Monday 25 June 2012

Early exit for Caro?

Day 2 features the defending champion in action!

Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) v Petra Kvitova (CZE)[4]
Irina Falconi (USA) v Victoria Azarenka (BLR)[2]
Serena Williams (USA)[6] v Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE)
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)[7] v Tamira Paszek (AUT)
Laura Robson (GBR) v Francesca Schiavone (ITA)[24]
Laura Pous-Tio (ESP) v Anne Keothavong (GBR)
Lucie Safarova (CZE)[19] v Kiki Bertens (NED)
Mirjana Lucic (CRO) v Alexandra Panova (RUS)
Shahar Peer (ISR) v Julia Goerges (GER)[22]
Vera Dushevina (RUS) v Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN)
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)[31] v Sofia Arvidsson (SWE)
Greta Arn (HUN) v Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ)
Polona Hercog (SLO) v Kristyna Pliskova (CZE)
Johanna Larsson (SWE) v Melinda Czink (HUN)
Urszula Radwanska (POL) v Marina Erakovic (NZL)
Alize Cornet (FRA) v Nina Bratchikova (RUS)
Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) v Romina Oprandi (SUI)
Olga Govortsova (BLR) v Annika Beck (GER)
Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) v Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ)
Anastasia Yakimova (BLR) v Mandy Minella (LUX)
Casey Dellacqua (AUS) v Marion Bartoli (FRA)[9]
Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) v Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)[32]
Roberta Vinci (ITA)[21] v Ashleigh Barty (AUS)
Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP)[26] v Simona Halep (ROU)
Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) v Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR)
Patricia Mayr-Achleitner (AUT) v Varvara Lepchenko (USA)
Jana Cepelova (SVK) v Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)
Elena Baltacha (GBR) v Karin Knapp (ITA)
Coco Vandeweghe (USA) v Sara Errani (ITA)[10]
Stephanie Dubois (CAN) v Jie Zheng (CHN)[25]
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)[13] v Klara Zakopalova (CZE)
Ana Ivanovic (SRB)[14] v Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP)

Match focus:

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)[7] v Tamira Paszek (AUT)


Caroline is trying to make changes to her stagnant game, which is a good thing. She has changed her service stance and also her string tension in a bid to add more power to her game. HOWEVER, her serve is the only redeeming thing in her game and her tenacity is the only weapon she possesses. So changing those things that work for her might spell disaster for the Dane. Also, these changes should be implemented during off season, not right smack in the middle of the season. So I'm not sure what Caroline is thinking about. Maybe she is desperate. Anyway, she will have her hands full with Tamira Paszek who just won Eastbourne. A very possible upset with all those new changes in Caro's game.

Pick: Paszek in 3 sets

Laura Robson (GBR) v Francesca Schiavone (ITA)[24]


British hope Laura Robson faces Francesca Schiavone in her first round. Everybody's looking for an upset here. Laura's game works well on grass but Francesca will fight to the end as evidenced in her match against Begu last week. Will Laura be strong enough to handle the pressure? Or will Schiavone scrape through with a gutsy win?

Pick: Schiavone wins in 3 tight sets

Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) v Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)[32]


Coming off a freak loss in Rosmalen, Wickmayer will be shaky in her confidence level. Not to mention she lost a totally winnable event in Bad Gastein. This match should be easy-pickings for Svetlana Kuznetsova. No warm-up is better than 2 bad warm-ups. Also, Yanina's one-dimensional game shouldn't trouble the Russian much as Svetlana does everything as good or better.

Pick: Kuznetsova in 2 sets

Ana Ivanovic (SRB)[14] v Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP)


Ana Ivanovic withdrew from Eastbourne citing injury. Has she recovered? She will face an unconventional opponent in Maria Jose. Maria Jose loves to serve and volley, which will be very disruptive to the rhythm. Can Ana handle the funky strokes of the Spaniard? I believe that Martinez Sanchez has the game to take out Ana, but both players are not at their best. Whoever is mentally strong in the end will emerge the winner.

Pick: Ivanovic in 3 sets

Laura Pous-Tio (ESP) v Anne Keothavong (GBR)


Anne Keothavong must be thanking the draw gods. She drew clay-courter Laura Pous Tio in her opening round. With all the attention of Laura, Anne should be able to win this easily with less pressure on her. Like Heather Watson, Anne shouldn't have a problem with this match.

Pick: Keothavong in 2 sets

Sure win bets: Nina Bratchikova, Aleksandra Wozniak, Petra Kvitova
Upset alert: Caroline Wozniacki, Roberta Vinci, Johanna Larsson

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