Saturday, January 31, 2015

Champions everywhere

Yesterday, unseeded Tereza Mihalikova of the Slovak Republic won the junior girls' Australian Open title when she defeated 14th seed Katie Swan 6-1, 6-4. Swan, who saved three match points in her semifinal match, was hampered by a leg injury in the final.

What may be the most brutal upset of the tournament was pulled off by Jiske Griffioen. Griffiioen, an established wheelchair doubles champion, won her first major in singles by defeating Yui Kamiji 6-3, 7-5 in the final. Had Kamiji won, she would hold all seven major titles. As it is, she'll have to be content with holding just six of them.

Kamiji and Jordanne Whiley won the doubles title, defeating Griffioen and Aniek Van Koot 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

The mixed doubles final will be played today. Defending champions and 3rd seeds Kiki Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor will compete against 7th seeds Martina Hingis and Leander Paes.

I did not publish the singles' finalists' paths to the final on Friday because I have been ill and not too sharp, and I just forgot. My apologies. Here they are, for those who haven't had a chance to go over them and would like to see them:

SERENA WILLIAMS
round 1--def. Alison Van Uytvanck
round 2--Vera Zvonareva
round 3--Elina Svitolina
round of 16--Garbine Muguruza
quarterfinals--Dominika Cibulkova
semifinals--Madison Keys

MARIA SHARAPOVA
round 1--def. Petra Martic
round 2--def. Alexandra Panova
round 3--def. Zarina Diyas
round of 16--def. Peng Shaui
quarterfinals--def. Genie Bouchard
semifinals--def. Ekaterina Makarova

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