MAGDALÉNA RYBÁRIKOVÁ [6]: 1r + Amina Rakhim, 6-3 6-4 2r + Ksenia Pervak, 6-1 6-3 3r + KRISTINA ANTONIYCHUK [9], 6-3 6-2 qf + ALISA KLEYBANOVA [3], 7-5 4-6 6-3
What I wrote at the time:
{before 1r} I'm surprised to see Magda here, but no Dominika Cibulková. It would be so cool if Magda could get herself televised on BBCi in the final weekend.
{after qf} It's great to see Magdaléna progressing here, and to read what Rowland Goodman has to say about her [3r, qf]. After her impressive run to the WTA Prague quarter-finals in May, she should really blast through any junior-tournament like an 'A' Level student tackling a GCSE paper.
+ MAGDALÉNA RYBÁRIKOVÁ [6] d. TAMIRA PASZEK [10], 6-3 6-7 (4/7) 6-3
The match started on Court 3 at 17:18 BST. BBCi didn't show it as they were showing men's singles (BBC 1), old men's doubles (Freeview 301) and boys' singles (Freeview 302). So I contented myself by following live scores at www.wimbledon.org.
RYBÁRI * *@* @* 6 PASZEK * *@ 3
I'm not writing down the point-scores, but it seems that whoever gets to 40/30 in a game invariably wins it.
Magdaléna won the first set 6-3 at 17:41, but the second didn't start until 17:46.
RYBÁRI *@ @* * @ 6(4) PASZEK * @ * *@ @ 7(7)
Serving at 4-3, Magda didn't close it out at 40/30, and had to save a break-point before holding for 5-3.
Paszek serving 3-5: 30/15. 30/30. Held.
Now the boys' singles on Freeview 302 has finished, and they're just showing the empty court instead of this! :-||
Magdaléna serving 5-4: 15/0. 15/15. 30/30. 30/40 (BP). 40/40. Ad Paszek (BP #2). Broken.
It's like Nicole Vaidiová's French Open semi-final all over again: a 17-year-old serves at 5-4 in the second for a place in a Major final and doesn't make it. :-( Magda has had real trouble making her breaks stand in this match.
Paszek serving 5-5: 0/15. 15/15. 30/15. 30/30. 40/40. Ad Magda (BP). Broken.
Magdaléna serving 6-5: 0/15. 30/30. 30/40 (BP #1). 40/40. Ad Magda (MP #1). Deuce #2. Ad Paszek (BP #2). Broken.
6-6 tiebreak (all scores Rybáriková/Paszek): *0/2. 1/2*. 2/2*. *3/2. 4/3*. 4/4*. *4/5. *4/6. Paszek won the second set 7-6 (7/4) at 18:35.
RYBÁRI *@* * * * 6 PASZEK * * * 3
Magdaléna serving 2-0: 40/0. 40/40. Ad Magda. Deuce #2. Ad Paszek (BP). Deuce #3. Ad Magda. Held.
Paszek serving 2-5: Held to love.
Magdaléna serving 5-3: 15/0. 15/30. 30/30. 40/40. Ad Magda (MP #2). Magdaléna won 6-3 6-7 (4/7) 6-3 at 19:08.
- MAGDALÉNA RYBÁRIKOVÁ [6,DF] lt. CAROLINE WOZNIACKI [4], 6-3 1-6 3-6
This was my first time to see the gorgeous Magdaléna play, and it was an enjoyable experience. This match persuaded me to promote her from my third tier of favourite players to my second tier, i.e. my demi-fanship.
The 17-year-old Slovak has a big serve, and a forehand with a long backswing that can be both a major weapon and an error-source - she would do well to develop a much more compact backswing on the forehand IMO.
Magda has both a two-handed backhand and a sliced backhand. The slice serves her well when she uses it to approach the net, but it's not a good sign when she slices and stays back. She hits a lot of dropshots - sometimes too many - and has beautiful drop-volleys à la Daniela Hantuchová.
Magda is ranked higher in the WTA rankings than the 15-year-old Wozniacki, but Wozniacki is seeded higher by the ITF junior-rankings.
The match started on Court 3 at 13:18 BST. Freeview BBCi didn't show it from the start, as it was scheduled on Freeview 301 after the boy's singles final on Court 2, while Freeview 302 was showing men's wheelchair doubles.
RYBÁRIKOV * @*@*@ 6 WOZNIACKI * *@ 3
Wozniacki serving 0-0: 15/0. 15/15. 40/15. Held.
Magdaléna serving 0-1: 15/0. 30/15. 40/15. Held.
Wozniacki serving 1-1: 15/15. 40/15. Held.
Good news: Timo de Bakker just edged the boy's singles final on a second-set tiebreak, so now Freeview 301 is showing this! :-)
Magdaléna serving 1-2: Magda forehand long - she has a big swing, very flat. 0/15. Magda narrowly missed a crosscourt forehand pass. 0/30. Ace down the middle. 15/30. Service-winner. 30/30. Wozniacki forehand volley-winner. 30/40 (BP #1). Magda saved it with an ace down the middle. 40/40. Wozniacki forehand winner down the line. Ad Wozniacki (BP #2). Wozniacki backhand wide. Deuce #2. Wozniacki backhand long. Ad Magda. She netted a forehand. Deuce #3. Magda netted a backhand. Ad Wozniacki (BP #3). Wozniacki broke with a forehand winner down the line - after Magda slipped over.
Wozniacki serving 3-1: Magda forehand winner down the line. 0/15. Wozniacki netted a backhand. 0/30. Magda netted a backhand. 15/30. Magda went to the net behind a sliced backhand, but Wozniacki's lob forced her to retreat, and Wozniacki hit a backhand drive-volley winner. 30/30. Wozniacki forced a short ball and hit a crosscourt backhand winner. 40/30. Double fault. 40/40. Wozniacki backhand just long. Ad Magda (BP). Wozniacki handed the break back to Magda with a double fault.
Magdaléna serving 3-2: Service-winner. 15/0. Wozniacki backhand wide. 30/0. Magda hit a beautiful flowing crosscourt forehand winner just inside both the sideline and the baseline. 40/0. Wozniacki netted a forehand.
Wozniacki serving 3-3: Wozniacki netted a forehand. 0/15. Magda forehand dropshot winner from the net. 0/30. Magda hit a flairsome backhand winner down the line - a touch of Daniela Hantuchová in that one! 0/40 (BP #1). Magda hit a forehand wide, and groaned. 15/40 (BP #2). Wozniacki was again broken on a double fault.
Magdaléna serving 4-3: Double fault. 0/15. Service-winner. 15/15. Magda came in behind a sliced backhand, forcing Wozniacki to miss a backhand. 30/15. Wozniacki backhand return just wide. 40/15. Wozniacki hit a "super" forehand winner down the line: on the sideline. 40/30. Magda showed beautiful touch with a backhand drop-volley winner.
Wozniacki serving 3-5: Magda hit another gorgeous backhand drop-volley winner. 0/15. Double fault. 0/30. Wozniacki backhand wide. 0/40 (SP #1). For the third time, Wozniacki was broken on a double fault. Magdaléna won the first set 6-3 at 13:45 BST (27m).
RYBÁRIKOV * 1 WOZNIACKI *@*@*@ 6
Magdaléna serving 0-0: Wozniacki netted a backhand. 15/0. Magda hit a wild forehand volley long and wide. 15/15. Magda backhand dropshot winner from the baseline. 30/15. Wozniacki forehand pass just wide (two balls should have been called wide earlier in the rally). 40/15. Ace down the middle.
Wozniacki serving 0-1: Ace down the middle. 15/0. And again! 30/0. Magda forehand wide. 40/0. Magda wide again.
Magdaléna serving 1-1: Magda netted a backhand. 15/0. Magda hit a forehand winner onto the baseline (Wozniacki complained). 30/0. 30/15. Magda netted a forehand. 30/30. Wide serve + backhand drop-volley winner. 40/30. Magda netted a backhand pass. 40/40. Magda hit a stunning off-forehand winner just inside the sideline. Ad Magda. She hit a forehand long. Deuce #2. A weaker dropshot from Magda was punished by Wozniacki hitting a forehand winner down the line. Ad Wozniacki (BP). Magda forehand long.
Wozniacki serving 2-1: Wozniacki netted a forehand. 0/15. Double fault. 0/30. Wozniacki forehand long. 0/40 (BP #1). Magda didn't do enough with a high forehand volley, and Wozniacki hit a forehand pass-winner down the line. 15/40 (BP #2). Magda drew Wozniacki to the net with a dropshot, but hit a backhand lob long. 30/40. Service-winner (102mph). 40/40. Magda netted a backhand return, and muttered in Slovak.
At this point, I had to switch channels to watch Vera Zvonarëva's Mixed Doubles semi-final. I may have been a demi-fan of Magda at the time, but Vera took priority as I had already inducted her into my Eternal Fanship - that first tier of favourite players that I have vowed to follow forever to the best of my resources, which Magda would join in June 2009.
But I caught up with this match later, as I dubbed it to my master video. Ad Wozniacki. Magda netted a forehand return.
It was quite windy now, judging by Magda's hair.
Magdaléna serving 1-3: Double fault. 0/15. Magda played a dominating rally, but hit a forehand long. 0/30. Magda hit a huge, error-forcing forehand. 15/30. Magda forehand wide. 15/40 (BP). Magda ran down a drop-volley from Wozniacki, but hit a forehand long, and smacked the net with her racket in frustration.
Liz Smylie criticised Magda's long swing on her forehand, saying that it doesn't give her time to adjust - especially in the wind - whereas Magda's backhand is a much more compact swing.
Magda's forehand does more damage, but makes more errors than her backhand. Liz Smylie said she needed to develop an alternate forehand with more topspin.
Wozniacki serving 4-1: Double fault. 0/15. Magda played a super rally of vertical spreading, forcing Wozniacki to hit a lob long. 0/30. Forehand return wide. 15/30. Magda backhand long. 30/30. Wozniacki forehand drop-volley winner. 40/30. Magda netted a forehand return.
Magdaléna serving 1-5: Service-winner. 15/0. Wozniacki forehand just wide. 30/0. Magda forehand wide. 30/15. Magda netted a dropshot. 30/30. Magda netted a forehand. 30/40 (SP #1). Service-winner. 40/40. Service-winner. Ad Magda. She netted a dropshot. Deuce #2. Magda backhand long. Ad Wozniacki (SP #2). Magda backhand down the line just long/wide.
Wozniacki won the second set 6-1 at 14:13 BST (second set 28m, match so far 55m), which is good in that I can only borrow the other Freeview-box in my house until 15:15. :-(
Magda is rushing between points now.
Liz Smylie said Magda's weapons were her forehand, her serve, and her creativity (e.g. use of the dropshot).
RYBÁRIKOV * @ * 3 WOZNIACKI * *@ @* * 6
Wozniacki serving 0-0: Magda's poor run of form continued as she hit a forehand long. 15/0. A 16-stroke rally ended with Magda netting a backhand. 15/15. Service-winner. 30/15. Double fault. 30/30. Wozniacki forehand lob-winner on the baseline. 40/30. Wozniacki backhand wide. 40/40. Magda forehand long. Ad Wozniacki. Double fault. Deuce #2. Service-winner. Ad Wozniacki. She hit a forehand wide after a lot of sliced backhands from Magda. Deuce #3. Wozniacki netted a forehand, threw her racket and got a code-violation. Ad Magda (BP). Magda netted a nervy forehand. Deuce #4. Magda backhand long. Ad Wozniacki. She came to the net, forcing Magda to hit a backhand pass wide.
Wozniacki's serve is both an asset and a liability: nine double faults so far, but a lot of damaging serves too.
Magdaléna serving 0-1: Serve + flairsome forehand winner down the line. 15/0. Magda went to the net and hit a swinging forehand drive-volley winner. 30/0. Service-winner. 40/0. Magda backhand lob-winner.
Wozniacki serving 1-1: Magda sliced a backhand wide. 15/0. Magda earthed a backhand off an awkward low ball. 30/0. Two service-winners.
Magda's backhand is too negative now: she's slicing it a lot, and not to come in behind it either.
Magda doesn't seem to trust her weapons any more. In the first set, she was playing like Daniela Hantuchová; now she's playing like Katarína Studeníková. :-o
Magdaléna serving 1-2: Wozniacki punished Magda's lazy sliced backhands by coming in to hit a forehand volley-winner. 0/15. Magda netted a tight backhand. 0/30. Ace down the middle (110mph). 15/30. Magda hit a big forehand right into Wozniacki's backhand-corner. Magda netted a forehand. 15/40 (BP). Magda netted a backhand volley off an awkward low dropping ball.
Wozniacki serving 3-1: Magda netted a backhand dropshot from the baseline - if it's so brilliant, it's got to be good first. 15/0. Magda ran down a dropshot and hit a backhand long. 30/0. Wozniacki forehand long. 30/15. Magda ran down a dropshot and hit a stinging crosscourt backhand winner. 30/30. Wozniacki crosscourt forehand winner on the sideline. 40/30. Magda backhand dropshot + crosscourt backhand pass-winner. She knelt down to tie her shoelaces - a good tactic to take her time after all that rushing. 40/40. Wozniacki backhand wide. Ad Magda (BP). Wozniacki forehand volley-winner. Deuce #2. Wozniacki netted a forehand off a sliced backhand from Magda. Ad Magda (BP #2). Wozniacki backhand just wide.
Magda serving 2-3: Magda went for a forehand winner down the line, but it was just wide. 0/15. Magda ran around her backhand and hit a forehand wide. 0/30. Wozniacki forehand long. 15/30. Magda forehand wide. 15/40 (2 BPs). Wozniacki hit a forehand return-winner onto the sideline; Magda slipped over.
Wozniacki serving 4-2: Magda netted a forehand return and said something in Slovak. 15/0. Wozniacki netted a backhand on the run. 15/15. Magda forehand long. 30/15. Magda forehand just long - unlucky. 40/15. Magda hit a forehand winner down Wozniacki's forehand-sideline. 40/30. Magda netted a forehand, squealed, and threw her racket the highest I've ever seen from any tennis-player!
Magdaléna serving 2-5: Wozniacki went for a forehand winner down the line, but it was just long. 15/0. Service-winner. 30/0. Wozniacki backhand just wide. 40/0. Service-winner.
Wozniacki serving 5-3: Magda forehand return just wide. 15/0. Magda forehand just long. 30/0. Magda hit a spectacular forehand winner down Wozniacki's forehand-line. 30/15. Wozniacki backhand dropshot-winner. 40/15 (CP #1). Magda hit a weak lob... and Wozniacki hit a forehand volley-winner. Wozniacki won the match 3-6 6-1 6-3 at 14:46 BST (third set 33m, match 1h28m).
Magda finished with a winner-to-unforced-error ratio of 27:37, Wozniacki 19:28. Both girls like to dictate, but Magda was the more aggressive.
Liz Smylie: "You've got to have a 'B' game, because everybody figures out the 'A' game pretty quickly."
Magda must have been bitterly disappointed, but she put on a smile when receiving her runner's-up trophy. Wozniacki had a real big smile when she came forward for the champion's trophy.
As runner-up in the Wimbledon Girls' Singles, Magdaléna is in distinguished company!
1998 Katarina Srebotnik d. Kim Clijsters
1999 Iroda Tulyaganova d. Lina Krasnoroutskaya
2000 María Emilia Salerni d. Tatiana Perebiynis
2001 Angelique Widjaja d. Dinara Safina
2002 Vera Douchevina d. Maria Sharapova
2003 Kirsten Flipkens d. Anna Tchakvetadze
2004 Katerina Bondarenko d. Ana Ivanovic
2005 Agnieszka Radwanska d. Tamira Paszek
2006 Caroline Wozniacki d. Magdaléna Rybáriková
The runner-up tends to push on in her career rather more than the champion!