25] Gauff vs. Krejcikova
[9] Swiatek vs. [17] Sakkari

[21] Rybakina vs. [31] Pavlyuchenkova
Zidansek vs. [33] Badosa

V interesting last 8 but has there ever been a lower ranked last 8? Refreshing to be frank! Still reckon Badosa for this as per my earlier prediction. Spanish double with Rafa

JonH comes home wrote:

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25] Gauff vs. Krejcikova
[9] Swiatek vs. [17] Sakkari

[21] Rybakina vs. [31] Pavlyuchenkova
Zidansek vs. [33] Badosa

V interesting last 8 but has there ever been a lower ranked last 8? Refreshing to be frank! Still reckon Badosa for this as per my earlier prediction. Spanish double with Rafa

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 Damn 

Proper gutted about that first result earlier, been on a downer for most of the day, ha. I mean if someone said I would be disappointed about a RG QF defeat 5 or 6 weeks ago then I would have thought they would be mad, but man, what a great opportunity has just passed her by, a sizable favourite against someone the exact same age, around 50 places lower ranked. In good positions as well, a double break up in the first set, and lost it, 2-0 up in the decider, and then 3 BPs at 6-6, but not to be. If she does get back into a slam QF in the coming months or years, then chances are it'll be a far more intimidating and daunting opponent across the net. Fair play to Zidansek though, she is obviously playing well, and generally looked more solid, bar her shaky start, and also at 4-2 up in the second set, where she probably got very tight with the finish line in sight.

Just a bit of a shame really, I mean Zidansek is just 23 as well, so plenty of time for her to push on and establish herself, but if she were to beat Pavs on Thursday (probably a 40/60 type match) then she must surely be one of the most random slam finalists ever, and certainly one of the lowest profiles. Like myself, Andy P likes a good natter on here about the general WTA scene, and even he said he had barely heard of her a couple of days ago, which isn't a great sign, and I know social media isn't the be all and end all, but it's never a bad thing if those doing well have a bit of profile and star quality about them, whereas Zidansek has been on Instagram for 3 years, isn't even verified, and has like 7,500 followers, up around 3,000 from yesterday - basically not many know of her.

As for Badosa, obviously still a fantastic clay season, even if a bit disappointing today. Just shy of 1300 points from her 4 clay events will likely change from career trajectory from a 70 odd type player to one being seeded in the slams and pushing the top 20. I see she has withdrawn from Birmingham today, so she can't gain any more points before the Wimbledon draw, and her seeding will likely be very much touch and go - probably good news for Jo.

Also a bit disappointed that Rybakina lost and couldn't back up her big win the other day, but I guess it's quite hard to begrudge Pavs an eventual shot at a slam SF, after so many QF defeats over the years. I'd like to see her make the final now, and maybe face Iga, although I'd be happy enough if either Gauff, or Sakkari got there.

Andy Parker wrote:

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I belatedly caught up on the quarter finals - Zidansek v Pavlyuchenkova in a semi final - no-one would have predicted that and it is going to mean that at least one of the finalists is going to be a virtual unknown to the general public, and to be honest, I had never seen Zidansek play before this tournament and she was pretty unkown to me. I guess it is like that in Grand Slams - there are so many players to watch, that there are certain top 100 players that you never get to see. I am almost beyond predictions for this tournament - the results in almost every match in the last 2 rounds have surprised me, but I would imagine that whoever does come through to the final will be very much the underdog.

On the other hand, when you look at the possible opponents for the winner of the Zidansek v Pavluchenkova match, it is no foregone conclusion that they will be beaten in the final. I am sure though that Gauff and Swiatek will be delighted to see who their possible opponents would be in the final. Surely one of those 2 has to make the final - Sakkari or Krejcikova in the final against Zidansek or Pavlyuchenkova would be almost surreal.

People say that as no-one is dominating the women's game that it is in a bad shape, but I feel the opposite. Behind Osaka, Halep and Swiatek, there are literally masses of really decent players and everyone can beat everyone at the moment. I follow women's tennis far more than the men's game, but for me the continued dominance of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer, means that it is the men's game that is sterile and desperately needs new faces to replace the ancients who have dominated for so long.

By the way I have nothing against the other ancients, being a nearly dead myself (nearly dead being a much preferable term to old person).

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 I completely agree with this. Obviously the quality at the top of the men's game is amazing but I'm just so bored with the same few players dominating.

Zidansek fully deserved her victory. I'm afraid Badosa seemed to fall apart mentally quite a bit. The throwing of the racket was a bit petulant and helped her lose her focus I felt. She really needed one big weapon but her game does seem to lack that killer element right now.

Gauff looked fantastic the other day, better than Swinatek i felt though nerves may yet get to her as it probably will to Sakkari and Krejcikova who seemed to admit to being in tears with nerves before her last match!

3/3 quarter finals so far have been a shambles, eventually one of these women will have to fluke the tournament by default, krejcikova has a nice looking backhand at least

I mean Krejcikova is obviously playing some good stuff, pretty much since the restart, made a W1000 final earlier in the year etc. and I guess there is the Novotna story as well, but 2 years ago she skipped Wimbledon qualifying to continue on clay ITFs, which gives an impression of where she was (singles-wise) in 2019, and she is 26 later this year. If you're a big tennis fan then yes, you'll likely watch, but I just can't see many people in CT or PT in the US setting alarms to watch a potential Krejcikova vs Zidansek final, or others in more convenient time zones changing plans accordingly to watch.

I think Sakkari is my favourite (as in preference, not odds-wise) out of the 6 (probably soon to be 5) remaining, but if Krej does come through this then I will definitely be hoping Swiatek comes through next, and goes on to retain her title, to restore a little bit of order.

This one is fast running away from Gauff after all those missed set point opportunities in the opening set.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Wednesday 9th of June 2021 10:47:10 AM

Krejcikova through 7-6 6-3 - sad for Gauff, but she deserves credit for a good fightback at the end.

Looking at who is left, I feel it is Swiatek's to lose now - she really should win from here. Another upset in Swiatek's match though and we are likely to have the unlikeliest of Grand Slam finals, maybe ever.

As a rider to my comments earlier which HarryGem agreed with, I get very annoyed with John Inverdale asking 'what does is say about the state of the women's game', when there are upsets and big name players have gone out - it is really obvious he is mainly into men's tennis much more than women's (I was going to say something stronger), but the assumption that something is up when it is so competitive, verges on sexism and simply shows his bias that he suggests it as a sign of weakness in the women's game, rather than see how strong in depth it is.

The top 100 now would have beaten all but the very best in every other era, and for me the women's game has improved hugely and led to how ridiculously competitive it is, not least in how the players are so much stronger, more powerful and fitter than in other eras.

-- Edited by Andy Parker on Wednesday 9th of June 2021 11:08:05 AM