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Jun/18

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Wimbledon Qualies

As always there were some interesting Wimbledon qualies story line results this week…

Jason Kubler qualifeid for his first Wimbledon with a 12-10 in the third win vs Pavlasek and a tight four setter vs Polansky 76 63 67 64. Kubler is 25 and ranked 147. A few years ago he could only play clay events because of a suspect knee issue but apparently he’s overcome that adversity. Kubler’s only other Grand Slam main draw was in Australia in 2010.

Jurgen Melzer came close to qualifying but lost 63 in the fifth today to Yannick Maden. Melzer, the 37 year old veteran, lead two sets to love and then lost a third set tiebreaker 86 then 46 36. Melzer played Wimbledon fourteen times, winning doubles in 2010 and reaching 4R twice. He is ranked 710 now.

Christian Harrison qualified today with a 76 75 61 win vs Braden Schnur. It will be Harrison’s first Wimble main draw. Harry 2 is ranked 200 and is 24 now.

Ernie Gulbis qualified with a four set win vs Sonego.

Aussie lefty JP Smith beat Mmoh in three sets to qualify. The 29 year old played in the main draw once, three years ago.

27 year old Brad Klahn made his second Wimby main draw today with a SS win vs Bolelli. Klahn didn’t lose one set in his three Q matches.

Hubert Hukarcz made the main draw, with a SS win over Garin. The six foot five Pole beat Opelka in the previous round. He made the second round at Roland Garros this year. 21 year old Double H is ranked 123.

29 year old Romanian Alexandra Dulgheru qualified today by beating Zidansek. Dulgheru was once ranked 26, she had endured three “major operations.”

Genie Bouchard is int othe main draw after beating Duque Marino in SS. Bouchard reached the finals in 2014 but hasn’t been passed the 3R since. She is ranked 191.

Claire Liu beat Nicole Gibbs in a battle of Cali girls, in SS to qualify for her first Wimby. The 18 year old won the juniors here.

33 year old Vera Zvonareva beat Dolehide in SS to qualify. She finaled here in 2010. Now ranked 141, Vera first played Wimbledon in 2002. This is her first major main draw since 2015 Australia.

20 year old Elena Gabriela Ruse of Romania qualified for her first Grand Slam main draw. The little known newcomer survived a 57 64 64 battle vs Rodionova in the second rounds of qualies. Today she beat Barbara Haas 60 75.

23 year old Barbora Stefkova is ranked 716 but she qualfied today with a win over Perrin 64 in the third.

27 year old Vitalia Diatchenko beat Zhuk to qualify. This will be her tenth GS main draw, where she will hope to get past the second round for the first time.

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27 comments

  • Dan Markowitz · June 28, 2018 at 2:24 pm

    Only two Americans qualified, Klahn and Christian Harry. Bad loss for Mmoh losing in SS to Smith, who’s not a very good player. What about Opelka? Is he in the MD?

  • Hartt · June 28, 2018 at 2:53 pm

    I was disappointed that neither Polansky nor Schnur made it through today. Peter Polansky may have a shot at getting a lucky loser spot. I think his ranking is high enough to be in the draw – I imagine there will be one.

    I also hoped Bianca Andreescu would get to the MD. She is only 18 years old, but is very talented.

    But, among the Canucks, only Genie Bouchard won today. She played very well and definitely earned her spot in the MD. It looks like Robert Lansdorp is the right coach for her. If, at 80 years of age, he is willing to travel with her he must have faith in her ability. And Genie, by playing 3 matches, got some much-needed match play.

  • Michael in UK · June 28, 2018 at 3:28 pm

    Latest news, Tomic and Kokkinakis fail to qualify.

  • Michael · June 28, 2018 at 4:02 pm

    Update: tv replay in UK saying that Tomic had been suffering stomach illness all day, from the few minutes I saw at end of match he was barely able to play at all.

  • Scoop Malinowski · June 28, 2018 at 7:38 pm

    Dan, Opelka lost to Hukarcz.

  • Scoop Malinowski · June 28, 2018 at 7:39 pm

    Hartt, this week at Wimbledon could have saved her career. She was going to have to play qualies and ITF minor events. A good run could get her ranking way up from 194.

  • Scoop Malinowski · June 28, 2018 at 7:41 pm

    Could it be possible that Tomic faked it? Just was getting whooped and had to create an excuse? How does a super healthy fit tennis player get a stomach illness?

  • Chazz · June 28, 2018 at 10:59 pm

    Given Tomic’s partying reputation, I think stomach illness was maybe another way of saying “hangover”.

  • catherine · June 29, 2018 at 2:32 am

    Anyone can get a stomach bug. Doesn’t matter how healthy you are. And in places where there are lots people around, like W’don, those viruses have a party.

    Hartt – I can’t believe Landsdorp is still coaching at 80. Became famous with Tracy Austin.

  • catherine · June 29, 2018 at 2:35 am

    Anyone can get a stomach bug. In places where there are lots of people, those viruses have a party.

    Hartt – I can’t believe Landsdorp is still coaching at 80. Remember him as Tracy Austin’s coach.

  • catherine · June 29, 2018 at 3:58 am

    That ‘Tennis on the Thames’ thing the WTA are putting on in the Oxo Tower – I bet hardly any players know what Oxo is: a crumbly cube of pungent beef extract and the Oxo building was where carcasses were boiled down to get the juice out.

    I bet Old Father Thames is snortling as he flows by 🙂

  • Hartt · June 29, 2018 at 7:26 am

    Several players got in as lucky losers, including Polansky, Tomic and Mmoh.

    I saw Tomic’s match and believe he really was ill. In fact, I was impressed that he played it out, rather than retiring. I am not a fan, but was pleased that he got a LL spot – think he is trying right now.

  • Hartt · June 29, 2018 at 7:31 am

    Catherine, they showed Lansdorp watching Genie’s matches – he is looking pretty good for an old guy! I knew he was doing some coaching near his home, but the fact he is willing to travel with Genie speaks volumes.

    Although I find it frustrating that she won’t add variety to her one-dimensional game, I do have sympathy for her with all she has been through. I think the concussion she had at the USO a while back had a huge impact – she was just starting to do better at that tourney and then had that big setback. So I hope she can make a comeback, at least get back to the top 20.

  • catherine · June 29, 2018 at 7:48 am

    Sorry for my repeated comment above – the first one vanished so I rewrote it.

    Hartt – yes, although I’m not a fan of Genie’s style, as you know, I’d like to see her back to a decent ranking. So I hope Landsdorp can help.

    I’ve been watching Sabalenka and Radwanska – the weirdest scoreline – had to leave before 3rd set. Sabalenka is really talented but so erratic – only 20 though.

  • catherine · June 29, 2018 at 9:01 am

    Sabalenka wins and Angie is ahead v Wozniaki so looks like the final’s set.

  • catherine · June 29, 2018 at 11:12 am

    Well, the final will be Woz v Sabalenka. Angie should be pleased after 3 tough sets she’s got a rest until W’don, where she plays first round.

    Wozniaki and Sabalenka will be exhausted. Sabalenka has a similar build to Kvitova – I think she may be better than Kasatkina eventually.

  • Hartt · June 29, 2018 at 6:19 pm

    Catherine, I watched a couple sets of Woz vs Kerbie and then had to leave before the third set. I will probably break down and watch some of the final tomorrow. I have avoided Sabalenka because I’ve heard that her loud, protracted grunting is very hard to take.

  • catherine · June 30, 2018 at 2:27 am

    I’m not bothered by grunting – just turn the sound down if you find it a nuisance. I can’t bear the commentary (if there is any) so it’s not a hardship for me.

    Certainly wouldn’t stop me watching a match or following a player.

    (where did ‘Kerbie’ come from ? Has she turned into a hair grip ?)

  • catherine · June 30, 2018 at 2:50 am

    Interested to read in a report that Kerber was ‘clearly angry’ after the match. I imagine she was angry with herself for not winning – but that’s exactly the feeling to avoid. Put a loss in the past and start again. I don’t think Serena or Federer or other great players, spend much time being angry with themselves – it’s true anger can be motivational, but only if it goes outwards. Angie’s feelings go inwards and that leads to frustration and failure. Other players come to mind there. Murray used to do that before Lendl took him in hand.

    I’m sure Scoop would agree. Use anger constructively.

    (of course Kerber might have been angry at having to answer inane media questions. Eg: ‘Angie, were you disappointed when you lost that match point ?’)

  • Hartt · June 30, 2018 at 5:59 am

    Catherine, I don’t mind missing the commies. In fact, because I usually watch the women’s matches on a stream, there often is no commentary in any case. But I do like to hear the sound of the ball, the calls by the linesmen, and the reaction of the crowd. But if I have no choice I will turn the sound down. I dislike loud grunting a lot, by both the men and the women. I find Sharapova’s shrieking so off-putting that I rarely watch her matches.

    “Kerbie” is a common nickname for Kerber.

  • catherine · June 30, 2018 at 6:51 am

    Hartt – it’s only a joke – ‘Kerbie’ reminds me of a kind of hair grip/slide called ‘Kirbygrips’. I think in the US and maybe Canada they are called ‘bobby-pins’ – same thing.

    Re grunting – it’s up to the WTA to do something about that. I noticed in the later stages of Sabalenka’s match she quietened down a bit.

  • Hartt · June 30, 2018 at 9:04 am

    Had not heard of “Kirbygrips.”

    I have watched the first set and part of the 2nd, but now have to leave. At least now I have an image of Sabalenka. Some of her grunts are very loud – I could hear them when I was in another room this morning, and she makes different sounds, which must be distracting for her opponent. From what I saw today she is a BBB – a big babe basher, not my favourite style.

    In any case, by some miracle, Woz won the first set but is now down in the 2nd.

  • catherine · June 30, 2018 at 9:56 am

    For when you return – Woz won in SS, t/b second.

    I’m hesitant to talk about Next Big Things, but I feel pretty sure that Sabalenka will be among them in the women’s game. I don’t see her as a BBB – she has a bit more than that. Anyway, a good week for her at Eastbourne and a decent effort against a more experienced player.

    As far as the grunting goes, I’m not crazy about it myself, but it’s something the other players and the WTA to deal with if they feel it’s detrimental to the game.

  • Hartt · June 30, 2018 at 10:06 am

    Just saw the result – so Wozniacki managed to turn that 2nd set around.

    I have no faith in the WTA to do anything sensible. A few years ago they talked about working with junior players to end the loud grunting, but obviously nothing came of it.

  • catherine · June 30, 2018 at 11:10 am

    Well, I suppose if they find people are turning off they might do something about it 🙂

    I think Kerber could have lost today. She is serving in the 70s/80s mph and that is often not enough on grass.

  • Hartt · June 30, 2018 at 12:12 pm

    I am one happy tennis fan. Mischa Zverev just won his first title, winning in SS over Lukas Lacko in the Eastbourne final. I love S&V tennis, so am a big Mischa fan. He had a couple BH volleys in this match that were simply beautiful.

    He did not make it easy for himself. He broke Lacko twice, but failed to convert another 10 BPs. But Mischa played well enough to get the win.

    He will become a father in a few weeks, so he was smart to win a title while he can still get enough sleep. 🙂

  • Hartt · June 30, 2018 at 3:18 pm

    I was happy about another result today. right after Mischa’s final there was the women’s doubles final. Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Yifan Xu of China won over the Romanian team of Begu/Buzarnescu. Gaby and Yifan got together a little over a year ago and have had a successful partnership. This is their second Premier title this season.

    They are playing Wimbledon together and Gaby will team up with Pavic for the mixed doubles again – they won the AO and made the finals at RG.

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