Kvitova a New Female Ozeki, another "Big 4" Male Semifinal

.
21-year old Czech Petra Kvitova became the 31st female Ozeki (=Champion) of the open era yesterday, by beating Italian rank-and-filer Sara Errani in a tense but not close quarterfinal, 6-4, 6-4. Whenever Kvitova found the range of her penetrating ground strokes and did not rush herself, she was in control of the match. Kvitova will play veteran Ozeki Maria Sharapova in the semifinals, who blasted a brave but even more overmatched Ekaterina Makarova off the court, 6-2, 6-3. The semifinal will be a repeat of last year's Wimbledon final. At the time Kvitova controlled a Maria Sharapova who struggled with her serve, but if Sharapova serves as she did in this quarterfinal, and displays the same selection of hard, variable, attacking groundstrokes, she should be able to give Kvitova a hard time.

The ladies' game has been in transition for several years now, without a clear indication to where the game would transition. The current Yokozuna (=Grand Champions) - Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters, and Venus Williams (if she returns) - all broke through in the late 1990s. On average, one out of three Ozeki advances eventually to Yokozuna. However, since Clijster's Ozeki promotion in 2003, nine more female players have made it to the second highest rank - Myskina, Sharapova, Dementieva, Kuznetsova, Mauresmo, Ivanovic, Safina, Zvonareva, Li - without advancing to Yokozuna later. And some starlets even rose to #1 of the WTA rankings who made it no further than Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I - Jankovic, Wozniacki). It's time for a new generation Yokozuna, and the strong and smart Kvitova appears to have the game that puts a Yokozuna career within reach. Note that Sharapova could of course still make it to Yokozuna herself - she needs "just" two more Grand Slam titles.

More generally, with Serena Williams hampered by injury, the semifinal line-up - Kim Clijsters (Yokozuna), Maria Sharapova (Ozeki), Petra Kvitova (Ozeki-to-be), and Victoria Azarenka (Sekiwake-to-be and possible Ozeki if she wins the tournament) - is one of the strongest of recent years, and should guarantee more fine tennis in the days to come.

In the mens' tournament, Yokozuna Novak Djokovic and Ozeki Andy Murray had little difficulties with their quarterfinal opponents David Ferrer (ex-Sekiwake and ATP #5) and Kei Nishikori, seeting up another all "Big 4" semifinal. Since Wimbledon 2010, the Big 4 have booked 24 out of 28 Grand Slam semifinal spots. As a result, the Ozumo-type ranking gets even more one-sided - after the Aussie Open there won't even be a male Sekiwake any longer, the only Sanyaku ranked players other than the Big 4 will be Tomas Berdych (ex-Ozeki) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (currently still Sekiwake) at Komusubi (=Junior Champion II).

The Dai-Yokozuna and playing legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will set the semifinals off tonight. It should be good.