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Angelique Kerber edges Halep in Eastbourne
Eric Han for Tennis Atlantic

Quarterfinal day here at the Eastbourne International gave the fans plenty of excitement as it not only featured the top seeds of the tournament, but also home crowd favourites Kyle Edmund and Dan Evans. The marquee match arguably was on the women’s as two former world no.1’s, Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep, battled it out for a place in the semifinals tomorrow.

Eventually, the current reigning Wimbledon champion, Kerber, defeated Halep comfortably in straight sets 6-4 5-3.

After the match, Simona Halep commented on how good Kerber played today: “She played really well today. I didn’t play bad. I think that I missed a little bit too much in some points, important points, and I didn’t take my chances. Also, in the second set, first game, I had 40-15 on my serve and I couldn’t take the game. But in my opinion, it was a good match.

When asked about her expectations about looking forward to Wimbledon: “Expectations are pretty okay in my head, but I don’t put pressure. Just match by match, and we will see how good I can be on grass this year.

Meanwhile, the battle of the Brits took place as British no.1 Kyle Edmund played his countryman Dan Evans. After dropping the first set 6-1, Edmund upped his intensity and won the subsequent two sets 6-3 6-4 and booked his place in the semifinals.

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In his press conference after his match, Edmund said: “A poor start in terms of getting in the match. Like, you could say, yeah, credit to Dan for sort of putting his stamp on it. But also, I think I could have done a lot better and a lot more to stop that or put a bit more of my stamp on it.”

“But the best thing from that is to react to it, and I did. Just got more engaged. Put my sort of personality and engagement into the match and my game almost. I have good ability to be aggressive and take control of rallies and games, so it was really good for me, obviously not playing a lot of matches”

Other notable results worthy of mention are the third seed Kiki Bertens beating the eighth seed Belarusian, Aryna Sabalenka, in a three-set thriller 6-4 3-6 6-4. On the men’s side, two youngsters battled it out as Taylor Fritz beat Hubert Hurkacz of Poland 6-4 7-6.

Tomorrow’s semifinal on the men’s side will be Brit Kyle Edmund taking on America’s Taylor Fritz and qualifier Thomas Fabbiano playing America’s Sam Querrey.

On the women’s side, the two semifinal matches will be the defending Wimbledon champion, Angelique Kerber taking on Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur and Czech’s Karolina Pliskova playing Kiki Bertens of Netherlands.

British Players Jo Konta and Dan Evans Win in Eastbourne
Eric Han for Tennis Atlantic

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British no.1 Johanna Konta came through two tough sets today 6-4 7-6, against Greece’s Maria Sakkari to advance to the next round at the Eastbourne International.

After the match, Konta said: “Maria played well, to be honest. Yeah, no, I’m pleased I was able to stay calm and also just a good perspective. I don’t think anything major happened. It was important to see it that way and see the good things that I was doing. Yeah, I mean, it could have easily gone to a third set, so I definitely wasn’t taking anything for granted out there. Yeah, just pleased to have just, yeah, kept a good perspective and just competed well.”

“I’m very pleased to come through that. I think there was so little in it and in both sets. Our points actually felt that she was playing better than me, so I was just really pleased that I was able to stay with her and create a few opportunities and take a few of them. So, yeah, pleased I have come through.”

She will face Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in the third round, who she played back in 2015 in Sydney qualifying- a match that the Brit won comfortably in straight sets 6-2 6-2.

British player Dan Evans also came through today by beating Moldova’s Radu Albot 7-6 6-2. In the press conference, he said: “Today I felt a bit flat at the start but got into it. You know, I hung around a

lot last week, played dubs. So I was a bit lethargic at the start, but I thought I got going and I’m pretty happy with the end of that match. Yeah, it was a good match. It’s a great week for me.”

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When asked about his thoughts about being back again competing in Eastbourne, Evans commented, “Yes, I mean, it’s nice to being back here, having another good match on grass before Wimbledon. That’s why I’m here. I like to play here on (the) grass, so I try to enjoy every match and every moment right now.”

Defending Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber had a tricky match-up as she played former top world 10 player, Samantha Stosur, but nevertheless prevailed in straight sets 6-4 6-4.

In her press conference, she discussed the differences between winning her maiden Grand Slam title in Australia and winning Wimbledon last year. “I think after I won Australia, a lot of things change. I mean, especially in Germany. It was so huge that someone after Steffi won the first Grand Slam, and, yeah, without expectation, I played in Australia and everything.”

“And of course then to winning Wimbledon as my third Grand Slam was even more special, because it was not just that I had the lucky draw or I just won my first one. It was my third one. And Wimbledon was always the tournament that I really would like to win one day.”

Other notable mentions are sixth seed Simona Halep taking out Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei 6-2 6-0 and Caroline Wozniacki beating Andrea Petkovic 6-4 6-4.

2018 @PorscheTennis WTA Stuttgart Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on April 22, 2018

Posted in: Stuttgart, WTA. Tagged: 2018, angelique kerber, Garbine Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova, picks, predictions, previews, Simona Halep, sloane stephens, WTA Tour. Leave a comment

2018 @PorscheTennis WTA Stuttgart Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

Clay season arrives in style with the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. The field is always stacked here as the top players aim to find their footing on the clay and this year is no exception. It is one of the best tournaments of the year, so let’s get to it.

Top Quarter:

Simona Halep

Simona Halep goes into the tournament as the number one seed and arguably the favourite to go all the way. The Romanian is considered to be the best clay courter on the tour by many people, but she is yet to add a French Open title to her collection. Building momentum for Roland Garros is a big aim during this stretch of the season and it starts in Stuttgart. Daria Kasatkina is the likely second round opponent which is a difficult starting match for anyone, but she is also probably her biggest test in this section.

Sloane Stephens has also landed in this section as she aims to kick off her clay court season. She is coming in off the Fed Cup semi final against France and that is why it is funny she has drawn her team-mate Coco Vandeweghe in the first round. Laura Siegemund, who has made big runs here in the past, is a potential second round opponent.

Halep is the strongest clay courter in this section, and despite some tough challenges early on I think she should come through this section.

Prediction: Halep def. Siegemund

Second Quarter:

Elina Svitolina is another player who comes into this tournament as a favourite to go all the way. The Ukrainian is usually very efficient at picking up titles such as Stuttgart so she should come into the tournament with a fair degree of confidence. After her opening round BYE, Svitolina will face the winner of Julia Goerges vs Anastasija Sevastova, two players who have a complete contrast in styles. Goerges will have the home crowd cheering for her and the indoor conditions favour her powerful game, but Sevastova is a tricky player who is hard to hit through.

Caroline Garcia has not kicked into gear in 2018, but she is a very capable clay courter who can do a lot of damage here. She has got the Sharapova draw however in one of the most high profile round one match-ups. The winner of that match should be a safe bet for the quarter finals with Antonia Lottner or a qualifier waiting in the wings.

There is plenty of talent in this section, but I have Svitolina being too stable for an erratic Garcia in the quarter finals.

Prediction: Svitolina def. Garcia

Third Quarter:

Jelena Ostapenko (Photo: Tony Callaio)

French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko will be happy with the draw she has gotten here. The Latvian has points to defend with her French Open win and this is a tournament where she could make some up and get some nice form heading into Roland Garros. She has a BYE then the winner of two qualifiers in the second round, so despite being inconsistent, you have to favour the Latvian to get through.

Karolina Pliskova has not had a great start to 2018 and clay is not her best surface. However, you can not count the Czech out. The fifth seed opens against Kiki Bertens, a very capable clay courter who can do a lot of damage during this stage of the season, then potentially faces Carla Suarez Navarro in the second round.

This is a section where we could see an unseeded player come through. Bertens comes alive on the clay and given Pliskova’s struggles in the surface we could see an upset there. Ostapenko is also very inconsistent in matches so I think the Dutchwoman will prevail here.

Prediction: Bertens def. Ostapenko

Bottom Quarter:

Garbine Muguruza

This is a stacked quarter headlined by Garbine Muguruza. The Spaniard is on her best surface again fresh off a title win in Acapulco so will have a degree of confidence heading into Stuttgart. However her section is stacked with power players, bot least of which is Madison Keys who she could face in the second round. Muguruza will need all her clay court prowess this tournament due to players being able to outhit her in this section.

Petra Kvitova is the other seed in this quarter and she will be one half of another big round one match against Germany’s own Angelique Kerber. The former champion has had a resurgence this year and is playing like a top 10 player once again after a disappointing 2017. The winner faces either Kristina Mladenovic, last year’s finalist or Anett Kontaveit , a dangerous big hitting Estonian. There is not easy match-up in this section.

With the home crowd advantage and being a former champion, I fancy Kerber to make her way through this section. We do not know which version of the other women will show up, so I think the more steady Kerber will fight her way past Muguruza in the quarter finals.

Prediction: Kerber def. Muguruza

Semi Finals Finals onwards Prediction:

Halep def. Svitolina
Kerber def. Bertens

Halep def. Kerber

As usual, Stuttgart is stacked and difficult to call but I am going with the number one seed to overcome the home favourite in the final.

2018 Women’s Australian Open Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on January 14, 2018

Posted in: Australian Open, WTA. Tagged: 2018, angelique kerber, Australian Open Picks, Australian Open Predictions, Australian Open Preview, caroline wozniacki, Elina Svitolina, Grand Slam, Jelena Ostapenko, Johanna Konta, melbourne, Womens Tennis, WTA Tour. Leave a comment

2018 Women’s Australian Open Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

kerber-2016

We have reached the first Grand Slam of 2018 as the Australian Open approaches. There will be plenty of sunshine and tennis to feast on over the next two weeks, and the womens draw looks as open as ever. Here is a rundown of what to expect in Melbourne.

Top Quarter:

Simona Halep enters a Grand Slam as the top seed for the first time in her career, and she opens as one of the favourites for the title. The Romanian has an interesting section with a few players who are capable of blowing her off the court. The world number one has shown she is vulnerable in early stages of major events when she is not firing, and with Petra Kvitova potentially waiting in the third round, we could see Halep exit another Grand Slam early. Combined with the fact you have in-form players such as Ashleigh Barty and Camila Giorgi, and young big hitters Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka and Oceane Dodin, the world number one will do well to come through this section.

Prediction: Halep def. Barty

Simona Halep

Karolina Pliskova is Halep’s projected quarter final adversary, and we do not know what her form is a like at the moment. The Czech lost to Elina Svitolina in Brisbane and did not look overly convincing in that match. We all know Pliskova can blow anyone off the court with her serve and effortless power, but she has not quite pulled it together during Grand Slams. That may open the door for Johanna Konta to make the last eight. The Brit has reached the quarter finals and semi finals in her two previous visits to Melbourne and if prior history has anything to do with it, she should make the last eight again.

Prediction: Konta def. Pliskova

Second Quarter:

There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding Garbine Muguruza heading into the Australian Open. The Spaniard withdrew from both her warm up tournaments with injury and there are doubts about how far she can go in Melbourne. She can not be happy with her draw either. Muguruza could face former champions Angelique Kerber and Maria Sharapova on the way to the quarter finals. Kerber in particular is in excellent form heading into the tournament. The other seeds in the section are Agnieszka Radwanska and Anastasija Sevastova, both are awkward opponents with variety in their games. This is undoubtedly the strongest section in the draw.

Prediction: Kerber def. Muguruza

Caroline Garcia finished 2017 in the form of her life and that has led to some lofty expectations for 2018. The Frenchwoman comes into the Australian Open as an outside favourite, but a back injury has left her short of preparation. She is still a heavy favourite to make the last eight though with her biggest test probably being Madison Keys. The American can blow hot and cold, but she often brings her best to the big events. Kristina Mladenovic has landed in this section too, and it will be interesting to see if she can end her losing slump. The Frenchwoman has not won a match since last August and is on a 14-match losing streak.

Prediction: Garcia def. Keys

Third Quarter:

Venus Williams is a defending finalist in Melbourne, but there are a few players in her section who can mount an upset. The American opens against Belinda Bencic in arguably the most anticipated round one match as the young Swiss is finding her best form after a long injury layoff. Julia Goerges is arguably the most in form player on the tour at the moment. The German has won her last three tournaments and is certainly a name to look out for in this tournament. However there are some dangerous floaters in this section too with Australia’s Daria Gavrilova, the ever dangerous Ekaterina Makarova and Hobart champion Elise Mertens looking to cause an upset in this section of the draw.

Prediction: Goerges def. Venus

Daria Kasatkina (Photo: Tony Callaio)

Elina Svitolina heads into Melbourne as the favourite to lift the trophy in the eyes of many people, and it is easy to see why after her run in Brisbane. The Ukrainian has a pretty soft draw to the last eight too, with the out of form Sloane Stephens being her projected last 16 opponent, though it may end up being Daria Kasatkina. None of the seeds in this section are In good form, so Svitolina will be a huge favourite to advance to the last eight from this section.

Prediction: Svitolina def. Kasatkina

Bottom Quarter:

Jelena Ostapenko (Photo: Tony Callaio)

Jelena Ostapenko is the seventh seed in Melbourne and heads into the tournament in poor form having lost her previous two matches. The Latvian has shown she is capable of producing her tennis on the big stage though, she proved that at the French Open last season. This section is full of unpredictable players who can easily go far, making this quarter one to look out for. Ostapenko opens against Italian veteran Francesca Schiavone and could meet the promising Anett Kontaveit in the third round. Upsets could leave the door open for Coco Vandeweghe, who heads into the tournament as the 10^th seed. The American is capable of producing big tennis on her day, but she like many others can often blow cold too. With former finalist Dominika Cibulkova, Olympic gold medallist Monica Puig and veterans Cara Suarez Navarro and Sam Stosur in this section, this feels like a section that could do either way.

Prediction: Ostapenko def. Cibulkova

Second seed Caroline Wozniacki has never won a Grand Slam before despite being a former world number one, but with the way thing stand, this may be her best chance yet to end that duck. Wozniacki has been drawn into the lighter half of the draw and is heavily favoured to make the semi finals from this section. The Dane has some dangerous seeds in her section such as Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Magdalena Rybarikova, and that is where she could fall into danger territory in the fourth round, but apart from that it should be plain sailing for the second seed until the last eight.

Prediction: Wozniacki def. Rybarikova

Quarter Finals onwards Prediction:

Halep def. Konta
Kerber def. Garcia
Svitolina def. Goerges
Wozniacki def. Ostapenko

Kerber def. Halep
Wozniacki def. Svitolina

Wozniacki def. Kerber

This is a hard slam to predict as there is no clear favourite to win. Despite the rumours of courts playing pretty quickly, form favours the defensive players so we could end up with some long semi finals. Kerber is in good form and I believe she will go deep if she continues that into Melbourne, but I think the winner comes from the bottom half. Both Wozniacki and Svitolina have good draws until the semi finals where they should meet each other. Despite the Ukrainian’s head to head advantage, she could falter on the big stage here and I think Wozniacki’s experience will tell.

Garbine Muguruza, 2017 US Open

2017 @USOpen Women’s Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

We have reached the Big Apple for the final grand slam of the year and there is not only the US Open to fight for, but also the world number one ranking.
128 will enter Flushing Meadows, but only one woman will be crowned champion at the end of the fortnight. Here is a rundown of the draw for the 2017 US Open.

Top Quarter

Karolina Pliskova, 2017 US Open

World number one Karolina Pliskova has finals points to defend here and it is likely she will have to make that stage again if she is to keep the top spot. The Czech has a good draw ahead of her though with the first seeded player being Shuai Zhang. Kristina Mladenovic is projected for the fourth round, but the Frenchwoman’s lack of form and fitness issues may lead to another early exit. Look for Barbora Strycova to take advantage and possibly meet her compatriot in the round of 16.

The bottom half of this quarter seems more stacked and closely contested than the top half. Svetlana Kuznetsova is the highest seed and should be good enough for the third round at least. From there, it could get interesting with Anett Kontaveit, Lucie Safarova or Cici Bellis waiting in the wings. Agnieszka Radwanska is yet to break her Grand Slam curse, and if she is to do so here she will do it as the tenth seed. Coco Vandeweghe is her biggest test before a potential fourth round against Kuznetsova.

Second Quarter

Madison Keys, 2017 US Open

Elina Svitolina is one of the tournament favourites for the US Open as she looks to claim her first Grand Slam title. The Ukrainian has a tough opener against Katerina Siniakova, but the third round clash with the in form Daria Gavrilova could be her toughest first week opponent. Round four is projected to be Madison Keys, but she has a tough first round against Elise Mertens to worry about first. Elena Vesnina is the first seeded opponent for the American.

Angelique Kerber is the defending champion here, which is hard to believe given how underwhelming she has been in 2017. The German faces big hitting youngster Naomi Osaka in one of the picks of the opening round matches. Lesia Tsurenko is the first seeded opponent she will face, but things get really interesting in round four as Kerber could face French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has also landed in this section alongside dangerous unseeded player Daria Kasatkina.

Third Quarter
Garbine Muguruza has been in good form since Wimbledon and is in many people’s mind the favourite to go the distance in New York. The Spaniard has a good draw to the second week with Magdalena Rybarikova being the toughest opponent before round four. Petra Kvitova is projected to face Muguruza at this point, but her inconsistency could open the door for Caroline Garcia to make the second week of a third straight slam.

The US Open might be Caroline Wozniacki’s best shot at winning a maiden Grand Slam crown, and with the openness of the draw, she could very well go all the way. The Dane has some dangerous players in her section such as Ekaterina Makarova and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. Venus Williams has an outside shot of claiming the number one ranking if results go her way, and given her form this year you can not rule out the elder Williams sister prevailing. Venus plays Kiki Bertens in round three, her toughest opponent before the potential Wozniacki clash.

Bottom Quarter
The bottom quarter of this draw features the headline match of the opening round as Maria Sharapova faces second seed Simona Halep. It is not an ideal draw for either player, but it is the pick of the round one matches for the fans. Outside of the opening round, the draw looks good for the winner. Sevastova is the trickiest player in the section and is projected for the fourth round.

Johanna Konta has not had the best preparation for the US Open, but the Brit is still among the outside favourites for the title. Konta’s toughest match in the first week comes in the form of Germany’s Julia Goerges, a big hitter who has resurged somewhat this season. Dominika Cibulkova will be hoping for a good grand slam run at Flushing Meadows, but she has some tough matches including Sloane Stephens in round two and Ana Konjuh in round three.

Predictions
Round of 16:
Pliskova def. Strycova
Kuznetsova def. Vandeweghe
Svitolina def. Keys
Kerber def. Ostapenko
Venus def. Wozniacki
Muguruza def. Garcia
Konta def. Stephens
Halep def. Sevastova

For the most part I believe the seeds will hold up. There are many players capable of upsets, but they are so inconsistent, it is hard to back them. The only non top eight seed I have predicted to make the quarter finals is Venus, but that could easily be wrong too.

Quarter Finals
Pliskova def. Kuznetsova
Svitolina def. Kerber
Muguruza def. Venus
Halep def. Konta

The top four seeds are the strongest players in the draw and I believe they will fill out the semi finals in a rarity for the WTA.

Semi Finals:
Svitolina def. Pliskova
Muguruza def. Halep

These two matches can go either way but I have favoured the fourth and third seeds to get the job done. Pliskova will feel the pressure of keeping her ranking whilst Muguruza has a good record against Halep.

Final:
Muguruza def. Svitolina

I have predicted this final before at the French Open and somehow I have done it again. The draw can go either way, but Muguruza’s form should carry her far and the Spaniard seems to step up in the latter stages. That is why I have gone for her to win the final and take the crown. She seems much better at handling pressure after winning Wimbledon, and she can do well here despite her poor record.

After Qualifying, @KanepiKaia Could be Dangerous at @USOpen

Posted by Admin on August 27, 2017

Posted in: New York, US Open, WTA. Tagged: 2017, angelique kerber, Estonia, Francesca Schiavone, Kaia Kanepi, new york, qualifying, us open. Leave a comment

Kaia Kanepi, 2017 US Open (Photo: Tennis Atlantic)

After Qualifying, Kaia Kanepi Could be Dangerous at US Open
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

Kaia Kanepi is lurking to bust your bracket. After dispatching Hsieh Su-wei, the #1 qualifying seed in New York last Friday in straight sets, Kanepi is ready for a run. Tennis Atlantic spoke with Kanepi after the 6-2, 6-4 qualifying final on Friday. She’d previously beaten Nina Stojanović 6-2, 6-2 on Tuesday and went three sets with Louisa Chirico, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 on Thursday.

“It’s a really amazing feeling, really. I have never done it at the US Open, made it through qualification, so it’s great,” she said. “It suits my game really well,” Kanepi said of the courts and conditions in New York. “I get a lot of support here and the Estonians love New York like I do,” she added.

Despite numerous injuries throughout her career and even a case of mononucleosis, her four tour titles and five Grand Slam quarterfinals, including the 2010 US Open, render her a serious threat. She won two tournaments this summer in Essen, Germany and Parnu, Estonia. Though those titles might not put the fear of god in her opponents, her resolve through qualifying at 11368–the zip code for the US Open–should.

She draws Francesca Schiavone on Tuesday in Round 1. Schiavone at #77 and Kanepi at #418 may look like a mismatch on paper but it’s not that simple. Though the two haven’t played in 5 years, the Estonian took the last two, with the last match a 6-3, 6-0 runaway by Kanepi in 2012. The winner of Tuesday’s first round match gets Lesia Tsurenko or Yanina Wickmayer. A Round 3 matchup could be against 6 seed Angelique Kerber, if either Kanepi or Kerber make it that far. And they’ve split their four tour head-to-heads.

You heard it here first. Kanepi could spell big trouble in this part of the draw.

2017 WTA @InteBNLdItalia WTA Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on May 14, 2017

Posted in: Niall Clarke, Rome, WTA. Tagged: 2017, angelique kerber, Elina Svitolina, Internazionali BNL D'Italia, Kiki Mladenovic, picks, predictions, previews, Roland Garros, rome, Simona Halep, Womens Tennis, WTA Tour. Leave a comment

2017 WTA @InteBNLdItalia WTA Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

It is the last grand tournament before the French Open, and one that finishes the back- to-back Premier weeks. The Internazionali BNL d’Italia is here and we have a run down of the 64 woman draw.

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Top Quarter:
It is fair to say that Madrid did not go to plan for Angelique Kerber. The world number one is still trying to find her feet this season, but clay is not her best surface. Kerber should be good for the third round, but things get interesting form then on. She could possibly meet Maria Sharapova in round three, providing the Russian cat beat Christina McHale then the winner of Lucie Safarova vs Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. With Kerber’s struggles this year, Sharapova could make the last eight here, but the world number one will still be the favourite given how soon the Russian is in to her comeback.

Simona Halep once again had a good run in Madrid, so her participation in Rome may slightly be in doubt. Players can often do well one week then withdraw the next so it will be interesting to see if the Romanian heads to Rome. If so, Halep will be one of the favourites. Laura Seigemund or Naomi Osaka will welcome Halep to Rome. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is projected to face the sixth seed in the third round, but she has a tough draw with Sam Stosur and Anastasija Sevastova in her section.

Prediction: Halep def. Kerber

Second Quarter:
Dominika Cibulkova failed to defend her final points in Madrid, so Rome could be a big tournament for the Slovakian. She will want to avoid another early exit when she faces the winner of Roberta Vinci and Ekaterina Makarova in the second round. The first seeded player projected for Cibulkova is Kiki Bertens. The Dutchwoman played well to make the quarter finals in Madrid and could be a handful for the fourth seed should they meet in the third round. Bertens opens against Monica Niculescu, then will likely face Misaki Doi in the second round. There are some tough matches but Cibulkova will be the favourite to make it to the quarter finals.

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Svetlana Kuznetsova had another good run in Madrid where she made the semi finals. Clay suits the Russian’s game and given the quarter she will fancy another semi final appearance in Rome. Katerina Siniakova or Shuai Zheng will be her first opponent, then possibly Madison Keys in round three. The American could have a difficult match against Caroline Garcia in round three, providing the Frenchwoman is fit after her back injury. But Keys is a former finalist here and could set up an interesting clash with Kuznetsova in the third round.

Prediction: Kuznetsova def. Cibulkova

Third Quarter:
The third quarter is headlined by a player who is out of form, and another who struggles on clay…this could get messy. Johanna Konta has never adapted well to the dirt, and her early exit in Madrid was not a surprise. It will not be a shock to see the Briton struggle against Monica Puig or Yulia Putintseva in round two. Venus Williams is another player who struggles on clay, and she has a dangerous draw against Yaroslava Shvedova. It is a hard section to call as almost every player could make the quarter finals.

Garbine Muguruza’s year did not get any better in Madrid where she lost in round one. The Spaniard did go deep in Rome last year, though, and will be looking to repeat that result in 2017. Muguruza should be good for the third round, but Kristina Mladenovic in the round of 16 could be a bridge too far, if she is not feeling the effects of her run in Madrid. The Frenchwoman has been in fine form this year, and could have a good result again in Rome. Mladenovic opens against Julia Goerges, then plays Alison Riske or Jelena Jankovic in round two.

Prediction: Mladenovic def. Venus

Fourth Quarter:
Karolina Pliskova is another player who often struggles to adapt her game to clay, so there could be another upset on the cards in the fourth quarter. Pliskova was soundly beaten by Sevastova in Madrid, and Carla Suarez Navarro could be a tough match too in the second round of Rome. Barbora Strycova is scheduled for the third round, but the Czech has a tough opener against Daria Kasatkina, then possibly Timea Bacsinszky.

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Elina Svitolina exited Madrid shockingly early, but the Ukrainian could respond well in Rome. The eighth seed faces Alize Cornet or Sara Errani in the second round, two difficult opponents but players she should beat. Elena Vesnina is the projected third round opponent, and the Russian should make it too with a host of qualifiers in the section. It is a good draw for Svitolina, though, who should make the semi finals and possibly go further.

Prediction: Svitolina def. Bacsinszky

Semi Finals:
Halep def. Kuznetsova
Svitolina def. Mladenovic

Final:
Halep def. Svitolina

It is a tough tournament to call because there are so many unknown factors. Halep and Mladenovic are the form players but will their Madrid run leave them fatigued for Rome? The draw is open to a lot of upsets too but I am picking the in-form Halep to go all the way.

Day 3 @MutuaMadridOpen: Bouchard Ousts Sharapova

Posted by Admin on May 8, 2017

Posted in: ATP, Madrid, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: 2017, angelique kerber, Genie Bouchard, Karolina Pliskova, maria sharapova, Mutua Madrid Open, recap. Leave a comment

Madrid Day 3: Bouchard Ousts Sharapova
Niall Clarke from Madrid

Embed from Getty Images

Eugenie Bouchard upset Maria Sharapova in a feisty grudge match at the Mutua Madrid Open in a day which also saw Karolina Pliskova make a shock exit.

Sharapova knocked out by Bouchard

Eugenie Bouchard did not hold back on her thoughts on Maria Sharapova making her return to the tour. The Canadian labelled her a ‘cheat’ and said she should be ‘banned for life’ and it was fitting they were to meet in Madrid.

It was a feisty affair in which both players exchanged looks and fierce groundstokes, but ultimately it was Bouchard that prevailed 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 in two hours and 53 minutes.

The first set was predictably close with five breaks of serve, but it was Bouchard who got the crucial one at 5-5. The world number 60 served out the set 7-5, and Sharapova was once again forced into trying to come from behind.

The response was like the Sharapova of old. Like all great champions she scratched and clawed and levelled the match with two breaks of serve, the last of which sealing the second 6-2 in her favour. It was to be a tense final set on Manolo Santana.

Both players missed numerous break point opportunities in the decider, but it was Bouchard who struck first at 3-3. Sharapova managed to break straight back, but the visually fatigued Russian dropped serve again the follow game. Serving out was not simple for Bouchard as she had to save two break points, but on the second match point she closed out the match.

It was the second time since her comeback that Sharapova has lost to a player that openly criticised her. First Kristina Mladenovic got the better of her in Stuttgart, and now Bouchard in Madrid.

“I definitely had some extra motivation going into today.” Said Bouchard post match. “

Obviously I had never beaten her before. Also given the circumstances…

“I was actually quite inspired before the match because I had a lot of players coming up to me privately wishing me good luck, players I don’t normally speak to, getting a lot of texts from people in the tennis world that were just rooting for me.

“So I wanted to do it for myself, but also all these people. I really felt support.”

It was one of Bouchard’s best performances since 2014 where she made the Wimbledon final. For Sharapova, it was a disappointing defeat as she had her chances to win this match. But it is another step towards re-capturing her prior form.

“I definitely thought I should have taken care of the first set.” Sharapova said post match.

“I had a letdown, being up a break. I was happy with the way I changed things around in the second, stepped in, was a little bit more aggressive inside the baseline.

“Then the third, kind of felt like it was a similar pattern: set up opportunities, breakpoints, and just did not convert them today.”

Pliskova upset by Sevastova

Karolina Pliskova became the first seeded casualty on day three of the Mutua Madrid Open as she was defeated 6-3, 6-3 by Anastasija Sevastova on Manolo Santana stadium.

The first set started out an even contest with both players not giving up much on serve, but in the sixth game of the set, Pliskova was the first to earn a break opportunity. Two break points came and went though as Sevastova held and went on to break the following game. The Latvian continued to play well, defending the power of her opponent and using her variety to keep the second seed moving. Another break sealed the set 6-3, and the world number three was now in trouble.

Things got from bad to worse for Pliskova as she was broken for a third time in a row by Sevastova early in the second set. Pliskova had opportunities to break back but failed to capitalise as her opponent kept saving break points. A match point came and went on the Pliskova serve leaving the question, can se serve it out? Despite her tendencies to get nervous in the big moments, Sevastova successfully served out the match to upset the second seed and seal one of her biggest career victories.
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It was a bad day a the office for Pliskova who follows her sister out of the Mutua Madrid Open. Clay has never been a kind surface to the Czech, and she reflected on the performance post match.

“Every loss is frustrating. But I just have to move forward. I don’t think was that bad for the score. One break in each set. So could be different.

I had six breakpoints. I didn’t do one. She did two, which she needed. Was about those chances what I didn’t do. That could be different. The seventh game of the first set – was it the seventh, sixth maybe, yeah – I could play different. I think I was up two breakpoints in that game. I could be break up first. That could change the situation quite a lot. Didn’t happen.

I didn’t serve well, so was tough for me sometimes to even hold the serve. Just to break, anything could happen in the second set. I could come back. I was 40-15 up in, what was it, 4-2 down, 40-15 for coming back. Didn’t quite manage it. Didn’t play any great shot, didn’t play any terrible shot. Just was not enough.

So, yeah, not really happy still with the way how I was playing. Definitely a little bit better than in the first round.”

Kerber survives Siniakova scare

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Angelique Kerber came back from 5-3 down in the final set to defeat Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 1-6, 7-5 in a dramatic second round match on Manolo Santana stadium.

The top seed looked in full control fo the match early and raced through the first set 6-2. But Siniakova upped her game in the second and levelled the score with a 6-1 second set.

The third began very close with six straight holds. Siniakova saved three break points in the sixth game of the set and rode that momentum to break in the seventh. It looked like another top player would exit the womens draw when the Czech served for the match, but a mixture of nerves and Kerber’s fighting abilities saw the German break back to level the score at 5-5. Kerber then held serve to keep the pressure on her young opponent. Siniakova served to take it to a final set tiebreak, but the nerves were too much and Kerber went on to secure the win.

“I think it was from my side a really up-and-down match.” Kerber said post match.

“I played really good in the first set, then in the second set the first few games at the beginning of the second set, it was really close.

“Then she started playing better. I mean, she started to moving good, bring a lot of balls back. I did, yeah, too many mistakes in the second set. In the third set, I was just trying to finding my game back.

“But, yeah, she played a good match, I think. I think she played one of the best matches in this year. But, yeah, I was trying at the end coming back. I know that I can come back and winning matches like that when I’m down. So that was actually what was going on in my mind in the third set.”

WTA Round up

Svetlana Kuznetsova almost became another seeded casualty, but the Russian saved match point to beat Alison Riske 2-6, 7-6(9) 6-2. The American also served for the match at 5-4 in the second set but was unable to convert her chances.

Kristina Mladenovic also overcame a tough American opponent to reach the second round. The Frenchwoman won the first set 6-3 against Lauren Davis but was pegged back 6-1 in the second. The third set saw six breaks of serve but it went al the way to a tiebreak which was dominated by Mladenovic 7-1.

The Spanish women had success today as both Carla Suarez Navarro and Lara Arruabarrena made it to the third round. Suarez Navarro overcame Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 whilst Arruabarrena defeated Barbora Strycova 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

ATP Round up

Gilles Simon and Gael Monfils played out one of the most bizarre matches you will see this year. The two Frenchman went back and forth for two hours and Simon eventually ran out a 0-6, 6-0 7-6(0) winner. Not only was the score-line strange, Monfils took a medical time out due after rolling his ankle and then failed to serve out the match.

Tomas Berdych kicked off his Madrid campaign with a straight sets win over qualifier Denis Istomin. The Czech needed just over an hour to secure a 6-4, 6-4 victory. Berdych will play Robin Haase in the second round after the Dutchman defeated Dan Evans 7-5, 6-2.

Grigor Dimitrov booked his spot in the second round with a 7-6,6-4 win over Phillip Kohlschreiber. The Bulgarian will face the winner of Roberto Bautista-Agut vs Ivo Karlovic in round two. Nick Kyrgios also made a good start to his tournament by defeating Marcos Baghdatis 7-6(1) 6-4. Pablo Cuevas defeated Thomaz Bellucci 7-6(2), 4-6, 7-6(6).

It was a mixed day for the Spanish men. David Ferrer came from a break down in the second set to defeat Mikhail Kukushkin 2-6, 7-6, 6-4. Compatriot Guillermo Garcia-Lopez was not as fortunate as he lost out to Marius Copil. The win for Copil means he will break the top 100 for the first time and also play Andy Murray on Tuesday. Marcel Granollers went out to Florian Mayer 7-5, 7-5

Kerber, Halep Dominate Sunday Play @MutuaMadridOpen, Sharapova Wins in 3

Posted by Admin on May 7, 2017

Posted in: ATP, Madrid, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: 2017, angelique kerber, Caja Magica, Garbine Muguruza, Genie Bouchard, maria sharapova, May 7, Mutua Madrid Open, recap, Simona Halep. Leave a comment

Kerber, Halep Dominate Sunday Play @MutuaMadridOpen, Sharapova Wins in 3
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic Halep, New Haven

Maria Sharapova made a winning return to the Mutua Madrid Open after battling from a set down to defeat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. That and much more in our day two wrap up.

Maria Sharapova returns to Madrid with a win
Much has been made of the decision to give Sharapova a wildcard into the tournament after serving a year long doping ban, but despite the critics the Russian made a winning return to the Caja Magica.

The former world number one dropped her opening service game but immediately broke back in a topsy-turvy first set that saw five breaks of serve. Crucially, Lucic-Baroni scored the final one and was able to hold on to take the set 6-4.

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Like many times in the past, Sharapova had to come from behind. The world number 262 wasted little time getting a break in the second set, but after failing to take any of the four set points on her opponent’s serve, Sharapova failed to serve the set out. She recovered quickly though and immediately broke again to level proceedings 4-6, 6-4.

From there, Sharapova would not go on to lose another game. Sensing the chance to strike, the five time grand slam champion raced through the third set and delivered a bagel to cap off her winning return in Madrid.

“I’m not quite sure how to describe the match because it feels like it happened so fast.” Sharapova said post match.

“I thought she played really well. I was playing against, like, a human slingshot for a while there. Balls were coming so fast and deep. I mean, for a couple of sets, I don’t believe we had too many rallies over three balls.

You know, I wasn’t really happy with my percentage of serve in the first couple of sets. I definitely improved that in the third. I think that really helped me. I got a better read on her serve, as well.

You know, she goes for it. You have to be patient. Sometimes there’s not much you can do. Those are great shots, on the line. I mean, the breakpoints, I missed a couple of second-serve returns. That was obviously an error from my side.

But she came up with some great winners. Just got to hand it to her.”

Sharapova moves on to face Eugenie Bouchard in the second round. The already intriguing affair has added spice due after the Canadian labelled the former world number one a ‘cheater’ and claims she should be ‘banned for life’, something that slightly motivates the Canadian to get the victory more.

“Once I step on the court, everything will be to the side.” Bouchard said after her win vs Alize Cornet.

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“But, you know, inside myself, I think I’ll have a bit more motivation. But it’s very important, once I step on the court, no matter who is on the other side, to focus on the tennis. Or else I think it’s easy to lose concentration.”

Kerber cruises in opener
In the opening match of the day on Manolo Santana stadium, top seed Angelique Kerber cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 victory against Timea Babos.

The German made a quick start to the match, racing into a 3-0 lead with two breaks of serve. Babos was able to claw one break back, but after spending much of the opening set under pressure, she lost out 6-4 to the top seed.

The second set was plain sailing for Kerber. She did not face a single break point and in turn inflicted two breaks of serve on the over-matched Babos. The German successfully served the match out for a 6-4, 6-2 victory, and the perfect start to her Madrid Open campaign.

Kerber reflected on the performance post match: “Once I step on the court, everything will be to the side. But, you know, inside myself, I think I’ll have a bit more motivation. But it’s very important, once I step on the court, no matter who is on the other side, to focus on the tennis. Or else I think it’s easy to lose concentration.”

Halep in a hurry
Simona Halep began her Madrid Open title defence with a crushing 6-1, 6-2 win over Kristyna Pliskova on Manolo Santana court.

The third seed quickly raced into a 5-1 lead as she exposed the slow movement of her opponent. Haleo did not face a single break point in the entire set as she closed it out 6-1. The momentum rolled into set two where an early break of serve set the tone for the second set. Halep broke again later on in the set and almost a third time as Pliskova served to stay in the match. The Czech held however and forced Halep to serve the match out. The Romanian struggled to close the match out and faced two break points before finally converting on the fourth match point.

It was a convincing win for the defending champion against a tough in form opponent. To break the big serve of Pliskova four times in the match is quite an impressive feat, so is winning in under an hour.

“It was quick because I started aggressive.” Halep Said in her post match press conference.

“I had this in my mind, to play my style, to play aggressive, to take her fast. She did great in Prague. She came yesterday. Maybe she didn’t have time to get used to this court.

“But I wanted to do my job from the beginning. I think I did pretty well. I finished strong.”

Muguruza’s Madrid Woes Continue
Garbine Muguruza continues to struggle at her home tournament as once again she lost early, this time to Timea Bacsinszky in the opening round.

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Despite getting off to the perfect start with a break, the Spaniard was unable to sustain a good level and struggled on serve as the Swiss rallied to win six straight games to take the opening set.

Muguruza started the second set better than the first, this time converting her break into a 3-0 lead. But once again the wheels came off and Bacsinszky won six straight games for the second time In the match to knock the fifth seed and home favourite out of the tournament.

Madrid has always been a difficult place for the Spanish number one. Despite having big success on clay, she has been unable to perform at her best in front of her home fans, and she has never made it past the third round of the tournament.

“Honestly, I have zero expectations here because I never really play well here.” Muguruza said post match.

“Maybe there’s circumstances or the conditions. I don’t know what it is exactly.

“But I wish I could perform better today because I’ve been training pretty hard. You know, when the match comes, it’s just not there, you kind of feel, like, sad.”

Carla Suarez Navarro came within a game of going out herself at the hands of Shuai Peng, but the Spaniard was able to win the last nine games to secure a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 victory and at least send a section of the crowd home happy.

WTA round up
It was a positive day for the American women. Lauren Davis came out on top in a thrilling three set contest against Monica Puig 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3). Cici Bellis scored a big three set win of her own against Daria Gavrilova 7-5, 5-7, 6-2. CoCo Vandeweghe had less trouble and defeated Ana Kontaveit 6-4,7-6(7).
Kristina Mladenovic progressed to the second round after her opponent Ana Konjuh was forced to retire after the second set. The Croatian won the first 7-5, but after dropping the second 6-3 the teenager decided she could not continue and thus Mladenovic advances. Her compatriot Caroline Garcia was not so fortunate. In her return from back injury, Garcia lost to Chinese qualifier Qiang Wang 6-4, 6-3 on court seven. It was a mixed day for the French as Oceane Dodin recorded a straight sets win over Andrea Petkovic, whilst Pauline Parmentier lost 6-1, 6-0 to Katerina Siniakova.

Svetlana Kuznetsova made a winning start to the tournament by overcoming Yaroslava Shvedova 6-4, 6-3. It was not a good day for the Kazakh hopefuls as Yulia Putintseva also suffered a straight sets loss to Donna Vekic. Sam Stosur had little problem in her match though as she destroyed Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-2, 6-0. Caroline Wozniacki also made it through 7-5, (3)6-7, 6-4 against Monica Niculescu.

There was an upset on court five as 11th seed Elina Svitolina exited the tournament at the hands of Shuai Zhang. It appeared to be plain sailing for the Ukrainian after she took the first set 6-2, but the Chinese player fought back to get a hard earned 2-6,7-6(4),6-2 win.

Francesca Schiavone waved goodbye to the Mutua Madrid Open for the last time as she crashed out to Jo Larsson 5-7, 6-3, 6-1. Mriana Duque-Marino was also victorious over Julia Goerges.

In the all-Czech affair between Barbora Strycova and Lucie Safarova, the seeded player came out on top from a set behind. Strycova emerged victorious 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 on court six. Sorana Cirstea capped off a good day for Romanians with a three set win over the in-form Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

ATP roundup
The WTA took centre stage on the opening Sunday, but the ATP portion of the tournament also kicked off with two first round matches and the final qualifying matches taking place.

David Goffin kicked off his tournament with a 6-2 7-6 (8) win against Karen Khachanov. The Belgian impressively took the first set with a double break, but he was made to work harder for the second by his Russian opponent. Khachanov took an early lead in the second, but Goffin broke straight back and a tiebreak was needed to separate the two players. It was a long breaker, but the higher ranked Goffin came through 10-8 to book his place in the second round.

Fabio Fognini joined the Belgian in the round of 32 after a straight sets win over Joao Sousa. A break in the middle of both sets allowed for an unusually routine win for the every entertaining Italian who faces Rafael Nadal in the second round.

Adrian Mannarino, Denis Istomin, Thomaz Bellucci, Andrey Kuznetsov, Pierre-Hughes Herbert, Mikhail Kukushkin, and Ernesto Escubedo confirmed their entry into the main draw with qualifying wins.

2017 @MutuaMadridOpen Women’s Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on May 7, 2017

Posted in: Madrid, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: 2017, angelique kerber, Elena Vesnina, Karolina Pliskova, maria sharapova, Mutua Madrid Open, picks, predictions, preview, Simona Halep, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Womens Tennis, wta. Leave a comment

2017 @MutuaMadridOpen Women’s Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

kerber-2016

Clay season is in full effect now as the tour stops off in the Spanish capital of Madrid for the Mutua Madrid Open. It is one of the biggest clay court events in the season, and Tennis Atlantic has on-site coverage of the Premier event. For now, here is a run down of the draw.

Top Quarter:

With Serena Williams out of action with pregnancy, Angelique Kerber enters the Madrid Open as the top seed. The German is not In the best form this year, but with the tour is wide open and she could go all the way in Madrid. Kerber opens up against big serving Timea Babos in the first round with Katerina Siniakova likely for the second. It is the third round where things could get very interesting though as a potential Maria Sharapova clash is on the cards. The Russian, who has recently returned from a doping ban, faces Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in round one then the winner of Eugenie Bouchard vs Alize Cornet in the second round. A Sharapova vs Kerber round three is very much on the cards, and it could be fireworks. I think Kerber progresses as Sharapova will not be back to her best form quite yet, but the way this season has gone so far, anything can happen.

Svetlana Kuznetsova could be seen as an outside favourite here as the courts suit her game. She is a former Roland Garros champion and is well adapted to clay. The Russian opens against the ever unpredictable Yaroslava Shvedova then possibly Alison Riske in the second round. Elina Svitolina is the projected round three opponent, but the Ukrainian could have trouble with Caroline Garcia in the second round. It could well be youth vs experience in the third round, and on clay I think Kuznetsova has the advantage.

The quarter final will no doubt be a great match, but with Kerber’s struggles this year I can see Kuznetsova grabbing the upset on clay.

Prediction: Kuznetsova def. Kerber

Second Quarter:

Dominika Cibulkova

Dominika Cibulkova enjoyed a big run to the final in Madrid last year, and the Slovak will look to at least replicate that form in 2017. The fourth seed faces Jelena Jankovic first then a qualifier in round two- a good draw for the Slovak. The first seeded opponent is projected to be Kristina Mladenovic who has been in good form this season. The Frenchwoman has a tough opener against Ana Konjuh however, and then she could face Monica Puig in round two. With Cibulkova having the easier path to the third round and being a former finalist here, I can see the fourth seed getting through this section to the quarter finals despite what should be a difficult third round.

Madison Keys has spent a lot of her year injured thus far, but if any clay court tournament suits her big hitting game it is Madrid. The American opens against Misaki Doi before a potential meeting with Yulia Putintseva in the second round. Anastasia Pavlyuchkova has been in good form as evident by her run in Rabat, and the Russian will see this as a good quarter final chance. Sorana Cirstea is first up for the 13^th seed, followed by CiCi Bellis or Daria Gavrilova. It will be an upset to see any of the seeded players lose before the third round, and I see Pavlyuchenkova advancing to the quarter finals.

Pavlyuchenkova and Cibulkova could meet once again in Madrid. Last year it was a close match in which the Slovak won in three sets. I can see something similar happening here.

Prediction: Cibulkova def. Pavlyuchenkova

Third Quarter:

Simona Halep

Simona Halep returns to Madrid as the defending champion and potential tournament favourite. Can the Romanian defend her crown? She has a tough opening match against Prague finalist Kristyna Pliskova in the first round. Then she meets the winner of Roberta Vinci vs Daria Kastakina. If she can avoid an early exit, Halep could face Sam Stosur in the round of 16, a repeat of the semi final from last year in which Halep won comfortably. That is providing the Aussie gets past Sara Sorbes-Tormo and Julia Goerges.

Johanna Konta has not had the greatest of success on clay, but the Brit aims to change that this year. She is under no pressure to defend points in Madrid, but she still has a tough draw ahead starting with Stuttgart champion Laura Siegemund. The winner could face big serving Coco Vandeweghe in the second round with Caroline Wozniacki likely waiting in the third. The Dane faces Monica Niculescu in the first round, then Shuai Peng or Carla Suarez-Navarro. I believe that Wozniacki will make it pout of this section to set up a quarter final with Halep as Konta is not strong on clay, and the 10^th seed is the superior player to anyone else in the section.

However, I see Halep being a little too strong in the quarter finals. As the defending champion, the Romanian will be keen to repeat her success. She played well here last year and I see no reason why that would change.

Prediction: Halep def. Wozniacki

Fourth Quarter:

Elena Vesnina

Karolina Pliskova is another player who often struggles to adapt her game to clay, but the quicker courts of Madrid might suit her more than most clay court tournaments. As the second seed there will be a lot of pressure on the Czech to go deep, but she has some tough tests in her draw starting with Lesia Tsurenko then potentially Anastasija Sevastova. It could be an all Czech third round with Strycova or Lucie Safarova who face each other in round one. The winner of that faces either Christina McHale or Laura Arruabarrena.

Garbine Muguruza will be the home crowd favourite in Madrid, but she has traditionally struggled in at this tournament. Add to that the poor form of this year, this could be a tough tournament for the fifth seed. If she can harness the energy of the crowd then she could get through her a tough section which starts with Timea Bacsinszky. The winner will face either Kiki Bertens or Ekaterina Makarova, with Elena Vesnina potentially awaiting in the third round.

This section is very unpredictable as all players could go out at any time. It is a tough call, but I will go out on a limb and say Elena Vesnina makes it to the quarter finals over Pliskova

Prediction: Vesnina def. Pliskova

Semi Finals:

Kuznetsova def. Cibulkova

Halep def. Vesnina

Final:

Halep def. Kuznetsova

This is a difficult call, but Halep is the only player I can be sure of here because she is the defending champion. My predictions could go completely wrong because it is exceptionally difficult to call, but Halep is my pick to go all the way.

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