[4] Victoria Azarenka vs [8] Petra Kvitova
Victoria Azarenka can now tell her haters to shut up. Many of them were complaining that she didn't deserve to be number four in the world without reaching a grand slam semifinal. Now she's done just that, and she has a great opportunity to get even farther. She's the highest ranked player left in the draw. She showed some excellent tennis against Paszek in the quarterfinals. She was creaming the ball and kept her error count low. She hits solidly off both sides and isn't a terrible mover compared to Kvitova. She isn't amazing at net, but then again, who is these days? She has an okay first serve, but her second serve is attackable. Her mental game is what seems suspect. Although she has improved significantly in that regard, she has never been to a grand slam semifinal, so no one knows how she'll handle the moment.
With her victory over Pironkova, Petra Kvitova has proven that she is no one slam wonder. She has one of the best forehands in women's tennis, and her backhand is quite strong as well. Although her serve won't be setting any speed records, it is a force to be reckoned with. She has a great flat serve, and her slice serve gets her a lot of aces too. In her quarterfinal match against Pironkova, Kvitova served nine aces, only one less ace than the ten aces that Azarenka has served during the whole tournament. Her return of serve is excellent as well, and she will be looking to attack the Azarenka second serve.
In order for Azarenka to win this match, she has to come in with multiple game plans. She knows that she won't be able to out-muscle Kvitova, so she will need to add variety to her game and try to make Kvitova move. If she resorts to hitting the ball as hard she can, she fall to Kvitova in a Wickmayer-esque fashion. However, if she can make Kvitova uncomfortable, her reward will be numerous errors from Kvitova and a spot in the finals.
Kvitova has a different route to the finals. She can overpower Azarenka and punish her second serve. She can hit penetrating shots and work the net. However, she needs to keep herself from choking. If she can do that, she will get to her first major final.
Although this is a tough decision, I think that Kvitova will tough it out in either two or three very close sets.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wimbledon Semifinal Picks- Part I
[5] Maria Sharapova vs [WC] Sabine Lisicki
It will be the oddsmakers' favorite against the girl who defied all odds to get this far. Although on paper, Sharapova goes in the overwhelming favorite, I feel it could go either way.
Sharapova has been playing with authority for the whole tournament. She routed Cibulkova in the quarterfinals 6-1 6-1. She will be looking to punish Lisicki's second serve which is often in the 70-80 MPH range. Sharapova will go into this match with confidence knowing that she won their only match 6-2 6-0. However, she knows that Lisicki was just coming back to the game in March of 2011 when Sharapova routed her. In order to win, Sharapova will need to get a high percentage of first serves in as she has a very low-margin second serve that is prone to breaking down. Sharapova has been doing a great job of keeping her double faults down.
Much has been said about how Sabine Lisicki needed to write a letter to the AELTC begging for a wild card. There has also been a lot said about her first serve. Lisicki's first serve is one of the best in the women's game. She has clocked the fastest serve at Wimbledon on the women's at 124 MPH. She is able to hit aces during high-pressure moments which was apparent when she served four un-returnable serves when she was down double match point to the Roland Garros champion, Li Na. However, her second serve will be a sitting duck. However, besides her serve, Lisicki has a lot going for her. She has penetrating shots, and her forehand will get her many winners. She has excellent drop shots and top spin lobs off both sides, so she will be able to move Sharapova around the court. Also, she doesn't need to face as much pressure as Sharapova, so she can swing freely.
Although this match is hard to call, I'll go with the upset. I think that Sabine has showed a great deal of mental toughness in her matches so far, and she has shown that she can serve herself out of danger. If she doesn't let the moment get to her, she will advance in three tough sets to her first major final.
It will be the oddsmakers' favorite against the girl who defied all odds to get this far. Although on paper, Sharapova goes in the overwhelming favorite, I feel it could go either way.
Sharapova has been playing with authority for the whole tournament. She routed Cibulkova in the quarterfinals 6-1 6-1. She will be looking to punish Lisicki's second serve which is often in the 70-80 MPH range. Sharapova will go into this match with confidence knowing that she won their only match 6-2 6-0. However, she knows that Lisicki was just coming back to the game in March of 2011 when Sharapova routed her. In order to win, Sharapova will need to get a high percentage of first serves in as she has a very low-margin second serve that is prone to breaking down. Sharapova has been doing a great job of keeping her double faults down.
Much has been said about how Sabine Lisicki needed to write a letter to the AELTC begging for a wild card. There has also been a lot said about her first serve. Lisicki's first serve is one of the best in the women's game. She has clocked the fastest serve at Wimbledon on the women's at 124 MPH. She is able to hit aces during high-pressure moments which was apparent when she served four un-returnable serves when she was down double match point to the Roland Garros champion, Li Na. However, her second serve will be a sitting duck. However, besides her serve, Lisicki has a lot going for her. She has penetrating shots, and her forehand will get her many winners. She has excellent drop shots and top spin lobs off both sides, so she will be able to move Sharapova around the court. Also, she doesn't need to face as much pressure as Sharapova, so she can swing freely.
Although this match is hard to call, I'll go with the upset. I think that Sabine has showed a great deal of mental toughness in her matches so far, and she has shown that she can serve herself out of danger. If she doesn't let the moment get to her, she will advance in three tough sets to her first major final.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
[8] Petra Kvitova vs [32] Tsvetana Pironkova
Petra Kvitova def Tsvetana Pironkova 6-3 6-7(5) 6-2
The Kvitova-Pironkova match should have been on center court. It was a battle between Wimbledon 2010's two losing semifinalists. However, the AELTC decided to put this match on Court 1 so that Maria Sharapova could defeat Dominika Cibulkova with a double breadstick.
The match started out like I thought it would. Kvitova raced ahead breaking Pironkova's serve and holding her own. She got to a 5-1 lead before Pironkova staged a mini comeback broke Kvitova's serve before Kvitova closed out the set 6-3.
Then it all started to go wrong for Kvitova. She lost the next set 6-7 getting broken along the way. However, she regrouped and won the third set 6-2.
Pironkova didn't really do anything wrong in the match. She was able to stretch Kvitova to three sets using her varied play. Pironkova got a lot of balls back, and her slice stayed low and got her a lot of errors from Kvitova's racket. So she can tell herself that she still had an amazing Wimbledon reaching her second consecutive quarterfinal and going out in style.
Kvitova can take some positives from the match as well. Although she didn't win the second set, she was able to improve her game slightly before the third set. However, she does need to work on a plan B. When things weren't going her way in the second set, she continued to make silly error after silly error. She also needs to work on her net play some more as she gave away some silly points at net. Other than that, she can go into her next match knowing that she plays Azarenka. Azarenka doesn't have the weapons to overpower Kvitova like Serena did in 2010, and she doesn't have the variety to annoy Kvitova like Pironkova did. Hopefully Kvitova doesn't choke since she has a great chance to get to the finals of a major and win it.
The Kvitova-Pironkova match should have been on center court. It was a battle between Wimbledon 2010's two losing semifinalists. However, the AELTC decided to put this match on Court 1 so that Maria Sharapova could defeat Dominika Cibulkova with a double breadstick.
The match started out like I thought it would. Kvitova raced ahead breaking Pironkova's serve and holding her own. She got to a 5-1 lead before Pironkova staged a mini comeback broke Kvitova's serve before Kvitova closed out the set 6-3.
Then it all started to go wrong for Kvitova. She lost the next set 6-7 getting broken along the way. However, she regrouped and won the third set 6-2.
Pironkova didn't really do anything wrong in the match. She was able to stretch Kvitova to three sets using her varied play. Pironkova got a lot of balls back, and her slice stayed low and got her a lot of errors from Kvitova's racket. So she can tell herself that she still had an amazing Wimbledon reaching her second consecutive quarterfinal and going out in style.
Kvitova can take some positives from the match as well. Although she didn't win the second set, she was able to improve her game slightly before the third set. However, she does need to work on a plan B. When things weren't going her way in the second set, she continued to make silly error after silly error. She also needs to work on her net play some more as she gave away some silly points at net. Other than that, she can go into her next match knowing that she plays Azarenka. Azarenka doesn't have the weapons to overpower Kvitova like Serena did in 2010, and she doesn't have the variety to annoy Kvitova like Pironkova did. Hopefully Kvitova doesn't choke since she has a great chance to get to the finals of a major and win it.
Wimbledon Quarterfinal Predictions- Part II
Don't worry ATP, I haven't forgotten about you. I was just watching some amazing WTA matches!
[12] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs [3] Roger Federer
Tsonga already took out Mini-Fed in the second round. Can he take out the real thing? I don't think so. Federer is nearly unbeatable on grass. He's serving well and playing aggressively. I'll give it to him in 4 sets.
[4] Andy Murray vs Feliciano Lopez
Murray is playing excellent tennis here at Wimbledon, and he's only lost two lets on his way to the quarterfinals. He's known for his movement, and he can often chase down seemingly impossible to reach shots and hit winners off them.
Lopez has had one of the tournaments of his reaching his third quarterfinal at a major and at Wimbledon. He showed great fight when coming back from match point and two sets to love down to win his Round of 16 match against Kubot.
I think that Lopez has the ability to pull off the upset. His first serve is great, and his aggressive game suits the grass. He has a strong forehand and good netplay. However, I think that Murray will pull it out in four or five because of his consistency.
[10] Mardy Fish vs [1] Rafael Nadal
Mardy Fish played well against Berdych to make his first quarterfinal at a major since 2008. However, Nadal is a very different opponent than Berdych. For one, Nadal won't choke. Also, Nadal can track down many more balls than Berdych can. Fish had a great tournament here at Wimbledon, but it will be over in three sets.
Bernard Tomic vs [2] Novak Djokovic
Although I've heard a lot of hype about Tomic, I haven't actually seen him play yet. I know he beat Soderling, but I don't know how he did it. However, I do know that Djokovic was a semifinalist here last year where he lost to an inspired Berdych. With his improved serve and forehand, Djokovic has only lost a single match this year, and I have trouble seeing him go out to anyone but Federer or Nadal. Djokovic in three.
[12] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs [3] Roger Federer
Tsonga already took out Mini-Fed in the second round. Can he take out the real thing? I don't think so. Federer is nearly unbeatable on grass. He's serving well and playing aggressively. I'll give it to him in 4 sets.
[4] Andy Murray vs Feliciano Lopez
Murray is playing excellent tennis here at Wimbledon, and he's only lost two lets on his way to the quarterfinals. He's known for his movement, and he can often chase down seemingly impossible to reach shots and hit winners off them.
Lopez has had one of the tournaments of his reaching his third quarterfinal at a major and at Wimbledon. He showed great fight when coming back from match point and two sets to love down to win his Round of 16 match against Kubot.
I think that Lopez has the ability to pull off the upset. His first serve is great, and his aggressive game suits the grass. He has a strong forehand and good netplay. However, I think that Murray will pull it out in four or five because of his consistency.
[10] Mardy Fish vs [1] Rafael Nadal
Mardy Fish played well against Berdych to make his first quarterfinal at a major since 2008. However, Nadal is a very different opponent than Berdych. For one, Nadal won't choke. Also, Nadal can track down many more balls than Berdych can. Fish had a great tournament here at Wimbledon, but it will be over in three sets.
Bernard Tomic vs [2] Novak Djokovic
Although I've heard a lot of hype about Tomic, I haven't actually seen him play yet. I know he beat Soderling, but I don't know how he did it. However, I do know that Djokovic was a semifinalist here last year where he lost to an inspired Berdych. With his improved serve and forehand, Djokovic has only lost a single match this year, and I have trouble seeing him go out to anyone but Federer or Nadal. Djokovic in three.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Wimbledon Quarterfinal Predictions- Part I
[24] Dominika Cibulkova vs [5] Maria Sharapova
Cibulkova came back from a terrible first set against Wozniacki today to win in three- 1-6 7-6 (5) 7-5. She hits the ball quite hard. But so does Maria Sharapova who demolished Peng Shuai in straight sets 6-4 6-2 to advance to her first Wimbledon quarterfinal in five years. Although Cibulkova has gotten the better in their two most recent matches, the two have never played on grass where Sharapova is the superior player. Sharapova will advance in three well contested sets.
Sabine Lisicki vs [9] Marion Bartoli
This match is a tossup. I don't know who will win. Both hit the ball hard and have effective serves. I'll give it to Lisicki in three on the grounds that she can serve her way out of trouble more effectively than Bartoli can. However, if Pierce Brosnan shows up, Lisicki will lose in two sets.
Tamira Paszek vs [4] Victoria Azarenka
I should be honest. Until she defeated Francesca Schiavone in the third round, I had forgotten who Tamira Paszek was. I still haven't seen her play very much. But from what I have seen, I've noticed that she has improved her fitness and has solid strokes. Victoria Azarenka has blossomed this year winning two titles and rising to a career high rank of four. Known for her shrieking and her tendency to retire during matches, Azarenka will want to continue her success in 2011 by reaching her first major semifinal. She knows that this is as good an opportunity as any seeing as she faces an unseeded player who had never reached a quarterfinal of a major before.
[8] Petra Kvitova vs [32] Tsvetana Pironkova
Today, Tsvetana Pironkova proved two things to the world. She can play on grass, and she can beat Venus Williams. Her forehand has improved from last year, and her slice forehand stayed low and drew errors from Venus. Her backhand is quite solid, and her first serve was fast and well placed.
However, Kvitova played an amazing match as well demolishing the 19th seed Yanina Wickmayer 6-0 6-2. One stat about this match that really stood out was the percent of points that Kvitova won on her first serve- 94%. It's no wonder she didn't face a single break point during the match.
Kvitova can definitely overpower Pironkova. Kvitova serves better and hits harder off both wings. She is also no slouch at net. Because of her hard groundstrokes, she can often come into net to finish off points. However, if Pironkova can take Kvitova out of her groove by mixing things up with slices and moonballs, she might be able to pull off the upset. However the match lies on Kvitova's racket.
Now that Serena and Venus are out, Petra Kvitova must be regarded as one of the favorites to win the title. She will definitely be favored to win this match and get to the semifinals of Wimbledon for the second time in a row. I'll give Pironkova eight games max.
The Men's quarterfinal predictions will be coming soon.
Cibulkova came back from a terrible first set against Wozniacki today to win in three- 1-6 7-6 (5) 7-5. She hits the ball quite hard. But so does Maria Sharapova who demolished Peng Shuai in straight sets 6-4 6-2 to advance to her first Wimbledon quarterfinal in five years. Although Cibulkova has gotten the better in their two most recent matches, the two have never played on grass where Sharapova is the superior player. Sharapova will advance in three well contested sets.
Sabine Lisicki vs [9] Marion Bartoli
This match is a tossup. I don't know who will win. Both hit the ball hard and have effective serves. I'll give it to Lisicki in three on the grounds that she can serve her way out of trouble more effectively than Bartoli can. However, if Pierce Brosnan shows up, Lisicki will lose in two sets.
Tamira Paszek vs [4] Victoria Azarenka
I should be honest. Until she defeated Francesca Schiavone in the third round, I had forgotten who Tamira Paszek was. I still haven't seen her play very much. But from what I have seen, I've noticed that she has improved her fitness and has solid strokes. Victoria Azarenka has blossomed this year winning two titles and rising to a career high rank of four. Known for her shrieking and her tendency to retire during matches, Azarenka will want to continue her success in 2011 by reaching her first major semifinal. She knows that this is as good an opportunity as any seeing as she faces an unseeded player who had never reached a quarterfinal of a major before.
[8] Petra Kvitova vs [32] Tsvetana Pironkova
Today, Tsvetana Pironkova proved two things to the world. She can play on grass, and she can beat Venus Williams. Her forehand has improved from last year, and her slice forehand stayed low and drew errors from Venus. Her backhand is quite solid, and her first serve was fast and well placed.
However, Kvitova played an amazing match as well demolishing the 19th seed Yanina Wickmayer 6-0 6-2. One stat about this match that really stood out was the percent of points that Kvitova won on her first serve- 94%. It's no wonder she didn't face a single break point during the match.
Kvitova can definitely overpower Pironkova. Kvitova serves better and hits harder off both wings. She is also no slouch at net. Because of her hard groundstrokes, she can often come into net to finish off points. However, if Pironkova can take Kvitova out of her groove by mixing things up with slices and moonballs, she might be able to pull off the upset. However the match lies on Kvitova's racket.
Now that Serena and Venus are out, Petra Kvitova must be regarded as one of the favorites to win the title. She will definitely be favored to win this match and get to the semifinals of Wimbledon for the second time in a row. I'll give Pironkova eight games max.
The Men's quarterfinal predictions will be coming soon.
Wimbledon- The First Week
Let's look back at some of the best... and worst of the first week of Wimbledon 2011.
The Best: Match Quality of the WTA
So far, there have been no shortage of great matches with one amazing match being between Kimiko Date-Krumm and Venus Williams. This second round match was put on center court and didn't disappoint. For those of you who don't know Kimiko Date-Krumm, she was a player from the Graf era who reached the Semifinals of three of the four majors. She took a 12 year break from tennis starting in 1996, and in 2008, she returned to the much-changed game of tennis. She takes the ball early on both sides and loves coming to net.
Before the match, many expected Venus Williams to coast through the match. Although she hadn't had very much match play going into Wimbledon (Prior to Eastbourne, she hadn't played since being forced to retire in the third round of the Australian Open) she still entered Wimbledon as one of the favorites to win the title. She has a great game for grass. She has the fastest serve in the WTA and her slice serve is also quite effective.
Date-Krumm probably could have won it, but she choked in the third set, especially in the last game. However, her true grass-court game and willingness to come to net were nice to see. Against the odds, she took Venus to the limit in one of the most exciting matches of Wimbledon.
The Worst: Bethanie Mattek-Sands
Bethanie Mattek-Sands has bad taste in clothing. I'm pretty sure that the leopard print outfit she wore at the 2007 US Open proves that.
However, she took ugly clothing to a whole new level at Wimbledon 2011. She started off by wearing a tennis ball yellow dress to the pre-Wimbledon party studded with tennis balls. Her playing attire was no less atrocious. She wore a one sleeved dress, white knee socks and black face paint. When she walked on court, she also wore a white jacket studded with white tennis balls.
If only her tennis could justify her fashion faux pas. Mattek-Sands came to Wimbledon seeded for the first time. Because of this seed, she was also expected to get past the first round. Misaki Doi of Japan had other ideas though. Doi beat Mattek-Sands in three sets and caused one of the first upsets of the tournament. On match point, Mattek-Sands hit a lob clearly wide. Sadly her sportsmanship and her fashion sense could both be described with one word- terrible. After losing the match, she complained to the line judge for a a while before giving a short, cold handshake to Doi and refusing to shake hands with the chair umpire.
There will be more analysis of the first week of Wimbledon to come.
The Best: Match Quality of the WTA
So far, there have been no shortage of great matches with one amazing match being between Kimiko Date-Krumm and Venus Williams. This second round match was put on center court and didn't disappoint. For those of you who don't know Kimiko Date-Krumm, she was a player from the Graf era who reached the Semifinals of three of the four majors. She took a 12 year break from tennis starting in 1996, and in 2008, she returned to the much-changed game of tennis. She takes the ball early on both sides and loves coming to net.
Before the match, many expected Venus Williams to coast through the match. Although she hadn't had very much match play going into Wimbledon (Prior to Eastbourne, she hadn't played since being forced to retire in the third round of the Australian Open) she still entered Wimbledon as one of the favorites to win the title. She has a great game for grass. She has the fastest serve in the WTA and her slice serve is also quite effective.
Date-Krumm probably could have won it, but she choked in the third set, especially in the last game. However, her true grass-court game and willingness to come to net were nice to see. Against the odds, she took Venus to the limit in one of the most exciting matches of Wimbledon.
The Worst: Bethanie Mattek-Sands
Bethanie Mattek-Sands has bad taste in clothing. I'm pretty sure that the leopard print outfit she wore at the 2007 US Open proves that.
If only her tennis could justify her fashion faux pas. Mattek-Sands came to Wimbledon seeded for the first time. Because of this seed, she was also expected to get past the first round. Misaki Doi of Japan had other ideas though. Doi beat Mattek-Sands in three sets and caused one of the first upsets of the tournament. On match point, Mattek-Sands hit a lob clearly wide. Sadly her sportsmanship and her fashion sense could both be described with one word- terrible. After losing the match, she complained to the line judge for a a while before giving a short, cold handshake to Doi and refusing to shake hands with the chair umpire.
There will be more analysis of the first week of Wimbledon to come.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Wimbledon Day 7 Previews Part II- WTA
Shuai Peng [20] vs Maria Sharapova [5]
Maria Sharapova is the odds makers' favorite to win Wimbledon. She won her first title here in 2004. She leads Peng in their head to head 2:1. They have never played on grass.
Sharapova's tactics almost always involve two things. Creaming the ball and walloping the ball. She hits the ball as hard as she can on almost every shot. She has been serving relatively well so far with her first serve percentage hovering in the 60's. She has served a total of fourteen double faults so far which averages slightly more than four double faults every match. However, she still hasn't lost a set, so it doesn't seem like those double faults are hurting her much.
Peng has seen a significant increase in her rank from last year. She's reached her third fourth round in the past four grand slams (She was forced to retire against Francesca Schiavone in the third round of Roland Garros because she had the flu) and has reached a career high rank of 20. She hits flat off both sides and uses two hands on both wings. However, when she is stretched, she can hit a one-handed forehand. She isn't very good at net.
Although the last match they played was close, (2011 Indian Wells, 6-2 5-7 6-3) I can't see Peng beating Sharapova on grass. Sharapova has too many weapons and can move Peng around. Peng's effectiveness is reduced significantly when she is forced to use her one-handed forehand. The fast and low bouncing grass courts will hamper Peng's game, and Sharapova will advance to her first Wimbledon Quarterfinal since 2006.
Maria Sharapova is the odds makers' favorite to win Wimbledon. She won her first title here in 2004. She leads Peng in their head to head 2:1. They have never played on grass.
Sharapova's tactics almost always involve two things. Creaming the ball and walloping the ball. She hits the ball as hard as she can on almost every shot. She has been serving relatively well so far with her first serve percentage hovering in the 60's. She has served a total of fourteen double faults so far which averages slightly more than four double faults every match. However, she still hasn't lost a set, so it doesn't seem like those double faults are hurting her much.
Peng has seen a significant increase in her rank from last year. She's reached her third fourth round in the past four grand slams (She was forced to retire against Francesca Schiavone in the third round of Roland Garros because she had the flu) and has reached a career high rank of 20. She hits flat off both sides and uses two hands on both wings. However, when she is stretched, she can hit a one-handed forehand. She isn't very good at net.
Although the last match they played was close, (2011 Indian Wells, 6-2 5-7 6-3) I can't see Peng beating Sharapova on grass. Sharapova has too many weapons and can move Peng around. Peng's effectiveness is reduced significantly when she is forced to use her one-handed forehand. The fast and low bouncing grass courts will hamper Peng's game, and Sharapova will advance to her first Wimbledon Quarterfinal since 2006.
Wimbledon Day 7 Previews Part I- WTA
I wasn't able to watch Wimbledon today as I had a busy day, but since there are no match analyses, I'll do extra predictions.
Venus Williams [23] vs Tsvetana Pironkova [32]
Last year, in a shocking upset, the unseeded Pironkova beat the second seeded Venus in the Quarterfinals 6-2 6-3. She has a good serve and a good backhand. This year, her forehand seems a little stronger, but it still isn't a weapon by any means. She isn't terrible at net either.
The reason why she beat Venus last year was because Venus was a wreck. Venus had 7 more unforced errors than winners. She didn't capitalize on her amazing first serve; she won less than 60 percent of points where she got her first serve in. She also won only 53 percent of the points where she went up to net. However, this is a new year. Even though she hasn't played much, she showed great mental strength in her defeat of Date-Krumm and showed that she hasn't lost her game when she routed Martinez-Sanchez. I still think that she will get her revenge in two hard fought sets. However, I wouldn't be upset if I were wrong.
Marion Bartoli [9] vs Serena Williams [9]
Personally, I think that this match should also be on Center Court. It has much more potential than the Nadal Del-Potro match. Obviously Serena Williams is the favorite going into this match. However, she is struggling with her fitness. Although it wasn't as apparent in her match today with Kirilenko, she has been huffing and puffing her way through the first week. One person who gave Serena a lot of trouble was Rezai, an inconsistent but hard hitting player. Rezai, when she was on, was able to move Serena around the court. However, Rezai wasn't able to keep up the pressure and take advantage of Serena's lack of fitness.
However, Bartoli can definitely push Serena to the limit. She takes the ball early and hits it hard and flat off both sides. Because she hits with two hands off both sides, she can get great angles on her shots. Her game works well on grass; her 2007 run to the Wimbledon Final is evidence of that. I think that she can definitely take a set off of Serena. But I think that eventually, in spite of her fitness issues, Serena will come out on top.
Venus Williams [23] vs Tsvetana Pironkova [32]
Last year, in a shocking upset, the unseeded Pironkova beat the second seeded Venus in the Quarterfinals 6-2 6-3. She has a good serve and a good backhand. This year, her forehand seems a little stronger, but it still isn't a weapon by any means. She isn't terrible at net either.
The reason why she beat Venus last year was because Venus was a wreck. Venus had 7 more unforced errors than winners. She didn't capitalize on her amazing first serve; she won less than 60 percent of points where she got her first serve in. She also won only 53 percent of the points where she went up to net. However, this is a new year. Even though she hasn't played much, she showed great mental strength in her defeat of Date-Krumm and showed that she hasn't lost her game when she routed Martinez-Sanchez. I still think that she will get her revenge in two hard fought sets. However, I wouldn't be upset if I were wrong.
Marion Bartoli [9] vs Serena Williams [9]
Personally, I think that this match should also be on Center Court. It has much more potential than the Nadal Del-Potro match. Obviously Serena Williams is the favorite going into this match. However, she is struggling with her fitness. Although it wasn't as apparent in her match today with Kirilenko, she has been huffing and puffing her way through the first week. One person who gave Serena a lot of trouble was Rezai, an inconsistent but hard hitting player. Rezai, when she was on, was able to move Serena around the court. However, Rezai wasn't able to keep up the pressure and take advantage of Serena's lack of fitness.
However, Bartoli can definitely push Serena to the limit. She takes the ball early and hits it hard and flat off both sides. Because she hits with two hands off both sides, she can get great angles on her shots. Her game works well on grass; her 2007 run to the Wimbledon Final is evidence of that. I think that she can definitely take a set off of Serena. But I think that eventually, in spite of her fitness issues, Serena will come out on top.
Saturday Highlight Reel
I've decided to post highlights from one of my favorite matches- the 2005 US Open Quarterfinal between Elena Dementieva (who is my favorite player on both sides) and Lindsay Davenport.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Andy Roddick [8] vs Feliciano Lopez
Lopez defeats Roddick in straight sets 7-6 (2) 7-6 (2) 6-4.
Lopez played an amazing match against the number 8 seed. Discounting serve speed, (where he was only slightly behind Roddick) Lopez beat Roddick in every stat. He had more aces, fewer double faults, a higher first serve percentage, a higher winning percent on both serves, more winners, fewer unforced errors, a better percentage of receiving points won, a better break point conversion ratio and a better percentage of points won at net. He also had a 57:7 winners to unforced errors ratio. Lopez hit some amazing passing shots as well as some great forehands and volleys. With that kind of tennis, we could see Lopez into the quarterfinals and possibly into the semifinals. If that possible quarterfinal match between Lopez and Murray happens, I wonder who Judy Murray would be voting for.
Sadly for Roddick, this loss came with a barrage of questions from the media about his possible retirement. Seriously? He's still ranked in the top ten, and he is still fit. It's almost as bad as the question addressed to Rafael Nadal about his decline as a tennis player which was asked after Nadal's victory over Ryan Sweeting. If Roddick can find any consolation though, he can tell himself that he was thoroughly outplayed by a superior player on that day.But Roddick really needs to be more aggressive. He can't be content with pushing forehands and slicing backhands. He can't continue to rely on his first serve. Otherwise, he will continue to lose third round matches at the majors.
Lopez played an amazing match against the number 8 seed. Discounting serve speed, (where he was only slightly behind Roddick) Lopez beat Roddick in every stat. He had more aces, fewer double faults, a higher first serve percentage, a higher winning percent on both serves, more winners, fewer unforced errors, a better percentage of receiving points won, a better break point conversion ratio and a better percentage of points won at net. He also had a 57:7 winners to unforced errors ratio. Lopez hit some amazing passing shots as well as some great forehands and volleys. With that kind of tennis, we could see Lopez into the quarterfinals and possibly into the semifinals. If that possible quarterfinal match between Lopez and Murray happens, I wonder who Judy Murray would be voting for.
Sadly for Roddick, this loss came with a barrage of questions from the media about his possible retirement. Seriously? He's still ranked in the top ten, and he is still fit. It's almost as bad as the question addressed to Rafael Nadal about his decline as a tennis player which was asked after Nadal's victory over Ryan Sweeting. If Roddick can find any consolation though, he can tell himself that he was thoroughly outplayed by a superior player on that day.But Roddick really needs to be more aggressive. He can't be content with pushing forehands and slicing backhands. He can't continue to rely on his first serve. Otherwise, he will continue to lose third round matches at the majors.
Wimbledon Day 6 Previews
Caroline Wozniacki [1] vs Jarmila Gajdosova [27]
I'm not sure why they put this match on CC over the Serena-Kirilenko match, but I guess they think it has some potential. Caroline Wozniacki is the WTA number one, and she had a very convincing defeat over Virginie Razzano where she only committed one unforced error. However, during her first match against against Parra-Santonja, Wozniacki showed us why she doesn't play aggressive and come to net more. She can't. Her netplay is pretty awkward, and she can't volley for shit. However, her consistent high-percentage game will be more than enough to overcome Gajdosova, a player known for her power and her inconsistency.
I'm not sure why they put this match on CC over the Serena-Kirilenko match, but I guess they think it has some potential. Caroline Wozniacki is the WTA number one, and she had a very convincing defeat over Virginie Razzano where she only committed one unforced error. However, during her first match against against Parra-Santonja, Wozniacki showed us why she doesn't play aggressive and come to net more. She can't. Her netplay is pretty awkward, and she can't volley for shit. However, her consistent high-percentage game will be more than enough to overcome Gajdosova, a player known for her power and her inconsistency.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Wimbledon Day 5 Previews
Feliciano Lopez vs Andy Roddick [8]
Roddick will really need his serve to be on. He has been relying on it to get through matches. (But then again, why should we be surprised?) His backhand is still kind of crappy since he doesn't always make the best decisions with it. (Namely slicing when he's on the offensive)
Lopez is a lefty which means that his serve will be going to the Roddick backhand. He is also good at net. Like Roddick, he prefers his forehand to his backhand. He often slices his backhand, and even when he doesn't, it isn't that great.
Although I'd say that both have a chance at winning, Roddick will come out the victor in three or four sets.
Victoria Azarenka [4] vs Daniela Hantuchova [25]
The much awaited match between Azarenka and Hantuchova-both retired last week at Eastbourne, but I think that they both retired for preventative reasons and to get more rest.
It's definitely a winnable match for both women. They are both pretty good ballstrikers. I'm not really sure who will win though. It all depends on who shows up. If Hantuchova comes to Center Court tomorrow, then Azarenka will go on to the fourth round. However, if Danielle Anotoxfa comes to play, then I'd say Vika is doomed.
Tsevetana Pironkova [32] vs Vera Zvonareva [2]
This is a rematch of last year's semifinal where Zvonareva took the match 3-6 6-3 6-2. Both have good serves in terms of placement, and both have good backhands. However, Pironkova's forehand is quite weak. She hasn't been doing well this year, but she does tend to bring it all at Wimbledon. I'm going to go with Zvonareva on this one though.
Roddick will really need his serve to be on. He has been relying on it to get through matches. (But then again, why should we be surprised?) His backhand is still kind of crappy since he doesn't always make the best decisions with it. (Namely slicing when he's on the offensive)
Lopez is a lefty which means that his serve will be going to the Roddick backhand. He is also good at net. Like Roddick, he prefers his forehand to his backhand. He often slices his backhand, and even when he doesn't, it isn't that great.
Although I'd say that both have a chance at winning, Roddick will come out the victor in three or four sets.
Victoria Azarenka [4] vs Daniela Hantuchova [25]
The much awaited match between Azarenka and Hantuchova-both retired last week at Eastbourne, but I think that they both retired for preventative reasons and to get more rest.
It's definitely a winnable match for both women. They are both pretty good ballstrikers. I'm not really sure who will win though. It all depends on who shows up. If Hantuchova comes to Center Court tomorrow, then Azarenka will go on to the fourth round. However, if Danielle Anotoxfa comes to play, then I'd say Vika is doomed.
Tsevetana Pironkova [32] vs Vera Zvonareva [2]
This is a rematch of last year's semifinal where Zvonareva took the match 3-6 6-3 6-2. Both have good serves in terms of placement, and both have good backhands. However, Pironkova's forehand is quite weak. She hasn't been doing well this year, but she does tend to bring it all at Wimbledon. I'm going to go with Zvonareva on this one though.
The Challenge System
The Hawkeye system was put in place so that players could challenge calls that they felt were incorrect. It came partially as a response to the US Open quarterfinal match between Serena Williams and Jennifer Capriati. During that match, Serena had a series of blatantly incorrect line calls made against her.
I think that the challenge system is great. Players get three incorrect challenges per set and an extra challenge in the tiebreak. In matches where tiebreaks aren't played in the final set, players get their incorrect challenge tally reset. However, there are some problems with the challenge system that should be addressed.
The first one is the amount of time taken before a challenge is made. Oftentimes, players spend a large chunk of time deciding whether they should challenge or not. Sometimes, players even look towards their box to see whether they should challenge or not. Other times they spend close to thirty seconds debating with the umpire before challenging. This should not be allowed. A player should have less than three seconds to signal that they want to challenge. Otherwise, the challenge system becomes a form of legal time delay.
During Wimbledon, I've noticed that many players are challenging close balls after they make errors. I don't know why umpires allow the players to challenge. A player should not be given two opportunities to win a point. I understand that a player might be in the middle of their stroke when they notice that the shot they are returning is out. However, when a player hits a shot, realizes that their shot is out, then challenges, they should not be allowed to challenge.
That brings me to the recent tennis scandal known by tennis fans as "Kadergate."
During Doha 2011, Agnieszka Radwanska was playing a match against Lucie Safarova. Safarova hit a ball that was called out but then overruled. Radwanska decided to challenge and was incorrect. Kader Nouni, the umpire, gave the point to Safarova. Radwanska was quite upset because she felt that the point should have been replayed. She definitely had a play on the ball, and, if the umpire thinks that the player had a play on the ball and play is interrupted by a non-player, the point should be replayed.
However, Nouni gave the point to Safarova because Radwanska had challenged and was wrong. When a player interrupts play to challenge and the challenge is incorrect, the player is supposed to lose the point. This sort of point happens often, and most of the time, the umpire allows the point to be replayed. However, I agree with Nouni that, when a player challenges, he or she is interrupting play again and should lose the point.
Thoughts?
But besides those issues that I have with Hawkeye, I think it is a great system and should be implemented on as many courts as possible- even clay courts.
I think that the challenge system is great. Players get three incorrect challenges per set and an extra challenge in the tiebreak. In matches where tiebreaks aren't played in the final set, players get their incorrect challenge tally reset. However, there are some problems with the challenge system that should be addressed.
The first one is the amount of time taken before a challenge is made. Oftentimes, players spend a large chunk of time deciding whether they should challenge or not. Sometimes, players even look towards their box to see whether they should challenge or not. Other times they spend close to thirty seconds debating with the umpire before challenging. This should not be allowed. A player should have less than three seconds to signal that they want to challenge. Otherwise, the challenge system becomes a form of legal time delay.
During Wimbledon, I've noticed that many players are challenging close balls after they make errors. I don't know why umpires allow the players to challenge. A player should not be given two opportunities to win a point. I understand that a player might be in the middle of their stroke when they notice that the shot they are returning is out. However, when a player hits a shot, realizes that their shot is out, then challenges, they should not be allowed to challenge.
That brings me to the recent tennis scandal known by tennis fans as "Kadergate."
During Doha 2011, Agnieszka Radwanska was playing a match against Lucie Safarova. Safarova hit a ball that was called out but then overruled. Radwanska decided to challenge and was incorrect. Kader Nouni, the umpire, gave the point to Safarova. Radwanska was quite upset because she felt that the point should have been replayed. She definitely had a play on the ball, and, if the umpire thinks that the player had a play on the ball and play is interrupted by a non-player, the point should be replayed.
However, Nouni gave the point to Safarova because Radwanska had challenged and was wrong. When a player interrupts play to challenge and the challenge is incorrect, the player is supposed to lose the point. This sort of point happens often, and most of the time, the umpire allows the point to be replayed. However, I agree with Nouni that, when a player challenges, he or she is interrupting play again and should lose the point.
Thoughts?
But besides those issues that I have with Hawkeye, I think it is a great system and should be implemented on as many courts as possible- even clay courts.
Li Na [3] vs Sabine Lisicki
Lisicki defeats Li in three sets. 3-6 6-4 8-6
It really came down to Na self destructing. Her forehand completely deserted her in the last few games, and Lisicki realized it and started directing the majority of her shots to Li's forehand. Li had two match points, and that's where it became apparent how important a great serve is. Lisicki has such a great first serve, and in a typical Serena fashion, she served her way out of trouble. Lisicki has a great shot at reaching the quarterfinals again as she faces Misaki Doi in the third round and most likely Ivanovic in the Round of 16.
It really came down to Na self destructing. Her forehand completely deserted her in the last few games, and Lisicki realized it and started directing the majority of her shots to Li's forehand. Li had two match points, and that's where it became apparent how important a great serve is. Lisicki has such a great first serve, and in a typical Serena fashion, she served her way out of trouble. Lisicki has a great shot at reaching the quarterfinals again as she faces Misaki Doi in the third round and most likely Ivanovic in the Round of 16.
A Call for Help
Hey all, I'm really new to this blogging stuff, so if anyone can help me format my blog, I'd really appreciate it. I'm trying to change the background picture as well as add one of those things on the side that has a list of tags that come up in my posts. (The kind where the tags increase in font size the more I use them)
Wimbledon Mens Predictions for the tournament
Because of the stability of the men's tour compared to the women's tour, it's not really as much fun making predictions since there aren't really as many upsets. However, so as not to appear sexist, I'll give you my predictions.
One of the top three men will win Wimbledon. Murray won't even make the final. Possible outside threats include Berdych and Soderling, but they have the luck of getting Nadal and Djokovic in the quarterfinals, so they're screwed.
One of the top three men will win Wimbledon. Murray won't even make the final. Possible outside threats include Berdych and Soderling, but they have the luck of getting Nadal and Djokovic in the quarterfinals, so they're screwed.
Wimbledon Womens Predictions for the tournament
Although Wimbledon is already well underway, I'm going to post my predictions for the WTA.
Quarterfinalists:
Wozniacki-Although she isn't the greatest player on grass (or at all, but that's for another post all together) she has a good draw with her two biggest threats coming in the fourth round with Cibulkova and Goerges, two women who hit the ball quite hard and have both beaten her this year.
Sharapova-Since the only threat that she has in her draw is Peng, she should get to the quarterfinals with ease.
Li-Although she has a tough second round match with Lisicki, she is still an amazing ball striker. However, Roland Garros champions tend not to fare well at Wimbledon a few weeks later.
Serena-Even though she's been out for eleven months, she is still Serena. She has a tough customer in Bartoli in the fourth round, but if she can shake the rust in her game, she should be fine.
Petkovic-I gotta be honest. I had Makarova getting to the quarters in this relatively weak eighth of the draw on the grounds that she won Eastbourne in 2010 and has a good game for grass. But she lost to McHale in the first round, so I'm going with Andrea Petkovic who has been in the quarterfinals of both majors this year.
Azarenka-Azarenka has a good shot at reaching the quarterfinals in a major if she can stay healthy. The one person who can stop her is Daniella Hantuchova, otherwise known as Danielle Anotoxfa. She got to the finals of Birmingham defeating Ana Ivanovic and Venus Williams before losing to Sabine Lisicki. If she doesn't choke, she can definitely beat Azarenka in the third round.
Kvitova-Kvitova is a great player who hits the ball very hard and very deep. She got to the semifinals of Wimbledon last year before falling to Serena. There isn't really anyone who can beat her in this eighth than herself.
Zvonareva-This final eighth of the draw is probably one of the strongest with Venus Williams, Vera Zvonareva and Tsvetana Pironkova. Interesting matches will be a rematch of last year's Wimbledon semifinal coming in the third round and a match between the winner of that one and Venus Williams. I'd say that Zvonareva has the edge to get to the quarters on the grounds of Venus's lack of match play.
Semifinalists:
Sharapova-If she can minimize her double faults and her unforced errors, she'll be a force to be reckoned with. She has defeated Wozniacki in the past, and on grass, she'll have an even bigger advantage.
Serena-This was a really tough one to predict, but I think that Serena will have shaken off her rust by the quarterfinals and will prove to be too tough a challenge for Li. However, I think that the winner of this match has a great shot at winning the whole thing.
Azarenka-If she can get past her third round match against Hantuchova, she has a great shot at reaching her maiden semifinal.
Kvitova-She is such a great ballstriker that whoever she faces will have quite a lot of trouble dealing with her.
Finalists:
Serena-It's Serena... on grass... She has such mental toughness and can even overpower Sharapova. She beat her last year at Wimbledon as well.
Kvitova-She can beat anyone in the third quarter of the draw with ease.
Winner:
Serena-Although Kvitova can definitely challenge Serena in almost every aspect of her game, Serena is a 13 time grand slam champion and knows how deal with that pressure. However, as seen in last year's semifinal, Kvitova can put pressure on Serena, and if she can deal with the pressure, she might be the next winner of the Venus Rosewater Dish.
Quarterfinalists:
Wozniacki-Although she isn't the greatest player on grass (or at all, but that's for another post all together) she has a good draw with her two biggest threats coming in the fourth round with Cibulkova and Goerges, two women who hit the ball quite hard and have both beaten her this year.
Sharapova-Since the only threat that she has in her draw is Peng, she should get to the quarterfinals with ease.
Li-Although she has a tough second round match with Lisicki, she is still an amazing ball striker. However, Roland Garros champions tend not to fare well at Wimbledon a few weeks later.
Serena-Even though she's been out for eleven months, she is still Serena. She has a tough customer in Bartoli in the fourth round, but if she can shake the rust in her game, she should be fine.
Petkovic-I gotta be honest. I had Makarova getting to the quarters in this relatively weak eighth of the draw on the grounds that she won Eastbourne in 2010 and has a good game for grass. But she lost to McHale in the first round, so I'm going with Andrea Petkovic who has been in the quarterfinals of both majors this year.
Azarenka-Azarenka has a good shot at reaching the quarterfinals in a major if she can stay healthy. The one person who can stop her is Daniella Hantuchova, otherwise known as Danielle Anotoxfa. She got to the finals of Birmingham defeating Ana Ivanovic and Venus Williams before losing to Sabine Lisicki. If she doesn't choke, she can definitely beat Azarenka in the third round.
Kvitova-Kvitova is a great player who hits the ball very hard and very deep. She got to the semifinals of Wimbledon last year before falling to Serena. There isn't really anyone who can beat her in this eighth than herself.
Zvonareva-This final eighth of the draw is probably one of the strongest with Venus Williams, Vera Zvonareva and Tsvetana Pironkova. Interesting matches will be a rematch of last year's Wimbledon semifinal coming in the third round and a match between the winner of that one and Venus Williams. I'd say that Zvonareva has the edge to get to the quarters on the grounds of Venus's lack of match play.
Semifinalists:
Sharapova-If she can minimize her double faults and her unforced errors, she'll be a force to be reckoned with. She has defeated Wozniacki in the past, and on grass, she'll have an even bigger advantage.
Serena-This was a really tough one to predict, but I think that Serena will have shaken off her rust by the quarterfinals and will prove to be too tough a challenge for Li. However, I think that the winner of this match has a great shot at winning the whole thing.
Azarenka-If she can get past her third round match against Hantuchova, she has a great shot at reaching her maiden semifinal.
Kvitova-She is such a great ballstriker that whoever she faces will have quite a lot of trouble dealing with her.
Finalists:
Serena-It's Serena... on grass... She has such mental toughness and can even overpower Sharapova. She beat her last year at Wimbledon as well.
Kvitova-She can beat anyone in the third quarter of the draw with ease.
Winner:
Serena-Although Kvitova can definitely challenge Serena in almost every aspect of her game, Serena is a 13 time grand slam champion and knows how deal with that pressure. However, as seen in last year's semifinal, Kvitova can put pressure on Serena, and if she can deal with the pressure, she might be the next winner of the Venus Rosewater Dish.
Welcome
I'm opening a tennis blog so that I can share my opinions on tennis. I tend to watch WTA events more than ATP events, so this blog will have more WTA coverage than ATP coverage.
This blog will have regularly weekly previews of tournaments as well as analyses and rants.
This blog will have regularly weekly previews of tournaments as well as analyses and rants.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)