (2-0)
2 - JPN (2-0)
2 - LAT (0-2)
2 - SUI (0-2)
1 - ARG (1-0)
1 - BRA (1-0)
1 - BEL (0-1)
1 - BUL (0-1)
1 - CRO (0-1)
1 - GBR (1-0)
1 - SLO (1-0)
1 - TPE (0-1)






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TOP QUALIFIER: Jule Niemeier/GER
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (7 games lost in 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: Raluca Serban/CYP def. Dominika Salkova/CZE 3-6/6-4/7-6(13-11) - both served for win in 3rd, w/ Salkova 2 MP, then third in TB; Serban wins 24-point MTB
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - #1 Swiatek/POL def. (PR) Osaka/JPN 7-6(1)/1-6/7-5 - Osaka led in 3rd at 4-1 w/ pt. for 5-1, 5-2 up, served at 5-3 and had MP
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Donna Vekic/CRO (def. Tsurenko/UKR ret.)
FIRST SEED OUT: #29 Veronika Kudermetova/RUS (1r: Bouzkova/CZE)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Moyuka Uchijima/JPN (2nd MD)
UPSET QUEENS: United States
REVELATION LADIES: China
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Germany (1-5 1st Rd.)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Olga Danilovic/SRB (in 4th Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER WINS: Hailey Baptiste/USA, Jana Fett/CRO (both 2nd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Chloe Paquet/FRA (3rd Rd.)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: 3rd Rd.: Bianca Andreescu/CAN, Irina-Camelia Begu/ROU; 2nd Rd.: Amanda Anisimova/USA, Naomi Osaka/JPN
LAST PASTRY STANDING: Varvara Gracheva (in 4th Rd.)
Ms./Mademoiselle OPPORTUNITY: Nominees: Jabeur, Paolini, Vondrousova
IT "Teen": Mirra Andreeva/RUS
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominee: Osaka
CRASH & BURN: #6 Maria Sakkari/GRE (lost 1st Rd. 4 of 5 slams)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF PARIS: Iga Swiatek/POL (2nd Rd.: down 4-1 -- pt. for 5-1 -- and 5-2 vs. Osaka in 3rd; Osaka MP at 5-3)
DOUBLES STAR: x
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Jabeur, (wd), (Legends comp.)
Mademoiselle/Madame OF THE EVENING: Nominee: M.Andreeva (1 a.m. 2r finish)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
Légion de Lenglen: Firsts (Court Lenglen roof debuts, and Varvara Gracheva's first RG as FRA) and Last (Alize Cornet's farewell tournament)
Coupe LA PETIT TAUREAU: Nominee: Iga attempt at first three-peat since Henin in 2007






All for Day 9. More tomorrow.
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