2019 Women's Wimbledon Championships

[tented]

Venus Williams blazed a trail for Coco Gauff, who looks like the future of tennis

 

[tenisplayrla08]

So Halep and Yastremska come through.

I'm salivating over Halep/Vika. Wasn't sure we'd get it. Halep is the favorite I'd say. Of course. Not sure Vika is there yet. But. They both have had good runs on the grass because they're great. But neither relishes it. Vika capable of the upset. But Halep certainly consistent and steady enough to win it no matter what Vika throws at her. Hoping Vika finds her best though.

Keys/Hercog and Gauff/Rybarikova still to come to finish out this part of the quarter.

The bottom half of the quarter opened up for Yastremska though. Putintseva unable to back up her win against Golubic today. Disappointing. But not surprising. I was half expecting it. Good win for Golubic. I guess you could say it's opened up for her. But I see Yastremska coming through in that one. Even at Yastremska's young age. Her age just means Golubic has a better chance at the upset.

Shuai Zhang with the first set against Wickmayer. Nice opportunity for a couple of journeywoman vets. Could even get lucky and make the 4th round if Woznaicki can't hold up. Though I'd pick the winner of Wozniacki/Kudermetova to win either way. Which is to say this is a nice spot for Kudermetova. Always was. Just wasn't sure she'd back up her semi good French run (3rd round).

Starting to look like some matches are going to have to be moved around. Or they may just get pushed to tomorrow. Seppi/Pella battling. Anderson/Tipsarevic just getting started. Could move Gauff/Rybarikova to No. 1 Court seeing as Khachanov seems to be just about done with Lopez. And Wozniacki/Kudermetova can only go three sets. Or maybe Keys/Hercog gets moved if FAA and Moutet go the distance. They clearly want to keep the singles on the bigger courts, but courts 6, 7 and 9 should be open soon.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Venus Williams blazed a trail for Coco Gauff, who looks like the future of tennis

I wasn't sure how to feel about that headline. But he addressed my concerns in the last paragraph. And with the whole piece, but highlighting it again in the last paragraph, made it clear that this article is still more about Venus and Serena. As it should be. Gauff embodies how the game may be going. He's right. But she's also going to have to contend with a lot of other great young women. Like Osaka that he mentioned. We really don't know who is gonna rule the future. But if the last 10 years have anything to say about it, it'll probably be streaky. Players will get 1 year or 2 years at a time (a la Vika, Halep, Wozniacki). With maybe 1 or 2 taking over Serena's role of "the best" who can't absolutely dominate because of injury or other reasons. Or maybe we just get several Sharapova's. Or a couple like Henin and Venus.

As this year has gone on we've seen Bencic's resurgence. But also possibly a ceiling. Of course I think she'll get a slam and probably multiple slams. But I'm not sure she's your leading lady.
Halep isn't going anywhere but while she really can be amazing, I just don't think she has the power or belief to be THE dominant player. Bertens still hasn't quite proven herself but looks like she's on the cusp of something. Stephens will likely always be up and down. Though I'm hoping she can have at least a year of two of dominance at some point. Pliskova doesn't look like she can take the mantle. And all of these ladies are over 26.
Svitolina and Keys, at 24, don't look like they can take over.
Osaka has ground to make up off of hard courts. That much is clear. But if she improves there, she could still be your leading lady. SO good.
Barty could be Osaka's main competitor. Or it could be neither. Barty the oldest of the younger generation, or the youngest of the middle generation at 23.
Ostapenko, Sabalenka, Kenin, Vondrousova (just turned 20) will certainly have something to say about it all. But basically their careers so far have shown how difficult it's all gonna be.
The teens, Anisimova, Gauff, Andreescu, Yastremska, etc. are all too young to tell. We just don't know. And I mean. With Gauff. She's SO young. She'll likely disappear for at least a year or two or for large parts of the year over the next 3 years. Even if she did look completely ready to compete at this level yesterday.

Of course age isn't completely arbitrary, but they'll all continue to be intermingled for their entire careers.
And Serena is not dead yet. But yes. It looks like the torch is certainly beginning to pass. Certainly Venus seems mostly done. Though. I could still see her come back to Wimbledon next year and make the quarters. And Serena has really struggled this year. But if Venus is any indication, she can hang around looking for slams 24 and 25 for at least a couple more years.

As Venus and Serena have shown, with today's physios and the surgery options available, all or a lot of these women could be playing to 35 and above. That's 15 years for those at 20 and 20 more years for Gauff and 10 more for your 25 plus group. Most won't go that far likely. Or they'll take breaks for kids or just because. But the tennis career is certainly much longer than it once was. And of course there will also continue to be youngsters coming out of the wood work to challenge even Gauff for their position. I'm not sure we'll never see another Serena. But the depth of these players today seems to suggest it's much less likely. Maybe someone will come out on top with 10 to 15 slams. But maybe not. 25 seems very difficult. Serena may not even get there. Though that also seems unlikely.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Venus Williams blazed a trail for Coco Gauff, who looks like the future of tennis

I dont mean to be a 'Debbie Downer' lets just take a big breath regarding Gauff,how many times over the years have the Media said the same on many players? I will just sit back and watch her career,she is just 15 and defeating a 39 year old Venus who was not at her best, to me does not make her the Future of Tennis.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Bit of surprise first set result Hercog 62 over Madison Keys.
Hercog d Keys (17) 62 64

 

[Hoergren]

 

[Hoergren]

 

[tossip]

Coco has a long way to go but has an upside.She has age on her side and has a chance to perfect her game.I like that her father is hands on and can be a bodyguard when the vultures circle....

 

[Moxie]

Coco has a long way to go but has an upside.She has age on her side and has a chance to perfect her game.I like that her father is hands on and can be a bodyguard when the vultures circle....

And her mother, it seems. They do seem really supportive and grounding.

 

[Moxie]

I dont mean to be a 'Debbie Downer' lets just take a big breath regarding Gauff,how many times over the years have the Media said the same on many players? I will just sit back and watch her career,she is just 15 and defeating a 39 year old Venus who was not at her best, to me does not make her the Future of Tennis.

It's a fair point, and I hope the media spotlight isn't too hard on her. But she does seem to have a great deal of composure, a great game, and a supportive family behind her. Still, as you say, 15 is really young, and a lot can happen.

 

[kskate2]

Wimbledon Results for Round 2 Day 3 - Wednesday, July 3, 2019

 

[kskate2]

Wimbledon Order of Play for Round 2 Thursday, July 4, 2019

 

[don_fabio]

And her mother, it seems. They do seem really supportive and grounding.

That's good. I don't want to see careers go down because of the crazy ass parent like Dokic had.

 

[Moxie]

That's good. I don't want to see careers go down because of the crazy ass parent like Dokic had.

Or Capriati. Or Henin.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

It's a fair point, and I hope the media spotlight isn't too hard on her. But she does seem to have a great deal of composure, a great game, and a supportive family behind her. Still, as you say, 15 is really young, and a lot can happen.

I happen to love her game,for a 15 year old has great composure,I am glad the WTA introduced a rule where young players can only play some many tournaments a year,so they dont get burnt out.Even Ash Barty said she needed to take time off the tour,she said she was lonely,homesick,also said if she did not do this she would not have had the great success she is having now,she was also touted as a child prodigy.Coco has a supportive family behind her,which she will need all her professional life.I wish her well.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

That's good. I don't want to see careers go down because of the crazy ass parent like Dokic had.

Dokic's father still should be in jail,they should have thrown away the key as far as I am concerned and others.Poor Jelena had a nervous breakdown and could not get out of bed for two years because of that Monster.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Great, quick wins for Stephens and Barty this morning. And Wang Qiang. Stephens does her part to get to Konta. And I imagine Konta will do her part as well. Siniakova not incapable on the grass though. She lost a close one to Giorgi here in the third round last year. I remember watching that match and watching her just completely unravel mentally. She was SO angry with the world (herself).

The ease with which Barty dispatched Van Uytvanck though was exceptional. Van Uytvanck making the fourth round here last year after beating Muguruza, the defending champ, in the second round. Barty continues to look every bit like her number 1 ranking. We'll see how that holds up if Bencic gets to her and how she does against a Kerber or Serena.

Strycova looking great on the grass again. Strolling through against Siegemund. Got 3 break points here at 4-1. But Siegemund got it back to deuce. Win or lose the game, at least she's fighting and was able to save those break points. They've been going back and forth on deuce for a bit now.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

So Mladenovic with the early break in the first set. She's held onto it for now. Riske takes the first set 6-2, unsurprisingly. Strycova struggling to hold while up a break in the second set. CSN/Parmentier on court, 1 game in. Mertens/Niculescu on court warming up.
Kvitova holds for 3-4 with a one two punch and a roar. Trying to get herself going.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Tough hold for Mladenovic there. Kvitova had 3 break points I think and Mladenovic saved all of them. Kvitova holds to make it 5-4 though. She at least makes Mladenovic serve for it. But, how did I miss the part where Sacha Bajin joined Mladenovic's camp? Just saw him in her box. I was surprised. If he turns her career around though..... he'll have to be considered one of the top coaches around. More than he already is. Helped Osaka realize her potential. Kept Serena humming along for years before Mouratoglou came along. He was just called a hitting partner then. And the same for Vika. And maybe some others I don't remember. His current charge however has just collapsed to allow Kvitova to break back. I mean. Kvitova won it. She was amazing. Hit some great shots there. 5-all.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

CSN needs a tiebreak but gets the first set over Parmentier. Dominated the tiebreak though. 7-2.

Siegemund and Jorovic have both been more competitive in the second set. Both have gotten it to 5-5 in the second. Riske and Strycova may be the grass court aficionados. But they're still not top players.

Niculescu serving for the set against Mertens. But Mertens with 3 breaks points.

Kvitova and Mladenovic on serve in the second.