MATCH NOTES: WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN NEW YORK, NY, USA | AUGUST 22-28, 2020 | USD $2,250,829 PREMIER 5 WTA Website: www.wtatennis.com | @WTA | facebook.com/wta Tournament Website: www.wsopen.com | @CincyTennis | facebook.com/cincytennis | www.instagram.com/cincytennis WTA Communications: Bryan Shapiro ([email protected]), Teyva Sammet ([email protected]) SAP Tennis Analytics for Media is an online portal that provides real-time data and insights to media during every WTA event and across all devices. Please email [email protected] to request your individual login to grant access to SAP Tennis Analytics for Media. WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN – SEMIFINALS [14] ELISE MERTENS (BEL #22) vs. [4/WC] NAOMI OSAKA (JPN #10) Series tied 1-1 Osaka beat the Belgian in SF en route to Pan Pacific Open title last year… Mertens has won 19 matches in 2020, the second-most on tour… Osaka has struck 29 aces so far this week [8] JOHANNA KONTA (GBR #15) vs. VICTORIA AZARENKA (BLR #59) Konta leads 2-1 Konta won their most recent meeting at 2018 Montréal… Azarenka appearing in 58th career SF… Konta has won all 25 service games this week A LOOK AT THE SEMIFINALISTS W&S OPEN SEASON CAREER CAREER CAREER PLAYER RANK AGE NAT (MD) W/L* (MD) W/L* W/L* PRIZE $^ TITLES [4] Naomi Osaka 10 22 JPN 5-2 8-3 225-133 14,617,235 5 [8] Johanna Konta 15 29 GBR 6-4 6-5 383-231 9,462,367 3 [14] Elise Mertens 22 24 BEL 8-2 19-7 309-166 6,293,979 5 Victoria Azarenka 59 31 BLR 15-5 4-2 510-200 30,360,105 20 *Includes current tournament / ^ Does not include current tournament SEMIFINAL RECORDS BEST W&S OPEN LAST FINAL CAREER CAREER PLAYER RESULT REACHED (final result) SF W/L* F W/L* [4] Naomi Osaka SF (1): 2020 2019 Beijing (WON) 7-4 5-2 [8] Johanna Konta SF (1): 2020 2019 Rome (R-Up) 8-7 3-5 [14] Elise Mertens SF (1): 2020 2020 Prague (R-Up) 7-6 5-2 Victoria Azarenka WON (1): 2013 2019 Monterrey (R-Up) 37-19 20-17 *Not including walkovers Follow WTA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WTA Facebook: www.facebook.com/WTA YouTube: www.youtube.com/WTA 1 MATCH NOTES: WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN NEW YORK, NY, USA | AUGUST 22-28, 2020 | USD $2,250,829 PREMIER 5 WTA4LOVE – SUPPORTING THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY • As part of the ongoing humanitarian campaign, WTA4Love, more than 100 community initiatives have been undertaken by WTA players and partners since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. • Many players are stepping up again to raise awareness by wearing WTA4Love patches during competition in support of the ongoing campaign as we return to play. • WTA4Love initiatives have provided COVID-19 support ranging from donations of medical equipment to hospitals, including 30,000 masks donated to medical professionals through the efforts of the players and WTA Charities. • Food insecurity has also been addressed by providing 24,000 meals to families and frontline workers and through fundraisers for local foodbanks. WTA Charities will continue to support the ongoing needs of communities with upcoming donations of 100,000 meals in partnership with Lilly Pulitzer. • “WTA4Love” is a global campaign with activities and donations by players and WTA Charities in 14 of the countries which are home to WTA tournaments and most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including China, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, among others. • In addition to the urgent focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, WTA Charities has continued to support a wide range of nonprofit organizations including live video chats teaching leadership and character development to youth and offering support and positive messaging to Special Olympics participants. • For more information on each player’s specific activities, please contact WTA Communications Manager, Teyva Sammet [email protected] A SNAPSHOT OF 2020 – THE YEAR SO FAR • One Top 10 Debut: Sofia Kenin (at No.7 on February 3) • Fewest games dropped en route to a title: Jennifer Brady (24, Lexington) • Lowest-ranked player to triumph: Heather Watson (No.69, Acapulco) • Multiple finals: Elena Rybakina: 4 (Shenzhen, R-Up, Hobart, W, St. Petersburg, R-Up, Dubai, R-Up); Sofia Kenin: 2 (Australian Open, W, Lyon, W); Simona Halep (Dubai, W, Prague, W) • Maiden titles (2): Ekaterina Alexandrova (Shenzhen), Jennifer Brady (Lexington) • Youngest title winner: Elena Rybakina, Hobart (20y 7m 1d) • Oldest title winner: Serena Williams, Auckland (38y 3m 17d) • Aces leaders: Elena Rybakina – 149, Garbiñe Muguruza – 122, Kristyna Pliskova – 110 • Most aces in a match (22): Alison Van Uytvanck (l. vs. Sofia Kenin 7-6(5) 6-7(2) 7-6(2) – Lyon, SF) • Match win leaders: Rybakina – 21, Mertens – 19, Muguruza – 16 • Most three-set matches played (10): Elena Rybakina (9-1 record), Garbiñe Muguruza (7-3) • Most doubles titles (3): Barbora Strycova / Hsieh Su-Wei (Brisbane, Dubai, Doha) • Best result by a qualifier (R-Up): Leonie Kung (Hua Hin), Leylah Fernandez (Acapulco) • Longest match: 3h 33m – Heather Watson d. Elise Mertens 6-7(5) 6-4 7-5 (Hobart, QF) • Shortest (completed) match: 44m – Serena Williams d. Amanda Anisimova 6-1 6-1 (Auckland, SF) • Most Top 10 wins (3): Garbiñe Muguruza (No.3 Simona Halep, No.5 Elina Svitolina and No.10 Kiki Bertens – all at Australian Open) Follow WTA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WTA Facebook: www.facebook.com/WTA YouTube: www.youtube.com/WTA 2 MATCH NOTES NEW YORK - UNITED STATES, NY | Aug 21 - Aug 28, 2020 | $2,250,829 | PREMIER 5 [14] ELISE MERTENS (BEL #22) vs. [4] NAOMI OSAKA (JPN #10) Head to Head: Series tied 1-1 2019 OSAKA HARD O SF NAOMI OSAKA 6-4 6-1 60 mins 2017 WUHAN HARD O R1 ELISE MERTENS 6-4 1-6 6-4 114 mins ELISE MERTENS NAOMI OSAKA 22 WTA RANKING 10 14 PORSCHE RACE TO SHENZHEN LEADERBOARD 45 17-11-1995 (24) DATE OF BIRTH (AGE) 16-10-1997 (22) $337,334 YTD PRIZE MONEY $199,756 $6,293,979 CAREER PRIZE MONEY $14,617,235 0 / 5 SINGLES TITLES (YTD / CAREER) 0 / 5 0 / 9 DOUBLES TITLES (YTD / CAREER) 0 / 0 8-2 NEW YORK W-L (MD) * 5-2 19-7 / 135-79 YTD / CAREER W-L (MD) * 8-3 / 128-73 5-3 / 40-29 YTD / CAREER 3-SET W-L (MD) * 5-1 / 37-19 3-2 / 26-30 YTD / CAREER TIE-BREAK W-L (MD) * 1-4 / 24-23 15-5 / 83-49 YTD / CAREER HARD W-L (MD) * 8-2 / 99-50 2-0 / 14-3 YTD / CAREER Left Hander W-L (MD) * 0-0 / 7-5 0-2 / 3-10 YTD / CAREER TOP 5 W-L (MD & Q) * 0-1 / 4-8 0-2 / 6-17 YTD / CAREER TOP 10 W-L (MD & Q) * 1-1 / 12-20 0-3 / 13-37 YTD / CAREER TOP 20 W-L (MD & Q) * 3-1 / 28-32 * Updated entering 2020 Western & Southern Open SF ROAD TO THE SEMIFINALS [14] ELISE MERTENS (BEL #22) [4] NAOMI OSAKA (JPN #10) QF: d. JESSICA PEGULA (USA #83) 6-1,6-3 (1h04) QF: d. [12] ANETT KONTAVEIT (EST #20) 4-6,6-2,7-5 (1h53) R16: d. VERONIKA KUDERMETOVA (RUS #41) 6-2,6-3 (1h27) R16: d. [16] DAYANA YASTREMSKA (UKR #25) 6-3,6-1 (1h10) R32: d. KRISTINA MLADENOVIC (FRA #43) 6-1,6-7(5),6-3 (2h18) R32: d. KAROLINA MUCHOVA (CZE #26) 6-7(5),6-4,6-2 (2h33) R64: d. REBECCA PETERSON (SWE #46) 6-0,6-2 (0h59) R64: BYE Total games: 76 Total games: 77 Won/lost: 54-22 Won/lost: 47-30 Sets won/lost: 8-1 Sets won/lost: 6-2 Total time on court: 5h48 Total time on court: 5h36 Average time on court: 1h27 Average time on court: 1h52 Average rank of opponent: 53 Average rank of opponent: 24 Insights Follow WTA on Twitter: www.twitter.com/WTA Facebook: www.facebook.com/WTA YouTube: www.youtube.com/WTA from MATCH NOTES NEW YORK - UNITED STATES, NY | Aug 21 - Aug 28, 2020 | $2,250,829 | PREMIER 5 NEW YORK Tournament History "-Q" Qualifying match ELISE MERTENS NAOMI OSAKA 2019 2019 R2 L - ELINA SVITOLINA (UKR #7) 6-4 6-1 QF L - SOFIA KENIN (USA #22) 6-4 1-6 2-0 2018 2018 QF L - PETRA KVITOVA (CZE #6) 7-5 5-7 6-3 R1 L - MARIA SAKKARI (GRE #31) 6-3 7-6(8) 2017 2016 R1-Q L - ALIAKSANDRA SASNOVICH (BLR #96) 2-6 7-5 6-2 R2-Q L - DARIA GAVRILOVA (AUS #47) 6-4 6-2 MERTENS: Western & Southern Open • Making third main draw appearance at Western & Southern Open (and fourth overall), where she is through to SF for the first time • Previous best result was reaching QF stage in 2018 (d. No.3 Stephens in 3r, l. Kvitova) • Posted 2r showing in 2019 (l. Svitolina) and fell in 2017 qualifying • Made a flying start to 2020 Western & Southern campaign, dropping just seven points in the opening set as she swept past 1r opponent Peterson • After battling past Mladenovic in 2r, then saw off No.1 seed Ka.Pliskova’s conqueror, Kudermetova, in 3r and the last remaining qualifier Pegula in QF • Has served supremely this week, winning 35 of 37 games on her own delivery (94.4% - up on her season average of 77.1%) • Results this week have improved her 2020 record to 19-7 – only Rybakina (21-5) has posted more wins this season • Faces No.10 Osaka in today’s SF; six career Top 10 wins came over No.10 Cibulkova in 1r (2017 Beijing), No.4 Svitolina (2018 Australian Open), No.3 Stephens (2018 Cincinnati), and No.3 Halep, No.6 Kerber and No.8 Bertens (all at 2019 Doha) • Contesting 14th WTA SF of career and third in the US; win-loss record at this juncture is 7-6, including SF defeats stateside at 2017 New Haven (l.