Beijing day 2: Can Halep find her groove back?

Schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/1140/title/china-open

Match focus:

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova vs. Simona Halep

It is no secret that Simona Halep has been struggling to find her form ever since her early exit in US Open. The consistent Simona looks vulnerable now, and is just content with keeping the ball in. Not too sure why Halep is playing so conservatively, since it was her smart counterpunching game that brought her to number 2 in the world. Maybe the pressure is too much. She needs to get her gears working against the tricky Strycova. If she's just relying on mistakes from Barbora, I'm afraid she will be looking at another early round exit.

Pick: Halep in 3 sets

Kaia Kanepi vs. Maria Sharapova

Another player struggling with her form, Sharapova has not been the same ever since her Roland Garros triumph. Perhaps she's too zoned in on her clay court tennis that she's not comfortable on her former best surface, hard courts. Maria's vulnerable serve is back to its errant ways, but it still takes a player with good mental strength to beat her. Kaia is well known to crumble under pressure, so I won't be banking on her for this upset. Nevertheless, Kanepi has the game to make this competitive.

Pick: Sharapova in 2 tight sets

Ekaterina Makarova vs. Garbine Muguruza

Makarova is having a remarkably consistent year and may be the dark horse to qualify for the championships in Singapore. She has a tough opener against the hard hitting Muguruza, who had a good showing last week in Wuhan. These 2 players will be bound to hit the fibres out of the tennis ball, and it will be a close one. The Russian had an unexpected loss against Bacsinszky last week, and will be eager to correct that against Muguruza. Besides, the Spaniard withdrew due to gastritis last week, so Makarova should have the edge here.

Pick: Makarova in 3 sets

Sure win bets: Venus Williams, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Karolina Pliskova

Upset alert: Andrea Petkovic, Samantha Stosur, Roberta Vinci

US Open SF: And then there were four...

Serena Williams vs. Ekaterina Makarova

Serena Williams must be hungry for this title after having experienced 3 early upsets in her slams. A win here will redeem her 'lost year' as she put it herself. Looking at the opposition left, it is hard to write Williams off. Makarova can hit a mean ball, but her movement is not as agile as Serena. Once Serena gets Makarova on the move, she has the advantage. Besides, Williams will be eager to exact revenge on Ekaterina for her doubles loss to Makarova and Vesnina.

Pick: Williams in 2 sets

Peng Shuai vs. Caroline Wozniacki

Peng is on fire this week, there's no doubt about that. The Chinese hasn't dropped a set so far, and will look to be the aggressor against Wozniacki. The problem is Caroline is playing some of her best tennis here. Her dismantling of Errani was spectacular, and only exposed how limitied Sara is as a top player. For her to upset Caroline, Peng will need to serve well like she has done through the fortnight, and not get nervous when the situation gets tight. It is Peng's debut semi-final appearance, so I'm going to give Wozniacki the edge here. An inspired Peng might sneak out a set, but Caroline will win this.

Pick: Wozniacki in 3 sets

US Open QF: Can Makarova cause another upset?

Victoria Azarenka vs. Ekaterina Makarova

It's hard not to doubt Azarenka's form when she struggled so much against the lowly ranked Krunic. The old Victoria would have torn the youngster to shreds with her powerful but controlled aggression. Makarova will now have the best chance of causing an upset. The Russian has been playing inspired tennis all week long, even excelling in doubles. If she keeps her brain intact, she has the shots to overthrow Azarenka. Confidence is a funny thing, and Makarova has plenty of them right now.

Pick: Makarova in 2 sets

Serena Williams vs. Flavia Pennetta

Sorry Flavia, but Serena will almost definitely win this match. One glaring weakness in Pennetta's game is her 2nd serve. It's very short and fluffy, and even Dellacqua has exploited it tremendously. Against a player like Serena, you can be assured that she will spare no mercy in punishing those serves. A mismatch across all board, Serena will cruise.

Pick: Williams in 2 sets

US Open day 8: Makarova for the surprise

Upset of the previous day:

Belinda Bencic def. Jelena Jankovic 7-6(6) 6-3

The bottom half of the draw has officially collapsed with the higher seeds all dropping out. Sharapova was the highest ranked player to lose, but Jankovic's loss was more shocking. The Serbian has been on fire for the past week, but ran out of ideas against the feisty Bencic. The Swiss had an answer to everything Jelena threw at her, and saved 2 set points in the first set. This is a golden opportunity wasted by Jelena, where she had the chance to advance to the final. Peng, Bencic, Errani and Wozniacki are the 4 players who have the chance to make the finals. What a turn of event.

Schedule of play:

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/scores/schedule/index.html?promo=subnav

Match focus:

Flavia Pennetta vs. Casey Dellacqua

While Pennetta isn't playing the best tennis of her life, she was helped by the crazy upsets that happened throughout the tournament. Casey Dellacqua will be making her 4th round debut in US Open, and will no doubt be nervous about the match. Flavia, the seasoned veteran, will just need to keep her calm and let Casey's nerves get the best of her. If the Italian plays her steady game, she will get through without much fuss.

Pick: Pennetta in 2 sets

Serena Williams vs. Kaia Kanepi

Serena was tested by Lepchenko, but played well enough to subdue the tricky lefty. Kanepi's game is not as varied as Lepchenko, so Serena should be more used to Kaia's game. The Estonian has a dangeous game when it's on, but her mental game is fried whenever she faces top players. I don't expect a surprise here. Kaia might gain a lead early, but squander it when Serena raises her level.

Pick: Williams in 2 sets

Aleksandra Krunic vs. Victoria Azarenka

Aleksandra Krunic faces classic ball bashers in her previous matches, but she will be severely tested against Azarenka. The Belarussian can belt the ball, but she does it with a good margin. Victoria's safe but powerful game will definitely be difficult for Krunic to counter, who has been thriving off her opponents' errors. No fairtale ending for the young Serbian this time.

Pick: Azarenka in 2 sets

Ekaterina Makarova vs. Eugenie Bouchard

For 2 matches in a row, Bouchard struggled against her opponents. Makarova has been playing well this summer, and will not let Eugenie off the hook like her previous opponents. The Russian will need to serve well and punish the Canadian's weak 2nd serve for winners. If she keeps an aggressive mindset, Eugenie cannot get out of jail this time.

Pick: Makarova in 3 sets

New Haven day 3: Another post grand slam slump

Schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/535/title/connecticut-open

Match focus:

Ekaterina Makarova vs. Petra Kvitova

Since her Wimbledon title, Kvitova has only won one match since. She suffered a loss right at the hands of Makarova in Montreal, so the Russian will be confident of her chances here. Seems like 2011 all over again with Kvitova failing to live up the the heightened expectations of her. She needs to right the ship here and get a good result, or she will go into New York with low confidence and an easy target for an upset.

Pick: Kvitova in 3 sets

Alison Riske vs. Flavia Pennetta

Pennetta got back some of her groove last week in Cincinnati, winning matches that she's supposed to win. This one is no different. Alison Riske has been struggling with her form lately, so Flavia should be able to take this one. However, Riske plays a risky game, so if she hits her spots, the match might be over quickly for Pennetta. The Italian will need to hang in and draw the errors from the American.

Pick: Pennetta in 2 sets

Caroline Garcia vs. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova

Things were going smoothly for Garcia until her collapse in Paris. She has never been the same again since then, losing matches which she's supposed to win. Strycova on the other hand, has been riding on a new wave of confidence since her surprise run in Wimbledon. This meeting will be a no-brainer as to who is the favourite. Caroline needs to address what's wrong with her mental game as she seemingly cannot handle the pressure of higher expectations laid upon her. If she can overcome that, she has the game to become a top player definitely.

Pick: Zahlavova Strycova in 2 sets

Montreal SF: Venus vs. Serena part 25

Serena Williams vs. Venus Williams

As expected, Serena struggled but eventually subdued Caroline Wozniacki. Can she escape against her sister, Venus Williams? The elder sister has been inspirational throughout the week, fighting her heart out on the court. She knows her smaller sister's game inside out, so that is an advantage that the other players don't have. However, yet another draining 3 setter will definitely put Venus at a disadvantage. Serena always plays her best in big matches, and this is as big as it gets. Venus might pull a set off, but Serena will steady the ship eventually.

Pick: Serena in 3 sets

Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Ekaterina Makarova

A surprise semi-final appearance for Makarova here, and she will like her chances against Radwanska. The Russian won their last 2 matches, including a hammering in Wimbledon just 2 months ago. Nevertheless, Radwanska seems to be back in her groove as evidenced by her dismantling of Azarenka. I believe this should be a close match, with Makarova nervous at the prospect of entering a Premier final. I'm going to go with my heart and pick Makarova to cause an upset here to reach her first Premier final.

Pick: Makarova in 3 tight sets

Montreal QF: Path opens up for Venus

Schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/740/title/rogers-cup

Match focus:

Carla Suarez Navarro vs. Venus Williams

With the massive upsets yesterday, Venus Williams suddenly is the favourite to win here. Carla Suarez Navarro benefitted from a jarringly bad performance from Sharapova, when the Russian really should have lost in straight sets. Venus looks sharp after an upset of her own over Kerber, and looks poised to reach the semi-finals of a Premier event. Let's hope she's not too tired after her long match with Kerber.

Pick: Williams in 2 tight sets

Serena Williams vs. Caroline Wozniacki

Serena was tested against Safarova, but the Czech never had the mental strength to upset the number 1 seed anyway. The American will face a major test against resurgent Caroline Wozniacki, who breezed through her matches barely dropping games. There is no doubt that Serena's game can overpower the Dane. However, Serena will need to be sharp and stingy with her errors. The way Caroline is playing now resembles her peak form from 2011, which will trouble Serena. Let's see how Serena handles her.

Pick: Serena in 3 tight sets

Coco Vandeweghe vs. Ekaterina Makarova

Serbian killer, Coco Vandeweghe surprises everyone by reaching the quarter-finals here. Her big serve suits the hard courts here, and her game is more mature than it was a few years ago. She will face Makarova, who upset Kvitova in another roller coaster match. Seems like consistency will never be Petra's forte. These 2 are quite evenly matched, but Makarova is more experienced on the big stage. The Russian should be the slight favourite here, as Coco had 2 marathon matches in a row.

Pick: Makarova in 3 sets

Victoria Azarenka vs. Agnieszka Radwanska

Even though Azarenka owns a commanding lead over Radwanska in their career heads-to-heads, Radwanska dismantled the Belarussian in their last match in Melbourne. Since then, Victoria has never been the same again. Coming back from injury, Victoria seemed to have lost some zip in her shots, and her serve is more inconsistent. Agnieszka will capitalize on that vulnerability and try to slowly even the heads-to-heads. If Azarenka wins this though, it will be her announcement to the world that she is truly back.

Pick: Radwanska in 3 sets

Stanford, Washington SF: Serena to exact revenge

Stanford SF:

Serena Williams vs. Andrea Petkovic

Petkovic ruined an all-Williams encounter, which Serena will be hungry to take revenge for elder sister. Serena showed old signs of being a fighter in her ultra close match against Ivanovic, so Petkovic will need to play much better than against Venus. Andrea was lucky that Venus got tired in the end, but Serena looks fit and ready, so a win for the world number seems more likely. Besides, Serena has dominant wins over Andrea this year, so this match should be the same.

Pick: Williams in 2 sets

Angelique Kerber vs. Varvara Lepchenko

Interestingly, Lepchenko has a leading head to head against the higher ranked Kerber. The American won 4 times in 6 meetings, but lost the most recent 2 meetings in the last 2 years. All of Varvara's victories came when Kerber was still languishing below top 50. Thus, Kerber looks set to inch closer to tying the head to head here. Except for that bizarre bagel set loss to Vandeweghe, Kerber has been playing well and clinical in her matches. It will be a surprise if Lepchenko can cause another huge upset after beating Radwanska.

Pick: Kerber in 2 sets

Washington SF:

Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Ekaterina Makarova

 

As a 2 time grang slam champion, it's really mind-boggling to see Kuznetsova struggling like this. It's not as if she has lost her ability to hit her thunderous forehand. Maybe her serve has regressed a bit, but her flaky mentality is at its best, hindering her from obtaining the results that she can achieve. As a former US Open champion, she should be the favourite here, but Makarova has been steady throughput the tournament. The advantage the Svetlana had will be her extra day off given Vania King's withdrawal. Let's hope Kuznetsova can win this title to give her frail confidence level a boost before New York.

Pick: Kuznetsova in 3 sets

Kurumi Nara vs. Marina Erakovic

Out of nowhere, these 2 slumping players managed to somehow reach the semi-finals. Erakovic has been on a decline recently, struggling to win even the most basic matches. It's not that she doesn't have the game, but her consistency is not there. Seems like she got it right this week, playing good aggressive tennis to win her matches without much trouble. These 2 haven't met since 2011, but Erakovic last won their match with a dreaded double bagel. With the fast hard courts, I believe Erakovic's aggressive game will have the advantage. She just needs to be patient enough to attack on the right points.

Pick: Erakovic in 3 sets

Stanford, Washington QF: Serena faces stern test again

Stanford schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/637/title/bank-of-the-west-classic

Washington schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/2182/title/citi-open

Match focus:

Serena Williams vs. Ana Ivanovic

The only quarter-final where the players played to their seedings, Serena will face another tough test against Ivanovic. The Serbian famously started her year with an upset over the formidable American, sending Serena doubts for the rest of the season. While Serena seems to be back in the groove, she cannot afford to lose focus as Ana is a quality opponent. I would still give Serena the edge though as she's playing in front of her home crowd, and also Ivanovic's recent coaching change.

Pick: Serena in 3 sets

Venus Williams vs. Andrea Petkovic

Venus continues her winning streak against Azarenka with a convincing straight sets win over the former world number. Victoria wasn't at her best yet, but a win is a win. Venus might find Petkovic a tougher test as Andrea is a better defender than Azarenka. Venus must be patient and finish the point at the net for an easier time. If they go on a baseline slug fest, Andrea might tire the elder Williams out. If Venus wins this, we might have a tantalizing all Williams match-up yet again.

Pick: Venus in 3 sets

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs. Ekaterina Makarova

 

These 2 Russians are pretty evenly matched on all aspects of their game, but Makarova is arguably the more consistent player. Anastasia tends to have periods where she loses focus and starts losing points rapidly. Makarova won their last encounter, but it was on Ekaterina's preferred surface, grass. I believe hard courts will suit Anastasia more, but given her up and down form, I would still go with the safer bet. Whoever wins this has a pretty good chance of hoisting the trophy on Sunday.

Pick: Makarova in 3 sets

Sure win bets: Varvara Lepchenko, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Bojana Jovanovski

Upset alert: Angelique Kerber, Kurumi Nara, Andrea Petkovic