Sunday, June 8, 2025

My French Open top 10

Here are my top 10 French Open occurences, in ascending order:

10. The less things change, the more they stay the same: Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo tried to explain why no women are scheduled for night matches, and to assure everyone concerned that the tournament isn't really delivering the message that so many people are getting. Time, she said, is a factor--the matches need to go for a long time. And while it's true that women play the best of three and men play the best of five--two back-to-back women's matches would solve that problem. Also, many men's matches last only three sets. Ons Jabeur responded, and when she did, others followed her. 

9. Gone so soon: Emma Navarro, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Elise Mertens, 2021 champion Barbora Krejcikova, Karolina Muchova, Marta Kostyuk--they were all defeated in the first round. Krejcikova and Muchova were both coming back from injury/illness, so those exits--though very sad--weren't surprising. In the second round, we lost Danielle Collins, Donna Vekic and Diana Shnaider. 

8. With a Fighting Italian behind you, you can do anything: Lilli Tagger became the first Austrian to win the junior girls' title, and she did it without dropping a set. Tagger's coach? 2010 champion Francesca Schiavone, of course. 

7. Mixing and matching in Paris: Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori won the mixed doubles championship, and are the first Italian team to do so in 67 years. Errani and Vavassori also won the U.S. Open title in 2024.

6. Kamiji rolls on: Yui Kamiji, the top seed in Paris, won both the wheelchair singles and doubles (with Kgothatso Montjane) titles. Kamiji, for several years, has played the "second best" role to Diede de Groot. De Groot, whose 125 match win streak was broken last year at World Team Cup play, had to undergo surgery and rehab for her hip, and has returned to the tour, but is clearly not yet back to her former level. Kamiji's "second best" is quite impressive, though. This is her fifth French Open singles title, and her fifth French Open doubles title. She has a total of ten major singles titles, and she has achieved a Career Slam in doubles.

5. When the Fight goes out of the Italian: Jasmine Paolini, seeded 4th, stunned the tennis world last year when she reached the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon. Just before she arrived in Paris, Paolini won both the singles and doubles titles in Rome, and then made it through the first three rounds at Roland Garros without dropping a set.

Then something happened: In the round of 16, Paolini played Elina Svitolina, who is always a threat, to be sure. But Paolini took the first set 6-4, then went up 4-1 in the second. She then went up 5-3. At 5-4, she held two match points. Svitolina saved those, then forced a tiebreak, which Paolini led 6-5, thereby holding a third match point. But Svitolina saved that one, too, and went on to win the match. This is to take nothing away from Elina Svitolina, who played at top form and had nerves of steel; she may have won under any circumstance. But Paolini was clearly rattled. Was she exhausted from Rome? Was Svitolina just too much for her? Was it just a bad day? Or all of those things? Only Paolini knows. 

4. The crown is off--for now: Three-time defending champion (and four-time champion) Iga Swiatek, whose name has become synonymous with Roland Garros, wasn't exactly a favorite this year. After all, she hadn't won a title since she won the French Open last year. But she made it past both Elena Rybakina and Elina Svitolina, and she owned a 5-1 record on clay against her semifinal opponent, Aryna Sabalenka. The world number 1, however, defeated Swiatek 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-0, then went on, of course, to reach her first French Open final. 

3. They love Paris every moment: Despite her tense round of 16 loss in singles, Jasmine Paolini wasn't out of the tournament. She and partner Sara Errani, seeded 2nd, won the doubles championship. Errani and Paolini, the 2024 runners-up, also won an Olympic gold medal at Roland Garros last year.

2. Lois! Lois! Lois!: Until last week, only serious fans had heard of Lois Boisson. That all changed when the 22-year-old Frenchwoman, ranked number 361 in the world and holding a wild card, went on an upset tear, the likes of which we haven't seen in a while. Boisson, who serves well, and is a clever competitor and a cool head on the court, went about showing the exit to 24th seed Elise Mertens, Anhelina Kalinina, wild card Elsa Jacquemont, 3rd seed Jessica Pegula, and 6th seed Mirra Andreeva. She was stopped by Coco Gauff in the semifinals, but her run was unforgettable. The French crowd, yelling "Lois! Lois! Lois!," went crazy (which also meant that they were brutal toward her opponents), and now everyone knows her name. Next week, she'll be ranked number 65 in the world.

1. First the Coco, then the champagne: In 2022, an 18-year-old Coco Gauff made it to the final of the French Open, but was defeated in straight sets by Iga Swiatek. Gauff later said that she approached the final without much self-belief, and that she continued to feel bad about her performance. Gauff reached the quarterfinals in 2023 and the semifinals in 2024. In the meantime, she won the U.S. Open in 2023. The Coco Gauff who arrived in Paris this year was ready to take on anybody. Her draw became tougher by the time she reached the round of 16, but she would go on to defeat 30the seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, 7th seed Madison Keys, and the very in-form Frenchwoman, Lois Boisson. In the final, she faced world number 1, Aryna Sabalenka, and--after losing a tense first set in a tiebreak--Gauff went on to win the next two sets, 6-2 and 6-4. 

Coco Gauff has had her ups and downs, like all good players, but she has worked steadily to improve her game, and her mindset is now the mindset of a champion, a reality that was on display throughout the final. 

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Saturday, June 7, 2025

Coco takes Paris--21st Century version

It doesn't happen often that the two top seeds in a major compete in the final, but it did today. Top seed and world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka faced 2nd seed (and 2022 runner-up) Coco Gauff for the title. The wind was strong, with gusts up to 30 mph., and the roof was open. It also rained for a while, but not enough to pause the match.

Wind is probably the last thing that players want to deal with in a big match, and some handle it better than others. Today, it was Gauff who did a better job of managing the elements--and the emotions. It isn't my (or anyone's) place to judge who had what emotions and how intense they were, but Gauff had let it be known that her error-filled, straight-set loss to Iga Swiatek in 2022 (Swiatek also beat her in last year's semifinals) had stayed with her. Gauff was only 18 then, and the subsequent three years have made a difference. Not only is she a better player and more sure of herself--she also came to Paris as a player who had already won a major (the 2023 U.S. Open). 

The first set of today's final included eight breaks of serve as the players struggled to deal with the wind. Sabalenka went up 40, 40-love rather quickly, but Gauff maneuvered her way back. The tenth game contained six deuces, and Gauff won it on her fifth break point. Sabalenka served twice for the set but was unable to close. The set, not surprisingly, went to a tiebreak, which Gauff led--until she didn't. Sabalenka committed 32 unforced errors in the set, yet managed to win the tiebreak, 7-5.

Gauff began the second set with a break, and then held at love. She then went up a double break, while her opponent began to resemble the Aryna Sabalenka of former years. The world number 1 became flustered by both the wind and by Gauff's smooth running down of balls and steadier hitting. The 2nd seed won that set 6-2.

Gauff finessed her way through the third set without making a single unforced error. She served for it at 5-4, and Sabalenka saved that championship point. but a few moments later, the match was over, and Gauff walked away with a  6-7, 6-2, 6-4 victory. 

Sabalenka made 70 unforced errors in the match, and hit 37 winners; Gauff made 30 unforced errors and hit 30 winners. Gauff's expert footwork and mental strength were on full display throughout the match.

We have other champions, too. Top seed Yui Kamiji won the wheelchair title when she defeated 2nd seed Aniek Van Koot 6-2, 6-2 in the final, and Kamiji and Kgothatso Montjane defeated Li Xiaohui and Wang Ziying 4-6, 7-5, 10-7 to win the title.

In junior competition, Lilli Tagger, who is coached by 2010 champion Francesca Schiavone, became the first girl from Austria to win the championship, and she did so without dropping a set. She defeated Great Britain's Hannah Klugman 6-2, 6-0. In doubles, Eva Bennemann and Sonja  Zhenikhova upset 3rd seeds Alena Kovackova and Jana Kovackova 4-6, 6-4, 10-8 in the final.

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Thursday, June 5, 2025

It wasn't meant to be--parts 1 and 2

She had a tough draw--Emma Raducanu, Jaqueline Cristian, 12th seed Elena Rybakina, 13th seed Elina Svitolina--and throughout the first several rounds, four-time champion and three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek looked good. Cristian was tricky, and Rybakina looked like she was going to run away with their round of 16 match. Yet the 5th seed managed to turn on a switch that allowed her to defeat the former Wimbledon champion in three sets. Then there was Svitolina, who was coming off an edge-of-the-cliff upset over 4th seed Jasmine Paolini, and was an obvious danger. But Swiatek got through that challenge, too. 

Then she hit the wall that is Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka, who had never before played Swiatek at Roland Garros, and who was 1-5 against her on clay, arrived on Court Philippe-Chatrier today without having dropped a set throughout the tournament. It was raining in Paris, so the roof was closed. Within ten minutes, Sabalenka was up a double break. It appeared that the world number 1 was hitting her forehand even harder than usual--and she was. Swiatek, having finally figured out that she had to stand back in order to deal with Rybakina's hard hitting, stood back for Sabalenka, got the breaks back, and maneuvered her way to a tiebreak. But the tiebreak resembled the beginning of the set, with Sabalenka overpowering her opponent 7-1.

In the second set, the world number 5 looked like--herself. Her expert movement was on display, and she made risky shots look like a day on the practice court. The rallies were fast, the hitting was flat, and Swiatek took the set 6-4.

I'm sure that I wasn't the only one who thought: This third set is going to be something else. It was, but not in the way I expected. Sabalenka made no unforced errors, and did what no one does to the bagel queen--she won the set 6-0. Swiatek struggled at this tournament, but she was also able to do some good problem-solving and win five straight matches against good opponents. But her Roland Garros 26-match win streak was broken, and in dramatic fashion.

In the second semifinal match, 2nd seed Coco Gauff faced off against the star of the 2025 French Open, wild card Lois Boisson. Boisson had delivered so many shock results that it no longer seemed prudent to assume that she would lose. All the same, competing against the Coco Gauff that we've been watching in Paris was nothing to be taken lightly. Commentators remarked that Boisson looked tired--and she did--but, to me, she looked even more fatigued in her quarterfinal match against Mirra Andreeva. At any rate, it was clear, early on, that the Frenchwoman had only so much left to give.

Gauff was as on her game as ever, breaking her opponent six times, and saving four out of five break points against her. She defeated Boisson 6-1, 6-2. After the match, Boisson said that she was unable to play her game today: "She was just too good." Gauff, the 2022 French Open runner-up, is 5-5 against Sabalenka, and 1-1 against her on clay. They have never before played each other at the French Open.

Paths to the final:

ARYNA SABALENKA (1)
round 1--def. Kamilla Rakhimova
round 2--def. Jil Teichmann
round 3--def. Olga Danilovic
round of 16-- def. Amanda Anisimova (16)
quarterfinals--def. Zheng Qinwen (8)
semifinals--def. Iga Swiatek (5) 

COCO GAUFF (2)

round 1--def. Olivia Gadecki
round 2--def. Tereza Valentova
round 3--def. Marie Bouzkova
round of 16--def. Ekaterina Alexandrova (20)
quarterfinals--def. Madison Keys (7)
semifinals--def. Lois Boisson (wc) 

In the meantime, we have a champion! Sara Errani and partner Andrea Vavassori, seeded 3rd, won the mixed double championship today when they defeated 4th seeds Taylor Townsend and Evan King 6-4, 6-2 in the final. Errani and Vavassori are the first Italian team to win the French Open mixed doubles title in 67 years. They also won the 2024 U.S. Open. Errani, who is 38, has also won five major women's doubles titles (all with Roberta Vinci), an Olympic gold medal in doubles (with Jasmine Paolini), and she was the French Open singles runner-up in 2012.

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Wednesday, June 4, 2025

French flair in 2025

Today, in Paris, French wild card Lois Boisson continued her amazing run by upsetting 6th seed Mirra Andreeva and reaching the semifinals of the tournament. Boisson had already caused a great stir by reaching the quarterfinals and upsetting 3rd seed Jessica Pegula. Prior to that, she had defeated Anna Kalinina and 24th seed Elise Mertens. She then had to play another French wild card, Elsa Jacquemot, in the third round, and the fact that they had both made it to the third round was news in itself. 

Boisson was granted a wild card to the French Open last year, but shortly before the tournament began, she injured her left knee, tearing the ACL, and had to undergo surgery. Part of her rehab was using virtual reality, and it appears to have paid off. According to the Roland Garros website, "The neurovisual training included sight tests, catching a ball at short range with one eye obstructed, buzzer reaction tests, even using virtual reality headsets."

"Doing these exercises has greatly improved my reactivity and it now comes naturally," Boisson said of the program.

Boisson made her WTA debut in 2021, playing doubles in Lyon. She has won three ITF singles titles, and she won her first WTA title in Sain-Malo, a WTA 125 tournament. She is ranked number 361 in the world.

Andreeva stunned the tennis world earlier this year by winning Dubai and Indian Wells (back-to-back wins). In Dubai, she knocked out 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, five-time major champion Iga Swiatek and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina before defeating Clara Tauson in the final. In Indian Wells, Andreeva defeated world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

But today, the Russian star, who is only 18, could not channel her inner Ostapenko. After narrowly losing the first set in an 8-6 tiebreak, she was obviously rattled by the predictably brutal French crowd. To make her situation worse, her opponent didn't appear to be under any pressure--she just went about her business, utilizing an impressive forehand with a lot of spin.

Boisson is the second player in the past 40 years to defeat multiple top 10 players in her first major main draw. (Monica Seles did it in 1999, also at the French Open.)

In today's other semifinal, 2nd seed (and 2022 runner-up) Coco Gauff defeated 7th seed Madison Keys 6-7(8), 6-4, 6-1. Between them, Gauff and Keys made 101 unforced errors and hit 40 winners, most of which came from Keys' racket. But Gauff went about solving problems and expertly covering the court. 

In yesterday's quarterfinal play, top seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated 8th seed Zheng Qinwen 7-6(7), 6-3. Zheng, who won an Olympic gold medal on the Roland Garros courts last year, was a favorite to win the title, but Sabalenka's was too much for her this week.

In the other quarterfinal, four-time champion and 5th seed Iga Swiatek defeated 13th seed Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5. Svitolina's run was notable, however, in that she upset 2024 finalist Jasmine Paolini in the round of 16, in a match in which Paolini led for two sets, and in which she held three match points. 

Swiatek and Sabalenka have never played one another at the French Open, but now they will compete for a place in the final. 

Here is the semifinal singles draw:

Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs. Iga Swiatek (5)
Lois Boisson (wc) vs. Coco Gauff (2)

There have also been other big upsets in Paris. One didn't surprise me that much--four-time defending wheelchair champion Diede de Groot (who is seeded 3rd, and it feels strange just to write that) was knocked out in the first round by Li Xiaohui. de Groot is just returning from injury and subsequent surgery, and Li--who ended de Groot's 145-match win streak at the World Team Cup last year--was certainly not the player she wanted to face in her first round. 

The other upset is indeed surprising: The unseeded team of Anna Danilina and Aleks Krunic upset top doubles seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Danilina and Krunic will play another unseeded team--Ulrikke Eikeri and Eri Hozumi. The other semifinal match will feature 4th seeds Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider, who will compete against 2nd seeds Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini.

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Monday, June 2, 2025

In Paris, wild cards and wild goings-on

I doubt that anyone expected two French wild cards to be competing in the third round of the French Open, but that's what happened. Elsa Jacquemont had upset Maria Sakkari and Alycia Parks, and Boisson had upset 24th seed Elise Mertens and Anhelina Kalinina. When they played each other, Boisson emerged the victor, which gave her a slot in the round of 16 against 3rd seed and Charleston champion Jessica Pegula. 

That match went to three sets, and the final game was a almost a sporting event in itself. At 4-5, Pegula held four break points, all of which disappeared, a couple in dramatic fashion. The Frenchwoman clinched it with an impressive forehand shot, and won her biggest match--in her first major competition--3-6, 6-4, 6-4. Ranked number 361 in the world, Boisson is the lowest-ranked woman to reach a major quarterfinal since 2017. The 22-year-old was supposed to have competed last year, but she tore her ACL shortly before the tournament began. What a way to make up for lost time!

The French now have not only a countrywoman in the quarterfinals, but also an "honorary" Frenchwoman in the form of Elina Svitolina (married to Gaeil Monfils), who pulled off a shocking upset against 4th seed and 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini. Svitolina was down a set and 1-4, then she was down a set and 3-5, then down a set, 4-5, 15-40. The Ukrainian star saved those two match points, then saved a third match point in a tiebreak. In the third set, Svitolina had a pretty easy time, winning it 6-1. She played well, and her determination was first-rate, but Paolini wilted, presumably from the pressure. I was surprised--Fighting Italians don't generally do that. I had picked Paolini as highly probable to win the whole thing, so file that under What Do I Know?

Those were the most dramatic results, but those weren't the only matches that took fans (and the players) to the edge. Enter defending champion Iga Swiatek, who had to face Elena Rybakina in the round of 16. Swiatek and Rybakina were 4-4 against each other before taking to the court in Paris. Rybakina had won both of their clay court matches, though one of those was won via Swiatek's retirement.

Swiatek has hardly been her best tennis self for the past year, but she has played well at this tournament (which she has won four times). In the round of 16, however, Rybakina, in her no-nonsense (almost) poker-face way, immediately went about dismantling her opponent's game. At 5-0 in the first set, she held a set point, but wasn't able to convert it, and we thereby avoided the hostile takeover of a popular European specialty baked goods company.

Rybakina then immediately went up a break in the second set. Alona Ostapkenko, who has never lost to Swiatek (and who was "scheduled" to meet her again in this round) said, when asked how she always managed to beat the Polish star, replied, "I don't give her any time." Swiatek, like most clay court experts, likes to have some time to set up her shots, and the clay gives her that time. But against big hitters like Ostapenko and Rybakina, time can be a luxury that the four-time French Open champion can't afford. Or at least, a luxuty that she thinks she can't afford. 

As her hopes began to rapidly fade, Swiatek opted to let go of some of her well-known aggression, explore the baseline, and rally with her opponent, thus receiving some precious time. And as things got better for her and she "remembered who she was," the 5th seed was able to throw Rybakina off of her rhythm. The two and half hour match ended with a Swaitek victory--1-6, 6-3, 7-5. 

Zheng Qinwen, for her part, had to work to get past Liudmila Samsonova, whom she eventually defeated, 7-6, 1-6, 6-3. The match lasted two hours and 47 minutes, including an hour-and-a-half first set. In defeating Samsonova, the 2024 Olympic gold medal winner completed a sweep of ten matches on the Roland Garros courts. 

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated Amanda Anisimova 7-5, 6-3. Prior to this event, the U.S. players held a 5-2 record against Sabalenka. Mirra Andreeva defeated former countrywoman Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 7-5, Australian Open champion Madison Keys defeated Hailey Baptiste 6-3, 7-5, and 2022 finalist Coco Gauff defeated Ekaterina Alexadnrova 6-0, 7-5.

Here is the quarterfinal draw:

Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs. Zheng Qinwen (8)
Elina Svitolina (13) vs. Iga Swiatek (5)
Mirra Andreeva (6) vs. Lois Boisson (wc)
Madison Keys (7) vs. Coco Gauff (2)

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Saturday, May 31, 2025

Early exits re-shape the draw at the French Open

Sad as it is, it was rational to expect both 2023 finalist Karolina Muchova and 2021 champion Barbora Krejcikova to make early exits from the French Open. Krejcikova, who was out for six months with a back injury, did make it to the second round. Muchova, however--who had both a recurrence of her long-time chronic wrist injury, as well as an illness--lost in the first round to Alycia Parks. And the other great Czech, Petra Kvitova, back from maternity leave (though she had planned to retire), also went out in the opening round.

For me, having the great Czech players go out early in a major takes some of the fun out of watching the event. (2029 finalist Marketa Vondrousova, who--like Muchova--has been constantly plagued with injuries, lost in the third round to 3rd seed Jessica Pegula.) But they weren't the only ones to leave the tournament earlier than expected. First round exits included 9th seed Emma Navarro, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Elise Mertens, and Rome finalist Peyton Stearns, among other notable competitors. The biggest surprise for me was the first round defeat of Marta Kostyuk, who lost to qualifier Sara Bejlek (from the Czech Republic). Second round play resulted in the defeats of Danielle Collins, Donna Vekic and 11th seed Diana Shnaider.  

The most dramatic match that I saw was the one played between 10th seed Paula Badosa and Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the second round. It as dramatic because Badosa was ill--with a fever. She nevertheless defeated Ruse 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Defending (and four-time) champion Iga Swiatek, who hasn't won a tournament since her victory in Paris last year, has won her first three rounds, though, in the second set of her third round match, she got some serious push-back from the talented Jaqueline Cristian. And world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka has yet to drop a set.

Here is the draw for the round of 16:

Aryna Sabalenka (1) vs. Amanda Anisimova (16)
Liudmla Samsonova (19) vs. Zheng Qinwen
Jasmine Paolini (4) vs. Elina Svitolina (13)
Elena Rybakina (12) vs. Iga Swiatek (5)
Mirra Andreeva (6) vs. Daria Kasatkina (17)
Lois Boisson (wc) vs. Jessica Pegula (3)
Madison Keys (7) vs. Hailey Baptiste
Ekaterina Alexandrova (30) vs. Coco Gauff (2)

Boisson is one of two French wild cards who had to compete against one another in the third round. Boisson defeated Elsa Jacquemot 6-3, 0-6, 7-5. 

A lot of eyes are on Zheng Qinwen, who won an Olympic gold medal last year on the Roland Garros courts. Also of interest is the match to be played between Elena Rybakina and Iga Swiatek. I hope to be able to watch that one, and the round of 16 match that I hope I can watch (though so many of those matches are at times that I can't watch them) is the one between 2024 runner-up Jasmine Paolini and Elina Svitolina. Paolini had a tough first round match against Yuan Yue, which probably served as a confidence-builder.  

In doubles, top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend and 2nd seds Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolin are into the quarterfinals.

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Monday, May 19, 2025

Aging awsomely

This past weekend, world number 4 Jasmine Paolini not only showed (yet again) that she's a true member of the Fighting Italian contingent--she also displayed a particular Fighting Italian characteristic--the power of age. Francesca Schiavone was 30 when she won the French Open, and Flavia Pennetta was 33 when she won the U.S. Open. Those were the only majors they won, though Schiavone was a French Open finalist the year after she won the event. And--while Sara Errani achieved a Career Slam in doubles when she was 27--she won Olympic gold in doubles when she was 34. Billie Jean King Cup specialist Roberta Vinci never won a singles major, but she became a finalist at age 32, and she was 31 when she achieved a Career Slam in doubles.

Paolini, age 29, just became the first Italian woman in 40 years to win the Italian Open, and she won it twice, getting both the singles and the doubles trophies. Last year, when she was 28, she reached the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon. Prior to that, the spirited Italian player was known more as a hardworking journeywoman on the tour. 

What is it about these Italian players that allows them to carry on through the years, and then--when many other players would be retired or winding down--achieve the top awards in professional tennis?

When writing about Italians, one is tempted to use a food or wine metaphor. Schiavone once said, when speaking about her game: "Is a mix. It's like Capricciosa pizza. I don't give you Margherita, I give you Capricciosa, different kind of ingredient." I did use a kind of wine as a metaphor when describing Maria Sharapova's second French Open victory, and indeed, Sharapova and champagne seem to go together. 

The Fighting Italians, however, are obviously in the red wine camp. When I think of aged, complex Italian wine, Barolo comes to mind. Nebbiolo grapes are fermented in oak for a couple of months. The wine, depending on the variety, is then aged for as long as long as five years, with some of that process occurring in the bottle.  

The Fighting Italians are definitely Borolo Reserva, which requires maximum aging. Borolo is spicy and complex, and if that doesn't describe Schiavone, Pennetta, Errani, Vinci, and Paolini, I don't know what does. Aged in oak: those years grinding in out on the courts, then aged in the bottle--the maturity that comes when you are determined to reach your highest potential, yet you also know not to take everything too seriously. 

Theoretically, the pressure is now on Paolini to defend (and surpass?) her 2024 French Open and Wimbledon runs. I trust the way Italians age, and the way they handle pressure. Paolini has already won more 1000 tournaments than any of the original four, and the season is still young. Sooner or later, she'll be raising another glass--as well she should.

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Monday, May 5, 2025

With fans like these, who needs enemies?

Recently, when discussing Jannik Sinner's drug ban, Serena Williams said, "I can't help but think about Maria Sharapova all this time. I can't help but feel for her." In a related statement, Sam Stosur said: "My point of view used to be very black and white. You get caught, you are done, no matter what. But I have to say, in this instance, where all those things are the facts, like it’s been proven from many, many doctors and people going through this, a player shouldn’t be banned for this, in my opinion, you shouldn’t be now one or two years banned, which is normally what would happen.”

Nice, but what should have come next was a public apology to Sharapova, whom--without having any relevant information--Stosur harshly criticized upon hearing that the Russian star had been suspended. It didn't come.

I have written a lot about WADA, etc., and the gross unfairness shown toward players like Sharapova and Simona Halep. Craig Reedie, who was president of WADA at the time, publicly stated that--because Sharapova made more money than WADA had in its budget--he was glad to see her brought down. That statement alone was grounds for a lawsuit, but Sharapova didn't file one. And both Sharapova and Halep were (and continue to be) trashed by so-called fans who are familiar with either part of the evidence or--in some cases--none at all.

Now the target is world number 2 Iga Swiatek, who is in what some might call a slump. At any rate, something is wrong, and that includes something wrong on clay courts, which Swiatek has dominated for some time. Many observers are certain (because they have supernatural vision and information-gathering powers) that the problem is the Polish star's mental coach. Others are quick to say that the problem is that Swiatek can no longer "use drugs."

I have no idea what the problem is, though it isn't illogical to wonder whether Swiatek's suspension had a profound psychological effect on her. But that, too, is just a guess. Only Swiatek knows what's really bothering her.

Iga Swiatek is an easy target. A rather charming nerd, she prefers Lego construction and map-drawing in the clay to creating TikTok videos (though Aryna Sabalenka has gotten her to do that) and making red carpet appearances. And, according to the hopelessly sexist Jimmy Arias, she's bad for women's tennis because her cap doesn't allow us to see her face ("smile!)". An enthusiastic Swiftie and an avid reader, the world number 2 is intelligent and articulate, but those qualities don't seem to matter much to many who call themselves tennis fans. 

This is also a good time to mention that the Ukranian players are still repeatedly bashed on social media for not shaking hands with the Russian and Belarusian players. So, for the hundredth time, they cannot shake hands for fear of having the resulting photos and videos used as propaganda. Is that really so hard to understand? Apparently, it is.

The WTA's top players--Sabalenka, Swiatek, Pegula, Gauff, Svitolina, etc.--are constantly criticized for being too inconsistent, too disappointing, too rich, too lazy, too fill-in-the-blank. The fact of the matter is that they work very hard all the time, they're under a lot of stress, and they're human. They have to deal with fans, sponsors, their teams, constant travel, intense training, injuries, increasing threats from sports gamblers, and questionable drug accusations and bans. 

I remember once, many years ago, sitting in the stands of a small court in Charleston. A player had a long discussion with the chair umpire about whether a ball was out, and about the examination of the mark on the clay. A man across from me yelled at her to “shut up and play,” To this day, I regret that I didn’t yell back at him, “You’re here for recreation—she’s trying to make a living,” (I cleaned that up.) 

ATP players also get their share of unjust criticism (while getting almost no criticism at all for their sexism and misogyny), but they don't get criticized nearly as much for their appearance, and they don't get threatened with sexual assault and rape (though they do get threatened), nor do they get told on a regular basis that they are inferior athletes because of their gender. 

As I've written before, being a sports fan is a personal thing. We identify with athletes, are inspired by them, and project all manner of our own issues onto them. Sports is a kind of shorthand for the lives we all live--enjoy victory or suffer defeat, play it safe or take risks, keep trying or give up. That involves a lot of drama, and a lot of emotion, and that can be exciting. But with increasing access to misinformation and disinformation, an obvious deficit of critical thinking skills among many people, and no end in sight to sexism and misogyny--the world of women's tennis has become increasingly fraught with falsehoods, hostility and all manner of unpleasantness. 

Fortunately, there's a lot of positive and interesting news to report about women's tennis, and there are several organizations and individuals who report it--and who also report the not-so-positive news in a rational, fact-based way.

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Sunday, April 6, 2025

Jessica Pegula wins her first clay court title in Charleston

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)
 
For the third year in a row, Jessica Pegula reached the semifinals of the Credit One Charleston Open. This time was different, though, in that the world number 4 made it all the way to the final. And she did even better than that--Pegula defeated Sofia Kenin 6-3, 7-5 in the final to claim the championhsip. When the rankings are published tomorrow, Pegula will be the highest-ranked U.S. player. This is her ninth title, and her first title on clay.

 

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

Pegula, the number 1 seed, took the first set fairly easily, but then wilted a bit. Kenin, as one would expect, took advantage of what appeared to be some fatigue on Pegula's part--Pegula made a run to the Miami final last week and had acknowledged that she was tired--and went up 5-1. But Pegula's reputation as a smart, level-headed tactician served her well. And Kenin, for her part, seemed to implode (not unlike Danielle Collins in her quarterfinal match against Pegula), though, in this case, there was evidence that she may not have been feeling her best physically. Pegula won the next six games, and that was that. 

 

Sofia Kenin (photo by Daniel Ward)
 
 After the match, Pegula confirmed that fatigue was an issue:

"I just got really tired because I think I was like realizing I was going to go to a third; and I was kind of like, oh, I don't know if I can do this again. Like I've done this the last couple matches. Even in Miami, playing a couple tough three sets.

"And I think it's just more emotionally draining than anything, but I think at the same time sometimes I've done it before in the past where once you kind of like accept that you're not trying to fake on it or force it, you're like, okay, I'm tired. How do I figure this out? And I think sometimes when you can kind of relax, take a breath and refocus, that sometimes that can help, and I think it actually did help me today."

Earlier in the day, top seeds Alona Ostapenko and Erin Routliffe won the doubles championship, defeating 3rd seeds Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk 6-4, 6-2. Ostapenko hadn't planned to play doubles in Charleston. However, Routliffe found herself without a partner--her regular partner, Gabriela Dabrowski, decided to take a little time off--so she asked Ostapenko to play with her, and Ostapenko happily accepted the invitation.

Erin Routliffe and Alona Ostapenko (photo by Daniel Warsd)


 
Erin Routliffe and Alona Ostapenko (photo by Daniel Ward)

This result made me think of something similar that happened in Charleston in 2013. Lucie Safarova, the defending doubles champion, didn't have a partner. Neither did Kiki Mladenovic, so--right before the tournament began--they entered as a team. (In those days, some of us liked to say that a winning team was "Mladenovic and Anybody"--substitute "Siniakova" today.) Safarova had never played doubles together before; in fact, they had never practiced together. I asked Lucie how she thought they would do, and she gave me a strong "what do you think?" side eye. They won the tournament.

I'm not used to watching the Charleston Open on television. I attend ever year--it's one of my favorite things to do--but this year, I was unable to. It was gratifying to hear both hosts and players at the Tennis Channel desk talk about all the things that make the event so great. 

In addition to having new champions, some other big news came out of Charleston today. First, Credit One has agreed to be the title sponsor through 2031. Also, starting next year, the Charleston Open will offer equal prize money.

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Saturday, April 5, 2025

Top seed Jessica Pegula to face unseeded Sofia Kenin in Charleston final

Sofia Kenin, Jessica Pegula (photos by Daniel Ward)   
 

Today was a windy day on Daniel Island, and Jessica Pegula and Ekaterina Alexandrova, had to make constant adjustments in order to compete effectively in their semifinal. Alexandrova is not an easy opponent for Pegula, who said, after the match: "It's been the same kind of story line in the past when I played her; played good first set, she comes back in the second, and then usually I tend to lose the third. So glad I was able to flip that script today."

Pegula had more nice things to say about her opponent: "She's really good. She's a really good player. I mean, there's a reason she beats a lot of players. She can play at a really high level. Her game is tough to play against, the way she strikes the ball, when she serving well, returning well."

Each player dominated for a set, and the third set was all that spectators could have hoped for. The match, which featured thirteen breaks of serve, lasted two hour and twenty minutes, and, in the end, it was Pegula--known for her consistency--who was the more consistent, defeating Alexandrova 2-6, 6-2, 7-5. 

Ekaterina Alexandrova (photo by Daniel Ward)

This was Pegula's third consecutive Charleston semifinal. In 2023, she lost to eventual runner-up Belinda Bencic (who was also the defending champion), and last year, she lost to Daria Kasatkina, who was also the eventual runner-up.

The other semifinal was, unfortunately, a different story. I was expecting quite a battle between Sofia Kenin and Amanda Anisimova, but after the third game of the first set, Anisimova sustained a right hip injury and had to get treatment. With Kenin leading 5-2 in that set, Anisimova had to retire. 

Sofia Kenin and Amanda Anisimova (photo b Daniel Ward)

The last time that Kenin, who is unseeded, was in a clay court final was in 2020, but it was a big one--the French Open. Kenin won the Australian Open that year, and then had an excellent run in Paris, defeating both Danielle Collins and Petra Kvitova. She fell, however, to Iga Swiatek in the final. Since that time, she has not had the same success on the tour; however, this week in Charleston, Kenin has been playing superb tennis, taking out a resurgent Belinda Bencic, 5th seed Daria Kasatkina, and Anna Kalinskaya. 

Pegula is 3-2 against Kenin. One of Kenin's victories took place in the third round of the 2021 French Open, when Kenin was the defending champion.

Tomorrow will mark the first time in 35 years that two women from the USA meet in the Charleston final; in 1990, Martina Navratilova defeated Jennifer Capriati.

We also have doubles finalists. Top seeds Aฤผona Ostapenko and Erin Routliffe will face off against 3rd seeds Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk.

Paths to the final:

JESSICA PEGULA (1)
round 1--bye
round 2--def. Irina Shymanovich
round 3--def. Ajla Tomljanovic
quarterfinals--def. Danielle Collins (7)
semifinals--def. Ekaterina Alexandrova (9)

SOFIA KENIN 
round 1--def. Bernada Pera
round 2--def. Belinda Bencic (17)
round 3--def. Daria Kasatkina (5)
quarterfinals--def. Anna Kalinskaya (24)
semifinals--def. Amanda Anisimova (8) (ret.)

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Pegula to play third consecutive semifinal in Charleston today

Jessica Pegula, Ekaterina Alexandrova (photos by Daniel Ward)

When Jessica Pegula walks onto the court today, she'll be making her third consecutive semifinal appearance in Charleston; she lost to Belinda Bencic in 2023 and to Daria Kasatkina in 2024. It will also be her eighth appearance at the Charleston Open. Pegula, currently ranked number 4 in the world, is the top seed in Charleston.

Pegula, who holds an 18-12 tour level semifinal win record, will face 9th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in today's semifinal. The Russian player has a 2-1 record against the top seed, but her one loss to her was on clay (Rome, 2021). This is Alexandrova's fourth appearance in Charleston, and her second appearance in semifinals--she lost to eventual champion Belinda Bencic in 2022.

Amanda Anisimova, Sofia Kenin (photos by Daniel Ward)

In today's second semifinal, 8th seed Amanda Anisimova takes on unseeded Sofia Kenin. This is Anisimova's second run to the Charleston semifinals; she lost to Ons Jabeur in 2022. A win for Anisimova today would mark her best WTA 500 performance.

This is Kenin's seventh appearance at the Charleston Open; prior to this week, she had never made it past the second round. Kenin played her only other clay court semifinal in 2020 at the French Open, where she would go on to be a finalist. She and Anisimova have played each other only twice before, in 2017; Anisimova won their match on clay.

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Friday, April 4, 2025

Unseeded Sofia Kenin advances to Charleston semifinals

Sofia Kenin (photo by Daniel Ward)

2020 Australian Open champion and French Open runner-up Sofia Kenin, unseeded at the Credit One Charleston Open, found her game in a big way this week, taking out a resurgent Belinda Bencic, 5th seed Daria Kasatkina and, today, Anna Kalinskaya, 6-4, 6-3. Kenin, who has yet to drop a set, will face Amanda Anisimova in the semifinals.

One of the things that commentators talked about today was that--when she's "on"--it's very difficult for anyone to beat Kenin. And something that I remember about her run to both the Australian and French Open finals five years ago was her blessedly short memory; when she made an error or a wrong shot choice, she just moved on, with no energy wasted on regret or anger.

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

In today's first quarterfinal, top seed Jessica Pegula faced off against defending champion Danielle Collins, and nothing about that match felt like anything what I imagine most people were expecting. Collins steamrolled through the first set, taking it 6-1. And while I doubt that anyone thought that Pegula was going to just roll over in the second set (and she didn't), I also don't think that anyone was expecting Collins to implode. The 7th seed began making uncharacteristic errors--and then continued making them, easing the way for Pegula to defeat her, 1-6, 6-3, 6-0. 

Collins looked out of sorts in the second and third sets, and later--when she met with the press--she said that she was feeling out of sorts in the first set, too, despite her dominant display. When a member of the media remarked that Collins must have been feeling pretty good after the first set, she replied that " Yeah. Surprising that I actually wasn't. I think I just got into my own head about stuff and just didn't--wasn't--yeah, wasn't in a positive mindset today, and it cost me the match."

Pegula is now 6-0 against Collins.

Ekaterina Alexandrova (photo by Daniel Ward)

9th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova won her quarterfinal match against an injured Zheng Qinwen, whose ongoing arm/elbow injury disabled her excellent serve. Alexandrova held her nerve--something players don't always do against elite injured opponents--and defeated Zheng 6-1, 6-4.

A
Amanda Anisimova (photo by Daniel Ward)

And finally, two more USA players contested the last quarterfinal--8th seed Amanda Anisimova and 4th seed Emma Navarro. The stands were packed, and the players didn't disappoint. Anisimova won a tight first set 7-5, which was followed by six breaks in a row. Navarro then held, but was immediately broken. About this time, the commentators declared Anisimova to be cooked, but the Doha champion begged to differ, and at 5-all, she broke Navarro's serve.

To add to the drama, Anisimova then had to have a blister treated. Following the treatment, she served for the match, but was broken (of course), which led to a second set tiebreak, which Anisimova won decisively, giving her a 7-6, 7-6(1) victory. Anisimova is now 3-0 against Navarro.

 Here is the semifinal singles draw:

Jessica Pegula (1) vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova (9)
Amanda Anisimova (8) vs. Sofia Kenin

The semifinals are also set in doubles. Top seeds Alona Ostapenko and Erin Routliffe will play Hailey Baptiste and Caty McNally, and 3rd seeds Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk will compete against Diana Shnaider and Peyton Stearns.

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I know what it means to miss--Charleston

Patty Schnyder in 2005 (photo by Diane Elayne Dees)

The first time I attended the Charleston Open, which was the Family Circle Cup back then, was in 2005. I went for the latter half of the tournament, and on a very chilly morning, I saw my first match, in which Patty Schnyder played Klara Koukalova. It was so cold that the players kept their warmup clothes on throughout the match. I was a Schnyder fan, so this third round match was perfect for me, especially since Schnyder won it.

I stayed in Summerville that year, and--for several years after that--I stayed in Mount Pleasant. You can watch the tournament on television, but you can't really experience the vibe that is the Charleston Open unless you're there. With the exception of 2020, when the event was canceled, and 2021, when a few of us covered the tournament (plus an extra WTA 125 tournament) virtually, I attended every year. Until this year. I tried to make it work, but this year, I was unable to go, so I'm watching it on TV, and it's rather emotional for me because I really want to be there.

(photo by Diane Elayne Dees)

The event, which used to be held in Hilton Head, has a long and rich history. The longest-running women's tournament in the U.S., it's also the only green clay tournament. The palm and palmetto trees of Daniel Island give the Charleston Open a different look from other tennis events, and the green of the trees--along with the green of the court surfaces--adds to the beauty of the venue. The players love it: For the last three years, they've voted it the best 500 tournament on the tour. That's because the atmosphere is very relaxing, the grounds are beautiful, and the players are given the kind of  personalized, special treatment that makes them want to return.

(photo by Diane Elayne Dees)

Before the already-attractive tournament site got a beautiful re-do with significant upgrades, the media worked in a building known as the "media tent," which shook during thunderstorms. Once, while Jelena Jankovic (who--though not quite as big a Charleston rock star as Schnyder became--was nevertheless a huge crowd favorite) was in the stadium playing a night match, the building shook so hard that a couple of us--remembering the famous 2011 New Haven earthquake incident--simply looked at each other and said "Jankovic." 

The weather could be crazy--blazing hot in the daytime, and freezing at night. In 2007, a tornado hit the stadium, knocking down several items (though, many of us noted, not the Justine Henin banner--it wouldn't dare). And in 2017, a combination rain-hail storm forced us to evacuate the media tent--but only after we had each donned a garbage bag.

just hanging out behind the media tent (photo by Diane Elayne Dees)

I'm not a fan of exhibition matches, but I saw one, many years ago, in Charleston that was so funny I laughed about it for weeks. The two stand-out participants were Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta, who were hilarious. 

Charleston crowds tend to be different from other crowds. When Vera Zvonareva performed her famous racket break--surely the greatest such break in WTA history--other crowds would have booed her, but the people in the Charleston stands cheered her on. And when Yulia Putintseva started yelling in the middle of a match, the crowd yelled along with her. Charleston fans also love doubles, and the stands are always packed. And Charleston Open attendees are quick to support lesser known players.

I could go on and on, but really, you have to be there. As a member of the tennis media, I should point out that Charleston's media volunteers are the cream of the crop. Again, you have to be there to truly appreciate the vibe. I'll get through this, and I'll keep watching the tournament on television while the camera-toting half of Women Who Serve, my friend Daniel Ward, keeps me supplied with his wonderful photos. But I miss being there. I miss Charleston.

tournament grounds at night (photo by Diane Elayne Dees)
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Thursday, April 3, 2025

Top seed Pegula advances to quarterfinals at Charleston Open

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

Jessica Pegula, seeded number 1 at the Credit One Charleston Open, advanced to the quarterfinals today when she defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3, 6-2. Pegula's quarterfinal opponent will be none other than defending champion and 7th seed Danielle Collins, who advanced when she defeated 2017 finalist and 11th seed Alona Ostapenko. 

The highly anticipated Ostapenko-Collins match, which was played on the Althea Gibson Club Court, lived up to expectations, especially in the first set, which Ostapenko led. However, when the Latvian star served for the set, she was broken, and Collins would go on to win that set 7-5. Collins then took the second set 6-3. 

Danielle Collins (photo by Daniel Ward)

And while it's "only a quarterfinal," the contest between the top seed and the defending champion has the potential to be dramatic and exciting; both are playing very well. It should be noted, however, that Pegula has a 5-0 record against Collins. The last time they played each other was at the 2023 French Open, and Pegula won their first round match.

Theirs will not be the only quarterfinal featuring two players from the USA. 8th seed Amanda Anisimova will play 4th seed Emma Navarro; Navarro defeated another USA player, Ashlyn Krueger, in the third round. There was potential for yet another USA vs. USA match, but 2nd seed (and 2019 champion) Madison Keys fell to Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets. Kalinskaya will play the remaining player from the USA, Sofia Kenin, the only unseeded player remaining in the draw. Kenin had to fight hard against 5th seed (and 2017 champion) Daria Kasatkina, who came from behind to force a second set tiebreak, then saved three match points.


Emma Navarro (photo by Daniel Ward)

 

Here is the quarterfinal singles draw:

Jessica Pegula (1) vs. Danielle Collins (7)
Zheng Qinwen (3) vs. Ekaterina Alexandrova (9)
Amanda Anisimova (8) vs. Emma Navarro (4)
Sofia Kenin vs. Anna Kalinskaya (14)

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Friday, March 28, 2025

Teens crash Sunshine Double in an unexpected spring break

On the one hand, it shouldn't have been a total surprise that 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva won Indian Wells. After all, she'd just won Dubai. But--it doesn't happen very often that anyone, let alone a breakthrough teenager, wins two tournaments in a row--not to mention, two 1000 tournaments in a row. But she did it. In Indian Wells, Andreeva defeated Varvara Gracheva, 22nd seed and Dubai runner-up Clara Tauson (quite a teen in her own right), 7th seed Elena Rybakina, 23rd seed Elina Svitolina, 2nd seed Iga Swiatek, and top seed and world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka. And--until she got to the two top seeds, she didn't drop a set.

In Miami, Andreeva defeated Veronika Kudermetova in the second round, but then fell to 17th seed Amanda Anisimova. But that drama paled compared with the exploits of another teenager. 2022 U.S. Open junior champion Alexandra Eala, ranking number 140 in the world, entered Miami as a wild card, and she apparently took the "wild" part seriously. Eala defeated Katie Volynets, 25th seed and former French Open champion Alona Ostapenko, 5th seed and 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and 2nd seed Iga Swiatek. All in straight sets. She was finally stopped, in the semifinals, by 4th seed Jessica Pegula, but Pegula had to work really hard to win that match (7-6, 5-7, 6-3). 

19-year-old Eala doesn't have much of a serve, yet she knocked out three major champions in a 1000 tournament. All I could think of, while watching her, was: "What's going to happen when her serve improves?" Her shot repertoire is impressive, and her court intelligence is keen. And obviously, no one scares her.

When the match with Pegula was over, Eala didn't exit to loud cheers; she sat on the bench, smiling broadly, and soaking in the crowd's adoration. This was especially notable because Pegula, a very well-liked player, lives an hour from Miami--and had just won the match. The crowd was indeed appreciative of the hometown player, but they were simply in awe of Eala, who is the first Philipina to contest in a tour semifinal, and to enter the top 100.

Both Sabalenka and Swiatek were knocked out by these two teenagers; Swiatek lost to both of them, (and Sabalenka lost to Tauson in straight sets in Dubai). These kids aren't poking at the WTA's elite--they're just out-and-out coming for them. Stay tuned.

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Sunday, February 23, 2025

And what a swing it was!

The Middle East swing always delivers, in terms of high quality tennis, but this year, it also delivered what some may consider surprises, while others (myself included) consider the outcomes to be not so surprising.

Olympic gold medal winner Belinda Bencic, who returned to the tour four months ago, after giving birth to a daughter, lifted her second Abu Dhabi trophy.  The Swiss star defeated both Marketa Vondrousova and top seed Elena Rybakina before defeating Ashlyn Krueger in the final. Bencic, who was in the top 10 in 2022, didn’t play in Doha, and lost to 8th seed Emma Navarro in the second round in Dubai. Bencic is an unpredictable player, but is a lot of fun to watch, and her victory in Abu Dhabi, one hopes, marks the beginning of a good 2025 season.

For long-time tennis fans, the outcome in Doha was likely both exciting and disappointing. Alona Ostapenko was on a peak tear during this event, taking out 4th seed Jasmine Paolini, Ons Jabeur and 2nd seed Iga Swiatek, all in straight sets. But then we saw something we’ve seen too many times—the player who has dramatically defeated top opponents in the draw loses in the final. Ostapenko lost to Amanda Anisimoa, who had a tough draw of her own.

Tennis fans know Anisimova’s history—there has always been so much talent, and there have always been so many interruptions to her momentum. But there was no interruption this time, and Anisimova won her third—and biggest—title in Doha.

Dubai was another matter altogether. Clara Tauson is 22 years old—not a teen—yet, as the draw progressed, I couldn’t help but think of the 2021 U.S. Open, which had us thinking “Is it going to be the two teenagers in the end?”—and it (metaphorically) was. Tauson upset Elina Svitolina in a thrilling, two-hour and 40-minute three-set match. And for her next act, she upset world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. She then knocked out up-and-coming Czech Linda Noskova, and—in the semifinals—she defeated 14th seed Karolina Muchova. What a run!

On the other side of the draw, 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva was doing her own damage, taking out 2nd seed Iga Swiatek and 6th seed Elena Rybakina. This was the young Russian’s second time to play Swiatek; she took a set off of her last year in Cincinnati, and it wasn’t a total shock to see her emerge the victor in Dubai. At 17 years old, Andreeva has both a generous amount of talent and the court poise of someone much older. She defeated Tauson in straight sets in the final, and—in doing so—became the youngest woman to win a WTA 1000 event. The Russian teen will enter the top 10 tomorrow.

The 2025 Middle East swing featured some wonderful tennis, and also served as a clear sign that the upstarts are definitely coming for the top players.

Oh—and there was this:

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Tuesday, February 4, 2025

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

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.

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.

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Sunday, January 26, 2025

My Australian Open top 10

Here are my top 10 Australian Open occurrences, in ascending order:

10: One to watch: 17-year-old Wakana Sonobe of Japan, seeded 4th, won the junior championship when she defeated 6th seed Kristina Penikova (USA) 6-0, 6-1 in the final. Sonobe also upset top seed Emerson Jones of Australia in the semifinals.

9. Conspicuous by their absence: With the exception of doubles super-star Katerina Siniakova, Czech players were practically invisible at this event, which--in the world of women's tennis--is shocking. Petra Kvitova, of course, did not enter, nor did Barbora Krejcikova, who is still recovering from injury. Karolina Pliskova is recovering from surgery, and the often-injured Marketa Vondrousova, injured once again, withdrew before the event began. Linda Noskova was defeated in the first round.

8. The tennis gods are smiling: Hsieh Su-wei, the Casual Queen, and Aฤผlona Ostapenko played doubles together. Enough said.

7. Kamiji has her day: With Diede de Groot absent, this tournament was Yui Kamiji's to lose. Seeded number 1, she indeed captured the wheelchair singles title, defeating 2nd seed Aniek Van Koot in the final. However, Kamiji and her doubles partner, Lucy Shuker, lost in the semifinals. The doubles title went to the unseeded team of Li Xiohui and Wang Ziying, who defeated the unseeded team of Manami Tanaka and Zhu Zhenzhen in the final.

6. Aussie Aussie Aussie!: Australian wild cards Olivia Gadecki and John Peers won the title in mixed doubles when they defeated Australian wild cards Kimberly Birrell and John-Patrick Smith in the final. Gadecki and Peers also upset 2nd seeds Erin Routliffe and Michael Venus in the semifinals.

5. "Lucky" doesn't begin to describe it: Germany's Eva Lys lost in the third round of qualifying, and--as she was packing to leave Australia--she was awarded a lucky loser slot in the main draw when Alona Kalinskaya withdrew from the tournament. Lys would go on to defeat three players, including Varvara Gracheva and Jaqueline Cristian. She then canceled another flight so that she could compete in the round of 16, in which she was finally defeated--by Iga Swiatek.

4. Nobody does it better: Jelena Dokic is a treasure. The former world number 4, who is also a tennis commentator, and who is known throughout the world for her courage and resilience, is an on-court interviewer without parallel. Dockic's warmth, humor and empathy put players at ease and engage them in ways that we don't always see after big matches.

         

3. One to remember: Madison Keys' semifinal match against 2nd seed Iga Swiatek was a stand-out affair at the Australian Open; the third set, however, was a stand-out affair, period. The two and a half hour contest, which Keys won, 5-7, 6-1, 7-6, had everything--clever tactics, stunning shot-making, superb athleticism, and plenty of thrills.

2. Ten and counting: Katerina Siniakova, playing with Taylor Townsend, won her tenth major doubles title in Melbourne. The Olympic gold medal winner has won the Australian Open title twice before, with Barbora Krejcikova. Top seeds Siniakova and Townsend defeated 3rd seeds Hsieh Su-wei and Alona Ostapenko in the final. Siniakova and Townsend also won the 2024 Wimbledon title, and we can expect more victories this season.

1. With age comes wisdom: In 2017, Madison Keys lost the U.S. Open final after winning the first set 6-0. Since then, we've seen her play really good, and powerful, tennis, but when match tension became extreme, she would falter. In 2023, for example, she lost her U.S. Open semifinal to Aryna Sabalenka, 6-0, 6-7, 6-7. But in Melbourne, Keys--with a new racket, a new serve, and a new attitude--showed us an explosion of her potential. She took out both top seeds--2nd seed Iga Swiatek (in the semifinals) and top seed Sabalenka. But that wasn't all--the 19th seed also defeated 10th seed and 2022 finalist Danielle Collins, 6th seed and 2023 finalist Elena Rynbakina, and Elina Svitolina. Keys' 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 defeat of Sabalenka in the final was, of course, a dream come true for the 29-year-old. But, she said, she was able to achieve that dream only after she finally rid herself of the belief that she needed to win a major in order to validate herself. Next week, Keys returns to the top 10.

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Saturday, January 25, 2025

How to tame a Tiger

Change your racket. Get something lighter, so that you can get better control of the ball. 

Change your serve. Bring that toss down, and make the entire movement more efficient.

Be sure to get the draw from hell---including both the first and second seeds--so that you become more feared, and more confident, as the tournament progresses.

Change your attitude. Maybe you’ll never win a major, but winning a major—or even having a pro sports career—isn’t who you are. 

This formula, put together with the help of Keys' partner/coach/new husband, Bjorn Frantangelo, helped 19th seed Madison Keys defeat two-time defending champion and world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, and to therefore become the 2025 Australian Open singles champion. The final, which lasted just over two hours, progressed quickly at first, and then it slowed down, and eventually became a crowd-pleasing drama.

Keys had to work very hard to reach the final. She had to defeat 10th seed (and 2022 finalist) Danielle Collins, 6th seed (and 2023 finalist) Elena Rybakina, the always-dangerous 28th seed Elina Svitolina, and 2nd seed Iga Swiatek, who—up until she ran into Keys—had looked deadly. Keys had spent a lot of time on the court, and—especially in the Swiatek match—she had probably experienced high tension (I know that the rest of us did).

Both players arrived at the final holding eleven-match win streaks. Top seed Sabalenka had a 4-1 career record against Keys, and was seeking her third straight Australian Open title.

This match followed a pattern that we have seen many times in big matches—one player easily takes the first set, the other player elevates her game and takes the second set, and—in the third set—both players reach performance heights. In this case, Keys, who was broken only once, took the first set 6-3, winning with 86% of her first serves. Not unexpectedly, in the next set, Sabalenka decided to try a new tactic, and—not since Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez completely flummoxed Jelena Jankovic in the 2010 Rome final—has a player repeatedly used the drop shot to get the best of her opponent.

(And speaking of JJ, she would surely have applauded Keys’ backhand down the line, which became her signature shot at the Australian Open.)

Keys had trouble adjusting to this “new” (let’s not forget that the world number 1 has won her share of doubles titles) Sabalenka, and her new job became one of trying to figure out how far to stray from the baseline. To make things even more difficult for Keys, Sabalenka improved her serve in the second set, which she won, 6-2.

The final set was a battle of first-rate ball-striking, quick thinking, and clever tactics, and both players performed at a high level. It should have been a battle of nerves, but neither player was inclined to blink. And if the possibility of holding the trophy for the third time in a row was hanging over Sabalenka’s head, it seems unlikely that Keys wouldn’t have (at least to some extent) the memory of the 2023 U.S. Open semifinal that she played against Sabalenka in her head. Keys won the first set of that match 6-0, then lost the other two in tiebreaks.

When Sabalenka served to stay in the match at 4-5 in the third set, the tension was palpable. She held, then Keys held. At that point in the set, neither woman’s serve had been broken. Serving at 5-6, Sabalenka quickly went down 0-30. The world number 1 went on to save a match point, but Keys clinched the title with a forehand winner on her second match point.

Keys hit 29 winners in the  match, and some of her shots—including an over-the-shoulder backhand—were stunning. We’re used to this type of shot-making from her, but what was new at this major was the addition of nerves of steel. Keys said later, in press, that she had put so much pressure on herself to live up to her “young phenom” reputation (one can’t help but think of Michelle Wie), that she eventually sought the help of a psychotherapist to help her realize that her worth had nothing to do with whether she won a major.

“I did a lot of work to no longer need this,” she said after the match. “I wanted it, but it no longer defined me.” In Melbourne, the 29-year-old Keys was a totally different player from the one who contested the U.S. Open final in 2017. In that match, friend and countrywoman Sloane Stephens easily defeated her, 6-3, 6-0. The current, more mature Madison Keys, is finally a major champion, and it’s a lovely thing to behold. On Monday, she will return to the top 10, where she belongs.

In other Australian Open news, 4th seed Wakana Sonobe of Japan won the junior girls' title, defeating the USA's Kristina Penikova 6-0, 6-1. And top seed Yui Kamiji won the wheelchair singles title, defeating 2nd seed Aniek Van Koot 6-2, 6-2. Van Koot's amazing comeback in her semifinal match may have taken something out of her; in the final, she appeared to be a little too overcome by anger to be as effective as she could have been against Kamiji.

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