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Monday, July 6, 2026

W.8- Czech, Please?














=DAY 8 NOTES=
...there was no racing against the clock on the second day of Round of 16 play, though the image of Coco Gauff's ability to get her win in under the wire on Sunday will live forever.



Of the four women's matches today, only one went three sets, and experience -- save for one match (not the same one) -- generally prevailed on the day. (And, in an odd occurrence, seven of the nine sets played ended with 6-4 scores.)

First up was #12 Marta Kostyuk, a non-factor in the grass court lead-up events since she didn't play in any. After back-to-back three-setters vs. Anna Blinkova and Emma Navarro, though, the Ukrainian showed that her clay court momentum (and RG semifinal form) could carry over through what might inevitably be several summertime runs, as well.

With 3rd Round finishes at SW19 in 2023 and '24, Kostyuk arrived on the day having already posted her best result in the event, completing her career set of Round of 16 runs at all four majors. Today against qualifier and first-time major second week participant Ashlyn Krueger, quite the opposite of Kostyuk in that she came in having been quite busy this grass season (going 16-1 after her three Wimbledon MD wins), Kostyuk took the opening set but saw Krueger grab a 4-2 lead in the 2nd.

But once Kostyuk put a bit of pressure on Krueger, the Bannerette went away fairly quickly. Kostyuk swept the final four games to reach the QF at her second straight major with a 6-4/6-4 victory. She's reached the stage at three different events now, after the AO in '24 and RG last month. She came up a round short at last year's U.S. Open, losing in the 4th Round.



Of course, now that Kostyuk is back into the flow of playing matches, here's where we're reminded that she's actually gone 20-1 in her last 21 matches.



...after posting her biggest career win over #2 Elena Rybakina one round ago, veteran Waffle Elise Mertens didn't just go quietly into the good night today. Nope, instead the #25 seed went out and took down a Czech -- #21 Marie Bouzkova, a title winner in Nottingham a few weeks ago -- to reach her first slam QF in nearly six years.

Bouzkova had taken an early break lead in the 1st, but then lost her serve in three of her final four service games. In the 2nd, it was Mertens who grabbed the early lead. Serving at 5-4, the Belgian got a little good fortune, as well, as in a single rally on MP she had *two* net cords bounce in her favor as she finished off a 6-4/6-4 win.



This is Mertens' fourth career major QF, but her first since back-to-back U.S. Opens in 2019-20. Before today, she'd gone 0-9 in 4th Round matches in slam play since.

...#29 Alex Eala was one of the stars of the opening week of the fortnight, but Jasmine Paolini knows the deal with that. Two years ago, it was the Italian (w/ an extra decade of time on tour under her belt) who was the sudden new star at not just one, but two, majors as she made unexpected runs to finals in both Paris and London.

A foot injury and overall inconsistency, as well as a lack of confidence-building doubles results, has pulled Paolini back all season long, dropping her nearly out of the Top 20 and forcing her '26 record to bob above, at and below .500 on a weekly basis. But she's seemed to have turned a corner at Wimbledon, with her three wins the most she's had in succession since last fall. Her resurgence has often left her emotional at times during this run as she's started to right her wayward season ship.

Back on Centre Court, Paolini played like the experienced veteran she's become. She jumped to an early lead on the Filipina in the 1st, going up 3-1. After saving a BP and holding for 5-2, Paolini served for the set at 5-3. Eala managed to get the break on her third BP (w/ a Paolini forehand error), but then couldn't back it up as Paolini immediately broke back to take the set 6-4.

But Eala is here for a reason, and she bounced back in the 2nd. She quickly gave away an early break lead, but then upped the pressure on the Italian with consistently deep groundstrokes and got her break lead back at 4-3. She then held from 15/40 down to take a 5-3 lead. Two games later, Eala served out the set at 6-4 and seemed ready to push through to yet another career-first.



The two played a tight 3rd. Paolini recovered from love/30 to hold for a 3-2 lead, even while beginning to stretch and fiddle with the foot that gave her problems earlier in the year (Eala, for her part, was already playing with a big wrap on her right thigh, and during the match was seen occasionally flexing and stretching her left leg, as well).

In game 8, Paolini netted a second serve return on a BP, but on her second chance saw an Eala backhand fly long to give the Italian the necessary break advantage. Serving at 5-3, Paolini fell behind love/30, but seized upon a handful of loose errors from Eala, getting the hold to complete the 6-4/4-6/6-3 victory and reach her third career major QF (and second in the last three Wimbledons).



Afterward, Paolini's past good vibes and smiles graced Centre Court once more, as she pointed out the rather conspicuous presence of a certain eight-time Wimbledon champion from Switzerland from the Royal Box.



...for decades, Czechs have always had a special connection to Wimbledon. The relationship continues, as they've won two of the last three titles at SW19 (and neither of those champions were named Kvitova, either).

On Monday, #9 Linda Noskova added her name to the growing list of her countrywomen with an affinity for the lawns of the AELTC as the Berlin champ played her way into her maiden Wimbledon QF with a surprisingly routine win over #26 Madison Keys, the reigning Eastbourne winner.

Keys was seemingly rolling along in the 1st set, firing off eight aces, but her inability to get to Noskova's serve proved to be her undoing. One wayward half-game late in the order tripped her up, and she never really recovered. In game 10, Noskova rallied from 40/love to reel off five straight points and secure the only break of the set. It just so happened that it occurred when she was leading 5-4, so the set was suddenly hers and Keys was left holding an empty bag.

Noskova broke Keys from 15/40 down in game 2 of the 2nd set, firing a forehand into the corner off a scrambling Keys' outstretched racket to lead 2-0. She held for 3-0, and seemed ready to coast to victory. But Noskova suddenly fell behind 15/40 at 3-1, a game in which she had four DF alone after giving no indication of nerves prior to that moment. She saved three BP, but DF #4 came on Keys' fourth BP, getting the Bannerette veteran back on serve in the set at 3-2.

Noskova didn't let her one bad service game start a trend, though, forcing Keys to make the move if things were going to go three. At 5-6 down, Keys saw back-to-back net cords go her way at 30/30, giving her a GP rather than facing a MP. She got the hold to force a TB, but came up totally flat once it began.

Keys' early DF handed the Czech the second of two points on her serve in the early going, giving Noskova a 3-0 lead. She pushed it to 4-0 before a pair of Noskova backhand errors kept Keys' hopes alive, but only barely. And only briefly, too. Another Keys DF made the score 5-2, and Noskova took the gift and finished off the party, winning both of her service points to win 7-2 and advance with a 6-4/7-6(2) victory.



Noskova is one of two Czechs still alive in the QF, marking the first time we've had an actual "Crush of Czechs" sighting (you *only* need two to form a group, you know) at this stage at SW19 since 2021.

With the losses by Keys and Bouzkova, four of the six pre-Wimbledon title winners have now been eliminated. The remaining two? Why, Noskova and her fellow Czech Crusher Karolina Muchova, of course.

...meanwhile, there were some big knock-outs in the 2nd Round of junior action today, as AO girls' champ and #2 seed Ksenia Efremova fell to Bannerette Chukwumelije Clarke, #4 Victoria Luiza Barros was taken out by Romania's Maia Ilinca Burcescu, and #12 Mika Stojsavljevic, the '24 U.S. Open junior champ who has played in the women's MD at the last two Wimbledons, fell to Austrian qualifier Anna Pircher.

Still alive in the draw: #1 Sun Xinran and #3 Jana Kovackova.







*WOMEN'S SINGLES QF*
#14 Naomi Osaka/JPN vs. #10 Karolina Muchova/CZE
#4 Jessie Pegula/USA vs. #7 Coco Gauff/USA
#12 Marta Kostyuk/UKR vs. #13 Jasmine Paolini/ITA
#9 Linda Noskova/CZE vs. #25 Elise Mertens/BEL

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA) vs. #16 Muhammad/Stollar (USA/HUN)
#10 Guo/Mladenovic (CHN/FRA) def. Detiuc/Khromacheva (CZE/RUS)
(PR) Neel/Olmos (EST/MEX) def. #3 Danilina/Krunic (KAZ/SRB)
Jiang X./Xu Y. (CHN/CHN) def. #7 Siegemund/Zvonareva (GER/RUS)
#9 Perez/Schuurs (AUS/NED) w/o Kostyuk/Ruse (UKR/ROU)
#13 Aoyama/Liang (JPN/TPE) def. Hsieh/Wang Xin. (TPE/CHN)
Noskova/Sramkova (CZE/SVK) vs. Piter/Siskova (POL/CZE)
#14 Hunter/McNally (AUS/USA) vs. #2 Dabrowski/Stefani (CAN/BRA)

*MIXED DOUBLES QF*
Hunter/Polmans (AUS/AUS) def. Sutjiadi/Andreozzi (INA/ARG)
Stollar/Pavic (HUN/CRO) def. #6 Krawczyk/Skupski (USA/GBR)
#3 Zhang S./Harrison (CHN/USA) def. Fernandez/Salisbury (CAN/GBR)
#2 Ostapenko/Arevalo (LAT/ELS) def. Siegemund/Roger-Vasselin (GER/FRA)

*GIRLS' SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Sun Xinran/CHN vs. Thea Frodin/USA
(Q) Anna Pircher/AUT vs. (WC) Daniella Britton/GBR
#3 Jana Kovackova/CZE vs. Emily Victoria Eigelsbach/GER
#10 Charo Esquiva Banuls/ESP vs. Janae Preston/USA
#7 Mariia Makarova/RUS vs. Shao Yushan/CHN
#15 Polina Skliar/UKR vs. Maia Ilinca Burcescu/ROU
Qu Yihan/CHN vs. #9 Mariella Thamm/GER
#14 Anna Pushkareva/RUS vs. Chukwumelije Clarke/USA









...THE EALA CENTRE COURT EMBARCATION (for now)... ON DAY 8:




...I KNOW THAT DUDE!... ON DAY 8:






...THE U.S. TENNIS MEDIA MAKES SUCH AN OVERLY BIG DEAL OF U.S.-vs.-U.S. MATCH-UPS IN TENNIS... ON DAY 8:



Meanwhile, in literally *every* other sport it's a common, everyday occurrence that no one even brings up. And I'm not even just talking about team sports/leagues, but in international/mixed nation sports like track & field, golf, auto racing, etc.

Doesn't really make a whole lot of sense in 2026.


...MEANWHILE, CONSPICUOUS IN THEIR LACK OF NOTING THE DATE: Wimbledon and WTA, of course... ON DAY 8:























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*RECENT WIMBLEDON "COMEBACK" WINNERS*
2018 Serena Williams, USA
2019 Alona Ostapenko, LAT (MX)
2021 Angelique Kerber, GER
2022 Simona Halep, ROU
2023 Elina Svitolina, UKR
2024 Paula Badosa, ESP
2025 Amanda Anisimova, USA
2026 Jasmine Paolini, ITA

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "ZOMBIE QUEEN" WINNERS*
2015 Serena Williams, USA
2016 Dominika Cibulkova/SVK & Aga Radwanska/POL
2017 Arina Rodionova, AUS
2018 Katerina Siniakova, CZE
2019 Elina Svitolina, UKR
2021 Kristie Ahn, USA
2022 Elise Mertens, BEL
2023 Lesia Tsurenko, UKR
2024 Marta Kostyuk, UKR
2025 Solana Sierra, ARG (LL)
2026 Linda Noskova, CZE



*2026 WI FINAL 8*
[by career slam QF]
11 - Coco Gauff
10 - Jessie Pegula
8 - Karolina Muchova
6 - Naomi Osaka
4 - Elise Mertens
3 - Marta Kostyuk
3 - Jasmine Paolini
2 - Linda Noskova

[by career WI QF]
3 - Muchova
2 - Paolini
2 - Pegula
1 - Gauff, Kostyuk, Mertens, Noskova, Osaka

[w/ consecutive slam QF]
2 - Kostyuk

[w/ consecutive WI QF]
none

[2026 slam QF - unseeded]
AO - none
RG - Chwalinska (Q)
WI - none

[2026 1st-time GS QF]
AO - Iva Jovic (6th MD)
RG - Maja Chwalinska (3rd MD)
RG - Diana Shnaider (12th MD)
WI - none

[2026 multiple slam QF]
2 - Gauff (AO/WI)
2 - Kostyuk (RG/WI)
2 - Pegula (AO/WI)
2 - Sabalenka (AO/RG)
2 - Svitolina (AO/RG)

[2026 slam QF - by nation]
6...USA (4/0/2--) - Gauff,Pegula
4...UKR (1/2/1--) - Kostyuk
3...RUS (0/3/0--)
2...BLR (1/1/0--)
2...CZE (0/0/2..) - Muchova,Noskova
2...POL (1/1/0--)
1...BEL (0/0/1--) - Mertens
1...ITA (0/0/1--) - Paolini
1...JPN (0/0/1--) - Osaka
1...KAZ (1/0/0--)
1...ROU (0/1/0--)

[WTA career slam QF - active]
54...Serena Williams, USA
39...Venus Williams, USA
18...Victoria Azarenka, BLR
16...Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
15...Elina Svitolina, UKR
14...Iga Swiatek, POL
12...Madison Keys, USA
11...Coco Gauff, USA
11...Karolina Pliskova, CZE
10...Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
10...Jessie Pegula, USA
8...Karolina Muchova, CZE
7...Sara Errani, ITA
7...Ons Jabeur, TUN
7...Elena Rybakina, KAZ
7...Sloane Stephens, USA
6...Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
6...Naomi Osaka, JPN
6...Alona Ostapenko, LAT
6...Vera Zvonareva, RUS

[WTA slam QF & W/L in 2020s - 26 events]
16 - Sabalenka (13-2+W)
14 - Swiatek (9-5)
11 - Gauff (5-5)*
10 - Pegula (3-6)*
9 - Svitolina (2-7)
7 - Jabeur (3-4)
7 - Muchova (4-2)*
7 - Rybakina (4-3)
6 - Krejcikova (2-4)
5 - Keys (3-2)
5 - Pavlyuchenkova (1-4)
4 - M.Andreeva (2-2)
4 - Anisimova (2-2)
4 - Barty (3-1)
4 - Osaka (3-0)*
4 - Ka.Pliskova (1-3)
4 - Vondrousova (1-2+L)
4 - Zheng Q. (1-3)
3 - Badosa (1-2)
3 - Halep (2-1)
3 - Kostyuk (1-1)*
3 - Navarro (1-2)
3 - Ostapenko (0-3)
3 - Paolini (2-0)*
3 - Tomljanovic (0-3)
2 - Azarenka (2-0)
2 - Bencic (1-1)
2 - Brady (2-0)
2 - Cirstea (0-2)
2 - Collins (1-1)
2 - Fernandez (1-1)
2 - Haddad Maia (1-1)
2 - Kalinskaya (0-2)
2 - Kenin (2-0)
2 - Kvitova (1-1)
2 - Mertens (0-1)*
2 - Noskova (0-1)*
2 - Sakkari (2-0)
2 - Siegemund (0-2)
2 - Trevisan (1-1)
2 - Vekic (1-1)
2 - S.Williams (2-0)
1 - Boisson (1-0)
1 - Bouzkova (0-1)
1 - Chwalinska (1-0)
1 - Cornet (0-1)
1 - Garcia (1-0)
1 - Golubic (0-1)
1 - Hsieh (0-1)
1 - Jovic (0-1)
1 - Kanepi (0-1)
1 - Kasatkina (1-0)
1 - Kerber (1-0)
1 - Kontaveit (0-1)
1 - V.Kudermetova (0-1)
1 - Linette (1-0)
1 - Maria (1-0)
1 - Muguruza (1-0)
1 - Niemeier (0-1)
1 - Pironkova (0-1)
1 - Podoroska (1-0)
1 - Putintseva (0-1)
1 - Raducanu (1-0)
1 - Rogers (0-1)
1 - Samsonova (0-1)
1 - Shnaider (1-0)
1 - Stephens (0-1)
1 - Sun (0-1)
1 - Yastremska (1-0)
1 - Zidansek (1-0)

[WTA slam QF by nation in 2020s - 26 slams/208]
44 - USA (Gauff,Pegula)
26 - CZE (Muchova,Noskova)
18 - BLR
16 - POL
15 - RUS
13 - UKR (Kostyuk)
8 - KAZ
7 - AUS
7 - TUN
5 - GER
5 - ITA (Paolini)
5 - ROU
4 - CHN
4 - ESP
3 - FRA
3 - JPN (Osaka)
3 - LAT
3 - SUI
2 - BEL (Mertens)
2 - BRA
2 - CAN
2 - CRO
2 - EST
2 - GRE
1 - ARG,BUL,GBR,NZL,SLO,TPE

[WTA slam QF W/L by nation in 2020s]
44 - USA (21-21)**
26 - CZE (9-14+L)**
18 - BLR (15-2+W)
16 - POL (11-5)
15 - RUS (5-10)
13 - UKR (4-8)*
8 - KAZ (4-4)
7 - AUS (3-4)
7 - TUN (3-4)
5 - GER (2-3)
5 - ITA (3-1)*
5 - ROU (2-3)
4 - CHN (1-3)
4 - ESP (2-2)
4 - JPN (3-0)*
3 - FRA (2-1)
3 - SUI (1-2)
3 - LAT (0-3)
2 - BEL (0-1)*
2 - BRA (1-1)
2 - CAN (1-1)
2 - CRO (1-1)
2 - EST (0-2)
2 - GRE (2-0)
1 - ARG (1-0)
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: Robin Montgomery/USA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (two straight sets wins; extends slam TB win streak to 21)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q1 - Anastasia Gasanova/RUS def. Varvara Lepchenko/USA 2-6/6-1/7-6(12-10) - Lepchenko led 5-3 in the 3rd, twice served for the match, led 5-1 in MTB and at 9-6 held four MP over a 5-point stretch. Gasanova wins 12-10.
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Maya Joint/AUS def. Serena Williams/USA 6-3/6-7(6)/6-3 - 20-year old Aussie, 1-13 in her last 14 matches, defeats returning 44-year old Williams in her first singles match since 2022
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #11 Belinda Bencic/SUI (def. Stojsavljevic/GBR)
FIRST SEED OUT: #20 Maja Chwalinska/POL (1st Rd. - hurt ankle/foot on MP up 6-2/5-2 vs. Sawangkaew/THA)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Anastasia Gasanova/RUS (2nd MD), Tyra Grant/ITA (1st MD), Mananchaya Sawangkaew/THA (2nd MD), Lanlada Tararudee/THA (2nd MD)
UPSET QUEENS: Czech Republic
REVELATION LADIES: Southeast Asians
NATION OF POOR SOULS: GBR (1-7 1st Rd., after 0/7 through qualfiying; Kartal DNP, Raducanu w/d and started 0-7 in MD play)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Ashlyn Krueger/USA (4th Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Katie Swan/GBR (2nd Rd.)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: Karolina Pliskova/CZE, Sara Sorribes Tormo/ESP (both 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSERS: Darja Semenistaja/LAT(L)
LAST BRIT STANDING: Katie Swan/GBR (2nd Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: xx
IT "Filipina": Alex Eala/PHI (first PHI to slam Round of 16)
COMEBACK PLAYER: Jasmine Paolini/ITA
CRASH & BURN: #2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ, #3 Iga Swiatek/POL and #6 Amanda Anisimova/USA ('22 champ and both '25 finalists lose in 3rd Round on middle Saturday)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON: Linda Noskova/CZE (3r- saved MP vs. Cirstea)
DOUBLES STAR: x
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): xx
LAWN COURT ROLLER: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREE: Maja Chwalinska/POL (devastating loss in 1st Rd. after having MP at 6-2/5-2 before fall injuries ankle); Additional nominees: Muchova, Noskova, Bouzkova








All for Day 8. More tomorrow.
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