Photo ABCs

Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron

Photos from the San Diego River Mouth at Robb Field in early December, taken just before sunset:

Snowy Egret:

Great Blue Heron:

2022 San Diego Open Tennis: Iga Swiatek

Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek is currently the #1 ranked player on the WTA Tour.

Until the San Diego Open, I had never had the chance to see her play.

Here she competes against Qinwen Zheng in a round-of-16 match.

Swiatek would prevail in a three-set match.

Swiatek would win the singles title in the San Diego Open, winning a surfboard along with her prize money!

Crushing (literally) a forehand. (Why they switch balls after seven and each nine games thereafter!)

 

 

2022 San Diego Open Tennis: Qinwen Zheng

Qinwen Zheng is currently ranked #28 on the WTA Tour.

She competed against Iga Swiatek in a round-of-16 match, losing in three sets on her birthday.

 

2022 San Diego Open Tennis: Madison Keys

Madison Keys is currently ranked #11 on the WTA tour.

Here she competes against Daria Kasatkina in a round-of-16 match.

Keys would win in straight sets.

A longer shutter speed produces an interesting blur:

Disappointment over a missed shot:

2022 San Diego Open Tennis: Jessica Pegula

Jessica Pegula is currently ranked #3 on the WTA tour.

On the practice court:

Here she competes with partner Coco Guaff in a quarterfinal doubles match, which they would win.

Pegula and Guaff would emerge the winners of the tournament's doubles competition.

 

2022 San Diego Open Tennis: Paula Badosa

Paula Badosa is currently ranked #13 on the WTA Tour, and was ranked as high as #2 this year.

Here she competes in a second round match against American qualifier Louisa Chirico. Badosa would win in straight sets.

 

 

 

2022 San Diego Open Tennis: Leylah Fernandez

Leylah Fernandez was the runner-up in the 2021 US Open, and is now ranked #40 on the WTA tour.

I was impressed with her form while on the practice court, and predicted a good tournament for Leylah.

Well, she was swept 6-2, 6-2 by eighth seed Daria Kasatkina in the first round!

Better luck next time...

On the practice court:

In her first round match:

 

 

2022 San Diego Open Tennis: Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka is currently ranked #5 on the WTA tour, with a career high ranking of #2 last year.

Here she competes against Sloane Stephens in a second-round match. Sabalenka would win in three sets.

2022 San Diego Open Tennis: Sloane Stephens

American Sloane Stephens reached a career high ranking of #3 in 2018. She is currently ranked #37.

Here she competes in a first round match against Swiss Jil Teichmann. Stephens would win in straight sets.

 

Here Stephens competes in a second-round match against Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka would prevail in three sets:

2022 San Diego Open Tennis: Robin Montgomery

The revelation in the San Diego Open tennis tournament, for me, was 18 year old Robin Montgomery.

Robin was the 2021 US Open junior champion, and arrived at the San Diego Open as a qualifier.

She won her first two qualifier matches, and faced Coco Gauff (see below) in a thrilling first-round match in which Guaff would prevail, though the match was much closer than the score.

I predict a rapid ascent in the rankings for Robin and look forward to watching her in future matches!

Robin in full concentration on the practice court:

Serving during a qualifying match against Bernarda Pera:

A forehand against Pera:

And a backhand:

Exulting after her 3-set victory over Pera:

Returning a forehand in her first-round match against Coco Guaff: