Week 3 & 4 - Australian Open Grand Slam - Melbourne, Australia Hard

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

RE: Week 3 & 4 - Australian Open Grand Slam - Melbourne, Australia Hard

9vicman · Satellite level

Andy Parker wrote:
Brendan F wrote:
adz1983 wrote:
Brendan F wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Yastremska (which my spell check is trying to change to tastemaker) gets to the semis as a qualifier. As a qualifier ever reached a final?
I just saw a list of qualifiers who reached the semis in the open era. She's the third in the last 4 years. It had only happened twice before 2020.
Do you have the list?
It was a Facebook post which I can't remember the source. It was Nadia Podoroska and Alexandra Stevenson along with Emma and Yastremska,the other one was in the 70s and someone I'd not heard of.
I have seen the article you mention and the list is Christine Dorey Aussie Open semi finals 1978, Alexandra Stevenson Wimbledon semi finals 1999, Nadia Podoroska French semi finals 2020, Emma Raducanu won US Open 2021 and now Yastremska here.
Christine Dorey had a great year in 1977, playing in all the Slams and made the quarter finals at Roland Garros, but after her Aussie Open semi final, she had injury problems I think and later played as Christine Matison. I seem to very vaguely remember seeing her play in 1978 at Wimbledon, which was the year that Tom Okker made the semi finals of the men's as a wildcard entrant.

-- Edited by Andy Parker on Wednesday 24th of January 2024 11:16:10 PM

She actually played as Christine Matison (Dorey is her married name), and was in action as recently as 2012 in the ITF Seniors World Champs. Without minimising her achievements, the Australian Open entry was very weak in the mid 70s, so not comparable to Stevenson and company.

Yastremska of course has been ranked as high as No. 21, so not a traditional qualifier. But an amazing effort considering all she has gone through, firstly with the provisional doping suspension (later overturned) and then fleeing from Ukraine.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
Andy Parker wrote:
Brendan F wrote:
adz1983 wrote:
Brendan F wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Yastremska (which my spell check is trying to change to tastemaker) gets to the semis as a qualifier. As a qualifier ever reached a final?
I just saw a list of qualifiers who reached the semis in the open era. She's the third in the last 4 years. It had only happened twice before 2020.
Do you have the list?
It was a Facebook post which I can't remember the source. It was Nadia Podoroska and Alexandra Stevenson along with Emma and Yastremska,the other one was in the 70s and someone I'd not heard of.
I have seen the article you mention and the list is Christine Dorey Aussie Open semi finals 1978, Alexandra Stevenson Wimbledon semi finals 1999, Nadia Podoroska French semi finals 2020, Emma Raducanu won US Open 2021 and now Yastremska here.
Christine Dorey had a great year in 1977, playing in all the Slams and made the quarter finals at Roland Garros, but after her Aussie Open semi final, she had injury problems I think and later played as Christine Matison. I seem to very vaguely remember seeing her play in 1978 at Wimbledon, which was the year that Tom Okker made the semi finals of the men's as a wildcard entrant.

-- Edited by Andy Parker on Wednesday 24th of January 2024 11:16:10 PM
She actually played as Christine Matison (Dorey is her married name), and was in action as recently as 2012 in the ITF Seniors World Champs. Without minimising her achievements, the Australian Open entry was very weak in the mid 70s, so not comparable to Stevenson and company.
Yastremska of course has been ranked as high as No. 21, so not a traditional qualifier. But an amazing effort considering all she has gone through, firstly with the provisional doping suspension (later overturned) and then fleeing from Ukraine.

1978 was only a 32 player draw as well. Sue Barker should have won that year, she was top seed, and went out in the last 8. The winner, Chris O'Neill, was unseeded and I dont think won anything else of interest in her career!!

I remember the year, though, because Guillermo Vilas won on grass, one of two times, which was completely counter expectations given his game style!

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

Zheng backing up beating Katie by reaching the final.

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

GAMEOVER wrote:
Zheng backing up beating Katie by reaching the final.

Katie was also the highest ranked player Zheng beat on the way to the final.

Var · Pro player

GAMEOVER wrote:
GAMEOVER wrote:
Zheng backing up beating Katie by reaching the final.
Katie was also the highest ranked player Zheng beat on the way to the final.

Gameover, I think that lack of higher seeded opposition showed today.

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

Happy for Sabalenka.

I know shes young but cant see Zheng in another slam final.

Jan · Hall of fame

Sabalenka played so well and was the deserved winner, but I tend to support the non-grunter in matches where I'm not particularly bothered about the outcome!

Neil Gee · Club Coach

Outgunned.

Peter too · Tennis legend

For most of the match Zheng was winning a very creditable 70% on her first serve but Sabalenka was winning 95%. It was only in the last few games that Zheng started to win a few more points on Sabalenka's 1st serve but by then it was too late.

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

Radio commentary said Sabalenka's serve was never broken in the tournament.

Deucebag · Intermediate Club Player

GAMEOVER wrote:
Radio commentary said Sabalenka's serve was never broken in the tournament.

The radio commentator is incorrect.

Gauff did at least a couple of times.

the addict · Tennis legend

Deucebag wrote:
GAMEOVER wrote:
Radio commentary said Sabalenka's serve was never broken in the tournament.
The radio commentator is incorrect.
Gauff did at least a couple of times.

Yes, Coco managed 3 breaks in that match (but lost her serve 4 times). But Sabalenka didn't lose a single set.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Player of the Month votes now live

britishtennis.activeboard.com/t70367596/january-2024-player-of-the-month-vote-semifinal-group-1/

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

Mervatron2 wrote:
Happy for Sabalenka.

I know shes young but cant see Zheng in another slam final.

Not so sure about that now as Zheng has won the Olympics singles and is a WTA singles final finalist in 2024.

-- Edited by GAMEOVER on Saturday 9th of November 2024 09:48:05 AM