A+: Maria Sharapova
Playing clutch tennis through her last 4 matches, Sharapova showed she had the best mental game on the women's tour despite not playing her best.
A: Simona Halep
Very decent showing from Halep given that this is her first slam final appearance. Definitely a future slam winner.
A-: Eugenie Bouchard
Not a fan of her attitude off court, but Eugenie has some serious game. If only she can mature off court, WTA will have another player to market.
B+: Andrea Petkovic
First slam semi-finals in her career made even sweeter given that she almost retired after her injury. Still, might have a Dementieva career. almost there but never reaching it.
B: Garbine Muguruza
What a showing from the Spaniard, displaying consistent power-hitting, and almost ousting 2 former champions. Clinical in her disposal of Serena Williams.
B-: Carla Suarez Navarro
Nobody can call her a mental giant. Wasted a perfect opportunity to make her first slam semi-finals by choking away leads in the sets that she lost. Needs a sports psychiatrist now.
C+: Pauline Parmentier
French wildcard captured the home crowd's imagination with her inspired play. She has the game, but just no faith in executing it. Hopefully this will give her the confidence to play well for the rest of the year.
C: Kiki Bertens
Out of nowhere, came through from qualifying all the way to the 4th round. Was always a competent player let down by her lack of focus. This run will give her the boost needed to get back on the main tour.
C-: Petra Kvitova
Well, she lost to a better clay court player. However, she fought very hard and almost had the win. Still, losing to Svetlana in a tight match isn't a good sign.
D: Agnieszka Radwanska
A strange and uninspired performance from the Pole. Wasted a perfect opportunity to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.
E: Serena Williams
She was outplayed and out hit by Garbine, who just couldn't miss. Normally, Serena would have fought her heart out, but a flat performance gave her her earliest exit in a slam after her infamous flop against Razzano.
F: Li Na
No excuses for the Chinese. Precisely what she said, she would have lost to anyone who was standing across the net. Horrific performance.
Showing posts with label roland garros. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roland garros. Show all posts
Saturday, 7 June 2014
Roland Garros F: Sharapova equals Hingis in slam count
Maria Sharapova def. Simona Halep 6-4 6-7(5) 6-4
First Roland Garros in 13 years to go to 3 sets, Sharapova claims her 5th Grand Slam to equal Martina Hingis in slam counts. Sharapova didn't play great, but was clutch at key moments as she fought her way to another win. Simona competed very well and would have done better if she had calmed down a bit for important points. The Romanian played too passively on some points and too aggressively on others. However, this match will give Simona the needed experience to choose her shots well, and I am sure that she will win Roland Garros some day. Sharapova caps her clay season with an impressive 3 titles and only 1 loss. She will go into the 2nd half of the season relaxed as she has absolutely nothing to defend. Great for tennis and great for her fans in Singapore! Well done Maria!
First Roland Garros in 13 years to go to 3 sets, Sharapova claims her 5th Grand Slam to equal Martina Hingis in slam counts. Sharapova didn't play great, but was clutch at key moments as she fought her way to another win. Simona competed very well and would have done better if she had calmed down a bit for important points. The Romanian played too passively on some points and too aggressively on others. However, this match will give Simona the needed experience to choose her shots well, and I am sure that she will win Roland Garros some day. Sharapova caps her clay season with an impressive 3 titles and only 1 loss. She will go into the 2nd half of the season relaxed as she has absolutely nothing to defend. Great for tennis and great for her fans in Singapore! Well done Maria!
Friday, 6 June 2014
Roland Garros F: Sharapova set to become 5 time slam champion
Roland Garros final:
Maria Sharapova vs. Simona Halep
After the numerous upsets of the first 3 rounds, the focus of the tournament immediately shifted to these 2 players. Thankfully, they both made it and we have a mouth-watering final that is fit for a final of a Grand Slam. Maria has struggled for her last 3 matches, but showed her spirit and fight each time to come through. Can she summon the strength against the steadier Halep? Simona's path to the final has been straightforward, but this is her first final and will definitely feel the nerves. Besides, she just lost the Madrid final a few weeks ago despite easily claiming the first set against Sharapova. Lessons can be learnt from that encounter and I'm sure Simona will change a few things from then. I still believe Sharapova's fight and grit will get her through, with Halep feeling the butterflies in her stomach in her debut Slam final.
Pick: Sharapova in 3 sets
Maria Sharapova vs. Simona Halep
After the numerous upsets of the first 3 rounds, the focus of the tournament immediately shifted to these 2 players. Thankfully, they both made it and we have a mouth-watering final that is fit for a final of a Grand Slam. Maria has struggled for her last 3 matches, but showed her spirit and fight each time to come through. Can she summon the strength against the steadier Halep? Simona's path to the final has been straightforward, but this is her first final and will definitely feel the nerves. Besides, she just lost the Madrid final a few weeks ago despite easily claiming the first set against Sharapova. Lessons can be learnt from that encounter and I'm sure Simona will change a few things from then. I still believe Sharapova's fight and grit will get her through, with Halep feeling the butterflies in her stomach in her debut Slam final.
Pick: Sharapova in 3 sets
Wednesday, 4 June 2014
Roland Garros SF: Passing of the torch?
Maria Sharapova vs. Eugenie Bouchard
Maria is the golden girl of WTA, but Eugenie has all the qualities that made Sharapova the icon that she is today. Will Eugenie usurp Maria to be the new golden girl? Sharapova's fighting qualities was in full glory in her quarter final match. It is something that Eugenie doesn't have (or doesn't perform as well). Bouchard had the luck of playing a featherweight in mental strength in her previous match. Against someone like Maria, she must seize the initiative and not allow Sharapova to creep back. Difficult to do especially when this is only her first SF in Paris.
Pick: Sharapova in 2 sets
Simona Halep vs. Andrea Petkovic
Simona has yet to drop a set in her no nonsense journey to the semi-finals. Her clinical disposal of her opponents just showcases her mental fortitude and a sense of belonging to the elites of the game. Petkovic will be back in top 20 after this showing, but this should be where her journey ends. Simona's steady game is not easily overpowered, so it will take an impeccable performance from the German to upset Halep.
Pick: Halep in 2 sets
Tuesday, 3 June 2014
Roland Garros QF: Errani to make it 3 in a row
Simona Halep vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova
Winning the latest encounter in Stuttgart will give Kuznetsova more confidence, but Halep seems to be quietly confident of going far. Playing her matches with minimum fuss, I expect the Romanian to cruise through this as well. Kuznetsova has the habit of playing well on non important points, and squandering all her break chances. I don't expect anything different here
Pick: Halep in 2 sets
Sara Errani vs. Andrea Petkovic
The pesky Italian has made it a habit of reaching the final 4 of Paris, and this year is no exception. The pair has won a match each in two meetings, but Sara won the latest one. I believe Petkovic's game isn't enough to hit through Errani, and would take an inspired performance from the German to upset her. Barring any injuries, Sara will reach the semifinals third time in a row.
Pick: Errani in 2 sets
Monday, 2 June 2014
Roland Garros QF: Sharapova's title to lose
Upset of the previous day:
Sara Errani def. Jelena Jankovic 7-6(5) 6-2
Making her third consecutive QF in Paris in a row, Errani once again proves to be a threat on clay. To beat Errani, you have to hit through her, something which Jankovic doesn't have the power to do. The Serbian's balls do not have the penetration to hurt Sara, and Errani once again proves the doubters wrong. Another very winnable match against Petkovic awaits, as Errani tries to reach her third semi-final here for 3 consecutive years.
Match focus:
Garbine Muguruza vs. Maria Sharapova
Sharapova got out of jail big time against Stosur, with the Australian freezing up when she was near victory. The Russian will need to get things going against Garbine Muguruza, as the Spaniard is going from strength to strength. Muguruza's ground game is impressive, pinning her opponents to the baseline with hard hit balls. The only relative weakness I see is her service. If she gets a low percentage of first serves, Sharapova can pounce on the second serve and gain advantage. This is Garbine's first quarter-final, so there will definitely be nerves. Therefore, I think Sharapova will emerge to victor this time again. Things might get close for one set though.
Pick: Sharapova in 2 tight sets
Carla Suarez Navarro vs. Eugenie Bouchard
Bouchard's game isn't really suited for clay but she's also excelling on this surface. A win here will mean she's the only player to have reached 2 consecutive slam semi-finals this year. Carla loves the clay, but her mental game always lets her down. I believe securing that title in Oeiras has freed her a bit and it will be a dogfight here. Bouchard takes the ball early, but Carla can nullify that with her slow slice. If she can frustrate the Canadian with patient play, she can advance to her first slam semi-finals. Very evenly matched for these 2 players, but I think Suarez Navarro has the better clay game, and will reach the last 4.
Pick: Suarez Navarro in 3 tight sets
Sara Errani def. Jelena Jankovic 7-6(5) 6-2
Making her third consecutive QF in Paris in a row, Errani once again proves to be a threat on clay. To beat Errani, you have to hit through her, something which Jankovic doesn't have the power to do. The Serbian's balls do not have the penetration to hurt Sara, and Errani once again proves the doubters wrong. Another very winnable match against Petkovic awaits, as Errani tries to reach her third semi-final here for 3 consecutive years.
Match focus:
Garbine Muguruza vs. Maria Sharapova
Sharapova got out of jail big time against Stosur, with the Australian freezing up when she was near victory. The Russian will need to get things going against Garbine Muguruza, as the Spaniard is going from strength to strength. Muguruza's ground game is impressive, pinning her opponents to the baseline with hard hit balls. The only relative weakness I see is her service. If she gets a low percentage of first serves, Sharapova can pounce on the second serve and gain advantage. This is Garbine's first quarter-final, so there will definitely be nerves. Therefore, I think Sharapova will emerge to victor this time again. Things might get close for one set though.
Pick: Sharapova in 2 tight sets
Carla Suarez Navarro vs. Eugenie Bouchard
Bouchard's game isn't really suited for clay but she's also excelling on this surface. A win here will mean she's the only player to have reached 2 consecutive slam semi-finals this year. Carla loves the clay, but her mental game always lets her down. I believe securing that title in Oeiras has freed her a bit and it will be a dogfight here. Bouchard takes the ball early, but Carla can nullify that with her slow slice. If she can frustrate the Canadian with patient play, she can advance to her first slam semi-finals. Very evenly matched for these 2 players, but I think Suarez Navarro has the better clay game, and will reach the last 4.
Pick: Suarez Navarro in 3 tight sets
Sunday, 1 June 2014
Roland Garros day 9: Errani to reach finals again?
Schedule of play:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Match focus:
Kiki Bertens vs. Andrea Petkovic
Brand new territory for these 2 players as they attempt to reach their first Roland Garros quarter-finals. Berten's resurgence came out of nowhere, and I think she even surprised herself with her good results here. Andrea is the seeded player here, and will be the favourite. Still, Kiki has nothing to lose and will just swing freely. However, on such a big show court in Phillippe Chatrier, I think the occasion might get to her.
Pick: Petkovic in 2 sets
Sloane Stephens vs. Simona Halep
Even though Sloane Stephens has been running on 6 consecutive fourth round showings in slams, the only higher ranked player she beat was an injured Serena during those runs. It would be safe to say that unless Halep has an injury, she has this in the bag. Simona is just going from strength to strength, and as the highest seed left, most favoured to reach the finals. She has barely been losing games, so the Romanian will be too much for the erratic Sloane to topple.
Pick: Halep in 2 sets
Jelena Jankovic vs. Sara Errani
Jankovic is playing just enough to win her matches in straights throughout the tournament. As usual, it isn't without drama, and I expect a lot of drama from this match. Errani famously upset Jankovic in Rome, putting her clay court tennis skills to good use. Can she repeat it again? If you have watched Jelena's matches, you would have seen that the Serbian is still not playing at her best yet. She will need to be at her tip top condition for Sara. The winner of this match is almost a safe bet for the semi-finals. A close match that's for sure, and I'm going with Errani as she's more mentally strong and pesky.
Pick: Errani in 3 tight sets
Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Lucie Safarova
2 of the tour's most volatile ladies will clash for a place in the last 8. Svetlana had a hard fought battle with Kvitova, but she really made things difficult for herself by wasting all those break point chances. It's not a secret that the Russian knows how to play on clay. The question is whether her mind is strong enough. In this case, you can say the same about Lucie, whose career has been speckled with great wins and then puzzling losses. Needless to say, it will be an up and down match, but I believe Kuznetsova has the better clay game and will emerge the winner.
Pick: Kuznetsova in 3 sets
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Match focus:
Kiki Bertens vs. Andrea Petkovic
Brand new territory for these 2 players as they attempt to reach their first Roland Garros quarter-finals. Berten's resurgence came out of nowhere, and I think she even surprised herself with her good results here. Andrea is the seeded player here, and will be the favourite. Still, Kiki has nothing to lose and will just swing freely. However, on such a big show court in Phillippe Chatrier, I think the occasion might get to her.
Pick: Petkovic in 2 sets
Sloane Stephens vs. Simona Halep
Even though Sloane Stephens has been running on 6 consecutive fourth round showings in slams, the only higher ranked player she beat was an injured Serena during those runs. It would be safe to say that unless Halep has an injury, she has this in the bag. Simona is just going from strength to strength, and as the highest seed left, most favoured to reach the finals. She has barely been losing games, so the Romanian will be too much for the erratic Sloane to topple.
Pick: Halep in 2 sets
Jelena Jankovic vs. Sara Errani
Jankovic is playing just enough to win her matches in straights throughout the tournament. As usual, it isn't without drama, and I expect a lot of drama from this match. Errani famously upset Jankovic in Rome, putting her clay court tennis skills to good use. Can she repeat it again? If you have watched Jelena's matches, you would have seen that the Serbian is still not playing at her best yet. She will need to be at her tip top condition for Sara. The winner of this match is almost a safe bet for the semi-finals. A close match that's for sure, and I'm going with Errani as she's more mentally strong and pesky.
Pick: Errani in 3 tight sets
Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Lucie Safarova
2 of the tour's most volatile ladies will clash for a place in the last 8. Svetlana had a hard fought battle with Kvitova, but she really made things difficult for herself by wasting all those break point chances. It's not a secret that the Russian knows how to play on clay. The question is whether her mind is strong enough. In this case, you can say the same about Lucie, whose career has been speckled with great wins and then puzzling losses. Needless to say, it will be an up and down match, but I believe Kuznetsova has the better clay game and will emerge the winner.
Pick: Kuznetsova in 3 sets
Saturday, 31 May 2014
Roland Garros day 8: Another breakthrough for Bouchard
Upset of the previous day:
Lucie Safarova def. Ana Ivanovic 6-3 6-3
Another one bites the dust! Pre tournament favourite Ana Ivanovic throws in an erratic performance and is sent packing home by the unpredictable Lucie Safarova. Lucie does hold a commanding lead over Ana in previous meetings, but I figured that Ana is able to win with her confidence sky high. Perhaps with the top seeds falling out and the focus shifting to her, Ana couldn't handle the pressure as usual. Poor Ana. It always seem like one step forward, two steps back for her.
Schedule of play:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Match focus:
Eugenie Bouchard vs. Angelique Kerber
Anyone who watched Kerber's previous match would have seen the controversial point where Kerber claimed point that wasn't hers. Well, it's not entirely her fault that the umpire, Louise Engzell, is totally incompetent at her job, but Angelique showed poor sportsmanship by telling Daniela to carry on with the game. Back to this match up, Eugenie's game should be able to trouble Kerber. The Canadian takes time away from Kerber, and is confident after winning her first title last week. Even if the umpire incident didn't happen, I would expect Bouchard to beat Kerber anyway.
Pick: Bouchard in 2 sets
Garbine Muguruza vs. Pauline Parmentier
Who would have expected one of these ladies will be in the quarter-finals of Serena Williams's section. Garbine is riding on her high right now and is the clear favourite. Nevertheless, Parmentier has been springing surprises throughout the tournament. Lifted by the French crowd, Pauline is making one last dash in her long career. It will be a fairytale for her to reach the last 8, but I believe Garbine is too solid to let that happen. Pauline had the luck of drawing easily affected opponents so far. Muguruza was so steady in her dismissal of Serena, that I believe she will easily trounce Parmentier to reach her maiden quarter-final.
Pick: Muguruza in 2 sets
Ajla Tomljanovic vs. Carla Suarez Navarro
Another youngster trying to make it to the last 8, Tomljanovic will be facing a big test in trying to topple Suarez Navarro. The Spaniard clearly excels on clay, and will be sure to make Ajla work for her points. The only way for another upset is to hope for another listless performance from her opponent. Carla has struggled in her first 2 matches, and seems to be back on form with her win over Taylor Townsend. It is all about peaking at the right moment and I believe Carla is doing just that. Unless she has another mental breakdown, which I believe she has overcome that with her win in Portugal.
Pick: Suarez Navarro in 2 sets
Samantha Stosur vs. Maria Sharapova
Just like Cibulkova who doesn't match up well to Stosur, Samantha's game just doesn't trouble Sharapova. The Australian's spinny game goes right into the strike zone of the statuesque Russian. and she will not hesitate to pound them for winners. Maria is also on a roll, winning her last match with a double bagel. Signs are not good for Samantha, but if she can upset the Russian (!), she has a chance to reach the finals.
Pick: Sharapova in 2 sets
Lucie Safarova def. Ana Ivanovic 6-3 6-3
Another one bites the dust! Pre tournament favourite Ana Ivanovic throws in an erratic performance and is sent packing home by the unpredictable Lucie Safarova. Lucie does hold a commanding lead over Ana in previous meetings, but I figured that Ana is able to win with her confidence sky high. Perhaps with the top seeds falling out and the focus shifting to her, Ana couldn't handle the pressure as usual. Poor Ana. It always seem like one step forward, two steps back for her.
Schedule of play:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Match focus:
Eugenie Bouchard vs. Angelique Kerber
Anyone who watched Kerber's previous match would have seen the controversial point where Kerber claimed point that wasn't hers. Well, it's not entirely her fault that the umpire, Louise Engzell, is totally incompetent at her job, but Angelique showed poor sportsmanship by telling Daniela to carry on with the game. Back to this match up, Eugenie's game should be able to trouble Kerber. The Canadian takes time away from Kerber, and is confident after winning her first title last week. Even if the umpire incident didn't happen, I would expect Bouchard to beat Kerber anyway.
Pick: Bouchard in 2 sets
Garbine Muguruza vs. Pauline Parmentier
Who would have expected one of these ladies will be in the quarter-finals of Serena Williams's section. Garbine is riding on her high right now and is the clear favourite. Nevertheless, Parmentier has been springing surprises throughout the tournament. Lifted by the French crowd, Pauline is making one last dash in her long career. It will be a fairytale for her to reach the last 8, but I believe Garbine is too solid to let that happen. Pauline had the luck of drawing easily affected opponents so far. Muguruza was so steady in her dismissal of Serena, that I believe she will easily trounce Parmentier to reach her maiden quarter-final.
Pick: Muguruza in 2 sets
Ajla Tomljanovic vs. Carla Suarez Navarro
Another youngster trying to make it to the last 8, Tomljanovic will be facing a big test in trying to topple Suarez Navarro. The Spaniard clearly excels on clay, and will be sure to make Ajla work for her points. The only way for another upset is to hope for another listless performance from her opponent. Carla has struggled in her first 2 matches, and seems to be back on form with her win over Taylor Townsend. It is all about peaking at the right moment and I believe Carla is doing just that. Unless she has another mental breakdown, which I believe she has overcome that with her win in Portugal.
Pick: Suarez Navarro in 2 sets
Samantha Stosur vs. Maria Sharapova
Just like Cibulkova who doesn't match up well to Stosur, Samantha's game just doesn't trouble Sharapova. The Australian's spinny game goes right into the strike zone of the statuesque Russian. and she will not hesitate to pound them for winners. Maria is also on a roll, winning her last match with a double bagel. Signs are not good for Samantha, but if she can upset the Russian (!), she has a chance to reach the finals.
Pick: Sharapova in 2 sets
Friday, 30 May 2014
Roland Garros day 7: Can Kuznetsova grab this chance?
Upset of the previous day:
Ajla Tomljanovic def. Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 6-4
Surprise, surprise! With Radwanska's unceremonious exit, the women's draw is officially without its top 3 seeds. It seems that we are destined for a Sharapova vs Ivanovic/Halep final here. Agnieszka was not her usual crafty and consistent self against Ajla. Committing numerous unforced errors and just lacking drive, she fell behind in both sets quickly. Credit must also be given to Tomljanovic for staying strong and completing the win. Will more top seeds fall? Hopefully not as I think the tournament still needs some stars in the second week.
Schedule of play:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Match focus:
Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Petra Kvitova
Kuznetsova's clay season has been better than average, and she seems to be progressing steadily here. She faces the unpredictable Kvitova, who did just enough to win her first 2 matches here. Petra's game isn;t suited for clay, but she powers through anyway. Part of it is due to her opponents's lack of game as well. However, Svetlana has tons of clay playing experience and will be looking to score another upset here. The Russian just has to hang in and hope Petra implodes.
Pick: Kuznetsova in 3 sets
Andrea Petkovic vs. Kristina Mladenovic
With the epic collapse of the draw, Petkovic is suddenly the highest seed left in her quarter. She will face French favourite, Mladenovic for a place in the last 16. Kristina has a huge serve, but is often undone by her errors. She's able to rein it in so far, but there's always a chance that she'll self destruct any day. Andrea just needs to ignore the partisan crowd, hang in there and take her chances. I think the German has a good chance to make a breakthrough here.
Pick: Petkovic in 2 sets
Jelena Jankovic vs. Sorana Cirstea
Cirstea rose to prominance right here, where she upset Jankovic, marking her first big win. These 2 will reignite the rivalry as Jankovic attempts to chase that elusive slam. There is no doubt that Cirstea has the game to beat Jankovic. But the stars have to be aligned at the exact positions for that Cirstea to appear. The Romanian has no lower gear and only know one ball bashing game. Jelena should be able to hang on and draw the errors from Sorana.
Pick; Jankovic in 2 tight sets
Sloane Stephens vs. Ekaterina Makarova
No matter how bad her form is preceding a grand slam, you can always count on Sloane Stephens to at least reach the 4th round. She continues this trend here, just one win away from a successive 6 consecutive round of 16 showings. Makarova should be a good test for Sloane though, but Stephens is clearly a big match player. She raises her level of play with respect to the tournament, and Makarova isn't in stellar form coming in anyway.
Pick: Stephens in 2 sets
Sure win bets: Simona Halep, Sara Errani, Silvia Soler Espinosa
Upset alert: Petra Kvitova
Ajla Tomljanovic def. Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 6-4
Surprise, surprise! With Radwanska's unceremonious exit, the women's draw is officially without its top 3 seeds. It seems that we are destined for a Sharapova vs Ivanovic/Halep final here. Agnieszka was not her usual crafty and consistent self against Ajla. Committing numerous unforced errors and just lacking drive, she fell behind in both sets quickly. Credit must also be given to Tomljanovic for staying strong and completing the win. Will more top seeds fall? Hopefully not as I think the tournament still needs some stars in the second week.
Schedule of play:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Match focus:
Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Petra Kvitova
Kuznetsova's clay season has been better than average, and she seems to be progressing steadily here. She faces the unpredictable Kvitova, who did just enough to win her first 2 matches here. Petra's game isn;t suited for clay, but she powers through anyway. Part of it is due to her opponents's lack of game as well. However, Svetlana has tons of clay playing experience and will be looking to score another upset here. The Russian just has to hang in and hope Petra implodes.
Pick: Kuznetsova in 3 sets
Andrea Petkovic vs. Kristina Mladenovic
With the epic collapse of the draw, Petkovic is suddenly the highest seed left in her quarter. She will face French favourite, Mladenovic for a place in the last 16. Kristina has a huge serve, but is often undone by her errors. She's able to rein it in so far, but there's always a chance that she'll self destruct any day. Andrea just needs to ignore the partisan crowd, hang in there and take her chances. I think the German has a good chance to make a breakthrough here.
Pick: Petkovic in 2 sets
Jelena Jankovic vs. Sorana Cirstea
Cirstea rose to prominance right here, where she upset Jankovic, marking her first big win. These 2 will reignite the rivalry as Jankovic attempts to chase that elusive slam. There is no doubt that Cirstea has the game to beat Jankovic. But the stars have to be aligned at the exact positions for that Cirstea to appear. The Romanian has no lower gear and only know one ball bashing game. Jelena should be able to hang on and draw the errors from Sorana.
Pick; Jankovic in 2 tight sets
Sloane Stephens vs. Ekaterina Makarova
No matter how bad her form is preceding a grand slam, you can always count on Sloane Stephens to at least reach the 4th round. She continues this trend here, just one win away from a successive 6 consecutive round of 16 showings. Makarova should be a good test for Sloane though, but Stephens is clearly a big match player. She raises her level of play with respect to the tournament, and Makarova isn't in stellar form coming in anyway.
Pick: Stephens in 2 sets
Sure win bets: Simona Halep, Sara Errani, Silvia Soler Espinosa
Upset alert: Petra Kvitova
Thursday, 29 May 2014
Roland Garros day 6: Stosur the dark horse
Upset of the previous day:
Julia Glushko def. Kirsten Flipkens 6-4 3-6 6-4
The horror year continues for Flipkens as she suffers another early round exit in Roland Garros. She and Lisicki are guilty of not fully utilizing their elevated rankings to get consistent results, and will most probably be dropping out of the top 40 after Wimbledon. Kirsten seems to be confused at the moment, doing different things that gave her this ranking. She should continue to deploy her slice as not a lot of players on tour can handle that. Let's hope she can have better results on grass.
Schedule of play:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Match focus:
Dominika Cibulkova vs. Samantha Stosur
Cibulkova must be cursing at her rotten luck having drawn Stosur in her third round. The Slovak hasn't found any solutions to the Stosur puzzle and will probably go down tamely as usual. With the top half of the draw collapsing, Stosur might have a chance to go far in this tournament. That is provided she can upset Sharapova though. Nevertheless, Stosur can breath a sigh of relief as Dominika just doesn't trouble her. A 4th round showing will be good enough for the Aussie.
Pick: Stosur in 2 sets
Daniela Hantuchova vs. Angelique Kerber
Players all aim to peak at the right tournament and these 2 are doing exactly that. In their warm-up tournaments, they were posting horrid results and looked poised for an early upset. Surprisingly, they chose this tournament to shrug off the bad form, both living to their seed status. Daniela's best surface will never be clay, but neither is Kerber's. Daniela does have some good wins on the red stuff, and is capable of creating an upset once in a while. I still believe Angelique's grinding game will cause Daniela to go for too much and make the errors. It might get close though.
Pick: Kerber in 2 tight sets
Taylor Townsend vs. Carla Suarez Navarro
Taylor Townsend proved to be delight to watch as she displayed her powerful game (on a show court nontheless) against Alize. Even though she's carrying extra weight, her movement isn't that compromised, and she showed some fine power and delicate touch as well. Carla will need to be on alert as Taylor is fearless and has nothing to lose. The Spaniard's form isn't exactly stellar so far, but she has been doing enough to win her matches. Let's see if she does enough to tame the youngster.
Pick: Suarez Navarro in 3 sets
Pauline Parmentier vs. Mona Barthel
Sometimes, crowd support can give you the advantage you need, like in the case of Pauline Parmentier. The French crowd was obviously behind her, but the way they abused Shvedova in their second round was disgraceful. No player deserved to be jeered like that. On a bigger court, I think the crowd will be less partisan, so I believe Mona can finish the job without being affected. Parmentier has done practically nothing this year, so it's a huge surprise to see her outlasting Alize, the highest ranked French player. She'll need a lot of help from the crowd if she wants to win this.
Pick: Barthel in 2 sets
Sure win bets: Agnieszka Radwanska, Maria Sharapova, Eugenie Bouchard
Upset alert: Dominika Cibulkova
Julia Glushko def. Kirsten Flipkens 6-4 3-6 6-4
The horror year continues for Flipkens as she suffers another early round exit in Roland Garros. She and Lisicki are guilty of not fully utilizing their elevated rankings to get consistent results, and will most probably be dropping out of the top 40 after Wimbledon. Kirsten seems to be confused at the moment, doing different things that gave her this ranking. She should continue to deploy her slice as not a lot of players on tour can handle that. Let's hope she can have better results on grass.
Schedule of play:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Match focus:
Dominika Cibulkova vs. Samantha Stosur
Cibulkova must be cursing at her rotten luck having drawn Stosur in her third round. The Slovak hasn't found any solutions to the Stosur puzzle and will probably go down tamely as usual. With the top half of the draw collapsing, Stosur might have a chance to go far in this tournament. That is provided she can upset Sharapova though. Nevertheless, Stosur can breath a sigh of relief as Dominika just doesn't trouble her. A 4th round showing will be good enough for the Aussie.
Pick: Stosur in 2 sets
Daniela Hantuchova vs. Angelique Kerber
Players all aim to peak at the right tournament and these 2 are doing exactly that. In their warm-up tournaments, they were posting horrid results and looked poised for an early upset. Surprisingly, they chose this tournament to shrug off the bad form, both living to their seed status. Daniela's best surface will never be clay, but neither is Kerber's. Daniela does have some good wins on the red stuff, and is capable of creating an upset once in a while. I still believe Angelique's grinding game will cause Daniela to go for too much and make the errors. It might get close though.
Pick: Kerber in 2 tight sets
Taylor Townsend vs. Carla Suarez Navarro
Taylor Townsend proved to be delight to watch as she displayed her powerful game (on a show court nontheless) against Alize. Even though she's carrying extra weight, her movement isn't that compromised, and she showed some fine power and delicate touch as well. Carla will need to be on alert as Taylor is fearless and has nothing to lose. The Spaniard's form isn't exactly stellar so far, but she has been doing enough to win her matches. Let's see if she does enough to tame the youngster.
Pick: Suarez Navarro in 3 sets
Pauline Parmentier vs. Mona Barthel
Sometimes, crowd support can give you the advantage you need, like in the case of Pauline Parmentier. The French crowd was obviously behind her, but the way they abused Shvedova in their second round was disgraceful. No player deserved to be jeered like that. On a bigger court, I think the crowd will be less partisan, so I believe Mona can finish the job without being affected. Parmentier has done practically nothing this year, so it's a huge surprise to see her outlasting Alize, the highest ranked French player. She'll need a lot of help from the crowd if she wants to win this.
Pick: Barthel in 2 sets
Sure win bets: Agnieszka Radwanska, Maria Sharapova, Eugenie Bouchard
Upset alert: Dominika Cibulkova
Wednesday, 28 May 2014
Roland Garros day 5: Anyone's title now
Upset of the previous day:
Garbine Muguruza def. Serena Williams 6-2 6-2
Shocking the tennis world with her early exit, Serena Williams was powerless to stop the sublime Garbine Muguruza from upsetting the world number one. The Spaniard hit her balls with conviction, stayed with Serena in the rallies, and forced the American to come up with the answers. Serena didn't. Well, Serena had an off day but she always fights to her last breath when she's not playing well. Garbine was superb in not letting up and calmly closed the match out with a service hold to love. Serena said that Garbine could win the tournament playing like this. Maybe not. However, the tennis world better take serious notes about this Spaniard who's bound to be one of the top players. For Serena, she'll be back with a vengeance on grass. Look out.
Schedule of play:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Match focus:
Sloane Stephens vs. Polona Hercog
Sloane Stephens survives Peng, showing the fight that she's capable of. The American has made it a habit of performing well in Slams, and I think she will continue the trend here despite barely winning any matches before Paris. Polona has a handy clay court game, but her iffy mental strength will cause her problems. Stephens may be pushed, but she will eventually win the match.
Pick: Stephens in 3 sets
Camila Giorgi vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova
Former French Open champion Kuznetsova seems to be forgotten by the majority. The Russian has had solid results coming into the tournament and will be a dark horse for the title given how the draw has collapsed. She will have to deal with hard hitting Giorgi first. The Italian's game is not really suited for clay, but she powers her way to wins nevertheless. Kuznetsova's clay game should be enough to make Camila overhit and commit the errors. Experience will prevail here.
Pick: Kuznetsova in 2 sets
Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor vs. Magdalena Rybarikova
Rybarikova had a lucky first round, drawing a virtual bye in Urszula Radwanska. She will not be so lucky against the in-form Maria-Teresa. A recent titlelist in Portugal, the Spaniard is realising her potential by upsetting Klara in her first round. Armed with a gigantic forehand and growing up on the red surface will give Torro-Flor the advantage. Magdalena's game will be more suited for grass, which I'm sure she's already looking forward to.
Pick: Torro-Flor in 2 sets
Elina Svitolina vs. Ana Ivanovic
Ana Ivanovic came out of the Garcia challenge unscathed, with the Frenchwoman imploding. She will need to be careful of Svitolina though, as the Ukrainian is capable of fearless hitting. Ana's form is picking up, and will be an obvious pick for the second week. Can she keep up that intensity throughout 7 matches to win the title again? I doubt so. But she's making progress, and that should be commended given how much she struggled with her confidence for the last 5 years.
Pick: Ivanovic in 2 sets
Sure win bets: Jelena Jankovic, Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep, Sara Errani, Ekaterina Makarova
Upset alert: Magdalena Rybarikova, Alison Riske, Yanina Wickmayer, Kirsten Flipkens
Garbine Muguruza def. Serena Williams 6-2 6-2
Shocking the tennis world with her early exit, Serena Williams was powerless to stop the sublime Garbine Muguruza from upsetting the world number one. The Spaniard hit her balls with conviction, stayed with Serena in the rallies, and forced the American to come up with the answers. Serena didn't. Well, Serena had an off day but she always fights to her last breath when she's not playing well. Garbine was superb in not letting up and calmly closed the match out with a service hold to love. Serena said that Garbine could win the tournament playing like this. Maybe not. However, the tennis world better take serious notes about this Spaniard who's bound to be one of the top players. For Serena, she'll be back with a vengeance on grass. Look out.
Schedule of play:
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/index.html
Match focus:
Sloane Stephens vs. Polona Hercog
Sloane Stephens survives Peng, showing the fight that she's capable of. The American has made it a habit of performing well in Slams, and I think she will continue the trend here despite barely winning any matches before Paris. Polona has a handy clay court game, but her iffy mental strength will cause her problems. Stephens may be pushed, but she will eventually win the match.
Pick: Stephens in 3 sets
Camila Giorgi vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova
Former French Open champion Kuznetsova seems to be forgotten by the majority. The Russian has had solid results coming into the tournament and will be a dark horse for the title given how the draw has collapsed. She will have to deal with hard hitting Giorgi first. The Italian's game is not really suited for clay, but she powers her way to wins nevertheless. Kuznetsova's clay game should be enough to make Camila overhit and commit the errors. Experience will prevail here.
Pick: Kuznetsova in 2 sets
Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor vs. Magdalena Rybarikova
Rybarikova had a lucky first round, drawing a virtual bye in Urszula Radwanska. She will not be so lucky against the in-form Maria-Teresa. A recent titlelist in Portugal, the Spaniard is realising her potential by upsetting Klara in her first round. Armed with a gigantic forehand and growing up on the red surface will give Torro-Flor the advantage. Magdalena's game will be more suited for grass, which I'm sure she's already looking forward to.
Pick: Torro-Flor in 2 sets
Elina Svitolina vs. Ana Ivanovic
Ana Ivanovic came out of the Garcia challenge unscathed, with the Frenchwoman imploding. She will need to be careful of Svitolina though, as the Ukrainian is capable of fearless hitting. Ana's form is picking up, and will be an obvious pick for the second week. Can she keep up that intensity throughout 7 matches to win the title again? I doubt so. But she's making progress, and that should be commended given how much she struggled with her confidence for the last 5 years.
Pick: Ivanovic in 2 sets
Sure win bets: Jelena Jankovic, Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep, Sara Errani, Ekaterina Makarova
Upset alert: Magdalena Rybarikova, Alison Riske, Yanina Wickmayer, Kirsten Flipkens
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