2015 US Open- Day 3 Women’s Picks

2nd round action begins today, with many surprise matches on the women’s side after several seeds fell on Monday- here are three of my predictions for today!

Serena Williams vs Kiki Bertens

Serena Williams continues her campaign for the calendar grand slam and a 4th consecutive US Open title against Dutch Qualifier Kiki Bertens in the day session on Arthur Ashe stadium. Williams benefited from the retirement of Vitalia Diatchenko in the 1st round, but had won all the eight games that had been played and had just conceded five points against her Russian opponent before the premature end of the match. Bertens has had to work considerably harder, coming through qualifying before coming from a set down against Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in the 1st round. The two have never played before, but this match should be no problem to Serena in the form she has been in this year. She’ll only be n danger of losing if she is nervous or starts slowly- that seems extremely unlikely

Prediction: Williams in 2

Lauren Davis vs Ekaterina Makarova

13th seed Ekaterina Makarova may not have the easiest 2nd round match as she faces the young American Lauren Davis on Court 17. Makarova has had injury problems running into the final major of the year, but eased past Teliana Pereira for the loss of just 6 games on monday. Davis also won in straight sets, but had to win with two tiebreaks against Heather Watson. Makarova has great experience and more career success than Davis, and the Russian should also be helped by the fact that she is nine inches taller than her 5’2 opponent. The 13th seed should come through this match, though it could be tough if she is affected by her recent injury or if Davis can put up as much as a fight she did in the 1st round.

Prediction: Makarova in 3

Elina Svitolina vs Kaia Kanepi

Many people are now predicting 17th seed Elina Svitolina to make the semi-finals here, though she doesn’t have the easiest 2nd round match against Kaia Kanepi on Court 7. Svitolina has had a very good year so far, and she continued that with a comfortable win over Elizaveta Kulichkova on monday. Kanepi, a former top 20 player, has been injured in the past few months and has dropped down to 89th in the world, though she was on good form on Monday as she cruised past Anna-Lena Friedsam for the loss of just 2 games. The Estonian has played well at slams in the past, reaching 5 grand slam quarter-finals, and is certainly a potentially dangerous player in tournament she reached the last 16 at a year ago. However Svitolina has much more match practice and has had a very strong year; she should win this one.

Prediction: Svitolina in 2

Also in action

19th seed Madison Keys starts action on Arthur Ashe Stadium against Tereza Smitkova, whilst 23rd seed Venus Williams faces fellow American Irina Falconi in the night session on Ashe. Other players in action include Agnieszka Radwanska, Belinda Bencic, Eugenie Bouchard and Dominika Cibulkova.

2015 US Open- Day 1 Women’s Picks

The final major of the year is finally here, and already on the 1st day there are some very intriguing matches taking place on the women’s side. I did predict three matches for today, but unfortunately Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the tournament and I did make a prediction for her match against Daria Gavrilova. Here are my two predictions for today!

Eugenie Bouchard vs Alison Riske

Eugenie Bouchard will be looking to finally pick up some form this year at the US Open, though has a very difficult 1st round match against Alison Riske. Bouchard has been in awful form this year, falling from 5th to 25th in the world and lost in the 1st round at the French Open and Wimbledon this year. There were some signs of improvement in Cincinnati but she then slumped to a dismal loss to Roberta Vinci in New Haven, winning just 1 game. Riske also one just two games in her loss to Caroline Wozniacki, but had a stronger few tournaments before that- she pushed Elina Svitolina to three sets twice and beat players like Carla Suarez Navarro and Timea Bacsinszky. Bouchard has won their past 4 meetings, including a straight sets win in Eastbourne earlier this year, but has struggled for consistency and the crowd will be fully behind Riske in this match. It could be tight, but Riske could edge this match today.

Prediction: Riske in 3

Ana Ivanovic vs Dominika Cibulkova

Ana Ivanovic showed some signs of better form in Cincinnati but doesn’t have the easiest opening match against Dominika Cibulkova, which starts action on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Ivanovic has been in generally poor form this year but pushed Serena Williams in the Cincinnati quarter-finals a few weeks ago. Cibulkova has missed several months due to injury this year and is out of the top 50, but had two tough victories last week in New Haven and then pushed eventual finalist Lucie Safarova to a third set. The head to head is 2-2 with Ivanovic having won the last two times they’ve played, and if she is near her best Cibulkova will probably have little chance later today. However Ivanovic has not been great this year and Cibulkova will have an opportunity if the former world No. 1 is in poor form. It could be tough, though the better form and fitness of Ivanovic should help her win this one.

Prediction: Ivanovic in 2

Also in action

Top seed Serena Williams will be looking to get her quest to complete the Calendar Grand Slam to a good start against Vitalia Diatchenko, whilst former champion and 30th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova has a tough match against Kiki Mladenovic. 29th seed Sloane Stephens has a difficult match against Coco Vandeweghe, whilst other seeds in action include Madison Keys, Agnieszka Radwanska, Belinda Bencic, Venus Williams, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Karolina Pliskova, Elina Svitolina, Ekaterina Makarova, Carla Suarez Navarro and Jelena Jankovic.

2015 US Open- Day 1 Men’s Picks

The last major of the year is here, and there are already some very interesting matches taking place. It should be an extremely exciting day- here are three of my predictions!

Milos Raonic vs Tim Smyczek

Milos Raonic will not have the easiest opening match as he faces home favourite Tim Smyczek. Raonic has only reached one final this year, in Brisbane in January, and has been dogged by injury problems- he had to withdraw from the French Open. He also hasn’t been in great form recently, losing early in Montreal and Cincinnati, and could be vulnerable early on here. Smyczek had a very high profile match against Rafael Nadal at the Australian, pushing the Spaniards to 5 sets, but hasn’t really been able to build on that result and it seems unlikely that he’ll be able to beat Raonic. However with the Canadian not near his best, Smyczek should make the 10th seed work hard for victory.

Prediction: Raonic in 4

Borna Coric vs Rafael Nadal

8th seed Rafael Nadal hasn’t been in great form this year and has a nightmare opening match here as he faces rising star Borna Coric, who is unlucky to be unseeded and won the only previous meeting between the two. Ranked 33rd, Coric has had a pretty consistent year and backed up his win over Nadal last year with a victory over Andy Murray earlier in the year. However, like most young players, Coric can be erratic and will probably have to be near his best to have a chance of beating Nadal, even in Nadal’s current form. The Spaniard doesn’t seem as physically strong as he used and is certainly vulnerable today, and Coric will be confident after his straight sets win over Nadal in Basel last year. The experience of Nadal should edge this one, though it shouldn’t be easy.

Prediction: Nadal in 5

Kei Nishikori vs Benoit Paire

Kei Nishikori is another one of the top seeds to have a tricky 1st round match as he faces the talented Benoit Paire later today. Paire had a poor 2014, but won his 1st title in Gstaad and is just outside the world’s top 40. The Frenchman is certainly talented and with Nishikori seemingly not fully fit (He withdrew from Cincinnati), Paire could potentially have an opportunity to cause an upset here. However Nishikori has won both their previous meetings and with final points to defend from last year, he will be determined to get off to a good start. Having won three titles this year, Nishikori should have the confidence and the skill to see this match off. However Paire has the potential to make this a very difficult match.

Prediction: Nishikori in 4

Also in action

Top seed Novak Djokovic starts his campaign against Joao Souza, whilst defending champion and 9th seed Marin Cilic faces qualifier Guido Pella in his first match. 7th David Ferrer returns from injury against Radu Albot whilst the other seeds playing are Andreas Seppi, Roberto Bautista Agut, David Goffin, Feliciano Lopez, Fabio Fognini, Tommy Robredo, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils, Grigor Dimitrov and Jeremy Chardy. There is also a battle between two veterans, as Fernando Verdasco takes on Tommy Haas.

2015 US Open- Women’s Singles Predictions

The final major of the year is here, and on the women’s side all eyes are on Serena Williams- will she complete the Calendar Grand Slam? With all the big names in action, it promises to be extremely exciting and we should be gripped for the next couple of weeks- here is my prediction for the draw?

First Quarter

Projected Q/F: (1st) Serena Williams vs (8th) Karolina Pliskova

Defending champion and top seed Serena Williams is looking for her 5th grand slam title in a row, and her 4th US Open title in succession. She should be comfortable against Vitalia Diatchenko in the 1st round though could face Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in the second round- she has beaten Simona Halep twice in majors and will not be afraid of the occasion. Lurking in the third round could then be 29th seed Sloane Stephens, who has previously beaten Serena and has pushed her other times. However Stephens would have to overcome the tricky Coco Vandeweghe in the 1st round, and Bethanie Mattek-Sands is also present here. Serena is seeded to face Agnieszka Radwanska in the 4th round, who she is 8-0 against and should beat comfortably here- if they meet. 19th seed Madison Keys is expected to face Radwanska in the third and is capable of beating the Pole and can match Serena for power. Radwanska could potentially face younger sister Urszula in the 2nd round.

Karolina Pliskova has been in good form overall this year, but has been poor in Stanford and has disappointed in the slams this year. She should see off a qualifier in the 1st round and then Madison Brengle or Saisai Zheng in the 2nd round, though could face the talented 31st seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the 3rd round- the Russian, however, has a difficult 1st round match against Magdalena Rybarikova. Pliskova is seeded to face 12th seed Belinda Bencic in the 4th round, and considering Bencic’s form of late she’ll be a threat to everyone. She should start well against Sesil Karatantcheva and then should beat Daniela Hantuchova or Misaki Doi in the 2nd round. She is then seeded to have a blockbuster clash against 23rd seed Venus Williams, who has a potentially difficult opener against Monica Puig.

Prediction: S. Williams def Bencic

Second Quarter

Projected Q/F: (3rd) Maria Sharapova (WITHDRAWN) vs (7th) Ana Ivanovic

Unfortunately Maria Sharapova has had to withdraw. He 1st round opponent Daria Gavrilova now faces lucky loser Daria Kasatkina. Gavrilova should win that comfortably, and then should see off Ana Konjuh or Tatjana Maria in the 2nd round. She would then be expected to face 30th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the 3rd round which could be tricky, though Kuznetsova hasn’t played since Wimbledon and has a tricky opener against Kiki Mladenovic. The expected 4th round opponent is 13th seed Ekaterina Makarova. Makarova also isn’t at her best at the moment though she should beat Teliana Pereira in the 1st round, though she could be tested by Heather Watson or Lauren Davis in the 2nd round and is seeded to face the in form 17th seed Elina Svitolina in the third round.

7th seed Ana Ivanovic hasn’t had a great year but showed some signs of improvement in Toronto and Cincinnati and whilst it might not be easy, she should see off Dominika Cibulkova in the 1st round. Ivanovic should also be comfortable against Alison Van Uytvanck or a qualifier in the second round, and is seeded to face 25th seed Eugenie Bouchard in the third round. Bouchard has had a horrid year and has a difficult opener against Alison Riske, with Zarina Diyas and Polona Hercog waiting in the 2nd round. Ivanovic’s expected 4th round opponent, 10th seed Carla Suarez Navarro, is in poor form of late and whilst she should see off Denisa Allertova, she could face the in form Roberta Vinci in the 2nd round and the slightly resurgent 21st seed Jelena Jankovic in the third.

Prediction: Ivanovic def Svitolina

Third Quarter

Projected Q/F: (5th) Petra Kvitova vs (4th) Caroline Wozniacki

Petra Kvitova has always been erratic, but following her diagnosis with Glandular Fever has been in poor form and is certainly vulnerable here- a place she has never particularly played well. She should start well against a qualifier though could face Lourdes Dominguez Lino (who starts against Nicole Gibbs) in the second round, who pushed her at the French Open. She is seeded to face 32nd seed Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the third round, who has risen up the rankings this year and has the capability to beat the 5th seed. Also Aleksandra Kruncic, who beat Kvitova here last year, is also in this part of the draw. Kvitova is seeded to face 9th seed Garbine Muguruza in the 4th round- it will be interesting to see how Muguruza plays here after poor results following her run to the final in Wimbledon. She has however, played well at the majors this year and should see off the tricky Carina Witthoeft in the 1st round. If she wins that she should also see off Louise Chirico or a qualifier in the second round. She’s seeded to play 18th seed Andrea Petkovic in the third round but the German has a tricky opener against Caroline Garcia here.

4th seed Caroline Wozniacki hasn’t been in great form this year, but played some better tennis in New Haven and should ease past wildcard Jamie Loeb in the 1st round. She could have a difficult 2nd round match against Christina Mchale or Petra Cetkovska, and if she gets through that she is seeded to face 26th seed Flavia Pennetta- she’s 7-1 against the Italian but Pennetta does play well in New York, though she could face the tricky Monica Nicelescu in the second round. Wozniacki is seeded to play 16th seed Sara Errani in the 4th round- Errani just won one game when they played in the quarter-finals last year. The Italian should start well against a qualifier but could be tested by Annika Beck in the second round and could face former champion Sam Stosur in the 3rd round, though the 22nd seed faces Timea Babos- who beat her in Cincinnati, in the opening round.

Prediction: Muguruza def Wozniacki

Fourth Quarter

Projected Q/F: (6th) Lucie Safarova vs (2nd) Simona Halep

Lucie Safarova hasn’t been in great form since her run to the French Open final but reached the final of New Haven last week and beat her first round opponent here, Lesia Tsurenko, in the semi-finals last week. Assuming she’s sees off Tsurenko again, the 6th seed should then beat Kirsten Filpkens or Vavara Lepchenko and also beat her expected 3rd round opponent, 28th seed Irina-Camelia Begu, in New Haven last week. She is then expected to face 11th seed Angelique Kerber in 4th round, which would be a very difficult match for Safarova. Kerber should see off Alexandra Dulgheru in the first round and then Aija Tomljanovic or Karin Knapp in the second round. However she is seeded to have a very dangerous opponent in the third round- 20th seed Victoria Azarenka. The former world No. 1 should beat Lucie Hradecka in the 1st round and then Yanina Wickmayer or Francesca Schiavone in the 2nd round. However Azarenka has struggled with injuries in the past 20 months, and could be vulnerable.

2nd seed Simona Halep has played well of late, reaching the final in Toronto and Cincinnati, and is certainly in good form coming into Flushing Meadows. She should see off Maria Erakovic in the 1st round and then should also be comfortable against Yulia Putintseva and Kateryna Bondarenko. However she could have difficulty in the 3rd round as she is seeded to face 27th seed Alize Cornet- Cornet won their last meeting in Madrid. Cornet should see off Kurumi Nara in the 1st round and then Shelby Rogers or Sascha Vickery in the 2nd round, though she can be extremely erratic. Halep is seeded to face 14th seed Timea Bacsinszky in the 4th round, and whilst Bacsinszky has been in good form this year she has lost all her three matches since Wimbledon. She doesn’t have an easy opening match against Barbora Strycova, but is she comes through that she should be much more comfortable against Qiang Wang or Maria Sakkari in the 2nd round. She could also face the 24th seed Sabine Lisicki in the 3rd round. Lisicki should be comfortable against Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the 1st round, but could be tested by Camila Giorgi in the 2nd round.

Prediction: Halep def Kerber

Semi-Finals

Williams def Ivanovic

Halep def Muguruza

Final

Williams def Halep

2015 US Open- Men’s Singles Predictions

The final major of the year is finally here and it promises to be extremely exciting with the world’s top 3- Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray- all in good form- here are my predictions for the tournament!

First Quarter

Projected Q/F: (1st) Novak Djokovic vs (8th) Rafael Nadal

Novak Djokovic is aiming for his 3rd grand slam title of the year and certainly has a good opportunity early on here. He should be very comfortable in his opener, and should also see off either Vasek Pospisil or Andreas Haider-Maurer in the second round. He should also be able to see his expected 3rd round opponent, 25th seed Andreas Seppi- He should be able to see off Tommy Paul and then either Teymuraz Gabashvill or Pablo Andujar. He is then expected to face 14th seed David Goffin, who nearly beat him in Cincinnati, in the 4th round. Goffin should see off Simone Bolelli in the 1st round and then should beat either Joao Sousa or Ricardas Berankis in the second round. What also could help Goffin is that his expected 3rd round opponent, 23rd seed Roberto Bautista Agut, isn’t in great form this year and faces Winston-Salem finalist Pierre-Hughes Herbert in his opener, with dangerous opponents Jerzy Janowicz and Pablo Carreno Busta also facing off in this section.

It’s not been a great year for Rafael Nadal, and the 8th seed has an extremely difficult opening match against the talented Borna Coric. Should he come through that one he should see off either Elias Ymer or Diego Schwartzman in the second round and is then expected to face 32nd seed Fabio Fognini, who has beaten Nadal twice on clay this year but is extremely erratic and has a tough opener against Steve Johnson. Nadal would then be expected to face 10th seed Milos Raonic in the 4th round- the Canadian hasn’t had a good year but should be able to beat the tricky Tim Smyczek in the first round, and then either Fernando Verdasco or Tommy Haas in the 2nd round. His expected 3rd round opponent, 18th seed Feliciano Lopez, played well in Cincinnati but has been in generally poor form and plays the same person who knocked him out of Wimbledon- Nikoloz Basilashvili. Mardy Fish, playing his last tournament, is also here and has a good opportunity against Marco Cecchinato in his opening match.

Prediction: Djokovic def Raonic

Second Quarter

Projected Q/F: (4th) Kei Nishikori vs (7th) David Ferrer

This section is by far the most open in the draw. 4th seed Kei Nishikori, runner-up last year, withdrew from Cincinnati and it will be interesting to see what shape he is in. Nishikori has a difficult opener against the talented Benoit Paire but if he comes through that one, he should see off Marsel Ilhan or Radek Stepanek in the 2nd round. He is expected to face 26th seed Tommy Robredo in the 3rd round- Robredo should see off Michael Berrer in the 1st round, but would then have a very tricky match against Aleksandr Dolgopolov or Sam Groth in the 2nd round. Nishikori is expected to face 16th seed Gael Monfils in the 4th round, and the Frenchman should see off Illya Marchencko in the 1st round and then James Millman or Sergiy Stakhovsky in the 2nd round; however it’s always hard to predict what will happen with Gael. If the seedings hold, he will have a blockbuster 3rd round clash with 19th seed and fellow Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who should see off Jarko Nieminen and then either Lukas Lacko or Marcel Granollers.

It’s really hard to know what to expect with David Ferrer coming into this tournament; he hasn’t played since Nottingham in June. Assuming he is healthy, he should have no problems against Radu Albot in the 1st round and should also be extremely comfortable against Filip Krajinovic or Alejandro Gonzalez in the second round. However he could be severely tested if the seeds hold and he faces 27th seed Jeremy Chardy in the 3rd round- Chardy reached the semi-finals in Montreal and should have no problems against Ryan Shane in the 1st round, though things would get more difficult against Martin Klizan or Florian Mayer in the 2nd round. Should Ferrer get through he is then expected to face 9th seed and defending champion Marin Cilic. Whilst Cilic hasn’t had a great year, her should be comfortable against Guido Pella and then Lucas Pouille or Evgeny Donskoy. He’s then expected to face another man not in form- 17th seed Grigor Dimitrov- in the 3rd round. Whilst Dimitrov may not have enough to see off Cilic, he should see off Matthew Ebden in his opener, though things may be a bit tougher against Yen-Hsun Lu or Mikhail Kukushkin.

Prediction: Nishikori def Cilic

Third Quarter

Projected Q/F: (5th) Stan Wawrinka vs (3rd) Andy Murray

Stan Wawrinka has been in subdued form so far in this summer hard court season, though he has a decent draw here. He should be comfortable against Albert Ramos-Vinolas in his opening match and then should also ease past James Duckworth or Hyeon Chung in the 2nd round. However he is expected to have 28th seed Jack Sock in the 3rd round, which could be a difficult match up for the 5th seed. However Sock won’t have an easy opening match against Victor Estrella Burgos, and if he wins that one could face the tricky Gilles Muller in the 2nd round. Should Wawrinka make the last 16 he would be expected to face 11th seed Gilles Simon, who has been consistent this year. He has a tricky 1st round match against Donald Young, and if he wins that one he would face either the talented Ernests Gulbis or Aljaz Bedene- he beat Simon in Winston-Salem last week. Should Simon get through those two matches he is expected to face 22nd seed Viktor Troicki, who should see off Francis Tiafoe in the 1st round and then Ryan Harrison or Rajeev Ram in the 2nd round.

Andy Murray has been in great form this year and certainly is a big contender for the title here. He has a potentially difficult opener against Nick Kyrgios, though Murray has been comfortable in his three previous meetings against Kyrgios and little should change this week. He should then be extremely comfortable against Adrian Mannarino or Konstantin Kravchuk in the 2nd round and should also off his expected 3rd round opponent, 30th seed Thomaz Bellucci, in the 3rd round- Bellucci has a potentially difficult opener against James Ward, and if he wins that one he may not have it easy against Paul-Henri Mathieu or Yoshihito Nishioka in the 2nd round. Murray is expected to face 15th seed Kevin Anderson, who won Winston-Salem on saturday, in the 4th round. Anderson should beat Andrey Rublev in the 1st round and then should also beat Santiago Giraldo or Austin Krajicek in the 2nd round. He could have a difficult 3rd round match against 20th seed Dominic Thiem, who should beat Daniel Gimeno-Traver in the 1st round and then Denis Istomin or Benjamin Becker in the 2nd round.

Prediction: Murray def Wawrinka

Fourth Quarter

Projected Q/F: (6th) Tomas Berdych vs (2nd) Roger Federer

Tomas Berdych has had a consistent year overall but wasn’t great during Montreal and Cincinnati and will be looking for much better form here. He should cruise past Bjorn Fratangelo in the 1st round but could have a much more difficult 2nd round match against Dennis Kudla or Jurgen Melzer. He should, however, come through that match and his expected 3rd round opponent, 31st seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, has been injured recently and could have a difficult opener against Janko Tipsarevic, with dangerous players Sam Querrey or Nicolas Mahut waiting in the 2nd round. Should Berdych get to the 4th round he could have a very tricky match against 12th seed Richard Gasquet. The Frenchman should see off Thanasi Kokkinakis and then either Robin Haase or Dustin Brown in the 2nd round, though could have an extremely difficult match against 24th seed Bernard Tomic in the 3rd round. Tomic has been in good form this year and should beat Damir Dzumhur in the 1st round, though could face Lleyton Hewitt in the 2nd round- It’s former champion Hewitt’s last ever appearance at Flushing Meadows.

Roger Federer played extremely well in Cincinnati and many are saying this tournament could bring his long-awaited 18th grand slam title. He should be comfortable against Leonardo Mayer in the 1st round and then either Marcos Baghdatis or Steve Darcis in the 2nd round. He is then expected to face 29th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber in the 3rd round. Kohlschreiber was close to beating Federer in Halle earlier this year, but Federer has mostly been comfortable against the German and the 29th seed has a very difficult opener against the talented rising star (and fellow German) Sascha Zverev, with the dangerous Lukas Rosol a possibility in the 2nd round. Federer is then expected to face 13th seed John Isner in the 4th round, which could be a very difficult match for Federer- if it happens. Isner should beat Malek Jaziri in the 1st round and should also beat John-Patrick Smith or Mikhail Youzhny in the 2nd round. However he is set to have an extremely difficult match against 21st seed Ivo Karlovic in the 3rd round- Karlovic has been in great form this year, and should see off Federico Delbonis in the 1st round and then Jiri Vesely or Paolo Lorenzi in the 2nd round.

Prediction: Federer def Gasquet

Semi-Finals

Djokovic def Nishikori

Federer def Murray

Finals

Djokovic def Federer

2015 Winston-Salem Open- Quarter-Finals Predictions

The action is beginning to heat up in Winston-Salem, with several surprise names mixing with the top seeds in the quarter-finals- here are my predictions for today!

Pierre-Hughes Herbert vs Pablo Carreno Busta

There is a surprise quarter-final in the top section as qualifier Pierre-Hughes Herbert faces the unseeded Pablo Carreno Busta. Having come through qualifying Herbert has been very impressive, seeing off Sergiy Stakhovsky in straight sets before battling past 14th seed Marcos Baghdatis and then cruising past Aljaz Bedene yesterday. Busta has also been impressive, seeing off Tommy Haas and 10th seed Joao Sousa in straight sets before edging past Simone Bolelli in three sets. Busta is in better form and is 83 places higher than Herbert in the rankings. However it was Herbert who won their only previous meeting in Stockholm on clay last year, and he will be confident after a stringing a few good matches together. However Busta is in the better form and should win this.

Prediction: Busta in 3

Steve Johnson vs Yen-Hsun Lu

13th seed Steve Johnson has a great opportunity to reach the semi-finals here as he faces the unseeded Yen-Hsun Lu. Johnson has won almost 30 main draw matches this year and has been in good form throughout the year, continuing it here with tough wins over Sam Groth and 3rd seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in three sets. Lu also played well in his first two matches, beating Robin Haase and 5th seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in straight sets, but then had to battle past Hyeon Chung in three sets yesterday. With both men coming of battles yesterday it could be close and whilst Lu leads the head to head 2-0, Johnson is in better form this year and should take this one.

Prediction: Johnson in 3

Thomaz Bellucci vs Malek Jaziri

There is also a good opportunity here for 6th seed Thomaz Bellucci as he faces Malek Jaziri in the final match of the day. Bellucci is having the best season of his career but has struggled so far here, having to battle bast Francis Tiafoe and 11th seed Jiri Vesely in three sets. Jaziri has had to play an extra match but has been slightly more comfortable, beating Joao Souza in straight sets before battling past 4th seed Viktor Troicki in three sets, before easing past 15th seed Teymuraz Gabashvilli in straight sets. Both men have never played each other before so it could be interesting to see how quickly they adapt to the way they both play. Bellucci has been in the better form this year and should edge this match, though Jaziri is capable of the upset.

Prediction: Bellucci in 3

Borna Coric vs Kevin Anderson

The only quarter-final where the seedings have worked out delivers an interesting match as 8th seed Borna Coric faces 2nd seed Kevin Anderson. Coric got off to a slow start in his opening match, but came from a set down to beat Santiago Giraldo before cruising past Diego Schwartzman yesterday. Anderson also came from a set down in his opening match against Mikhail Kukushkin, before edging the dangerous Jerzy Janowicz in two tight sets. Anderson has been less comfortable than Coric, but has certainly had more difficult matches than Coric and has more experience at this stage of tournament. Coric could, however, have the stronger game and has already beaten Nadal and Murray. However Anderson, with his serve and his experience, should edge this.

Prediction: Anderson in 3

2015 Connecticut Open- Quarter-Final Predictions

Only eight women are left standing in New Haven, with a combination of the top seed and some surprise packages left in the tournament- here are my predictions for today!

Lesia Tsurenko vs Karolina Pliskova

5th seed Karolina Pliskova will be looking to play much better tennis today as she faces Lucky Loser Lesia Tsurenko in the first quarter-final of the day. She played badly in Toronto and Cincinnati and was not at her best in the first round, edging past qualifier Polona Hercog. However she was much more comfortable against another qualifier, Olga Savchuk, in the second round yesterday. Tsurenko lost in qualifying but was chosen to replace Simona Halep, who withdrew, at the top of the draw and received a bye in the first round. She then cruised past Barbora Strycova in her second round match, and has been in great form this year. Pliskova leads the head to head 2-1 but they haven’t played since 2012 and both have improved since then. Pliskova should be able to edge this one, though Tsurenko could make life difficult for the Czech.

Prediction: Pliskova in 3

Lucie Safarova vs Dominika Cibulkova

Lucie Safarova will be looking to make her first semi-final since the French Open as she faces Dominika Cibulkova in the second quarter-final today. Safarova has had two potentially difficult matches against Daria Gavrilova and Irina-Camelia Begu, and she saw both women off by the relatively comfortable scoreline 6-3 6-4. It’s been much more difficult for Cibulkova, who’s returning from injury, as she’s had to battle past Tsvetana Pironkova and Kiki Mladenovic in two long, three set matches. She has had the benefit of a day off and leads the head to head 4-1, including a tight two sets victory in Eastbourne earlier this year. There is clearly something a bout Cibulkova’s game that bothers Safarova and whilst it seems logical to back Safarova, Cibulkova can’t be ruled out here.

Prediction: Safarova in 3

Caroline Garcia vs Caroline Wozniacki

The final match of the day sees a battle of Caroline vs Caroline, as the unseeded Garcia faces the 3rd seed and four-time champion Wozniacki. Garcia has been very impressive so far, cruising past 6th seed Timea Bacsinszky before edging past Magdalena Rybarikova in two tight sets. Wozniacki improved her form with crushing victory over Alison Riske in her first match, but then had to save three match points against the very tricky Roberta Vinci. Garcia is extremely talented but can be very erratic and will need to be near her best to be able to beat Wozniacki. However Wozniacki’s form has been average this year and Garcia could potentially overpower the Dane if she’s not at her best. Wozniacki will be the favourite, though I think Garcia could edge this if she plays well,

Prediction: Garcia in 3

Agnieszka Radwanska vs Petra Kvitova

The only quarter where the seedings have worked out delivers a mouth-watering quarter-final, as 7th seed Agnieszka Radwanska faces 2nd seed Petra Kvitova in third match of the day. Radwanska hasn’t been in great form this year but has played well so far in New Haven, cruising past Coco Vandeweghe before easing past Alize Cornet without losing a set. There were lots of doubts coming in with Kvitova, due to her diagnosis with Mono, but by beating Madison Keys from a set down, losing only three games in the final two sets, she recorded her first win of the summer hard court season. Kvitova leads the head to head 5-2 and both times she’s lost to Radwanska it’s been at the WTA Finals and she has played badly; if she’s not at her best it could be a repeat of that today. However if she’s near her best Radwanska will probably struggle to cope with her power. With Kvitova suffering with Mono we don’t know how well she’ll show up, though she should just edge this match.

Prediction: Kvitova in 3

2015 Winston-Salem Open- Wednesday Predictions

The action continues in Winston-Salem, with the men vying to reach the quarter-finals in North Carolina. Here are three of my predictions for today!

Jerzy Janowicz vs Kevin Anderson

There should be a lot of aces in this one, as 16th seed Jerzy Janowicz faces the 2nd seed Kevin Anderson first on Stadium Court. Janowicz is extremely erratic but was very impressive in his only match so far, easing past defending champion Lukas Rosol in a rematch of the final last year. Anderson was less impressive in his opening match, but eventually saw off Mikhail Kukushkin in three sets. Anderson does have the advantage, leading the head to head 2-0, and is certainly more consistent than the Pole. It should be close, though it seems likely that Anderson should be able to come through this one.

Prediction: Anderson in 3

Borna Coric vs Diego Schwartzman

Borna Coric continues his quest for a first career title as he faces Diego Schwartzman in the third round. Coric was made to work in his first match, but eventually saw off Santiago Giraldo in three sets. Schwartzman, not receiving a bye in the first round, beat Daniel Gimeno-Traver in two tight sets before battling past Pablo Andujar in three tight sets yesterday. Schwartzman is a clay court specialist and certainly doesn’t have the height or power that Coric has. Both men are still young and are probably a bit erratic, though Coric should be able to see this one off,

Prediction: Coric in 2

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs Steve Johnson

Steve Johnson will hope the crowd are fully behind him this evening as he takes on 3rd seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Stadium Court. Johnson is having the best year of his career, winning 26 main draw matches, and saw off Sam Groth in three sets yesterday. Tsonga has had a consistent year but hasn’t reached a final this year and had to come from a set down to beat Denis Istomin yesterday. The two have never played before so it will be interesting to see how quickly they get used to each others game. Whilst Johnson has had a good year, Tsonga has more experience and should edge this one.

Prediction: Tsonga in 3

Also in action

Hyeon Chung faces Yen-Hsun Lu first on Court 2, followed by Pablo Carreno Busta against Simone Bolelli. Aljaz Bedene faces Pierre-Hughes Herbert whilst Teymuraz Gabashvilli takes on Malek Jaziri and Tomaz Bellucci faces Jiri Vesely.

2015 Connecticut Open- Wednesday Predictions

Action continues in New Haven today, with the four final second round matches taking place at the Connecticut Open. With quarter-final spots at stake, it should be exciting- here are three of my predictions!

Roberta Vinci vs Caroline Wozniacki

4th seed Caroline Wozniacki should have a difficult match against the inform Roberta Vinci third on Stadium Court. Wozniacki lost early in Stanford, Toronto and Cincinnati but sent out a statement of intent with a crushing 6-0 6-2 win over Alison Riske yesterday evening. Vinci also cruised in her first match, beating Genie Bouchard for the loss of just one match, and has been in good form the past few weeks, reaching the quarter-finals in Toronto. The head to head is evenly poised at 2-2 with Wozniacki having won their last meeting in Istanbul last year for the loss of just two games. However Wozniacki hasn’t been it that form this year and Vinci has a very tricky games to play against. It should be tight, but Wozniacki should edge this if she plays like she did yesterday.

Prediction: Wozniacki in 3

Agnieszka Radwanska vs Alize Cornet

Agnieszka Radwanska will be hoping for a more simple match against Alize Cornet today, as she had to come from a break down in the decider when she last played the Frenchwoman in Toronto. Neither Radwanska or Cornet have been in great form recently, with neither having won a title, and the Frenchwoman can clearly make life difficult for the Pole. However Radwanska has only lost once in their six previous meetings and lost just two games to Coco Vandeweghe the other day. The Frenchwoman is erratic, but should be able to give Radwanska a tough match today if she plays at her best. However Radwanska should just edge this.

Prediction: Radwanska in 3

Madison Keys vs Petra Kvitova

Petra Kvitova has an extremely difficult task on Wednesday as she faces the talented Madison Keys, who beat the 2nd seed at the Australian Open earlier this year. Kvitova has been struggling since she revealed she was diagnosed with Mono, and would have preferred to have played someone she could have easily overpowered today. However whilst Keys is erratic, she is extremely powerful and can hit lots of big winners and serves well. Her form has been erratic this year but, having already beaten Kvitova this year, has a good opportunity to get to the quarter-finals.

Prediction: Keys in 3

Also in action

Olga Savchuk faces Karolina Pliskova in the only other singles match today, whilst there are two doubles matches taking place. Also there are several US Open Doubles and Mixed Doubles matches taking place on the outside courts.

2015 Winston-Salem Open- Tuesday Predictions

Action continues in Winston-Salem as many matches delayed from yesterday take place, as well as some that were originally scheduled for today- here are three of my predictions!

Jo-Wilfred Tsonga vs Denis Istomin

Jo-Wilfred Tsonga looks to start his campaign for the Winston-Salem title with a win over Denis Istomin, who won his first career title earlier this year. Tsonga played well in Montreal, reaching the quarter-finals, but then lost early in Cincinnati and will be looking to pick up form as he is at risk of dropping out of the top 20 if he doesn’t defend is 4th round points at the US Open. Istomin won his first title in Nottingham earlier this year, but hasn’t been in great form since and is currently just inside the the top 70. Tsonga has won the four previous times they have played, and should have too much firepower for Istomin today.

Prediction: Tsonga in 2

Gilles Simon vs Aljaz Bedene

Top seed Gilles Simon will start his campaign for the title against Aljaz Bedene second on Stadium Court. Simon lost early in Montreal and Cincinnati and will be looking for some confidence before Flushing Meadows, though he won’t have the easiest opening match against Bedene. The Brit reached his first ATP final in Chennai earlier this year and is in the world’s top 60 for the first time. He also played well in his first match, cruising past Marco Cecchinato for the loss of just four games and certainly has the potential to beat Simon. However Bedene is quite inconsistent and Simon certainly has the better pedigree. It should be tight, but it seems Simon will come through this challenging match.

Prediction: Simon in 3

Benoit Paire vs Hyeon Chung

An in-form Benoit Paire could have a tricky match as he faces rising star Hyeon Chung in the second round. Paire won his first ATP title in Gstaad and is rising back up the rankings after a disappointing 2015. Chung, considered by many as a future star of the sport, has had a pretty consistent year and edged past James Ward in three sets in the opening round. It won’t be an easy match for Paire, but he has been in good form of late and should be able to come through this match. However Chung could make it difficult for the Frenchman this evening.

Prediction: Paire in 2

Also in action

2nd seed Kevin Anderson begins his campaign against Mikhail Kukushkin, whilst 7th seed Sam Querrey takes on Simone Bolelli and 13th seed Steve Johnson takes on Sam Groth. Defending champion Lukas Rosol takes on Jerzy Janowicz with several other matches taking place.