2016 Volvo Car Open- Sara Errani vs Sam Stosur

One of the most interesting clashes of the day at the Volvo Car Open sees two former French Open finalists, 5th seed Sara Errani and 10th seed Sam Stosur, face off for a place in the quarter-finals in Charleston. This match will take place at around 15:00 Charleston Time (20:00 UK Time), and the winner will face Yulia Putintseva or 3rd seed Venus Williams in the last eight of the tournament.

Neither woman has dropped a set so far, though Errani has the potential advantage of having a bye in the first round. The Italian impressed with a very comfortable win over Yaroslava Shvedova in the second round, though found it a little tricky towards the end; she will be looking for a stronger end here. Stosur has found both her matches a little more tricky, edging past Aleksandra Krunic and Jana Cepelova, and she may need to play better against a strong clay court player like Errani.

Of the two, Stosur is the more powerful and she should try to use that power to full effect, by attacking Errani’s weaker serve and trying to consistently dictate play. The Australian will need to server well as well and make few double faults (something she hasn’t really done so far), whilst she should also look to try and move Errani around the court. The 10th seed must not try to force play too much though, as she can be prone to errors. The majority of play may be down to Stosur, so it is important for Errani to defend well. The Italian must look to hang in on points and try to force errors from the Australian, though should look to attack at any opportunity she gets. The 5th seed will need to serve at a high percentage to stop Stosur dictating play, though could also attack Stosur’s second serve.

Stosur leads the head to head 6-2, though the head to head is split at 1-1 on clay. The Australian does seem to have some advantage over the Italian, though Errani has played better clay in the past couple of seasons and has had a better 2016 so far. It seems that the 5th seed could edge this.

Prediction: Errani in 3

 

 

2016 Apia International Sydney- Roberta Vinci vs Sam Stosur

Two veterans of the WTA tour face off in the opening round of the Apia International as Roberta Vinci faces Sam Stosur. Following the withdrawal of 2nd seed Agnieszka Radwanska, the winner of this match faces qualifier Daniela Hantuchova. This match is set to take place at round 16:00 Sydney Time (05:00 UK Time).

Both women played in Sydney last week, with Vinci getting one round further than the Australian. Stosur is the more powerful of the two, but is extremely erratic and has often struggled on home soil. Vinci, in contrast, has been playing well since the US Open and certainly has the game to bother Stosur, though could be overpowered by Stosur if the Australian is at her best.

The head to head is tied at 1-1 with Vinci winning their last meeting back in 2013; both times the victor has one in straight sets. This match has the potential to be tight, though Vinci is in much better form. Whilst Stosur has the power to trouble the Italian, she is consistently poor on home soil and could easily be bothered by Vinci’s game. Vinci, if she is playing like she has most of the past few months, should win this comfortably.

Prediction: Vinci in 2

2015 China Open- Women’s Day 4 Predictions

The 2nd round action continues to for the women, with many of big stars left still in action. It should be a great day- here are three of my predictions.

Andrea Petkovic vs Sam Stosur

13th seed Andrea Petkovic faces a difficult 2nd round match against Sam Stosur in the 3rd match on Moon Court. Petkovic may benefit from an early finish on monday, following the retirement of Eugenie Bouchard, though Stosur was impressive in her win over Monica Niculescu yesterday. This is the first time the two have played on the WTA tour- they have played three times in the Fed Cup, with Petkovic leading the head to head 2-1- and it should be a competitive match. It should be tight, though Petkovic should have enough to see off Stosur and her kick serve.

Prediction: Petkovic in 3

Angelique Kerber vs Dominika Cibulkova

10th seed Angelique Kerber should have a tricky match against the resurgent Dominika Cibulkova in the 3rd match on Lotus Court. Kerber has been in strong form the past few months and should have recovered in time after reaching the semi-finals in Wuhan, benefiting from a bye here. Cibulkova had to overcome Jelena Jankovic in a tricky opening match, though she is playing good tennis after months out with injury earlier this year. Cibulkova leads the head to head 4-3, though Kerber has one the past 3 meetings between the two and on current form, she should have enough for this one.

Prediction: Kerber in 3

Ana Ivanovic vs Venus Williams

A blockbuster match begins the night session on the National Tennis Stadium as 6th seed Ana Ivanovic takes on Wuhan champion Venus Williams. The American received a bye in the 1st round, following her run to the title in Wuhan, though she may be tired and it will be interesting to see if she’s coped with the turnaround. Whilst Ivanovic has had an average year  overall, she was very impressive in the 1st round against Casey Dellacqua and will be confident after that result. Williams has dominated the head to head, leading 9-2, though I think Ivanovic will take this one.

Prediction: Ivanovic in 3

Also in action

8th seed Caroline Wozniacki starts action on the National Tennis Stadium against Qiang Wang, whilst US Open champion Flavia Pennetta faces Teliana Pereira on the Lotus Court. Carolina Garcia faces Sara Errani whilst Marina Duque-Marino faces 12th seed Timea Bacsinszky and Lara Arruabarrena takes on Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

2015 China Open- Day 3 Women’s Picks

The action continues in Beijing this week and with top seed Simona Halep and 2nd seed Petra Kvitova already out, there is certainly a good opportunity for other stars- here are three of my predictions!

Sam Stosur vs Monica Niculescu

One of the final 1st round matches takes place between Sam Stosur and Monica Niculescu, which opens action on the Moon Court. Stosur will be well rested following an early loss in Wuhan, whilst Nicelescu may be affected by the quick turnaround after she reached the doubles at the same tournament. This one will certainly be a contrast of styles, with Stosur going out for all-out power whilst Niculescu uses slices and drop shots to try to outwit her opponents. So far Niculescu has had very little success with this style against Stosur, who leads their head to head 6-0. It could be tight on current form, but Stosur should come through

Prediction: Stosur in 3

Andrea Petkovic vs Eugenie Bouchard

Another one of the final 1st round clashes sees an extremely interesting match takes place between 13th seed Andrea Petkovic and Eugenie Bouchard on the National Tennis Stadium. The Canadian, who has slumped this year, hasn’t played since the US Open due to concussion and it is hard to tell how well Bouchard will play. It’s been a consistent year for Petkovic, though it hasn’t been amazing, and it will be interesting to see how she plays today. Petkovic leads the head to head 3-1 with Bouchard wining their last meeting at Wimbledon last year, though Bouchard is not near that form at the moment. This match is extremely hard to predict, though based on the current situation it seems that Petkovic will edge this one.

Petkovic in 3

Svetlana Kuznetsova vs Sloane Stephens

A battle of experience against youth ends the action in Beijing as Svetlana Kuznetsova faces Sloane Stephens in a 2nd round match on the National Tennis Stadium. Both women were fairly comfortable in the opening round, with Kuznetsova easing past Carina Witthoeft whilst Stephens cruised past 9th seed Karolina Pliskova. Both women have had similar years- Stephens, at 30th, is just one place above Kuznetsova in the rankings- though it is Stephens who has picked up a title (in Washington) and won the previous meeting between the two, at Indian Wells, earlier this year. Whilst both women can be erratic, it should be Stephens who comes through this one.

Prediction: Stephens in 2

Also in action

Two more first round matches take place, with 11th seed Belinda Bencic facing Madison Brengle and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni facing Irina-Camelia Begu. 11th seed Agnieszka Radwanska takes on Mona Barthel, whilst 16th seed Elina Svitolina faces Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and 15th seed Roberta Vinci facing Alison Van Uytvanck. 7th seed Carla Suarez Navarro faces Monica Puig whilst Kateryna Bondarenko faces 14th seed Madison Keys.

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2015 US Open- Day 8 Picks

There is another great day of action in New York, with 16 players aiming to reach the quarter-finals. With several big names in action and many interesting matches taking place, it should be an exciting day- here are three of my predictions!

John Isner vs Roger Federer

The crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium will get really involved in this match as American No.1 and 13th seed John Isner faces 2nd seed and 5 time champion Roger Federer. Neither man has lost a set so far, and with both men serving well it could be a tight battle- expect tiebreaks! Federer has been in vintage form of late and is he plays like he did in Cincinnati, he will be attacking Isner’s big serve early to try and rush the points. Federer leads the head to head 4-1, winning their last meeting at the Olympics in 2012, though Isner’s sole win over Federer came earlier that year in the Davis Cup. Isner certainly can win this match if he serves well, though Federer also serves well and is more comfortable at the net than the big American. Isner could nick a set, though Federer should go through to the quarter-finals.

Prediction: Federer in 4

Sabine Lisicki vs Simona Halep

Simona Halep is looking to make the US Open quarter-finals for the first time as she takes on 24th seed Sabine Lisicki today on Louis Armstrong Stadium. Halep has eased to the 4th round so far, and has won her past three meetings against Lisicki- including a crushing victory over the German last year at Wimbledon. Lisicki is a very good player when she’s at her best and that was evident until the 3rd round, where she had to come from 1-5 down in the decider to beat Barbora Strycova. Lisicki does have the firepower to beat someone with a diminutive frame like Halep, but is consistently inconsistent and can be prone to too many errors. Halep could be tested today, but should get through to the last 8 comfortably.

Prediction: Halep in 2

Tomas Berdych vs Richard Gasquet

There could be an interesting match here as 6th seed Tomas Berdych faces 12th seed Richard Gasquet on Louis Armstrong Stadium. The head to head is evenly poised at 6-6, and considering that both men have been in decent form so far this year it could be a close match. Berdych has won the last three meetings between the two, and has been slightly more comfortable so far-dropping just one set. Gasquet has had a more difficult road, dropping 3 sets, but saved his most impressive performance for a 6-4 6-3 6-1 win over Bernard Tomic on saturday. Both men are consistent, though Gasquet has the bigger weapon in his backhand and Berdych didn’t have the greatest build up to the tournament. It should be tight, and I think Gasquet will edge this.

Prediction: Gasquet in 5

Sam Stosur vs Flavia Pennetta

2011 Champion and 22nd Sam Stosur will have to overturn a 0-6 head to head against 26th seed Flavia Pennetta if she wants to reach the quarter-finals. Stosur has only dropped one set, against 16th seed Sara Errani, so far in this tournament and was comfortable before then, suggesting she could be a threat for the remainder of the tournament. Pennetta often plays well at the US Open, and considering how she’s never lost to Stosur she’ll be confident today. Pennetta has been tested more than Stosur but based on how well she plays here and how well she’s managed against Stosur in the past, she should come through this one.

Prediction: Pennetta in 3

Also in action

On the men’s side 5th seed Stan Wawrinka looks to end the run of Donald Young, whilst 3rd seed Andy Murray faces 15th seed Kevin Anderson. On the women’s side 20th seed and two-time finalist Victoria Azarenka faces Vavara Lepchenko, whilst 5th seed Petra Kvitova aims to end the run of qualifier Johanna Konta.

2015 US Open- Day 6 Women’s Picks

The final 3rd round action is taking place, and in the women’s draw there are several big names in action and a few interesting matches taking place- here are three of my predictions for today!

Victoria Azarenka vs Angelique Kerber

An extremely high profile match ends the day session on Arthur Ashe Stadium this evening as 20th seed Victoria Azarenka faces 11th seed Angelique Kerber. Both women have not dropped a set getting to this stage- Azarenka has beaten Lucie Hradecka and Yanina Wickmayer whilst Kerber has beaten Alexandra Dulgheru and Karin Knapp- and it will be a close match if they are at their best. However despite being in good form outside the majors of late, Kerber has lost early in all the slams this year and she can struggle against hard-hitters- an example of this is that Azarenka leads their head to head 4-0. However Azarenka has been struggling with recurring injuries of late and if she’s struggling with injury, Kerber is good enough to take advantage. It should be tight, but I think that if Azarenka is fit she should just edge this.

Prediction: Azarenka in 3

Petra Kvitova vs Anna Karolina Schmiedlova

5th seed Petra Kvitova has never played particularly well in New York and may not have the easiest match against 32nd seed Anna Karolina Schmiedlova today. Kvitova has got to this stage in relatively comfortable fashion, seeing off Laura Siegemund and Nicole Gibbs in straight sets, but is famously erratic and Schmiedlova has a good opportunity if ‘Bad Petra’ shows off- though she could then have very little chance if ‘Good Petra’ shows up. It’s been a standout year for Schmiedlova, winning titles in Katowice and Bucharest, and she has shown good maturity by beating Julia Goerges and Danka Kovinic. Schmiedlova has a good game, but it wouldn’t be able to match up to an in-form Kvitova and the Slovakian is certainly not as powerful as the world. No.5. Kvitova should win this won with relative ease, though if she plays badly she could make it difficult for herself.

Prediction: Kvitova in 2

Sara Errani vs Sam Stosur

Two experienced players face off on Grandstand today as 16th seed Sara Errani faces 22nd seed and 2011 champion Sam Stosur. The 2011 champion has cruised so far, easing past Timea Babos and Evgeniya Rodina, and has a good opportunity to make a run here following the losses of players like Caroline Wozniacki. However Stosur can be erratic and will probably need to be ready for a battle against Errani. The Italian is one of the biggest fighters on tour and needed to scrappy in her previous match, rallying to beat Jelena Ostapenko in 3 sets, though she cruised past Mayo Hibi in her 1st round match and will be hard to beat if she plays like that. The two haven’t met since 2012- Errani has won their last two meeting, though Stosur won the previous 5 times they played. This one could be extremely tight, though the power of Stosur should just edge it.

Prediction: Stosur in 3

Also in action

2nd seed Simona Halep continues her campaign against Shelby Rogers, whilst 18th seed Andrea Petkovic faces the confident Johanna Konta and 24th seed Sabine Lisicki faces Barbora Strycova. Also 26th seed Flavia Pennetta faces Petra Cetkovska whilst Vavara Lepchenko faces Mona Barthel.

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2015 Citi Open- Women’s Semi-Finals

Only four women are left standing in Washington, as the tournament is well and truly in the latter stages. The top two seeds are both still in and both face unseeded opponents, but both matches should also be tight with all the women having played very good tennis this tournament- here are my predictions!

Ekaterina Makarova vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

A Russian is guaranteed to make the final in Washington, as top seed Ekaterina Makarova faces the unseeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Makarova had difficult matches in the first and second round, seeing off both Alison Van Uytvanck and Naomi Broady in two tight sets, before having to battle past sixth seed Irina-Camelia Begu in 3 sets. Pavlyuchenkova also had to survive a three set quarter-final, seeing off Christina Mchale in a final set tie break, but was impressive in a straight sets win against Belinda Bencic and saw off two-time champion Magdalena Rybarikova 7-6 7-6 in the first round.

Pavlyuchenkova certainly has a great opportunity to reach the final here- she’s been playing great tennis this tournament and Makarova doesn’t always play her best outside slams. Pavlyuchenkova has actually won more career singles titles than Makarova (7 titles to Makarova’s 2) but can be inconsistent and there is no telling what level she brings to her matches. It promises to be close!

Prediction: Pavlyuchenkova in 3

Sloane Stephens vs Sam Stosur

Two women who have been in good form as late face off in this semi-final. After an extremely disappointing 2014, Sloane Stephens has had a consistent year and has been playing much better tennis under the coaching of Nick Saviano. She benefited from the withdrawal of Svetlana Kuznetsova in the 2nd round, but has won her matches against Magda Linette and Louise Chirico in straight sets in fairly convincing style. However Stosur has been playing very good tennis as of late, winning the title in Gstaad and has beaten Kiki Mladenovic and Irina Falconi in straight sets, whilst benefiting from Monica Nicelescu’s retirement on friday.

If both women are playing their best tennis it should be a fantastic match, but consistency can be a problem for both. Stosur will need to make sure she is able to utilize her Kick Serve and have a high serve percentage, as well as having her forehand firing, and will be vulnerable if she is not at her best against a confident Stephens. Stosur leads the head to head 2-0, including in Strasbourg earlier this year, but both meetings have been on clay.

Prediction: Stosur in 3

2015 Citi Open- Women’s Quarter-Finals

Only eight women are still standing in Washington and five of them are unseeded, meaning there is certainly a possibility we could have a surprise champion in the American capital. Here are my picks for the matches today!

Ekaterina Makarova vs Irina-Camelia Begu

The top section is the only section that has gone with the seedings, as top seed Ekaterina Makarova faces 6th seed Irina-Camelia Begu in the last 8. Makarova hasn’t had easy matches so far, but has most importantly seen off Alison Van Uytvanck and Naomi Broady in straight sets to get to this stage. Begu has had a had different path to this stage- after cruising past Madison Brengle in straight sets, she had to battle past Polona Hercog in 3 sets in the second round. The two have met once before and Begu was victorious in straight sets in Moscow last year (Makarova withdrew from their match in Charleston earlier this year) but in the outdoors and in very warm conditions, it will be interesting to see who can play the better tennis.

Prediction: Begu in 3

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs Christina Mchale

An unseeded quarter-final takes place on Grandstand 2 as Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova faces American Christina Mchale. Pavlyuchenkova has been on scintillating form so far, battling past two-time champion Magdalena Rybarikova in two tie breaks before stunning 3rd seed Belinda Bencic 6-2 6-4 in the second round. Everyone knows that Pavlyuchenkova is certainly talented enough to be a force in the game, but she is extremely inconsistent and faces Mchale, who knows how to tough out victories after 3 set victories over 7th seed Coco Vandeweghe and Yulia Putintseva so far in Washington. The Russian won there only previous meeting 3 years ago in Eastbourne and if she plays as well as has so far this tournament she should win, though Mchale will have the crowd behind her and is clearly up for a fight.

Prediction: Pavlyuchenkova in 3

Louise Chirico vs Sloane Stephens

An all American battle takes place between two women who could be future stars of the game. Wildcard Louise Chirico has had a fantastic tournament so far, demolishing Heather Watson before battling past 5th seed Alize Cornet in the second round. Stephens was very impressive in her first round victory over Magda Linette, but unfortunately received a walkover into the quarter-finals after defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova withdrew from what would have likely have been a fantastic match. Because of this it’s hard to judge how Stephens will play, though if she plays as well as she did in her first match Chirico will have to play very well to beat hear.

Prediction: Stephens in 2

Monica Nicelescu vs Sam Stosur

Two of the best athletes in women’s tennis face off as 2nd seed Sam Stosur faces off against Monica Nicelescu first on Grandstand 1. Both women come into this match in good form- Stosur won at her last tournament in Gastein and has been comfortable so far, beating Kiki Mladenovic and Irina Falconi in straight sets, whilst a runner up spit in Nottingham and a 4th round at Wimbledon have seen Nicelescu come from outside the top 60 to 39th in the world, and she has seen of Lara Arruabarrena in straight sets and Lauren Davis in 3 sets so far here. However the signs are not good for the Romanian; she hasn’t beaten Stosur before in 5 previous meetings. If Stosur plays well, that is very unlikely to change.

Prediction: Stosur in 2

2015 Citi Open- Day 3 Women’s picks

Usually I have to decide which matches to preview out of several, but later in Washington there are only four Women’s singles matches taking place! Here are my picks for them!

Irina Falconi vs Sam Stosur

This match kicks off the action in Washington today, and it will be interesting to see if Sam Stosur can maintain her impressive form against an opponent she has beaten comfortably in their previous two meetings. She won her previous tournament in Gastein and recorded her 500th career win yesterday, cruising past the dangerous Kiki Mladenovic 6-2 6-2 in just over an hour. Stosur is hard to beat when she is at her best, but can be inconsistent and if she drops her level Falconi certainly has a chance. Having had an extra day off after beating fellow American Taylor Townsend, the crowd should be on her side and she will need to hope for a drop in Stosur’s level.

Prediction: Stosur in 2

Alize Cornet vs Louise Chirico

Two women who were very impressive in their first round matches meet first on Grandstand 1. The French number 1, Cornet, hasn’t had the best year but comfortably saw off An-Sophie Mestach 6-3 6-3 in the first round. American wildcard Chirico was even more impressive, cruising past Heather Watson 6-3 6-0. This is the first meeting between the two, and Chirico will surely be confident she can cause another upset against the fifth seed. If she plays well she has a chance, but a lot depends on what Alize Cornet turns up; will it be the Cornet who beat Serena Williams twice last year (And also beat her via a retirement) or the Cornet who suffers strange losses to players she should beat comfortably?

Prediction: Cornet in 3

Lauren Davis vs Monica Nicelescu

Lauren Davis and Monica Nicelescu face each other for the first time later today in Washington. Nicelescu saw off Lara Arruabarrena 7-5 6-4 in the first round, whilst Davis was 7-5 2-1 up when 8th seed Zarina Diyas retired. Neither of these two are particularly tall (Nicelescu is 5’6 whilst Davis is only 5’2) so neither player is likely to be able to overpower each other. Nicelescu has a difficult game to play against, with lots of slices, but can be inconsistent and Davis will have the crowd behind her- It promises to be tight!

Prediction: Nicelescu in 3

Irina-Camelia Begu vs Polona Hercog

The crowd on Grandstand 2 have two Romanians in a row, as Irina-Camelia Begu faces Polona Hercog after the conclusion of the Nicelescu/Davis match. Begu is having the year of her life, and is currently at a high of 29th in the world. She saw off Madison Brengle comfortably 6-4 6-0 in the first round, whilst Hercog saw of Julia Glushko 6-2 7-5. Hercog has actually won more titles than Begu (2 to 1) but the Romanian is in the better form and will be the favourite for the match.

Prediction: Begu in 2

Also in action

As I mentioned in my introduction, these are the only four women’s singles matches taking place in Washington today. However there are also 4 women’s doubles matches taking place on the outside courts.

2015 Citi Open- Day 2 Women’s Picks

The action for the women continues in Washington, as more seeds begin their quest to win the 2015 Citi Open title. Here are three of my predictions for today!

Kristina Mladenovic vs Sam Stosur

An extremely intriguing battle kicks off the action on Grandstand 1 as 2nd seed Sam Stosur takes on the talented Kristina Mladenovic. The young Frenchwoman has had a good year, and is just one place off her career high ranking (set last month) of 35th. Stosur’s year has been highlighted by titles in Strasbourg, where she beat Mladenovic, and at her last tournament in Gastein but has not played well at the slams this year. The 2011 US Open champion has a good opportunity to improve her current ranking of 21st, with very few points to defend over the coming tournaments, but will have a tough opener against Mladenovic.

Prediction: Stosur in 3

Ekaterina Makarova vs Alison Van Uytvanck

Top seed Makarova doesn’t have the easiest opening match against French Open quarter finalist Alison Van Uytvanck. The coming few weeks will be important for Makarova, as she has semi-final points to defend at the Rogers Cup and the US Open following a disappointing grass court season. Makarova doesn’t always play her best outside the slams and the young Belgian Van Uytvanck, who has the best year of her career, has the potential to cause a surprise result on Court 1.

Prediction: Makarova in 3

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova vs Magdalena Rybarikova

An intrguing battle of unseeded players takes place last on Grandstand 2, as  40th ranked Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova faces 45th ranked Magdalena Rybarikova. These two have played 3 times before, and Slovakian Rybarikova cruised past the Russian Pavlyuchenkova 6-1 6-1 in the final here two years ago. Both women could make a deep run here, but it all depends on who has the consistency today.

Prediction: Rybarikova in 3

Also in action

Defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova begins her campaign against US qualifier Sanaz Marand, whilst Belinda Bencic begins her campaign against Tereza Smitkova and Sloane Stephens takes on Magda Linette. Also Stadium Court kicks off with an all-American battle between Coco Vandeweghe and Christina Mchale.