agnieszka radwanska

All posts tagged agnieszka radwanska

2017 WTA Dubai (@DDFTennis) Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on February 18, 2017
Posted in: Dubai, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

dubai

2017 WTA Dubai Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

The tour heads from Doha to Dubai for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships where Angelique Kerber is the top seed and Sara Errani the defending champion. Here is a run down of the 64 woman draw.

Top Quarter:

kerber-2016

Top seed Kerber comes into Dubai out of sorts and out of form after another loss to Daria Kasatkina in Dubai. The German has a tough draw ahead of her too, starting in the second round where she will face either former world number one Jelena Jankovic or the talented but inconsistent Mona Barthel. Speaking of talent and inconsistency, Caroline Garcia is slated to meet the top seed in the third round, but the Frenchwoman has lacked match practice and could fall victim to Johanna Larsson in round one or Monica Puig in round two. The Puerto Rican could also provide a stern test for the world number two. It was around this time last year that Elena Vesnina started her climb back up the rankings, and a as a result she enters Dubai as the eighth seed and receives a bye into round two. The Russian is projected to face Sam Stosur in the third round, but the Aussie has a tough proposition in the from of rising youngster Ana Konjuh in the second round. The Croatian has a good chance of making the quarter final with her draw, and with Kerber out of sorts it is possible she might go further. There’s cause for concern for Kerber, but she has one thing going for her, a lot of her possible opponents are inconsistent. It could be a case where the top seed has to battle through some tough matches on her way to the final four

Prediction: Kerber def. Konjuh

Second Quarter:

Dominika Cibulkova

Dominika Cibulkova is not struggling for form after making the semi-finals in Qatar. The Slovak may fancy herself to go one further in Dubai where she opens in the second round against what is likely to be Ekaterina Makarova. Cibulkova could face a few lefties on her way to the quarter finals, as qualifier Kristyna Pliskova could cause a lot of damage. The Czech has the potential to upset Roberta Vinci, and a second round match against a Lauren Davis who played well in Doha could be interesting. Elina Svitolina’s path to the last eight looks fairly promising as her section is full of low ranked or out of form players. Lara Arruabarrena or Saisai Zheng will entertain the Ukrainian in the second round, then it is likely Kiki Bertens in the third. A quarter final against Cibulkova looks likely and given the seventh seed already has a win against her higher ranked opponent under her belt, Svitolina’s week could turn even better with an upset.

Prediction: Svitolina def. Cibulkova

Third Quarter:

Quarter number three could be the most interesting of the four as the two highest ranked players in this section are both out of form. Could that leave the door open for somebody else to make the final four? Agnieszka Radwanska headlines this quarter and opens her tournament against Tsvetana Pironkova or Elise Mertens. The Pole is projected to face Yulia Putinsteva in round three, a player who is in decent form and could be dangerous, however I see Radwanska making the last eight without many issues. Fifth seed Garbine Muguruza just has not got her game together since the French Open last year. The Spaniard should have enough quality to make the third round where Caroline Wozniacki will likely be waiting. The Dane is in good form after making the Doha final, but she herself has a tough round one against Daria Kasatkina. Wozniacki should be feeling in good form though and will likely make her way through this section. The tenth seed also defeated Radwanska last week and may fancy her chances to do the same in Dubai.

Prediction: Wozniacki def. Radwanska

Fourth Quarter:

pliskova-2016

Karolina Pliskova is the most in form player on tour after winning the Doha title last week. The Czech may be the favourite in Dubai too, and with a first round byehas a decent rest before her round two match, likely against Kristina Mladenovic. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has the game to cause an upset but with Pliskova’s form the way it is, that is not looking likely. Johanna Konta’s withdrawal means Barbora Strycova is now the eighth seed and Pliskova’s potential quarter final opponent. An all-Czech battle could be on the horizon, but Strycova has a tough draw with Lesia Tsurenko possible for round two, and big hitting Coco Vandeweghe likely for round three. Either way it Is hard to look past Pliskova making it out of this section to set up a rematch with Wozniacki in the semi finals.

Prediction: Pliskova def. Strycova

Semi Finals:

Svitolina def. Kerber

Pliskova def. Wozniacki

Kerber’s form at the moment makes it so difficult to predict her matches. The German can turn it around in a heart beat, but Svitolina looks set to have a good year and I can see the Ukrainian pulling off the upset. Pliskova got the better of Wozniacki without many issues in Doha, and barring a dip in form it will likely be a repeat in Dubai

Final:

Pliskova def. Svitolina

It is too hard to go against the big serving Czech in this form. Svitolina can certainly cause problems as she possesses a great backhand and good movement, but overall she may lack the weapons to take the match away from Pliskova.

Advertisement

2017 WTA Doha Preview, Predictions #Qatar_Total_Open

Posted by Admin on February 12, 2017
Posted in: ATP, Doha, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2017 WTA Doha Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

 

qatar-total-open

 

The WTA resumes normal duty after the Fed Cup with the Qatar Total Open. Angelique Kerber and Karolina Pliskova are the top two seeds of a stacked field. Here is a run down of the draw for the upcoming Premier event

Top Quarter:

kerber-2016

 

Kerber came into 2017 as the defending Australian Open Champion and World number one. She was the best player in the world last season, but her poor start to 2017 has seen her slip to second in the rankings. Her fight to claw back to that illustrious position starts in Doha where she will receive a first round bye. The top seed will face wither Irina Begu or Daria Kasatkina in the second round to kick off her tournament. Kasatkina stunned Kerber in Sydney earlier in the season, so the German will be gunning for revenge should they meet in Doha. Timea Bacsinszky comes into Doha off the back of a long Fed Cup weekend against the French. The Swiss faces the in form St.Petersburg runner-up Yulia Putintseva in the first round, a match that could provide an early upset. Monica Puig or Laura Seigemund will meet the winner. It could very well be that the seventh seed exits early, leaving the door open to a surprise quarter finalist. Putintseva’s recent form makes her the favourite if Bacsinszky should fall. Kerber vs Kasatkina will be close but I see the German edging into the quarter finals and beyond.

Prediction: Kerber def. Putintseva

Second Quarter:

aga-doha

Radwanska Doha 2016

Agnieszka Radwanska looks to kick off some good form this week in Doha. The Pole has not enjoyed the best of start to her season, but her form could change with a title here. Like the other top seeds, she receives an opening round bye, but her tournament could start with a blockbuster clash with Caroline Wozniacki in round two. The Dane leads 9-6 in their head to head, but Radwanska won their last match comfortably. The bottom half of this section has two qualifiers as first round opponents for Roberta Vinci and Elena Vesnina. It is likely they will meet in the second round with Vesnina holding the 5-3 head to head advantage. With Radwanska having won their previous two meetings, it is likely she will face Vesnina in the quarter finals. The Pole should be too tricky for the Russian and will go on to meet Kerber in the semi finals.

Prediction: Radwanska def. Vesnina

Third Quarter:

Dominika Cibulkova headlines the third section as the third seeded player in the draw and one of the tournament favourites. The Slovak also has a bye into the second round where she will likely face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. This will be a heavy hitting affair, but Cibulkova has the advantage of being the higher ranked player and winning the head to head. Barbora Strycova is another player who is coming off a busy Fed Cup weekend and she enters Doha as the eighth seed. The Czech faces a local wildcard in round one before meeting either Sam Stosur or Anastasija Sevastova in round two, both tough tests in very different ways. That said it is difficult to see past Strycova setting up a clash with Cibulkova in the quarter finals. Interestingly, for two players who have been at the top of the game for a long time, they have only met once which Cibulkova won in three sets. It is a good clash of styles, but I expect the Slovak to edge it

Prediction: Cibulkova def. Strycova

Fourth Quarter:

pliskova-2016

Karolina Pliskova enters Doha as the favourite to the take home the title. She is the most in form of the top players, but she has a tough draw ahead of her. After an opening round bye, she could face Caroline Garcia in the second round. The Frenchwoman holds an head to head advantage over the Czech, but Garcia could easily lose to her qualifier opponent in round one. Garbine Muguruza has not reached the heights of her French Open win last year, but a good run in Doha will go a long way towards re-capturing that form. She has a good draw to the quarter finals with Cagla Buyukakcay in the opening round, then Shuai Zheng or Timea Babos in the second. It looks good for a Pliskova vs Muguruza quarter final where the Czech has been dominant. Garcia could upset the odds, but it is likely Pliskova advances to the final four.

Prediction: Pliskova def. Muguruza

Semi Finals:

Radwanska def. Kerber

Pliskova def. Cibulkova

Radwanska vs Kerber is one of those matches that could go either way. They are both primarily counter-punchers, but Radwanska offers slightly more variety and that could be the difference. Pliskova vs Cibulkova will offer a different style of match as they will trade blows. Pliskova is the more consistent of the two and has the better serve.

Final:

Pliskova def. Radwanska

There is something about Pliskova that screams that she will have a big year in 2017, and I believe she will add another title to her collection in Doha.

2017 WTA Auckland, Brisbane, Shenzhen Previews and Predictions

Posted by Admin on December 31, 2016
Posted in: Auckland, Australian Open, Brisbane, Shenzen, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2017 WTA Auckland, Brisbane, Shenzhen Previews and Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

radwanska-singapore

The 2017 season kicks off with a trio of events spanning three different countries as the preparation for the Australian Open begins. Here is what in store in the opening week of the new season.

Auckland

Embed from Getty Images

The Williams sisters are making a rare venture to New Zealand for the ASB Classic in Auckland where they will be the top seeds. Serena and Venus will therefore be unable to face each other before the final, but the older sibling has Caroline Wozniacki in her half.

Top Quarter:

Serena opens her 2017 account against Pauline Parmentier in the opening round. The American is in search of the number one ranking yet again after losing that spot to Angelique Kerber last year. The winner faces either Madison Brengle or a qualifier in round two. Jelena Ostapenko is the other seed in the section and is scheduled to face Serena in the quarter finals if she can get by home favourite Marina Erakovic and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. It is hard to go against Williams making it out of this section with ease. None of the players in the section have enough to beat the top seed

Prediction: Serena def. Ostapenko

Second Quarter:

Barbora Strycova returns to action after helping the Czech Fed Cup team to the title in 2016. If the fourth seed can get through her first round opponent, she will likely face compatriot Lucie Safarova in the second round. Safarova spent most of 2016 recovering from injuries, so she will aim to return to the top next year. Kiki Bertens is the other seed in the section, but I can not picture her upsetting Strycova or beating Safarova if the latter is in good form.

Prediction: Strycova def. Bertens

Third Quarter:

Wozniacki undoubtedly headlines the third section of the draw as she looks to once again become a top 10 player. The Dane opens against Nicole Gibbs in what could be quite a long battle. Varvara Lepchenko likely awaits the winner. Anastasia Pavlychenkova is always a dangerous player, but she has a tough opener herself against Julia Goerges. Danka Kovinic and Naomi Broady are also capable of making it to the quarter finals, but it will likely be the Russian that progresses only to lose to Wozniacki.

Prediction: Wozniacki def. Pavlyuchenkova

Fourth Quarter:

Whilst younger players are retiring, Venus just keeps playing on. 2017 could very well be her last season and she will love to kick it off with a tournament win here. It will be difficult though with plenty of young blood looking to upset the veteran. Naomi Osaka is a potential second round opponent, then Ana Konjuh is likely for the quarter finals. It is a good section full of dangerous players and I feel that Venus could exit early. As for who will it make it through, I think 2017 could be a big year for Osaka and Konjuh and either one of them could go through.

Prediction: Konjuh def.Osaka

Semi Finals:

Serena def. Strycova

Wozniacki def. Konjuh

If Serena is in good form, she will make the final undoubtedly. If not then Strycova has the awkward game that can frustrate the world number two and an upset could be sprung. I feel Serena will be out to prove she is the best in 2017 and use this tournament to send an early message to her rivals. Konjuh is a promising young player but Wozniacki is very consistent and very tough to beat. I can see a close match edged by Wozniacki.

Final:

Serena def. Wozniacki

The head to head speaks for itself. The Dane does not have the weapons to trouble Serena, and it will likely be a comfortable win for the top seed.

Brisbane

Embed from Getty Images

Brisbane has been a regular stop on the first week of the season since 2009, and the fact it is a Premier level event means it draws the best players, including the world number one.

Top Quarter:

Angelique Kerber kicks off the 2017 season as the world number one (who would have thought that a year a go), so is under pressure to perform to the standard of 2016. The German starts her season against a qualifier or Ashleigh Barty in round two. Elina Svitolina is the other seed in this quarter and she has a tough opener against Monica Puig. The Ukrainian will be a player to watch this season and she aims to move into the top 10. There are plenty of good players in this quarter, but Kerber should advance. Svitolina is the biggest test the world number one will face, but one she will likely pass.

Prediction: Kerber def. Svitolina

 

Second Quarter:

Karolina Pliskova is heading into 2017 off the back of her best ever season in 2016. Not only did she make her first grand slam final, the Czech was also part of the Fed cup winning team that year. Pliskova will be aiming to build on that and perhaps go one further in a big event, but first she must focus on Brisbane. Yullia Putintseva is first followed by the winner of Donna Vekic vs qualifier. Roberta Vinci is the other seed in the section, but she is likely past her best and could be defeated by Ekaterina Makarova. Pliskova is easily the strongest player in this section and she should make it through without much trouble.

Prediction: Pliskova def. Makarova

 

Third Quarter:

Despite winning her maiden Grand Slam title, 2016 was a troubling year for Garbine Muguruza. She failed to find consistency and it seemed the core of what made her so dangerous diminished. The Spaniard will be hoping for a better 2017, but she has been drawn against Sam Stosur in the pick of the opening round matches. The Aussie does struggle in front of her home crowd though. Muguruza might get past Stosur but it is difficult to predict what happens next because we are unsure which version shows up. Svetlana Kuznetsova might be the favourite to make it out of this section,and she has got a good draw to do so.

Prediction: Kuznetsova def. Muguruza

 

Fourth Quarter:

Like Pliskova, Cibulkova is riding into 2017 full of confidence after her best ever season. The Slovak won the Tour Finals last year so knows she can defeat the top players. The question is can she remain consistent and defeat the lower ranked players? Laura Siegemund or Shuai Zhang will face the second seed in round two. Elena Vesnina is a dangerous player to be drawn into your section though, and she will be favoured to make the quarter finals over Alize Cornet, Christina McHale and Sara Errani. It is unlikely Cibulkova loses before the semi finals, but it could be a good match against Vesnina if the Russian is in good form.

Prediction: Cibulkova def. Vesnina

Semi Finals:

Kerber def. Pliskova

Cibulkova def. Kuznetsova

 Two very close matches and two in which I favour the higher ranked player. Pliskova has beaten Kerber in the past but the German has had the advantage more often than not. That is also the case between Cibulkova and Kuznetsova, though this one is very close on paper.

Final:

Kerber def. Cibulkova

It is difficult to look past Kerber. I can see her being too solid, too consistent for Cibulkova who we know is very capable of producing big performances.

Shenzhen

Embed from Getty Images

Agnieszka Radwanska returns to Shenzhen to defend her title in a tournament that also features Simona Halep and Johanna Konta.

Top Quarter:

The top seed lands in a top section that on paper she should go through comfortably. Radwanska has drawn a Chinese wildcard in round one followed by a match with either Sorana Cirstea or Kristina Kucova. Alison Riskeis the other seed in the quarter and she also faces a Chinese wildcard in the opening round. Tsvetana Pironkova could provide the eighth seed problems, but it should be Radwanska who advances from this quarter.

Prediction: Radwanska def. Pironkova

 

Second Quarter:

 Timea Bacsinszky did not hit the heights of 2015, but she had a solid year to once again to finish inside the top 16. As the fourth seed here the Swiss will be expected to make the last four, but she faces a dangerous big hitter in Camila Giorgi in the opening round. Saisai Zheng will likely meet the winner, then you would expect Monica Niculescu to meet the winner of that in the quarter finals. The tricky Romanian’s most dangerous before the quarter finals is Evgeniya Rodina, but it is a match she should win. Bacsinszky vs Niculescu is an interesting match as Niculescu’s unusual style is a nightmare for many players, but Bacsinszky is a mature enough player to deal with the slices and come through.

Prediction: Bacsinszky def. Niculescu

Third Quarter:

Johanna Konta was arguably the most improved player of 2016, rising into the top 10. The Brit is one of the favourites in the tournament but could face a US Open rematch with Anastasija Sevastova in the quarter finals. First the Latvian must face the big serving Krystina Pliskova then Viktorija Golubic in the second round. Konta meets Cagla Buyukakcy then the winner of Vania King and Maria Sakkari. It will be a shock if we do not see the rematch and surely this time Konta will be able to get the win.

Prediction: Konta def. Sevastova

Bottom Quarter:

 Simona Halep will be disappointed that she failed to win her maiden Grand Slam in 2016, but a new year could mean new beginnings for the Romanian. She faces former world number one Jelena Jankovic In the most high profile round one match, but it is one Halep should win. Big server Timea Babos lands in this quarter as the fifth seeded player. The Hungarian has a great draw to the quarter finals with her first two opponents being qualifiers. The Babos vs Halep match should happen and in this contest you will have to favour the second seed.

Prediction: Halep def. Babos

 Semi Finals:

Radwanska def. Bacsinszky

Halep def. Konta

Radwanska being a little too much for her Swiss opponent is a lot easier to call than the other semi final which you feel could go either way. Halep is the more accomplished player though so should be favoured in this match-up.

Final:

Radwanska def. Halep

Radwanska will be too tricky for Halep. The Pole won here last year, so she knows these courts and how to play them. Expect 2017 to start positively for Radwanska with a title win in the opening week.

2016 WTA Finals Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on October 23, 2016
Posted in: WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2016 WTA Finals Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

WTA Finals Singapore

The 2016 WTA season is drawing to a close, and to cap off an excellent year eight of the best female tennis players in the world will fight for the right to be called the season ending champion in Singapore.

WTA Finals
Tier: Year end Championships
Location: Singapore
Surface: Indoor Hard
Prize Money: $7,000,000
Date: October 23-30

The Groups

Red Group:

  • Angelique Kerber
  • Simona Halep
  • Madison Keys
  • Dominika Cibulkova

White Group:

  • Agnieszka Radwanska
  • Karolina Pliskova
  • Garbine Muguruza
  • Svetlana Kuznetsova

Serena Williams withdrew from the tournament with injury.

Red Group Breakdown

Angelique Kerber:

Angelique Kerber, New Haven

2016 record: 59-17; WTA Finals record: 2-7

Kerber will finish her excellent year with two grand slams and the world number one ranking, and she will look to add the WTA finals to her list of achievements. The German first shocked the world by defeating Serena in the Australian open final for her first major title. She then completed the hard court slam by beating Karolina Pliskova in the US Open final. Kerber’s incredible  results have confirmed her place at the top of the women’s game in 2016, and there is nobody who can take her year end number one ranking away. Kerber doesn’t have the best record in these events, but she is a different player in 2016. Can her fortunes in Singapore change?

Simona Halep:

simona-halep

Simona Halep

2016 record: 44-16; WTA Finals record: 4-4

Halep failed to do what Kerber managed, and that is win a maiden grand slam title. However, the Romanian has remained consistent throughout the year and that is why she has booked her place in the WTA finals. Halep’s highlight of the year was winning the Madrid title, but she is still in desperate search of a major win. A former finalist here, Halep knows what it takes to succeed on these courte but can she get over the line this time?

Madison Keys:

madison-keys

Madison Keys

 2016 record: 46-15; WTA Finals record: 0-0

Keys is one of two players in this group making their debut in the WTA Finals, and that is the reward for a consistent 2016. It seems like the 21-year-old is starting to put her game together, and with her power she could be a huge threat here. Keys made the round of 16 in all the majors, but failed to make the big slam breakthrough. The world number seven has certainly earned her place in the field though, and she can beat anyone on her day.

Dominika Cibulkova:

Cibulkova

2016 record: 50-19; WTA Finals record: 0-0

Cibulkova might be the most surprising name in the field, but do not let that fool you, she has amassed a career best year to make her debut in Singapore. The Slovakian has won three titles this year and won 50 matches. She certainly has the game to go all the way, she is a former Australian Open finalist after all, and has good records against Kerber and Halep.

Predictions:

The red group is a tough one to predict. Kerber is the favourite to advance, but her record in this competition is poor. Halep has struggled to really breakthrough in major events. Keys and Cibulkova are both wildcards with their aggressive style, so it could be anyone’s game. It is easy to go with the top two ranked players in the group, but it is not that simple, Keys and Cibulkova are more than capable of topping them with the latter having a positive record against Halep.

Halep faces Keys to open the tournament, and I expect the Romanian to come out on top with the 4-1 head to head looming. Kerber vs Cibulkova will conclude Sunday’s action and the German will be expected to win that one. Kerber’s record however makes it difficult to predict victory against Halep in the next match, and Keys has a good record of her own against Cibulkova. With Halep safely through, it might open the door for the Slovakian to score a win in the tournament. Keys and Kerber will then play for the second spot and the German’s big match experience will kick in.

  • Halep 2-1
  • Kerber 2-1
  • Keys 1-2
  • Cibulkova 1-2

White group breakdown

Agnieszka Radwanska

radwanska-singapore

2016 record: 51-16; WTA Finals record: 9-12

The Pole returns to the place where she shocked the Tennis world by coming from the brink of a first round exit to claiming the title. Radwanska arrives in Singapore in much better form this time however, and could be the favourite to take home the title. The second seed has won three titles this year with the biggest being the Premier Mandatory in Beijing. She is the form player, but has worrying records against her opponents Kuznetsova and Muguruza.

Karolina Pliskova

2016 record: 42-20; WTA Finals record: 0-0

The 24-year-old has recorded her best season to date to secure her debut in this competition. It has been a year topped by a US Open final run where she defeated both the Williams sisters. Pliskova has an effortless power game and it has started to gain that extra bit of consistency needed. She is more than capable of a good run, and it will be interesting to see if she can do it.

Garbine Muguruza

2016 record: 34-18; WTA Finals record: 3-1

This time last year, Muguruza was the title favourite. She was in excellent form and went unbeaten in the round robin stage, but it all came undone against Radwanska in the semi finals and since she has not been able to put it together. The French Open title win is the highlight of an otherwise dire season full of poor results and lacklustre performances. The dangerous thing with Muguruza though, is that she can turn it on at any time. Will Singapore be the wake-up call she needs?

Svetlana Kuznetsova

2016 record: 43-20; WTA Finals record: 3-12

After Serena’s withdrawal, it became a three horse race for the final spot in the WTA finals. Carla Suarez Navarro and Johanna Konta both led Kuznetsova at the start of the week, but the Russian managed to win the Kremlin Cup to secure her place at the very last second. The Russian returns to the season ending Championships for the first time since 2009, and she has never made it past the group stages. Her record against her fellow competitors is good however, and that could be key for the final entrant.

Predictions:

Again, it is difficult to call because you never which version of the big hitters will turn up. Radwanska is the only player that you can expect a certain level from, but she is vulnerable to being overpowered by the rest of the group. Muguruza’s form in particular will be the big wildcard as she can come good at any point.

Kuznetsova will face Radwanska on Monday to kick off the groups proceedings. The Russian has a good record against the Pole but will likely be fatigued and that makes Radwanska the favourite. Pliskova has a good record against Muguruza and will likely topple the Spaniard in the second match. Pliskova will likely lose to Radwanska in the second match, leaving the door open for Muguruza or Kuznetsova to challenge. The Spaniard is in poor form, but Kuznetsova’s fatigue could be an issue. Either way, I believe that Radwanska will finish unbeaten with Pliskova just behind.

  1. Radwanska 3-0
  2. Pliskova 1-2
  3. Muguruza 1-2
  4. Kuznetsova 0-3

Semi Finals onwards

Halep will face Pliskova in the first semi final, and the Romanian will have the advantage. Halep has a 4-1 winning record against the Czech and the slowness of the court will favour the third seed. Interestingly, the top two seeds will meet in the semi finals going by my predictions. Radwanska knows what it takes to win here whilst Kerber has often struggled, so therefore I pick Halep to meet Radwanska in the final.

Their head to head is 5-5, so there is not much to separate them. The Pole did beat the Romanian here last year though, and it is difficult to ignore the form Radwanska is in. Therefore it is likely the second seed will retain her title after a close final encounter with Halep.

Semi Finals:

Halep def. Pliskova

Radwanska def. Kerber

Final:

Radwanska def. Halep

2016 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open Preview

Posted by Admin on September 25, 2016
Posted in: Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2016 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open Preview

wuhanopen

2016 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

Tier: Premier 5

Location: Wuhan, China

Surface: Hard

Prize money: $2,288,250

Date: September 25- October 01

Top eight seeds who receive a first round Bye

  1. Angelique Kerber
  2. Garbine Muguruza
  3. Agnieszka Radwanska
  4. Simona Halep
  5. Karolina Pliskova
  6. Venus Williams
  7. Carla Suarez Navarro
  8. Madison Keys

Serena Williams was originally scheduled to play here but recently withdrew.

 

First round matches to watch

Stosur

(16) Sam Stosur vs Caroline Wozniacki: Wozniacki has finally found some form in 2016 after struggling for most of the season. The Dane is set to play the final in Tokyo after defeating Radwanska in the semi finals.

Stosur is a tough round one though, and the head to head shows how close these contests are. Wozniacki leads 6-5 in the series with the latest match going the way of the Aussie via retirement.

A few of their meetings have gone the distance, so there is a fair chance of that happening here. One must wonder how Wozniacki will be physically after her efforts in Tokyo, but when you are in good form it can sometimes matter little.

Puig

(15) Roberta Vinci vs  Monica Puig: Vinci’s ranking may have dropped post the US open, but the Italian is still a crafty player that is difficult to beat.

The former US Open finalist will be met by the Olympic Champion, Puig, in the opening round which will pit style vs style. The slice and dice of Vinci vs the power of Puig will be an interesting contest, and one that could go either way.

This will be only their second meeting, and the first on a hardcourt. It must be noted the difference between Puig this year compared to last, and that could be the difference.

 

Draw analysis

Kerber’s quarter: The US Open champion is back in action as the number one player in the world. Who would have thought that 12 months a go? However, being the top seed has not done her many favours with the draw as she will face either Kristina Mladenovic or CoCo Vandeweghe in round two, both of whom are capable of an upset. The first seed Kerber will meet is Kvitova, but of course nothing is certain with the Czech.

Suarez Navarro is still reaping the rewards of consistency with her seventh seeded position in the draw, a position that grants her an opening round BYE. The second round prospect does not look bad with either Yania Wickmayer or Shelby Rogers awaiting the Spaniard. Johanna Konta has done a lot this year to convince the Tennis world that her form last year was no fluke. The Brit has improved tenfold over the past 18 months and may like her chances of a deep run here. Konta first must get through Annika Beck then a home favourite before her clash with Suarez Navarro.

Halep’s quarter: Halep has had a steady season that has kept her in the top five. The Romanian will head into Wuhan looking to ad another Premier title to her name. She could meet compatriot Irina Begu in the second round, but her recent struggles have been documented. Vinci is the other seed in this section, but her half is littered with dangerous unseeded players such as Puig and Yaroslava Shvedova who found form over the summer.

It seems like the tennis world has been waiting forever for the big Keys breakthrough that has been promised since she burst onto the scene. A title win in Wuhan would go a long way to that breakthrough, but the American must focus on her dangerous second prospect in the form of Caroline Garcia or Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. Timea Bacsinszky is the other seed in a section littered with qualifiers. Louisa Chrico is first for the Swiss, then it is either Daria Kasatkina or Julia Goerges.

Radwanska’s quarter: The third seed failed to defend her Tokyo title but she can make up lost points with a title run in Wuhan. The Pole will play either Ekaterina Makarova or Sabine Lisicki in round two, so there will be a big hitter to welcome Radwanska to Wuhan. Stosur is the other seed in this section, but it is perhaps Wozniacki who should be the most feared. The Dane is back in form and beat Radwanska in Tokyo. Katerina Siniakova and Timea Babos will meet for the right to face either Stosur or Wozniacki in round two.

Defending champion, Venus, has been drawn into this quarter. The American reeled back the years 12 months a go, can she do it again? Yulia Putintseva or Anastasija Sevastova will give the former world number one a tough match in the second round. Then it could be a meeting with two time grand slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in round three. The Russian faces the injury plagued Belinda Bencic in her opener before meeting either Madison Brengle or Heather Watson

Muguruza’s quarter: The Spaniard’s struggles have continued into Tokyo, and now the pressure is ramped up with lots of points to defend for the rest of the season. Muguruza faces Jelena Jankovic or Daria Gavrilova in her opening match, both feisty battlers. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is the other seed in this section, and she faces Misaki Doi then either Sara Errani or Barbora Strycova before a possible Muguruza meeting in the third round.

Pliskova failed to build on her US open final run in Tokyo, but the bigger stakes in Wuhan might bring the Czech back into form. She will likely meet compatriot Lucie Safarova in the second round who is a tough match for anyone. Dominika Cibulkova will be kicking herself for not taking advantage of her draw in Tokyo, but she can make amends in Wuhan. The Slovak faces Alize Cornet then either Laura Siegemund or Danka Kovinic before a potential clash with Pliskova.

 

Predictions:

Quarter finals:

Kerber def. Konta

Halep def. Keys

Venus def. Radwanska

Pliskova def. Strycova

 

Semi finals:

Kerber def. Halep

Venus def. Pliskova

Final:

Kerber def. Venus

It is a tough tournament to predict, but when in doubt you go for the top seed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2016 WTA Toray Pan Pacific Open Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on September 18, 2016
Posted in: Niall Clarke, Tokyo, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

toray-pan-pacific

2016 WTA Toray Pan Pacific Open Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

Toray Pan Pacific Open

Tier: Premier
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $885,500
Date: September 19-25

Top four seeds who receive a first round Bye

  1. Garbine Muguruza
  2. Agnieszka Radwanska
  3. Karolina Pliskova
  4. Carla Suarez Navarro

 

A fairly strong line up for a Premier 470 event.

First round matches to watch

 Belinda Bencic (Photo: S. Fogleman)

Belinda Bencic vs Caroline Wozniacki: Bencic continues her comeback from injury by entering the Toray Pan Pacific Open. The Swiss lost a lot of points over the summer and is unseeded for this event, but despite that she has still been drawn against another unseeded player in former world number 1 Caroline Wozniacki. The Dane has looked like a shadow of her former self this year, but she hit form in a semi final run at the US Open.

These two players previously met here last year with Bencic prevailing in straight sets. As a matter of fact, the 19-year-old has proven to be quite the match-up issue as she has won their past four meetings.

Neither player possesses the greatest firepower, so expect long rallies. Wozniacki will retrieve and retrieve as usual, but there will be question marks on Bencic’s fitness and form.

usopen 2011 lucie safarova

(6) Dominika Cibulkova vs Lucie Safarova: Cibulkova has the misfortune of drawing one of the more dangerous unseeded players in the draw with Safarova being her opening round opponent.

The head to head reads 4-2 in the Czech’s favour, but this is a match-up that can go either way. Both can hit with a fair amount of power and it will likely come down to form on the day.

Draw analysis

Top Half: Muguruza heads into Tokyo as the top seed in a desperate search of  finding form. The Spaniard has struggled since winning the French Open and has lots of points to defend in the fall. She may open up in the second round against the woman who put her out of the US open, Anastasija Sevastova. The Latvian is full of confidence in her career resurgence and will give Muguruza a tough test again. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is the other seed in this section, and as always she will be a dangerous player. The Russian struggles with her consistency, but when on form she can go deep in any tournament. She will face Andrea Petkovic in the opening round, a player that has struggled to find form this year. Elina Svitolina or CoCo Vandeweghe will await in the second round. Both players are fairly hyped youngsters who have yet to live up to their potential and possess different styles. On a quicker court you would favour the American, but Svitolina is the more consistent of the two. The winner of that second round match may fancy their chances to make the final four with Muguruza’s lack of form.

A player most certainly full of confidence is Pliskova. The Czech won Cincinnati and then went all the way to the final of the US Open. With them results behind her, Pliskova may be the title favourite here. Yanina Wickmayer or a qualifier will entertain her in round two, then it could possibly be Cibulkova or Safarova in the quarter finals. The winner of that match will face a Japanese player in round two in the form of Naomi Osaka or Misaki Doi. Pliskova will be favourite to make it out of this quarter, but Cibulkova and Safarova are very dangerous players capable of causing an upset.

Bottom half: Suarez Navarro, still the ever-present, headlines the third quarter as the fourth seed, but the Spaniard has a very tough draw ahead. Bencic or Wozniacki will await in round two and then it is possibly Madison Keys in the quarter finals- don’t be shocked to see an early exit for Suarez Navarro. The American faces Yulia Putintseva in round one, which is no easy task. Keys, despite being the lesser seed, will be favourite to make it out of this quarter, but you never know which Keys will show up.

Radwanska is back to defend the title she won last year by defeating Bencic in the final. The Pole is looking to seal her spot in the season ending championships in the upcoming weeks, starting by defending her Tokyo crown.  It won’t be easy with the crafty and feisty Barbora Strycova a possible round two opponent. Petra Kvitova, who has slumped out of the top 10 this season, took a wildcard into this event and is the projected quarter-final opponent.  The Czech’s lack of form means she could be upended by Monica Puig in the second round.

Predictions:

Quarter finals:

Svitolina def. Sevastova

Pliskova def. Safarova

Keys def. Suarez Navarro

Radwanska def. Puig

Semi finals:

Pliskova def. Svitolina

Radwanska def. Keys

Final:

Radwanska def. Pliskova

Agnieszka Radwanska

The reigning champion will likely defend her title here. Pliskova’s good form will carry her to the final, but Radwanska’s craft might be too much in the final.

 

 

 

 

 

Women’s Singles Preview: Games of the XXXI Olympiad @Rio2016_en

Posted by Admin on August 6, 2016
Posted in: ATP, olympics, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

 

Women’s Singles Preview: Games of the XXXI Olympiad, Rio 2016
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

rio2016 1

Olympic Tennis

Tier: Olympic Games
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $0
Date: August 06-14

Top eight seeds

  • Serena Williams
  • Angelique Kerber
  • Garbine Muguruza
  • Agnieszka Radwanska
  • Venus Williams
  • Roberta Vinci
  • Madison Keys
  • Svetlana Kuznetsova

Victoria Azarenka and Simona Halep are major absentees.

First round matches to watch

Ana Ivanovic vs Carla Suarez Navarro: Ivanovic (or Schweinsteiger if you will)  heads to Rio as one of the biggest unseeded names in the draw. The newly wedded Serb is a tough match that most seeded players would want to avoid in an opener, unfortunately for Suarez Navarro, she has been dealt with that draw.

The former world number one leads their head to head 2-1, but the Spaniard won their most recent meeting. The world number 12 is in the better form this year, but representing your country can often change a players mentality.

Both have appeared in the Olympic games before but neither has managed to set the world alight. It will likely be a nervy affair, but the clash in styles will make it interesting.

(3) Garbine Muguruza vs Jelena Jankovic: The world number three will play her first Olympic tennis event in Rio, but will her singles run be cut very short by former world number one Jelena Jankovic?

The Serbian is not in the best place, but Jankovic is forever unpredictable and can replicate her world number one form. Muguruza has prepared hard for this event and she herself is an enigma. The Spaniard is playing her first Olympic event however, and there will be a question mark on how she handles the pressure.

The good news for Muguruza is that she has holds a 3-1 head to head advantage over Jankovic, including Fed Cup earlier this year. All of her victories have also come on hard courts, the chosen surface for the Olympics.

Draw analysis

Serena’s quarter: The world number one arrives in Rio as the clear favourite to defend her title. Gold is very much in Serena’s sights, but first she must kick start her tournament against the feisty Daria Gavrilova of Australia. Sweden’s Joanna Larsson will face Alize Cornet for the right to presumably play the defending champion in round two. Elina Svitolina is the 15th seed in Rio, but her way to a possible round three clash against Serena is a bumpy one. The Ukrainian has struggled in 2016, and Andrea Petkovic will look to take advantage. Heather Watson or Shuai Peng will face the winner. There are some difficult players in this section for Serena, but none that can match her blow for blow. She should make her way through the section without much trouble, and as usual it will in Serena’s hands.

One of the few players that can take the racket out of Serena’s hands is Petra Kvitova. The Czech has had a troubling 2016, but can the Olympics motivate her to play at her best? The Czech faces big serving Timea Babos in round one before a potential round two with former world number one Caroline Wozniacki. Su Wieh Hsieh will provide a tricky round one match for the Dane however. Roberta Vinci is the sixth seed in Rio, but her form suggests that she could be an upset candidate. Anna Schmiedlova’s poor form in 2016 might suggest she won’t be the one to defeat the Italian, but Ekaterina Makarova will likely wait in the wings in round two.

Muguruza’s quarter: The French Open Champion’s tough round one has already been documented, but round two does not get any easier. Irina Begu is in good form after winning in Florianapolis in the lead up to the games. The dangerous Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has also landed in this section as the 14th seed. The Russian faces Poland’s Magda Linette in round one, then either Monica Puig or Polona Hercog in round two. Should Muguruza make it through this section it will not be an easy ride. Do not be too surprised to see the Spaniard lose early in Rio.

Venus Williams will be looking to add another Gold medal to her collection in Rio. The American won Gold in the singles event at the 2000 Olympics. Can she do it again 16 years later? Kirtsen Flipkens is a difficult opener for the former world number one, but one she will be expected to pass on this surface. Lucie Safarova will then provide a big challenge in the second round, a tough draw for Venus. Timea Bacsinszky will carry the hopes for Switzerland after Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka and Belinda Bencic pulled out with injury. Shuai Zhang will play Bacsinszky in the opening round, then Laura Siegemund or Tsvetana Pironkova will meet the winner.

Radwanska’s quarter: Radwanska’s search for her first medal continues in Rio where Shuai Zhang will await in the first round. The Pole could then possibly meet the rising youngster Daria Kasatkina in the second round. It is not a bad draw for Radwanska. Barbora Strycova is the other seed in the section and she faces Yania Wickmayer in the first round. The Czech will then meet the winner of Kiki Bertens vs Sara Errani. The Italian in particular has been a thorn in Strycova’s side in recent meetings.

Keys is the third American with a top eight seeding, and the 21 year old will fancy her chances at taking home a medal in her first Olympic games. The big hitter faces fellow youngster Danka Kovinic before meeting the winner of Lesia Tsurenko vs Kristina Mladenovic. There are some difficult matches in this section for the seventh seed as Suarez Navarro and Ivanovic have also landed in this section. The winner of that will play either Ana Konjuh or Annika Beck in the second round.

Kerber’s quarter: Speaking of medal contenders, Kerber will more than fancy her chances at winning Gold in Rio. The German has been on fire in 2016, winning the Australian Open and making the final at Wimbledon. Kerber will face Mariana Duque-Marino in what should be a routine first round. Round two will be a test with either Sloane Stephens or Eugenie Bouchard waiting in the wings. Sam Stosur is the 13th seed and will play the feisty Jelena Ostapenko in round one. Yaroslava Shvedova or Misaki Doi will await the winner in the second round. A Stosur vs Kerber round three will be a great match potentially between two former grand slam champions.

Kuznetsova has also enjoyed a stellar 2016 and will enter Rio as the eighth seed. The Russian will be aiming for a medal, and her opening two rounds look to be very kind to her, with Monica Niculescu being the toughest test. Round three gets interesting, though. The in-form Johanna Konta is Britain’s best hope of a medal in the women’s event, but she could have a tough match against Caroline Garcia in round two. The Frenchwoman has a good record when representing her country, but she will face Teliana Pereira who is playing in her home Olympics.

Predictions:

Quarter finals:

Serena def. Kvitova
Muguruza def. Venus
Radwanska def. Keys
Kerber def. Garcia

Semi finals:

Serena def. Muguruza
Radwanska def. Kerber

Bronze medal match:

Muguruza def. Kerber

Gold medal match:

Serena def. Radwanska

The reigning champion will likely defend her title here. Muguruza looks focused prior to the Olympics and will win Bronze after she finds Serena too difficult to handle. Kerber vs Radwanska could very well be a toss-up, but I am going for the Pole to upset the German.

2016 Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles Preview

Posted by Admin on June 27, 2016
Posted in: Niall Clarke, Wimbledon, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

2016 Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles Preview
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

Wimbledon

We have reached that stage of the season where 128 WTA players will compete for the most prestigious grass court title in the world, Wimbledon.

The Championships Wimbledon

Tier: Grand Slam
Location: Wimbledon, UK
Surface: Grass
Prize money: $19,174,575
Date: Jun 27th– Jul 10th

Top eight seeds (ranking)

  1. Serena Williams (1)
  2. Garbine Muguruza (2)
  3. Agnieszka Radwanska (3)
  4. Angelique Kerber (4)
  5. Simona Halep (5)
  6. Roberta Vinci (7)
  7. Belinda Bencic (8)
  8. Venus Williams (9)

The main absentee is Victoria Azarenka, who withdrew due to injury

First round matches to watch

Camila Giorgi

Camila Giorgi, 2014 Fed Cup

(2) Garbine Muguruza vs Camila Giorgi: Fr a defending finalist, this is one of the more dangerous draws you could have asked for. Giorgi’s big hitting and aggressive game suits the grass well, not to mention that Muguruza has usually struggled more with big hitters than any other style.

There is also the added pressure of not only defending final points, but also being a grand slam champion. After winning their first major, players can often hit a lull period where they struggle to really find their game. Will Muguruza fall victim?

The Italian leads the head to head 2-1, but this is their first meeting on grass. What makes this match interesting is that you never know which Giorgi will show up. The one that makes tons of errors, or the one that can blast her way to victory?

(19) Dominika Cibulkova vs Mirjana Lucic-Baroni:

Dominika CibulkovaCibulkova found form at just the right time in Eastbourne and will head into Wimbledon full of confidence.

Lucic-Baroni is always one of the dangerous unseeded players, especially here where she is a former semi finalist. Expect some good hitting from both players, and this match could boil down to the mental battle.

(4) Angelique Kerber vs (WC) Laura Robson:

Kerber Wins First Match in DC

Still trying to find her way back up the rankings, Robson has been drawn against the fourth seed, Kerber, in what will likely be a centre court showpiece.

The Brit is no stranger to getting the best of the German here. Five years a go at Wimbledon, Robson was able to topple Kerber in three sets. The Australian Open champion has made big strides since then and is now a grand slam champion. Can Robson find the form of 2011?

Chances are that Kerber wins, but this match has intrigue because it will give an indication of where Robson’s current level is at.

Draw analysis

Serena’s Quarter:

Embed from Getty Images

Serena Williams is back at SW19 to defend her title and seek number 22 and in the process tie Steffi Graf’s record. There are some dangerous players in her section, including Heather Watson who pushed Serena to her limits last year. They could meet in the second round. The first seeded player the world number one will face is talented Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic who has shown good form on the grass so far. Fellow American Sloane Stephens and Svetlana Kuznetsova are projected to meet in the third round, with the winner possibly facing Serena. The Russian though has drawn the unseeded Caroline Wozniacki in the first round. It is a fairly nice section for Williams, and one she should come through with little issues.

Roberta Vinci has not found her footing this year, but she enters Wimbledon as the sixth seed looking for form. Alison Riske may fancy her chances to push the Italian in round one, but her biggest test will likely come in the form of big serving CoCo Vandeweghe who loves playing on grass. Timea Bacsinszky may be the favourite to make it out this section then. Her path to the quarter finals is not an easy one with Monica Niculescu and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova possible opponents. Her biggest test before a possible Serena showdown will be Vandeweghe.

Radwanska’s Quarter:

With the two slams this year going to maiden winners, Radwanska might feel this is her chance to step up to the plate (or dish if you will). Ana Konjuh could make for an interesting second round match, but Caroline Garcia, fresh off her Mallorca title run, will be the first big test for Radwanska. Cibulkova is another in form player that has landed in this section and has drawn Lucic-Baroni in a tough opener. Daria Gavrilova is possible for the second round and then it’s British number one Johanna Konta in the third. It’s a tough section with Monica Puig, Eugenie Bocuhard and Magdalena Rybarikova also in there.

If not for her injury, Belinda Bencic would have been a dark horse contender here, but her form is questionable. Tsvetana Pironkova will be a good indication of where the Swiss is at with her game. Bencic should have a fairly good path to the fourth round with Andrea Petkovic being the other seed, but from there things will get tricky. Petra Kvitova might be struggling, but she is a former two time champion here and is always dangerous. The Czech could have a lefty battle with Ekaterina Makarova in the second round and then meet her compatriot Barbora Strycova in the third. A Bencic vs Kvitova fourth round would be fireworks, but there’s plenty of players who can spoil the party.

Kerber’s Quarter:

The Australian Open champion has had some success at Wimbledon and on grass so she might fancy her chances at a deep run at SW19 again. Robson will open against Kerber in one of the highly anticipated first round encounters. Irina Begu is the projected third round opponent for the German, but the fourth could get interesting with Karolina Pliskova possibly waiting in the wings. The Czech has struggled for a grand slam breakthrough though and Yania Wickmayer is a tough opener. Ana Ivanovic is projected for the third round opponent for Pliskova.

Another player looking for her maiden slam is Halep. The Romanian has a fairly good draw to round four with Kiki Bertens being the toughest task in the third round.  From there it will get difficult for Halep as she will meet the in form Maidson Keys in the fourth round. The American is many people’s dark horse here and she has the power to back up that claim. Kirsten Flipkens could be a tricky second round match, but her path towards Halep looks fairly comfortable.

Muguruza’s Quarter:

Muguruza comes into Wimbledon as the Roland Garros champion which will no doubt add extra pressure on her shoulders. The Spaniard’s road to the final was full of defensive minded players, but this time her draw looks a whole lot different. Giorgi in the opening round is a tough one, then Lucie Safarova in the third is also a difficult player for Muguruza to overcome. This is a section with dangerous floaters too such as former finalist Sabine Lisicki, Julia Goerges and Yaroslava Shvedova. Sam Stosur and Elina Svitolina are the other seeds, but it would not be a shock to see them exit early.

Venus Williams was the biggest beneficiary of Azarenka’s withdrawal as she is now the eighth seed. The former world number one has a decent draw until the highly touted youngster Daria Kasatkina awaits in the third round. Carla Suarez Navarro will fancy her chances of making the last eight with a fairly soft draw. Jelena Jankovic is her projected third round draw with Margarita Gasparyan perhaps being the most dangerous unseeded player in her draw.

Predictions:

Fourth round:

Serena def. Stephens

Vandeweghe def. Bacsinszky

Radwanska def. Cibulkova

Kvitova def. Bencic

Keys def. Halep

Kerber def. Pliskova

Suarez Navarro def. Venus

Safarova def. Lisicki

Quarter Finals:

Serena def. Vandeweghe

Radwanska def. Kvitova

Keys def. Kerber

Safarova def. Suarez Navarro

Semi finals:

Serena def. Radwanska

Keys def. Safarova

Final:

Serena def. Safarova

2016 WTA Eastbourne Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on June 20, 2016
Posted in: ATP, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

WTA Eastbourne Preview
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

Wozniacki vs Gajdosova 2015 WTA Eastbourne (Elliot Cornish)

The WTA tour hits Eastbourne as the Wimbledon preparations conclude this week.

Aegon International Eastbourne
Tier: Premier
Location: Eastbourne, UK
Surface: Grass
Prize money: $711,778
Date: June 19-25

Top eight seeds (ranking)

  1. Agnieszka Radwanska (3)
  2. Roberta Vinci (7)
  3. Belinda Bencic (8)
  4. Timea Bacsinszky (10)
  5. Petra Kvitova (11)
  6. Svetlana Kuznetsova (12)
  7. Sam Stosur (14)
  8. Carla Suarez Navarro (15)

There are 16 seeds who receive an opening round BYE. Lucie Safarova is the last seeded player in the draw.

First round matches to watch

Barbora Strycova vs CoCo Vandeweghe:

Barbora Strycova

In a rematch of the Birmingham semi final in which the Czech  pulled out a three set victory, Strycova meets Vandeweghe for the second time in as many weeks in the first round of the Aegon International.

It is a nice contrast in styles with the crafty Strycova against the big hitting and heavy serving Vandeweghe. The American looked on her way to victory in Birmingham but Strycova fought back well to take a three set victory.

Vandeweghe’s extra day of rest might play it’s part however as Strycova has to play the final of Birmingham against Keys. Strycova’s game did manage to frustrate her though, will we see a repeat In Eastbourne?

Kristina Mladenovic vs Yania Wickmayer:

Kiki Mladenovic (Photo: Christopher Levy for TennisEastCoast.com)

Kiki Mladenovic (Photo: Christopher Levy for TennisAtlantic.com)

Both players have looked pretty good since the transition to grass and could set up an interesting match against Bacsinszky in the second round.

Wickmayer went to the quarter finals in Birmingham where she eventually lost to the in form Vandeweghe. Mladenovic made the final in ‘S-Hertogenbosch where she also lost to the American, so both players know their way around the grass.

Mladenovic leads the head to head 1-0, but that encounter was three years a go on the hard. Expect plenty of good all court tennis and rallies in what should be a close encounter.

Draw analysis

Top Quarter:

Top seed Radwanska is still trying to find her footing on grass after an early exit in Birmingham last week Unfortunately shew could meet the very player that dumped her out of that tournament in the second round. Vandeweghe is possible, and if it is not the American it could be the in form Strycova. A tough draw for the Pole who could face an early exit. Irina Begu also lands here and will play the winner of Eugenie Bouchard vs a qualifier in the second round.

Kuznetsova has enjoyed a positive 2016 thus far and will look to continue her form on the grass. It’s not the Russian’s best surface though and Yulia Putintseva could make life difficult in the second round. Dominika Cibulkova will look to take advantage as the 12th seed, but she herself will have a testing round two against Daqria Kasatkina or Jelena Ostapenko.

Second Quarter:

Bacsinszky might just be many people’s pick for the title, but first the Swiss must navigate her way through a tough section. Mladenovic or Wickmayer will welcome her to Eastbourne. Former Wimbledon semi finalist Lucie Safarova is also in this section and could be a dangerous player in the draw if firing.

Stosur enters Eastbourne as the seventh seed after a positive clay season. Grass is not her best surface though, and she will meet either Alize Cornet or Caroline Wozniacki in the second round. Madison Keys is in red hot form on the grass, but her exploits in Birmingham could lead to withdrawal or  possible fatigue in Eastbourne.

Third Quarter:

Bencic is the defending champion here and returns as the third seed. The Swiss has been struggling with injury as of late though and  might find her title defence difficult. Heather Watson in front of her home crowd can be a difficult player to beat, and Elena Vesnina is a former champion here herself, so Bencic has a tough opening match. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova  is the other seed in this section.

Suarez Navarro had a good tournament in Birmingham last week, but she was eventually stopped by Keys in the semi finals. The eighth seed has a rather kind draw in the second round, but Pliskova is a dangerous prospect in the third. The Czech faces either Daria Gavrilova or Anna Schmiedlova in her second round encounter.

Bottom Quarter:

Vinci comes into Eastbourne as the second seed but short of form. The grass could help her game though, and we will see an indication against Ekaterina Makarova in the second round. Sara Errani is a player that ahs never been able to really get it going on grass, and the 13th seed could find Andrea Petkovic too much in the second round.

Kvitova is normally a name you mention amongst the favourites in a grass court event, but the Czech has struggled with her form this year. Timea Babos and Camila Giorgi are both big hitters in their own right and could spring a surprise in the second round. Johanna Konta will look to repeat her exploits from last year, but faces a tough round two against Lesia Tsurenko or Laura Siegemund.

Predictions:

Quarter finals:

Radwanska def. Cibulkova

Bacsinszky def. Keys

Pliskova def. Pavlyuchenkova

Konta def. Vinci

Semi finals:

Radwanska def. Bacszinsky

Pliskova def. Konta

Final:

Radwanska def. Pliskova

If Radwanska can get past her second round match then she will be well positioned to take the title here. The Pole is good on grass and has the experience to get through this field.

2016 WTA Miami Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on March 23, 2016
Posted in: Miami, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2016 WTA Miami Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

miami open logo

It’s the second of the back to back Premier events in America as the WTA tour hits Florida for the Miami Open.

Serena Williams holds the record with eight Miami titles to her name. Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters, five-time champ Steffi Graf, Martina Hingis, Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario, Monica Seles and Venus Williams also have multiple Miami Open titles.

Miami Open
Tier: Premier Mandatory
Location: Miami, USA
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $6,134,605
Date: March 22- April 03

Top Eight Seeds (ranking)

  1. Serena Williams (1)
  2. Angelique Kerber (2)
  3. Agnieszka Radwanksa (3)
  4. Garbine Muguruza (4)
  5. Simona Halep (5)
  6. Carla Suarez Navarro (6)
  7. Belinda Bencic (8)
  8. Petra Kvitova (9)

 

The big absentee is Maria Sharapova who recently was caught taking a banned substance.

First round matches to watch

Laura Robson vs Kirsten Flipkens

Embed from Getty Images

Robson’s comeback after years of injury problems is still on going. The Brit received a wildcard into Miami where she will play tricky Belgian Flipkens in the opening round.

They have only met once before at the Australian Open in 2014 where Robson’s injury problems started. The Brit lost 6-3, 6-0 that day in Melbourne and will be hoping to avoid similar embarrassment this week.

The match-up is interesting because it will be an indicator of Robson’s level post injury. It is unlikely the Brit wins this match but still one to watch.

 

Margarita Gasparyan vs Annika Beck

Embed from Getty Images

 Talented young Russian, Gasparyan, will pit her tennis skills against Beck in an interesting first round contest.

Gasparyan is quickly rising up the ranks with her powerful game and signature one handed backhand. The Russian is one player to keep an eye on over the course of the season, but Beck provides a consistent challenge from the baseline.

It is a match where Gasparyan can show her talent, but it is also a match where she could easily falter.

Draw Analysis

Serena’s quarter:

 The world number one was thwarted at the final hurdle by Victoria Azarenka in Indian Wells but moves on to a tournament which suits her more. The eight time winner is a huge favourite despite failing to capture a title in 2016 thus far. Williams will likely face compatriot Christina McHale in her opening match. Daria Gavrilova will give a feisty challenge in round three, but Williams should have no problem disposing of the Aussie and the winner of Andrea Petkovic vs Svetlana Kuznetsova in round four. Petkovic could have a tough match against Caroline Garcia or Mirjana Lucic-Baroni but the former has been struggling with injury issues. Kuznetsova may meet Carina Witthoeft in the second round

 Kvitova has not had the best start to 2016 and will be looking to find a bit of form in Miami. The Czech has a big game but the slow courts here might negate some of that power. The eighth seed could have problems with fellow leftie Ekaterina Makarova in round three if the Russian is in good form. We should get an indicator in the second round where she meets Alexandra Dulgheru or Lesia Tsurenko. The fourth round will likely be against Elina Svitolina or Caroline Wozniacki, who both provide a more consistent test than Makarova, though not as dangerous. Svitolina’s biggest test before Wozniacki is against Shuai Zhang, while Wozniacki will probably face Vania King.

 

Radwanska’s quarter: 

Radwanska might be the title favourite behind Serena, so she was certainly disappointed to be drawn in the same half as the world number one. The Pole is projected to play the struggling Anna Schmiedlova in the third round but that could easily be Madison Brengle or Camila Giorgi. Former world number one Ana Ivanovic has landed in this quarter as the 16th seed and could have a intriguing match in round three against Timea Bacsinszky. The Swiss herself though has a difficult second round against rising Gasparyan.

Halep is another player who has struggled to hit top form in 2016, and will be looking to use this tournament as a season launching pad. Daria Kasatkina, who played well in Indian Wells, is a possible round two opponent for the former world number two. Sam Stosur is possible for round three which is always a tough match despite the Aussie being past her best. Stosur herself could be bumped out easily by Julia Goerges in the second round. Lucie Safarova, who is only playing her second match since coming back from injury, is a potential fourth round opponent for Halep. But the Czech could be rusty and could struggle to get past Sloane Stephens. British interest will be in Heather Watson, a wildcard in the tournament. She meets Petra Cetkovska in the first round and potentially Stephens in round two.

 

Muguruza’s quarter:

 Speaking of struggling, Muguruza is in the middle of a slump after a breakthrough 2015. The Spaniard has been unable to find her game and her attitude has been somewhat negative. Dominika Cibulkova could be a difficult round two draw, and if she gets through that it’s possibly Kristina Mladenovic in round three- a tough one for the 2015 Wimbledon runner up. Victoria Azarenka will be the favourite to make it out of this section after claiming the Indian Wells title last week. The Belarusian could face Jelena Jankovic in round three. Azarenka may face Monica Puig in round two, while Jankovic could meet Bethanie Mattek Sands.

Carla Suarez Navarro has a fairly tough draw to the quarter finals. The Spaniard could face Coco Vandeweghe in round two, then a tough potential third round match against the unorthodox Monica Niculescu. Joanna Konta will spark British interest as the 24th seed, and could meet Venus Williams for an Australian Open rematch in the third round. Venus will play a qualifier in the second round whilst Konta will face Denisa Allertova or Danka Kovinic.

 

Kerber’s quarter:

Kerber has suffered a post-Grand Slam winning hangover since the Australian Open and will be looking to rediscover that form in Miami. The German could have a tough round two with Barbora Strycova, provided the Czech has recovered from injury. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is the projected seed in round three. Karolina Pliskova and Sara Errani will look to take advantage of any mishaps from the second seed and their round three could provide a nice stylistic contrast. Errani faces talented Japanese youngster Naomi Osaka in the second round, so could be a potential upset there.

Belinda Bencic has been dealt with a difficult draw of her own. The Swiss star has a fairly easy round two, but then could face the the enigmatic Sabine Lisicki in round three. Roberta Vinci or Madison Keys in round four is not a good draw for Bencic either. Vinci could meet Eugenie Bouchard in the second round while Keys meets the winner of Robson vs Flipkens.

 

Predictions

Quarter finals:

Serena def. Wozniacki

Radwanska def. Halep

Azarenka def. Suarez Navarro

Pliskova def. Vinci

 

Semi finals:

Serena def. Radwanska

Azarenka def. Pliskova

 

Final:

Serena def. Azarenka

It is hard to see where either Azarenka or Serena lose before the final. This time however, Serena will come out on top in one of her best tournaments.

Embed from Getty Images