The weekend winners: Auger-Aliassime, Rublev, Świątek

Felix Auger-Aliassime
Mal Taam/MALTphoto

It has taken Felix Auger-Aliassime a while to be more consistent when playing finals. But this year, his experience and mental game has gained ground. The Canadian won the event in in Florence, beating American, J. J. Wolf, 6-4 6-4. A couple years ago watching Auger-Aliassime, he looked very decent, but there were times when he made to many mistakes and then he would lose. However, week after week, he began to understand what he would do. Not only could he have many long rallies, but then, when he was feeling good, he would push himself and slam the ball. He is back in the top 10 now and he really wants to play in November in the ATP Finals. That is a gigantic challenge, but he will make a galactic effort.

Wolf went to Ohio State University and starred there for three years. He won a lot of matches, and then he was ready to play on the ATP Tour. It has taken him a solid two years before he was more comfortable to do for it on court. He decided he is ready and now he is ranked No. 56, which is pretty good because he is only 23 years old. He swings super hard although he can be upset when he misses. Whether he can get into the top 32 next year and have a seed at a Grand Slam, that is possible, but you never know about anyone.

Rublev wins in Spain
Speaking of Andrey Rublev, who won Gijon, beating the other American Sebastian Korda 6-2, 6-3. Rublev was super solid, and he hit a lot of winners from the backcourt. He can be ticked off and upset, but when he was on the court, he was locked in early. When he is reading the ball, the Russian can spin it around and move it all over the place. He can also return well, here and there, getting it deep. The No. 8 is very good, but he has yet to win a huge event. If he isn’t injured, then he has to prove it. He can beat anyone either at the ATP 1000 [he has reached two finals before] or a Grand Slam. He has won 12 titles, but he has to shine on a bigger stage.

American Korda can look terrific on court but he can also be a little bit wild. He is still pretty young, and he plays a lot at the tournaments, but perhaps he should go home and practice a lot. The No. 36 can be fun to watch, but he can also look pretty spaced out.

The last American man to win a Slam has now been 19 years ago when Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open. In 2023, that will be 20 years with no guys in the final? Perhaps Taylor Fritz can pull it off, given that he won the 2022 Indian Wells, a 1000 ATP tournament. But again, he has to improve every month, just like Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic have done.

No. 1 Świątek takes San Diego
In San Diego, Iga Świątek won another title again, beating Donna Vekic 6-3, 3-6, 6-0. In the third set, the Pole turned it on, stringing together so many spectacular winners. She is just so firm and intense on the court. Last year, she looked pretty good, but she could be erratic. Then, in February, after Ash Barty retired, she rose up with her massive forehand and backhand. She can really hustle, and she can go way down on the ground and slap it back.

Świątek has matured a lot and there is no doubt that she will continue as No. 1 until someone else trips her.

Vekic had a terrific week, hitting super hard and finally being more consistent. She has been around for a while, and yes, she has beaten some good players, but she has seldom upset the top 10 competitors. At least she did this week, when she upset the other American Danielle Collins 7-6(2) in the semifinal third set. It finally rained in Southern California (very, very rare) at night. So, they had to wait to play again until it was dry on Saturday night.

However, in the third set against Świątek on Sunday, Vekic disappeared. Maybe she was exhausted. But next time, she has to be more confident. They all do.

In Europe and San Diego: ‘Please, take a breath’

Dominic Thiem
Mal Taam/MALTphoto

It’s already October. Over the next four weeks, some of the the men and the women will want to move up the rankings. However, each year, month after month, there are so many injuries. But that is life of a professional tennis player.

If they can go home and rest for a few weeks, then they can return and feel fresh. But if you don’t, many of them can look tired. Please, take a breath.

However, many just want to play, such as the former No. 3 Dominic Thiem. His injury knocked him down for months. Currently, he is back on the tour, working hard, but he is still struggling. The same goes with Andy Murray, who almost retired with another huge injury in his hip. Now, he looks pretty good, but not great — yet. Right now, they are playing in Europe, in Spain and Italy.

You can go on and on, about dozens of people. But, even they are hurting, when back on court, then the pain essentially goes away. Such is the case of 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafa Nadal, who wins a lot, even though his body is always sore.

American J.J. Wolf played college at Ohio State University for did three seasons. When he decided to go on the ATP Tour, it took him a while to be much better. Finally, this year, he cracked the top 100 and now he is ranked No. 75. Slowly, his strokes are harder and he pushes himself to be more real on court. He does look good, but he can reach the top 50 at the end of the year. In 2023, can he eventually make it into the top 32? Also, in the Grand Slams, he will have to go into the second week, and if he does, then soon enough he will be seeded. That will be extremely exciting.

San Diego’s strong lineup
Currently, the women are playing in San Diego in a big tournament. They used to play the event up north for years in August, but eventually they shut it down. That also happened in Los Angeles, too. However, the tournament is now in the Barnes Tennis Center, which is very close to the airport. You can here the planes every few minutes. It is a good area, but it can be very loud.

There are a bunch of the top 15 players, like he No. 1 Iga Świątek, No. 4 Paula Badosa, No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 6 Jessica Pegula, No. 8 Coco Gauff and No. 11 Daria Kasatkina, among others.

Świątek will finish the year as No. 1, for sure. She is way ahead. The Pole can crack the ball with her forehand and her backhand, and they land pretty deep, too. Her first serve is lethal, and she can attack when she returns. She can beat almost everyone, but last week she lost last week to Barbora Krejcikova, who is a very good player, but she can be up and down.

Badosa can really mix it up, and she can be focused, point to point, but also, her shots can be short. If she swings harder, then she will be more effective.

Sabalenka is still figuring out how to fix her serves. She has had so many doubles faults this season, but when the rallies begin, then she can swing harder and play her power game.
 
Pegula has changed a lot in the last two years. Teenager Gauff is getting better, each month. Kasatkina is so intense on the court.

In San Diego, whomever wins will celebrate because she earned, it.

Muguruza & Ruud win the titles at Chicago & San Diego

Garbine Muguruza

There are times when Garbine Muguruza disappears. She doesn’t hit with enough depth, which just adds to her mental struggles. However, this year she has become very focused; when she hits a bad error, she forgets it, and moves on.

On Sunday, Muguruza beat Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 to win at the inaugural Chicago Fall Tennis Classic
Going into the match, the Spaniard realized she would just have to suck it up and continue to raise her game. By the third set, she was locked in.

“We’ve played recently, this year at Wimbledon, and it was a very tough match, and I knew that she’s having one of the best seasons that a player can have. I was prepared, I went out there with all the fighting spirit in the pocket,” Muguruza said. ”She was playing amazing in the first set, and my level was not at what it should be to play against her. I slowly found a space in the second set to break and to get that one, and force a decider. That gave me the extra confidence I needed, and also the energy to go and get the trophy.”

Muguruza has won two Grand Slams at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. When she finds her focus, she was one of the best players out there. After those major victories she did not understand why she couldn’t be much more consistent. She is fast, and she can bash the ball, with her forehand and backhand. When she is on fire, she can mix it up, and be very patient. Now the No. 6 has a chance to contest at the WTA Final once again, and then maybe she can beat all of them. When she is on, which is certainly possible. As long that she can be totally driven.

Ruud gets fifth 2021 crown
Norwegian Casper Ruud won a title, too, grabbing the San Diego title. In the final, he played almost perfectly, crushing Cameron Norrie 6-0, 6-2. He is getting better all the time.

“It’s a fun thing to say it, but obviously Daniil [Medvedev] and Novak [Djokovic] have bigger titles, so I wouldn’t mind switching up with them if I had an opportunity to switch five 250s to three Slams and a 250 Novak has,” He said. “It’s a bit higher level, but that’s fine. I think that’s more impressive obviously than five 250s, but I will take it,” Ruud said, “It would be fun to end the year with the most titles, I cannot lie about that.”

The 22-year-old is now ranked No. 10. In San Diego, he put down Andy Murray, Lorenzo Sonego, Greg Dimitrov and Norrie. In July, he started to play much better, winning Geneva, Bastad, Gstaad and Kitzbuhel. He is in the top 10 and leads the ATP Tour with five crowns in 2021..

“I tried to be playing really good in finals knowing it’s now or never. This is the time to bring your ‘A’ game,” Ruud said. “This year I’ve been perfect in finals, five of five and playing against good players in all of them.”

Ruud really admires with Rafa Nadal, who he has hit with him more than a few times. He also likes another top player, Dominic Thiem. Obviously Nadal is the king of clay and Thiem grew up on it. Nadal and Thiem figured out to excel on hard courts. Ruud is paying attention, winning his first of six titles on the San Diego hard courts.

“Nadal is the perfect example and I think also Thiem a little bit,” Ruud said. “I think the general media has considered both Nadal and Thiem (as) you know big-time clay court specialists and Nadal has won even two times in Wimbledon. So it just goes to show that it’s possible for the heavy topspin players to play well on the surface.”