Moscow, Luxembourg day 1: Massive withdrawals dampen season ending tournaments

Moscow schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/664/title/kremlin-cup-by-bank-of-moscow

Luxembourg schedule of play:

http://www.wtatennis.com/schedule/tournamentId/233/title/bgl-bnp-paribas-luxembourg-open

Match focus:

Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Klara Koukalova

Svetlana Kuznetsova looks content just being a solid top 30 player, always pushing the top players but coming out short in the end. In an event marred by the top players' withdrawal, this will be a good chance for Kuznetsova to revive her career. The Russian enjoys home crowd support, and will be the firm favourite against the slumping Koukalova. If the Russian loses this, I'm afraid any hopes of a career revival will be dashed.

Pick: Kuznetsova in 2 sets

Tereza Smitkova vs. Roberta Vinci

Vinci may be slumping, but I certainly do not expect her to lose to unheralded Tereza Smitkova. The Czech youngster had a breakthrough tournament in Wimbledon, but faded in obscurity immediately after that. There is one factor that might work against Roberta though, as she is scheduled to play in the Year-End Championships in Singapore. If she advances to the finals, she will have limited time to travel back to Asia and readjust to the conditions. Not saying that the Italian should throw the match away, but it will be a matter of priorities.

Pick: Vinci in 2 sets

Silvia Soler Espinosa vs. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova

Silvia held a 5-0 lead against Serena in Beijing, but collapsed immediately after that when the world number 1 raised her game. The Spaniard's game is not flashy, but will make you earn your points. Barbora's season has been consistent after her Wimbledon breakthrough. She used to be a walking time-bomb, never knowing when she will self-destruct and wallow in self pity. Once she kept her emotions intact, she plays a good all-court game which is a joy to watch. I would give Barbora the advantage as she's a play maker, as opposed to Silvia's reactionary game. It will be close though, with a lot of scrambling and all court tennis.

Pick: Strycova in 3 sets

Sure win bets: Mona Barthel, Karin Knapp, Monica Niculescu
Upset alert: Jana Cepelova, Donna Vekic, Tsvetana Pironkova

Beijing QF: Simona withdraws, Ana bolsters chance of qualifying

Schedule of play:

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

Simona withdraws from Beijing after toughing out her win against Petkovic. This gives Ana a free pass to the semi-finals, almost confirming her attendance in Singapore.

Match focus:

Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Maria Sharapova

A rematch of last week's 2nd round match, Kuznetsova gets another chance to try to topple the tall Russian. However, it is very doubtful that Svetlana can upset Maria after that horror show last week. Sharapova was clearly not at her best but managed to toughen out a win in Wuhan. Svetlana's mental strength is just not capable of making the right shots at the right time. Expect another win for the more famous Russian.

Pick: Sharapova in 2 sets

Serena Williams vs. Samantha Stosur

Serena has not been playing her best tennis lately, and struggled with her left knee against Safarova. If Stosur plays well, she can cause another upset here. I do think that Serena is smart enough not to risk further injury before the year-end championships, so there is a possibility of her withdrawing before the match even begins. Nevertheless, if Serena steps on court, she will have to fight her way through a resurgent Stosur, whose game seem to be clicking again. Stosur's mental strength is very flaky though, so if Serena is able to pressure the Aussie, Samantha might crumble.

Pick: Serena in 3 sets

Petra Kvitova vs. Roberta Vinci

Out of nowhere, Roberta Vinci manages to win consecutive matches to enter her first Premier quarterfinal in a while. With a negative win-loss record this year, I would have expected Vinci to focus more on doubles, or look forward to next year. The Italian's run should end here though, as she collides with the ever-improving Kvitova. The Czech has been going from strength to strength here in China, still unbeaten from her run in Wuhan. Her matches have been relatively straightforward, so I don't see how Vinci's game can hurt her.

Pick: Kvitova in 2 sets

Beijing Day 5: Angelique chasing for finals spot

Schedule of play:

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

Match focus:

Angelique Kerber vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova

With Radwanska surprisingly bundled out, Kerber needs a good showing here to boost her chances of appearing in the year-end championships. She will face former Beijing champion Kuznetsova, but the Russian is suffering from erratic form. I believe the German is extra motivated now that the door to qualifying is wide open, so she will chase down Svetlana's balls relentlessly. Kuznetsova will probably be irritated and go for too much, hitting herself out of the match.

Pick: Kerber in 3 sets

Samantha Stosur vs. Caroline Wozniacki

Another player trying to cement her place in the year-end championships is Caroline Wozniacki. Before the US Open, it was almost an impossible task for the Dane to qualify for the prestigious event. However, an inspired run at US Open, followed by consistent results thereafter makes her an almost lock for the final 8. Against Stosur, Caroline just needs to play her normal consistent game and make Samantha miss.  The Aussie's game is very much built on confidence, so with her recent downward form, it should be an easy win for Wozniacki.

Pick: Wozniacki in 2 sets

Carla Suarez Navarro vs. Maria Sharapova

It should be a foregone conclusion that Sharapova is the huge favourite here. However, Carla Suarez Navarro interestingly won their last encounter in Montreal. If one recalls that match, it was an absolute horror show from the Russian, so I believe Sharapova will be more than happy to exact revenge. With her superior mental strength, it shouldn't be a tough task for Maria to beat the mental midget Carla. That is if her game is at its normal level and not hitting double faults and errors everywhere.

Pick: Sharapova in 2 sets

Sure win bets: Petra Kvitova, Alize Cornet

Cincinnati day 4: Rejuvenated Caroline up for an upset

Schedule of play:

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

Match focus:

Caroline Wozniacki vs. Angelique Kerber

Caroline Wozniacki is close to rediscovering her top form since 2011, and this match will be a test whether she's truly back at her peak. Kerber will definitely make her work for the points, and Caroline will need to step it up and be aggressive at the right time. These 2 players play a similar game, except that Wozniacki has a much more lethal serve. If Caroline serves well and keeps her errors low, she will be able to cause the upset here.

Pick: Wozniacki in 3 sets

Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Ana Ivanovic

Kuznetsova conquered the rising Eugenie Bouchard in a surprising 3 set win in her previous round, and will try to continue her resurgence against Ivanovic. Who would have thought that the Russian will hold her nerve and scrap out a 3 set win. Maybe Kuznetsova is really back. Nevertheless, Ana Ivanovic is playing inspired tennis at the moment, and may be too much for Kuznetsova to handle. Unless Ana is still bothered by her injury in Montreal, I don't see how Kuznetsova can pull off another upset.

Pick: Ivanovic in 2 tight sets

Maria Sharapova vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

Maria Sharapova is not playing good tennis at all. She was horrific in her loss to Suarez Navarro in Montreal, and was gifted a place here by a brainless Madison Keys who didn't know how to make Maria work for her points. Pavlyuchenkova has beaten Sharapova before, so she knows what it takes to best her fellow Russian. Hopefully she will exploit the serving woes of Sharapova and stage the upset. However, knowing Sharapova, she's not going to go down without a fight. Anastasia will have to be mentally prepared to go the distance.

Pick: Pavlyuchenkova in 3 sets

Sure win bets: Serena Williams, Carla Suarez Navarro, Simona Halep
Upset alert: Jelena Jankovic, Angelique Kerber

Cincinnati day 3: Tough opener for Genie

Schedule of play:

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

Match focus:

Eugenie Bouchard vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova

After being dumped unceremiously in Montreal by Shelby Rogers, Eugenie Bouchard faces a bigger test now against Svetlana Kuznetsova. The former US Open champion signals her return to form with a title win in Washington, and will be a tough nut to crack. Bouchard has been eating bagels for her last 2 matches, but I believe she has readjusted her mentality now. The good thing about Bouchard is that she always takes the opportunity to learn after her losses, so I expect a tough fight here. It will be close, but the flaky Kuznetsova will almost definitely be the first to crack.

Pick: Bouchard in 3 tight sets

Taylor Townsend vs. Flavia Pennetta

Judging by how Pennetta struggled against Scheepers, I'm afraid that the Italian is still not at 100%. It was enough to subdue Chanelle, but I'm not sure if it's good enough to stop Taylor Townsend. The young American has been making waves for the past few months, and will be a dangerous opponent to anyone. Pennetta will have to be at her best to tame the gutsy American. The only thing holding Taylor back is her lack of concentration. She tends to go off in the middle of the match, causing her to lose unnecessary sets. Let's see if Flavia can take advantage of that.

Pick: Pennetta in 3 tight sets

Sabine Lisicki vs. Sara Errani

A rematch of their last week's first round encounter, Sabine Lisicki will be looking to add another win against Errani. The Italian has been lacklustre so far in her hard court events, so she'll be a sitting duck for Lisicki. Sabine's wham-bam game is enough to overpower the Italian, and will account for another Italian exit following her win over Vinci.

Pick: Lisicki in 2 sets

Sure win bets: Agnieszka Radwanska, Ana Ivanovic, Carla Suarez Navarro
Upset alert: Sara Errani, Sloane Stephens, Angelique Kerber

Cincinnati day 2: Test of endurance for Venus

Schedule of play:

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

Match focus:

Lucie Safarova vs. Venus Williams

It is no secret that Venus Williams is suffering from an auto-immune disease that saps her energy. Recovering from a final run in Montreal to playing her in a span of 2 days might be too much for the 34 year old. Even though Venus is playing good tennis at the moment, it is forgivable to feel tired after her long matches in Montreal. I'm afraid Venus might run out of steam here.

Pick: Safarova in 3 sets

Andrea Petkovic vs. Sloane Stephens

Sloane was so close to beating Jankovic in Montreal, but lost the crucial points. She needed that win to boost her confidence. Petkovic is a player that plays well when confident. She's been reaching the latter stages of her tournaments now, so it's safe to say Andrea is the favourite here. Sloane will need to take the initiative and seize the net whenever possible to counter Petkovic's aggressive grinding game. However, given how adverse the American is to the net, I doubt so.

Pick: Petkovic in 2 sets

Camila Giorgi vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova

 

Kuznetsova retired from her match in Montreal, so she might be still under some sort of injury. However, there is also a possibility that she's just tired and needed to rest. Nevertheless, the Russian has a more rounded game than Camila Giorgi. The Italian's game is simply to hit the hell out of every ball, while Kuznetsova will try to make her hit uncomfortable balls with her spinny forehand. Barring a brain injury from Kuznetsova, she should be able to subdue the wild Italian.

Pick: Kuznetsova in 2 sets

Sure win bets: Caroline Wozniacki, Simona Halep, Carla Suarez Navarro
Upset alert: Roberta Vinci, Victoria Azarenka

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

Stnaford, Washington F: Former US Open champions announces their comeback

Stanford F:

Serena Williams def. Angelique Kerber 7-6(1) 6-3

Never write Serena Williams off. Trailing 1-5 in the first set, Serena ran away with 5 games in a row and clinched the first set on a tiebreak. Maybe she took a while to get herself into gear, but once she's on it, she's pretty much still the number 1 player in the world. With this win, Serena leads the tour with 4 titles so far this year. Despite not having the desired results in Grand Slams, Serena is making up with good results on the regular tour. Let's see if she can carry this form into New York.

Washington F:

Svetlana Kuznetsova def. Kurumi Nara 6-3 4-6 6-4

Despite making things difficult for herself once again, Svetlana Kuznetsova finished the job in the end, and ended a 4 year title drought. Kuznetsova was cruising up a set and 3-1 when she decided to go on a mental walkabout. Nara's game isn't something which Kuznetsova couldn't handle, but the Russian always complicate things for herself like in the Oeiras final against Suarez Navarro. Nevertheless, she completed the win and added another well-deserved title to her resume. Svetlana will be one dangerous floater that the other players will be wanting to avoid in New York.

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