WTA 500 Tokyo 9/19 - 9/25 2022

[JTContinental]

It seems implausible that most of those listed above will win a slam, Coco, Sabalenka, and the Czech teens excepted.

[ti-amie]

It seems implausible that most of those listed above will win a slam, Coco, Sabalenka, and the Czech teens excepted.

I can't see Sabalenka holding it together long enough to win a Slam.

Cori I can see in another year or two.

I think it's too early to say anything about the Czech teens.

[ponchi101]

...

OMG. Have I turned you into a believer?? She hasn't had any big injury setbacks yet, so that's good. I hope she keeps fighting away. Losing to Iga 6-4 in the third wasn't a bad loss, but I hope she believes she can win these matches and builds on the US Open. I'd like to see her come in more, use those doubles skills, and maybe go back to playing doubles to keep those volleys sharp.

What do you mean? After we reached the final 8 at the USO, I picked her to win (Other had lost already ).
I have been on her camp, and have had doubts when she was hitting 8 DF's per set. But, as I said, it seems that that has been taken care of.

[meganfernandez]

...

OMG. Have I turned you into a believer?? She hasn't had any big injury setbacks yet, so that's good. I hope she keeps fighting away. Losing to Iga 6-4 in the third wasn't a bad loss, but I hope she believes she can win these matches and builds on the US Open. I'd like to see her come in more, use those doubles skills, and maybe go back to playing doubles to keep those volleys sharp.

What do you mean? After we reached the final 8 at the USO, I picked her to win (Other had lost already ).
I have been on her camp, and have had doubts when she was hitting 8 DF's per set. But, as I said, it seems that that has been taken care of.

Sure, once she was in the quarters! Quite a few people were scoffing at her chances before the Open, and pretty much all year. I don't know if you were among them or not. I hope the serving yips are over, but I wouldn't be surprised if they come and go throughout her career. I give her a lot of credit for playing through them. At the Aussie, Pam or Lindsay said they thought she should stop playing for awhile and get it under control. But she toughed it out and got better.

[ponchi101]

Serious here. I felt that, unless she controlled the DF's, she had very little chance. I did say that it was a problem few players have been able to get back on track. But she did get it under control.
I give her coach credit. He told her it was her mechanics, which was a smarter approach than telling her it was a confidence issue. You can correct mechanics; your noggin is a different thing.

[ti-amie]

ORDER OF PLAY - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

CENTRE COURT starts at 12:00 PM

P. Martic (CRO) vs S. Zhang (CHN)
[4] V. Kudermetova vs [5] B. Haddad Maia (BRA)
L. Samsonova vs [3] G. Muguruza (ESP)
NB 6:00 PM
Q. Zheng (CHN) vs C. Liu (USA)

SHOW COURT starts at 1:00 PM

S. Chang (USA) / K. Kawa (POL) vs [2] G. Dabrowski (CAN) / G. Olmos (MEX)
After suitable rest
[1] V. Kudermetova / E. Mertens (BEL) vs F. Contreras Gomez (MEX) / D. Papamichail (GRE)

[ashkor87]

I agree..of those who have yet to win a major, Saba is the most likely to do it...she just needs to control her mind for 2 weeks ..

[Deuce]

It seems implausible that most of those listed above will win a slam, Coco, Sabalenka, and the Czech teens excepted.

I can't see Sabalenka holding it together long enough to win a Slam.

Cori I can see in another year or two.

I think it's too early to say anything about the Czech teens.

I agree^.
I agree^.
And I agree^.

I've said for a while now that I think Qinwen may turn out to be the player that people thought Sabalenka would be - meaning dominant to a degree, and a threat to win every tournament she enters. I still believe that.

Also, I think Rybakina has significantly more chance at winning another major or two than Leylah has at winning one. Especially if Leylah continues to do all the commercial marketing ans sponsorships that she's doing now - which I feel runs a real risk of distracting one from the tennis.

Of course, all this talk of who will win Majors and how many would have to be completely re-evaluated if Barty returns - because she'll surely steal a few away from the others...

[ashkor87]

Samsonova continues to roll, smooth win over Muguruza...she is looking like Rybakina of 2021

[ti-amie]

Qinwen notched a good win today. It was touch and go for a minute against Claire Liu who was punching above her pay grade but in the end Qinwen won a 7-5 set.

I'm still not sure about Rybakina.

[ashkor87]

Future champions Samsonova vs QZ in the Tokyo finals ...!

[Deuce]

Qinwen came from a set down to beat Kudermetova in a 3rd set tiebreak.
She's maturing quickly...

[ti-amie]

Day 9 Order of Play

Centre Court
Starts at 12:00 PM

Final
CHN Q. ZHENG vs RUS L. SAMSONOVA
FOLLOWED BY
Final
USA N. MELICHAR-MARTINEZ/AUS E. PEREZ (4) vs CAN G. DABROWSKI/MEX G. OLMOS (2)

[ashkor87]

Can't quite make out Kudermetova...looks like a solid player with no real weaknesses..maybe not as great a mover as she should be..excellent doubles player but is she anything more? Wish she would drop that grumpy look, though...seems perpetually unhappy .

[ashkor87]

Samsonova is quite impressive .Serve like Rybakina's, lots of power, good defense too ...she has lots of upside...will win a major some day, maybe soon...
We need to add her to the list of future major champions..currently my list is Q Zheng, Coco Gauff and Leylah ..
Who do you think should be on the list?
I really don't think Anisimova will do it...

Add Alexandrova...she seems to be coming back into form.