All posts tagged venus williams
Stephens Survives Scare from Kalinina; Venus Gets by Giorgi, Does Her Part For a Friday Williams Sisters Showdown
Posted in: US Open, WTA.	Tagged: 2018 US Open, Anhelina Kalinina, Camila Giorgi, Grand Slam, new york, serena williams, sloane stephens, venus williams.	Leave a comment
Sloane Stephens didn't look happy when she took the court on Arthur Ashe Stadium at noon today for her second round US Open match in New York. That look got worse as she dropped four of the first five games to Anhelina Kalinina. After a bathroom break to start the second set, Stephens play improved somewhat, and she tenuously won the second set 7-5. In the third, Kalinina's play fell flat and Stephens was clearly in the groove for the 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 match that lasted two hours and forty five minutes on the blazing courts.
Stephens plays Vika Azarenka in the third round on Friday.
Meanwhile, Venus Williams was battling Camila Giorgi and was able to finish off the Italian in two sets to get off of Armstrong so she can prepare for her third round match ton Friday, likely against little sister Serena. The final was 6-4, 7-5.
After the match, Venus waxed poetic about playing on the new stadium. "It's great to play out here on Louis Armstrong, the court is named after a legend," she said. "I'm really pumped to win here today against an inspired opponent."
She doesn't check the draw, but she didn't have to, since it's all the buzz in New York.
"I don't know, you gotta play who you have to play. When you're in the draw, all you think about is winning your match."
That said, she recalled her last meeting with Serena at the 2017 Australian Open. "Last time, it was two on one, so at least this time it'll be fair," she said.
2017 @WTAFinalsSG Preview & Predictions
Posted in: Niall Clarke, Singapore, WTA.	Tagged: 2017, Caroline Garcia, caroline wozniacki, Championship, Elina Svitolina, Garbine Muguruza, Jelena Ostapenko, Karolina Pliskova, picks, predictions, preview, Simona Halep, venus williams, Womens Tennis, wta, Year End Finals.	Leave a comment
2017 WTA Finals Preview & Predictions
After a long season full of twists and turns, it comes down to just eight players as we reach the Year End Championships in Singapore. Not only is there a big title available, but also the world number one ranking. It promises to be a great week of tennis to close out the season. Here is a rundown of what to expect in Singapore.
[1] Simona Halep (ROU)
[4] Elina Svitolina (UKR)
[6] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
[8] Caroline Garcia (FRA)
Simona Halep, 2017 Citi Open (Photo: Tennis Atlantic)
Simona Halep headlines the Red Group as the world number one and therefore the top seed for the tournament. The Romanian failed to break her grand slam duck this season, but she came within a few games of realising her dream at the French open before being beaten by Jelena Ostapenko in the final. However, she became the world number one for the first time in Beijing, the highlight of her career thus far. Halep's only title of the year came in Madrid, but her consistency in making the latter stages of events is what got her to the top of the rankings.
Elina Svitolina has enjoyed her best season to date, winning over 50 matches and claiming five titles whilst achieving a career high ranking of number three. The Ukrainian is also one of the players who can finish the year as number one, so it might get better yet. Three of Svitolina's titles came at Premier 5 level, the most recent being in Canada. Despite her good results though, Svitolina failed to make a big breakthrough at Grand Slam level, something she will aim to improve for 2018.
Caroline Wozniacki heads into Singapore having won only one title this year, but the Dane's consistency is what has brought her back into the top ten and back in the year end championships. That title came in Tokyo after losing six previous finals in 2017. Her best Grand Slam performance came at Wimbledon where she made the quarter finals, but like Svitolina, her consistency outside the slams has been remarkable, as shown by her eight finals this season.
Two months ago, Caroline Garcia barely stood a chance of making Singapore, but an incredible two weeks in Beijing and Wuhan saw her finish the year in the top eight against all odds. The Frenchwoman made a controversial decision to skip Fed Cup and stop playing doubles at the end of last year, and it has seemingly paid off. Before her Wuhan and Beijing double, Garcia was consistent and earned a top 20 ranking as a result. But it was the fortnight in China that made her season. She is the in-form player heading into the tournament having won her last eight matches.
The Red Group is interesting as the defensive players have been pitted together. It is three counter punchers and Garcia, making the possibility of some long matches very possible.
If Garcia can carry her form over to Singapore, it is hard not seeing her advance. She is the player with the most weapons in the group and the highest peak level, but the eighth seed is flaky at the best of times, and if she underperforms, none of her opponents will g gift her a win.
That makes this group wide open. Any of the players can advance with a lot of the head to heads being close minus Svitolina's 3-0 advantage over Wozniacki. The Ukrainian seems the most likely to win at least two matches, so I believe she will advance. Garcia is the wildcard and picking her will be brave, but Halep is the number one seed for a reason and the Romanian may just edge through in second place.
1st. Svitolina
2nd. Halep
[2] Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP)
[3] Karolina Pliskova (CZE)
[5] Venus Williams (USA)
[7] Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
Garbine Muguruza's transformation after failing to defend her Roland Garros title is the main reason why she is here. Prior to Roland Garros, Muguruza struggled with her best result coming in Melbourne where she made the quarter finals. After the French though The Spaniard won her second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon and backed that up with an impressive run to the Cincinnati title a month later. Her fine summer form saw the second seed become world number one for the first time, a ranking she will look to regain this week. Muguruza was the first player to qualify for the WTA finals.
Karolina Pliskova started the season strong by winning the Brisbane title and making the quarter finals at the Australian Open The Czech's biggest title came in Doha where she defeated Wozniacki to claim the title. Her strong start to the season earned Pliskova the world number one ranking for the first time, and she made the semi finals of the French Open in her best Grand Slam showing to date. Pliskova will be aiming for her biggest career title and the world number one ranking this week.
Venus Williams is the only player this year to make two grand slam finals, however the oldest player in the top eight failed to add to her tally of major titles. The year was still a resurgent one for Venus, who despite not claiming a title, was one of the more consistent performers of the season. The American backed up her two major finals by making the semi finals of the US Open before being defeated by the eventual champions Sloane Stephens.
Jelena Ostapenko (Photo: Tony Callaio)
Jelena Ostapenko is the only one of two players to have won a grand slam this year and compete in the WTA finals. The Latvian had a dream run to the title at Roland Garros as an unseeded player, and announced herself to the tennis world as not only a potential star, but a current one. The youngest player in the tournament backed up her maiden major title with a run to the quarter finals of Wimbledon and a second title in Seoul. Despite her risky style of play, the seventh seed has enjoyed a fair bit of consistency since Roland Garros.
This group is almost impossible to predict as all four of these players strike the ball very hard. One minute they look unbeatable, the next they can not keep the ball in court. That means the two players that will advance are the ones who can peak at the right times In the matches. Unlike the Red Group, matches in this one should be short, which may give the winners an advantage.
Singapore courts traditionally have been on the slow side which favours Muguruza the most as she is the one who has shown the most consistency on slower surfaces. Ostapenko also showed she can play on slower courts with her Roland Garros triumph, but will the pressure of her first WTA finals work against her?
Venus has the most experience by far, but I think the conditions favour the other players more so I believe she will not advance. Muguruza has struggled against big hitters in the past but I believe these courts are suited to her game so she will advance. Pliskova's issues have mainly come on clay and I expect her to be solid enough to join Muguruza in the semi finals.
1st. Muguruza
2nd. Pliskova
So the semi finals would pit Muguruza against Halep and Svitolina against Pliskova, coincidently the top four seeds.
Muguruza has a good record against Halep, leading the head to head 3-1 and destroying the Romanian in their most recent meeting. The slow conditions will help the top seed on this occasion, so I expect a tighter contest, but I think Muguruza will prevail.
Pliskova has definitely had the measure of Svitolina throughout their careers, winning five of their six meetings. The Czech has generally had control of their hardcourt meetings, but the Ukrainian defeated Pliskova in their most recent outing in Rome. I think the slower conditions will suit Svitolina, and I think despite their head to head, she will advance to the final.
So I have Muguruza meeting Svitolina in the final and this match is a difficult call. Both players are suited to the courts and their head to head is very close at 4-3 to Svitolina. However, there is a factor of fatigue when you make the final, and I think Muguruza will be the fresher player.
Svitolina will have played many long matches by this point, and combine that with Muguruza's ability to play well in finals and you have a recipe for a Spanish triumph in Singapore.
2017 @USOpen Women's Preview, Predictions
Posted in: New York, Niall Clarke, US Open, WTA.	Tagged: 2017, angelique kerber, Barbora Strycova, caroline wozniacki, coco vandeweghe, Elina Svitolina, Garbine Muguruza, Johanna Konta, Karolina Pliskova, madison keys, maria sharapova, picks, predictions, preview, Simona Halep, sloane stephens, Svetlana Kuznetsova, us open, venus williams.	Leave a comment
Garbine Muguruza, 2017 US Open
We have reached the Big Apple for the final grand slam of the year and there is not only the US Open to fight for, but also the world number one ranking.
128 will enter Flushing Meadows, but only one woman will be crowned champion at the end of the fortnight. Here is a rundown of the draw for the 2017 US Open.
Top Quarter
Karolina Pliskova, 2017 US Open
World number one Karolina Pliskova has finals points to defend here and it is likely she will have to make that stage again if she is to keep the top spot. The Czech has a good draw ahead of her though with the first seeded player being Shuai Zhang. Kristina Mladenovic is projected for the fourth round, but the Frenchwoman's lack of form and fitness issues may lead to another early exit. Look for Barbora Strycova to take advantage and possibly meet her compatriot in the round of 16.
The bottom half of this quarter seems more stacked and closely contested than the top half. Svetlana Kuznetsova is the highest seed and should be good enough for the third round at least. From there, it could get interesting with Anett Kontaveit, Lucie Safarova or Cici Bellis waiting in the wings. Agnieszka Radwanska is yet to break her Grand Slam curse, and if she is to do so here she will do it as the tenth seed. Coco Vandeweghe is her biggest test before a potential fourth round against Kuznetsova.
Madison Keys, 2017 US Open
Elina Svitolina is one of the tournament favourites for the US Open as she looks to claim her first Grand Slam title. The Ukrainian has a tough opener against Katerina Siniakova, but the third round clash with the in form Daria Gavrilova could be her toughest first week opponent. Round four is projected to be Madison Keys, but she has a tough first round against Elise Mertens to worry about first. Elena Vesnina is the first seeded opponent for the American.
Angelique Kerber is the defending champion here, which is hard to believe given how underwhelming she has been in 2017. The German faces big hitting youngster Naomi Osaka in one of the picks of the opening round matches. Lesia Tsurenko is the first seeded opponent she will face, but things get really interesting in round four as Kerber could face French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has also landed in this section alongside dangerous unseeded player Daria Kasatkina.
Garbine Muguruza has been in good form since Wimbledon and is in many people's mind the favourite to go the distance in New York. The Spaniard has a good draw to the second week with Magdalena Rybarikova being the toughest opponent before round four. Petra Kvitova is projected to face Muguruza at this point, but her inconsistency could open the door for Caroline Garcia to make the second week of a third straight slam.
The US Open might be Caroline Wozniacki's best shot at winning a maiden Grand Slam crown, and with the openness of the draw, she could very well go all the way. The Dane has some dangerous players in her section such as Ekaterina Makarova and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. Venus Williams has an outside shot of claiming the number one ranking if results go her way, and given her form this year you can not rule out the elder Williams sister prevailing. Venus plays Kiki Bertens in round three, her toughest opponent before the potential Wozniacki clash.
Bottom Quarter
The bottom quarter of this draw features the headline match of the opening round as Maria Sharapova faces second seed Simona Halep. It is not an ideal draw for either player, but it is the pick of the round one matches for the fans. Outside of the opening round, the draw looks good for the winner. Sevastova is the trickiest player in the section and is projected for the fourth round.
Johanna Konta has not had the best preparation for the US Open, but the Brit is still among the outside favourites for the title. Konta's toughest match in the first week comes in the form of Germany's Julia Goerges, a big hitter who has resurged somewhat this season. Dominika Cibulkova will be hoping for a good grand slam run at Flushing Meadows, but she has some tough matches including Sloane Stephens in round two and Ana Konjuh in round three.
Round of 16:
Pliskova def. Strycova
Kuznetsova def. Vandeweghe
Svitolina def. Keys
Kerber def. Ostapenko
Venus def. Wozniacki
Muguruza def. Garcia
Konta def. Stephens
Halep def. Sevastova
For the most part I believe the seeds will hold up. There are many players capable of upsets, but they are so inconsistent, it is hard to back them. The only non top eight seed I have predicted to make the quarter finals is Venus, but that could easily be wrong too.
Quarter Finals
Pliskova def. Kuznetsova
Muguruza def. Venus
Halep def. Konta
The top four seeds are the strongest players in the draw and I believe they will fill out the semi finals in a rarity for the WTA.
Svitolina def. Pliskova
Muguruza def. Halep
These two matches can go either way but I have favoured the fourth and third seeds to get the job done. Pliskova will feel the pressure of keeping her ranking whilst Muguruza has a good record against Halep.
Muguruza def. Svitolina
I have predicted this final before at the French Open and somehow I have done it again. The draw can go either way, but Muguruza's form should carry her far and the Spaniard seems to step up in the latter stages. That is why I have gone for her to win the final and take the crown. She seems much better at handling pressure after winning Wimbledon, and she can do well here despite her poor record.
2017 @WTA @CincyTennis Preview and Predictions
Posted in: Cincinnati, Western & Southern Open, WTA.	Tagged: 2017, betting, Cincinnati Masters, Elina Svitolina, Karolina Pliskova, madison keys, picks, predictions, previews, Simona Halep, venus williams, Western & Southern Open, Womens Tennis, wta tennis.	Leave a comment
2017 WTA Western & Southern Open Preview and Predictions
The tour heads south of the Canadian border to Cincinnati for the second Premier event in two weeks. Here is a rundown of the draw for the Western and Southern open.
Karolina Pliskova returns to Cincinnati to not only defend her title, but also her number one ranking. The Czech receives an opening round BYE before playing a qualifier in the second round. Kristina Mladenovic is the first seeded player in her section, but the Frenchwoman has struggled with injury lately and could face an early exit to either Daria Gavrilova or Katerina Siniakova.
Caroline Wozniacki heads into Cincy in fine form after her Rogers cup run last week, but going deep in back to back tournaments can be tough. Elena Vesnina or Caroline Garcia will welcome the Dane to Ohio in a difficult second round either way. Venus Williams is also in this section and will no doubt be the home favourite for the tournament.
Garbine Muguruza has found a little more consistency since winning Wimbledon, but she has yet to go all the way in a tournament in North America. The Spaniard could face America's Lauren Davis first in the second round in a section full of home crowd favourites. Madison Keys and Coco Vandeweghe will meet in round one with the winner likely facing Daria Kasatkina. This is most definitely a stacked section.
Svetlana Kuznetsova had a disappointing Toronto campaign and will look to bounce back in Cincinnati in the upcoming week. The Russian could face Yulia Putintseva in round two then Jelena Ostapenko in the third round. Maria Sharapova was originally drawn to face the Latvian In round one, but the former world number one withdrew from the tournament.
Elina Svitolina's fine year continued in Toronto and the Ukrainian heads into Cincinnati as one of the title favourites. She will have a tough second round opponent in the form of Lesia Tsurenko or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova before potentially meeting Agnieszka Radwanska in the third round. The Pole has a difficult opener against Julia Goerges who has resurged this season though and could face an early exit.
Angelique Kerber's poor season ahs left her outside of the top 10 in the race to Singapore, and with her US Open title defence incoming, she needs to find form and fast. The German faces either Ekaterina Makarova or Barbora Strycova in the second round, both present different but equally difficult challenges. Petra Kvitova's comeback continues in Cincy where she will face the young and rising Anette Kontaveit In round one. The winner will face either Sloane Stephens or Lucie Safarova in the second round, a rematch of their Toronto quarter final.
Bottom Quarter:
Simona Halep is battling for the world number one ranking this week and is coming in off an overall positive week in Toronto that ended in disappointment. The Romanian has a good draw however with a qualifier in round two then Anastasija Sevastova in round three. The Latvian herself opens against Shuai Peng before meeting the winner of Timea Babos vs Roberta Vinci.
Johanna Konta lost at the first hurdle in Toronto so will be hoping for a more positive week south of the Canadian border. The Brit faces either big hitting Oceane Dodin or Kiki Bertens first in the second round before being projected to face Dominika Cibulkova in round three. The Slovakian has a tough draw however with young players such as Ana Konjuh and Cici Bellis in her section.
Quarter Finals:
Keys def. Kuznetsova
Svitolina def. Kontaveit
Pliskova def. Keys
Halep def. Svitolina
Pliskova def. Halep
It is interesting to see where this tournament goes as there are so many possibilities, so it may come as a surprise that I have predicted the top seed to defeat the second seed in the final. The faster courts here suit Pliskova and I expect the two finalists from last week to have some mental and physical fatigue here, so their performances will not be as strong.
2017 Wimbledon Women's Preview and Predictions
Posted by Admin on July 2, 2017
Posted in: Niall Clarke, Wimbledon, WTA.	Tagged: 2017 Wimbledon Predictions, 2017 Wimbledon Women's Predictions, Angelique Kerber Wimbledon, Halep Wimbledon, Karolina Pliskova, Kerber Wimbledon, Kvitova Wimbledon, Ostapenko Wimbledon, petra kvitova, Pliskova Wimbledon, Radwanska Wimbledon, venus williams, Venus Williams Wimbledon, wimbledon, Wimbledon 2017, Wimbledon Predictions, Wimbledon Women's Predictions.	Leave a comment
It is the biggest grass court tournament on the calendar and one of the biggest tournaments in sports, Strawberries at the ready, it is time for Wimbledon.
128 women will fight for the Venus Rosewater Dish over the next two weeks, but only one will be called champion. Here is a run down of the womens draw.
World number one Angelique Kerber is still searching for her best form, but perhaps the motivation of potentially losing her ranking this week could change her fortunes. The German opens against a qualifier but could have a tough round two against former Wimbledon semi finalist Kirsten Flipkens. The dangerous Lucie Safarova is projected for the third round. Garbine Muguruza has also landed in this section as she also searches for her grand slam winning form. The Spaniard is working with Conchita Martinez for the tournament, will that make a difference to her form? Muguruza has some tough matches ahead with Yania Wickmayer potentially a second round foe followed by Kiki Bertens. It could all lead to a monster round four clash with Kerber on manic Monday.
Grass had never been Svetlana Kuznetsova's best surface, but she is a former three time quarter finalist at SW19. Can she go any further in 2017? A qualifier should not be much trouble in round one, but a round two against fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova will be interesting. If Kuznetsova survives then she is projected to face American Lauren Davis in the third round. Grass has always been a good surface to Agnieszka Radwanska, but her struggles may leave the Pole prone to upsets. Jelena Jankovic is first up for the ninth seed, then possibly Christina McHale in round two. Timea Bacsinszky is scheduled for round three, but the Swiss has drawn the ever dangerous Monica Puig in her section, meaning Radwanska could face the Puerto Rican in round three.
Karolina Pliskova enters Wimbledon as arguably the pre tournament favourite after her win in Eastbourne. The Czech comes into the tournament in good form and will be hoping to convert that into a first grand slam title. Evgeniya Rodina is her first opponent followed by a tricky proposition in Magdalena Rybarikova or Monica Niculescu. Shuai Zhang is the first seed Pliskova may come across, but the Chinese player may be beaten by Julia Goerges in the second round. A fourth round against the streaky Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will be interesting, and the Russian has a good draw with Daria Gavrilova being her toughest opponent.
Caroline Wozniacki is in good form herself after reaching the Eastbourne final, and she would love a shot at revenge on Pliskova for the final defeat. The Dane has a tough draw ahead though, starting with the big serving Timea Babos who could be dangerous on this surface. Tsvetana Pironkova is a potential round two opponent, with Daria Kasatkina possible for round three. The Russian has a tough draw against Annette Kontaveit though and the Estonian could be the round facing Wozniacki in round three. Kristina Mladenovic is projected for round four, but the Frenchwoman could lose out to Coco Vandeweghe who is a good grass court player.
Grass is the weakest surface for fourth seed Elina Svitolina, and a tough draw could see the section open up for a surprise quarter finalist. The Ukrainian has a tough start against Birmingham finalist Ashleigh Barty, a match that could spring the first major upset of the tournament. If Svitolina can pass the Aussie, then she could run into the dangerous Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in round three before facing either Jelena Ostapenko or Madison Keys in round four. Needless to say, it is going to take a lot from Svitolina to just make the last eight. Keys could be a dark horse depending on her form and fitness, whilst Ostapenko is the current French Open champion and will be eager to repeat that success at Wimbledon.
Dominika Cibulkova has struggled for form all season so the Slovakian could also be a contender for an early exit. Andrea Petkovic is her first opponent, with Danka Kovinic her second. The third round is scheduled to face Ana Konjuh, but the Croatian faces Sabine Lisicki who is seemingly tailor made for Wimbledon courts. Venus Williams could end up being the favourite to make it out of this section when it is all said and done, but the American has some difficult tests herself. The up and coming Elise Mertens is her first round opponent, then she could face Barbora Strycova in round three. But with form being an issue for many of the top seeds in this section, do not be shocked to see it fall apart.
Simona Halep heads into Wimbledon not only searching for a her first grand slam, but also the world number one ranking. It will be interesting to see how she has recovered from another final loss at Rolland Garros last month, and she has a good draw ahead of her. A qualifier lies first with Laura Robson possible for round two. Carla Suarez Navarro is projected for round three, but the Spaniard could be ousted by Eugenie Bouchard or Shuai Peng before then. Elena Vesnina is the seeded fourth round opponent, but her section has some dangerous floaters including Victoria Azarenka who she could face in round two. Anastasija Sevastova, fresh off her Mallorca success, is also in this section alongside Britain's Heather Watson who played well in Eastbourne.
Petra Kvitova's comeback story continues, and thus far it has gone better than expected. The Czech won the Birmingham title and has put herself among the favourites for the title again. She has a good draw to the fourth round with Caroline Garcia being her toughest test in the third round, and It could lead to a blockbuster fourth round match with Johanna Konta. The Brit has a decent draw herself and will look to take revenge on Su Wei Hsieh and Donna Vekic in the opening rounds. Roberta Vinci is projected to be her first seeded foe, but the Italian could fall to Kristyna Pliskova in the first round.
Kerber def. Muguruza
Radwanska def. Kuznetsova
Pliskova def. Pavlyuchenkova
Vandeweghe def. Wozniacki
Venus def. Cibulkova
Ostapenko def. Barty
Kvitova def. Konta
Halep def. Vesnina
Muguruza is so hard to predict these days, so it is tough to back her beating Kerber. Radwanska's grass court prowess should be enough to get past Kuznetsova. Pliskova will keep her form going against Pavlyuchenkova, and I see an upset with Vandeweghe beating Wozniacki. Venus should have enough to down Cibulkova, and I can see Ostapenko going well here and ending Barty's run. Kvitova vs Konta is so hard to predict, but if Petra hits her best form then she should win. Halep should have enough to get past Vesnina.
Kerber def. Radwanska
Pliskova def. Vandeweghe
Venus def. Ostapenko
Kvitova def. Halep
With the world number one ranking on the line, I can see Kerber finding some form this fortnight and defeating Radwanska. Pliskova will end Vandeweghe's run, and Venus will do the same to Ostapenko. Kvitova is a difficult prediction to make, but her best on grass is better than Halep's.
Pliskova def. Kerber
Kvitova def. Venus
Pliskova, being the player in better form, should have enough to get by Kerber. It is hard to call Kvitova vs Venus, but I can sense a big story coming over the two weeks with Kvitova.
Pliskova def. Kvitova
That said, I feel like it might be Pliskova's time this tournament. It is not a confident prediction by any means because anything can happen, but I feel the third seed is in the best form and is the favourite to go all the way.
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: 2017, anastasia pavlyuchenkova, Caroline Garcia, Dominika Cibulkova, Elina Svitolina, French Open Predictions, Garbine Muguruza, Kristina Mladenovic, picks, preview, Roland Garros Predictions, Svetlana Kuznetsova, venus williams, Womens Tennis, wta.	Leave a comment
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
2017 @VolvoCarOpen Preview, Predictions
Posted by Admin on April 3, 2017
Posted in: Charleston, Volvo Car Open, WTA.	Tagged: 2017, caroline wozniacki, charleston, Elena Vesnina, Johanna Konta, madison keys, picks, predictions, preview, Sam Stosur, venus williams, Volvo Car Open, Womens Tennis, wta.	Leave a comment
After a compelling month of Premier mandatories in Indian Wells and Miami, the WTA moves to Charleston and down the border to Monterrey. Here's your CHS.
The tour once again returns to the Green clay of Charleston. There is no tournament like this in the calendar, and it promises to be another exciting edition of the Volvo Car Open with a wide open draw.
Madison Keys enters Charleston as the top seed but not the favourite given the surface. With her big serve and flat groundstrokes, clay can often nullify power players, but this is a faster clay court than the red clay of Europe, so Keys will be dangerous to anyone in the draw. The top seed gets a BYE into round two where she could face fellow American Shelby Rogers. There could be an interesting quarter final against Naomi Osaka on the cards, providing the Japanese gets past Johanna Larsson and Shaui Zhang. Keys defeated the Japanese teenager handily in Indian Wells, and whilst I expect a closer match this time around, I expect the American to prevail.
As a former Roland Garros semi finalist, Kiki Bertens knows what it takes to succeed on clay. Can she have more success in Charleston? Bertens will be expected to make it to the quarter finals where she could face Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. The Croatian has been in good form this year, but despite that she can be streaky. However she is the most reliable prediction in the section to make the last eight given how good her form has been. Keys in front of a home crowd could prove too powerful for Lucic-Baroni in the quarter finals.
Prediction: Keys def. Lucic-Baroni
Elena Vesnina put in a career best performance to win the Indian Wells title, but suffered a hangover in Miami where she lost in round two. Will she get back to form in Charleston? The Russian has a good draw to the quarter finals as her second round match will be against a qualifier. Jelena Ostapenko or Lauren Davis will provide a tough test in the third round, but I expect Vesnina to make it through.
Caroline Wozniacki had a good fortnight in Miami but unfortunately for her it ended in final defeat to Johanna Konta. Can she make up for it in Charleston? Clay has never been her most successful surface, but the Dane is in good stead heading into the tournament. She will be expected to get past Louisa Chirico or Annika Beck, but Daria Gavrilova could pose a tough challenge in the third round. I have Wozniacki making the last four and setting up a great match against Keys.
Prediction: Wozniacki def. Vesnina
2004 champion Venus Williams enters Charleston as one of the favourites, but she has a tough draw ahead if she is to make it to the last eight. Laura Siegemund or Lesia Tsurenko will await in the second round, but the third is where it really heats up against former French open finalist Lucie Safarova. This is a close match to call as the Czech is naturally more suited to clay, but Venus is in better form and in front of a home crowd so I will pick the American.
This quarter features another ex champion, Andrea Petkovic, who is a potential second round opponent for the eighth seeded Anastasija Sevastova. The German has lost her way though and could lose in the opening round to Lara Arruabarrena. It should come down to the two seeded players in this section, and I am picking Yulia Putintseva over the Latvian. However Venus should have too much in the quarter finals for the Kazakh.
Prediction: Venus def. Putintseva
The bottom half is headlined by Miami champion Johanna Konta who enters Charleston fresh off her biggest title to date. Clay has not been the best surface for the Brit in the past, but the faster version of Charleston coupled with her confidence means that Konta may just be the pre-tournament favourite. She will open her campaign against Kayla day or Alison Riske before moving on to what could be a difficult third round. Daria Kasatkina, Monica Puig and Katerina Siniakova are all capable of an upset, and given the potential fatigue that could very well happen.
That could leave the door open for a god run from Sam Stosur. The Aussie is a former French Open finalist and her game suits the clay with the heavy top spin forehand being her biggest weapon. Stosur could face former world number one Jelena Jankovic In the second round, Irina Begu is the projected third round opponent. I can see Stosur getting through this quarter and making the semi finals despite the tough draw.
Prediction: Stosur def. Kasatkina
Keys def. Wozniacki
Venus def. Stosur
Wozniacki may feel the effects of her Miami Open run so may end up losing to Keys. Venus vs Stosur is difficult to call but I am saying Venus makes the final.
Venus def. Keys
Experience will prevail in this All-American final.