Week 33 - WTA Premier 5 ($2.5M) - Cincinnati, USA Hard

LordBrownof · Futures level

Week 33 - WTA Premier 5 ($2.5M) - Cincinnati, USA Hard

indiana · Tennis legend

I added a bit re some men's serving stats. As I said, I've not been watching.

blob · All-time great

Thanks for the updates there LordBrownof
Good win for Johanna.
World # 1 is a possibility for Halep this week if Pliskova falters at all in her title defense. So, with Simona, that may either hinder or inspire her. It's hard to tell with her these days. She's still capable of amazing tennis, or the absolute rubbish we saw in the Coupe Rogers semi.

As for the courts, the humidity has been horrible this week in Ohio, perhaps that's an additional factor making the courts feel as though they are slower than expected.

Jan · Hall of fame

Well done Jo!

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, well done to Jo.

Rather loaded QFs developing. In this instance the Cincinnati organisers may be quite pleased they have the women here rather than that very flakey opposite sex.

chavkev · Intermediate Club Player

indiana wrote:
Yes, well done to Jo.

Rather loaded QFs developing. In this instance the Cuncinnati organisers may be quite pleased they have the women here rather than that very flakey opposite sex.

I think that the withdrawals on the Men's side is probably a reflection of the increasing age profile of the ATP tour. Even Nishikori (who I still think of as young) is 28 in December.

Peter too · Tennis legend

Jo's match is scheduled as "not before midnight" tonight.

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

LordBrownof wrote:
It looks slower than Toronto and Washington but not as much as the comment from Venus would suggest. To me, it looks pretty average for an American hard court...

I agree the court didn't look particularly slow...mind you Jo and Domi were both really hitting through with gusto; it was a great match to watch and great to see Jo winning well despite her serve not firing as well as it can. Here's hoping she can find her best serving in the QFs, continue hitting great groundies and take Halep down :)

indiana · Tennis legend

While the QFs contain 6 of the top 8 seeds, with Goerges beating Svitolina the remaining two players are non seeds and will contest the other QF in Jo's half. Goerges faces the recently returned Sloane Stephens who beat Makarova in the L16.

(1) Ka Plikova vs (6) Wozniacki
(4) Muguruza vs (8) Kuznetsova - already won by Muguruza
Goerges vs (WC) Stephens
(7) Konta vs (2) Halep

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

indiana wrote:
While the QFs contain 6 of the top 8 seeds, with Goerges beating Svitolina the remaining two players are non seeds and will contest the other QF in Jo's half. Goerges faces the recently returned Sloane Stephens who beat Makarova in the L16.

(1) Ka Plikova vs (6) Wozniacki
(4) Muguruza vs (8) Kuznetsova - already won by Muguruza
Goerges vs (WC) Stephens
(7) Konta vs (2) Halep

The women's game is strong just now that's a very powerful line up for a quarter final 2 weeks before a Slam.

Compare with the men's draw where it's challenger level guys like Suguta and Donaldson in with the old timers Nadal Isner and Ferrer.

indiana · Tennis legend

With Pliskova beating Wozniacki to reach the SF, Halep would now need to win the title to take over as WR 1 ( and that would do it even if Pliskova is the other finalist ).

So with it not being an immediate issue this match or even in a potential SF I very much doubt that will be high on Halep's agenda / thoughts for now as against just doing as well as she can in this tournament and getting well set ahead of the US Open.

In Slams themselves I never think it is an issue, particularly when still seeking a first Slam title - if she gets effected it's by that.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

I wonder if Halep wins the title and does become number 1 would this be the first time that a number 1 with no Grand Slams has been replaced at number 1 with somebody else with no Slams? Can't have happened very often in either men's or women's game I'd have thought.

indiana · Tennis legend

Might have something there.

Also, as things stand just now, with Kerber dropping back, the top 4 in the live rankings haven't got a single Slam title among them. Muguruza could yet get up to #3 ahead of Svitolina and Wozniacki but I suggest that it would be fairly unprecedented if the top 4 ranked on Monday ( and incidentally therefore the top 4 seeds for the US Open ) had zero Slam titles.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

That was my next point Indy I was about to check the top 4 and that would surely be the first time to happen you'd have to think. I'm sure someone will have an answer to our questions out there. Stuart Fraser at the times is usually quite good with odd wee stats.

indiana · Tennis legend

OK, I have more albeit with some ifs.

If Jo wins the title here and Muguruza exits to Pliskova in the SF then Jo would move ahead of Kerber and Muguruza ( and indeed Wozniacki ) and the top 5 (!) in the rankings would have zero Slams.