Linz, Osaka, Tianjin QF: Keys ready for the next level?

Linz schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/461/title/generali-ladies-linz

Osaka schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/340/title/japan-womens-open-tennis

Tianjin schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/3783/title/tianjin-open--tianjin-china

Match focus:

Camila Giorgi vs. Marina Erakovic

With the lightnig fast surface, it's no wonder these 2 players have posted good results here. Out of these 2 players, I would say Giorgi has the more lethal game on the indoor surface. The Italian's flat serve and groundstrokes have been clicking so far, so it's difficult to get into a rhythm with her playing so well. Marina will need to disrupt Camila's rhythm by using slices and volleys to rush her. It won't be an easy task though, with the way Camila has been playing.

Pick: Giorgi in 2 tight sets

Luksika Kumkhum vs. Madison Keys

Madison Keys has won her first title this year, but has since regressed back into her erratic ways. The American has the game to be a solid top 20 player, but has to rein in her aggressive play at the right time. This probably wouldn't happen too often, but Keys is facing an opponent with an even more aggressive mindset than her. Kumkhum can wallop the ball as well as anybody, but her lack of a defensive game puts her at a disadvantage when she's pulled wide. Both players need plenty of maturing to do, but Keys should be the one who is more experienced in the big stage.

Pick: Keys in 2 sets

Zheng Saisai vs. Sorana Cirstea

With her huge upset over Jankovic, Zheng Saisai will need to focus immediately on another dangerous opponent in former top 20 player Cirstea. The Romanian has rekindled her fire recently, and will be the slight favourite here. Zheng will need to play a very steady and counter punching game against the hard hitting Sorana. If the Chinese can get the Romanian riled up, she can cause another upset. However, Zheng has the habit of faltering after a big win, so I expect Sorana to cruise.

Pick: Cirstea in 2 sets

Sure win bets: Belinda Bencic, Varvara Lepchenko, Samantha Stosur
Upset alert: Zarina Diyas

Beijing day 4: Garcia vs Venus rematch

Schedule of play:

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

Match focus:

Caroline Garcia vs. Venus Williams

Just last week, Garcia beat Venus in a nail-biter third set tiebreak. The American will be eager to exact revenge on the French youngster. Venus served for the match in Wuhan, but let the match slip with loose errors on crucial points. Caroline did raise her game also, but I still feel her game is too all or nothing. If Garcia can strike a balance between defense and offense, I think she has what it takes to be a top 10 player. Until then, she will always be undone by unnecessary errors on easy put aways.

Pick: Venus in 3 sets

Andrea Petkovic vs. Madison Keys

Petkovic hasn't been playing well recently, but has been toughing out wins despite her dip in form. She will need her legs in this encounter against the erratic but aggressive Keys. The keys to the match will be Petkovic's ability to make Madison hit that one extra ball. If the German can succeed in retrieving enough balls and making Madison play, she has a good chance of making Keys self-implode. Like Garcia, Keys will need to strike a balance between offense and defense before becoming a player to watch.

Pick: Petkovic in 3 sets

Eugenie Bouchard vs. Sabine Lisicki

Eugenie Bouchard just came off her best showing in a Premier event in Wuhan, but will be bothered by her inability to pressure Kvitova in the final. She will face a similar opponent in Lisicki, who serves big and possesses big groundstrokes. Eugenie will breathe a sigh of relief though, as Sabine is much error-prone than Kvitova, but if the German is hitting her spots, she can score an upset anytime. The Canadian is fighting to cement her place in the WTA finals, so I believe she will be very motivated to beat the dangerous German in as little fuss as possible.

Pick: Bouchard in 2 sets

Sure win bets: Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Ana Ivanovic
Upset alert: Flavia Pennetta

Cincinnati day 1: Can Pennetta break out of her horrific slump

Schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/1118/title/western-southern-open

Match focus:

Chanelle Scheepers vs. Flavia Pennetta

Pennetta's record since Indian Wells has been a paltry 7-9 win-loss record. This is really absurd for someone who has started the year so well. The Italian might be carrying an injury, but if you're injured, you shouldn't even be on the court. Anyway, Pennetta gets a soft opening match here against Scheepers. If she manages to screw this up, I'm afraid she's done for the year, or maybe even her career. Flavia needs to grab this chance, and stop the horrific slump before it gets embarassing.

Pick: Pennetta in 2 tight sets

Alize Cornet vs. Madison Keys

Even though Keys has won her first event in Eastbourne, I believe her game still needs some polishing. The American is too impatient at times and commits silly errors during important points. Cornet is a good player for Keys to play against as Alize will thrive on these small little errors. Besides, Alize will make Keys want to hit that winner with her endless retrieving, testing the patience of the American. This should be a tight one, but Cornet has the experience and might irritate Keys into hitting herself out of the tournament.

Pick: Cornet in 3 sets

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs. Dominika Cibulkova

Much like Pennetta, Cibulkova is at a disappointing 5-7 win-loss record after her appearance in Kuala Lumpur. This is extremely shocking as it was remarked on how much she has improved in Melbourne. As with Flavia, there is a possibility that she's playing through an injury, but it is never wise to do that. Thus, Pavlyuchenkova should be able to cruise through this. The Australian Open finalist is just too fragile at this moment to be winning matches against top 30 players.

Pick: Pavlyuchenkova in 2 sets

Sure win bets: Belinda Bencic, Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki,
Upset alert: Zhang Shuai, Klara Koukalova, Samantha Stosur

Montreal day 3: Serena and Montreal don't mix?

Schedule of play:

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

Match focus:

Serena Williams vs. Samantha Stosur

A rematch of the 2011 US Open final, Serena Williams will be making her appearance since her debut in 2000. Serena and Montreal seemed to have differing paths as the American is either injured, or chose to skip the event when it is held there. Stosur will provide a stern test for Serena, who is not in peak form yet. Nevertheless, Stosur's form is even worse, losing to unheralded Osaka last week, so I think Serena will be fine. She might struggle at first, but should be able to win this.

Pick: Williams in 3 sets

Jelena Jankovic vs. Sloane Stephens

Jelena Jankovic will be eager to put away her atrocious grass season and start anew on her favourite hard courts. Immediately, she will face a tough opponent in Sloane Stephens, who annihilated Aleksandra Wozniak. Jelena's confidence must be a bit fragile given her winless grass season, but hard courts is where she excels. Sloane will push her, but Jelena thrives on pace, and will grind Sloane to make errors. If she's motivated enough, Jelena should be able to take this.

Pick: Jankovic in 3 sets

Sabine Lisicki vs. Madison Keys

Battle of the big servers here. Sabine Lisicki proved everyone wrong by demolishing Errani, and looks to be in good form on hard courts. Madison Keys got lucky that Kuznetsova got injured, gifting her a second round place. On current form, I believe Lisicki is playing better. Keys is still under an injury cloud that forced her out of Wimbledon. It might flare up any moment. Sabine, on the other hand, is taking baby steps in winning matches she's supposed to win, and also causing an upset over Errani. When the German is confident, she will be lethal.

Pick: Lisicki in 3 sets

Sure win bets: Venus Williams, Petra Kvitova, Caroline Wozniacki
Upset alert: Madison Keys, Dominika Cibulkova, Carla Suarez Navarro

Montreal day 2: Venus ready for a good run

Schedule of play:

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

Match focus:

Venus Williams vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

I firmly believe that Venus is playing at least top 20 level tennis currently. She has the ability to upset a few top players, but when it becomes a long drawn 3-setter, she loses out with her lack of stamina. Against Pavlyuchenkova, Venus should be able to overcome the Russian. The volatile Russian is capable of producing some fine shots of her own, but she's unable to string them together. I think Venus has the potential to reach at least the quarter-finals here.

Pick: Venus in 2 sets

Victoria Azarenka vs. Alize Cornet

Azarenka's return from injury has not been kind to her. She's taking baby steps at the moment, but she seems to be improving with every match. In a way, Cornet will be a perfect test for Azarenka to see if she's ready to play top-tier tennis. Alize's game will make Victoria hit plenty of balls, so Azarenka will need to balance between defense and offense well. If she can handle Alize in convincing fashion, I believe the world number 1 Azarenka is back.

Pick: Azarenka in 3 sets

Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Madison Keys

Recent Washington winner Svetlana Kuznetsova will attempt to bring her good form here to Montreal, but she faces the big hitting American, Madison Keys. Fatigue will definitely be a factor for the Russian as she's no longer a spring chicken. Nevertheless, I think Svetlana has the experience on her side, as she will attempt to make Keys win the point on her own accord. Once Kuznetsova gets on a roll, she's a tough customer to handle.

Pick: Kuznetsova in 2 tight sets

Sure win bets: Ana Ivanovic, Eugenie Bouchard, Garbine Muguruza
Upset alert: Zhang Shuai, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

Wimbledon day 4: Can little Jie upset Ana?

Schedule of play:

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/scores/schedule/index.html

Match focus:

Ana Ivanovic vs. Zheng Jie

It's no secret that Zheng thrives on the green grass. She has posted her best results on this surface, and fittingly kickstart her season with several wins on grass. Against Ivanovic, Zheng is really a underdog. The Serbian is playing with confidence and striking the ball with venom. Zheng will need to be clean with her errors and be on the offensive at all times. A very daunting task. Besides, Ana will ruthlessly punish Zheng's weak serves as well.

Pick: Ivanovic in 2 sets

Karolina Pliskova vs. Sabine Lisicki

Both ladies possess a booming serve, but Sabine Lisicki backs it up with her powerful groundstrokes. Pliskova's lanky frame makes her rather clumsy on court, and she doesn't reach low enough for the low bounces on grass. Thus, Lisicki is the firm favourite here. Playing in Wimbledon obviously invigorates her as shown in her first round demolition. Let's see if this motivated Sabine will show up against seeded players.

Pick: Lisicki in 2 sets

Klara Koukalova vs. Madison Keys

Keys really surprised me with her title run in Eastbourne. I thought she will be one of those wasted talents, never fully fulfilling her talent because of her fragile mind. She proved me wrong with courageous hitting, and she seems to be carrying the form here into Wimbledon. Madison needs to be careful though, as Klara's game is also quite potent on grass. Still, I believe that Keys is high on confidence, and can cause the mini upset here.

Pick: Keys in 2 sets

Donna Vekic vs. Vera Zvonareva

Former finalist Vera showed plenty of fight against Tara Moore, but it doesn't bode well to struggle against a British wildcard. Vekic is the firm favourite here, as Zvonareva is a shadow of herself. The Russian's strokes has lost its sting, and her movement isn't as crisp as it was. I believe Vera will never duplicate her peak form again, but credit has to be given to her for trying. Donna will be looking at her first 3rd round appearance in a grand slam, and hopefully doesn't choke this great draw.

Pick: Vekic in 2 sets

Alison Riske vs. Camila Giorgi

Both players hit a very flat ball and have very little margin of error. It will be a ball bashing fiesta here, with neither one having the clear edge. However, I would favour Giorgi, given her recent run in Eastbourne, and winning matches on a regular basis these few months. Riske will have to put plenty of first serves in and keep pressuring Giorgi's serve to win this.

Pick: Giorgi in 3 sets

Sure win bets: Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Eugenie Bouchard, Andrea Petkovic, Carla Suarez Navarro
Upset alert: Alize Cornet, Klara Koukalova, Kaia Kanepi

Eastbourne, Dan Bosch QF: Can Giorgi topple resurgent Caroline?

Camila Giorgi vs. Caroline Wozniacki

Giorgi's playing the best tennis of her career, and winning tight matches. Can she muster the strength to defeat another former number 1? Caroline likes playing on the grass, where she can absorb the power her opponent throws at her. The Dane should enjoy playing Camila, as she supplies a good amount of power for Caroline to redirect the ball. I believe Wozniacki's pesky game will get the better of Giorgi's flashy power game, with a tight 3 sets win. 

Pick: Wozniacki in 3 sets

Lauren Davis vs. Madison Keys

It seems that the future of US tennis lies in these two players. Davis' game actually suits slower surfaces more, but credit has to be given to her for fighting and trying her best on grass. Madison has the advantage with her bombastic serve, but Lauren can draw the errors if she puts in one more ball. But Davis must be feeling the effects of playing so many matches all the way from qualifying, so I believe Keys will have the edge. 

Pick: Keys in 2 sets

Magdalena Rybarikova vs. Annika Beck

The draw for Dan Bosch has been blown wide open with the retirement of Simona Halep. Beck has benefitted from that, but Magdalena is the superior grass court player. With the latest turn of events, Magdalena will be one of the favorites to capture the title. Beck just doesn't have the firepower to excel on this surface. 

Pick: Rybarikova in 2 sets

Sure win bets: Elina Svitolina, Petra Kvitova, Garbine Muguruza

Upset alert: Angelique Kerber, Klara Koukalova

Eastbourne, Dan Bosch day 2: Azarenka's comeback

Eastbourne schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/644/title/aegon-international

Dan Bosch schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/756/title/topshelf-open

Match focus:

Victoria Azarenka vs. Camila Giorgi

Azarenka faces a tough match on her first tournament back after her injury. Giorgi's hard strokes work well on grass, and Victoria needs to be on the alert immediately. I guess it's too early in her comeback for Azarenka to spring back into winning matches, so I believe Camila will score an upset here. Victoria should just test if she's fully healed and gain some match play before Wimbledon.

Pick: Giorgi in 2 sets

Madison Keys vs. Jelena Jankovic

On grass, Keys' massive serve is a weapon. However, she doesn't have the patience to construct points, committing numerous silly errors. Jelena will attempt to exploit this flaw in Madison's game by retrieving all the balls that the American throws at her. Unless Keys commits no errors, Jelena will emerge the winner. Still, we can expect flashes of brilliance from Madison. However, flashes do not win the match.

Pick: Jankovic in 3 sets

Yaroslava Shvedova vs. Dominika Cibulkova

Yaroslava's famous golden set happened on grass courts, so it's obvious she's comfortable on the surface. Against Cibulkova, she definitely has a chance as Dominika doesn't excel on this surface. However, the mental game of Shvedova is brittle, and Dominika fights for every point like it's her last. Besides, Cibulkova is eager to erase her forgettable clay season with good results on grass. This will be close, but Dominika should be able to edge out a win.

Pick: Cibulkova in 3 sets


Sure win bets: Belinda Bencic, Petra Kvitova, Garbine Muguruza
Upset alert: Flavia Pennetta, Sara Errani, Roberta Vinci