Some final thoughts on Charleston

Photo by Daniel Ward

The Family Circle Cup has long been known as a "star-maker" and "breakout" tournament, and it seems only natural that Andrea Petkovic would firmly emphasize her comeback by winning it. The event also showcased the considerable talent of Genie Bouchard, as well as some lesser known, but exciting, young players who have lots of potential. I thought it was a real treat that Jana Cepelova, Elina Svitolina and Belinda Bencic were all there, and they all did quite well.

Photo by Daniel Ward

Cepelova won our hearts with her "all by myself" independent spirit. Her box was empty, she had no coach for most of the tournament, and she had no other staff or family or friends there. Some of us wanted to "adopt" her, or at least take her out for a good meal. I'm not sure Jana understood what the fuss was about; she was just there to play tennis! I imagined her sending a text message home: Tired & starving, FCC staff bringing me plate of food 4 dinner, beat Serena W 2day, need 2 get some rest

The Charleston event features a relaxed atmosphere, and the players always get really special treatment from the staff and volunteers (Charleston volunteers are great!). They also enjoy dining out in the city and frequently mention that the food in Charleston is one of their favorite things about the tournament. This year, the weather was superb--it was unbelievable that the rain completely missed the stadium on the final Sunday.

Photo by Daniel Ward

This year, I left Daniel Island with some lasting images (many of which, yes, do involve JJ) of the event, which I'll share here:

Petko publicly telling her team, regarding her behavior: "I'm sorry for everything."
 
Question: "...did you know that Fila calls that color 'Diva Pink'?"
Jelena Jankovic: "Yeah, of course, because I'm a diva. What else do you expect?"

Sara Errani, standing with her face mashed against the glass outside the media building, wondering if she was supposed to come in and do a press conference after her opponent retired in the second set

Gladys Knight catching an autographed ball hit into the stands by Venus Williams

Errani with her hand over her face, shaking her head over and over as she was driven from the stadium in the golf cart after being upset by Belinda Bencic

Jankovic climbing the steps of the umpire's chair (while Eva Asderaki was in it) to stretch her calves

Both finalists saying they didn't want or need
on-court coaching

Sitting with other press directly behind JJ and Petko at their second doubles match, when Jankovic turned around and said to us, "What's wrong with her? Do something to pump her up!"
 
The Petko superfan who yelled loudly, "Hit it, AP!" or just "AP!" throughout Andrea's semifinal and during the final. At one point in the final, she yelled "What's wrong with you, girl?!"

Belinda Bencic getting an obscenity warning from the chair umpire a day after she talked about how calm she was on the court

Abba's "Dancing Queen" blaring throughout the stadium right after Petkovic hit match point in her quarterfinal

Anastasia Rodionova retiring after getting hit in the head by a ball that came off of Chan Hao-Ching's racket--after Rodionova had repeatedly aimed balls right at Chan and hit her in the chest (Liezel Huber was out of the tournament--got to hit someone)
   
Petkovic, taking Asderaki's hand in both of hers instead of shaking it when she won the final

Pam Shriver doing the Petko Chair Dance on ESPN (WTA Backspin has the video with instruction from You-Know-Who, about halfway down the page, on how to do the Petkorazzi Dance)

Photo by Daniel Ward

Jankovic explaining her new au naturel look: "Here I want to look like a beast. I just want to look as scary as possible. I don't want to look pretty and all nice and dolled up. For what? I'm going to get dirty and sweaty. The only thing, my hair has to be slick. That's the only thing."

The 2008 season--a look back at a strange year

It was a very unusual season of tennis. Four different women--Justine Henin, Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams, and Ana Ivanovic--claimed the world number 1 spot in the course of the year. Russia won the Fed Cup title for the fourth time in five years, and Russians swept the Beijing Olympic medals in singles competition. Cara Black and Liezel Huber had a terrific season and retained their world number 1 title, while a variety of other doubles teams performed well.

Martina Hingis was found guilty of violating the doping ban and was given a two-year suspension, leading to her final retirement. Laura Robson--a delightful and cheeky Brit--won the junior Wimbledon title, and an American, Coco Vandeweghe, won the junior U.S. Open title. Kimiko Date, long retired, came back at the age of 37 and won several small Asian tournaments.

Li Na, out for six months with a second major injury, returned this year and immediately won Gold Coast, the first tournament of the season. Sam Stosur, also out for a long time with a major illness, returned to the tour. Patty Schnyder, who marked 500 wins this year, silenced many by getting to the quarterfinals of both the French Open and the U.S. Open. And Alicia Molik--who never got her great career going again after a very long illness--retired, to the disappointment of her many fans.

Ever-sexist ATP player and commentator Justin Gimelstob had his wrist slapped a little when there was a major outcry against his obscene and misogynistic comments about Anna Kournikova. Gimelstob protested his innocence (it was only "trash talk," Lindsay Davenport defended me, blah, blah, blah), and apologized for verbalizing his thoughts, but did not apologize for his bigotry.

Amelie Mauresmo, who missed most of last year because of illness and illness-related injury, had a disaster of a year, which ended with her parting ways with longtime coach and mentor, Loic Courteau. Her countrywoman, Tatiana Golovin, has also been out for months because of surgery for a cyst, and no one knows when she will return. Flavia Pennetta, whose return from injury had been plagued with self-doubt, made a comeback so impressive that she wound up playing the best tennis of her career.

All of these happenings--good and bad--would be enough to make 2008 memorable. But there was more. Much more. Here are my personal top 10, in ascending order:

10. The Bondarenko sisters win the Australian Open.
In a final worth watching, the always-entertaining Bondarenko sisters, Alona and Kateryna--who, after 38 tries, had never won a doubles title together on the tour--decided it was time to correct that omission, and won the Australian Open. They defeated Victoria Azarenka and Shahar Peer in the final, and on the way, they beat world number 1 team Black and Huber in straight sets. The Bondarenkos would go on to win their next tournament (Paris), but Alona's knee injury would hamper her for much of the season.

9. Zheng Jie has a break-out season.
Injured throughout most of 2007, doubles champion Zheng Jie came back healthy and decided to show the world that she can play singles, too. Zheng went to the Wimbledon semifinals by beating top seed Ana Ivanovic, as well as Dominika Cibulkova, Agnes Szavay and Nicole Vaidisova. She fell to Serena Williams in straight sets, but not without putting up an impressive fight, and not without holding a set point in the second set. Zheng then went to two more semifinals, and also won a bronze medal in doubles at the Beijing Olympics.

8. Julie Coin has her own personal field day at the U.S. Open.
Despite trying for years, Frenchwoman Julie Coin had never before made it into the main draw of a Sony Ericsson WTA tournament, but she finally got through qualifying at the 2008 U.S. Open. Getting into your first main draw at one of the four majors and then winning your first round is a story in itself, but why make one story when you can make a whole newscast? Coin proceeded to take out top seed and world number 1 Ana Ivanovic in the second round. It was an amazing match, with Coin--number 188 in the world--holding steady throughout. In defeating Ivanovic, Coin pulled off the biggest upset in Grand Slam history. Coin also became the lowest-ranked player to ever defeat a world number 1.

7. Venus and Serena play a classic U.S. Open quarterfinal, and Serena wins the Open.
I've never been too fond of Williams sisters matches, but I had a feeling, right after the U.S. Open third round, that this quarterfinal was going to be different. My feeling served me well. The sisters put on the show of shows in Flushing Meadows, though it was an excruciating experience for Venus fans: She failed to convert eight set points in the second set, and Serena won, 7-6, 7-6. It was something to see. Serena then went on to defeat Dinara Safina in the semifinals, and then Jelena Jankovic, in a very entertaining final.

6. Sharapova's shoulder takes her out of competition for the second year in a row.
It must have been rough for Maria Sharapova in 2007, when she had to drop out because her shoulder was giving her so much trouble. She came roaring back, though--driving Justine Henin to the brink in the Sony Ericsson Championships, and then brilliantly winning the Australian Open this year. It turns out that Sharapova's (probably very well paid) doctors failed to notice a torn rotator cuff tendon. She played with the injury for months, and then finally had to call it quits again, missing both the Olympics and the U.S. Open.

5. Ivanovic wins her first major.
Last year, Ana Ivanovic stood on the court looking dazed and confused as Justine Henin defeated her for the French Open title. This year was a different story. Ivanovic played superb tennis throughout her time at Roland Garros, brilliantly defeated Jelena Jankovic in a semifinal thriller, and got the better of a very tough, though somewhat tired, Dinara Safina in the final.

4. Jankovic goes to the next level.
It is no secret that I think Jelena Jankovic is the most watchable player on the tour. Her court savvy and her athleticism come together to create a tennis player of outstanding creativity and skill. But for various reasons--a fragile body, a ridiculous playing schedule, a terrible serve--she had not gotten beyond the semifinal of a major before this year. In 2008--credit to coach Ricardo Sanchez--Jankovic took a big step forward. Her second serve is still much in need of improvement, but her first serve has gone from poor to sometimes excellent, and nearly always better than adequate. She is fitter this year, too, despite having a variety of injuries. She made it to the final of the U.S. Open, and what a final it was. Jankovic lost, but she has a lot to be proud of. Jankovic defended her Rome title this year, and this fall, she won three tournaments in three consecutive weeks.

3. Venus adds jewels to her crown.
By now, everyone seems to get it: The Williams sisters are champions. They were champions when they were very young, and they are now. They don't do things the way they are "supposed to," but the way they do things is plenty good enough. Venus defended her Wimbledon title this year, defeating none less than her sister Serena in the final, and holding up the Venus Rosewater dish for the fifth time in her career. It was the first time Venus had defeated Serena in a Wimbledon final. She went on to win Zurich, but the real topper occurred this month, when she also won the Sony Ericsson Championships for the first time.

2. Safina provides thrills beyond anyone's expectations.
I will always think of 2008 as the year of Safina. The talented Russian, who had never quite been able to put all of her skills together, put them together this year so dramatically that she was the most exciting player on the tour. It started in Berlin, where she not only beat world number 1 Justine Henin (and Elena Dementieva and Serena Williams), but played thrilling, come-from-behind tennis repeatedly, to win the title. Dinara Safina then went on to play the same kind of heart-stopping tennis at the French Open, eventually developing mental fatigue and falling in the final to a very in-form Ana Ivanovic. So many times this season, Safina looked certain to lose a match, and she would turn it around, providing tremendous excitement for fans, but perhaps a bit too much for herself. (At one point, when she was down a set and a couple of breaks in a match, commentator Mary Carillo, speaking of Safina's opponent, quipped, "Ah, Safina has her right where she wants her.") Safina went on to win the U.S. Open Series by taking both Los Angeles and Montreal, and she also won in Tokyo, and claimed a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics. Injury (and a determined Shahar Peer) took her out of Wimbledon, and fatigue--perhaps more mental than physical--did her in at both the U.S. Open and the Sony Ericsson Championships. Nevertheless, Safina's 2008 rise was both delightful and very impressive.

1. Justine Henin retires.
The tennis world was rocked in May when world number 1 Justine Henin announced her retirement, effective immediately. In an act of both finality and generosity, Henin also requested that her name be removed from the rankings. She retired right before the French Open, where she was the both the defending champion and the favorite. And she retired before having one more crack at winning Wimbledon, which surprised me. For years, Henin thrilled fans with her fluid movement, remarkable court savvy and brilliant backhand. Her forehand was also one of the best on the tour. If I had to choose one image from 2008 that summed up how strange the season was, it would be the photo of Henin handing out the Roland Garros trophies. Henin's absence probably has not totally sunk in with most of us; she was a phenomenal talent on the tour.

Some final thoughts on Charleston

2018 champion Kiki Bertens (photo by Daniel Ward)

When I arrived at the Volvo Car Open on Daniel Island on Monday, April 2, I picked Julia Goerges to win the tournament. I predicted she would defeat Naomi Osaka in straight sets, which she did. I predicted that she would defeat defending champion Daria Kasatkina; she did. I also predicted that Kiki Bertens would defeat Madison Keys; that happened, too. And I predicted that Anastasija Sevastova would be in the final four; she was.

I was on a real roll--until the final. It wasn't shocking that Bertens won, though I thought she would be the runner-up, but there were some factors that were truly surprising: Bertens prevailed, despite carrying a hip injury, and despite having played, on the same day, a tense and grueling three-set semifinal. And most surprising of all--Goerges, who had been brilliant most of the week, came out flat for the final and was never able to do much of anything.

Julia Goerges (photo by Daniel Ward)

So for me, the results were quite predictable--until they weren't. And that's one of the reasons we watch tennis--anything can happen.

Bertens' win in Charleston created a genuine feel-good moment. This is the biggest victory of her career, and she achieved it under very difficult circumstances. She indicated, after the final, that once she got through her difficult semifinal, she used her desire to win to give her the energy she needed to go on. That match point she saved against Keys probably also gave her some energy.

Goerges, for her part, handled her loss with wisdom and perspective. She was mentally drained after her semifinal, and just couldn't do what she intended to do. In her press conference, she was able to place her runner-up status within the context of her recent success, rather than seeing it as a failure.

Much has been made of Naomi Osaka's tears, and her comments about waking up feeling depressed the day before her loss to Goerges. But this turn of events really isn't an unexpected thing. Osaka is not only young, but also sometimes seems even a bit younger than she actually is. Suddenly, she's famous in the tennis world, and she doesn't yet have the skills to deal with all the changes that take place when that happens. I assume there will be people who can help Osaka manage this change in her career.

Two players made their post-injury returns to the tour at the Volvo Car Open. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, beloved in Charleston, went out in the first round in singles and made it to the second round in doubles. Her fans were very happy to see her.

Also returning to the tour after almost a year off was Laura Siegemund (who would have been my choice to win the tournament under different circumstances). The German--the most entertaining clay court player around--made it to the second round, but lost to Naomi Osaka. Last year, Siegemund made it to the semifinals and lost to eventual champion Daria Kasatkina. She then went to Stuttgart and won the championship.

A day didn't go by when one of us didn't mournfully say "I miss JJ." Jelena Jankovic, Charleston's post-Patty Schnyder era rock star, was conspicuous by her absence. Her comedy partner, the also-very popular Andrea Petkovic, arrived as a wild card, but went out in the first round. Jankovic won the tournament in 2007, and Petkovic won it in 2014.

Also absent was 2017 runner-up Alona Ostapenko, who I hope will return soon.

Of course, I didn't get to see all of the matches--no one can do that. But of the ones I saw, there were some I especially enjoyed:

2nd round--Julia Goerges def. Kristie Ahn: Ahn took Goerges to the edge in this match, dragging her to three tough sets (2-6, 6-4, 7-6) and giving the 5th seed quite a scare.

3rd round--Alize Cornet def. Caroline Garcia: Cornet is a very gifted player who is as inconsistent as they come. But when she's switched on, she's a joy to watch. She used both guile and stunning athleticism to take out the top seed in straight sets; Garcia didn't have a chance.

Alize Cornet (photo by Daniel Ward)

quarterfinals--Madison Keys def. Bernarda Pera: Pera made a splash at the Australian Open when she upset Johanna Konta, and she made another splash last week when she made it to the third round, when she took out 2014 finalist Jana Cepelova and Sara Errani, then took Madison Keys through three tough sets. Pera's serve gave her a lot of trouble; had it been in better shape, the match (6-2, 6-7, 7-5) might have ended differently.

semifinals--Kiki Bertens def. Madison keys: This was a total thriller, with no one having any idea who would win until the last moment. Bertens held two match points in the second set; Keys held one in the third set, and then Bertens won the match 6-4, 6-7, 7-6.

Some final thoughts on Cincinnati

Photo by Frank Oplanic

First, it was about time Karolina Pliskova won a big title. The rangy Czech has the talent, but so far, her victories have all been at less prestigious events than the one in Cincinnati. I can't help but wonder whether this victory will help her get past her "never beyond the third round of a major" obstacle when she competes at the U.S. Open.

Though Angelique Kerber was somewhat favored to win the tournament, so was Simona Halep. And both played really well--until they didn't. In their defense, they (and Aga Radwanska) went from Rio to Cincinnati, and it wasn't an easy journey. (For Radwanska, it was a bit of hell on Earth). Pliskova, on the other hand, didn't attend the Olympic Games and wasn't suffering from the physical and mental fatigue that the other three were.

But there was more to it than that. Pliskova played better and better in each round at the Western & Southern Open. By the time she reached the final, she was in high gear. (And just for the record--the champion hit 47 aces while she was in Cincinnati.) Anyone who was watching would have noticed that the Czech player was on her way to a possible breakthrough. Pliskova, by the way, is the first Czech player to win the Cincinnati title.

Much has been made of Kerber's lost chance to take over the number 1 ranking. As I wrote earlier, exhaustion appeared to play a more important role in the world number 2's loss than any pressure that she may have felt. Karolina Pliskova played an important role, too.

With both number 1 rankings on the line, it seemed only fitting that the two faces of Santina would survive until the final day of play. With their new partners, Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis faced each other in a match that contained much more drama than the singles final. Mirza, the first Indian woman to ever become world number 1 in doubles, has now returned to that spot. She and Barbora Strycova, playing together for the first time, are to be commended. And then there was this, from their press conference:

Strycova: "I think we have similar personality traits. She's calmer on the court.." 

Mirza: "That's not tough to do."

It rained every day of play in Cincinnati, and parking lots became lakes of mud that sucked cars down, making it necessary for tow trucks to pull out a number of vehicles. Mulch was added to the parking lots daily. Matches were postponed, and also constantly interrupted, sometimes more than once. Somehow, everyone got caught up, though some players had to play two matches in one day. Between the Olympics and the rain, this year's Cincinnati tournament was a special
challenge for many players.

Angelique Kerber, aka KareBear, aka 2016 Austalian Open champion

Three thoughts on Kerber’s stunning upset over Serena in #AusOpen final (by @jon_wertheim) https://t.co/FCVwb781Ys pic.twitter.com/vDferlo7tc

— SI Tennis (@SI_Tennis) January 30, 2016

Nobody cares like a bear
From “Nobody Cares Like A Bear”

Just when the tennis world (myself excluded) was getting over its surprise that Angelique Kerber had reached the final of the Australian Open, the sturdy-legged German known affectionately by fans as KareBear, delivered an even bigger surprise: She defeated six-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams in the final. Kerber's 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory gives her her the first major of her already impressive career.

Was it Kerber's ability to sustain a strong first serve that sometimes eludes her? Was it Williams' obvious case of nerves? Was it Kerber's sometimes reality-defying retrieving skills that had her returning balls from what sometimes seemed like the next court? Was it Williams' loss of what many consider her greatest strength, her serve? Was it Kerber's dramatic transition game? Was it Williams' flubbed volleys? Was it Kerber's well-timed slices?

Ladies and gentlemen: It was all of that.

It happens so much in tennis: The favored player has a bad day and her opponent has one of the greatest days of her life. Except in doesn't happen to Serena Williams in finals. And even when it does, by the third set, the opponent has generally faded into a shadow cast by the overwhelming greatness of the world number 1.

Not this time. This time, the opponent stepped out of the shadow, found the light, and fulfilled the promise of years of hard work.

My name's Grumpy Bear
I'm always feeling blue
If it's not one thing it's another
Oh what am I to do? 

From “Flying My Colors

Commentators on ESPN in the U.S. told us over and over about Kerber's history of having a "horrendous" attitude on the court, and they were surprised to see her remain so calm in the final, even after Williams rebounded in the second set. Of course, those who actually follow women's tennis know that Kerber disposed of her on-court demons some time ago; this was nothing new. And of course, a moderate amount of grumpiness is to be expected from a player of Kerber's nature, and why not?

Cause when you care you’re not afraid to try

And when you put it all together

Then there is a power none can deny

From “Care Bear Calling”

From the start of the match, it was obvious that Serena Williams was off her game. Williams' only true "weakness" is her footwork, which can be a bit clumsy. When she gets tight, her own feet tend to get in her way, and Kerber exploited that factor, frequently hitting balls right at Williams and backing her up on the court. The errors from Williams were mounting, and the momentum was clearly with Kerber.

Howver, the sixth game of the first set was a test of both Kerber's mental strength and her creativity. The German faced three break points in a very long game ten with multiple deuce points. Finally, after failing to convert a couple of game points, Kerber hit a perfect drop shot. Holding another game point, what could she do to make this game end? Why, hit another perfect drop shot, of course!

Kerber won that set while making only three unforced errors; Williams made 23. Not surprisingly, the world number 1 staged a comeback in the second set, in which she significantly cleaned up the errors. When the match went to a third set, it did have the look of a typical "Enjoy your first set memories" Serena phenomenon. The problem with that scenario was that Kerber refused to go along with it.

 I'm flying my colors so that everyone can see
Isn't this the perfect place to introduce me
To say that I'm different
I'm special, it's true
From “Flying My Colors”

If you watched or followed the 2015 Charleston tournament, you'll recall that Kerber's path to the championship was a very difficult one. For one thing, she sustained two injuries. It was obvious that her heavily taped shoulder was giving her problems, and she hurt her thigh twice during the tournament. She went down a set and a break in the second round (her first match), and had to go three sets against Lara Arruabarrena.

Kerber squeaked past Irina-Camelia Begu (the woman who knocked her out of the first round of the 2015 Australian Open) 7-6, 7-6 in a match that was a pleasure to watch. In the final, Kerber had to deal with an on-fire Madison Keys, as well as cold temperatures and constantly swirling wind. And she held forth--close matches, injuries, wind, and all. This was the Angelique Kerber we've been waiting for--the astonishing defensive player who could also be quite aggressive, and who could keep her head about her, no matter what.

And that was the Kerber who stood (and sprinted, squatted, straddled, and crept) across from Williams in the third set of yesterday's final in Melbourne.  When she served for the match at 5-2, she was broken before she could even see a match point. This had to be disappointing, and it had to be even more disappointing when Williams pulled out of a 0-30 deficit on her serve in the next game. Could Kerber still take care of very big business in that game? Oh, could she. The 7th seed prevailed and became the 2016 Australian Open champion.

Kerber is the second German woman in the Open Era to win a major. Unfortunately, the commentators at ESPN chose to make the narrative all about Steffi Graf, who is long retired. During all of the carrying on about Graf, it was sometimes hard to know who had won the 2016 tournament, had you not been watching the entire time.

PHOTO: Angelique Kerber kisses Australian Open trophy after winning first major title: https://t.co/tBNXxUrj9F pic.twitter.com/ultJVilMEv

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 30, 2016

Rise and shine, get a glow
Cause you know you're gonna shine
Like the star you are, you are
From “Rise And Shine”

Angelique Kerber, who had never before reached the final of a major, is the first left-handed woman to win the Australian Open since Monica Seles did so 20 years ago. She is also the first woman in the Open Era to save a match point in the opening round of a major and go on to win the championship: Kerber saved that match point against Misaki Doi. During the trophy ceremony, when asked about this, the German star said she "had one leg in the plane to Germany."

Finally, it should be mentioned that prior to beating top seed Williams, new world number 2 Kerber defeated two-time Australian Open champion (and an often-predicted choice for 2016) Victoria Azarenka in the quarterfinals. Our champion KareBear, strong of body and mind, couldn't have written a more dramatic script for this event if she'd tried. No one could have.

Who will win the French Open? Your guess is as good as mine

.@WTA_Insider's 3 thoughts from an epic @MutuaMadridOpen Final--> https://t.co/Ns9RK6RbjX pic.twitter.com/ftJ48zaH32

— WTA (@WTA) May 14, 2017

This year's French Open championship is being described as "totally open" by commentators and tennis writers, and while it isn't that "open," there isn't a clear favorite. Historically, the French has been the hardest to call because players who do really well on hard courts and grass often find their skills neutralized by clay courts--and by experienced clay court players.

Serena Williams won't be at Roland Garros. The defending champion, Garbine Muguruza, doesn't appear to be in the form that took her to to the championship last year. She could grab some last-minute mojo, but I have serious doubts about that.

On paper, Angie Kerber is a contender, but--sadly--she doesn't seem up to it right now.

Who does? In no particular order:

Simona Halep
Who will show up in Paris? Right now, it looks like 2014 Halep will make the trip. It was that year that the Romanian star went all the way to the final and gave Maria Sharapova an extremely tough, three-hour battle. Sharapova said afterwards that it was the most difficult final she had ever played. Halep certainly has what it takes to win the French Open, and this could very well be the year she wins her first major.

Halep just defended her 2016 title in Madrid* (and drama does seem to follow her these day, doesn't it?), something that is hard to do. That's the "up" side. The "down" side is: She won Madrid last year, but failed to get past the round of 16 in Paris. Nevertheless, given the way she's been playing, it's impossible not to consider her a major contender to take the 2017 title.

*The Madrid final played between Halep and Kiki Mladenovic was a beautiful thing to watch. Mladenovic sustained an injury in the semifinals, and was hampered by it in the final. She skillfully played through it, and appeared to overcome it, but in the last part of the third set, it looked as if all the stress had finally taken her down a notch. But that isn't to take anything away from the brilliant performance that Halep put on, defeating Mladenovic 7-5, 6-7, 6-2.

As for Mladenovic, this makes two clay runner-up finishes in a row for her, which has to be disappointing, but which also demonstrates what a threat she has become.

Maria Sharapova
The three-time champion is definitely a contender. Her comeback has been impressive so far, and her vast experience at the business end of Roland Garros should serve her well. We'll know in a few days whether Sharapova gets a wild card into the main draw or into qualifying; it's expected that she'll get one into the qualifying draw. That, of course, means she would have to play an extra three matches, and playing ten matches is a lot to ask of anyone. I hope she gets a wild card into the main draw, but even if she doesn't, I make her a contender. (Also, her unseeded appearance in the draw could spell the end for other contenders.)

Kiki Mladenovic
Mladenovic has been a French Open contender in my head for a few years, though I knew that she wasn't ready--until now. The French star did something to change her mental strength status, and that something--whatever it was--did several things for her. It gave her a huge boost of confidence, more fluidity in working the court, and much more consistency in her already very good serving. She's now a major threat; also, she's excellent at creating crowd frenzy.

Svetlana Kuznetsova
I know--we say it because we want it to be true. But Kuznetsova's season is quite promising, she's a former champion (2009), and when she's "on," she owns a clay court.

The usual suspects--and a few new ones--will be around to spoil things for the main contenders. No one would be fond of stepping into an early round and having to face the likes of Kiki Bertens (who I hope will some day be a serious contender), Charleston champion Daria Kasatkina, Charleston runner-up Jelena Ostapenko, Stuttgart champion Laura Siegemund, Rabat champion Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the resurgent Anastasija Sevastova, Caroline Garcia, Elina Svitolina, Prague Open champion Mona Barthel, and former French Open finalist Lucie Safarova.

Francesca Schiavone could also be on hand to sweeten the draw. And despite the fact that I don't think they're going to win the championship, Kerber and Muguruza could make it difficult for others to win it.

Could any of these women wind up winning the tournament? Of course, but they don't have the advantages of the four contenders listed above.

The French Open is my favorite of the four majors. It's also the least predictable, and perhaps, this year, it's even less predictable than usual.

Some final thoughts on Charleston

Photo by Daniel Ward

If you want to see crowds of people who love women's tennis, all you have to do is go to Charleston in April. People all over the city are talking about it, and those who attend the matches tend to be pretty sophisticated in their understanding of the game. Charleston crowds also love to watch doubles, and they are quick to spot and support a lesser-known player.

Photo by Daniel Ward

The Charleston crowd also has a much-appreciated sense of humor. In 2010, when Vera Zvonareva performed the greatest racket break of all time, her actions were applauded and cheered by onlookers, some of whom then began to mimic the "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!" cheer (Zvonareva was getting destroyed by Sam Stosur) on behalf of Vera. This year, when Yulia Putintseva took a little break to do some yelling (as she is prone to do), the crowd yelled along with her, then gave her some applause. I can't imagine these things happening anywhere but Charleston.

Every tournament has its ups and downs. This year, Jelena Jankovic, who is beloved by Charleston fans, had to withdraw before the tournament began, though she stayed on site for a few days to appear with her mother at a luncheon. Last year's champion, Angelique Kerber, had to retire during her semifinal because of illness, and the 2014 champion, Andrea Petkovic, went out in the second round.

Photo by Daniel Ward

But there were also plenty of "ups." Fans got an up-close chance to see exciting young stars like Daria Kasatkina, Monica Puig, Kiki Mladenovic, Caroline Garcia, and Daria Gavrilova. They witnessed a dramatic tour comeback from 2011 runner-up Elena Vesnina, and an enjoyable segment in the rise of Laura Siegemund, whose matches were all quite exciting to watch.

Volvo's first year as the title sponsor brought several new features to the event. The addition of music, on-court announcing and post-match interviews on Althea Gibson Club Court was a very nice touch, as was the additional jumbotron on Billie Jean King Stadium Court. But the biggest innovation was full-court streaming that allowed fans to simply scan their mobile devices with a code and stream action on courts all around the grounds, including practice courts.

Photo by Daniel Ward

The Volvo Car Open (formerly Family Circle Cup) is of great historic interest in the world of women's tennis, and it tends to be a star-launching event. Last year, for example, Angelique Kerber ended a slump by winning in Charleston, then going on to win three more tournaments--and then starting 2016 by winning her first major. Sloane Stephens just won her biggest title to date in Charleston, and is gaining the momentum that has eluded her for the last few years.

Caroline Garcia and Kiki Mladenovic, a "pre-Olympics" French team, reached two other finals this year, but their first win together was at the Volvo Car Open. And though she was stopped by Stephens in the semifinals, 18-year-old Daria Kasatkina continued her recent success, this time showing off her considerable skills on clay courts.

Venus Williams was back in Charleston this year, and that's always a special event. Even Martha Stewart was there, and spent some time in the ESPN booth.

Photo by Daniel Ward

There were some great matches. My favorite was the semifinal played between Elena Vesnina and Sara Errani; it was all beautiful tennis from start to finish. Another stand-out was the 28-point third-set tiebreak match contested by Kiki Mladenovic and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. Kasatkina held a match point against Stephens in their exciting quarterfinal, and of course, there was the final, which featured a thrilling first set. Elena Vesnina, by the way, is the first qualifier ever to reach the final in Charleston.

WTA players are especially fond of the Charleston event, too. They get to eat at wonderful restaurants, they attend a very popular players' party, they receive daily gifts, and they enjoy the relaxed familiarity of an event some of them have competed in for years. This year, the top eight seeds drove Volvos around town. Laura Siegemund, who struggled to find the right word to describe the players' experience at the Volvo Car Open--she didn't know if her knowledge of English was good enough--finally came up with "spice"--that something extra that other tournaments don't have. I think she got it just right.

Some final thoughts on Charleston

Having both Williams sisters double up in match play and then win all four of their matches in Charleston was probably a unique event. But also of note is that both defending champions--Serena Williams and Lucie Safarova (playing with a new partner)--won the tournament. Safarova's win is especially interesting because she and Kristina Mladenovic had never played together before. Also of interest--the Family Circle Cup is the only tournament Safarova has ever won as a doubles player.

Getting to the final and taking a set off of Serena was yet another sign that Jelena Jankovic has turned some type of comeback corner. She seems like a different player than she was last year, and that's good news.

Meanwhile, Sloane Stephens was given a beat-down by Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and this after Mattek-Sands had played a 3-hour and 42-minute match (which I unfortunately missed) the day before. Stephens seemed barely "there" for the match. Mattek-Sands' career has been constantly hampered by injury, but when she's healthy, she's dangerous. Stephens didn't seem to know what to do against her.

The unseeded player who impressed me the most overall was Mallory Burdette. Burdette is intelligent and very articulate, and she has a wonderful attitude. She fearlessly played Serena Williams, and for most of one set, she kept up with the world number 1. Burdette beat Kristina Mladenovic in the first round, and upset 2009 champion Sabine Lisicki in the second round. The last set was a real thriller, with Burdette hanging in to win on her sixth match point.

Melanie Oudin played what she said was her best match of the year, pushing Jankovic to three sets. Mona Barthel was an error-prone mess, looking about the same way she did this time last year. Venus Williams looked good, but obviously didn't have the energy left to seriously compete against her sister in the semifinals.

Ashleigh Barty once again impressed in doubles play, and she and Anastasia Rodionova made it to the semifinals. Laura Robson went out too early for those of who can't wait to go to her press conferences. Thankfully, we were treated to plenty of JJ!

Stefanie Voegele was the breakout player, defeating Caroline Wozniacki and playing really aggressive tennis. She looked pretty anxious in her semifinal, which was no surprise. Still, fans were impressed with her game.

I wasn't able to get out much, but I did eat at Five Loaves Cafe, a downtown Charleston favorite. Both the food and the service were great.

As always, the Family Circle Cup was a great experience. The weather was mild this year, if you don't count the wind that whips through the stadium from time to time. The players are especially fond of the tournament because they are given really special treatment by the staff, and it's easier for them to relax in Charleston than it is in some other venues. Charleston fans are very enthusiastic and enjoy watching a variety of players, not just the stars.

On my way home, I saw Kadir Nouni board the plane I took from Charleston to Atlanta. I was absorbed in a book during the flight, and didn't even bother to look around until we were about three-quarters of the way to Atlanta. When I did look up, I realized that Venus Williams was sitting across the aisle from me.

Final thoughts on Cincinnati

Several unexpected things happened this year at the Western and Southern Open, but then--it's the WTA, and it's generally best to expect the unexpected. We weren't expecting Naomi Osaka to retire, though she was wise to do so (Osaka said that she has a high pain tolerance and sometimes plays on when it would be best for her to stop). We also weren't expecting the retirement of Belinda Bencic, which occurred in the first round.

Ever the optimist when it comes to the Spaniard, I didn't think 2017 champion Garbine Muguruza would go out in the first round, but given that she lost to our champion, Madison Keys, the loss doesn't seem as stunning as it might have. Keys played great tennis from the moment she arrived at the tournament.

The bigger surprise was the elimination of defending champion Kiki Bertens, who lost to Venus Williams in the second round. Williams was in especially good form in Cincinnati.

The best surprise was the stunning run of wild card Svetlana Kuznetsova, who made it all the way to the final, and took out four seeded players--three in the top 10--and one up-and-coming young player on her way there. Given Kuznetsova's long injury layoff, no one--including Kuznetsova--was expecting this to happen. The 34-year-old veteran put on quite a show the entire time she was here, and was, of course, her usual entertainingly philosophical self.

It was blazing hot and humid the entire week. Last year, through some weather fluke, it was mild and comfortable, but this year, it was back to normal, but with only one rain delay. The weather prevented me from seeing a few matches I wanted to see (well, I watched them on the monitor), and it frequently caused me to watch only part of a match while I was outside.

Of all the matches I saw--"live" or otherwise--the one that sticks out for me was the third round contest between 9th seed Aryna Sabalenka and Maria Sakkari. It was full of twists and turns, with both players going at it as though they were fighting for their very careers. I think everyone who saw it was mesmerized by it. Sakkari won--and though she would go out in the next round against top seed Ash Barty--the Greek player continued to establish herself as someone to watch.

Other players who impressed this week were Sonya Kenin (who continues to impress), Anett Kontaveit, Donna Vekic and, of course, the inimitable Hsieh Su-Wei, who played a memorable match against Naomi Osaka.

Finally, this may have been the "turn the corner" event for Madison Keys, who said that she felt that she had finally put all the elements of her game together this week. She also said that she felt calm, and not putting so much pressure on herself. Her serve was mostly strong, and her movement was superb. She goes into the U.S. Open with a lot of momentum.

The Cincinnati experience is an exciting and fan-friendly one, with almost all of the top WTA and ATP players competing. The grounds are filled with flowers, parking is free, and fans have a wide variety of food and vendor choices. 2019 did not disappoint,

Some final thoughts about Indian Wells

The BNP Paribas Open was kind of special for me this year because players I like very much--Flavia Pennetta, Aga Radwanska, Simona Halep, Li Na, and Jelena Jankovic all showed up in the last stages of the tournament. And while Halep was too tired, Radwanska was ultimately too injured, and Li went off to Na Na Land, I was still glad to see them all get to the semifinals or better. Of course, it was often hard for me to cheer for anyone because I wanted them all to win!

Having Pennetta win was truly the icing on the cake. Pennetta is iconic to me, even though she has never won a major. What a pleasure it was to see her take home a trophy from a premier mandatory event.

My favorite match (and I didn't see them all, of course) was the quarterfinal played between Radwanska and Jankovic. And my favorite moment of the whole tournament--not counting Pennetta's moment of victory--was when Jankovic challenged a call while lying on the court with her legs dangling. That's our JJ.

That was a rather sharp contrast to Maria Sharapova's insistence that she didn't challenge a call when everyone saw her make the universal "I challenge" gesture. I noticed that the chair umpire for the men's final made a point of telling the players that the best way to challenge a call is to say that you are challenging.

On to Miami, speaking of Sharapova. The Russian star has been the runner-up there five times, but has never won. Beating her for those five titles were Kim Clijsters, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Victoria Azarenka, Agnieszka Radwanska, and Serena Williams. Will the Miami Curse be lifted this year?

Final thoughts on Fed Cup in Birmingham

First, thanks to the BJCC staff in Birmingham for making the event exciting, and for being so nice to all the visitors. The seats are quite comfortable in the arena, and we had a great view of the court. I attended the Davis Cup event there last year, and was impressed then with how smoothly everything ran.

Some of the matches could have been better, but in Fed Cup, one should expect surprises of all kinds. Both Elena Dementieva and Bethanie Mattek-Sands added some excitement by coming back after losing the second set, and Liezel Huber put on an entertaining show in the final rubber. I don't mean to take anything away from Mattek-Sands, whose doubles play was excellent; it's just that Huber made a few truly memorable shots, and she is, after all, somewhat of a show-woman.

Speaking of Huber, when handed the microphone at the end, she told a wildly cheering crowd that she almost cried when she saw the American flag, etc., but there was no more talk of "I'm more patriotic than you are," and "I came from a Third World country with just my suitcase and a dream." In other words, she toned it down--for Huber.

The banners of Mattek-Sands and Melanie Oudin standing against the backdrop of the Birmingham skyline were a nice touch, as was the sign painted on the stairs at the entrance to the arena.

The deejay was very good, the face-painting was done well, and Ace the eagle mascot was a fan (including this fan) favorite.

Team USA's standout player was Mattek-Sands, who played two live rubbers on the same day. The first one was a 2-hour and 34-minute match against Ekaterina Makarova, and the second was the deciding doubles rubber. Mattek Sands is the third member of the USA team to win consecutive live matches and gain victory for the USA. Lindsay Davenport did it in the semifinals in 1995, and Mary Joe Fernandez did it in the quarterfinals in 1996.

Some final thoughts before the final match at the Credit One Charleston Open

Daria Kasatkina (photo by Daniel Ward)

"So if you want to be--if you want to compete on the good level, you have to always improve things. And I am one of the players who needs to--so if I want to compete, I have to be always on the highest level of my ability. So I have to be always in the best shape, which is tough to keep it all the time. But that's what I am trying to do all the time."
--Daria Kasatkina

 

 

 "I feel like I've been asked a lot of times, do you think because you announced your retirement, you're playing more freely? I think when that's being said, it's kind of like a vague thing or assumption to kind of make because it's easy to say, oh, well, she's retiring at the end of the year, so she must be playing so freely. But the reality is is that I've made improvements each match, and a lot of those improvements have  been technical, tactical. Athletically, there are things that I've improved, not remendously, but little by little. And I think it's important to highlight those things."
--Danielle Collins (photo by Daniel Ward)

Some final thoughts on Charleston

photo by Daniel Ward

Tennis is nothing if not filled with surprises, and that reality was on display over and over this year at the Credit One Charleston Open. Historically, the tournament has dodged most of the big storms (except for a few big ones at night, one of which included hail) in the area, but this year, its luck ran out. Constant rain delayed play on semifinal day, and only one semifinal was completed. On finals day, therefore, the schedule had to be adjusted.

None of this appeared to bother the crowd, but--as I've written many times--the Charleston crowd is special. They are sophisticated, knowledgeable (including about doubles) and possess empathic good humor. Players who might get booed at other tournaments get encouraged or applauded in Charleston. In other words, the crowd knows the difference between bad sportswomanship and the quirky behaviors of a wide span of personalities. 

Ons Jabeur (photo by Daniel Ward)

"I'm happy to be part of the champions here in Charleston. It was nice when they show, you know, the names. I always wanted to have my name there. Definitely the crowd, they're amazing, and just amazing because they're not just following me from this tournament, but all over the other tournaments, and they told me that they watch also the Netflix show. So that's really amazing to hear that I have support and not just for one tournament, but the whole season."
--Ons Jabeur

Belinda Bencic (photo by Daniel Ward)

"It's really like a different vibe. I feel like more attached to this tournament than maybe I feel to other tournaments....I think it's no secret that everybody really loves this tournament. After Indian Wells and
Miami, you are very tired, you just want to go home, but for me, like this has always been a very nice stop, even like this--like tired like this, I mean. And, yeah, it just has different vibe really. Like it's not just a tournament for me."
--Belinda Bencic

Danielle Collins & Desirae Krawczyk (photo by Daniel Ward)

"The atmosphere was amazing, and I think all of our matches we've had a great crowd, and for everyone to come out, it's so cold today, and everyone came out and supported, and it really gave you some motivation, you know, being both Americans and playing at home, you know, on home soil. So it was so much fun, and I really appreciate that, because as a doubles player who plays week to week, you don't get those crowds and you really want to relish it and really appreciate that. So it means a lot."
--Danielle Collins

The rain delay was the least of the special things that occurred during the event. For the first time in 23 years, the top four seeds played in the semifinals. And for the first time ever, the same two women competed in the final in consecutive years. Last year, it was Belinda Bencic who received the champion's trophy; this year, it was Ons Jabeur. Or, as Ons said to her friend, Belinda--"We both have one big trophy and one small trophy."

Eleanor Adams (photo by Daniel Ward)

And while it wasn't a total surprise, Tournament Manager Eleanor Adams' announcement of her retirement elicited a very emotional reaction (also not a surprise) among staff, volunteers, members of the media, and--perhaps most of all--players. Adams, working alongside Tournament Director Bob Moran, has long been the force behind the event's extreme popularity on the tour. Her attention to detail, and her ability to anticipate the players' needs--and to fulfill them--is well known on the tour. Bob and Eleanor know how to run a tournament, and they do it with thoroughness and kindness. Eleanor Adams has worked for the Charleston Open for 23 years, and she has left a mark on the event that can never be erased.

It was a busy week, filled with great tennis, as well as other enjoyable fan activities. Players will tell you--there's no tennis experience quite like Charleston.

Some thoughts on "mental coaching"

Getting a "mental coach" appears to have helped 2014 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova regain her mojo in a big way. Francesca Schiavone, who lost in final after final, sought the services of a mental coach and won the French Open.

"Mental coaching" is apparently the relatively new euphemism for "sports psychology." There are some players (Aga Radwanska jumps immediately to mind) who are too--what?--misinformed, insecure, out of touch--whatever--to see a sports psychologist, though it would do them a world of good (and why aren't their coaches insisting on it?). Perhaps calling sports mental health experts "coaches" makes it easier for players to accept the help. I don't know.

What I do know--because I pay attention--is that regular coaches sometimes are not up to the task of dealing with their charges' fragile psyches. My educated guess is that they try to help, but perhaps don't know enough to offer the kind of help that players need. That's not a criticism--a tennis coach is supposed to understand mental and emotional goings-on, but only up to a point.

I have never met a sports psychologist or "mental coach" so I don't know exactly what it is that they do. As a very experienced psychotherapist, I know what I would do, and I wish I had the opportunity to treat--oops, coach--athletes. Here are some things I would bear in mind:

Some athletes, though their ability indicates that they should have belief, don't believe in themselves because of the way they were treated as children. Not everyone with talent can be a Steffi Graf or a Mary Pierce and overcome the sins of their parents.

Becoming a famous or fairly famous athlete means that people are going to say all kinds of things about you, most of which are untrue and some of which are very cruel. You have to be taught how to handle that, just as you have to be taught how to handle the "good" celebrity attention.
The more accomplished a woman is in sport, the more sexist and misogynistic the attacks against her become. The past few generations (at least in my country) have pretty much ignored bigotry toward women, so a certain degree of gender self-esteem may have to be learned.

Left-handed athletes are known to have an advantage in many sports, including tennis, but left-handed people have some disadvantages, too. Leftys are more prone to have fearful feelings and to worry and obsess about negative thoughts. When we see a player like Kvitova, an extreme talent who is also known as a "head case," we are probably looking at a brain hemisphere issue. If I were Kvitova's "mental coach," she'd be doing Tai Chi and/or Qi Gong every day to balance her left and right brain hemispheres. It can make a big difference.

Athletes have other mental health issues, such as anxiety disorders and depression, and those need to be addressed.

Hypnotherapy is very useful in changing a player's belief about everything from her serve to her ability to close matches. It would seem to me that hypnotherapy would be a standard intervention in sports psychology.

Jessica Pegula, 2025 champion, wins Charleston Open again

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

Though she took on the nickname of Three-Set Jess this week, top seed and defending champion Jessica Pegula put a stop to the long grind when it mattered most; she won the Credit One Charleston Open final in an hour and 22 minutes. Competing against surprise finalist Yuliia Starodubtseva, Pegula saved five of six break points, and her first and second serve win percentages were 76.5 and 52.2. 

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

The defending champion glided rather easily through the first set, breaking her opponent twice. Up 6-2, 5-0, however, the momentum shifted a bit, as Starodubtseva broke Pegula on her fourth break point. She then held, but Pegula was successful on her second attempt to serve for the championship. 

Despite the 6-2, 6-2 scoreline, the match was entertaining, and included some first-rate shot-making from both players. 

Yuliia Starodubtseva (photo by Daniel Ward)

After the match, Starodubtseva joked, “I really hoped this was her best match this week, because to be the only two-setter in the tournament is not nice.” The runner-up talked about her anxiety before both the final and her semifinal against Madison Keys. She said that she couldn’t sleep because “…my thoughts kind of didn't stop. It was like, you know, loud in my head last three days.” She then acknowledged that this is in issue that she needs to work on, but also, she believes that the more she advances to big matches, the problem is likely to take care of itself. 

For her part, Pegula said that she was very pleased with the level at which she played today. She had a plan and she stuck to it, even when her opponent made changes and picked up her level. “I think I was able to like go right back to what I know I needed to do and not let her kind of lull me into playing her game, and I was able to kind of nip that in the bud, I guess, any time it felt like it was starting to shift.”

Pegula is the first player to repeat her victory in Charleston since Serena Williams did it in 2013. Williams, like Pegula, won back-to-back tournaments. 

This year, the Credit One Charleston Open became the first 500 tournament to award prize money equal to that awarded at ATP tournaments on the same level. Pegula received $354, 355, and Starodubtseva received $218, 225. The total on-site purse was $2.3 million, and the total player compensation was $2.5 million. Starodubtseva said that she will now be able to have her physio travel with her in Europe.

Desirae Krawczyk and Caty McNally (photo by Daniel Ward)

There was also an interesting story in the doubles competition. Desirae Krawczyk’s partner withdrew from the tournament, so she had to scramble to find a partner. Fortunately, Caty McNally was available. But there’s more—their opponents in the final—Anna Bondar and Magdalena Frech—also got together at the last minute. And to make the circumstances even stranger, Bondar and Frech played each other in the singles draw; Bondar won, 7-5, 6-3, in the second round. 

Krawczyk and McNally won the championship match 6-3, 6-2. Krawczyk also won the tournament, with Danielle Collins, in 2023, and McNally won it, with Hailey Baptiste, in 2021.

Magdalena Frech, Anna Bondar, Desirae Krawczyk, Caty McNally
(photo by Daniel Ward)

all photos by Daniel Ward

Top seed Pegula goes down 0-4 in the third set, wins match

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

Watching top seed Jessica Pegula and Irina-Camelia Begu play their round of 16 match this afternoon in Charleston caused me to flash on that third round match that Petra Kvitova and Alona Ostapenko played in Indian Wells--the one with the crazy 0-6, 6-0, 6-4 scoreline. The scoreline for today's match wasn't like that, but the momentum dynamics were similar--and much riskier. 

15th seed Begu, who has played some very good matches in Charleston over the years. was down a set and 0-4, then won ten games in a row. This meant that top seed Pegula found herself down 0-4 in the third set. She then proceeded to win the set--and the match. The final score was 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, which looks way more "normal" than what it took to arrive at it. 

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

When asked what was going through her mind in the last set, Pegula replied:

"Like dead serious, like what was going through my mind is 'I can't believe I've lost six games in a row, seven games in a row, eight, nine, ten.' And then I was just, like, communicating that to my coach, like, 'oh, it's eight now, it'll probably be nine.' Like it wasn't very positive, to be honest. Also, like that really hasn't happened to me in like, a long time. Like I can't remember the last time I've been up like that and consecutively lost like, that many games as well.

"So I was just frustrated," Pegula explained, "but was able to kind of relax and played a pretty good game at 4-0. I knew if I could just get one game, like kind of stop the bleeding, that I think I had a chance to get back into it. But, yeah, it didn't come until that 4-0 game. And then the next game, I played like, a good game, and then she played a bad game at 2-4, and then it just like, switched really quickly. But, yeah, my thoughts weren't very positive for a few games there."

Next for Pegula will be 12th seed Paula Badosa.

In the meantime, hometown favorite Shelby Rogers fell to 4th seed and defending champion Belinda Bencic, who defeated her 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. It was a bit strange, having the crowd cheer for the defending champion's opponent, but it was just the luck of the draw. 

Belinda Bencic (photo by Daniel Ward)

After the match, Bencic reflected on her history in Charleston. In 2014, when she was only 17 years old, she wound up in semifinal thriller against Jana Cepelova. "It was like the toughest match of my career," Bencic said. "I thought, 'I'm never going to have a chance to be in the final again.' It was like all these emotions that you just have as a 17-year-old that you don't reach the first time something. And it's just so nice like, to see how far I've come in these years."

Far indeed. Eight years after playing that semifinal, the Swiss star won the tournament, defeating Ons Jabeur in the final. 

Daria Kasatkina (photo by Daniel Ward)

Another former champion who advanced today was 2017 Charleston winner Daria Kasatkina. Kasatkina, who is seeded third, defeated Bernarda Pera 6-3, 7-6. The Russian star will play yet another former champion in the quarterfinals--2019 champion (and 9th seed) Madison Keys. Keys defeated 8th seed Magda Linette 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.

Here is the quarterfinal draw:

Jessica Pegula (1) vs. Paula Badosa (1)
Belinda Bencic (4) vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova (7)
Madison Keys (9) vs. Daria Kasatkina (3)
Anna Kalinskaya vs. Ons Jabeur (2)

Simona Halep, the pride of Romania, retires from professional tennis

BREAKING:

Simona Halep has retired from professional tennis.

It’s tough to see such a great champion leave the sport.

She poured so much love and energy into her craft every day that she chose to play tennis.

And she inspired countless people along the way.

It’s fitting… pic.twitter.com/0kGyTwzfIS

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 4, 2025

I enjoyed watching Simona Halep long before she became a household tennis name. She had talent and court intelligence, and I wondered what direction her career would take. Several years later, beginning in 2013, when she won six titles, it took a very fine direction, resulting in her winning both the French Open and Wimbledon.

The moment @Simona_Halep won the French Open 🏆#tennis pic.twitter.com/h4kP4IllQb

— Eurosport (@eurosport) February 4, 2025

Halep had to fight for the French Open title; on two occasions, she was the runner-up, once to Maria Sharapova (2014) and once to Alona Ostapenko (2017). Finally, in 2018, she won the tournament, defeating Sloane Stephens in the final. That same year, Halep was the runner-up at the Australian Open, losing the final to Caroline Wozniacki. The following year, the Romanian star won in London by defeating seven-time champion Wimbledon Serena Williams in the final.

Halep’s ascension in professional tennis also brought about something that I wasn’t accustomed to seeing—her fans traveled all over the world to support her. And support her they did, yelling “Si-mo-na!” whenver she appeared on the court. Halep’s tennis idol was Justine Henin, and this fact came as no surprise to anyone who saw her play. Like the four-time French Open champion, Halep—despite being “small” in pro tennis terms—used relentless aggression to defeat her opponents, and was especially fond of doing so on clay. She was a feared returner of the ball.

Halep experienced her share of injuries, especially foot and back injuries, though she also had to deal with injuries to her shoulder, neck and calf. She also had to contend with a breathing problem, and eventually had surgery to correct it. Despite these physical challenges, Halep always bounced back, and always worked her way back to the top.

There were also psychological challenges. Halep had a tendency to let stress overcome her, and to become visibly upset with herself on the court. Once, I asked her if she had any kind of strategy on the court to stop her thoughts and move on in a more positive way. “Oh,” she said, waving her hand and smiling, “I’m like this all the time.” But she conquered those demons, like (until now) she conquered her injury woes.

I’ll leave it to others to deconstruct what happened to Simona when, in the fall of 2022, she tested positive for roxadusat. Halep’s saga, like the saga of so many players, was filled with inconsistencies and questionable behaviors from the organizations that are in charge of dealing with doping. We’ve seen many players treated unfairly by these organizations, but Halep’s case may be the most egregious of them all. Her four-year ban was eventually changed to nine months, which she had already “served.”

Unfortunately, her return to the tour was marred by a serious knee injury, from which she was unable to fully recover. Today, after losing in the first round at her home tournament in Transylvania, the 33-year-old Halep announced her retirement from professional tennis. “To be competitive again requires much more, and at this moment, it’s no longer possible,” she said, in making the announcement. “I don’t want to cry—this is something beautiful. I reached world number 1, I won grand slams; it’s everything I ever wanted.” 

Simona Halep held the position of number 1 in the world for 64 weeks, and was twice the year-end number 1. She won 24 singles titles, was a member of the Romanian Fed Cup (now Billie Jean King Cup) team eight times, and a member of the 2012 Romanian Olympic team.

Sports—which are known for providing us with metaphors for all of our major hopes, as well as the dashing of those hopes—frequently remind us that life isn’t fair. The likable and hard-working Halep was a star, she put Romanian tennis on the map, and she thrilled fans all over the world. Her career shouldn’t have ended this way, but it did, and—as Simona herself said—it was beautiful.