2018 Rogers Cup - WTA

[Aussie Darcy]

Back to the big tournaments for the US Open series.

This year the Rogers Cup is back in Montreal.

Seeded players are: Halep, Wozniacki, Sloane, Kerber, Svitolina, Garcia, Muguruza, Kvitova, Pliskova, Goerges, Ostapenko, Kasatkina, Venus, Mertens, Barty and Osaka.

Almost every unseeded player in the draw is dangerous: Pavlyuchenkova, Sakkari, Sharapova, Cornet, Bertens, Makarova, Kontaveit, Sevastova, Buzarnescu, Konta and more.

Wildcards have gone to: Zhao, Abanda, Azarenka and Bouchard.

The defending champ is Svitolina with Wozniacki being the runner up last year. Defending doubles champs were Makarova/Vesnina but Vesnina isn't playing. Makarova plays with Latisha Chan.
Chan, Babos and Siniakova are all in contention for the #1 ranking. Babos is currently the #1, Chan a former #1 and Siniakova currently at her high of #2.

Halep has a firm grasp on the number 1 spot so she'll stay number 1 even though she's defending SF points. #2 Wozniacki defending finalist points, #3 Sloane defending SF points too. #5 Svitolina defending champion points. #4 Kerber defending just 3R points so a huge chance for her. Honestly the rate she's going, number 1 by year end is possible.

Withdrawals include: Cibulkova, Keys, Coco and Serena.

Lots of popcorn 1R matches:
Kasatkina v Sakkari
Sharapova v Karatantcheva (i'll post about the shade behind these two in my next post)
Pliskova v Siniakova
Makarova v Kontaveit
Safarova v Gavrilova
Osaka v Suarez Navarro
Azarenka v Mladenovic
Ostapenko v Konta

Some very good possible 2R:
Halep v Pavs
Kasatkina v Sharapova
Kerber v Cornet
Pliskova v Bertens
Kvitova v Makarova/Kontaveit
Muguruza v Sevastova
Svitolina v Buzarnescu!! Mihaela beat Elina at both the French Open and Birmingham and just won San Jose.
Azarenka/Mladenovic v Konta/Ostapenko. Any four of these possible matches will be juicy.

So, who will win the 2018 Rogers Cup?

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Sharapova/Karatancheva history.

This was back in 2004 at Indian Wells(!). 14 year old Karatancheva trash talks 16 year old Maria and says she would kick Sharapova's ass. They played eachother in the 2R there and Maria won in 3. The pair played 3 more times in their careers against eachother with Sharapova winning easily. The best was Wimbledon 2005 where Maria destroyed her at the 6-0 6-1. I think Maria said something like she gave her a game to ease the pain.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Funnily enough, both of them have served bans for testing positive to a banned substance. Sharapova's is of course well known but Karatancheva was a promising junior, made the 2005 French Open QF at 15 being the youngest player to make a slam QF since Hingis.

In early 2006 though, she tested positive to a banned substance, she weirdly tried to say that the then 16 year old was pregnant and that explained the level of drug in her system but the claims were rejected and she served a 2 year ban.

She never reached the same heights after her return. No tour titles, nothing more than a slam 2R. Anyway, should be a fun match.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Some of the top players have some tough draws:

Halep: Pavlyuchenkova 2R, Venus 3R.
Garcia: Strycova/Rybarikova 2R, Sharapova/Kasatkina 3R.
Kvitova: Makarova/Kontaveit 2R, Pliskova 3R!, Kerber QF!
Svitolina: Buzarnescu 2R (she's lost to her twice in a matter of months), Ostapenko/Konta/Mladenovic/Azarenka 3R, Wozniacki QF!

Wozniacki has a great early draw though.
Sabalenka/Bogdan 2R, Mertens/Bouchard 3R.

Muguruza and Sloane have a good draw too and if they both win they'll face each other in the QF.
Muguruza: Sevastova 2R, Goerges 3R. Sloane QF
Sloane: Abanda/Flipkens 2R, Osaka 3R. Muguruza QF

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

14 year old Karatancheva trash talks 16 year old Maria and says she would kick Sharapova's ass

Lol high school drama.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Safarova is just awful. On the verge of losing against Gavri who served 13DFs.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

The crowd are totally behind Bouchard-Stephens although they're playing Dabrowski/Xu.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

And they did it! They beat the seeded pair.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

After defending match point, Cameron Diaz won from 2-4 down in 2nd set and 2-5 down in the 3rd set against Bratilova.

 

[Overhead.]

It's so sad to see the decline on Venus' serve, which used to be one of her biggest weapons nowadays she can barely put her first serve in.

 

[spystud]

Maria underway now.

 

[spystud]

Tatjana Maria took the first over Cornet in Serena’s spot.


Sharapova’s match is now in a rain delay with her up 4-1.

 

[MichaelNadal]

It's so sad to see the decline on Venus' serve, which used to be one of her biggest weapons nowadays she can barely put her first serve in.

And she still hits a 122 like every tournament so I feel she's being lazy. At least she won in straights

 

[spystud]

Play finally canceled for the day, this week could be a disaster.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Svitolina down to #9 in the live rankings with her defending champ points coming off.

Hasn't been that low since May 2017.

 

[Overhead.]

And she still hits a 122 like every tournament so I feel she's being lazy. At least she won in straights

I think the biggest problem is that she can't find the corners with her serve as easily as she used to. If she manages to serve with the accuracy she did in Wimbledon last year she can beat anyone, I believe that. Her groundstrokes continue to be amazing no doubt

 

[sportmac]

Sharapova/Karatancheva history.

This was back in 2004 at Indian Wells(!). 14 year old Karatancheva trash talks 16 year old Maria and says she would kick Sharapova's ass. They played eachother in the 2R there and Maria won in 3. The pair played 3 more times in their careers against eachother with Sharapova winning easily. The best was Wimbledon 2005 where Maria destroyed her at the 6-0 6-1. I think Maria said something like she gave her a game to ease the pain.

Do you know the year of that exchange?

 

[sportmac]

Funnily enough, both of them have served bans for testing positive to a banned substance. Sharapova's is of course well known but Karatancheva was a promising junior, made the 2005 French Open QF at 15 being the youngest player to make a slam QF since Hingis.

In early 2006 though, she tested positive to a banned substance, she weirdly tried to say that the then 16 year old was pregnant and that explained the level of drug in her system but the claims were rejected and she served a 2 year ban.

She never reached the same heights after her return. No tour titles, nothing more than a slam 2R. Anyway, should be a fun match.

You're like the Google of tennis trivia! Where do you get it all from?

 

[marc45]

Tumaini Carayol‏Verified account @tumcarayol 12h12 hours ago
As they wait to resume their match, few things in this world are greater than Karatantcheva's full comments on kicking Sharapova's but off 14 years ago.

 

[fundrazer]

@Aussie Darcy already posted that. Literally the 2nd post in the entire thread.

 

[spystud]

Reading is difficult on this thread for some reason.

Do you know the year of that exchange?

This was back in 2004 at Indian Wells(!).

 

[FakeEmpire]

Damn, when Ostapenko started throwing UFE left and right, there was just no stopping to it... It was quite ugly to see. On top of that, I'm not really impressed with her coach. During their exchanges, he seemed like a PEZ dispenser of platitudes. There was no insightful tactical commentary, like we used to see with Medina-Garrigues. I fear the worst, considering Ostapenko's known weaknesses.

At least, I found a passable stream (or a working one), a rarity these days.

 

[MarcusInKensington]

The coach conversation at the end of the 2nd set was comical. He may as well have said “you’re a headcase and totally uncoachable. I’m off”.

Well done to the Kontabot.

 

[spystud]

What did the chair do to p*ss off JO this time?

https://twitter.com/WTA/status/1026882755869650944

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Praised be! Kvitova is very good atm.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

What did the chair do to p*ss off JO this time?

Haha I thought JO means Jo Konta as she is the one that has problem with chair ump the last time.

 

[spystud]

Petra over Kontaveit in straights, Maria finally back on court.

 

[spystud]

Breadstick for Maria. This is an incredibly boring kit from Nike.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Really? Love the frill on the back but the front is quite boring as usual for Maria.

 

[spystud]

And Garbine withdraws again.

 

[fundrazer]

Really? What is wrong with my Mugu Have been looking forward to watching her play again.

This doesn't seem good though.

 

[spystud]

1 & 2 for Maria, on to the next one.

 

[spystud]

Mertens won the first over Genie @ 2, but damn Genie looks good today.

 

[spystud]

Elise serving to disappoint the home crowd.

 

[spystud]

Over, Genie out.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Do you know the year of that exchange?

2004. Only a few months before Maria won Wimbledon!

You're like the Google of tennis trivia! Where do you get it all from?

Some of if I know, some comes from twitter and some comes from research in my spare times haha.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Buzarnescu extends her winning streak to 6. She’s also won 9 of her last 10 matches.

She now plays Svitolina who she’s beaten twice in the last few months. Huge chance.

 

[spystud]

Vika/Kiki on court now, will Vika complete the match?

 

[spystud]

Sheesh, a quick bagel delivered by Vika.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Vika up 6-0 3-0 on Mladenovic in just 38 minutes. God is real.

 

[Overheadsmash]

This is ugly. Kiki missing all over. Does not look focused.

 

[spystud]

Bagel & breadstick in a hurry. Guess she’s over her injury.

 

[AM75]

Sharapova looks like a real deal again. Hope it will last for a while. Only couple of double faults.

 

[spystud]

DasKa breadsticks Sakkari in the third in identical kits, gets Maria next.

 

[fundrazer]

Kerber out.. 4-6, 1-6.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Cornet upsets Kerber

 

[AM75]

It's raining again

 

[AM75]

Poor Kasatkina. But why did they schedule her match so early after the match she played till late last night?

 

[PeteD]

Poor Kasatkina. But why did they schedule her match so early after the match she played till late last night?

cuz they suk and they think peeps wanna watch Scarypova win.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Over, Genie out.

Still in the doubles with Sloan, however!