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Campaigns Continue and Conclude at Charleston Open

Posted by Admin on April 2, 2024
Posted in: Charleston. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

DANIEL ISLAND, SC–Just four weeks ago, Ambassador Nikki Haley came to Daniel Island to end her presidential campaign. Like political races, tennis tournaments are cruel because only one of the 64 talented professional athletes will find unmitigated success by Sunday afternoon in the singles final. A few of the players took strides to muster on for the top prize after the first day of main draw play here and a few of them packed their bags.

Caroline Wozniacki, a 2011 Charleston champion, summoned some of the form that made her #1 in a 6-0, 6-1 win over McCartney Kessler. She played loose and in-form in the match. Seeded Anhelina Kalinina should be nervous about facing the Great Dane tomorrow in the round of 32.


Viktoriya Tomova, in her tournament debut, gutted out a three set win over Mayer Sherif, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 on Court 3 yesterday. Today, she’ll look for her first ever top 10 victory when she meets Maria Sakkari.

Daria Saville keeps on churning out wins in Charleston and she let out a primal roar on Althea Gibson court as she concluded the campaign of Tamara Korpatsch in a see-saw match with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 result. Elina Svitolina should have her hands full with this one tomorrow..

And congratulations to American Katie Volynets on winning the longest match of the WTA tour so far in this year’s campaign. It took her only three hours and forty-three minutes to overcome Arantxa Rus, 6-2, 6-7(6), 7-6(6). The match was so long it forced organizers to move the doubles match scheduled later on the court to the stadium. Her reward is ignominious with a second round match-up against 10 seed Emma Navarro.

The day session features Danielle Collins, fresh off her Miami title, squaring off against the dangerous Paula Badosa. If Tomova has anything left in the tank from yesterday, her match with Sakkari could be a gem. The night session opens with Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova, followed by Madison Keys and what could be a tough out against Jaqueline Cristian Who’s dropping out today?

—S. Fogleman

Sunday Qualifying Finals Set Up Main Draw Monday at Charleston Open

Posted by Admin on April 1, 2024
Posted in: Charleston, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

DANIEL ISLAND, SC—Six qualifiers seized their spots in the main draw at the Charleston Open yesterday ahead of the beginning of play today at 11:00 a.m. The marquis matchup saw Daria Saville advance over Heather Watson, 6-3, 6-2. The Australian will face Tamara Korpatsch in Round 1 in what is a favorable draw for Saville. Should she advance, she will become Elina Svitolina’s first opponent of the 2024 Charleston campaign.

lp

Gabriela Lee mastered Astra Sharma on Court 3 yesterday afternoon in another match that involved improved play by the opponent in the second set. With the 6-2, 6-3 win behind her, Lee will rest up for a match against 19-year-old Ashlyn Kruger tomorrow.

Top qualifying seed Varvara Gracheva did her part to justify by top billing by handling Usue Arconada, 6-2, 6-4, in a match that felt closer than the scoreline. Gracheva doesn’t get a day off–she’ll take on wild card Clervie Ngounoue tonight on Stadium Court.

Also pulling through qualifying was Katie Volynets with a three set comeback win and a date against Arantxa Rus, and Claire Liu with her own three set comeback over Linda Fruhvirtova, setting up a match between the young American and Shelby Rogers tonight. Sachia Vickery thought she’d taken down compatriot McCartney Kessler in qualifying, but they’re both still playing. Vickery moves on to meet Jaqueline Cristian, while lucky loser Kessler faces Caroline Wozniacki on stadium court for what is arguably the match of the day.

—S. Fogleman

Credit One Charleston Open Announces Main Draw Wild Cards

Posted by Admin on March 27, 2024
Posted in: Charleston. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Player field highlighted by four Grand Slam champions, six Charleston champions and 10 top 20 players

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Credit One Charleston Open, the largest women’s-only professional tennis tournament in North America, has announced its main draw wild cards ahead of the highly anticipated 52nd event, March 30 – April 7 on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina. The tournament has awarded wild cards to former World No. 1 and 2018 Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki, World No. 13 Beatriz Haddad Maia, Charleston native Shelby Rogers and 2023 Wimbledon girls singles champion Clervie Ngounoue. 

“We are excited to have an impressive lineup of wild cards this year, including former World No. 1 and past champion Caroline Wozniacki, Brazil’s Top 20 trailblazer Beatriz Haddad Maia, and the incredibly promising American young talent, Clervie Ngounoue,” said Bob Moran, President of Beemok Sports & Entertainment. “Caroline’s return to the courts in Charleston adds a layer of anticipation and nostalgia for our fans, while Beatriz’s breakthrough performances on the tour last year signal she’s a significant contender. Clervie represents the bright future of tennis at just 17 years old, and we can’t wait to see her compete on this grand stage. Their commitments emphasize our tournament’s reputation as a platform where legends, current champions, and future stars converge, promising a week of exciting tennis action for our fans.”  

“Welcoming Shelby Rogers back to the courts at an event that holds special significance for her as a local player, means a great deal to our tournament and our fans,” said Moran. “Shelby’s determination to return to the game she loves is truly inspiring. It’s a moment of pride for us to see her compete in her hometown, and we look forward to supporting her throughout the tournament.” 

To round out the field, six players will earn entry into the main draw via qualifying competition beginning March 30. 

The 2024 tournament features a deep player field that includes four Grand Slam champions, six former Charleston champions, two former World No. 1’s and 10 top 20 players. 

The wild cards join a field that is headlined by World No. 5 and 2023 Montreal champion Jessica Pegula, World No. 6, three-time Grand Slam finalist and 2023 Charleston champion Ons Jabeur and World No. 9 and 2023 Guadalajara champion Maria Sakkari. In addition to Wozniacki, Grand Slam champions Victoria Azarenka, Sofia Kenin and Sloane Stephens have also entered the field. 

2011 Charleston champion Wozniacki joins Jabeur (2023), Stephens (2016), Daria Kasatkina (2017), Madison Keys (2019) and Veronika Kudermetova (2021) as one of six former Charleston champions returning in pursuit of a second title on the green clay of the Credit One Stadium in April. 

Wild Card Commitments: 

  • Wozniacki formally retired in January 2020 after participating in the Australian Open to start a family. In August 2023, the mother of two made a return to professional tennis in Montreal. Shortly after her comeback, she advanced to the fourth round at the US Open. She has since reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells. She won the 2018 Australian Open and is a two-time US Open finalist. She holds 30 WTA titles, including the Charleston title in 2011. This will be her seventh time competing in the Charleston tournament, where she holds a 20-5 win/loss record. She reached the tournament’s finals in 2019 and 2009, semifinals in 2010 and quarterfinals in 2013 and 2017.
  • World No. 13 Haddad Maia will compete in Charleston’s main draw for the second time and first since 2018. Her 2023 season included reaching the semifinals of Roland-Garros and Abu Dhabi and quarterfinals of Adelaide, Doha, Stuttgart, Rome and San Diego. She also won her third singles title last year when she captured the WTA Elite Trophy title in Zhuhai. She reached a career high singles and doubles ranking of World No. 10 in 2023.
  • Charleston native Rogers has recently returned from an injury that has sidelined her since Wimbledon 2023. This will be 10th appearance in the Charleston main draw, where she made the quarterfinals in 2017. Rogers is a two-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist having reached the final eight at the 2020 US Open and 2016 in Roland Garros.
  • Seventeen year old Ngounoue will compete in Charleston for the first time. She has won three girls’ Grand Slam titles – the 2023 Wimbledon girls’ singles champion title and the girls’ doubles title in 2023 at Roland Garros and 2022 at the Australian Open. She was the ITF’s No. 1 ranked junior in June 2023. 

Additionally, Barbora Krejcikova has withdrawn from the tournament due to illness. 

The nine-day Credit One Charleston Open showcases a singles draw of 48 players, a qualifying draw of 28 players and a doubles draw of 16 players. The event traditionally hosts more than 90,000 attendees on Daniel Island. The tournament recently released its Fan Hub, which showcases special events, food and beverage options, partner activities and more happening throughout the nine-day tournament.

Charleston Tennis, LLC, which manages Credit One Stadium under a lease from the City of Charleston, renovated and modernized the 20-year-old facility in 2022. The city-owned venue underwent upgrades to enhance the stadium experience for patrons, performers, tennis players and event management, allowing the venue to attract world-class athletes and talent to Daniel Island.

The Credit One Charleston Open has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports since 1973, paving the path for female tennis players to receive equal recognition, respect and pay in the sport. Originally held on Hilton Head Island, the event moved to Charleston in 2001 and is played on Daniel Island at the LTP Daniel Island tennis center, home to the Credit One Stadium.

Tickets can be purchased online at creditonecharlestonopen.com or by calling (843) 856-7900. For additional information, please email tickets@charlestontennisllc.com or visit creditonecharlestonopen.com. 

–A. Alpino

Will Auckland Become @CocoGauff Land? 2020 @WTA @ASB_Classic Auckland Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on January 5, 2020
Posted in: Auckland, Australian Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Will Auckland Become @CocoGauff Land? 2020 @WTA @ASB_Classic Auckland Preview, Predictions
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

Coco Gauff (Photo: Citi Open)

Or will it be like old times again with Serena and Wozniacki meeting in the final?

The 2020 Coco Gauff tour is almost underway. The ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand is stacked with the aforementioned former grand slam champions and a dose of the youth movement. Not too shabby for a WTA International level event.

Gauff, who is amazingly still 15 years old, looks to play her first pro match down under. It’s hard to believe that she made her pro debut just last year in Miami before shocking the world with stellar play at Wimbledon and the US Open.  Down Under has been patiently waiting for a chance to join her carnival of tennis enthusiasm. Gauff will have a tough opening round match against 21-year-old Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova, where she’s a favored -149, and assuming Gauff prevails, she’ll likely face Serena Williams in Round 2.

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Photo: (C) 2014 Chris Levy @tennis_shots for TennisEastCoast.com)

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Photo: (C) 2014 Chris Levy @tennis_shots for TennisEastCoast.com)

Or will she? Outside of the American teen sensation, all the buzz is about the first-round match between grand slam champs with a lot of mutual history. Serena Williams and Sveta Kuznetsova have met 13 times, and although Serena holds a 10-3 edge on the 2004 US Open champ, anyone who follows women’s tennis knows that Kuznetsova can beat anyone when she’s in form. With Serena at -400 in the match, this could be a nice upset pick.

Amanda Anisimova’s quarter co-stars Caroline Garcia, who should meet in the quarterfinals with Anisimova advancing to a semifinal against Serena Williams. Garcia’s game hasn’t inspired a lot of confidence lately, and she’s even money against Taylor Townsend in the opening round. I’m going to stand by Garcia, though, as she’d only need to beat the winner of Flipkens-Bouchard to reach the quarters.

Wozniacki

Julia Goerges is the 4 seed and her quarter is shared by 5th seeded Caroline Wozniacki. It’s highly likely that they’ll meet in the quarterfinals here, a rematch of last year’s Auckland final. I expect Wozniacki to fight right up through her supposed final grand slam in Melbourne Park to go out with a bang and I’d take her to advance to a semifinal and to contest Serena Williams in the final.

Petra Martic doesn’t get any respect as a top 20 player, as least not from me yet. I’ve been watching her fail to qualify or get knocked out of the first round of too many tournaments to mention. And her quarter is full of spoilers, like Alize Cornet, Bec Peterson, Alison Van Uytvanck and American Cici Bellis. I see Bellis surprising Martic in the quarterfinals before falling to Wozniacki in the semis. That said, the oddsmakers have installed Martic as a -149 favorite in her opener against Van Uytvanck. You’d expect a little more confidence in a 2 seed.

The fans in Auckland should get a two-fer, as they’ll see a Serena Williams-Coco Gauff battle, but they should also be so fortunate as to be gifted a blast from the past final, with Serena Williams besting Caroline Wozniacki to win her first tour title of any kind since the memorable 2017 Australian Open.

British Players Jo Konta and Dan Evans Win in Eastbourne

Posted by Admin on June 26, 2019
Posted in: ATP, Eastbourne, LTA, On Site. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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

Embed from Getty Images

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.”

Embed from Getty Images

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 @WTA @InteBNLdItalia Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on May 14, 2018
Posted in: Niall Clarke, Roland Garros, Rome, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Muguruza (Photo courtesy of Mallorca Open)

Muguruza

2018 @WTA @InteBNLdItalia Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

After a great tournament in Madrid, the tour heads to Rome for the second Premier tournament in as many weeks. Elina Svitolina is the defending champion on the last major stop to Roland Garros. Let’s get to it.

Top Quarter:
Simona Halep’s winning run in Madrid came to an end at the hands of Karolina Pliskova, so the Romanian will be keen to regain some ranking points in Rome. She enters as the top seed so gets a BYE into round two where she will face the winner of Victoria Azarenka vs Naomi Osaka–a brutal draw. Madison Keys is also in this section, but her struggles on clay may give Carla Suarez Navarro or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova a chance to make the round of 16.

Caroline Garcia had a good run to the Madrid semi finals, but a 2 & 2 defeat to Kiki Bertens ended it on a sour note. The Frenchwoman looks to have found some form though and she should be safe to make the last 16 with a declining Sara Errani or Timea Babos waiting in round two. Sloane Stephens will likely meet her there, but she herself has a tough opener against Barbora Strycova.

I expect the seeds to advance to the quarter finals here despite some tough matches along the way. Both Garcia and Halep prefer the courts of Madrid, but in Rome I would give the Romanian the edge.

Prediction: Halep def. Garcia

Second Quarter:
Rome has been quite a good pit-stop to Roland Garros for Garbine Muguruza, so despite her indifferent form the Spaniard is a dangerous player here. She will open against the winner of Daria Gavrilova vs Cici Bellis which will be an interesting second round match with both those players presenting a challenge. Ashleigh Barty is the other seed here, but the Aussie prefers faster surfaces and has Maria Sharapova as an opening round opponent. Francesca Schiavone will play her last Rome tournament this week and opens against Dominika Cibulkova.

Jelena Ostapenko disappointed in Madrid but the thing with the Latvian is that she can hit form at any time. She has a relatively soft draw after Petra Kvitova’s withdrawal, so that means that Magdalena Rybarikova is the other seed in this section. She plays Johanna Konta in round one. Mihaela Buzarnescu might be the biggest challenge in this section for Ostapenko as she has form on her side this clay season.

It could all lead to a Muguruza vs Ostapenko quarter final which would be a titanic battle. Muguruza historically struggles with big hitters, but let’s face it–on clay she has the edge over the Latvian.

Prediction: Muguruza def. Ostapenko

Elina Sviotlina, New Haven

Third Quarter:
Elina Svitolina is the defending champion here and is one of the favourites as a result. She will be well rested after exiting Madrid early, but she herself as a tough draw ahead. Lesia Tsurenko and Petra Martic are dangerous floaters and we have seen how difficult Daria Kasatkina can be to beat. The Russian’s draw is quite a nice one so she could await Svitolina in the round of 16.

Karolina Pliskova, 2017 US Open

Karolina Pliskova, 2017 US Open

Karolina Pliskova has been a revelation on clay this season. It is usually a surface she struggles on, but a title win in Stuttgart followed by a semi final in Madrid has shown her improvements on the surface. Rome has slower conditions, though, that could hinder her, and the Kiki Bertens second round draw is brutal. Does the Dutchwoman have enough in the tank after her run in Madrid though? Maria Sakkari will be there to test that. You can also not count out Angelique Kerber, who is also in this section.

This is a difficult section with two very dangerous unseeded players in there. I think Svitolina will make it to the last eight, but it depends on how Bertens looks. If she continues her Madrid form I think the Dutchwoman will go far, but I expect the exhaustion to catch up to her when she makes the last eight.

Prediction: Svitolina def. Bertens

Bottom Quarter:
Caroline Wozniacki heads to Rome after a disappointing loss to Bertens in Madrid. Clay has not been her best surface despite having a game that suits it, but the draw is pretty kind to the Dane. Sam Stosur is a shadow of her former self, and whilst Kristina Mladenovic and Anastasija Sevastova are both capable here, they are not in the best of form themselves.

The other half of this section is really difficult to call. Venus Williams is the seeded player, but her difficulties on this surface are well documented. Coco Vandeweghe’s form came crashing down in Madrid and the Rome conditions do not suit her game at all, which could give Anett Kontaveit a chance to go deep. Svetlana Kuznetsova is the most natural clay courter here, but she is coming in off an injury and has no form behind her at all.

This is the weakest quarter of the draw and by the sheer lack of form and clay court prowess here, I have to go with Wozniacki defeating Kontaveit in the quarter finals.

Prediction: Wozniacki def. Kontaveit

Semi Finals/Finals Prediction:
Muguruza def. Halep
Svitolina def. Wozniacki
Muguruza def. Svitolina

There is no player who stands out above the rest at the moment, making this a difficult call. Muguruza usually comes alive here, so I am going with the Spaniard.

2018 @MutuaMadridOpen @WTA Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on May 4, 2018
Posted in: Madrid, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Sharapova vs Kuznetsova Madrid Open 2015

Kuznetsova vs. Sharapova (photo credit: Niall Clarke)

2018 @MutuaMadridOpen @WTA Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

We hit Madrid for one of the biggest tournaments of the season at the Caja Magica. It is an event I have covered a few times over the years and it rarely disappoints.  Unfortunately, I can not make it this year, but there is still plenty to be excited about when it comes to the women’s draw, so let’s get to it.

Top Quarter:

The Mutua Madrid Open has been a kind tournament to Simona Halep who enters as the defending champion. The Romanian opens against dangerous lefty Ekaterina Makarova in the first round, who can be a tricky customer especially on the faster clay courts of Madrid. Young Belgian prospect Elise Mertens is a possible round two opponent with Madison Keys also in the mini section. The 13th seed has not done well here traditionally but her draw to the third round is very soft.

Karolina Pliskova has never been known as a traditional clay courter, but her win in Stuttgart may signal she is turning a corner on the surface.  She is the sixth seed and will face Elena Vesnina in the first round. The big story in the section, however, is the return of Victoria Azarenka, Pliskova’s potential second round opponent. The Belarusian faces Alexsandra Krunic in her opener and there will be plenty of eyes on that one. This section is quite stacked and Sloane Stephens could be waiting either Pliskova or Azarenka in the third round.

That said, I am picking Halep to continue her good form in Madrid and win this section over Pliskova in the quarter finals.

Prediction: Halep def. Pliskova

Second Quarter:

Despite this being her home tournament, Garbine Muguruza has a mental block in Madrid. Despite being one of the best clay courters on the tour, the Spaniard has never made it past the second round here and has meekly gone out on several occasions. She will be hoping to change her fortunes this year starting with Shaui Peng then the winner of Vekic vs. Garcia Perez. Daria Kasatkina is the potential third round opponent, but she has a tough draw against Qiang Wang who did well here last year.

Clay has never been Venus Williams’ territory and given the lack of playing time, it will be difficult to expect much of the American in this draw. Annett Kontaveit is a tough opener even if she has not been at her best so far this season. This could open the door even more to former champion Petra Kvitova, who might be the favourite to make the semi finals out of this section. The 10th seed had a good week in Prague and the quicker Madrid clay courts suit her power focused style of play.

Petra Kvitova (Photo: Tony Callaio)

Petra Kvitova (Photo: Tony Callaio)

Muguruza vs Kvitova would be a hard-hitting quarterfinal battle and one to really get excited for, but I give the edge to the Czech here. She is a former champion and Muguruza’s Mental Madrid Block has to be taken into consideration.

Prediction: Kvitova def. Muguruza

Third Quarter:

Elina Svitolina enters Madrid as the fourth seed and one of the tournament favourites, but Madrid has not been a kind tournament for the Ukrainian in the past. Alize Cornet is the first round opponent with Barbora Strycova or Carla Suarez Navarro in the second round. There are no big hitters there but plenty of solid players with variety to open the tournament for Svitolina. Madgalena Rybarikova is the other seed in this section and she faces Johanna Konta in the first round. The Brit struggles on clay so this could be a good opportunity for the 16th seed, who faces a qualifier if she gets by Konta.

Caroline Garcia made her first semi final in Stuttgart before losing to Coco Vandeweghe, so she will be hoping to build on that result in Madrid after a so-so start to the season. She faces Dominika Cibulkova, a player she threw a 6-0, 3-0 lead away to two years ago here in the first round. The tough draw continues with Svetlana Kuznetsova or Petra Martic in the second round, but things could get really interesting with big hitting Julia Goerges in the third round.

I expect Svitolina to make it to the quarter finals, but Garcia–not so much. The Frenchwoman might be the favourite in her section but she can lose to anyone at any time, so I am picking Svitolina to make the semi finals.

Prediction: Svitolina def. Garcia

Bottom Quarter:

Caroline Wozniacki heads to Madrid with the World number one ranking in her sights. Clay has not been her best surface however, despite her more defensive style of play. Daria Gavrilova is a difficult opener with Ash Barty completing the Aussie double in round two. Anastasija Sevastova is not an easy third round draw either with her solid game, so it is a tough road for Wozniacki as she aims to top the rankings once more.

Jelena Ostapenko (Photo: Tony Callaio)

Jelena Ostapenko (Photo: Tony Callaio)

Jelena Ostapenko is back on the clay as she aims to build form ahead of her French Open title defence. The Latvian’s game should suit Madrid so she could have a decent run here if she plays well. That said, a big match against Maria Sharapova is on the cards for the second round. Coco Vandeweghe heads into Madrid In good form after a surprising final run in Stuttgart, but she has a potentially tough opener against last year’s finalist Kristina Mladenovic. Naomi Osaka is also in this section.

This is a tough quarter to predict but an in-form Ostapenko might have enough to make it past Wozniacki in the last eight.

Prediction: Ostapenko def.  Wozniacki

Semi Finals/Finals Prediction:

Kvitova def. Halep
Svitolina def. Ostapenko

Kvitova def. Svitolina

Kvitova is a former champion here and of all the clay court tournaments, this will probably suit her the best. Add on top of that her good form, then you have the reason why I pick the Czech to win in Madrid

 

 

 

World #1 @CaroWozniacki to Play 2018 @CitiOpen

Posted by Admin on February 1, 2018
Posted in: Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment
WORLD NO. 1 & AUSTRALIAN OPEN CHAMPION CAROLINE WOZNIACKI COMMITS TO CITI OPEN®
Washington Tournament Celebrates 50th Edition July 28 – Aug. 5, 2018; Limited ticket sales open now until February 8
Wozniacki

WASHINGTON (Feb. 1, 2018) — Caroline Wozniacki, fresh off winning the Australian Open title and recapturing the World No. 1 ranking in the WTA, has committed to playing in the Citi Open® Tennis Tournament this summer.

Wozniacki, who previously played the Citi Open in 2016, returns to Washington’s premier tennis tournament as it celebrates 50 years of tennis and tradition. This golden anniversary will be celebrated July 28 – August 5, 2018, at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Special events to commemorate the momentous occasion will be announced at a later date.

Also a two-time U.S. Open finalist, Wozniacki has captured 28 titles throughout her illustrious career, including the WTA Finals championship in Singapore last October. The 27-year-old Danish player first rose to World No. 1 in 2010 and was chosen to be her country’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics.

“Having an early commitment from Caroline, who is one of the best athletes in the sport, is a true testament to the growth and progression of the Citi Open,” said Keely O’Brien, the event’s tournament director. “Especially on a milestone anniversary where we celebrate 50 years of professional tennis in Washington, which as of 2012, become one of the few combined men’s and women’s tournaments on tour. It will be a truly memorable summer and we can’t wait to share what we have in store for our amazing fans in our hometown.”

“We are thrilled that Caroline has chosen to play in this year’s Citi Open,” said Dermot Boden, Chief Brand Officer, Citi. “After her great success in Australia, winning her first Grand Slam, her participation will no doubt attract fans across the Washington, D.C. area and help to highlight the important work of the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation. We very much look forward to watching her compete again at the Citi Open.”

To kick off this monumental year and early player commitment, the Tournament will launch its single session ticket sales starting today for a limited promotional window until Thursday, February 8, at 11:59 p.m. After this time, ticket packages and single-session tickets will be available for purchase starting Tuesday, March 20, 2018, at www.citiopentennis.com or the hotline at 202-721-9500.

2018 Women’s Australian Open Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on January 14, 2018
Posted in: Australian Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . 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 (Photo: S. Fogleman)

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:

Julia Goerges
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)

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 (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 10th 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
Wozniacki

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.

 

WTA @BrisbaneTennis, Shenzhen, @ASB_Classic Previews and Predictions

Posted by Admin on December 30, 2017
Posted in: Auckland, Australian Open, Brisbane, Shenzen, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

WTA Brisbane, Shenzhen, @ASB_Classic Previews and Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

simona-halep

Simona Halep

The WTA season of 2018 is up and running and it promises to be a cracker. The season opens up with events in Brisbane, Shenzhen and Auckland and we have a run down of all three draws.

Brisbane

World number two Garbine Muguruza kicks off her season at the Brisbane International that boasts a stacked field of top ten players.

Top Half:

When you look at the top half you look immediately to the possible semi final between Muguruza and fourth seed Caroline Garcia. However both players have some tough matches ahead to reach this point.

Muguruza has a BYE in the opening round, but her tournament really gets going in the quarter finals where she could face the tricky Anastasija Sevastova. The Latvian faces home favourite Sam Stosur first however, and the ever dangerous floater Sorana Cirstea has also landed in this section.

Garcia opens against compatriot Alize Cornet whom she has a good record against. But her quarter final could be very interesting because she has draw Kristina Mladenovic in her section. The Frenchwoman ended 2017 on a losing streak however and that could allow Petra Kvitova through to the last eight.

Bottom Half:

The bottom half hosts a lot of big names including second seed Karolina Pliskova and third seed Elina Svitolina who are projected to meet in the semi finals.
pliskova-2016

Svitolina has a tough draw. Carla Suarez Navarro is an experienced player in round one, then Ana Konjuh is a dangerous youngster in round two. Johanna Konta meets Madison Keys in the match of the first round and the winner of that should make the quarter finals.

Pliskova has a decent draw to the quarter finals. After a first raw BYE she could face Cici Bellis in the second round. But in the quarters it will get tricky with Ashleigh Barty projected for the last eight. The Aussie’s biggest obstacle to the quarter finals is fellow youngster Daria Kastakina which will be a very entertaining second round.

Predictions:

Semi finals:

Garcia def. Muguruza
Barty def. Svitolina

Final
Barty def. Garcia

Shenzhen

Simona Halep begins her campaign in China at the Shenzhen Open, and she is joined by French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and the unseeded Maria Sharapova

Top half:

Simona Halep enters as the favourite here and her half suggests that she should at least make the final.

Maria Sakkari is the biggest challenge in her quarter. The young Greek has a tough potential round two against Monica Niculescu though. Halep opens against Nicole Gibbs then faces the winner of Ying-Ying Duan vs Evgeniya Rodina.

We could end up with an all Romanian semi final match with Irina Begu the fourth seed here. She has a good draw too with Timea Babos the biggest challenge in the quarter finals. The Hungarian has a tougher path with Jana Cepelova or Magda Linette waiting in the second round

Bottom half:

Ostapenko is the highest seed in this half, but she has a possible clash with Sharapova in the semi finals. Will we get this mouth-watering match? Or will someone upset the odds?

Ostapenko has a tough opening round match against big serving Krystina Pliskova, the twin sister of Karolina. Camila Giorgi is also a dangerous floater to have in your section, and that is without mentioning her quarter final against Katerina Siniakova.

Shuai Zhang is the seed of the section, but all eyes will be on Sharapova. The Russian returns to action against Mihaela Buzarnescu and then could potentially face home crowd favourite Qiang Wang in the second round. There will be plenty for the Chinese fans to get excited about.

Predictions:

Semi Finals:
Halep def. Begu
Ostapenko def. Sharapova

Final:
Halep def. Ostapenko

Auckland
Caroline Wozniacki, New Haven 2015

Caroline Wozniacki headlines Auckland this year with Julia Goerges as the second seed.

Top Half:

Wozniacki vs Agnieszka Radwanska is the stand out matchup when you look at this draw, and if all goes to plan then we will see that match in the semi finals. But there are a few potential spoilers in this section.

The Dane opens up against Madison Brengle first of all, and she could face the dangerous Mona Barthel in the quarter finals. Radwanska may face Lauren Davis in the last eight, but there should not be any major obstacles standing in their way.

Bottom half:

Julia Goerges, New Haven

Goerges

Julia Goerges has a tough draw to the final with Barbora Strycova one of the few players capable of knocking the German out of the tournament.

Arguably the match of round one is Goerges’ opener against Monica Puig. The winner of this should be able to advance to the last eight to face the winner of Donna Vekic vs Kirsten Flipkens which is another stand out match in the opening round.

Strycova faces wildcard Sara Errani in the first round who is still on the comeback from a doping suspension. Yulia Putintseva is the other seed in this section, and she could be on a collision course with Strycova in the quarter finals.

Barbora Strycova

Predictions:

Semi finals:
Wozniacki def. Radwanska
Strycova def. Puig

Final:
Wozniacki def. Strycova