Shuai Peng

All posts tagged Shuai Peng

2015 WTA Antwerp (@WTAdiamondgames) and Pattaya City Previews and Predictions

Posted by Admin on February 8, 2015
Posted in: Antwerp, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

2015 WTA Antwerp (@WTAdiamondgames) and Pattaya City Previews and Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

The WTA tour took a week long break following the conclusion of the Australian Open, so the first round of the Fed Cup could be played. And after an exciting weekend of nationalistic action, the tour is back with visits to Belgium and Thailand, both are hard court events with Antwerp indoors and Pattaya City outdoors.

WTA Antwerp

2015 WTA Antwerp Preview

The tour returns to Antwerp for the first time since 2008 for the BNP Paribas Fortis Diamond games. The tournament director is none other than Belgian tennis legend Kim Clijsters, who won this title 11 years ago. Other previous champions include former grand slam champions: Venus Williams, Justine Henin, and Amelie Mauresmo. So who will join them on the honours list this year?

BNP Paribas Fortis Diamond Games
WTA Premier Series
Antwerp, Belgium
Feb 9-Feb 15, 2015
Prize Money: $731,000

Top 4 seeds (Who receive first round byes) (WTA ranking in parentheses)

1. Eugenie Bouchard (7)
2. Angelique Kerber (9)
3. Andrea Petkovic (12)
4. Lucie Safarova (15)

Four top 15 players get byes into the second round making it a fairly strong field.

First round matches to watch:

(5)Carla Suarez Navarro vs. Camila Giorgi
These two met in Katowice last year, and it was the big hitting Italian who came out on top 7-6,6-4. Despite that, Suarez Navarro will head into this match as the bookies favourite as she’s the higher ranked player and more experienced of the two. The Spaniard is a rare player in that she plays with a single handed backhand. It’s a shot that will be crucial if she is to overcome Giorgi as the Italian is one of the biggest hitters on tour. The 23 year old will look to dictate from the baseline with her powerful ground strokes, whilst on the other side of the net, Suarez Navarro will look to use her variety to move Giorgi around the court and not let her slip into any rhythm. A contrast of form, and style here, so this should be an interesting match the follow.

(7)Alize Cornet vs. Belinda Bencic
Bencic hasn’t had the best of starts to 2015. In fact she has yet to win a single set so far this year, but don’t let that stat fool you; the girl is still very talented. The world number 37 faces world number 19 Alize Cornet in the opening round in Antwerp. Cornet has lost 2 tour matches this year to Agnieszka Radwanska and Dominika Cibulkova, but unlike her opponent she has also won two matches, both of which at the Australian Open. The two met in the Fed Cup last year with Cornet coming out on top, but the landscape has changed since then. Bencic has improved, meaning this match has potential to be a good one, if the Swiss’ form has improved of course.

Top Half:

The number one seed Eugenie Bouchard has the fortune of a bye to the second round. She will meet either Mona Barthel or a qualifier in her first match under new coach Sam Sumyk. It will be too early to see any improvements, but it’s still interesting to see where the Canadian’s form lies after the Australian Open. Barthel can be dangerous, especially from the backhand side, but she’s still finding form after an injury. In the second section of this quarter, Cornet will be the bookies favourite, but there’s a lot of talent who could send the Frenchwoman packing.  Belinda Bencic is in terrible form, so it’s hard to back her against the 7th seed, Cornet. Awaiting her will be the winner of Yania Wickmayer and Barbora Zahalova Strycova. The Belgian is in good form after making the fourth round in Melbourne, and will no doubt have the backing of the crowd. Strycova is the better player overall however, and has made a positive start to the season. With the home crowd behind her, I can see Wickmayer defeating her higher ranked opponent in the first round. But the Belgians will be disappointed to see her lose to Cornet in round two. Bouchard should make the quarter finals without much trouble to face the Frenchwoman for a semi final spot. Power players seem to give Bouchard the most trouble, but Cornet isn’t a big hitter. I feel Bouchard will make the semi final from this quarter.

Third seed Andrea Petkovic headlines the second quarter, and like Bouchard, The German has a bye to the second round. She will face either wildcard Alison Van Uytvanck or Magdalena Rybarikova in round two in a match the 27 year old should expect herself to win, no matter who she faces. Sixth seed Dominika Cibulkova is the other seeded player in this section. The 2014 Australian Open runner up will face a qualifier in round one before likely meeting Tsevtana Pironkova in round two. The Bulgarian met Cibulkova at the Australian Open, but unfortunately it was rather a blowout for the Slovak. 6-2,6-0 was the final result, so I will favour Cibulkova to make the quarter finals here. The German leads the head to head 2-1, with their last two meetings ending in straight sets wins for Petkovic. But Cibulkova is in far better form at the moment, so I feel she should make the semi finals.

Bottom half:

Second seed Angelique Kerber is the only other top 10 player in the draw, and the German receives a bye into round two. Klara Koukalova will likely await the world number nine there, as the Czech faces a qualifier in round one. Koukalova has only won one match in 2014, and with Kerber being overall the stronger player, the German should make the quarter finals without much fuss. Fifth seed Carla Suarez Navarro finds herself in this quarter, and has a tough round one prospect in Camila Giorgi. The Italian is in the better form, and won their last meeting so I can see the Spaniard taking an early exit. Belgium will pin their hopes on former Wimbledon semi finalist, Kirsten Flipkens to take the title in Antwerp, but she faces crafty Romanian Monica Niculescu in round one. Only two places separate them in the rankings, but with the head to head 2-0 in favour of the Belgian I will go with Flipkens to make round two with the home crowd backing her. Giorgi vs Flipkens will be interesting, as the Belgian has the fans and the head to head on her side. In good form, Giorgi is just very powerful and dangerous so I will predict the Italian to make the Quarter Finals. That will set up the first meeting between Camila Giorgi and Angelique Kerber. This match will be the classic big hitter vs counter puncher encounter and therefore it will be interesting to see which style wins. I think this one has three sets written all over it, and I will predict a come from behind win for Kerber. Something we have come to expect from the German recently.

Number four seed Lucie Safarova receives a bye into round two where she’ll face either Kristina Mladenovic or Silvia Soler-Espinosa. Mladenovic shouldn’t have many problems dispatching her Spanish opponent to meet Safarova in round two. Safarova lost to Yaroslava Shvedova in Melbourne so isn’t in great form, but she should have enough about her to power through the Frenchwoman and reach the quarter finals. Rising star Karolina Pliskova will look to make it a great two weeks for the family. Her sister Kristyna won the Glasgow ITF event this week, and Karolina will look to do the same in Antwerp. The 8th seed faces experienced Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in the opening round. If Pliskova can show the form that lead her to the Sydney final then she shouldn’t have much trouble making the quarter finals. It will likely be Annika Beck in the second round, who is a good solid player, but the German doesn’t really have many weapons to trouble the Czech. I believe we will see an all Czech quarterfinal, which will undoubtedly be a big hitting contest. My prediction will be Pliskova because she showed better form in Australia, and Safarova is very inconsistent.

Predictions

Embed from Getty Images

Semis:
Cibulkova d. Bouchard in 3 sets
Kerber d. Pliskova in 3

Cibulkova showed good form at the Australian Open, and I expect her to continue her good play here. Cibulkova hits the ball hard and Bouchard has shown she can be prone to players who can over-power her.

Pliskova defeated Kerber in Sydney, but I can’t see that performance being replicated here. The likely outcome is that the German grinds down the Czech for a three set win.

Final:
Kerber d. Cibulkova in 3

This is a good chance for Kerber to win her first title of the season, and I believe she will take it. The German lost early in Melbourne, so she’ll use this tournament to put herself back on track.

Embed from Getty Images

WTA Pattaya City

2015 WTA Pattaya City Preview



the Thailand open has grown in stature since its debut on tour in 1991. In 2009 the event was upgraded to an International from a tier IV tournament. Previous champions include the likes of Cochita Martinez, Daniela Hantuchova, and Vera Zvonareva. Last years edition was won by Ekaterina Makarova.

PTT Thailand Open
WTA International Series
Pattaya City, Thailand
Feb 9-Feb 15. 2015
Prize Money: $250,000

Top 4 seeds (WTA Ranking in parentheses)

1: Shuai Peng (21)
2: Elina Svitolina (26)
3: Zarina Diyas (33)
4: Kurumi Nara (44)

No top 20 players, but a list of dangerous players who will all benefit from a title winning run here.

First round matches to watch:

Embed from Getty Images

(3)Zarina Diyas vs. Daniela Hantuchova
Third seed Zarina Diyas could have hardly asked for a tougher draw in round one than Daniela Hantuchova. The pair met in Hobart, and Diyas was victorious in straight sets, however Hantuchova’s form has improved since, and she’s a former champion here, so this one should be a closer encounter. Diyas has stagnated since making a climb up the rankings last year, with her main issue being her incapability to beat higher ranked opponents. The young Kazakh is fairly good at handling lower ranked players though, so I think she’ll win yet again, but it will be harder than last time.

(2)Elina Svitolina vs. Kimiko Date-Krumm
Not all matches to watch are on the basis on how competitive they are. The story of Date-Krumm just keeps going on and on, just like her career. The Japanese start turns 45 this year, and yet she is still playing in the main draws at WTA events. Her opponent Elina Svitolina is young enough to be her daughter, and the Ukrainian leads the head to head 1-0. Svitolina should win this comfortably on her title quest, but it’s always great to see Date-Krumm on court.

Top Half:

Headlining the top half of the draw will be world number 21 Shuai Peng. The 29 year old should have no problems reaching the quarter finals, as none of her potential opponents before that stage should offer any problems. The other seeded player in this quarter is young gun Monica Puig. The number seven seed showed some promise in 2014, but like Diyas, hasn’t kicked on since. The Puerto Rican has a tough round one against talented Swiss Stephanie Voegele. The head to head is 2-1 in the favour of Puig, so it’s hard not to back her here. A Voegele win wouldn’t be any sort of surprise however. The likely round two opponent will be Elena Vesnina, who has fallen down the rankings since reaching a career high 21 in 2013. Puig is currently the better player, so I expect her to reach the quarter finals. I don’t see the young star going any further though, as she’ll likely fall to top seed Peng in the quarter finals.

Fourth seed Kurumi Nara will start her tournament against local wildcard Nicha Lertpitaksinchai. I predict Yulia Putintseva to meet the Japanese in round two, where I’d expect Nara to be too good for the Kazakh. Jarmila Gadjosova is the sixth seed and will face a qualifier in round one. Facing a qualifier is always a lottery because there are a lot of dangerous players who are lower ranked on the WTA tour, but I am not sure there are many who could beat the Aussie. Ajla Tomljanovic wil be her probable round two opponent. This will be interesting as it’s an all Aussie clash, and there’s a fair chance of an ‘upset’ here. Either way both like to strike the ball hard, and it should be a tight battle. I believe the winner would beat Nara, who has a steady game but lacks real weapons. If I had to predict a winner from this quarter I will go for Gadjosova, as she is in good form after the Fed Cup.

Bottom Half:

Second seed Elina Svitolina is the favourite for the title in many people’s eyes. She should beat 44 year old Kimiko Date-Krumm in the opening round without too much trouble. In the second round I believe she’ll face Marina Erakovic. The New Zealander won their last meeting in 2013, but Svitolina is much improved since then so I expect the young Ukrainian to make the quarter finals at least. The other seed in this section is Shuai Zhang. She’ll face an out of sorts Donna Vekic in the opening round, and with the Croatians recent form at the Fed cup, I predict Zhang to win comfortably. Former Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva has received a Wildcard into the main draw, and she hasn’t got a bad draw. I’d actually make her the favourite to reach the quarter finals where she will likely loose to the consistent Elina Svitolina.

Zarina Diyas is the third seed here, and the favourite to advance from her quarter, but there is some tough competition for her in this section. Firstly the Kazakh must work her way through Daniela Hantuchova. As I touched on in my matches to watch section, this should be closer than their previous meeting, but I expect Diyas to be too consistent for the Slovak. Sasai Zheng will await in the second round. Zhang played well in Shenzhen, even defeating Diyas in the quarter finals. The Chinese player hasn’t won a match since however. Their last match was close, so I will go with Diyas in three to make the quarter finals. There I predict her to meet fifth seed Yaroslava Shvedova. The talented Kazakh is one of the most dangerous players on tour, and recently had a decent run in Melbourne. In this all Kazakh clash we will see a mix of styles as Shvedova looks to be aggressive whilst Diyas will look to be consistent and counter Slava. With Shvedova’s recent form I believe she will have enough about her to beat Diyas on this occasion.

Embed from Getty Images

Predictions

Semis
Gadjosova d. Peng in 2
Svitolina d. Shvedova in 3

Gadjosova pushed the Germans to their limits in the Fed Cup, so comes into this tournament in good form. Peng is consistent, but Gadjosova possesses the bigger weapons so I will predict the Aussie to win in 2 sets. Shvedova vs Svitolina will likely be a close battle, but with Shvedova’s tendency to struggle to close matches out from winning positions, I expect the Ukrainian to prevail from a set down.

Embed from Getty Images

Final
Svitolina def. Gadjosova in 2

Embed from Getty Images


Niall Clarke (Sofia)

 

 

Advertisement

2015 Australian Open Week 2 Women’s Preview, Predictions

Posted by Admin on January 24, 2015
Posted in: Australian Open, Niall Clarke, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

2015 Australian Open Week 2 Women’s Preview, Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

Australian-Open-SIte

It has flown by quicker than a jet fighter, but we are already half way through the first grand slam of the year. The main talking point was the early demise of seeded players in the first round. Lucie Safarova, Angelique Kerber, Jelena Jankovic, Carla Suarez Navarro, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Sabine Lisicki, Flavia Pennetta, Andrea Petkovic, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and most shockingly Ana Ivanovic bowed out in the opening round in Melbourne. I suppose ranking doesn’t matter In the WTA.

We have seen a lot of shocks, thrilling matches and drama in the first week, so let’s look back on the action and see is on the horizon for the second week of the Australian Open starting with the bottom half.

Round of 16 Matchups:

Embed from Getty Images

(2)Maria Sharapova vs. (21)Shuai Peng

It’s been a mixed bag so far from the number two seed. Sharapova cruised through her first round match against Petra Martic, before almost stumbling out to Alexandra Panova. The Russian star had to save 2 match points before overcoming the world 150.

Shaui Peng has made it to the round of 16 without dropping a set thus far, dispatching of Tatjana Maria, Magdalena Rybarikova, and Safarova conqueror, Yaroslava Shvedova. The Chinese number one reached the US Open semi finals last year, and has continued her great grand slam form thus far at the Australian Open.

That said, I don’t feel Peng has the game to beat Maria Sharapova in a grand slam. The match will be on the world number two’s racket, and will come down to how well she plays. I can only see Peng winning of Sharapova has a stinker, and even then it’s not certain with the fighting spirit of the 5 time grand slam champion.

(7)Eugenie Bouchard vs. Irina-Camelia Begu

The grand slam gods keep smiling down on Bouchard, who found herself the only seed left in this section after the opening round. The Canadian hasn’t let the seed collapse affect her game however, as she has been flawless in the opening three rounds. Straight set wins over Ana-Lena Friedslam, Kiki Bertens and Caroline Garcia have allowed the 20 year old to advance to the fourth round.

Begu is the woman who dispatched of ninth seed, Angelique Kerber in the first round and she hasn’t slowed down since. The Romanian hasn’t dropped a set since she upset the German. Begu defeated Katerina Siniakova, and Carina Witthoeft in the 2nd and 3rd round respectively.

It will be Bouchard’s biggest test to date, but with the Canadian’s tendancy to bring her best to the big events, I believe Bouchard should advance to the quarter finals. Begu will offer a big challenge and could upset the 7th seed, but the safe bet is on Bouchard.

Embed from Getty Images

(3)Simona Halep vs. Yanina Wickmayer

Number three seed, Simona Halep has looked good thus far as she continues on her quest for her maiden grand slam title. The Romanian didn’t drop a set as she dispatched Karin Knapp, Jarmila Gajdosova and Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the opening three rounds.

Yanina Wickmayer has claimed the scalps of two seeded players on her way to her 2nd round 4 appearance at Melbourne. The Belgian dispatched (28) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, and (14) Sara Errani in three sets. In between those victories she defeated Lara Arrubarrena in three sets, so she has gotten used to going the distance.

If Halep is serious about winning her first grand slam here, she should dispatch Wickmayer with little trouble. The way things have been going however, we may see yet another upset down under. If I was to predict, I would say Halep in two sets though.

(10)Ekaterina Makarova vs. Julia Goerges

The tenth seed Ekaterina Makarova has been flawless in her opening three matches, winning all of them in straight sets. An-Sophie Mestach was the first victim of the Russian, followed by Roberta Vinci. Then came the much anticipated clash with an in form Karolina Pliskova, which Makarova made look easy, breaking the big serving Czech three times.

The biggest beneficiary of Ana Ivanovic’s exit has been Julia Goerges. The big serving German took advantage of the fifth seed’s exit to make her maiden grand slam fourth round appearance. Goerges took apart youngster Belina Bencic, Klara Koukalova and qualifier Lucie Hradecka on her way to this stage.

Makarova is another one of those players who brings her best to the slams, and this one has been no different thus far. Goerges has performed well in her best slam to date, but I feel this will be in the end of the road for her. Makarova in 2 sets is my prediction.

Embed from Getty Images

(1)Serena Williams vs. (24) Garbine Muguruza

The world number one hasn’t been as destructive as she has been in the past, but she’s managed to get it done in her first three matches, all with a bagel. Williams dispatched of Alison Van Uytvanck, and Vera Zvonareva in straight sets before coming from a set down to beat young star Elina Svitolina.

In round four she’ll face another young star in Garbine Muguruza. The Spaniard has opened her own bakery this year, handing out a bagel in all but one of her matches in 2015. Muguruza defeated Marina Erakovic in straight sets before getting taken all the way by Daniela Hantuchova and the inform Timea Bacsinszky.

This is arguably the most interesting round four match as Muguruza handed Williams her biggest grand slam loss for over a decade last year. Serena will be motivated and looking for revenge, but Garbine has been playing well thus far despite her lapses in concentration. She can’t afford that against Serena, so I expect a tight battle no matter which way it goes.

(11)Dominika Cibulkova vs. Victoria Azarenka

Last year’s finalist didn’t build on her performance last year, but Cibulkova has returned to form in time to try defend her points from 2014. The Slovakian has only dropped one set on her way to the fourth round and that was her opening set of the tournament against Kirsten Flipkens. Since then, Cibulkova has defeated Tsvetana Pironkova and Alize Cornet.

Victoria Azarenka emerged the favourite to make the quarter final after her straight sets win over Caroline Wozniacki in round two. The former two time champion is looking to kick start her 2015 season after struggling last season, and she’s doing it the right way thus far. No sets dropped in her wins over Sloane Stephens, Caroline Wozniacki, and Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova has shown the Belarusian to be in good form.

Interesting match with potential to go either way. A lot will depend on the form of Cibulkova because she has proven to give anyone a test when playing well. However, Azarenka is always at her best in Melbourne and is in good form, so I feel Vika should make the Quarter Finals.

Madison Keys vs. Madison Brengle

Big hitting American, Madison Keys shocked the tennis world with her straight sets victory over Petra Kvitova in the third round. Before that, she upset the home crowd by beating Australian Casey Dellacqua in three sets in round two and straight setting Lesia Tsurenko in round one.

The other Madison (Brengle) has had an upset of her own as she beat Andrea Petkovic in three sets. The American hasn’t dropped a set since that upset. Brengle defeated countrywomen Irina Falconi and Coco Vandeweghe on her way to the last 16.

The battle of the Madisons is very hard to predict. Keys has the bigger game and usually I would expect her to blast Brengle off the court. The question is how will Keys handle the pressure of being the favourite in the 2nd week of a slam? Any lapses in concentration and Brengle will be waiting to pounce, so interesting to see who makes their maiden grand slam quarter final.

Embed from Getty Images

(6) Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Venus Williams

The Pole has been in ominous form, only dropping 9 games en route to the fourth round. Radwanska dropped only three games against Kurumi Nara, one against Johanna Larsson and five against Vavara Lepchenko. In each one of her matches, the sixth seed has delivered a bagel.

Venus Williams was a potential dark horse to win the tournament coming off her Auckland triumph. The 34 year old has reached the last 16 for the first time since 2011, so maybe she’s having one last hurrah. It hasn’t been all easy for Venus however, she was tested my Camila Giorgi in the third round who failed to serve out the match, and that was after straight set wins Maria Theresa Torro-Flo and Lauren Davis.

Both players will be facing their biggest test in the fourth round, and will feel they have a golden opportunity to make the semi finals with Kvitova’s surprise exit. I picked Venus to win this encounter before the tournament, but with Radwanska’s form so far I am now siding towards the Pole. It will be tight, and most likely go the distance no matter which player ends up winning.

Predictions:

Embed from Getty Images

Quarters:
Sharapova d. Bouchard in 3
Halep d. Makarova in 3
Muguruza d. Azarenka in 3
Radwanska d. Keys in 2 

I am sticking to my original prediction and saying that Sharapova defeats Bouchard in to set up a semi final showdown with Simona Halep. The world number two I feel is too experienced for Bouchard at this stage and I expect something akin to their Roland Garros battle last year.

Makarova is a great grand slam player, but Halep is the better overall player at the moment. The Russian will no doubt test the number three seed and may even get the win, but it’s hard not to back Halep in her undefeated form this year.

Our readers might have gathered I have a lot of faith in Muguruza fulfilling her potential. I am really feeling a big run from her here, especially given how the draw has really opened up for the Spaniard. Azarenka has looked very good thus far, but I still don’t think she’s the Azarenka of old yet, so I will go with my heart and say Muguruza in 3 sets.

Like I mentioned, I am now siding towards Radwanska in her fourth round match against Venus. The Pole is in good form, and she’ll have a deep run here. Keys will blast Brengle off the court, but Radwanska is a few levels above her at the moment. The 6th seed will be too crafty and experienced for the youngster in a straight sets win.

Semis:

Embed from Getty Images

Halep d. Sharapova in 3
Radwanska d. Muguruza in 3 

I am will also stick to my guns and say Halep narrowly defeats Sharapova in the semi final. The head to head is massively in favour of the Russian, but I just feel it’s Halep’s time to win her maiden slam. Sharapova puts up a great fight as usual, but ultimately ends up falling in a three set thriller.

Radwanska will make her second grand slam final appearance after defeating a tired Muguruza in the semi finals. The Spaniard may come out all guns blazing, but she is not quite ready for a huge breakthrough yet, so physical and mental fatigue will catch up with her. Radwanska fights back from a set down to defeat Muguruza in three.

Final:
Halep d. Radwanska in 2

Like I said, I just feel it is Halep’s time to win a grand slam, and with the exit of Kvitova and potentially Serena Williams, it may have just opened up for her perfectly. Radwanska would have made a tremendous effort to get this far, but I don’t see the Pole going all the way. The Pole leads the head to head, but Halep won comfortably in their last meeting. I expect a tight 2 set victory for Halep in the final, thus claiming her maiden slam title.

Embed from Getty Images

Niall Clarke (Sofia)

2015 WTA Auckland and Shenzhen Preview and Predictions

Posted by Admin on January 3, 2015
Posted in: Auckland, Niall Clarke, Shenzen, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

2015 WTA Auckland and Shenzhen Preview and Predictions
Niall Clarke, Tennis Atlantic

Two other events will take place on the WTA tour this week to open the 2015 season, one in Auckland and the other in Shenzhen, China, as players gear up for the Australian Open by making their preparations all across Asia and Australia-Pacific.

2015 WTA Auckland Preview

WTA Auckland

A regular on the WTA calendar, the ASB classic has been part of the WTA season for the past 30 years, and the season opener for the past 20 years. The formation occurred when a gap in the marketplace was seen by Ari Hallenberg and Global Sports. They pitched the idea of an event in Auckland to Tennis New Zealand, and thus the ASB classic was created.

Previous champions include the likes of: Marion Bartoli, Lindsay Davenport, Elena Dementieva, Jelena Jankovic, Agnieszka Radwanska and the 2014 champion was Ana Ivanovic.

ASB Classic
WTA International Series
Auckland, New Zealand
January 5-January 10, 2015
Prize Money: $250,000

Top 4 seeds (WTA ranking in parentheses)
1: Caroline Wozniacki (8)
2: Sara Errani (14)
3: Venus Williams (18)
4: Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova (25)

A fairly strong field of seeded players with the lowest ranked seed being number 42, Mona Barthel. With two former world number ones, and three young stars we have got an open field that promises excitement.

First round matchups to watch:

Embed from Getty Images

Marina Erakovic vs. Monica Puig

The home crowd favourite will no doubt be Marina Erakovic. The New Zealander finished a measly number 77 in the world in 2014, but picked up her form towards the end of the season. Her opponent is one of the WTA’s rising stars. 21 year old Puerto Rican, Monica Puig reached her highest ranking in 2014, but a poor end to the season saw her finish as world number 61. This will be one the hotly contested matches of round one, with Erakovic looking to please the home crowd. Puig will look to spoil the party and defeat her opponent and the crowd. Marina will want to keep the points short, and hold her serve, while Monica will want long rallies, and counter Erakovic. Expect a tight encounter here.

(7)Coco Vandeweghe vs. Roberta Vinci

The crafty Italian vs the big serving American will be one of the most intriguing matches in the season opener. The 23 year old New York native, Vandeweghe, had a career best season in 2014 which saw her reach her highest ranking of 38 and finish as the world number 39. She also won her first WTA tournament at the Topshelf Open. Across the court stands experienced Italian Roberta Vinci. The 31 year old finished at number 48 in the rankings last year, but has reached a career high of 11 in the world. Vinci’s slice will be a key shot in this match, and if Coco isn’t on form, it will trouble the American a lot. But if Vandeweghe plays at her full potential, Vinci might not be able to handle the big serve.

(2)Sara Errani vs. Daniela Hantuchova 

Vinci’s doubles partner, Sara Errani has a stern test in her opening match in the form of Daniela Hantuchova. Daniela didn’t enjoy the best of seasons in 2014, finishing the year as world number 57. However if the Slovak can show any sign of the form that got her to number five in the world, she could very well upset the number two seed. Sara Errani is one of the steadiest players on tour. The former Roland Garros finalist has great movement and rarely makes an error. However, she lacks the firepower to dictate a match which often leaves the result in her opponent’s hands. If Hantuchova can be aggressive and consistent she can upset Errani, but that is a big if.

Top Half:

Caroline Wozniacki is the number one seed and favourite to win the tournament. The former world number one drew lucky and will face a qualifier in round one. The consistent Dane will likely cruise to a quarter final clash with Svetlana Kuznetsova. Caro will most likely prove to be too good for the former grand slam champion and should advance from this quarter.

The second quarter is an interesting one. Any one of the eight players could realistically make the semi-finals with a good run. The Favourite will be number four seed, Barbora Zahalova-Strycova. The 28 year old should pass her first round test, Chanelle Scheepers and meet either Erakovic or Puig in the second round. Both players could cause big problems for the Czech, but Strycova is coming in off her best season to date. You’d expect the other quarter finalist to be one of: Roberta Vinci, Coco Vandeweghe and Kirsten Flipkens. All three are capable of a good run here, but it’s a question of who can find their form in time. I believe Strycova will advance from this section, but I wouldn’t be shocked at all if it’s somebody else.

Bottom half:

Number three seed Venus Williams is one of the favorites to win the tournament. The former world number one should make it through her first two matches without much hassle but if the veteran is off her game, she could easily be upset by Kiki Bertens or Kurumi Nara. The Interesting part of this section is the potential Quarter Final opponents for Venus. Mona Barthel is the seeded player and favourite, but the German has shown lack of mental strength and consistency in the past, despite her enormous talent. The 24 year old is unpredictable, and could blow the competition away or just as easily slump to a first round defeat. The key match will be the second round where Kristina Mladenovic or Elena Vesnina will await the winner. Both currently sit outside the top 50 and will be looking to kick off their season in a positive way. I feel Barthel makes it, but loses to Venus Williams in a tight encounter.

Number two seed Sara Errani would probably be more favoured on clay, but the Italian is so consistent, she won’t give any of her opponents’ free points. Errani should make it through to the quarter finals with her toughest test likely to come in round one against Daniela Hantuchova. Her opponent at this stage will likely be Sloane Stephens. The highly touted American made her breakthrough in 2013, but failed to make any improvements last year. Once touted a future number one, Sloane will be looking to live up to that potential in 2015.

Embed from Getty Images

Predictions

Semis:
Wozniacki d. Strycova
Stephens d. Williams

Wozniacki should have no trouble getting past BarboraZahalovaStrycova in the semi-finals. Venus and Sloane will have a tight semi-final, which teases us with the end result multiple times. I am going to predict Stephens in three sets to set up a final clash with Caro.

 

Final:
Wozniacki d. Stephens

The two pre-tournament favourites will contest the final in Auckland.In the final we will see plenty of long rallies, but Wozniacki will do what she does best and wear her opponent down in two tight sets.

WTA Shenzen

2015 WTA Shenzen Preview

Shenzhen Open
WTA International Series
Shenzen, China
January 4-January 10, 2015
Prize Money: $500,000

The Shenzhen Open is one of three events kicking off the 2015 season. It is also one of seven WTA events to be hosted in China this year. The inaugural event took place in 2013, with Li Na doing her home country proud by winning the tournament. The Chinese superstar returned in 2014 to defend her crown in an all Chinese final where she defeated Shuai Peng in straight sets. Unfortunately, Li Na won’t return to this event to defend her title once again as she has now officially retired from the game, meaning we will have a new champion at the Shenzen Open. It promises to be an exciting way to kick off the new season.

Top 4 seeds (WTA ranking in parentheses)
1: Simona Halep (3)
2: Petra Kvitova (4)
3: Shuai Peng (21)
4: Zarina Diyas (33)

First round matchups to watch:

(1)Simona Halep vs. Annika Beck

The world number three will kick off her season against young German Annika Beck in Shenzen. A lot of people will look at this and think it will be an easy win for the Romanian. They could be right, but they may also be in for a surprise. Beck offers a very solid game, and if Halep isn’t on her game right away, the number one seed may just get caught off guard. Look for lengthy rallies in this match between two solid baseliners.

(4)Zarina Diyas vs. Donna Vekic 

Zarina Diyas enjoyed her best season to date in 2014, and the talented Kazakh doesn’t want stop right there. The 21 year old will face fellow youngster Donna Vekic in the first round of the Shenzhen open. The 18 year old has reached a career high of 65, so she will look to potentially break the top 50 for first time in 2015. This is a match-up you could very well be seeing more of in the future,so it will be good to familiarise with these two quickly.

Embed from Getty Images

(3)Shuai Peng vs. Vera Zvonareva

The former grand slam finalist will return to face third seed and home country favourite Shuai Peng. This is perhaps the more interesting of the first round matches with the return of Vera Zvonareva being one of the hottest talking points amongst WTA fans watching this tournament. With the retirement of Li Na, Peng is now the Chinese number one and will have the weight of an entire nation on her shoulders in this event. We shall see if she can handle that pressure in Shenzhen.

Top Half:

Embed from Getty Images

Number one seed Simona Halep will be big favourite to emerge from the top half of the draw. If the Romanian is off form however, there are a few players that can upset the world number two. Simona will likely face tests from Annika Beck and Klara Koukalova on her way to the semi finals, but if Halep isn’t completely off form, she should get through this section

Number 4 seed Zarina Diyas will be favourite to advance from her quarter, but it won’t be easy. As well as youngster Donna Vekic, Diyas could face tests from the likes of Monica Niculescu. The crafty Romanian is a difficult test for anyone with her variety of shots, and could easily advance to the semi-finals. The potential quarter final between Diyas and Niculescu could be one of the matches to watch in Shenzhen.

Bottom Half: 

Embed from Getty Images

The whole of China will be pinning their hopes on last year’s runner-up Shuai Peng to keep the title in the Middle Kingdom. She faces a stern test in the first round in Vera Zvonareva who could upset the number three seed. With the home crowd behind her, Peng should advance to the quarter finals at least here. Who will meet her there is anyone’s guess, with the talented Stefanie Voegele and number eight seed Timea Bascinzky potential adversaries. I expect Peng to make the semi finals here with the home crowd behind her.

Number two seed Petra Kvitova will fancy her chances of winning the title here, but first she must navigate her way through the bottom half of the draw.The Wild Card round one shouldn’t be a problem for the big hitting Czech who should really make the semi finals without much trouble. However, with her known ‘off days’ Petra could very well be upset by the likes of Bojana Jovanovski or Irina-Camelia Begu.

Predictions

Semis
Halep d. Niculescu
Kvitova d. Peng

The top two seeds will make the final here. Niculescu’s spin won’t be a problem for Halep, who wins this one in straight sets. Kvitova has her difficulties with Peng, who takes her the distance, but the big match experience of the Czech will be enough to see her through.

Final
Halep d. Kvitova

The final will be the one the most tennis fans will be anticipating. Haelp vs Kvitova has the potential to be one of the best matches of the year and we have only just begun! A clash of styles that could go either way, so I will solidly predict a three setter. Which player will win is a prediction I keep changing, but I am going to say Halep’s consistency wins her the title.

Tennis Atlantic Niall Clarke (Sofia)