Montreal WTA 1000

[jimlosaltos]

Anisimova harnessing her momentum from Wimbledon rather than the negatives of her final, downs Raducanu 2 and 1.

Kostyuk had the point of the event so far yesterday vs Dasha Kasatkina. Fell flat, hard on her butt, got up and won the point anyway to earn a match point, then closed it out.
Earlier in the set, hit a drop serve on game point and won it.

Match of day promises to be Coco vs 18 year old Canadian phenom Victoria Mboko. Teen took Coco to 3 sets in Rome.

[jimlosaltos]

Huuuuge 18 year old Canadian Mboko beats Coco in 2 sets and 1 hour.

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[jimlosaltos]

Today's lineup is promising ...

Osaka vs Sevastova

Iga vs Tauson

Anismova (who's shaken off Wimby final) vs Svitolin

Mochova leads Keys a set, on court as I type Sat AM.

[jimlosaltos]

With Fritz into quarters, List of every active ATP player to make the quarters at every Masters 1000 event.
A few on this list don't get enough credit IMHO.

Indian Wells
Miami
Monte-Carlo
Madrid
Rome
Toronto
Cincinnati
Shanghai
Paris

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[jimlosaltos]

Shelton topped Cobolli in a third set tiebreak.

They had a tiny dustup at the net, which social has picked up.

Most probable explanation, Flavio gestured at 1-0 in the TB that Ben hit his FH basically with his eyes closed, watch Ben’s reaction when he hit a FH winner at 2-0 in the TB. He took offense to his friend essentially saying he got lucky. It pissed Ben off and clearly made him play better. Bear was poked.
Such sensitive dudes.

Partial videl here: https://x.com/TheTennisLetter/status...84143204508098
It continued on to the sideline.

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[stroke]

Yes, my take, not that it matters, is Ben should have just let it go. Cabolli is a good guy, has no history of drama, and is just not a problem sportsmanship wise. They had been out there a long time, and Ben won the match. Just move on Ben.

[jimlosaltos]

Yes, my take, not that it matters, is Ben should have just let it go. Cabolli is a good guy, has no history of drama, and is just not a problem sportsmanship wise. They had been out there a long time, and Ben won the match. Just move on Ben.

Agreed. But I posted this in the "wrong" Rogers Cup. Sigh.

[jimlosaltos]

18 year old Canadian Victoria Mboko emergence continues, now into her first WTA 1000 semifinal. Will face Rybakina in a rematch from the veterans win in D.C. last fortnite.

22 yo Clara Tauson is another one to watch, beating Iga 7-6(1), 6-3 to reverse their outcome at Wimbledon. Also beat former Wimbledon champ Rybakina there. So, she can play on hard and grass courts.

Clara is a big 6 feet, not a gazelle.

[jimlosaltos]

Osaka vs Mboko

Final in Montreal has storylines that write themselves, former prodigy in Naomi Osaka making her comeback meets perhaps the next prodigy, a local.

18 year old Canadian, Victoria Mboko stole one last night -- was down match point to one of the best servers in women's tennis, broke Rybakina. Then took the tiebreaker. 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4)

Mboko earlier beat Coco Gauff pretty handily.

I've only seen a bit of Mboko but she has some interesting skills. Very fast hands, with an abbreviated, wristy forehand. I don't think anyone would teach that forehand, but she's got the hand skills and reflexes to make it work. Takes second serves very early and attacks a lot. Can change directions with her backhand against pace.

Started the year outside the top 300 and in only her 7th main draw has a shot at a WTA 1000 title

[hybridfh]

Osaka vs Mboko

....
I've only seen a bit of Mboko but she has some interesting skills. Very fast hands, with an abbreviated, wristy forehand. I don't think anyone would teach that forehand, but she's got the hand skills and reflexes to make it work. Takes second serves very early and attacks a lot. Can change directions with her backhand against pace.

....

Interesting take on Mboko's forehand. I see it very differently. I see Mboko's as more ATP style with power generated from the ground and hip rotation leading to excellent lag. It's on the compact side but not too compact (and IMO it's better technically than a few ATP players that come to mind like Jordan Thompson and Roman Safiullen) She's not using her wrist...her wrist gets used passively due to the lag she's generating from her body. I watched the highlights and I was thinking that Osaka's forehand is her weaker wing with that huge backswing and too-extreme grip. Of course I know she's won majors and is a great player, but THAT's the forehand I wouldn't teach.

Btw, at the WTA website in timestamp 05 to 010 of the match highlights there are two Mboko forehands which can be clearly seen from the back view and which I don't think look "abbreviated" at all...they look like medium-sized ATP forehands.