Dominika Cibulkova

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Sock, Goffin, Berdych, Ostapenko, Radwanska Upset at @CincyTennis

Posted by Admin on August 16, 2017
Posted in: ATP, Cincinnati, Western & Southern Open. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Sock, Goffin, Berdych, Ostapenko, Radwanska Upset at @CincyTennis

It didn’t take long to get things moving on a hot and muggy day at the Western & Southern Open. Five big names went down yesterday, but the biggest stars remain in contention heading into the latter part of the tournament.

Juan Martin del Potro had the fan support and the support of 17 aces as he came back from the brink to win against 10 seed Tomas Berdych, 3-6, 7-6(1), 6-0. Speaking of aces, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was sprayed by 19 of them from Ivo Karlovic en route to the big man’s 6-4, 7-6(9) tiebreak win. Delpo plays qualifier Mitchell Krueger on Grandstand this afternoon.

Grand slam champion Jelena Ostapenko was forced to play a match on far-flung Court 8, perhaps the most obscure court of all at the tournament. While non-slam winners like Radwanska, Cibulkova, Konjuh and Goerges got show court match ups, Ostapenko got Court 8. And she got Krunic, the qualifier who upset her 6-4, 6-2. Krunic gets Suarez Navarro later today.

Aga Radwanska got a show court, but Julia Goerges was the one who put on the show in a 6-4, 6-4 routining. The German faces Canadian Francoise Abanda next.

David Goffin was no match at all for the plucky Nick Kyrgios. The Aussie breezed past 9 seed Goffin, 6-2, 6-3. Kyrgios meets Dolgopolov next.

Jack Sock was sent off early with a fine performance by Yuichi Sugita on Center Court, 7-5, 6-4. Sugita advanced to face qualifier Joao Sousa tonight.

And of course tonight is the night of Rafael Nadal, who opens his campaign against Richard Gasquet. More heat and humidity in store today, but the real sizzle is the on-court action.

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Wats-Up! @HeatherWatson92 Shocks Defending Champ Domi @AegonTennisEB

Posted by Admin on June 26, 2017
Posted in: ATP, Eastbourne, Wimbledon, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Heather Watson shocks defending Eastbourne International champion Dominika Cibulkova
Elliot Cornish in Eastbourne

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A determined Heather Watson roused a raucous home crowd to knock out defending Eastbourne International champion Dominika Cibulkova 7-5 6-4 in the second round on Monday afternoon.

There were also victories for last year’s runner-up Karolina Pliskova, who won in straight sets over Alison Riske, and for French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who fought past Carla Suarez Navarro in three sets on Court 1 on a toasty day on the south coast of England. But there was disappointment for 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard, who fell to Barbora Strycova in three, and for Britain’s Naomi Broady, who also lost in a decider against Kristyna Pliskova.

In the first round of the men’s ATP 250 draw, 21-year-old Cameron Norrie chalked up his first ATP main draw win 6-4 7-6 over Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos to fix up a second round encounter with French second seed Gael Monfils. However, Kyle Edmund’s Wimbledon preparations hit another snag with a three-set defeat to Donald Young to go with his loss at Queen’s Club last week to Denis Shapovalov. Meanwhile, Vasek Pospisil’s reward for his 6-3 6-4 trouncing of Jiri Vesely is a Tuesday morning match with Novak Djokovic.

Watson wows in Eastbourne sun

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Showing no signs of weariness from her three-hour battle with Lesia Tsurenko a day earlier, Watson made early headway – breaking the Slovak twice – only to be pegged back both times. Controversy struck deep in the first set when Cibulkova correctly challenged an out call, only to be awarded a first serve instead of the point. A fruitless exchange with the umpire merely drew ire from an already partisan crowd, but Cibulkova kept her nerve to dig out a hold for 5-5.

However, Watson’s pressure eventually tolled, as she snared the opening set at the first opportunity with a third break of the Cibulkova serve – this time to love. Watson would only grow in the contest from thereon, regularly out-rallying her opponent as she opened a 5-2 lead in the second. But a big win was never likely to be without some drama, and after Cibulkova saved match point to hold, the Brit relinquished a 40-15 advantage on serve as the world number nine rolled off four points to break back. But once again, Cibulkova undid her good work, surrendering her serve for a fifth time as Watson wrapped up the win on her fourth match point.
After the match, Watson, who has slipped to 126 in the WTA rankings from a high of 38, said, “The atmosphere was incredible, I was getting goosebumps at the end. I got a little nervous but I’m pleased I got through it in that last game.

“She’s a hard worker and a fighter so I knew it was never going to be easy. She’s very aggressive but I’m OK with that. I have some wheels so I’ve got to use them.”
Playing her first match since losing to Simona Halep in the French Open semi-final, Karolina Pliskova looked solid throughout in her 6-4 6-3 dispatching of American Alison Riske. Typically, it was the Czech’s serve which proved the foundation for her win, and the two break points which she faced and saved in the opening game of the match was the only time Riske threatened.

Watson will face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in round three after the Russian overturned a one-set deficit to down Elise Mertens, while Pliskova’s last 16 test will come in the form of Timea Bacsinszky or Peng Shuai.

On her first outing since storming to the Roland Garros title, Ostapenko was up and down. Suarez Navarro was powerless in the opener as the Latvian’s penetrating groundstrokes told, but the Spaniard raced through the second, dishing out a bagel as Ostapenko faltered. But the latter showed the necessarily steel in set three to notch a 6-3 0-6 6-4 triumph and a potential third-round encounter with local star Johanna Konta.

Sorana Cirstea capitalised on her lucky loser berth with a comfortable win over Katerina Siniakova and will be Konta’s round two opponent. Naomi Osaka rattled past Risa Ozaki 6-0 6-1 in an all-Japanese clash and will play sixth seed Caroline Wozniacki in the second round.

Australia’s Bernard Tomic saw off Norbert Gombos 7-6 6-3, while Jared Donaldson scraped past Diego Schwartzman 7-5 in the third to book a round two match with compatriot Donald Young.

More Women’s Singles results
Veronica Cepede Royg defeated Su-Wei Hsieh 4-6 6-3 6-3
Peng Shuai defeated Francesca Schiavone 6-3 6-4
Zhang Shuai defeated Varvara Lepchenko 6-2 6-1
Lara Arruabarrena defeated Daria Gavrilova 6-2 2-6 6-3
Lauren Davis defeated Kristina Kucova 6-4 6-2
More Men’s Singles results
Robin Haase defeated Nicolas Mahut 6-4 7-6
Kyle Anderson defeated Thomaz Bellucci 6-3 6-1

Djokovic to enter the fray on Tuesday
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Top seed and surprise wildcard Novak Djokovic starts his tournament at 11am on Tuesday morning on Centre Court against Vasek Pospisil. In Monday’s press conference, Djokovic confirmed that new coach Andre Agassi would not be in attendance this week, but would be present with the Serb at Wimbledon.
Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep will also open their Eastbourne campaigns on Tuesday against Kristyna Pliskova and Duan Yingying respectively. Depending on results, Halep could theoretically overtake Kerber and become world number one for the first time.

Kerber will be in action second on Centre, while Halep is first on Court 1. In the other Centre Court matches Cirstea takes on Konta before Young dukes it out with Donaldson.

Big serving Sam Querrey is second on Court 1 against Daniil Medvedev before grass specialist Richard Gasquet plays the talented Frances Tiafoe.

2017 French Open Women’s Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on May 27, 2017
Posted in: France, French Open, Niall Clarke, Roland Garros, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

French-open-2016-Tennis
2017 Roland Garros Women’s Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennnis Atlantic

The second Grand Slam of the year has arrived and wow, it is as open as ever. Who will run out as Champion of Roland Garros? Let’s break down the draw and find out.

Top Quarter

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World number one Angelique Kerber has been anything but in number one form. The German has struggled to put together a run of results. Can she turn it around for the French Open? She has a tough opener against fellow lefty Ekaterina Makarova. The Russian always brings her best to the big events and will no doubt be a huge test for the German. If Kerber can pass that match, then she should be good to make the quarter finals. Roberta Vinci is the first projected seeded opponent, but she could have a lot of issues with Monica Puig in round one. Petra Kvitova is back as the 15th seed, and it is great to see her making her return to tour. It will be unfair to expect much though, as the in-form Sam Stosur should make it to the fourth round to face Kerber.

With Kerber’s struggles, there could be a chance for Svetlana Kuznetsova to make the semi finals again.  The Russian is a former champion here but has a tough draw ahead. Christina McHale is first up, then possibly France’s Oceane Dodin, who will no doubt have the support of the home fans. Shuai Zhang is the first seeded opponent for Kuznetsova.

Clay has never been Caroline Wozniacki’s favourite surface, but the Dane will be hoping to find the form that got her to the world number one position years ago. The section is a fairly good one for the Dane, at least until the second round where she could face the in-form Kiki Bertens. The Dutchwoman impressed in Nurnberg again and is a former semi finalist here. It will not be a shock to see Bertens do well at Roland Garros again and set up a fourth round match with Kuznetsova.

Second Quarter

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The defending champion is Garbine Muguruza, and once again we do not know which version will show up. Despite struggling for most of the season last year, the Spaniard played close to her best at this tournament in 2016, and as a result went all the way. Can she repeat that success? It is a tough opener against Francesca Schiavone, then the winner of Monica Niculesu vs Ana Kontaveit will also be a test of where Muguruza is at with her game. Yulia Putintseva is the first seeded opponent.

French hopes will be heavy on Kristina Mladenovic’s shoulders. The 13th seed has been in good form this season, but will the pressure of a home crowd get to her? If we are going by game alone then Mladenovic should be safe to make the fourth round with Mirjana Lucic-Baroni being the toughest opponent in the third round. A Mladenovic vs Muguruza fourth round will be fireworks, and it looks like it will happen.

Dominika Cibulkova has not had a great clay court season, but often players can catch fire at the right time. Will the Slovak pick up her form for the French Open? She has a tough match against Lara Arruabarrena in the first round in a possible upset. That could open the door for Timea Bacsinszky to have another good run at Roland Garros.

Venus Williams has never won the French Open, but with the draw so wide open, the former world number one could make a decent run. She has a tough opener against Qiang Wang, then Daria Gavrilova as a potential third round opponent. The Aussie has been in good form recently. Can she translate it to the grand slam stage? I think she might, and it will be an unexpected fourth round against Bacsinszky that could be her reward.

Third Quarter

simona-halep

Simona Halep

A few weeks a go I would have labelled Simona Halep as the favourite to go all the way and win the title, but an ankle injury has put her participation in doubt. If the Romanian can fight through the pain then she should make the third round at least to face Daria Kasatkina. Elena Vesnina is the projected fourth round opponent for Halep, but the Russian could have a struggle against Carla Suarez Navarro in the third round. I think the Spaniard may get through that one and possibly go on to face Halep in the fourth round, depending on how bad her injury is. If the injury is serious then Kasatkina could make the fourth round for the first time.

Her Rome title win sets Elina Svitolina in good stead heading into Roland Garros. The Ukrainian is among the favourites in many peoples minds, but she has a very tough draw ahead of her. Svitolina opens against the streaky Yaroslava Shvedova, then she could potentially face another streaky player in Mona Barthel in the following round. Youngster Ana Konjuh is projected for round three, another tough match for the fifth seed.

Madison Keys has not played much this year due to injury, but she is always a dangerous opponent. Ashleigh Barty is a tough first round opponent, but things could get tougher in round three with Anastasija Sevastova waiting. The Latvian is possibly the favourite to go on to face Svitolina in the fourth round.

Bottom Quarterpliskova-2016

This quarter is arguably the most open of the lot with no former Grand Slam champions in the section. Karolina Pliskova is the second seed, but she has struggled on clay in the past. The Czech has a good draw to the fourth round with Lauren Davis being the toughest opponent on the road. From there it could get difficult though with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova projected for the round of 16. The Russian could have a tough match with Lucie Safarova, and the big serving Coco Vandeweghe is the first seeded opponent. Pliskova should be safe for the fourth round, but it is tough to predict who will join her there.

Johanna Konta’s section is arguably the softest of the draw on this surface. The Brit does not perform well on clay, so do not be surprised to see her exit early. It opens the door for France’s Caroline Garcia to make the second week if she can handle the home pressure. Agnieszka Radwanska would be the favourite to make it through this section, but her lack of form is worrying. Barbora Strycova could take advantage, but this is a wide open section, solook for an unlikely fourth round match to come out of it.

Predictions

Round of 16:

Stosur def. Kerber
Kuznetsova def. Bertens
Muguruza def. Mladenovic
Bacsinszky def. Gavrilova
Halep def. Suarez Navarro
Svitolina def. Sevastova
Garcia def. Strycova
Pavlyuchenkova def. Pliskova

There are some tough matches to predict in there. Stosur’s form and clay court prowess may be too much for Kerber. Kuznetsova vs. Bertens is a tough call, but I am going with the Russian to edge it. Form says Mladenovic beats Muguruza, but the defending champion might step up to the plate again and the home crowd could put pressure on Mladenovic. Bacsinszky should have enough to beat Gavrilova, and Halep should make the quarter finals if her ankle is back. Svitolina’s good form should carry her past Sevastova. Garcia has a good draw to finally make a grand slam breakthrough, and Pavlyuchenkova will likely beat Pliskova on this surface.

Quarter Finals

Kuznetsova def. Stosur
Muguruza def. Bacsinszky
Svitolina def. Halep
Pavlyuchenkova def. Garcia

Kuznetsova vs. Stosur is a close match, but the Russian has often had the advantage on clay in their head to head matches. I think Muguruza might have played her way into form by this point to beat Bacsinszky. Halep’s injury makes it difficult to back her going too deep, so I think Svitolina is favourite for the semi finals. Home hopes will end here with Garcia unlikely being able to handle the pressure and Pavlyuchenkova beats her.

Semi Finals:

Muguruza def. Kuznetsova
Svitolina def. Pavlyuchenkova

If Muguruza makes it this far, she is playing well, so I see her overcoming Kuznetsova in the semi finals. Svitolina should be too solid for Pavlyuchenkova in the other semi final.

Final:

Muguruza def. Svitolina

This will be a first Grand Slam final for Svitolina and a third for Muguruza. Experience in this situation will play a factor and I think the Spaniard will defend her title. If she is on form, then it is difficult seeing Muguruza being stopped. That said, she could easily bomb out in the first round and destroy a lot of brackets.

Day 8 @MutuaMadridOpen: Nadal Dismantles Djokovic

Posted by Admin on May 14, 2017
Posted in: ATP, Madrid, Niall Clarke. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Day 8 @MutuaMadridOpen: Nadal Dismantles Djokovic
Nadal defeats Djokovic to make final
Niall Clarke in Madrid

MUTUA MADRID OPEN 2017

2017 05 07 MUTUA MADRID OPEN 2017
FOTO: ANGEL MARTINEZ/MMO

Meeting number 50 between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic was undoubtedly the main event of the day, but under the bright sunshine of Madrid, it was the first singles action on Manolo Santana court.

Anticipation was high, there was a buzz surrounding the match that had hardly been felt all tournament. This was a big match, and everyone knew it. Nadal was seemingly back to something that resembles his best, but there were still doubts on how good his level is in 2017. A match against Djokovic was no doubt going to answer the questions. Is Rafa back? Or has it been the luck of draw that has helped him through?

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From the minute a ball was struck, you knew Nadal was hitting with a purpose. This was a more confident Nadal that had lost the previous seven matches, he was hardly missing a ball. A stark contrast to Djokovic who looked flat and out of sorts.
The crowd erupted with the first break in the opening game, then again when the Spaniard managed to break at 2-0. There was almost a sense of shock around the Caja Magica after Nadal made it 4-0, they expected another titanic battle in arguably the sport’s greatest rivalry, what they were getting was a beat down. A set point came and went on the Djokovic serve, but Nadal was not to be denied again. At the first attempt, he served out the set 6-2, and unlike before the match where the questions were all on Rafa, it was Djokovic who needed to find the answers.

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Little worked for the second seed as no matter what he tried, the points were going the way of the Spaniard. Nadal broke early in the second and looked like he was cruising into another Madrid final, then at 2-1 it seemed like the Serbian had woken up. It was Djokovic’s best game of the match as he hit the backhand well to break Nadal back. Game on… or so it seemed. Business, at least for this match, went back to normal the following game when Nadal broke again. It was surely the killer blow, but Djokovic fought back to save two match points and earn break point in the last game. Nadal saved it, and went on to successfully see the match out and continue his bid for a fifth title in Madrid.

“Rafa was obviously a better player today.” Djokovic said in his post match press conference.

“He deserved to win. I mean, he was controlling the game from beginning to the end. Second set was a bit closer. Maybe I had some chances to be in the lead, 2-All. Was a long game. I lost the break there.”

“But, you know, all in all, I did try my best. It wasn’t a very high quality of tennis from my side. I mean, I made a lot of unforced errors, especially first set.”

“Just his quality was very high. You know, he managed to do whatever he wanted really, especially in the first set. I was getting a lot of balls back. He was serving well. He was using his court positioning well.

“Today was warmer than last three, four days, so conditions were quite different. The ball was bouncing very high. Well, he managed to be better in these kind of conditions.”

Despite the loss, the former world number one believes that this has been a positive week for him as he searches to find his best tennis once again.

“Well, first of all, it was really good to play in semifinals of big event, and to play against one of the top rivals I have in my life.” Djokovic added.

“I haven’t had that feeling in months, so it’s great to feel that. It was a positive week, a positive experience. I take, as I say, more positives than negatives into the next week in Rome. As I go along, I hope to continue getting better and getting stronger.

“I felt like I was playing well throughout the week. Today maybe slightly I could have played better. But, again, I just had an opponent that was too good. Well, I have to move on. Semifinals is a good result. Hopefully I’ll have another good result in Rome.”

Not only was it a big win for Nadal here, but it also could serve as a huge psychological boost for the Spaniard heading into the French Open. Nadal had not taken a set off Djokovic since the French Open final in 2014, so to win resoundingly puts the world number five in good stead as he seeks ‘La Decima’ at Roland Garros. However, Nadal was not thinking of the seven previous losses to Djokovic.

“I said it yesterday. It’s one more match.” Nadal said in his post match press conference.

“What’s important to me is to make it to another final. As years go by, depending on the type of victories, can fulfill you a little bit more or less. As time goes by, what is important is the titles, not the opponents that you have beaten. It’s just the titles that you have won.

“It’s true that some matches are more important than others. But I’m just here to try to make it the best possible way, to play my best tennis, and of course to beat an opponent such as Novak, it gives you a lot of confidence. It shows you you’re working in the right way.

“But it’s just another match. As I said yesterday, it gives me another opportunity to win another title, which is important to me.”

Djokovic labelled Nadal as the favourite for the French Open after his performance today, and it may be hard to disagree.

“The only favorite is the one that plays really well during those two weeks.” Nadal responded.

“The reality is that whoever achieves that is going to be able to win the trophy the second Sunday.”

Thiem defeats Cuevas
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Dominic Thiem will meet Nadal in the final after a straight sets win over Pablo Cuevas.

The Austrian broke in the fifth game of the match to give himself a 3-2 lead early. He had chances to earn a double break at 4-2, but Cuevas was able to save two break points and hold. Thiem had little trouble on serve and closed out the set 6-4.

The Austrian was very much in control of the match, and earned a 0-40 chance In the opening game of the second set, but Cuevas saved all three plus one more break point to keep the set on serve. Thiem would eventually get his break at 4-4, then successfully serve out the match to make his first Masters 1000 final.

Thiem will play Nadal in Sunday’s final, hoping to replicate the success he had against the Spaniard in Buenos Aires last year. Nadal has won the other three meetings all in straight sets, all on clay.

“I feel great. Of course, I mean, it means a lot to me to play a finals. My first finals in this level. These kind of tournaments are so strong, so it’s amazing for me to go that far. I’m very happy at the moment.” Thiem said post match.

The last time Thiem played Nadal was in Barcelona earlier this year in which Nadal won in straight sets.”

“Well, I mean, I think he played a very, very good match in Barcelona. First set there was I think close. I also played well.”

“But obviously even if I’m at my best and he’s at his best on clay, probably he’s the better player. If you see his records on this surface, it’s just amazing. But, yeah, tomorrow is a new day. I will try to improve the things I didn’t do that good in Barcelona and then we will see what happens.”

Thiem is not only trying his hand (successfully) at tennis, he has also been challenged to a charity touchtennis match by 20 time grand slam champion Rashid Ahmad. He has also been offered a wildcard into touchtennis events.

“I mean, I just saw some videos on Facebook. Of course, I really like it. I mean, every tennis player likes these kind of games.” Thiem said of the challenge.”

“So, yeah, we somehow set up a charity match. Maybe in the future I’m going to get a wild card in one event of this touch tennis. Yeah, I mean, I never played it. I just know the guy over Facebook. It would be very interesting to try it out.”

2017 WTA Dubai (@DDFTennis) Preview, Predictions

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

dubai

2017 WTA Dubai Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

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

Top Quarter:

kerber-2016

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

Prediction: Kerber def. Konjuh

Second Quarter:

Dominika Cibulkova

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

Prediction: Svitolina def. Cibulkova

Third Quarter:

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

Prediction: Wozniacki def. Radwanska

Fourth Quarter:

pliskova-2016

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

Prediction: Pliskova def. Strycova

Semi Finals:

Svitolina def. Kerber

Pliskova def. Wozniacki

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

Final:

Pliskova def. Svitolina

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

WTA St. Petersburg, Taipei Previews and Predictions

Posted by Admin on January 29, 2017
Posted in: St Petersburg Open, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2017 WTA St. Petersburg, Taipei Previews and Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

After a thrilling Australian Open which saw Serena Williams make history by winning her 23rd major title, the WTA tour heads to St. Petersburg and Taipei as many players look to bounce back from their disappointment down under. Here is a rundown of the week’s upcoming tennis.

st-pete-ladies

St. Petersburg

The tour returns to Russia for the second ever St. Petersburg ladies trophy which was won last year by Roberta Vinci. Simona Halep is the top seed in a field which also features Australian Open finalist Venus Williams.

simona-halep

Simona Halep

Top Quarter:

To say Halep’s Australian open was a disappointment would be an understatement. The Romanian was bundled out in the opening round as her dreams of a first Grand Slam title were put on hold once again. The top seed will look to bounce back in St. Petersburg, but she has a very tough draw ahead of her. After an opening round bye she could face promising youngster Ana Konjuh or the tricky Monica Niculescu. Daria Kasatkina faces Belinda Bencic in the pick of the opening round matches with the winner likely going all the way to the quarter finals. With Halep looking in poor form down under, the upset is very much on the cards here, and I back the home favourite to get it done.

Prediction: Kasatkina def. Halep

Second Quarter:

It is hard to predict how Venus will approach this tournament as she will likely be in need of rest after making the Australian Open final. She has an opening round bye before a potential meeting with Kristina Mladenovic in the second round and from there, we could see the effects of a big run take shape. Defending champion Roberta Vinci lands in this section and is the most likely to take advantage of Venus’ likely fatigue. She faces big-serving Timea Babos in the first round before meeting Irina Begu in round two. It is difficult to predict the Italian to not make the quarter finals, and from there I believe she will take advantage of a tired Venus to progress to the last four

Prediction: Vinci def. Venus

Third Quarter:

Many will label Svetlana Kuznetsova as the favourite as she returns to her home country. However, the third seed has a tough opening match in the second round against Daria Gavrilova. Kiki Bertens may look at this as a chance of securing a first Premier title, but the seventh seed has some tough players in her draw. Annika Beck is the first opponent followed by either Johanna Larsson or Yulia Putintseva. There are a few players who can spring a surprise and make the last eight in this quarter, but I am backing Kuznetsova to get it done with some tight matches along the way.

Prediction: Kuznetsova def. Bertens

Fourth Quarter:

Dominika Cibulkova will head into St. Petersburg as one of the title favourites as she looks to claim her first tournament win of the year. The Slovak has a bye into round two where she will likely face Jelena Ostapenko. The Latvian had a good Australian Open and is a dangerous player to be drawn against. Another home crowd favourite will be Elena Vesnina, who is the fifth seed in the draw. She faces fellow Russian and doubles partner Ekaterina Makarova in the opening round with the winner likely going on to a meeting with feisty Frenchwoman Alize Cornet in round two. I can see Vesnina being an early upset, but Cibulkova will have enough quality to make the final four.

Prediction: Cibulkova def. Makarova

Semi Finals:

Kasatkina def. Vinci

Cibulkova def. Kuznetsova

Kasatkina will have a good tournament this week and she will make the final after a hard fought victory against Vinci. Cibulkoa vs Kuznetsova could go either way, but I am backing the second seed to get it done.

Final:

Dominika Cibulkova

Cibulkova def. Kasatkina

Cibulkova’s experience and power will be too much for the younger Kasatkina who puts up a good fight but ultimately falls to the higher ranked player.

taiwan-open

Taipei

The Taiwan Open is making its debut as an International event this year and boasts a decent field with Elina Svitolina as the top seed.

Top Quarter:

The top seed is the heavy favourite to take home the title and  faces Evgeniya Rodina in the opening round. Kateryna Kozlova or Lucie Hradecka will await in the second round. Shelby Rogers is the other seed in this section and she’ll meet a local wildcard in her opener. The American will then likely move on to face compatriot Nicole Gibbs in the following round. My prediction is Svitolina to make it through the section without many issue. Rogers is the biggest test, but it is one she should pass.

Prediction: Svitolina def. Rogers

Second Quarter:

2017 could turn out to be a big year for Caroline Garcia, who is still waiting on a breakthrough. Winning Taipei would not grant that, but it would be a step in the right direction for the Frenchwoman. Garcia opens against qualifier Marina Erakovic before meeting Jana Cepelova or Mandy Minella in the second round. This could lead to a quarter final meeting with Jelena Jankovic, who will have to make her way through Kurumi Nara and Magda Linette to get to Garcia. I feel the at this stage of their careers, Garcia will simply have too much for Jankovic.

Prediction: Garcia def. Jankovic

Third Quarter:

Anastasija Sevastova got some of her form back at the Australian so she heads into Taipei among the favourites to go all the way. The Latvian’s first test comes in the form of Lucie Safarova in round two. The Czech is riding high after winning the Australian Open doubles title, but she has yet to re-find her top ten singles form. That said, this is a good section for her to make an impact. Sorana Cirstea or Misaki Doi are the likely quarter final opponents, depending on which one can come through. Cirstea showed some good form in Melbourne, so she is the likely choice.

Prediction: Safarova def. Cirstea

Fourth Quarter:

Sam Stosur took a wildcard into Taipei to search for form. Danka Kovinic will be the Aussie’s first opponent, followed by a qualifier or Francesca Schiavone. A match between two former grand slam champions will be a must-see for the local crowd, but Stosur should have the advantage at this stage. Katerina Siniakova is the other seed in this section, and she faces Galina Voskoboeva then Saisai Zeng or Shuai Peng. There are plenty of players in this section that can upset Stosur, but I see the Aussie coming through.

Prediction: Stosur def. Siniakova

Semi Finals:

Svitolina def. Garcia
Safarova def. Stosur

Svitolina vs Garcia is a an interesting style clash as counter puncher meets aggressor, but at this moment the Frenchwoman lacks the consistency to beat the Ukrainian. Stosur has a terrible head-to-head record against Safarova, so I see the Czech getting win number 12 over the Aussie.

Final:

Svitolina vs Safarova

This is a good final for an International event, but the top seed will likely prevail.

2017 WTA Sydney and Hobart Preview and Predictions

Posted by Admin on January 7, 2017
Posted in: Hobart, Niall Clarke, Sydney, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2017 WTA Sydney and Hobart Preview and Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

The final stop before the Australian open sees the WTA tour stop at Sydney and Hobart for a pair of events leading up to the first Grand Slam of the year. Here is a break down of the draws for this week’s tournaments.

WTA Sydney

Angelique Kerber and Agnieszka Radwanska look to put their disappointing opening weeks of the season in Sydney. The world number one and three are the top seeds in a stacked field with six of the worlds top ten competing.

Top Quarter:
Kerber lost out in a three set battle with Svitolina last week and is in search of form as she heads to Melbourne to defend her Australian Open crown. As the top seed, the German has a BYE into the second round where she will face either Daria Kasatkina or Timea Babos. Both present different challenges as the Russian is known more for her consistent baseline play whilst the Hungarian has a big serve and powerful ground strokes. Johanna Konta saw a potential title win slip from her fingers in Shezhen last week, but 2016’s most improved player will look to right that wrong in Sydney. She has a good path to the quarter final with Daria Gavrilova being the most difficult possible opponent. The Brit has what it takes to beat the world number one, but Kerber might prove to be a little too good like in the Australian Open last year.

Prediction: Kerber d. Konta

Second Quarter:
Dominika Cibulkova was another contender for the most improve player of 2016. Her excellent year saw the Slovak finish fifth in the world rankings and win the WTA Finals in Singapore. Cibulkova is a former finalist in Melbourne and a good run in Sydney will go a long way towards rekindling that form. Laura Siegemund is the opening opponent with the winner of Eugenie Bouchard vs Shuai Zhang awaiting in round two. It is a good draw to the quarter finals for the third seed where she could face Svetlana Kuznetsova. The Russian meets an out of sorts Irina Begu in the first round before facing either Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or Sam Stosur in round two. A potential Kuznetsova vs Cibulkova match could be interesting as these two are dark horses for the Australian Open title.

Prediction: Kuznetsova d. Cibulkova

Third Quarter:
Karolina Pliskova was the player of the week as she crusied to the Brisbane title to kick start her 2017. That sort of hitting will make her one of the favourites for the Australian Open, but first she must tackle the Sydney field. The fourth seed faces Sloane Stephens in a difficult round one match-up. Fellow Czech Barbora Strycova or Ekaterina Makarova await in round two before a potential rematch with Elina Svitolina in the quarter finals. The Ukrainian will feel a little de-ja-vu where she meets Monica Puig in the first round. The second match could see a battle of the youngsters with Belinda Bencic who is still looking to re-climb the rankings after an injury filled 2016. The chances of a Pliskova-Svitolina rematch are fairly high, but a change in result is unlikely if their Brisbane match is anything to go by. Pliskova was fairly dominant in that match and Svitolina did not offer much resistance.

Prediction: Pliskova d. Svitolina

Fourth Quarter:
Radwanska’s main goal in 2017 will be the break her Grand Slam duck and it seems like this year might be her best chance yet with the dominance of Serena Williams no longer having a stronghold on the tour. The Pole needs to head into Melbourne with good confidence however, and winning Sydney will do that no harm. Radwanska gets a BYE into round two where she is scheduled to face either Roberta Vinci or a qualifier. A match with the Italian could be quite the slice-fest if it is to happen. Elena Vesnina will look to bounce back from her disappointing defeat in Brisbane in Sydney as she enters as the sixth seeded player. She faces big serving Coco Vandeweghe before likely meeting Caroline Wozniacki in round two, it could be another early exit for the Russian. It is hard to see past Radwanska making it through the section if playing well though. I can see her getting through Wozniacki in the quarter finals to set up a semi final clash with Pliskova.

Prediction: Radwanska def. Wozniacki

Semi Finals:
Cibulkova def. Kerber
Radwanska def. Pliskova

It is hard to predict events before Grand Slams because the top players are liable to withdraw if they feel any sort of knock or fatigue. Pliskova went all the way In Brisbane so it is hard to see her going too far here ahead of the Australian Open. Kerber will also have her sights set on defending the title there and could withdraw too.

Final:
Radwanska def. Cibulkova

Cibulkova has the power to hit through Radwanska but does she have the consistency to keep it up and in the match? The Pole is difficult to beat and I see her coming through this week.

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WTA Hobart

Hobart rarely boasts the same calibre of players as Sydney, but it is seen as a good opportunity for a young title winner or a lower ranked player to claim WTA success. Kiki Bertens is the top seed here, let’s get to it.

Top Quarter:
The top seed faces Germany’s Annika Beck ion the opening round of Hobart. Beck is a consistent player from the baseline so the Dutch player will have to work for her victory. Galina Voskoboeva or Pauline Parmentier will await the winner. Kristina Mladenovic heads to Hobart off the back of a good Hopman cup run. The French woman struggled in 2016 so will like to kick off her first WTA tour action with a good run in Hobart. She faces qualifiers in her first two matches before likely meeting Bertens in the quarter finals.

Prediction: Bertens d. Mladenovic

Second Quarter:
Japan dominates the second quarter with the two seeded players in this section being from the land of the rising sun. Misaki Doi will be expected to get past Lizette Cabrera and set up a potential clash with Francesca Schiavone in round two. Naomi Osaka is the other seed and is involved in arguably the pick of the round one matches with Andrea Petkovic. The Japanese could see Hobart as a good chance at claiming a first WTA title and will be many peoples favourite to get out of the section providing she is fit enough after withdrawing from Brisbane last week.

Prediction: Doi d. Osaka

Third Quarter:
The third quarter is packed with former Grand Slam finalists and top ten players, but the top seed in the quarter is Monica Niculescu who faces Jelena Jankovic in the opening round. The winner will likely meet another tricky player Kirtsen Flipkens in the second round, but they will both feel confident they can overcome the Belgian. Speaking of former Grand Slam finalists, Sara Errani and Lucie Safarova are on a round two collision course. The winner is likely to face either Niculescu or Jankovic in the quarter finals.

Prediction: Safarova d. Jankovic

Fourth Quarter:
Alize Cornet started her 2017 season with a final run in Brisbane. The Frenchwoman is looking to re-find her top 20 form and defending her Hobart title will help achieve that goal. Cornet faces big serving twin of Karolina Pliskova, Kristyna in the opening round. Lesia Tsurenko or Johanna Larsson await the winner so it is a tough draw for the defending champion. Anastasija Sevastova’s run at the US Open was one of the stories of 2016, but the Latvian will not settle for that, she will look to kick on and win titles. As the second seed here she has a good chance of doing so, but first she must beat Shelby Rogers then Lara Arruabarrena or a qualifier before potentially meeting Cornet in the quarter finals.

Prediction: Cornet def. Sevastova

Semi Finals:

Bertens def. Doi
Safarova def. Cornet

Safarova will be keen to re-climb the rankings this year and a good run in Hobart is a good place to start. Cornet might be a little tired after a good run in Brisbane the week prior. Doi vs Bertens would be a close match but I see Bertens just edging that and making the final.

Final:
Safarova def. Bertens

On her day I feel that Safarova is just the better player, and given her wider big match experience I expect the Czech to win this final if it is to happen.

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2017 WTA Auckland, Brisbane, Shenzhen Previews and Predictions

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

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

radwanska-singapore

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

Auckland

Embed from Getty Images

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

Top Quarter:

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

Prediction: Serena def. Ostapenko

Second Quarter:

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

Prediction: Strycova def. Bertens

Third Quarter:

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

Prediction: Wozniacki def. Pavlyuchenkova

Fourth Quarter:

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

Prediction: Konjuh def.Osaka

Semi Finals:

Serena def. Strycova

Wozniacki def. Konjuh

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

Final:

Serena def. Wozniacki

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

Brisbane

Embed from Getty Images

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

Top Quarter:

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

Prediction: Kerber def. Svitolina

 

Second Quarter:

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

Prediction: Pliskova def. Makarova

 

Third Quarter:

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

Prediction: Kuznetsova def. Muguruza

 

Fourth Quarter:

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

Prediction: Cibulkova def. Vesnina

Semi Finals:

Kerber def. Pliskova

Cibulkova def. Kuznetsova

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

Final:

Kerber def. Cibulkova

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

Shenzhen

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

Top Quarter:

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

Prediction: Radwanska def. Pironkova

 

Second Quarter:

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

Prediction: Bacsinszky def. Niculescu

Third Quarter:

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

Prediction: Konta def. Sevastova

Bottom Quarter:

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

Prediction: Halep def. Babos

 Semi Finals:

Radwanska def. Bacsinszky

Halep def. Konta

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

Final:

Radwanska def. Halep

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

2016 WTA Finals Preview, Predictions

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

2016 WTA Finals Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE

WTA Finals Singapore

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

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

The Groups

Red Group:

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

White Group:

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

Serena Williams withdrew from the tournament with injury.

Red Group Breakdown

Angelique Kerber:

Angelique Kerber, New Haven

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

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

Simona Halep:

simona-halep

Simona Halep

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

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

Madison Keys:

madison-keys

Madison Keys

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

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

Dominika Cibulkova:

Cibulkova

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

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

Predictions:

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

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

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

White group breakdown

Agnieszka Radwanska

radwanska-singapore

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

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

Karolina Pliskova

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

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

Garbine Muguruza

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

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

Svetlana Kuznetsova

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

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

Predictions:

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

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

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

Semi Finals onwards

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

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

Semi Finals:

Halep def. Pliskova

Radwanska def. Kerber

Final:

Radwanska def. Halep

Fiery @Cibulkova Downs Pliskova To Win Eastbourne

Posted by Admin on June 26, 2016
Posted in: Eastbourne, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Fiery Cibulkova Downs Pliskova To Win Eastbourne
Elliot Cornish for Tennis Atlantic

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Dominika Cibulkova won her first grass court title with victory over Karolina Pliskova in the final of the Aegon International in Eastbourne.

The Slovak prevailed 7-5 6-3 in the entertaining encounter to claim her second title of the season and the sixth of her career. For Pliskova, the result marked her ninth defeat in 14 WTA finals, and the sixth loss in her last eight.

Cibulkova was broken immediately on a windy day in the south east, but was not punished after her Czech opponent double-faulted three times in her opening service game. The 12th seed then continued to make headway with Pliskova unable to find her range, moving 3-1 clear.

However, it was then Cibulkova’s turn to slip up. Three lost games in a row – two on serve – handed the initiative back to Pliskova, who proceeded to donate it back again after being broken herself in the eighth game.

It was, in many ways, a typical topsy-turvy set in the WTA, with neither seeming too keen to win it at times. But an errant game from Pliskova when serving to take it to a tie-break proved very costly. A backhand into the net and a forehand long handed Cibulkova a 0-30 lead, and the set was hers when Pliskova dragged a backhand wide.

A fired up Cibulkova, whose intensity on court has become a hallmark of her game, refused to let up in the second set, securing an early break of serve in the second set – thanks to a stunning pass – as her groundstrokes became increasingly potent from both the forehand and backhand.

While Pliskova turned on the style in bursts, a noted lack of consistency thwarted the Czech’s hope of serious threateningly Cibulkova. The seventh game of the second set offered her the best chance of finding a foothold, but an inability to capitalise on any of the four break points she carved out would haunt her. Knowing the importance of averting the danger, Cibulkova let out a giant roar when getting the hold to go 5-2 up.

If there was any finishing line fever, the former Australian Open runner-up showed few signs of it. She immediately raced 40-0 clear, and became triumphant when Pliskova pulled a backhand wide on Cibulkova’s third match point.

Speaking to BBC Sport afterwards, an ecstatic Cibulkova commented, “This is my best week on grass. I was playing really well. The conditions were very hard.

“I said when I arrived that Martina Navratilova has won it 11 times – it would be good to win it once.”

Pliskova’s serve, such a key facet of her game, was not as much of a weapon against Cibulkova as it was in her semi-final versus Johanna Konta. Just four aces – two in each set – were dealt from the Czech’s racket, as her adversary managed to formulate rallies and dictate the play, and exploit Pliskova’s inferior movement.

The windy conditions also favoured Cibulkova, whose compact style was always going to be less affected than Pliskova’s more languid approach.

The win moves Cibulkova up to 18th in the WTA rankings, and Wimbledon’s 19th seed will begin her SW19 quest against Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. Pliskova, meanwhile, can still be happy with another successful week on the grass, as she maintained her ranking at 17. Yanina Wickmayer awaits in the first round of Wimbledon.

But Eastbourne belonged to Dominika Cibulkova, thanks to successes over Jelena Ostapenko, Kateryna Bondarenko, Agniezska Radwanska, Monica Puig and Pliskova. The pocket rocket of women’s tennis is enjoying a fruitful year and now lies 7th in the WTA race.

Her forceful, aggressive mantra is suited well to tennis’ quickest surface, and with Radwanska in her section of the Wimbledon draw, there’s no reason why the 27-year-old can’t have a deep run over the next fortnight.

Doubles

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The Croatian-Australian pairing of Darija Jurak and Anastasia Rodionova overcame the Chinese Taipei duo of Chan Hao-ching and Chan Yung-jan in three sets.

The unseeded Jurak/Rodionova dropped the first set 7-5 but won the second 7-6 in a close encounter. They then wrapped up the title courtesy of a 10-6 win in the super tie-breaker. It was the pair’s first triumph together as pairing, Jurak’s third overall and Rodionova’s 10th.