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Wednesday, July 3, 2024

W.3- There's No Place Like Home


No malevolent entities in sight, and multiple British women into the 3rd Round.









=DAY 3 NOTES=
...so far, this Wimbledon is going pretty well for the home team on the women's side. The first two days saw five Brits advance to the 2nd Round for the first time since 1987, and the only two that managed to get their matches in today are still alive to play another round.

Wild card Emma Raducanu handled Elise Mertens 6-1/6-2, improving her career SW19 mark to 6-2 and posting multiple wins in a major MD for the first time since she won the U.S. Open in 2021.



Meanwhile, British qualifier Sonay Kartal added a second Wimbledon win to the first of her slam career from the other day. She outlasted Pastry Clara Burel in three sets to become the first British qualifier to reach the women's 3rd Round at SW19 since 1997 (Karen Cross, a player who played in eight Wimbledon MD between 1993-2001, but zero at the other three majors).



Wild card Lily Miyazaki had her 2nd Round match pushed to Day 4, when both Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart will also hit the lawns.

...while Day 2 saw most of the top half's would-be contenders cruise into the 2nd Round, the bottom half lost much of it's firepower on Monday with Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka's injury-related exits.

A few of the potential second-weekers (at least) never got onto the court today as rain delays pushed some of the scheduled 2nd Rounders to tomorrow. The most notable still play: #12 Madison Keys and #14 Dasha Kasatkina

#2 Coco Gauff held up her end (end/bottom... get it? Moving on...) today, though, dispatching qualifier Anca Todoni 2 & 1, while #9 Maria Sakkari (stretching the "contender" label out to Mister Fantastic levels) won her first consecutive matches in slam play since the '23 AO with a 5 & 3 victory over Arantxa Rus.

Naomi Osaka was probably never really someone to watch at this Wimbledon, and she most definitely isn't now. She lost in her 2nd Rounder today in just 59 minutes to #19 Emma Navarro by a 6-1/6-2 score. Osaka is now 0-3 in her Centre Court career (so, bring on the hard courts! Well, after a trip *back* to Paris).



While Osaka's grass game, what of it there is, was never right today, Navarro was pretty flawless. She had just five UE on the day (one a DF), never faced a BP (w/ a 73% first serve pct., winning 82%) and converted four of the five BP chances she had on Osaka's serve.

Navarro next gets Bad Homburg champ Diana Shnaider, who destroyed *that* version of Sloane Stephens (you know the one) 1 & 1 in just 49 minutes. Sloane had just five winners to Shnaider's twenty. This marks the 17th consecutive major with a Russian in the 3rd Round, and 93rd of 95.

For the record, Shnaider is still minus her signature bandanna at the AELTC, and it's not because of the rules -- see #6. Hard to believe she doesn't have a white one SOMEWHERE (you don't *have* to have the polka-dots, Diana!).



...in a postponed 1st Round match, #21 Elina Svitolina avoided a Radwanska Day collapse. She led Magda Linette 7-5/3-1, then saved three SP in the 2nd set TB and held a MP of her own at 9-8 before the Pole won it 11-9. Svitolina, a semifinalist last year, took control in the 3rd and won it 6-3.

...in another 1st Rounder, the match-up of maybe the two most disappointing (still, for now) Top 40 players on tour this season took place between #31 Barbora Krejcikova and Veronika Kudermetova. The Czech came in at just 7-9 on the year, even while posting three QF results (one at the AO), while the Hordette was 12-16, with just one QF finish.

In the 3rd set, Krejcikova served for the win at 5-4, only to immediately fall behind love/40 and drop serve. A game later, Kudermetova had a pair of GP chances, but Krejcikova got the break and served for the match again. She converted on her second MP, winning 7-6(4)/6-7(1)/7-5 to finally finish off the women's 1st Round.

The victory gave the Czechs five players into the 2nd Round, behind the U.S. (9) and Russia (7), and tied with Great Britain.

...Bianca Andreescu continued to look good in her comeback, taking out #26 Linda Noskova to match her career-best Wimbledon result by reaching the 3rd Round, winning 6-3/7-6(5).

Surprising fact: this is the *fourth* straight year in which Andreescu has played Wimbledon, matching her four-year run of appearances in the RG MD. She's played in 12 of the past 15 majors, despite all of her injuries and other issues. A bit surprising, to be honest.

So far, over the past three years, Andreescu has posted progressively better SW19 results: 1r-2r-3r. She's a win from bettering her career best yet again. She next faces #7 Jasmine Paolini, who defeated Greet Minnen in straights.

The Italian is now 11-2 in slam play in 2024, after being 4-16 in her career before this year (I reiterate for the millionth time, it seems, I know... but I just adore that stat).



...the final women's 2nd Round match of the day was a nice contest between #28 Dayana Yastremska, an AO semifinlaist this year, and Varvara Gracheva, who just reached the Round of 16 in her first RG while representing France. It's a pity the match got a little muddied after the fact.

Everything came down to the 3rd set, where Gracheva fought to get the break to put herself in position to win. The Pastry broke on her fourth BP of game 9 and served for the win. She couldn't do it, and soon after the match went to a MTB. Yastremska got out to a 5-1 lead, Gracheva (w/ former Wimbledon champ Marion Bartoli cheering her on from the sidelines) closed to 6-5. But the Ukrainian shut things down, taking the final four points to win the breaker 10-5 to advance (though Gracheva led 117-116 in total points in the match, out-winnered Yastremska 48-42, and had just 16 UE to her opponent's 41).

But then the meeting at the net happened. I admit, I'd forgotten what the Ukrainian protocol apparently is for the recently *former* Russians, which Gracheva is after officially making the switch just over a year ago (though it ended up happening after the start of the war, which apparently makes a difference). It seems as if Gracheva forgot the protocol, as well.

The two met in the 2nd Round at the Australian Open this year with the same UKR/FRA designations. I wondered aloud then what would happen, and got the answer. Yastremska didn't shake hands with Gracheva, but tapped rackets instead (which is still more than the current Hordettes receive after matches from the Ukrainian contingent).



But that was five months ago for Gracheva, and 31 matches back, and since then she's climbed out of what turned out to be a seven-match losing streak that started with her AO loss to Yastremska, finally finding her footing in Paris (w/ a 125 SF and then 4th Round RG run) while being embraced by the French fans.

Today, Gracheva approached Yastremska like she would any other opponent, raising her hand to share a hearty grip or handshake. When Yastremska wasn't doing the same, Gracheva seemed to think that maybe they were going to hug after a well-fought battle instead. That was when she seemed to realize her error, as Yastremska was holding up her racket between them. Gracheva pulled back, then held her hands up and stepped away while it seemed that Yastremska was apologizing for what *wasn't* going to be happening, which Gracheva seemed to do, too.

Needless to say, it was clearly a moment of confusion, and more than a bit awkward. They ended up not even tapping rackets.



Sigh.

...at the Roehampton wheelchair event, Diede de Groot advanced to the semifinals with a 6-4/6-4 win over Angelica Bernal. It's her 144th consecutive non-team event singles win. She'll face Jiske Griffioen in one semi, while the other features Yui Kamiji and Aniek Van Koot. De Groot has won her last 40 singles tournament titles.

...at the Roehampton juniors, #1 seed Laura Samson (RG jr. RU) gets #5 Iva Jovic in one semi, while #2 Emerson Jones (AO jr. RU) will face #14 Teodora Kostovic in the other.





...APPARENTLY, RUFUS DID HIS JOB QUITE WELL TODAY... ON DAY 3:




...A BETTER DAY 3 FOR HER THAN THAT ONE A WHILE BACK, TOO... ON DAY 3:




..."THIS IS WHERE I FEEL AMAZING" IS A QUOTE TO REMEMBER IF, WELL, YOU KNOW... ON DAY 3:




...THE ART OF PLEASING THE AUDIENCE... ON DAY 3:
































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*SLAM "LUCKY LOSER" WINNERS RESULTS SINCE 2020*
2020 RG: Astra Sharma, AUS (2nd)
2021 AO: Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, SVK (2nd)
2021 WI: Kristie Ahn, USA (2nd)
2021 US: Kristina Kucova, SVK (2nd)
2021 US: Greet Minnen, BEL (3rd)
2021 US: Kamilla Rakhimova, RUS (3rd)
2022 WI: Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove, NED (2nd)
2023 RG: Elina Avanesyan, RUS (4th)
2023 RG: Aliona Bolsova, ESP (2nd)
2023 RG: Camila Osorio, COL (2nd)
2023 WI: Tamara Korpatsch, GER (2nd)
2023 US: Yanina Wickmayer, BEL (2nd)
2024 RG: Hailey Baptiste, USA (2nd)
2024 RG: Jana Fett, CRO (2nd)
2024 WI: Erika Andreeva, RUS (2nd)




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TOP QUALIFIER: Katie Volynets/USA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): x
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 -Robin Montgomery/USA def. #10 Kamilla Rakhimova/RUS 7-6(0)/6-7(4)/7-6(10-4) - no breaks in 36 games, only 5 BP face; Montgomery w/ 20 aces; combined for 132 winners (67/65)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): x
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Varvara Gracheva/FRA (def. Lesia Tsurenko/UKR)
FIRST SEED OUT: #8 Zheng Qinwen/CHN (1st Rd. to Sun/NZL) (after #22 Alexandrova/RUS, #3 Sabalenka/BLR and #16 Azarenka/BLR withdrew)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Day 1: Erika Andreeva/RUS, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro/ESP, Sonay Kartal/GBR, Robin Montgomery/USA, Yuliia Starodubtseva/UKR, Lulu Sun/NZL, Anca Todoni/ROU
UPSET QUEENS: Spain
REVELATION LADIES: Great Britain
NATION OF POOR SOULS: ROU (1-5 1st Rd.; #29 Cirstea out, Bogdan 2 MP, no Halep
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: in 2r: Galfi/HUN, Kartal/GBR(W), Montgomery/USA, Starodubtseva/UKR(L), Sun/NZL(W), Todoni/ROU(L), Volynets/USA
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: in 2r: Miyazaki/GBR, Osaka/JPN(L), Raducanu/GBR(W), Wozniacki/DEN
PROTECTED RANKING: in 2r: Andreescu/CAN(W), Badosa/ESP
LUCKY LOSER WINNERS: Erika Andreeva/RUS (2nd)
LAST BRIT STANDING: in 2r: Boulter, Dart, Kartal(W), Miyazaki, Raducanu(W)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: x
IT "??": x
COMEBACK PLAYER: x
CRASH & BURN: #6 Marketa Vondrousova/CZE (1st Rd. to Bouzas Maneiro/ESP; first defending champ out 1r since 1994 Graf loss vs. McNeil; second in Open era)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON: Nominees: B.Fruhvirtova (1st Rd.- trailed #24 M.Andreeva 6-3/3-0 in meeting of two youngest in draw; wins 12/14 games to end); Bucsa (1st Rd.-2 MP vs. Bogdan); Pera (1st Rd.-MP vs. Potapova)
DOUBLES STAR: x
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREE: Nominee: Jabeur slam quest

[2024 RADWANSKIAN REMEMBRANCE DAYS]
[June 26 - official]
Eastbourne 2nd Rd.: Emma Raducanu saves MP, def. #5 Jessie Pegula for first Top 10 win; Harriet Dart def. ex-slam champ Sofia Kenin; Katie Boulter def. ex-slam champ Alona Ostapenko (a day later all three Brits lose)
[Day 3 - observed]
#25 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and #26 Linda Noskova lose; six men's seeds lose; otherwise no reported Rad activity






All for Day 3. More tomorrow.
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