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Sunday, September 8, 2024

New York, New York (music plays off...)




The festivities are over. Now comes the clean-up.




=DAY 14 NOTES=
...in Montreux (SUI), 34-year old Irina-Camelia Begu defeated 18-year old Petra Marcinko, 1-6/6-3/6-0, to take home the title at the second WTA 125 event of the week. It's the Romanian's biggest singles title since 2022.





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1. Aryna Sabalenka, BLR ...completed her quest to win in New York, and has now won three of the last four hard court majors. And, as was noted in social media corners after the U.S. Open final, with her third slam win likely tags herself as the best Belarusian player ever over the previous holder Vika Azarenka (who was unlucky enough to have to compete vs. Serena in *her* NYC finals).
2. Jessie Pegula, USA ...winning a title in Toronto, reaching the final in Cincinnati, and breaking her slam QF curse and then playing in her first major final at the Open (she's the first since 1973 to reach the final at all three of the big summer hard court finals) made her "Pegula Summer" one for the personal memory bank
3. Yui Kamiji, JPN (WC) ...Diede de Groot was expected to star in Paris at the Paralympics, but it was Kamiji who *did*. The veteran had the tournament of her life, sweeping the singles and doubles Golds (defeating de Groot in both finals) to break the Dutch women's stranglehold on *all* of the Para tennis titles since the inception of the event. Oh, and after losing to de Groot 28 straight times over a three-year stretch, Kamiji has now beaten her twice in a row. She hasn't done that since 2017.
4. Zheng Qinwen, CHN ...Zheng rebounded from her early Wimbledon exit to defend her title in Palermo and carry over her roll into Paris to take singles Gold (saving MP against a player who then brazenly told her she didn't "respect her" and then continued to drag her a month later w/o specifics, and upsetting #1 Iga Swiatek on the terre battue). Zheng repeated her '23 QF at the U.S. Open, but then also repeated her '24 AO final result with a loss to ultimate champ Aryna Sabalenka.
5t. Sara Errani, ITA and Jasmine Paolini, ITA ...they shared the doubles Gold in Paris, while Errani went on to win the MX at the U.S. Open and Paolini reached the singles Round of 16 in New York, completing a "Career Round of 16" slam in less than nine months (going 18-4 in slam play in '24, after being 4-16 in her career before this season)
6. Paula Badosa, ESP ...in the spring, Badosa's season wasn't looking promising as she struggled to find her form following her back injury, but by the end of the summer her '24 campaign now qualifies as one of her best courtesy of a 14-3 hard court run that included a title in Washington, 1000 SF in Cincinnati and a QF at the U.S. Open. If not for blowing a 5-1 2nd set led vs. Navarro, she might have faced best friend Aryna Sabalenka for a spot in the U.S. Open final.
7. Katerina Siniakova, CZE ...the Czech didn't add to her slam title collection (after winning RG and WI back-to-back), but reunited with Barbora Krejickova to win in Prague, won her second Olympic Gold medal (this time in MX), and will return to the #1 ranking on Monday
8t. Emma Navarro, USA and Karolina Muchova, CZE ...after an inauspicious beginning with a blown Olympic match (and worse) vs. Zheng Qinwen, Navarro reached her first 1000 SF in Toronto and maiden slam SF at the Open. She'll climb into the Top 10 on Monday. After missing nine and a half months, Muchova returned to NYC in her sixth event back since wrist surgery and repeated her semifinal run from a year ago. The Czech was a BP away from a set and double-break lead over Jessie Pegula at Flushing Meadows. She also reached the Palermo final in event #3.
9. Lyudmyla Kichenok/Alona Ostapenko, UKR/LAT ...reaching their second '24 slam final (w/ AO) in NYC, the duo won their first doubles slam. Both had won a major before, but in different disciplines (Kichenok in MX, Ostapenko in singles).
10. Diana Shnaider, RUS and Mirra Andreeva, RUS ...both Hordettes won 3Q singles titles (Shnaider her third in '24 on a third different surface, in Budapest; and Andreeva her maiden on the WTA tour in Iasi), while Shnaider reached a 1000 SF and slam 4th Round (both firsts) and Andreeva a 1000 QF (Cincy). They combined for an Olympic Silver in doubles (def. defending Gold medalists Krejickova/Siniakova in the QF).
HM- Donna Vekic, CRO ...Vekic followed up her Wimbledon SF with a Silver medal at the Olympics and Round of 16 in New York (her first consecutive slam second week runs in her career)



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1. Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
...she might not finish '24 at #1, but her pair of hard court slams puts her atop the list heading into the final stretch. If she'd done *anything* on grass (she was injured and missed Wimbledon) she'd have a bit of a cushion over the running #2 on this list.

2. Iga Swiatek, POL
...it wasn't a good summer for Iga, who was again run out of a slam on a rail by a big hitter while also *not* winning Gold (a MUST) in the Olympics despite having dominated the very same RG clay courts this decade. Again, she looks vulnerable atop the heap. Of course, she did *last* year, too, before shining brightly in the fall.

3. Diede de Groot, NED (WC)
...her Paralympic Silver (rather than Gold) haul notwithstanding, de Groot still swept all three singles majors (and has won the last *15* slam singles titles *and* six year-ending Masters events)

4. Jasmine Paolini, ITA
...two slam finals, 4th Rd.+ at all four majors, Olympic doubles Gold, 1000 s/d titles and a Top 5 singles ranking. The best WTA season by anyone not named Aryna or Iga.

5. Yui Kamiji, JPN
...she's been nearly as dominant a WC #2 as de Groot has been #1 (sort of like when Nadal was stuck at #2 behind Federer), and her Paralympic Gold sweep inches her a little closer to the Dutch star

6. Elena Rybakina, KAZ
...while her health has become *the* story of her season, let's not forget about the pair of titles (on hard and clay), two 1000 finals, RG QF, Wimbledon SF and wins over #1 Iga and #2 Aryna

7. Katerina Siniakova, CZE (d)
...four titles (tied for the tour lead), two majors (the most), a MX Gold medal and back in the doubles #1 ranking where she belongs

8. Zheng Qinwen, CHN
...added a Gold medal, Palermo title defense and U.S. QF run to her great start and AO final appearance on the season

9. Jessie Pegula, USA
...the Pegula Summer saw her reach the final (winning one) of all three of the big hard court events in North America during the stretch. Turns out, a Top 10 player *can* still make a sudden and unexpected coaching change and improve her game *even more*.

10. Danielle Collins, USA
...her final season seems to have peaked in the spring, but what a peak it was (Miami/Charleston titles, Strasbourg F and Rome SF). Does she have one more big result in her that will get her into her maiden WTAF? Right now, she's one slot out (since Krejcikova gets a berth in the 8-player field with her SW19 title).

HM- Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
...her Wimbledon title clears many hurdles, but she's only 9-9 on anything other than grass in '24







*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR def. #6 Jessie Pegula/USA 7-5/7-5

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#7 L.Kichenok/Ostapenko (UKR/LAT) def. Mladenovic/Zhang S. (FRA/CHN) 6-4/6-3

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
#3 Errani/Vavassori (ITA/ITA) def. (WC) Townsend/Young (USA/USA) 7-6(0)/7-5

*GIRLS SINGLES FINAL*
Mika Stojsavljevic/GBR def. #7 Wakana Sonobe/JPN 6-4/6-4

*GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL*
El Allami/Sartz-Lunde (MAR/NOR) def. Pastikova/Stusek (CZE/GER) 6-2/4-6 [10-6]

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR SINGLES FINAL*
#2 Yuma Takamuro/JPN def. #1 Vitoria Miranda/BRA 2-6/6-4/6-4

*WHEELCHAIR JUNIOR DOUBLES FINAL*
#2 Okano/Takamuro (JPN/JPN) def. #1 Gryp/Miranda (BEL/BRA) 6-3/6-2

*PARALYMPICS WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S FINAL*
#2 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. #1 Diede de Groot/NED 4-6/6-3/6-4

*PARALYMPICS WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#2 Kamiji/Tanaka (JPN) def. #1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED) 4-6/7-6(3) [10-8]







...I WAS WONDERING WHY IT WAS SO STRANGE THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ON SUNDAY OTHER THAN THE MEN'S FINAL... ON DAY 14:


And then I realized that they usually play the women's wheelchair final on Sunday... sometimes it even *overlaps* with the men's final. But not this year, of course.


...UMMM, YEAH... ON DAY 14:





...MEANWHILE... ON DAY 14:




Fact is, not very many other people are a likely audience, either... but it's because it airs during the window when the early *and* late afternoon NFL games for Week 1 are taking place. Even the people at ESPN are skipping ESPN on Sunday afternoon.


...MARIA SIGHTING... ON DAY 14:





...THE CHIEFS PLAYED ON THURSDAY, SO... ON DAY 14:





...IT'S TOP 10 TIME AGAIN... ON DAY 14:












I finally found a different version of this annual Daily Backspin tradition, with new NYC images!








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

* - U.S. Open champ Aryna Sabalenka stays at #2, and is 2100 points behind #1 Iga Swiatek, who has 1000 Beijing and WTAF title points to defend.

* - Jessie Pegula climbs back to #3 (equaling her career high), and becomes the U.S. #1 as '23 Open champ Coco Gauff falls to #6. In/Out: Emma Navarro climbs into the Top 10 (#8), while Alona Ostapenko slips out.

* - Top 20 risers: #17 Beatriz Haddad Maia, #20 Paula Badosa. In/Out: Ons Jabeur and Madison Keys fall out. Just on the outside: #21 Donna Vekic.

* - Top 30 career highs: Anna Kalinskaya (#14), Diana Shnaider (#16). Out: Marketa Vondrousouva (#33).

* - yes, Maria Sakkari is STILL in the Top 10 (at #10). The voodoo is real. Guadalajara lurks, though. Do your stuff, G.

* - speaking of voodoo, or at least the power of a 1st Round slam appearance. Zhang Shuai lost her record 23rd straight match, but sees her ranking rise *again*. She climbs 37 spots to #606.

* - RANKINGS OF NOTE: Lulu Sun cracks the Top 40 (#39), Sara Errani is #76 (from #96), while Elina Avanesyan sets another Armenian tennis ranking record by cracking the Top 50. Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro's name (you'll know) is at #60 (from #74). Naomi Osaka is back in the Top 75 (from #88), while Mexico's Renata Zarazua is at a career-best #85 after appearing in the MD of all four majors in a season for the first time. Just on the outside: #51 Ashlyn Krueger (still a new career-high).

* - RACE UPDATE: after Swiatek, Sabalenka, Rybakina and Paolini, Pegula rises to #5 and Navarro to #7. Gauff is stationed between her two countrywomen. The eighth spot is currently taken by Krejickova (due to the WTAF spot now reserved for all slam champions), despite the Czech behind behind #8 Collins and #9 Zheng in the standings.

* - DOUBLES: U.S. Open champs Lyudmyla Kichenok (#5) and Alona Ostapenko (#6) both climb 12 spots to new career high WD rankings. U.S. finalist Kristina Mladenovic is back in the Top 25 (#24, from #44). Meanwhile, Katerina Siniakova replaces '23 U.S. Open winner Erin Routliffe (QF this year) as the doubles #1, and will add to her previous 115 weeks (6th all time) in the top spot. If she can stay there until the start of '25, Siniakova will move past fifth-most Natasha Zvereva (124) and would be just a few weeks behind fourth-best Lisa Raymond (137).




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TOP QUALIFIER: Yuliia Starodubtseva, UKR (4 con. slam Q-runs)
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 (first BLR US Open champ; won 3 of last 4 HC majors)
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q1: Francesca Jones/GBR def. #5 Rebeka Masarova/ESP 6-1/2-6/7-6(6) - Masarova comes back from 5-1 in 3rd to force MTB, and leads 4-2 before Jones rallies for 10-6 win
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - #29 Ekaterina Alexandrova/RUS def. (WC) Iva Jovic/USA 4-6/6-4/7-5 - Alexandrova outlasts 16-year old, wins on MP #7
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #26 Paula Badosa/ESP def. (Q) Gabriela Ruse/ROU 4-6/6-1/7-6(10-8) - saved MP at 4-5 3rd, led by break twice in 3rd (3-2,6-5); wins 10-8 TB on MP #2 for first U.S. second week)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): SF - #6 Jessie Pegula/USA def. Karolina Muchova/CZE 1-6/6-4/6-2 - trailed 6-1/2-0, BP down for 3-0 and double-break
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Wang Yafan/CHN (def. #9 Sakkari/GRE, ret. after 1st set)
FIRST SEED OUT: #9 Maria Sakkari/GRE (1r- retired vs. Wang Yafan after losing 1st set)
FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS: Maya Joint/AUS, Iva Jovic/USA, Ashlyn Krueger/USA, Jessika Ponchet/FRA, Ena Shibahara/JPN
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Ajla Tomljanovic/AUS (2r)
LUCKY LOSER MD WINS: none
UPSET QUEENS: United States
REVELATION LADIES: Italy
NATION OF POOR SOULS: CAN (0-2 1st Rd.; '19 champ Andreescu & '21 finalist Fernandez)
CRASH & BURN: #4 Elena Rybakina/KAZ (2nd Rd. walkover is 8th '24 event pulled out, walkover or retired; at third different 2022-24 major)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Paula Badosa/ESP (3r- MP down 5-4 3rd vs. Ruse; 10-8 MTB win for first U.S. Open second week)
IT ("Bannerette Teen"): Iva Jovic/USA
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: Jessie Pegula/USA and Emma Navarro/USA
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Jessika Ponchet/FRA and Gabriela Ruse/ROU (both 3rd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Iva Jovic/USA and Naomi Osaka/JPN (both 2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: Jessie Pegula (in final)
COMEBACK: Karolina Muchova/CZE
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Sara Errani/ITA
DOUBLES STAR: Lyudmyla Kichenok/Alona Ostapenko, UKR/LAT
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Ashlyn Krueger
BROADWAY-BOUND: "In the Heat of the Night" (Zheng/Vekic 2:16 a.m. finish, latest for U.S. women's match)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Aryna Sabalenka/BLR
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Mimi Xu/GBR and Mika Stojsavljevic/GBR







All for now. 3Q Awards this week.
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