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Monday, September 2, 2024

US.8- Artistic License


In an age of big (and loud) tennis, Karolina Muchova is the mesmerizing whisper heard just above the silence.



The Czech has toggled back and forth over the past half-decade between putting together brilliantly vintage runs in majors and missing time with injury. Her most recent example was a semifinal run at last year's U.S. Open that was then followed by nine and a half months off tour due to wrist surgery. While there are a handful of other players on tour who employ some of the wide range of tactics that make up Muchova's all-court game, none possess the same "smooth criminal" qualities that come so naturally to her alone.

Aside from the occasional "she-did-what?" moment (see her behind-the-back shot from last week), the Czech's game doesn't luxuriate in the innate "magic show" flair of, say, an Ons Jabeur, whose style does employ much of the same drop/lob/volley/slice variety. Instead, Muchova's stock and trade pulls from the "classics" that used to be spun "in the old days" of wooden rackets, the dream that became the WTA, fearless serve-and-volleyers and tennis legends as far as the eye could see.

There used to be many like her. But not so much anymore.

Muchova's immense variety of shots and "vintage" mindset concerning how to play tennis is like a trip through the highlight reels of some of the best players of decades-ago yore. Liberally borrowing mind's eye images from the past, one needn't squint too tightly to see in her game the sort of tennis poetry written by the likes of Laver, Navratilova and (later) Federer, with some parts Novotna, Mauresmo and others. Players that moved forward in the court rather than back, ran down balls *and* came in to the net to exasperate opponents with angled volleys out of reach of everyone save the ball kids. Muchova's slices, deft touch, lobs, drops, net rushes, approach shots, abrupt changes of pace and other "classic" patterns of play sometimes vex opponents because they just don't often see the combinations coming at them from the other side of the net. Not in the 2020s.

That's why Muchova is such a keeper.

Her brilliance is often awe-inspiring, but not in a bombastic sort of way. It's more akin to the recognition of a lovely turn of phrase, a perfect word choice, an indelibly poetic metaphor, the aching lilt in a singer's voice that hits a listener "right there," or a gloriously executed brush stroke whose result stops a viewer in their tracks no matter hom many times they've walked past it within the masterpiece hanging on the museum wall.

In Muchova's version, it's sometimes the lovely sound of a ball ever so gently spinning off her racket strings, or the sudden thud of a put-away volley that comes behind the almost imperceptible sound of her footsteps as she snuck in to the net. Often an opponent, and anyone within earshot, doesn't hear her game at all... until it's too late.



Today was Jasmine Paolini's turn to go through the experience.

The appearance of the #5-seeded Italian woman, the revelation of the slam season, cast Muchova in the role of the artist vs. the Energizer bunny, the novella vs. the winning Super Bowl ad. After the Italian's quick start, it was the Czech who settled in and told her story.

Paolini held an early break lead at 3-1 in the 1st while Muchova's game was finding its footing. It finally did when she broke to knot the score at 3-3, then carried her moment through to the end of the set, lobbing and volleying (at one point in a face-off with Paolini, also at the net) her way to a 6-3 win.

In the 2nd, another mid-set surge propelled Muchova. The Czech broke Paolini for a 4-3 edge, and again brought the set in for a soft landing, winning 6-3/6-3.



Thus ends Paolini's slam season, the most successful ever for an Italian (even without a title), as she went 18-4 (she'd been 4-16 in her slam career before '24), reached two consecutive finals and played in the second week at all four events as she lifted her ranking into the Top 5.

But it says a great deal about her "ceiling" that Muchova, just over two months and 15 matches into her latest comeback stint, was able to so routinely assert herself yet again on the big stage against a player who's arguably been better than anyone else there all year.

Of course, the Czech's abilities aren't her albatross. Her inability to stay healthy has been.

When a player with special skills is also injury-prone, you never know when or if they'll finally get "lucky" and be able to fulfill their potential, or whether their luck will instead run out and the successful comebacks stop. You hope that if they're talented enough to win a slam title (which Muchova is) they get one at the first opportunity because the fates may conspire against them forever after if they don't, and then it'll be too late.

At 28, Muchova is no longer in the "early stages" of her career, and while she's magnificently maximized her slam opportunities even while dealing with multiple injuries -- achieving at all four majors, with one final ('23 RG), two SF ('21 AO, '23 US), two Wimbledon QF and now another QF in NYC -- she also *hasn't* locked away an early-chance slam title (something that the likes of betrayed-by-their-bodies Juan Martin del Potro and Bianca Andreescu did, at least) that precludes a career "shutout."

Muchova isn't assured of anything, so the "quest" is officially on. Sometimes those sorts of stories produce the very *best* endings, but sometimes the endings remain unfinished.

As has been her wont, Muchova has once again played herself into the conversation at the business end of a major. She remains a player to be cherished, but at some point if IT is ever going to happen IT has to happen now, or risk maybe never happening at all.




=DAY 8 NOTES=
...though her season was slowed by injuries early in the year, Jessie Pegula may have stumbled onto something important in the process.

The #6 seed at this Open, Pegula has talked this week of feeling fresher at this point in the season than she normally does. And the possible implications of that have so far been impressive. When many other players have started to feel the drag of a long season (Iga Swiatek has talked of it often of late), Pegula is just hitting her stride. She won in Toronto, reached the Cincinnati final, and has played into the second week in New York. She came into today's match vs. #18 Diana Shnaider at 12-1 this hard court summer.

Having already defeated the 20-year old Hordette 4 & 3 in the Toronto semis just a few weeks ago, Pegula maintained her edge over the first-time slam Round of 16er today, winning 6-4/6-2 to reach her seventh career QF at a major, all coming since the start of 2021.



Maybe Pegula inadvertently learned something this season, especially as, at 30, she's now one of the "more veteran" players on tour. For several years now, it was wondered whether her full singles *and* doubles schedules, with her usually playing deep into draws in both, might be wearing her out before the late stages of big events. It's not the *only* reason for her 0-6 career mark in slam QF, but it could be something of a contributing factor.

Back for another try at reaching her maiden slam SF, should Pegula be able to (finally) do it she'd also be bumping up against some significant history with the string of results she's put up this summer. Already one of the few players to play in both the Canada and Cincinnati finals in the same season (over the past decade only she and Simona Halep, who did it in 2015 and '18, have done it), should she find her way into the final at Flushing Meadows she'd join a very short list of women to play in all three of the biggest summer hard court finals in a season.

The only others to do it were Rosie Casals (Cincy W, Canada RU, US RU), in 1970, and Evonne Goolagong (Cincy W, Canada W, US RU), in 1973.

...#22 Beatriz Haddad Maia has operated mostly under the radar at this Open, even as she's posted results not seen in New York by a Brazilian since, well, Pele played for the Cosmos. And, well, you know, Maria Bueno.

Facing two-time U.S. finalist Caroline Wozniacki today, Haddad Maia came into the match having not yet lost a set at this tournament. *That* streak ended in the 2nd set, when after a brief grounds-wide stoppage occurred after a fire alarm went off that shut down the electronic line-calling system, Haddad Maia closed out a 6-2 opening set, but then saw the veteran Dane rebound to take the 2nd.

But Haddad Maia's fortunes turned on her serve all day, and in the final set against what often appeared to be a tiring Wozniacki, if the Brazilian could get her first serve in (which she did 79% of the time in the 3rd) she was going to win the point (81%, 21/26). Wozniacki held close enough to force Haddad Miami to deal with some pressure, though, and when the Brazilian reached MP at 5-4, 40/30, the Dane even pulled the match back from the edge for a few moments with a blistering rally-ending winner, then saw Haddad Maia DF the following point and suddenly face a BP.

The final game ultimately saw Wozniacki get another BP look, but Haddad Maia converted on her third MP when Wozniacki couldn't move forward quickly enough to reach a slow, short-bouncing serve from the Brazilian, sending her return into the net to end the 6-2/3-6/6-3 match.



A semifinalist at Roland Garros last year, Haddad Maia is now the first Brazilian to reach the QF in NYC since Bueno's final deep run (a SF, after four pre-Open era title runs from 1959-66) in the event in 1968.

Wherever Brazilian athletes go, in whatever sport, they always seem to have incredible support from partisan crowds. For Haddad Maia, things have been no different in New York.



...in the final women's Round of 16 match, played under the lights on Ashe, #1 Iga Swiatek took what seemed like it could be tough opponent who had the chance at an upset, nipped her in the closing moments of the opening set to grab the match lead, then ran away with what remained.

#16 Liudmila Samsonova played well in the 1st set. Though she couldn't scratch out a BP on Swiatek's serve, the Russian held her own without much difficulty. Until she didn't. Down 5-4 and serving to stay in the set, Samsonova fell behind love/40 and, just like that, dropped serve at love to lose a 6-4 set. That was pretty much the match.

Swiatek quickly took control in the 2nd, and led 5-0. Samsonova got on the board to avoid the bagel, but never did find her way to a BP in the 6-4/6-1 win by the world #1.

The result sends Swiatek into her ninth career slam QF, but just her second this season (she went out in the 3rd Round in AO/WI) and second in the last five majors. Prior to the past 14-month stretch, she'd reached the QF in five of seven tournaments over 2022-23.

...in Paris, the Paralympic quarterfinals are set, with all six of the seeds in action on Monday getting wins.

#1 Diede de Groot double-bageled Israel's Maayan Zikri, while #2 Yui Kamiji defeated French teen Ksenia Chasteau 7-6(4)/6-0.







*WOMEN'S SINGLES QF*
#1 Iga Swiatek/POL vs. #6 Jessie Pegula/USA
#22 Beatriz Haddad Maia/BRA vs. Karolina Muchova/CZE
#26 Paula Badosa/ESP vs. #13 Emma Navarro/USA
#7 Zheng Qinwen/CHN vs. #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES QF*
#1 Dabrowski/Routliffe (CAN/NZL) vs. #10 Chan H-c./V.Kudermetova (TPE/RUS)
Danilina/Khromacheva (KAZ/RUS) vs. #7 L.Kichenok/Ostapenko (UKR/LAT)
#8 Schuurs/Stefani (NED/BRA) vs. #3 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA)
#5 Melichar-Martinez/Perez (USA/AUS) vs. Mladenovic/Zhang S. (FRA/CHN)

*MIXED DOUBLES SF*
(WC) Townsend/Young (USA/USA) vs. #8 Sutjiadi/Bopanna (INA/IND)
#3 Errani/Vavassori (ITA/ITA) vs. (WC) Grant/Kovacevic (USA/USA)

*PARALYMPICS WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S QF*
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. Guo Luoyao/CHN
#4 Wang Ziying/CHN vs. #5 Angelica Bernal/COL
Li Xiaohui/CHN vs. #3 Aniek Van Koot/NED
#6 Zhu Zhenzhen/CHN vs. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN

*PARALYMPICS WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S DOUBLES SF*
#1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED) vs. #3 Li Xiaohui/Zhu Zhenzhen (CHN)
#4 Guo Luoyao/Wang Ziying (CHN) vs. #2 Kamiji/Tanaka (JPN)







...IT'S LABOR DAY, SO IT'S TRADITION TO BREAK OUT THE OLD 1991 VIDEOS OF JIMMY CONNORS' SF RUN AT AGE 39 (here's *the* point, and *the* celebration)... ON DAY 8:




Naturally, today was also his birthday...






...IT'S NOT JUST FOR JULY 4th ANYMORE (apparently)... ON DAY 8:





...THE GOOD/BAD OF THIS WILL ROIL TENNIS SOCIAL MEDIA FOR YEARS... ON DAY 8:




















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**BACKSPIN 2024 WTA DOWN-OF-THE-MONTH WINNERS**
JAN (pre-AO): Liudmila Samsonova, RUS
AO: Iga Swiatek, POL
JAN: Jessie Pegula, USA
FEB: Ons Jabeur, TUN
MAR: Alona Ostapenko, LAT
1Q...JABEUR
APR: Alona Ostapenko, LAT
MAY: Liudmila Samsonova, RUS
RG: Maria Sakkari, GRE
2Q Clay Court...KREJCIKOVA
JUN: Maria Sakkari, GRE
WI: Marketa Vondrousova, CZE
2Q Grass Court...VONDROUSOVA
JUL: Anna Blinkova, RUS
OLY: Iga Swiatek, POL
AUG (pre-U.S.): Coco Gauff, USA
[2024 Weekly DOWN Award Wins]
6 - Veronika Kudermetova, RUS
4 - Maria Sakkari, GRE
4 - Iga Swiatek, POL
3 - Ekaterina Alexandrova, RUS
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN
3 - Alona Ostapenko, LAT
3 - Jessie Pegula, USA
2 - Coco Gauff, USA
2 - Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA
2 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2 - Alycia Parks, USA
2 - Liudmila Samsonova, RUS
2 - Peyton Stearns, USA
2 - Sloane Stephens, USA
2- Zhu Lin, CHN

**BACKSPIN 2024 WTA TEAM-OF-THE-MONTH WINNERS**
JAN (pre-AO): GER United Cup Team
AO: Hsieh Su-wei/Jan Zielinski, TPE/POL
IW: Storm Hunter/Matthew Edben, AUS/AUS
1Q...HSIEH/ZIELINSKI
APR: ROU BJK Cup Team
MAY: CHN WC World Team Cup
NCAA: Texas A&M Women's Tennis Team
RG: Laura Siegemund/Edouard Roger-Vasselin, GER/FRA
2Q Clay Court...ROU BJK CUP
WI: Hsieh Su-wei/Jan Zielinski, TPE/POL
2Q Grass Court...HSIEH/ZIELINSKI
OLY: Katerina Siniakova/Tomas Machac, CZE
JR: CZE World Junior Finals Team (14u)



*2024 U.S. OPEN FINAL 8*

[by career slam QF]
10 - Aryna Sabalenka
9 - Iga Swiatek
7 - Jessie Pegula, USA
6 - Karolina Muchova
3 - Zheng Qinwen
2 - Paula Badosa
2 - Beatriz Haddad Maia
2 - Emma Navarro

[by career US QF]
4 - Aryna Sabalenka
2 - Karolina Muchova, Jessie Pegula, Iga Swiatek, Zheng Qinwen
1 - Paula Badosa, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Emma Navarro

[w/ consecutive slam QF]
2 - Emma Navarro
--
NOTE: Aryna Sabalenka at last 8 played (DNP '24 WI)

[w/ consecutive US QF]
4 - Ayrna Sabalenka
2 - Karolina Muchova
2 - Zheng Qinwen

[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
WI - Lulu Sun, NZL (Q)
WI - Donna Vekic, CRO
US - Karolina Muchova, CZE

[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)
WI - Emma Navarro, USA (7th)
WI - Lulu Sun, NZL (2nd)

[2024 multiple slam QF]
3 - Aryna Sabalenka (AO/RG/US)
2 - Coco Gauff (AO/RG)
2 - Barbora Krejcikova (AO/WI)
2 - Emma Navarro (WI/US)
2 - Jasmine Paolini (RG/WI)
2 - Elena Rybakina (RG/WI)
2 - Iga Swiatek (RG/US)
2 - Zheng Qinwen (AO/US)

[2024 slam QF - by nation]
5...CZE (2/1/1/1) - Muchova
5...USA (1/1/1/2) - Navarro,Pegula
3...BLR (1/1/0/1) - Sabalenka
3...UKR (2/0/1/0)
2...CHN (1/0/0/1) - Zheng
2...ITA (0/1/1/0)
2...KAZ (0/1/1/0)
2...POL (0/1/0/1) - Swiatek
2...RUS (1/1/0/0)
1...BRA (-/0/0/1 - Haddad Maia
1...CRO (0/0/1/0)
1...ESP (0/0/0/1) - Badosa
1...LAT (0/0/1/0)
1...NZL (0/0/1/0)
1...TUN (0/1/0/0)

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

[WTA slam QF & W/L in 2020s - 19 events]
10 - Sabalenka (8-1)*
9 - Swiatek (6-2)*
7 - Gauff (4-3)
7 - Jabeur (3-4)
7 - Pegula (0-6)*
6 - Rybakina (3-3)
5 - Muchova (3-1)*
5 - Krejcikova (2-3)
5 - Svitolina (1-4)
4 - Barty (3-1)
4 - Ka.Pliskova (1-3)
3 - Halep (2-1)
3 - Keys (2-1)
3 - Zheng Q. (1-1)*
3 - Pavlyuchenkova (1-2)
3 - Vondrousova (1-2)
3 - Ostapenko (0-3)
3 - Tomljanovic (0-3)
2 - Azarenka (2-0)
2 - Badosa (0-1)*
2 - Brady (2-0)
2 - Collins (1-1)
2 - Fernandez (1-1)
2 - Haddad Maia (1-0)*
2 - Kenin (2-0)
2 - Kvitova (1-1)
2 - Navarro (0-1)*
2 - Osaka (2-0)
2 - Paolini (2-0)
2 - Sakkari (2-0)
2 - Trevisan (1-1)
2 - Vekic (1-1)
2 - S.Williams (2-0)
1 - M.Andreeva (0-1)
1 - Anisimova (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 - 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 - 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 - Sun (0-1)
1 - Yastremska (1-0)
1 - Zidansek (1-0)

[WTA slam QF by nation in 2020s - 19 slams/152]
30 - USA (2)
21 - CZE (1)
12 - BLR (1)
10 - POL (1)
7 - AUS
7 - KAZ
7 - RUS
7 - TUN
7 - UKR
4 - GER
4 - ITA
4 - ROU
3 - CHN (1)
3 - LAT
3 - ESP (1)
2 - BRA (1)
2 - CAN
2 - CRO
2 - EST
2 - FRA
2 - GRE
2 - JPN
2 - SUI
1 - ARG,BEL,BUL,GBR,NZL,SLO,TPE

[WTA slam QF W/L by nation in 2020s]
30 - USA (13-15)**
21 - CZE (8-12)*
12 - BLR (10-1)*
10 - POL (7-2)*
7 - AUS (3-4)
7 - KAZ (3-4)
7 - RUS (3-4)
7 - TUN (3-4)
7 - UKR (2-5)
4 - GER (2-2)
4 - ITA (3-1)
4 - ROU (2-2)
3 - CHN (1-1)*
3 - ESP (1-1)*
3 - LAT (0-3)
2 - BRA (1-0)*
2 - CAN (1-1)
2 - CRO (1-1)
2 - EST (0-2)
2 - FRA (1-1)
2 - GRE (2-0)
2 - JPN (2-0)
2 - SUI (0-2)
1 - ARG (1-0)
1 - BEL (0-1)
1 - BUL (0-1)
1 - GBR (1-0)
1 - NZL (0-1)
1 - SLO (1-0)
1 - TPE (0-1)






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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): x
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
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): x
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): x
=============================
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 ("??"): Nominee: Jovic (Bannerette teen), Zheng Qinwen (Queen in Queens), Bandanna (Shnaider), Haddad Maia (Brazilian)
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: x
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: in QF: Navarro, Pegula
COMEBACK: Nominees: Badosa, Muchova
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Wozniacki, Pegula, (WD/MX)
DOUBLES STAR: x
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Ashlyn Krueger
BROADWAY-BOUND: "Final Curtains" (Collins & Rogers); "España in the City" (Badosa); "In the Heat of the Night" (Zheng/Vekic); "The Artist" (Muchova); "The Queen of Queens" (Zheng)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Nominee: Zheng Q./Vekic, Sabalenka
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominee: Jovic (WS), Grant (MX)



us 2008
us 2006




All for Day 8. More tomorrow.
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