The lure--and the mystery--of the big stage

I live for the applause, applause, applause
I live for the applause-plause, live for the applause-plause
Live for the way that you cheer and scream for me
The applause, applause, applause

Lady GaGa et al

The "big stage player," as far as I can tell, is a relatively new phenomenon. Let me be clear about what a "big stage" player is, in this context: It's not an elite player like Serena Williams or Maria Sharapova, who loves playing in the biggest events; rather, it's a player who could be called "good" or "very good" who performs at her best at majors. Big stage players, for the most part, create an air of mystery that is usually never solved by fans or observers.

The queen of big stage players is Russia's Ekaterina Makarova. There was a time when one scarcely heard about Makarova unless she was participating in the Australian Open, Wimbledon or the U.S. Open. Gradually, she began to focus more on her performance in other events (consequently--or coincidentally, I have no idea which--her performances in majors decreased in intensity). 

Makarova, an outstanding doubles player who has won three majors in doubles one and one in mixed doubles (and has been a finalist an equal number of times), has also won the WTA Championships, and she owns an Olympic gold medal. Makarova is also a very fine, but inconsistent, singles player. She has reached the semifinals of both the Australian Open and the U.S. Open, the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, and the fourth round of the French Open (twice). The Russian has been ranked as high as number 8 in the world, yet she has won only three WTA singles titles.

The quirkiest big stage player is Tsvetana Pironkova, though her big stage days appear to be over. The Bulgarian Woman of Mystery, as she is known on this blog, had a bit of a specialty, for a while, and that specialty was going after Venus Williams at majors. In 2006, she defeated Williams in the first round of the Australian Open. That victory earned a "fluke" label which later had to be peeled off. 

In 2010, Pironkova, with her tricky serves and forehand slices, defeated five-time Wimbledon champion and 2nd seed Williams 6-2, 6-3 in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. The next year, she again defeated Williams at Wimbledon, this time in the round of 16, and--once again--with a score of 6-2, 6-3. Surely, the saga of Pironkova and Williams is one of the strangest in all of WTA history. (One final note: Guess who beat the Bulgarian in the semifinals of her very first WTA tournament? Uh huh.)

Petra Martic also holds membership in this group. Last year, returning from a serious back injury layoff, Martic reached the round of 16 at both the French Open and Wimbledon. She also reached the French Open round of 16 in 2012 and she reached the 3rd round at Wimbledon the next year. Martic, however, has yet to win a WTA title.

A recent entry into the big stage club is Charleston native Shelby Rogers. Rogers began playing in major main draws in 2015. She has reached the third round of the U.S. Open twice, the third round of Wimbledon, and the quarterfinals of the French Open. That French Open run was dramatic; Rogers defeated clay expert Irina-Camelia Begu, Petra Kvitova (with a second set bagel), Elena Vesnina, and Karolina Pliskova. 

Rogers also got off to a roaring start last year when she took current world number 1 Simona Halep out of the Australian Open in the first round. She has yet to win a tour title, so Rogers is clearly in the "big stage" group--for now.

But that doesn't mean she has to stay there. Just ask Sloane Stephens, who spent the first part of her WTA career as a big stage performer who frustrated fans at every turn in regular tour events. Stephens stunned the tennis world in 2013 when she defeated Serena Williams in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, a tournament Williams had won five times. Stephens would go on to reach the fourth round of the French Open four times and the quarterfinals of Wimbledon (2013).

Meanwhile, Stephens would go one step forward and two steps back, sometimes appearing that she wasn't even that interested in the game. She did win some titles, though, most notably in Charleston in 2016. In August of that year, she ended her season early because of a right foot stress fracture. She had surgery in January 0f 2017, and did not return to the tour until grass season. 

It was the North American hard court season that served as the scene of Sloane Stephens' stunning comeback from injury. Unseeded, she advanced to the semifinals in both Toronto and Cincinnati. She then re-entered the top 100, and--to commemorate the occasion--won the U.S. Open. Stephens performed poorly after that, even losing both of her singles rubbers in the Fed Cup final. Only time will tell how consistent Sloane Stephens will be as a player, but for now, she's lost her membership in the big stage club.

Halep, Williams and Osaka advance to the quarterfinals in Australia

100th Grand Slam match win! 🙌@Simona_Halep outlasts Swiatek, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.#AO2021 pic.twitter.com/erUTo4KoUN

— wta (@WTA) February 14, 2021

French Open champion Iga Swiatek, who upset Simona Halep on her way to the championship in Paris, met her again last night in the Australian Open round of 16, and for one set, Swiatek looked like the human wrecking ball that we saw at the French Open (indeed, she has looked good throughout this event). But Halep would have none of it. "I knew I had to change something," the 2019 Wimbledon champion said after the match. Her second set strategy (which she extended to the final set) was to stop hitting the ball so flat, and to make Swiatek take as many balls on the run as possible.

Swiatek on Halep: "I have a lot of respect b/c it seems she has a lot of options. When something is not right for her she just changes the tactics and that's great. That's the difference b/w the champions and less-experienced players, b/c I didn't feel like I had many options."

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) February 14, 2021

It worked. Halep's 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory moved her to the quarterfinals, and she is obviously a strong contender for the title.

It's hard to believe that, before yesterday, Naomi Osaka and Garbine Muguruza had never played each other before. Their Australian Open round of 16 match was every bit as good as I expected it to be, and--while it could have easily gone either way--it was Osaka who kept finding ways to win big points. The more tense the situation became, the more strategic risks the 2019 champion took. Her strategy (which is really just her on-court nature) paid off: She defeated Muguruza (who was the 2020 runner-up) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. 

I still consider Muguruza to be "back," though, and think that it's only a matter of time before she wins another major.

Seven-time champion Serena Williams and Aryna Sabalenka went at each other in the kind of match that made me tired just to watch it. Sabalenka is every bit the hard hitter and big server that Williams is, but she isn't yet the problem-solver that Williams is. And while the Belarusian has been the hottest player on the tour for the past several months, she still hasn't figured out how to get to the second week of a major (in fairness, she would likely have beaten many other players, but that's not how the draw works). 

Williams, looking both calm and fierce in an inspired Flo-Jo tribute catsuit, weathered whatever storm her opponent put forth into the atmosphere, and then remained patient while Sabalenka became an unforced error machine. When it was over, Williams walked away with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory.

In yesteday's other round of 16 match, Hsieh Su-Wei's maddening game got the best of Marketa Vondrousova, but the Czech player was also struggling with an injured knee, which was an obvious distraction. 

There were also a few notable third round matches. In the Battle of the Czech Karolinas, Muchova upset Pliskova 7-5, 7-5. Muchova helped herself by displaying a surprisingly good second serve. One is left wondering--as always--what does Pliskova need to do to win a major? (Or is this even a question anymore?)

Elise Mertens, who has become much more of a threat in the last couple of years, defeated Belinda Bencic in straight sets. And Big Stage Specialist Shelby Rogers upset Anett Kontaveit in straight sets.

The match of the third round, however, was the one contested by another Big Stage Specialist, Kaia Kanepi, and 28th seed Donna Vekic. It went on for over two and a half hours, during which time the powerful Kanepi threw everything but her chair at Vekic. The tension was high, and Vekic was almost always playing catch-up. 

Vekic had 17 break chances, but converted only four of them. Her opponent hit 46 winners (Vekic hit 38). But the Croatian player never gave up, never allowed herself to stop believing. In the end, they each won a total of 115 points, but it was Vekic's match, 5-7, 7-6, 6-4. And it was an absolute thrill to watch.

The other four round of 16 matches will be played today

Williams, Radwanska, Muguruza, Kerber--The Four Horsewomen of the Tennis Apocalypse

The end times are near.

Well that is, in terms of the 2016 season. The last major of the season, the U.S. Open, begins Monday, and the women's draw is anchored by four formidable--yet also vulnerable--"horsewomen."

1. Serena Williams ("Death"): Williams, despite her losses in the Australian Open and the French Open, can still be lethal, as she showed at Wimbledon; hence, she's still the player most likely to issue death to the hopes of others who would hold the trophy at the end of the two-week battle in Flushing Meadows.

But Williams remains vulnerable. She's been dealing with a shoulder injury that forced her to withdraw from the Cincinnati event. Of course, the world number 1 has shown up bandaged like a mummy at major events before, and gone on to win them. But she's older now, and even greatly-feared warriors have to deal with what advancing age does to them.

Williams' other problem is that the tennis gods have denied her the right to "play into" the tournament. Her first-round opponent is Ekaterina Makarova, a powerful Russian with a strange, "big stage" career who brings her best game to the majors. Makarova, who is currently ranked number 36 in the world, reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open in 2014. She combines a very keen lefty serve with powerful groundstrokes on both sides and--on a good day--she can find Kvitova-like angles. Makarova is also an elite doubles player (she just won gold at the Olympics) who has elite doubles skills at her disposal. She's dangerous at every major but the French. The Williams-Makarova match is one of three (I'll get to the others later) "must watch" matches.

Also lurking in Williams' quarter of the draw are up-and-coming Russian Daria Kasatkina, sometime-upsetter Yarslava Shvedova, hard-hitting Camila Giorgi and 2011 U.S. Open conqueror Sam Stosur (Giorgi and Stosur play each other in the first round). Also, Carla Suarez Navarro, the increasingly dangerous Timea Babos, Daria Gavrilova, and the again-resurgent Kirsten Flipkens.

But--most significant of all--5th seed Simona Halep is positioned at the bottom end of that quarter. The way she's been playing, it seems odd that Halep isn't a Horsewoman, but there you are. She'll have her work cut out for her, what with playing Flipkens in the opening round, and then having to face either Gavrilova or Lucie Safarova, and then possibly Babos. If the draw proceeds as it "should" (fat chance), Halep and Williams will collide in the quarterfinals.

2. Agnieszka Radwanska ("Famine"): Radwanska must surely be hungry. Ever since her run to the 2012 Wimbledon final, the tour's greatest shot-maker (of all time, in my opinion) has failed to reach a major final. She's been playing very well lately, and yesterday, allowed Petra Kvitova to win only two games in their New Haven semifinal. Today, Radwanska won the New Haven tournament by beating Elina Svitolina in straight sets.

The running theory is that Radwanska is brilliant until she comes up against a "power player," but I don't totally buy into that, since I've seen her dismantle the games of power players. The other theory is that she runs out of physical (and perhaps mental) steam, partly because her own game is so physical, and that theory seems more solid to me. Nevertheless, the Polish star with the magic hands and legs is an elite player who has a chance in Flushing Meadows.

The Radwanska quarter presents its own challenges. Caroline Garcia is there, as well as Timea Bacsinszky and Kristina Mladenovic, but all of these players run hot and cold, and all have been running rather cold lately. However, two players in Radwanska's draw are real dangers--Karolina Pliskova and Venus Williams, and especially the latter.

Pliskova has two things going for her: She skipped the Olympics, and she just won her first big title, the Western & Southern Open. The Czech Fed Cup star doesn't have a very good record at majors--she's never gotten beyond a third round--but this time, her fortunes could be different. As for Williams, she's playing quite well this year, and can definitely be seen as a threat to anyone in the Radwanska quarter.

3. Garbine Muguruza ("Conquest"): Muguruza has done what few others have been able to do--beat Serena Williams in a major final. The Spaniard won the French Open by doing just that, and then--just a few weeks later--reached the final at Wimbledon, where Williams got the better of her. Obviously, court surface isn't an issue for her, but Muguruza appears to have other issues. She can be brilliant and make her brilliance look effortless, and then, suddenly, she can just go away. In the Cincinnati semifinals, Pliskova practically ran over Muguruza.

It may (or may not) help Muguruza that she has a pretty nice draw at the U.S. Open, though Stanford champion Johanna Konta is in Mugu's quarter and is no longer a "potential" threat. Madison Keys, CoCo Vandeweghe and Barbora Strycova are also in that quarter, and any of them could make a deep run. Add to that the presence of the perennially dangerous Svetlana Kuznetsova and the Bulgarian Woman Of Mystery, Tsvetana Pironkova, who loves to pull off a big upset at a major tournament. And--just to spice things up--Olympic gold medal winner Monica Puig just sneaked in as the 32nd seed, and is in the Muguruza quarter.

4. Angelique Kerber ("War"): Kerber could just as well have been "Conquest." She, too, has defeated Serena Williams in a major final (2016 Australian Open). And also lost to her in another (2016 Wimbledon). But at this point in the 2016 season, no one represents "War" better than our KareBear. After winning the Australian, she defended her Stuttgart title, got the runner-up trophy at Wimbledon, then won a silver medal in the Olympic Games.

Kerber, like Muguruza, isn't that fussy about which surface she plays on, and has added heavy offense to what used to be a mostly defensive game. There are some worthy opponents in her quarter--Dominika Cibulkova, Petra Kvitova and Elina Svitolina. Oh, and Alize Cornet, who--when she has a big moment--tends to have a very big one, and who thoroughly enjoys a big stage.

One is always at least slightly tempted to say that Kvitova herself is a title contender (as well she should be), but--to paraphrase Lucinda Wiliams:

If we lived in a world without tears...

...How would Petra flop again?

Any of those four able horsewomen could walk away with the trophy, but I tend to think that the most likely candidates are Williams, Kerber and Halep. Never an "easy" tournament for Williams on an emotional level, the U.S. Open this year brings it own dramatic backstory. Had she won it last year, Williams would have achieved the Grand Slam. But it was not to be, as she was defeated in the semifinals by Roberta Vinci. Vinci's countrywoman, Flavia Pennetta, would go on to win the title, and to create an endearing U.S. Open story for tennis history. It was the only time that two Italians played each other in the final, and Pennetta pretty much dropped by Flushing Meadows to win it on her way out the professional tennis door.

Kerber is on a hot streak and could win anything, at this point. And Rogers Cup champion Halep is back from wherever she was, and, despite her recent Cincinnati loss to Kerber, is in a better position to win something big than she's been in for a while. But of course. we can't t count Radwanska out, and the same can be said of Muguruza, Kvitova, and Pliskova. Some might add Madison Keys to that list.

First round matches to watch:

Serena Williams vs. Ekaterina Makarova: If ever there were a "dangerous floater," it's Makarova. Unless the occasion gets the best of her, Makarova will do her best to take it to Williams.

Camila Giorgi vs. Samantha Stosur: Giorgi, the hard-hitting Fighting Italian, fears no one--but herself. Stosur has won the U.S. Open, which should give her a bit of an edge, but this is Stosur we're talking about, and the outcome of this match is a mystery.

Lucie Safarova vs. Daria Gavrilova: Safarova still hasn't returned to the glory days she had before becoming very ill, but she's still Lucie, and she's still crafty and tough. Gavrilova is quite a fighter, but can go "off" pretty quickly. This match could be very good, or it could be over quickly.

Kirsten Flipkens vs. Simona Halep: Flipkens knows how to "pull a Halep," and is a player who can frustrate the Romanian with her own tricky volleys and angles. The Belgian is having yet another resurgence and could make this a very entertaining match.

Julia Goerges vs. Yanina Wickmayer: The Belgian is having her best season in ages. If the right Goerges happens to show up, this might be good.

Naomi Osaka vs. CoCo Vandeweghe: Boom boom!

Barbora Strycova vs. Monica Niculescu: Oh, the possibilities! This could well be the most watchable of all the first round matches, as the all-court, all-in Strycova faces off against trickster Niculescu. Strycova has a good service game on her side.

Francesca Schiavone vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova: At least there's a third set tiebreak at the U.S. Open, or spectators might have to bring survival supplies from home. In the third round of the 2011 Australian Open, the pair played an extremely high quality match for four hours and 44 minutes. In round of 2015 French Open, they played for three hours and 50 minutes. The first was the longest women's match ever played in a major; the second, the longest French Open match played in the Open Era. Schiavone won both of them. The sight of these two on opposite sides of the net is thrilling. Another "must watch."

Petra Kvitova vs. Jelena Ostapenko: This isn't the kind of easy start the Barking Czech would like to have, I don't imagine. Ostapenko can give headaches to her opponents, and especially to Kvitova, whom she has twice defeated. And Kvitova has enough issues without having to deal with another headache.

CiCi Bellis vs. Victoija Golubic: Two possibly rising stars could give us an entertaining match. 

Alize Cornet vs. Mirjana Lucic-Baroni: Lucic-Baroni hasn't been pulling her signature upsets of late, but these two could nevertheless provide us with a match worth watching.

Same as it ever was

It’s been a rocky few months for @MariaSharapova with lots of frustrating injury issues…but she’s back to winning big match on the big stage pic.twitter.com/EqsICVtJTI

— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) August 29, 2017

Letting the days go by (same as it ever was)
Letting the days go by (same as it ever was)
Once in a lifetime
Letting the days go by
Letting the days go by

From Once in a Lifetime

Byrne, Eno, Frantz, Harrison, & Weymouth

It's been seventeen months since Maria Sharapova announced that ITF had given her a two-year ban. It's been at least eighteen months since the ITF tried to give her a four-year ban. It's been seventeen months since WADA president Craig Reedie made extremely prejudicial remarks about the Sharapova case--remarks that were never investigated. It's been at least eighteen months since all other athletes who took Meldonium were let off the hook. And it's been ten months since the Court for Arbitration of Sport reduced Sharapova's suspension, citing "no significant fault or negligence."

And, to this day, no legitimate scientific evidence has surfaced to prove that Meldonium is a performance-enhancing drug. 

In most of the free world (the U.S. is questionable, for sure), evidence is required to convict someone of a crime. But in the tennis world, hatred of a person one has never met seems to be sufficient. The attributes that have been projected onto Sharapova would make a giant movie screen explode. 

But, to borrow from Adrienne Rich, we now have "the thing itself and not the myth," and the thing itself is alive and well, thank you very much. Just ask 2nd seed Simona Halep, who lost to Sharapova for the seventh time last night on Arthur Ashe Stadium at the U.S. Open. It was a great match, very well played by both competitors. It could have been a final. Halep has nothing to be ashamed of, though it has to hurt to leave Flushing Meadows so soon. I called Sharapova the wild card from hell, and last night, she was just that. 

Dressed in crystals and lace (love the crystals, hate the lace), the five-time major champion and holder of a Career Slam appeared to have overcome her forearm disability. She looked, in fact, like the 2006 Sharapova who won the event. Next for Sharapova is Timea Babos, who isn't usually an easy opponent. It will be interesting to see how far the Russian star goes during her stay in Flushing Meadows. But regardless--she's back.

The other big news regarding the draw is that defending champion Angie Kerber is also out in the first round, the victim of big-hitting Naomi Osaka. It wasn't a surprise. Kerber hasn't been herself in ages (except for that extraordinary match against Ekaterina Makarova in Cincinnati, which the German lost). 

And though not quite as big, there was also bad news yesterday for 7th seed Jo Konta, a contender for the title, who was shown a first round exit by Aleksandra Krunic, the relentless Serb who knocked Alona Ostapenko out of Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago.

The U.S. Open takes place during hurricane season, so there's frequently an issue of rain, and the second day was almost completely rained out. Top seed Karolina Pliskova made it to the second round, as did French Open champion Ostapenko, and Madison Keys.

Now it's all about catch-up because of the rain. Yet to play their first round matches are Aga Radwanska, CoCo Vandeweghe, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elina Svitolina, and Dasha Gavrilova.

Hat trick!

A 3rd straight title and a 5th title in 6 years, what an incredible #FedCup team the Czech Republic are! Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/FtIX4TV28K

— Fed Cup (@FedCup) November 13, 2016

For the third year in a row, and for the fifth in six years, the Czech Republic has won Fed Cup. And what a final it was. You knew it was going to be epic when the first rubber lasted three hours and 48 minutes and included the longest set ever played in Fed Cup history. Karolina Pliskova defeated Kiki Mladenovic 6-4, 3-6, 16-14 in what was a very high quality thriller.

Adding to the drama (always drama in Fed Cup), Mladenovic cramped badly in the final set, and saved a couple of match points to get to 9-all, even though she had use of only one leg. It ended a bit less dramatically, when the Frenchwoman was broken at love in the final game.

Not to worry--Caroline Garcia was up next, and she took care of Petra Kvitova, 7-6, 6-3, putting the former Fed Cup star into the zero column yet again. To make things worse, Kvitova had to withdraw from day 2 because of a stress fracture in her right foot.

Garcia, however, came back on day 2 and beat Pliskova, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in what was pretty much a clinic in how beat the tall Czech. This was the Garcia we first noticed a few years ago. She makes an appearance sometimes, but not often enough. Her serve has improved a lot, and her aggression is notable. She just won the Fed Cup Heart Award, and nobody could argue with that. Her performance in this final was outstanding.

With France leading 2-1, Barbora Strycova faced off against Alize Cornet. Cornet should be a great Fed Cup player; she's very talented, likes to pull upsets, and she loves the big stage--and she entered with a dominating record (5-1) against Garcia.  But the one stage she can't handle is the Fed Cup stage. Today, she handled herself better, but it wasn't enough to push back the aggressive and explosive phenomenon that is Strycova. She beat Cornet 6-2, 7-6,  and tied the two countries at 2-all.

It seemed fitting that this amazing final would have to go to a fifth rubber. And you really couldn't have asked for more than a huge doubles match played between Pliskova/Strycova and Garcia/Mladenovic. Playing in France with most of the crowd behind them, the French Open champions had a very good chance to win. But Pliskova and Strycova were just too good. Their 7-5, 7-5 victory sealed the 2016 championship for their country.

Pliskova/Strycova take the first set 7-5 and put the Czechs just one set away from another #FedCup title! Can the French battle back? pic.twitter.com/mytsbsXCwh

— Fed Cup (@FedCup) November 13, 2016

If the first half of the final was all about Garcia (with much credit to Mladenovic for her beautiful performance, even while cramping), the second was all about Strycova. Many words--"feisty," "firecracker," "emotional"--have been used to describe Strycova, but none of them is sufficient. Barbora Strycova is a complex combination of no nonsense and high drama. She entertains us with her facial expressions, her fist-pumping (right at Pliskova after Pliskova hit a winner) and her sometimes officious behavior. But that's just the wrapping. Inside is a mature player who has been through a lot, who is more talented now than she was five years ago, and who understands what it takes to win.

A shout-out has to go to France's captain, Amelie Mauresmo, who has had many jobs--including tournament director and coach--but none seems to suit her as well as being Fed Cup captain. Her keen decision-making and her ability to motivate players got France to the final, and almost to the championship. During the final, the camera was frequently on her, as she did everything from massaging Mladenovic's leg to practically breathing fire into Garcia.

2017 will be interesting.

Many fans have requested that the Fed Cup final be changed so that the doubles rubber is the third one, as it is in Davis Cup play. I originally agreed with this idea, but now I'm not so sure. I kind of like having the doubles be the deciding rubber, if needed.

Over the head and on the line--Muguruza wins French Open in style

.@GarbiMuguruza becomes the first 🇪🇸 Grand Slam champ since...

1998! #RG16 pic.twitter.com/ehZVAZwdFn

— WTA (@WTA) June 4, 2016

Garbine Muguruza announced her intentions right away in today's French Open women's final: She won the coin toss and elected to receive against the tour's greatest server. The message was clear. Of course, Serena Williams--unfazed by the message--proceeded to hold, and included an ace in her first service game.

Muguruza got the first break when Williams double-faulted while serving at 2-all, then went up 4-2, only to have Williams broke her back, then held. Facing Serena Williams at 4-5 has been the undoing of many good players. Just the sight of the world number 1 on the other side of the net seems to produce errors that preclude winning a set. Not so Muguruza--she cruised through her next game, then broke her opponent.

This is when the Spaniard became "nervious," as she likes to put it.  Nevertheless, she took the set on her third set point.

This was already a very high quality match, but it was about to get even better. Muguruza began the second set by breaking Williams, but one of her many (nine total) double faults resulted in her getting broken herself. But Williams was unable to consolidate the break. If there was a turning point in the set, it occurred at that time; Muguruza and Williams proceeded to hold their serves, and being down 2-4 still placed the top seed in the "I can win this" zone. I say that because she's returned from worse spots than this, and taken control of a big match.

Muguruza, though, would have none of it. She's beaten Williams in the 2014 French Open, so she knew what was possible. The Spaniard's huge hitting and keen court geometry were clear; the question: Could she hold her nerve? Williams had beaten her in the Wimbledon final, not to mention that Muguruza is known for sometimes just "getting off the bus" before the trip is completed.

Not this time, though she was certainly put to a stringent test. Serving at 3-5, Williams saved four championship points, largely thanks to her on-point forehand.

On these occasions, it's often a lot easier to win by breaking than to have to serve for the championship. Again, Muguruza's nerves were put to the test when she served at 5-4 in the second set. And again, she passed the test, with flying red and gold colors. Leaving the best for last, Muguzuza's championship point was a perfectly hit lob that sailed way over Williams' head and landed right on the baseline. It was a very stylish moment.

Muguruza, for all her missed opportunities and sullen "disappearances" in matches, was almost certainly going to experience this moment--and sooner than later. There's a smoothness about the Spaniard's style that puts her in a position to win big matches. Yes, she's a power hitter, but she's also a thinker, and she can hit some keen angles and change direction quickly. Muguruza, at her best, makes it look easy.

There's also this: Muguruza barely missed being the Wimbledon champion. If you're that good on both grass and clay, you kind of have "champion" stamped on your head.

Oddly, the French Open is the first clay tournament Mugurza has ever won. Also odd--prior to today, she had won only two events. Hers has been a "big stage" evolution, and one can expect her to go about things "backwards"--now, she can relax and win smaller tournaments. It's a strange path to take, but it seems to be working.

As for Williams--she's dealing with a thigh injury and needs to rest and heal in time for Wimbledon and the Olympic Games.

In the meantime, a young player with promise has broken through in a very big way, and that's quite refreshing. Bravo!

My Wimbledon top 10

Here are my top 10 Wimbledon occurrences, in ascending order:

10. This clay doesn't look right: Tour veteran and clay specialist Francesca Schiavone surprised everyone by getting to the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. She was then handily defeated by Elena Dementieva, but it was quite an accomplishment nonetheless. On her way to the final eight, she defeated Eastbourne semifinalist Aleksandra Wozniak, Michelle Larcher De Brito, 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli, and Eastbourne finalist Virginie Razzano.

9. Couldn't they have just washed their cars?: Building an expensive retractable roof over Centre Court did the trick--there was hardly a drop of rain during the entire tournament. The one match for which the roof was needed--and then, only briefly--was a women's match, though the roof was kept on (triggering a controversy) for a men's match.

8. Sister solidarity: Venus and Serena Williams defend their doubles title, defeating Sam Stosur and Rennae Stubbs in a lively final.

7. Au revoir?: Many of us were struck by the way Amelie Mauresmo paused and soaked in the view and the atmosphere before she left Centre Court, after her defeat by Dinara Safina. The crowd gave her a very enthusiastic farewell. Was she just touched by their affection for her, or was she taking a last look? At any rate, it was a memorable moment.

6. Remember this name: 17-year-old Melanie Oudin was due a breakthrough, and she picked a very big stage upon which to have it. The former junior world number 2 had to qualify to get into the main draw, and once she got there, she did some damage. That damage included defeating Jelena Jankovic in the third round. Oudin lost to Agnieszka Radwanska in the round of 16, but she made a big impression.

5. Service with a smile: The big-serving Sabine Lisicki, who had nothing but misfortune after she won the Family Circle Cup in April, came storming into Wimbledon with her big serve, rapid-fire groundstrokes and skillful drop shots. She took out French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and Eastbourne champion Caroline Wozniacki before falling to Dinara Safina in the quarterfinals. By the time Lisicki reached her fifth round, she was visibly anxious, and she also appeared to have a bit of a fitness problem. One assumes that both of those issues will be addressed, and that Lisicki will continue to improve.

4. One is the loneliest number: World number 1 and top seed Dinara Safina, who has never cared that much for grass courts, nevertheless managed to get to the semifinals. It is easy to forget that accomplishment, however, in light of her dreadful 6-1, 6-0 loss to Venus Williams.

3. Depends on how you define "coverage": NBC executives once again saw to it that those of us who live in the U.S. would see as little live tennis as possible. Forbidding ESPN to show certain prime matches, NBC aired them after the fact, in lieu of matches that were actually in progress. To make matters much worse, U.S. viewers were suddenly--why did it take them so long?-- blocked from using the Wimbledon Live service.

2. This crown looks better with a trenchcoat: Venus Williams holds five Wimbledon titles, including the last two. Her quest to get three in a row, however, was stopped short by her pesky little sister, who took control of the championship match from the opening shot, and never let go. Serena Williams now has three Wimbledon titles, and the rest of us have to get used to looking at photos in which Venus holds the runner-up dish.

1. Instant classic: The semifinal match between Elena Dementieva and Serena Williams--the longest women's semifinal match in Wimbledon history--was a thriller of exceedingly high quality. The only thing wrong with it was that someone had to lose.

Australian Open round of 16 has intrigue and potential excitement

Garbiñe Muguruza started the tournament sick, was bageled in her 1st set of the tournament, but rounding into form. Having a recovery day between matches has been key.

"I definitely feel better. When I started, I didn't know how was I going to feel playing the match.”#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/skwWTsIrsu

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) January 25, 2020

 

Defending champion (and 3rd seed) Naomi Osaka is out. 2nd seed Karolina Pliskova is out. 5th seed Elina Svitolina is out. 6th seed Belinda Bencic is out. Seven-time champion (and 6th seed) Serena Williams is out. 10th seed Madison Keys is out. 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka is out.

This is how it goes in majors, yet each time seeds are knocked out in the early rounds, fans and media seem oh, so surprised. So let's get past that and look at a few of the players who are still in:

World number 1 Ash Barty: When Barty's on, she makes it look so easy. Being human, she isn't always on (at least, in full flare), but she is a lot of the time, this is her home major, and--unlike some other players--she doesn't seem to be bothered by that fact.

Defending finalist Petra Kvitova: Those of us who are Kvitova-watchers always knew that she could win the Australian Open, and last year's final was a heart-breaker for Petra fans--and for Petra. On top of that, a smoke-filled Melbourne sounded like the key to a quick exit for the respiratory system-challenged Kvitova, but--so far--she's okay. The atmosphere has cleared some; also, the Czech star's asthma is under better control than it used to be.

Coco Gauff: Sometimes the hype is actually deserved. The teenager from the USA just keeps showing up on big stages. And on her next big stage, she'll face...

Sofia Kenin: Kenin's rise (she's the 14th seed) has been relatively quiet and workwoman-like. One day she was someone we noticed a bit; the next, she was going deep into big tournaments.

Simona Halep: The 2018 finalist's presence in the second week of majors is so expected, sometimes we just take it for granted. Halep, the 4th seed, is as likely as anyone--and more likely than most--to emerge the champion.

Angie Kerber: The 2016 champion has good (as in, really good) years and bad years. For me, Angie is a constant reminder of everyone's struggles, including my own. Things can go really well, and they can also fall apart. And when we use the KareBear model, we just. keep. going. Never count her out.

Garbine Muguruza: Hello! Look who's here, in the round of 16. The two-time major champion and Mystery Woman of Spain just made dramatically short work of 5th seed Elina Svitolina, and could just as easily win the Australian Open as she could go out in the next round. (But if she's back--really back--watch out.)

Here is the round of 16 singles draw:

Ash Barty (1) vs. Alison Riske (22)--Suddenly, Ali Riske is a thing--and that is, by the way, a good thing! Known for some time for her skills on grass courts, the former USA journeywoman is now in a whole different tour stratosphere. She'll have her work cut out for her with the world number 1, and this could be an entertaining match.

Maria Sakkari  (22) vs. Petra Kvitova (7)--The Greek star upset 10th seed Madison Keys in the third round, and should give Kvitova a lively match.

Coco Gauff vs. Sofia Kenin (14)--The hot new star faces off against her countrywoman, the understated new star.

Ons Jabeur vs. Wang Qiang (27)--In Shenzhen, Wang defeated Jabeur 6-0, 6-3, but that doesn't necessarily predict anything. Both are playing really clever tennis, and this has the makings of a very entertaining conest. Also, both players come into the round of 16 with huge third round victories: Jabeur ended 2018 champion Caroline Wozniacki's career, and Wang beat Serena Williams. Maybe some gourmet popcorn for this one?

Anett Kontaveit (28) vs. Iga Swiatek--Keep some of that popcorn because this could also be really good. Kontaveit obliterated 6th seed Belinda Bencic in the third round, serving brilliantly in the first set and "nerving" brilliantly int the second. I've waited a while to see this kind of match from Kontaveit, who has had her share of struggles on the tour. For her part, Swiatek, who upset Donna Vekic in the third round, is definitely one to watch this year.

Elise Mertens (16) vs. Simona Halep (4)--Look for angles and elegance.

Garbine Muguruza vs. Kiki Bertens (9)--Two all-surface players will have a go at each other. Each of them is subject to going "off," so it may be a question of which one stays "on." Or it may be a tightly contested match.

Angie Kerber (17) vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (30)--It seems as though the Russian has been around forever. A former junior number 1 and junior Australian Open champion (2006), Pavlyuchenkova was expected to be the "next big Russian," but it didn't pan out. She has nevertheless enjoyed a good career, and her skills are exceptional. Kerber, who went from journeywoman to major star when no one was looking, has long been the real thing in a tennis world where the term "work ethic" is bandied around to the point of nausea. This is a rather unpredictable contest.

My 2021 top ten

No Dreamer Is Ever Too Small, No Dream Is Ever Too Big 🏆🏆#tennis #rolandgarros #singles #doubles #champion #paris @rolandgarros pic.twitter.com/1B5GQhqpao

— Barbora Krejcikova (@BKrejcikova) June 20, 2021

In a way, 2021 was even stranger than 2020. More tournaments were played, but with a limited number of fans, and often with very limited (or no) media. In fact, so much happened this year that I found it unusually hard to formulate a top ten. There were the Olympics, and the return of the Billie Jean King Cup--or rather, a ridiculous, crippled version of it, and the International Hall of Fame induction (finally) of the Original Nine. The media went all-out fabricating and promoting a non-story, and--this came so close to making the top ten--Camila Georgi won a premier event.

It's also worth noting that 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek was the only player to reach the second week of all four majors, a quiet accomplishment that causes me to believe that her future remains very bright. And let's not forget Garbine Muguruza's topping off her comeback by winning the WTA Finals (also a top ten contender).

There was also the forced disappearance of Peng Shuai, which became an international story, and--while it's the tennis story of the year--it deserves its own place in the world of tennis events, and is therefore not on this list of happenings, which focuses on accomplishments.

Here, in ascending order, are my top ten 2021 happenings:

10. Mixing metals is so on trend: Ask Belinda Bencic--she won a gold medal for Switzerland in women's singles, and a silver medal in women's doubles (with Viktorija Golubic). And Brazil surprised a lot of people by earning a medal. Here is the complete list of medal winners:

Women's Singles
gold--Belinda Bencic (Switzerland)
silver--Marketa Vondrousova (Czech Republic)
bronze--Elina Svitolina (Ukraine)

Women's Doubles
gold--Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic)
silver--Belinda Bencic/Viktorija Golubic (Switzerland)
bronze--Laura Pigossi/Luisa Stefani (Brazil)

Mixed Doubles
gold--Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, with Audrey Rublev (Russia)
silver--Elena Vesnina, with Aslan Karatsev (Russia)
gold--Ash Barty, with John Peers (Australia)

9. The Russians are here!: The Russians didn't just dominate mixed doubles at the Olympics. For the first time since 2008, they won the Billie Jean King Cup, defeating Switzerland in the final. The standout player was Ludmilla Samsonova, who was sent in as a substitute when Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was unable to play. Samsonova and her big serve went at it for two and a half hours against Belinda Bencic, and emerged the victor, and the hero of the Russian Tennis Federation's winning team.

8. They will all be missed: Sadly, it was a big year for retirements. Kiki Bertens, Carla Suarez Navarro and Barbora Strycova--all long-time treasures of the WTA--announced their retirement earlier this year. And just days ago, Johanna Konta announced that she, too, is retiring from professional tennis. Konta brought a lot of tennis pride back to the UK, reaching as high as number 4 in the world in singles. Her most memorable win was in Miami in 2017. (She also modeled for the WTA how to handle offensive members of the media.)

7. She does it with mirrors: Watching Naomi Osaka win a major is always a little like viewing a magic show. Her fluidity, her serve, and her strategic command of the court sometimes make it appear that she she's winning matches effortlessly. This year, she won the Australian Open by running through an especially difficult draw. In order to get to get the trophy, she had to beat the likes of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Ons Jabeur, Garbine Muguruza, Serena Williams, and Jennifer Brady. This was Osaka's second Australian Open championship; she also won the event in 2019.

6. R-e-s-p-e-c-t/find out what it means to her: Desirae Krawczyk is not a WTA household word, but it certainly should be. This year, the USA doubles specialist came out one major shy of winning the Grand Slam in mixed doubles. She won the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open--with three different partners (a new take on "Mladenovic and Anybody"). This was a huge accomplishment (though undoubtedly somewhat disappointing for her), but the sports media, including the tennis media, seems to not even know that she exists.

5. They're all coming for you!: The upstarts took over in 2021. Ons Jabeur, Anett Kontaveit and Paula Badosa all went on a tear, and close behind them were Leylah Fernandez, Katerina Siniakova, Clara Tauson, and Viktorija Golubic, all making their marks (Fernandez's mark was huge). Jabeur has steadily improved, in both skill and confidence, over the last few seasons, and is now the highest ranked Arab player of all time. Jabeur is also the first Arab woman to reach the WTA top 10 (no. 10). Kontaveit, from whom some of us have long expected great things, gave a dramatic master class on how to close a season, winning four titles, and practically willing herself into the WTA Finals. As for Paula Badosa, she won Indian Wells. Watch out.

4. She's number 1!: Ash Barty hasn't been on the scene too much because of Covid restrictions. But she did two very big things this season, in spite of that. She retained her number 1 ranking, and she won Wimbledon. Barty knocked out two big Czechs--Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova, as well as an on-fire Angie Kerber (who I thought was going to win her second Wimbledon championship), and Karolina Pliskova. 

3. The Golden Slam--so 1988: It's really, really hard to win the Golden Slam. A player has to win all four majors and an Olympic gold medal--next to impossible. But let's say that a player does that, but then--just to put the icing on the cake--also goes on to win both the singles and doubles championships at the prestigious end-of-year Masters event, and also leads her team to World Team Cup victory. How is that even possible? As Diede De Groot. She won all four wheelchair singles majors, both gold medals at the 2021 Paralympics, and the both the singles and doubles championships at the Masters.

But wait--she almost won the Grand Slam in doubles, too. She and partner Aniek Van Koot, the defending champions, lost in the semifinals at Wimbledon. 

It's hard to imagine that anyone could repeat this feat, but if anyone could, well--it would be De Groot. Diede the Great absolutely rules (and for this reason, she is also 2021's Ms. Backspin). 

2. Ranking really doesn't matter: Emma Raducanu was ranked number 150 in the world when she entered the qualifying rounds to compete at Wimbledon. Earlier in the year, she had received a wild card into Nottingham, but had lost in the first round. But then we saw the young Brit come out of nowhere to make it to the round of 16 at Wimbledon, and she might have gone even farther if she hadn't had to retire. 

Raducanu, not surprisingly, won all three of her qualifying rounds, and she did it without dropping a set. That was when we should have taken note, but how were we to know what was about to occur? She would go on to win every match she played (and she played a total of ten) without dropping a set. Raducanu beame the only qualifier in history to reach the final of a major. She won that, too, defeating a brilliant Leylah Fernandez, who had taken out such formidable opponents as 3rd seed and former champion Naomi Osaka, former champion Angie Kerber, 5th seed Elena Svitolina and 2nd seed Aryna Sabalenka. 

Raducanu's draw wasn't as tough as Fernandez's, but it was no walk in the park, either. She had to beat Sara Sorribes Tormo (whom, to my shock, she blew off the court), Olympic gold medal winner Belinda Bencic, and a very in-form Maria Sakkari. It was astounding enough that the two teens made it to the final (though we already knew about Fernandez's talent), but then Raducanu won that in straight sets, too. 

Raducanu's victory was so historic in nature that we'll be talking about it for years.

1. All that glitters is Czech: 2021 was the year that Barbora Krejcikova glided onto the big stage, knocked down the sets, dismissed the other actors, and took enough bows to make even a dancing Czech dizzy. The Czech doubles star entered the French Open singles draw as an unseeded player, and left with the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen. In achieving this unexpected accomplishment, Krejcikova took out, among others, 5th seed Elina Svitolina, former finalist Sloane Stephens, young star Coco Gauff, and Maria Sakkari. She then defeated a resurgent Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the final. To add to the drama, the Czech champion also became the third woman in the Open Era to win the French Open after saving a match point (agains Sakkari).

But why stop there? Krejcikova and her partner, Katerina Siniakova, also won the French Open doubles championship (the first Roland Garros sweep in 21 years), then went on to win an Olympic gold medal. But why stop there? The Czech star qualified for the WTA finals in both singles and doubles, and she and Siniakova won the doubles trophy. Krejcikova also entered the top 10 in singles, rising as high as number 3 in the world (she is currently number 5).

The French Open champion also won Strasbourg and Prague; prior to 2021, she had never won a singles title. She was a very busy woman this year: She won the Australian Open mixed doubles title (with Rajeev Ram), and she and Siniakova were the runners-up for the women's doubles title. Also, she and Siniakova won titles in Gippsland and Madrid. Krejcikova is currently ranked number 2 in the world in doubles, but has been ranked as high as number 1. 

The Czech star was the protege of the late Jana Novotna, and remains inspired by her.

16 questions for 2016

6-3,6-0 😉 @RioOpenOficial pic.twitter.com/QMcUtHS4ZQ

— AK Schmiedlová (@akschmiedlova) February 18, 2015

1. How many majors will Serena win? 
After what was at once a magnificent and an ultimately disappointing 2015, what will the world number 1 do? I don't like to ever count Serena out, but a certain amount of common sense says that 2016 has to be the year she wins the Grand Slam, if she wins it at all. It is a very hard thing to do. So will she win all four? Three? Two? One?

2. Will Genie Bouchard recover her position as the greatest all-around threat on the tour?'
The Canadian star's slump was of epic proportions, only to be followed by her sustaining a concussion, only to be followed by a lawsuit. Will all of this adversity make her tougher than ever, or has the wind been knocked out of Bouchard? Also, will she have sufficiently recovered from her injury by the start of the season?

3. Will Aga Radwanska win a major?
The former Wimbledon finalist redeemed her less-than-stellar season with a great fourth quarter, which included winning the WTA Finals. Is 2016 the year that the WTA's greatest shot-maker ever wins something really big?

4. Will Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova overcome Santina?
They certainly could.  The pair won two majors last year. Safarova's illness and Mattek-Sands' injury caused them to wind down toward the end of the season, but they are legitimate threats.

5. Can Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina overcome Santina?
They shouldn't be counted out.

6. Can Venus stay in the top 10?
It won't be easy, but Venus could possibly travel in and out of the top 10 next year.

7. Will Simona Halep win a major?
This is hard to predict. She should, but the Romanian star has problems closing big matches. Still, she has her wonderful 2014 French Open final performance to use as a reference. She lost, yes, but she played magnificently. With the right help, Halep can get past her psychological issues and go home with a very big trophy.

8. Will The Rock finally win something really big that isn't Wimbledon?
She has the ability to win any of them, but seems to be best suited to win in Melbourne, and the least suited to win in New York. But this is tennis, and "best suited" doesn't always mean that much. And anyway, this is Petra we're talking about. Here's hoping.

9. Will Vika Azarenka return to her former position of high relevance?
She was looking very "Azarenka-like" in the second half of 2015, so there's reason to believe that the two-time Australian Open champion will be ready to compete seriously in 2016.

10. Can France beat Italy again?
They play one another again in the opening round of Fed Cup!

11. Will Maria Sharapova finally win Miami?
I always have to ask.

12. Will Camila Giorgi, Caroline Garcia and Kiki Mladenovic (or any of them) overcome their particular demons--which include double-faulting, choking, anxiety, and inconsistency--and race up the rankings? 
If I had to pick one who can do it, I'd go with Mladenovic.

13. Where will Schmiedy's backhand take her in 2016?
It could be somewhere with a very nice view.

14. Garbine Muguruza, Belinda Bencic, Karolina Pliskova--will one of them do something really big next season?
They are a charming, exciting triple threat. Muguruza has the momentum at the moment, but any of these three could stage an even bigger break-out in 2016.

15. Will Ekaterina Makarova take it to the next level?
The under-the-radar Russian has improved her play in majors in increments, and she's taken her time about it. If she continues to follow her consistent pattern, she'll make it to the final of a major in 2016. That means, of course, that she could win a major, but given Makarova's slowly creeping progress, maybe this would just be a runner-up year.

16. Who will retire in 2016?
Roberta Vinci has already announced that she will retire at the end of next season, but who could join her? Common sense dictates that Francesca Schiavone is highly likely to retire. There are several older players who could retire, but these days, players stick around longer and longer, so there's no way of telling who might leave.

Looking ahead to the French Open

Roland-Garros, l'homme qui flirtait avec les nuages ☁☁ À l’occasion du centenaire de la disparition de l'aviateur la FFT a souhaité lui rendre hommage à #RG18. Une exposition ainsi qu’un livre, lui seront consacrés. pic.twitter.com/FMMRSGY1Xy

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) March 20, 2018

The French Open, as my Twitter followers and readers of this blog know, is my favorite major, so I'm always looking ahead to it. And as of right now, there are a number of women who--on paper--could win it, meaning--they have the skills to win it. They are, in no particular order:

Serena Williams--a ruler of all surfaces, Williams has been the least successful on clay, but bear in mind that her version of "least successful" is having won the French Open "only" three times. Under normal circumstances, I'd put Williams on the realistic "potential champion" list, but these are not normal circumstances. The great champion is just coming back after not only giving birth, but also having undergone another very serious medical crisis.

Maria Sharapova--She's won it twice, but Sharapova just isn't herself. She's currently dealing with a wrist injury, and even though (I hope) it may heal soon, she doesn't have any momemtum.

Angie Kerber--The German, like Williams, is adept on all surfaces. She's won both Charleston and Stuttgart, and appeared to be in line as a potential French Open champion until she had her massive 2017 slump. But she's back now, and I give her a better chance than most to reign on the clay of Roland Garros.

Simona Halep--Twice a French Open finalist, Halep seems built to prevail in Paris. Is 2018 her year? It should be, but the sensitive Romanian appears to have already lost some of her 2018 resolve to stay calm and cool in the midst of stressful circumstances. I still think her chances are very good, however, but she needs to check her tendencies to--as The Backspinner would say--fall off the Cliffs of Simona.

Alona Ostapenko--She's the defending champion, but she isn't having much success in the consistency department. Her 2017 Wimbledon run was quite impressive, considering how many new champions bomb out in the next major. But since then, Ostapenko has been quite streaky; right now, it's hard to imagine her defending her title.

Laura Siegemund--This may strike some as an odd choice, but Siegemund can beat anyone on clay, and is possibly the most exciting-to-watch clay competitor on the tour. She definintely has the skills to win a very big clay title. However, there are two obstacles. One is that she's just returning from a major injury layoff. The other is that the German player is such an extreme grinder, one wonders if she could ever survive seven straight matches without wilting from exhaustion.

Garbine Muguruza--She's won it before, and she can win it again. Muguruza is as mercurial as they come, but when she's on a big stage, she lights up. I like her chances to win a second French Open.

Caroline Garcia--She has the skills, and has banished her fear-of-France demons. Who knows?

Kiki Mladenovic--She has the skills, but consistency tends to elude the emotionally busy Frenchwoman.

Svetlana Kuznetsova--The 2009 champion still has all the great clay moves, but her glory days appear to be over. Wouldn't it be nice, though? (Dream final: Kuznetsova vs. Siegemund--bathroom breaks for everyone.)

Elina Svitolina--The very successful title winner hasn't performed to her potential at the  majors, but if she decides to do so, the French Open would be a good testing ground.

Daria Kasatkina--It may not happen this year, but Kasatkina has everything it takes to win at Roland Garros. The young Russian stylist can only get better, and her recent obvious increase in confidence bodes well for her to do something really big.

Right now, I think that Muguruza and Halep show the most potential to win the 2018 French Open, with Kerber as another possible serious choice. We'll learn more as the clay season starts, but--as Ostapenko's victory proves--we should never think we know very much.

My Australian Open top 10

 .@naomiosaka x @naomiosaka 🏆#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/ys5Cw7vXbT

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 21, 2021

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

10. My Australian vacation: Sofia Kenin entered the tournament as the fourth seed and defending champion. Her hopes were dashed early on, though, when she was easily defeated in the second round by noted giant-killer Kaia Kanepi. That had to be really disappointing, but Kenin’s troubles were just beginning. She competed in the Phillip Island Trophy event as the top seed, with a bye in the first round, but was upset in the second round by world number 727 Olivia Gadecki. Then the world number 4 experienced severe abdominal pain and wound up in a hospital, where she underwent an apendectomy. In a few days, though, Kenin was in the stands, enjoying both the semifinals and the final. Some fans were surprised to see her there, but hey—this is Sofia Kenin.

9. Remember us?: Karolina Pliskova and Elina Svitolina are two players for whom the tennis world has carried big expectations, i.e., that they would win majors. Pliskova came close in 2016, when she lost the U.S. Open final to Angie Kerber. But since then—though she’s reached the semifinals of the French Open (not expected) and the Australian Open—she still hasn’t won one of the big four tournaments. At the 2021 Australian Open, she made it to the third round, but was upset by Karolina Muchova.

Svitolina has gotten as far as the semifinals at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. This year in Melbourne, she beat some very good players (Bouzkova, Gauff, Putintseva), but lost to a very in-form Jessica Pegula in the round of 16.

Common sense tells us that, the longer these players go without winning majors, the more psychologically difficult it becomes for them to do so. But tennis is nothing if not unpredictable, and Both Pliskova and Svitolina are still in the mix.

8. She’s Diede De Great again!: After having (for her), a somewhat slumpy season in which her serve went away, Diede De Groot is back on top where she belongs. She won the wheelchair singles title, and—with partner Aniek Van Koot—she won the doubles championship, giving her a sixth sweep of both titles in majors.

7. Don't cry for me, Flushing Meadows: U.S. tennis is looking better ever month, and players from the USA really shone at this Australian Open. Ann Li made it to the third round, defeating both 31st seed Zhang Shuai and Alize Cornet. Big stage specialist Shelby Rogers didn’t disappoint—she advanced all the way to the round of 16, taking out 21st seed Anett Kontaveit along the way. Both Jessica Pegula and Serena Williams were semifinalists, and Jennifer Brady, of course, made it all the way to the final.

Pegula began her campaign with a bang, taking out two-time champion Victoria Azarenka in straight sets. She went on to defeat Sam Stosur, Kiki Mladenovic and 5th seed Elina Svitolina. Her very impressive run was stopped by Brady, who defeated her in three sets.

The great Serena Williams, in her quest to win 24 singles majors, continues to come so close. In the past few years, she has reached two Wimbledon finals (losing to Angie Kerber and Simona Halep) and two U.S. Open finals (losing to Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu). She lost a U.S. Open semifinal to Vika Azarenka last year, and this past week in Melbourne—during which she routinely beat Simona Halep in straight sets—she lost in the semifinals to Naomi Osaka, who defeated her 6-3, 6-4.

Williams’ exit from Melbourne included both a (literally) heartfelt goodbye to the crowd and a tearful exit from her press conference, leading to all kinds of speculation about her future. But only Serena knows (if, indeed, she does know) what comes next.

6. “Comeback” is her middle name: If you wanted some thrills to go with your Australian Open viewing, you had to look no farther than a court on which Karolina Muchova was playing. The talented Czech (redundant, isn’t it), whose body language and presence remind me so much of the great Chris Evert’s, found herself—again and again—in really tight spots, and she kept finding ways to get out of them.

Down 0-5 in her second set against 6th seed and countrywoman Karolina Pliskova, Muchova reeled off seven games, won the match, and saved herself the work of playing a third set. Down 0-4 in the first set against 18th seed Elise Mertens, Muchova went on to win that set and to defeat Mertens. In the quarterfinals, the Czech player was down a set and a break against world number 1 Ash Barty, but went on to defeat Barty, also. Muchova fell in the semifinals to Jennifer Brady in a three-set match, but her run was exciting and memorable.

5. The toughest opponent of all: Australia has done a marvelous job with handling the pandemic. But Covid crept in on a flight, and—as a result—72 players had to go into hard quarantine. This means that they did not get to practice at all, and all but one of them failed to get past the third round. Then, in the middle of the tournament, a cluster of coronavirus cases was found at a hotel near the Melbourne airport, so the city went into lockdown again, and for five days, players had to compete with no fans present.

4. Hat trick!: In 1965, Margaret Court won her third consecutive mixed doubles title, and that feat was not accomplished again until this year, when Czech doubles star Barbora Krejcikova did it.

3. World’s finest: Aryna Sabalenka had not intended to play doubles in Melbourne, but—the last minute—she decided to play in one more major with partner Elise Mertens. They won the title, defeating Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova in the final. This was the team’s second major championship—they won the U.S. Open in 2020. They are now the number 1 ranked doubles team in the world; however, though Mertens and Sabalenka will continue to play doubles together from time to time, Sabalenka has stated her intention to focus on her singles game. Mertens, incidentally, has finally come into her own in singles, also.

2. Hard quarantine, easy answers: What do you do when you’re one of the hottest players on the tour, you’re about to compete in a major, and you’re not allowed to leave your hotel room, or even open a window? You ride your stationery bike, lift some weights, and drag a mattress off one of the beds, stick it against the wall, and use it as a backboard, of course. That’s what Jennifer Brady did when she was placed in hard quarantine, and—while it was a far cry from hitting the courts to practice and going to the gym—it worked.

Brady, who could teach a class on attitude (Backspin Academy, are you listening?), never let any of it get her down, and—of the 72 players who were put into hard quarantine—she was the only one to advance past the third round. How did she do it? I’m not sure, but the attitude part surely helped. Jen Brady blazed her way through the draw, and made it all the way to the final, where she was finally defeated.

1. Queen of the hard courts: Naomi Osaka has now won four majors—two in Melbourne and two in the U.S. At the 2021 Australian Open, she defeated 2020 finalist Garbine Muguruza in the round of 16, and seven-time champion Serena Williams in the semifinals. Osaka’s combination of athleticism, mental toughness and court cleverness have quickly elevated her to an elite status in the sport.

It will be interesting to see what Osaka does to lift her game on clay and grass courts. She’s only 23 years old and has nowhere to go but up. In the meantime, her immense talent and admirable persona have already made her a major star (and the highest-paid female athlete in the world). We have watched Osaka grow up right before us, and now we get to watch her mature as a champion.

Keep an eye on these U.S. Open 1st round matches

If Maria Sharapova were hoping for a good first-round warmup at the U.S. Open, then her hopes have probably been realized, for she will play Jarmila Groth. I was disappointed when I saw Groth's unfortunate first round draw; I enjoy watching her, and was hoping she could equal her French Open (where she had a wild card) and Wimbledon round of 16 runs. Of course, it may not be a walk in the park for Sharapova, especially if Groth brings her biggest serve. The Australian appears to like playing on a big stage, so this could be a good match.

Svetlana Kuznetsova could probably think of someone she'd rather face in the first round that Kimiko Date Krumm. Date Krumm's big tennis days are behind her, of course, but she gives every match everything she has, she's still a very good player, and her attitude doesn't tend to dip, unlike some of her peers. (Date Krumm, by the way, is back in the top 50.)

Two big hitters, Coco Vandeweghe and Sabine Lisicki, also meet in the first round. Under "normal" conditions, this wouldn't be a match of much interest. But Lisicki has not played many matches since she sustained her last injury, and this is a chance for the wild card to advance. Of course, Vandeweghe is a very undisciplined hitter, so anything can happen.

Daniela Hantuchova and Dinara Safina are also first-round opponents, though it's hard to accept that one of them will go home so early.

Naomi Osaka to face her idol in U.S. Open championship match

#SAPStatoftheDay: With her #USOpen semifinal victory, @Naomi_Osaka_ made history.  @SAPSports pic.twitter.com/kBUr0tar4L

— WTA (@WTA) September 7, 2018

Playing in your first major final has to be one of the most exciting, most stressful things imaginable for a professional tennis player. Having to play an opponent  in that final who is considered the best in the sport increases the tension. And if that opponent also happens to be your professional idol? Your head could (metaphorically) blow up.

Sascha Bajin (photo by Diane Elayne Dees)

But that's just what Naomi Osaka will have to do tomorrow when she faces off against Serena Williams at the U.S. Open. Osaka, who announced herself to the sports world when she won the BNP Paribas Open earlier this year, has transformed from a big-hitting power player to a big-hitting power player with court sense and a good serve.

This transformation is undoubtedly due, at least in part, to her decision to hire Sascha Bajin to be her coach. Bajin, who spent many years as Williams' hitting partner, has taken the raw talent of the young Japanese star and helped her to refine it. Theoretically, such refinement could turn Osaka into an especially dangerous player on the WTA tour.

But in the meantime, she has to deal with Serena Williams. Osaka and Williams have played each other only once before, in Miami this year, in the first round. Osaka won that match in straight sets, but that was when Williams was just returning from her pregnancy break. Osaka, who says she started playing tennis mainly because of Williams, told the media after the Miami match that her goal had been to avoid a double bagel.

We'll see you Saturday afternoon, @serenawilliams!

The six time @usopen champion eases past Sevastova 6-3, 6-0 --> https://t.co/7xP3ScP3T2 pic.twitter.com/WFWyfbn7iD

— WTA (@WTA) September 7, 2018

That Serena Williams won't be the one on the other side of the net tomorrow. A very much back-on-track Williams will be seeking her 24th major singles championship, and it will take a mighty effort to deny her that.

Osaka does have a few things (besides her game) going for her: She has played Williams before (the victory part may not count that much), she has won a final on a very big stage, and she has a coach who probably knows more about the intricacies of Williams' game than anyone. Fans will cheer for Williams, but will also show a lot of appreciation for Osaka. who has won hearts and minds with her mature game and her goofy, unguarded charm.

When I sat down to write this, I thought of that popular cartoon image of a domestic cat looking in the mirror and seeing a lion. It may be like that for Osaka: She will look across the net and see what she may be able to become. And at the end of the day, one of them will roar.

Predicting the French Open champion--not a good idea

During the 2026 clay season, we’ve had four 500-level tournaments and two 1000-level tournaments, which means that we’ve had six champions—and none of them is named Swiatek or Sabalenka. And while winning a pre-French Open clay court tournament—even a 1000—doesn’t always translate to winning the French Open, we would have been within our rights to think that the above mentioned players would each have won one. Or that at least one of them would have won one. 

Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek has been off her game for a while, though, in Rome, we saw a lot of that Iga—the one who came charging in in 2020 and won the title without dropping a set. Swiatek would go on to win the tournament in 2022, 2023 and 2024. 

The Polish star has yet to win a title of any kind in 2026, but a recent coaching change, whose results were manifested in Rome, shows much promise. When asked, in a press conference in Rome, whether we can now say that she’s “coming back,” Swiatek replied, “Where was I?” Exactly.

As for world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, her story is a bit different. She had to withdraw from Stuttgart because of an injury, so she began her clay season in Madrid, where she reached the quarterfinals. She was defeated in that round by Hailey Baptiste, despite having held six match points. In Rome, Sabalenka was up a set and a break in the third round, but lost to a resurgent Sorana Cirstea (it was, in fact, the Romanian’s first defeat of a number 1 player).

Sabalenka has won four hard court majors, and last year, she came close to adding a very big clay court title—she reached the final of the French Open, but lost to Coco Gauff. 

In the four 500 tournaments of 2026, we’ve had four champions. Jessica Pegula, the defending champion in Charleston, won the title again. She did it the hard way, and earned the nickname, Three-Set Jess. Mirra Andreeva won the Linz title, Elena Rybakina won in Stuttgart (her second title there), and Emma Navarro--who has been dealing with a chronic illness for a year and a half--upset top seed Vicky Mboko in the Strasbourg final. 

The drama in both Madrid and Rome was increased because of the standings of the champions. Marta Kostyuk won the Madrid title. Kostyuk—who had just won a 250-level tournament in France—had a tough draw, which included Pegula, Linda Noskova and Anastasia Potapova. In the past, the very talented Ukrainian player might have lost her way, but the Marta Kostyuk of today is calmer on court, and more able to make smart shot decisions. 

The winner in Rome was Elina Svitolina, and this was her third Rome title. Svitolina last won Rome in 2018, and so much has changed in her life since then. Always a talented player, whose  movement was considered her greatest asset, Svitolina’s tennis career was interrupted by marriage, childbirth, and an ongoing war. Upon returning to the tour after her maternity leave, the Ukrainian star was a different player, with a better serve, more variety, and bigger hitting. This year in Rome, she did what few could do: She defeated Rybakina in the quarterfinals, Swiatek in the semifinals, and Gauff in the final.

So who is the most likely to win at Roland Garros? Anyone’s guess is good at this point. Sadly, 2021 champion Barbora Krejcikova sustained another injury last week while playing in the final of a 125 event. Krejcikova  is now a victim of the Czech Curse, which has already put both Karolina Muchova (who is currently healthy) and Marketa Vondrousova out of commission for months at a time. Muchova, a French Open finalist in 2023, doesn’t have the momentum that we would expect a contender to have, but she could nevertheless make things difficult for other top players in Paris.

Coco Gauff is the defending champion in Paris, and—while her results lately have been inconsistent—Gauff is capable of showing up in her best form. Whatever wobbles she has, she also tends to have a champion’s mind when she plays in big events. 

Elena Rybakina has won a major on a hard court and a major on grass, and there’s no reason—given the strength of her game—that she can’t win one on clay. Rybakina’s serve makes her dangerous on any surface, and her steadiness on court has returned. 

Mirra Andreeva—-though she is sometimes distracted by her own emotions—is no stranger to a big stage. In addition to reaching the French Open semifinals in 2024, the Russian star has also won two 1000-level tournaments. 

As for Kostyuk—the success she’s having has been a long time coming. Between improving her game and settling her mentality, the Ukrainian star has established herself as someone whom no one will want to see on the other side of the net at Roland Garros.

And that brings me to Svitolina, who can now be considered a complete player, and one who is—in my opinion—a real contender in Paris. Her performance in Rome was a feat that few could have pulled off, and there’s no reason to think that the clay in Paris will intimidate her.

Swiatek is likely to have her work cut out for her, for—if things go as they “should” go—she’ll face Alona Ostapenko in the third round. Ostapenko is 6-0 against Swiatek, and—more than any other player on the tour—has figured out how to flummox the former world number 1 and four-time French Open champion. Ostapenko’s formula is a simple one: Don’t give Swiatek any time to set up her shots. One would think that—by now—Swiatek would have a strategy to counter Ostapenko’s speed and aggression. We’ll see.

Sabalenka and Gauff are both in the upper half of the draw, while Rybakina and Swiatek (along with Svitolina and Kostyuk) are in the bottom half. Every major draw is very competitive, but—since there is no clear favorite in Paris this year—the draw seems especially competitive. 

We won’t have to wait for the competition to heat, though. 17th seed Iva Jovic and Alex Eala meet in the first round, which feels unfair, but it’s just the (bad) luck of the draw. Also of interest in the first round: 2025 semifinalist Lois Boisson—who has had her share of injury woes—will face 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya, and 2021 champion Krejcikova will play 26th seed Hailey Baptiste. 

Strawberries, grass, white dresses, and tone-deaf organizers--it's almost here!

Seedings announced for The Championships 2018: https://t.co/dFdFzTWmzZ#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/ec5TrOHcPZ

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 27, 2018

Having just recovered from the drama of my favorite major, I now must prepare for the drama of my least favorite major. Wimbledon is almost here, whether I like it or not. I do like the looking at the lawns, at least for the first few days.

The powers that run the tournament have decided to seed Serena Williams as number 25. Whatever they decided would probably have upset people, and--in the end--does it really matter? Williams, the seven-time Wimbledon champion, wasn't really ready for the French Open, but fans have reason to believe that she's more than ready for the grass.

Sealed with a 😘! @Petra_Kvitova claims the famous Maud Watson Trophy at the #NatureValleyClassic again! #backtoback #defence pic.twitter.com/prTimi3A4k

— British Tennis (@BritishTennis) June 24, 2018

Another player who's ready is 8th seed and two-time champion Petra Kvitova. The Barking Czech has stormed through the 2018 season, winning five titles and generally looking as scary as she ever has. I thought she would do better at the French Open, since her clay season was excellent, and while she lost a very tight match in the third round to a very tough clay opponent--Anett Kontaveit--I was nevertheless surprised.

But this is grass, where Kvitova always feels at home. The bad news is that she withdrew from Eastbourne on today with a hamstring injury which she first noticed during her championship run in Birmingham the week before. The good news is that she has some time to tend to that injury.

Aside from Kvitova and Williams, are there other players who can contend for the Wimbledon championship? There are:

First, there's the defending champion, Garbine Muguruza, who is seeded 3rd, and who--as we all know--could romp through the entire draw, or crash out in the second round. There's simply no predicting the mercurial Spaniard, but if anyone could defend a big title, it's Muguruza.

Anyone else? I'm going to throw a couple more names into the mix. The first one is 11th seed Angie Kerber, who was the finalist in 2016, which was pretty much the Year of Kerber. The German's fortunes haven't been as good since that year, but lately, she's looked pretty good, and I think it's only fair to include her as a contender.

My other name is Alona Ostapenko. The 2017 French Open champion and former junior Wimbledon champion isn't very happy with her performance at Roland Garros this year. She has also changed coaches. And while this combination of occurrences might sound like a recipe for instability with any other player, it very likely isn't for the woman that Todd Spiker calls Latvian Thunder.

Ostapenko gets past negative emotions pretty well. The dancing upstart lets emotions out quickly and moves on quickly. Her fast, hard hitting can get her into trouble when she does what I call the "early Kvitova" routine. But it also blows a lot of opponents off of the court. And she's won a major and knows what it feels like to advance through seven big-stage matches.

I know that 2017 runner-up Venus Williams is a favorite among many fans. Her performances last year (finalist at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon) were astounding. And while that kind of thing could happen again on her best surface--she's won Wimbledon five times--I don't consider her as likely to win the event as I do others.

And what about world number 1 Simona Halep? I think her chances will be better at the U.S. Open, but--having taken a great load off of her back--nothing would surprise me, either. The same goes for Caroline Wozniacki--we don't think of her as a potential Wimbledon champion, but now that she has a major win and and a game that just keeps improving, we can never count her out.

Elina Svitolina has yet to show us that she can do well in majors, and grass is probably the last surface on which we'd expect her to break through, but stranger things have happened. Coco Vandeweghe has the game, but if she isn't playing in a Fed Cup competition, she can't be counted on to have the mental focus necessary to win.

Madison Keys has the game, but can she make her biggest breakthrough in London? I don't know. And then there's Sloane Stephens, who is now officially scary everywhere she goes. But she's also Sloane, and it just isn't like her to make two really deep runs in succession.

I wish I could say that there's Maria Sharapova, but the 2004 champion--while playing at a better level as the season progresses--doesn't appear to have reached the level that took her to five major championships.

I'll mention Karolina Pliskova, whose game has been uneven as of late. But the big-hitting Czech is certainly someone we'll all be watching. And finally, Jo Konta appears to be coming alive on grass after having had some rough months on the tour. It's her home tournament, and with the right draw, she could make her countrywomen and -men very proud.