Featured Bottom Right – Page 4 – TennisReporters.net

Sebastian Korda upsets Daniil Medvedev, Shelton over Sinner

October 11, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

At some point, each month, one of the players will climb, in front of you, and he be super consistent. How about Sebastian Korda, who upset Daniil Medvedev 7-6(8) 6-2. Then he beat Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 7-6 (6).

He has been so close over the last few years, but he has yet to reach into the top 20. He can be steady, and he smashes his forehand, but also, Korda can trip up. But in Shanghai, when he beat the No. 3 Medvedev, it was the first time that he beat a top fiver. That was really important.

“I think one of the things that maybe disrupts him is just being an aggressive player, going to the net, slicing the ball, bringing him in. I think I do that really well, and I think it gives him a little bit of trouble,” Korda said.

He has not gone very deep at the ATP 1000s, but now it is time to do it. Not to win, but perhaps into the semis or the final, but he has to identify it.

Speaking of Ben Shelton, who reached in the semis at the US Open, he is rolling again. On Tuesday, he beat the Italian Jannik Sinner 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5), who just won Beijing, China. He was playing so much better now, after he won at Toronto, just before at the U.S. Open, and after he lost against Alexander Zverev, he re-set, and in China, last week, believe it or not, he beat Medvedev in the final. He is now ranked No. 4, and finally, on the court, he can mix it up, a lot. He is maturing, and more thoughtful, when he is returning. Against the young, strong man Shelton, he was pretty patient, but the American grabbed it in the tiebreaker, hitting some wonderful strokes. Each month, he is thinking more, on the court. Believe it or not, he will face against Korda on Thursday. That will be very close, again. It is a toss-up, but Korda will snag it 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 in the third set.

Frances Tiafoe lost again, and he may not reach into the top 8 at the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy. He is ranked No. 14, so to have any chance, he will have to go super deep in Paris, coming up. He has had an odd season, this year… Since he reached into the final at Roland Garros, then Casper Ruud fell down fast, but now it looks like he is trying to play well again. He really has to, but he lost against,losing against Fabian Marozsan 6-4 in the third set.

The American No. 12 Tommy Paul beats the 19-year-old Arthur Fils 6-4 in the third set. Paul has had the best year, ever, and he has a chance to reach into the ATP Finals, but he has to go unlimited in Shanghai, Paris and another couple of events. Here he has to go against Andrey Rublev, who is a very tough player. He will where him down in the third set. He will upset Rublev 5-7, 7-6, 7-6…

J.J. Wolf is back, and he is healthy, again. He beat Matteo Arnaldi 7-6 in the third, also a young player from France. On court, Wolf can really be angry, but he is very intense. However, he has to face against another Frenchman, Ugo Humbert. The No. 34 will trip Wolf in two, muscular sets.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Ben Shelton, Casper Ruud, daniil medvedev, J.J. Wolf, Jannik SinnerTommy Paul, Matthew Cronin, Sebastian Korda, Shanghai

Kudermetova: ‘It was not an easy time for me … but now really happy’

October 4, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

The Russian Veronika Kudermetova won a tournament at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, cracking over Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-1. She has had some fine days, but there are also some negative events. Perhaps now, that each week, she will be more intense, on the court.

For example, she beat the 2023 US Open Coco Gauff in Doha in February in the quarters, and then the four time champ Iga Swiatek smoked her 6-0, 6-1, fast. Then in the semis at Madrid, the Polish person, she smashed her 6-1, 6-1. Then it looked like that Kudermetova was panicking. Yes, she can mash the ball, both sides, but then, she can throw in some many strange errors. After on the grass, and she was decent, but not great, and then in the next five tournaments, she lost very early. However, last week, she rose up, finally stopping Swiatek 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Right after that, she upset the No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 7-6, 6-7, 6-3. That was almost a miracle.

”I’m really happy because before, it was not an easy time for me, it was really tough moments,” Kudermetova said. “Now I’m really happy and I have a lot of motivation for the next weeks.”

They are playing in the Beijing Open, and while it is not easy to play great again, she will battle. Sabalenka has had a interesting year, as she has improved her serve, and she is more solid. However, she does not like to get up to the net in the singles, and maybe she should, and make some different shots. Of course her forehand and her backhand are terrific, and her return is spot on. However, she has not won an event since Madrid during May, and while she has gone deep a lot, she can also be confused. In the final the U.S. Open, she look pretty darn good, but in the third set, she went down, and she lost versus Gauff 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. However, she wants to be motivate.

“I’m a world No. 1 right now, but it’s not just about become world No. 1, I think it’s about finish the year as world No. 1 and stay there as long as you can,” Sabalenka said. “It was good that I was able to achieve this goal, but there is another goal. I’m super motivated right now. My biggest takeaway was that I need to learn how to finish the points on the net. We worked a lot on my volley game. [In the U.S. Open final] I got over-emotion there. I wasn’t controlling myself. I was thinking all over the place in that second set. So, yeah, that’s was the biggest takeaway. I have to, no matter what, stick to the plan and just do what I have to do on court, just kind of like shut down all those thoughts. Also, it’s not like I don’t know how to play volleys. I used to play doubles a lot. Just to be brave to go there, you know? We worked a lot after US Open on that. I took couple of days off just to switch off and forgot about tennis because it was a really tough, tough loss for me. It was super emotional. Yeah, took couple of days off, then I start working again.”

There she is, motivation. In the first round, she just destroyed the American, Sofia Kenin. Maybe she is ready to take down everyone in China, but almost all the players are there. Ons Jabeur just won the Ningbo Open, in China. So now she is happy again. Many people think that the 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva of Russia is darn good, as she just upset Barbora Krejcikova, and excellent player. In another year, if she is healthy, then she might be in the top 30 and then we will know how good she is.

It did take Gauff a couple years to improve her forehand and her return, and currently, she are better now. She could win China, as long as she can snap the lines.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, China Open, coco gauff, Iga Swiatek, Matthew Cronin, Veronika Kudermetova

Carlos Alcaraz is ready to rock, again

September 29, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

The No. 1 Novak Djokovic is not playing now, but in the next two months, on the court, he will be there. When and where? Who knows?

Yes, the No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz is playing this week in Beijing at the China Open. He does have a chance to finish No. 1, but he has a lot more work to do. However, he still is psyched. He will also play in Shanghai, next week, an ATP 1000.

“We have really beautiful battle for the No. 1 spot after the great performance Djokovic had in the American season, let’s say. He’s the No. 1 right now,” the Spaniard said.

“I’m coming here with extra motivation to try to recover it in the Race, of course, in the ranking. It’s something that I have in my mind every time that I practice, in every tournament. Is not obligatory for me to recover that, but of course you have to put the goals in the year. So for me No. 1 spot is one of the main goals for me.”

The 20-year-old Alcaraz has won 12 titles, including in the 2023 Wimbledon, on the grass, and also in Indian Wells on the hard courts, as well as Madrid on clay. Over the past couple years, he has gone deep all over the place, but he has not won in Asia, or China. But he is ready to go.

The former No. 1 Daniil Medvedev is there, in the tournament, and the Russian will push himself again, or he hopes, so. At the U.S. Open against Djokovic in the final, he looked very good in the second set, but in the tiebreaker, he missed a really important shot, with a set point, and then he collapsed. In the third set, he was done. He has played against Alcaraz three times this year, at Indian Wells and Wimbledon, when he lost, but in the semis at the US Open, he played a great show, and he beat him.

“If we face each other, we are both happy, we are both in the final. That’s a good goal, to try to make this happen,” the Russian said. “At the same time, as I said, so many good players. It’s tough. … It’s going to be interesting to see who copes up better. I think we’re going to see a lot of different results where the seeded players can lose and stuff like this because first rounds are never easy.”

What he means it that there are so many very good players in the top 20 in Beijing, including — and there are a lot, such as Holger Rune, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, Jannik Sinner, Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev, who just won a title in Chengdu. The No. 13 Tommy Paul will face against Medvedev, and to reach into the top 10 for the first time, he will be so satisfied. But can Paul win it in three sets against the Russian in Beijing? Possibly, but he is going to have to drag him down.

Rune was very honest, saying that the No. 4 played it to much this year. Now the 20-year-old feel much better.

“I was struggling with back injury for a while now. I got it fixed,” the Dane said. “I played a lot of tournaments with a lot of pain in my back. But then I was like at the end, Okay, I got to stop and fix it, not come back to playing tournaments until I’m hundred percent. That’s also why I’m here…Maybe a few tournaments too much where I should have maybe rested. Also to be maybe more ready for the biggest tournaments. But that’s the past. Now I have to look at now and forward.”

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Beijing, Carlos Alcaraz, China Open, daniil medvedev, Holger Rune, Matthew Cronin

‘Americans’ triumph at Laver Cup

September 26, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Felix Auger-Aliassime — Mal Taam/MALTphoto

After the Laver Cup, will the Americans, the Canadians and the South Americans win some huge events, this fall? It is hard to tell. Yes, the “‘Americans” won it, beating Europe, and they played very well, but that is different to beat they excellent competitors, such as Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune.

The United States with Taylor Fritz , Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton all played in Vancouver, and they had some fun matches, but they have not won an ATP Master 1000 this year, or even and ATP 500 in 2023. So yes, they are all in the top 20, so they are good, but to win a big title during the entire of the year is questionable. That is for sure.

Also, how about the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who had reached into the top 10. But, this year, he began to slip, after March, and he lost very early. Perhaps he can reset.

Argentine Francisco Cerundolo can look pretty decent, and on the grass, he won Eastbourne, but after that, when he faces against the great players, he still cannot hit harder enough.

However, the 20-year-old Shelton, who reached into the semis at the US Open, that the reason was because when he arrived there, the doubles had helped him. After the Australian Open when he reached into the quarters, he was happy, but then he had a lot of work to do. It look him seven months to understand what he really needed to put in some very smart matches, when he is hitting the ball, both side to side, and then he will learn it, gradually. He did, and now he is ranked No. 19.

“Well, back-to-back singles matches, I had some success in doubles, and so that’s definitely something that gave me some confidence, going into this event. That’s singles and doubles, confidence that I could put points on the board for the team and that I had been pretty fine-tuned in doubles throughout the year,” he said. “In terms of singles, sometimes it only takes one. Still trying to find my way out on tour. I don’t think I’m perfect at all or found my game exactly the way I want to, but it’s a lot of new experiences, different places and surfaces I have never played on, but being here in North America, indoor hard court with a huge crowd, it feels like home to me.”

The next huge event will be in Rolex Shanghai Masters ATP 1000, which will start October 4, and all of the top players have to do it, unless you can pull out, such as Djokovic, who did it last week. But perhaps one of them can grab it, like Shelton, Auger-Aliassime, or Cerundolo. That would be damn surprising, but they have to confirm it.

Down in Guadalajara, Maria Sakkari won the title. She is a very quick player, and she can also sprint for a hours, but in 2023, she looked very decent, but at some other tournaments, she missed a lot of basic shots. However, when they arrived in Mexico, she decided that it was OK, to win or lose, but to be happy, rather than being so frustrated. The No. 6 player Sakkari said:

“I play tennis for a living. That’s pretty cool. I didn’t give myself a chance to enjoy it in the past. I told myself, you owe it to yourself to have fun. And this is what happened this week.”

In the final, she beat American Caroline Dolehide who was ranked out of the top 100 last week, but now she is No. 38. What a huge event.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Ben Shelton, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Frances Tiafoe, Francisco Cerundolo, Laver Cup, Maria Sakkari, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Vancouver

The top 10: the women after the US Open

September 14, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Here is my list of the women with the biggest impact from the US Open.

1. Coco Gauff
When it started, it looked like she had a chance to win her first Grand Slam, but she had to wait over seven matches. She is only 19-years-old, but she knew that if she played really well, especially with her new, very good forehand, then she could beat anyone. That she did, when her backhand was terrific, her first serve was even harder, and of course, at the net, she could put it away. Her confidence is so high, that soon enough, if she is healthy, then she can become No. 1. A new, fantastic player.

2. Aryna Sabalenka
Yes, she is No. 1, and she has had a fine year, but in the third set in the final, she made so many errors, and she did not mix it up, more. Yes, she is a massive hitter, with her powerful backhand and her forehand, but at times, her serve can be mediocre, and at the net, she is OK, but she needs to improve it. She did win the 2023 Aussie Open, and perhaps she will recover in the fall, yet she could be frustrated again. It is all about her direction.

3. Karolina Muchova
The Czech looked wonderfully, all the way into the semis, and during the first and the second set, she was pretty close against Gauff, but then, she pushed back and she made some crazy error. On the court, she can be patient and smart, but then she forgets what she is doing, and then she panics. Really though, she is a fine player, but the older you get, she has to add some better shots. She only has won just one title, Seoul, in 2019. Maybe she can win another title during the tough fall.

4. Madison Keys
She looked great in four matches, then right at the end against Sabalenka, she collapsed in the third set tiebreaker. Of course she can crush the ball, with her hard forehand and her backhand, but she still can be concert, and then she will over-hit it. She has gone deep many times, and off the court, she seems to be intelligent, but the only way to win a Slam for the first time has to add something new, and be much more CALM.

5. Jelena Ostapenko
She is just so hard to figure out. She played so well and she crushed Iga Swiatek and then the next match against Gauff, she made so many errors, and it ended, quickly. She is one of the biggest hitters, but she is also somewhat slow, and she doesn’t be patient enough. That is how she is, maybe for ever.

6. Marketa Vondrousova
The great thing is that she won the 2023 Wimbledon, and she played as well as she can. The other Czech has gone deep at another various events, and she has also taken down a number of darn good players. However, in the quarters against Keys, she did not play at all. Yes, the American played stellar, but Vondrousova was second-class, and maybe worse. Hopefully, she can forget that she was way down, and if she does that, she can stay in the top 10 for a long time.

7. Sorana Cirstea
At the beginning this year, it looked like that she has become more aggressive, and push herself into the het, and also, to go for it much early. The 33-year-old has around for 17 years at the WTA Tour, so she was always very decent, but not fantastic. But now, in the summer and at the U.S. Open, she looked so much better, on court. Maybe in 2024 she will finally reach the top 10. That would be a stunner.

8. Qinwen Zheng
She is only 20-years-old, so clearly she is already good, reaching the quarters, and beating Ons Jabeur. It will take the Chinese to improve a lot, and she knows that, but if she can commit it, then she will continue to take down the good players. However, she has to leap higher.

9. Carolina Wozniacki
Was it surprising that the former No. 1 won a couple matches and she looked pretty good, but in the third set against Gauff, she could not out hitter her, forehand versus forehand. Her backhand has always been great, and she can run fast, almost forever, but her forehand and at the net were good, but not sublime. However, she is a little bit better, so moving forward, maybe she will gradual wax.

10. Xinyu Wang
The young 21-year-old player really likes to play the doubles, but in the singles, she can be interesting. She returns very well, and at the net, too, but in the back courts, she can be proper, but she does hit the ball even harder. She needs to be more gutsy.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, Carolina Wozniacki, coco gauff, jelena ostapenko, Karolina Muchova, madison keys, Marketa Vondrousova, Matthew Cronin, Qinwen Zheng, Sorana Cirstea, us open, Xinyu Wang

US Open pick: men’s final

September 10, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Novak Djokovic over Daniil Medvedev
Two years ago, in the final at the U.S. Open, when Daniil Medvedev before it started, it looked like that against Novak Djokovic, he could out-hit him. Maybe he would not, but he could knock him down. It might have been almost impossible, yet he could be oh-so powerful. He started hitting the ball, even if he missed a few shots, but he believed that in a few hours, he might be a little bit nervous, but he realized that Medvedev was so consistent, and with more depth. He won it, winning it 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Djokovic had won 27 matches, but on Sunday, he was tired, mentally, and he could not produce enough winners. He was barely mediocre. But this time, in 2023, he looks totally healthy, so when he goes on the court, he will be fresh. As Medvedev said, he will have to play fantastic, all the time, but he does have a to chance to beat Djokovic again.

“He (Djokovic) is always better than the previous time he plays. For example, I beat him in the [2022] U.S. Open final, he beat me in Bercy (Paris Masters) in a great match. [He lost to] Carlos [Alcatraz] beat him in Wimbledon, he beat him in Cincinnati. Novak is going to be his best version on Sunday, and I have to be the best-ever version of myself if I want to try to beat him. Novak, when he loses, he’s never the same after… It’s just a different mentality… So, I have to use it knowing that he’s going to be 10 times better than he was that day. And I have to be, if I want to still beat him, 10 times better than I was that day.”

Maybe he will, but Djokovic really wants to win another huge tournament, which would be 24 Grand Slams, the most of all time. But he did say that if he wins, it could be the last, which would be totally nuts. Even if he loses, next year, and he is healthy, he certainly has a solid chance to win any of the Slams.

“Well, fact is that, at 36, every Grand Slam final … could be the last one. So I think that I probably value these occasions and opportunities to win another Slam more than I have maybe 10 years ago,” said Djokovic. “It’s another shot for history.”

Both of them are playing great, but stroke to stroke, whoever will win, he will have to play better, backhand to backhand, as well as when they serves. Also, when you return, if you manage to catch it, you have to put it some different areas, or if you can, to try it to wack it.

Medvedev will push him into the fifth set, and he will certainly try to chuck in a bunch of winners, but Djokovic will be so calm again, and he will sling in a few outstanding winners. He will win it 7-6 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. Ka-bang.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: daniil medvedev, Matthew Cronin, men's final, Novak Djokovic, us open

US Open picks: men’s semifinals

September 8, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Novak Djokovic over Ben Shelton
In 2003 at the U.S Open, Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open, knocking down David Nalbandian and Juan Carlos Ferrero. He became No. 1, and he won a number of excellent titles. But that was just one, but it is better than nothing.

Ben Shelton has reached into the semis, and he has had an incredible strokes over the past 11 days, but really, can he stun Novak Djokovic, who has won 23 Grand Slams? I doubt that. Yes, the 20-year-old has played fantastic, with his terrific first serve, his forehand and his backhand. He is fast, running, and he can also knock it in very close next to the lines. That is right now, though, and without a doubt, he is improving a lot, but before he came here, he lost a number of matches over the past four months. Assuming he continues to be healthy, and add more game, then he could reach the top 10, or higher, by the end of the year. However, there is history, and some people rise, and other people stay there. That is really happened.

But not Djokovic, who won his first Grand Slam title, grabbing the 2008 Australian Open, who looked very good, but he still had to improve his forehand, and at the net, too. Right now, though, when he is playing great, he is almost perfect. However, the last time was in Flushing Meadows in 2018, when he beat Juan Martin del Potro in the final, a gigantic hitter. He could not play last year at the U.S. Open, but in 2022 final, the Russian, Daniil Medvedev, beat Djokovic. So in a sense, there are times when the Serbian loses, not all the time, but sometimes. As he said: “Believe in yourself and your abilities; confidence is key to success.”

He must have watched on TV looking about Shelton, how he should play. He will out-stroke him, backhand to backhand, and at the net, too, and also with his hard serves. Shelton can win one set, but other than that, Djokovic will win it 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 and reach the final once again.

Carlos Alcaraz over Daniil Medvedev
Both of them are not tired at all, and they have also played each other a couple times, and it was close. At night, the same thing will occur, with some long, strong rallies, all over the place, with more than a few huge shots. They both have won it here, and they could do it again. Alcaraz can do whatever he wants to, and he also likes to do some fantastic rallies, but he can also slip, once and a while. He is very young, and at times, he can over think, but constantly, he can also be more patient, until he can try to put it away.

Medvedev can be to intense, and he can also become angry, yet he can re-set himself. His forehand and his backhand are so devout, and his first serve is massive. He has said that he wants to become No. 1 again, but he also knows is that first, he has to figure out how t unearth Alcaraz. He will, for two sets, but Alcaraz will climb up again, and he will win it 6-4, 4-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-3.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Ben Shelton, Carlos Alcaraz, daniil medvedev, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Novak Djokovic, us open

US Open picks: Wednesday, September 6

September 6, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Aryna Sabalenka over Qinwen Zheng
The 20-year-old Zheng is practicing all the time, trying to discover how she can improve her forehand, and also, when she can have a chance to crush her backhand. She has had a solid year, but not great, yet, but she is very young, so gradually, assuming that she wants to be much better, then soon enough, she can be inside in the top 10.

However, she still has to enrich all of it, as the same thing with the now No. 1 Sabalenka, who when she started, she was decent, but not great. Now, she is. Not all of it, but at least this year, she won her first Slam when she won the Australian Open. She is a gigantic hitter, with both sides. Sabalenka is quick, and she is fast, but her second serve and at the net is still so-so. Regardless, she really does know how to play, so on Wednesday, she will beat Zheng 6-3, 6-4.

Madison Keys over Marketa Vondrousova
The American really likes to entertain the fans in Flushing Meadows, and Keys appears to be healthy, on the court. She may not be to fast, running, but her huge forehand, and her gigantic backhand is solid. Keys can also attack immediately, and try to dictate.

The Czech Vondrousova has had a very good year, starting slowly, but then in July, she won Wimbledon. Her variety was encaging. She can spring and she can also whack her backhand. She also can volley close to the net. However, Keys can explode, with her forehand, and when she does, she will win the match 6-3, 7-5.

Carlos Alcaraz over Alexander Zverev
Two years, before the Spaniard became alive, Zverev dominated the Spaniard, early, when he beat him, twice. But then in 2022, Alcaraz began to rise when he beat him in Madrid in the final. Well, OK, Zverev was tired, due to when he won the semis, which was terrific, but his body was breaking down. Then at Roland Garros, a few weeks later, Zverev got him again, in a long match in the quarters, but it was close. This year, though, they faced off once again in Madrid and Alcaraz crushed him 6-1, 6-2. Yes, Alcaraz looks so darn good when he is on, but when Zverev is locked in, then he can chuck it in a number of shots.

The German can do a variety of shots, and he can mix it up, but there are times when he can back off. Alcaraz rarely does, and there are moments when he messes it up, when he tries to bang it, even though it is nearly impossible. However, he has won two Grand Slams, and each month, he is more skilled, and more patient. In the quarters, Zverev won a match agains Jannik Sinner in almost five hours. That was one of his best matches, ever, but on Wednesday, if he has to play in another three hours, or more, he will start to be exhausted. That could be wrong, but Alcaraz is fresh, and he is quicker, and he is also better at the net. He will win it 6-4, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2.

Daniil Medvedev over Andrey Rublev (written on Sept. 5)
The 2021 champion Medvedev can be up and down, when he is playing, but he can be brilliant, when he is shut in. His forehand and his backhand are so consistent, down the line, and side to side. He can be irritated, when he is not going well, and then he will hit some bizarre shots, which are out. Yet he can also be so steady, as he can move it all around the box.

However, will Rublev finally take down the biggest players at the Slams? He has, in the ATP 1000s, when he beat a number of very good player, beating Medvedev in the 2021 Cincinnati and at the ATP Finals in Italy. So clearly, when he is cracking his forehand and his backhand, and putting it away, he can upset the big boys. He really does think that if he can return better, and he can serve with a lot of aces, then he can feel satisfied. However, this year, Medvedev beat him 6-2, 6-2 in the final of Dubai. He simply beat him on the hardcourts, showing that he is smarter than he is. Medvedev will beat him again, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story

US Open picks: Monday, Sept. 4

September 4, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Jannik Sinner over Alexander Zverev

The powerful Italian has raised in the game, with some intelligent shots. He is being more patient, in the rallies, and he waits until he has a chance to put it away. Yes, Sinner can miss it, when he isn’t playing well, but at least over the past eight days, he has been solid.

Zverev is now hitting slightly harder, with his forehand, and also, to attach towards the net. He is returning more officially, and he is improving close at the net. However, Sinner can chase it down, and he can also throw in a bunch of aces. He will, but it will take at least three hours, and Sinner will out him in four hard sets, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5.

Alex de Minaur over Daniil Medvedev

Each year, if you can commit yourself, then eventually, you will improve a good amount. De Minaur has said that this year, he could see that he finally understands to hit the back ruthless, and raid more often
“I know what I want to accomplish, what I want to do and and it’s always great when you can execute as well. I think what I’m bringing is the kind of energy and intensity from the first point till the last and and it’s been showing because it’s been really helpful to keep my level throughout the whole match.”

Well said, but Medvedev will find energy most of the match. Two days ago, in the match, he was so-so, and he yelled at his coaches, but he still managed to beat Sebastian Baez 7-6 in the third set. He was satisfied, but still on the court, he looked pretty upset. Because of that, the Australian will where him down. Yes the Russian is a better player over all, yet De Minaur will rise up and defeat him in five brutal sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

Jessica Pegula over Madison Keys

The last time they played each other was in San Diego last year , and Pegula beat her 6-4, 7-5. Surely, it was a tight contest. Pegula does really like to rally, and move it all over the place. However, Keys is a bigger first serve, and either way, when she gets set, she can hit as hard as she can, deep, or in the corners. However, when she if healthy, and that isn’t often, she can drive the ball.

Yes Keys has done deep at the Grand Slams, reaching the final at the 2017 U.S. Open. But that was different, and while she can hit so harsh, she can go away.

Pegula is unpredictable at the majors, but the 29-year-old is more mature. She will drum Keys 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

Marketa Vondrousova over Peyton Stearns
The young American, Stearns, won the NCAA team titles two times at the University of Texas. She went pro, two years ago, and when she started at the WTA, she looked OK, but she lost against the top 15 players. Finally, she is not only aggressive, but she is also more thoughtful, on the court.

However, at Wimbledon, Vondrousova beat her in the first round, and eventually, she won the tournament. Yes, that is on the grass, but she is more solid, and she swings very hard. When she is on, the Czech has almost all of the shots, but there are times when she lets go. Either way, Vondrousova will beat the American 6-2, 7-5.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Alex de Minaur, Jannik Sinner, Jessica Pegula, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Peyton Stearns, us open

US Open picks: Friday, Sept. 1

September 1, 2023 by Ron Cioffi

Caroline Wozniacki over Jennifer Brady
The former No. 1 Wozniacki played pretty well when she knocked off Petra Kvitova. Her backhand has always been excellent, and her returns were terrific. However, her forehand is pretty good, but not great, which is why she has only won more than one at a Grand Slam. Can she do it again? That would be a huge challenge.

Brady was very good for a long time , but in 2021, she got hurt, physically, and she could not play in the WTA for two years. That is very long. Before that, she made it in the semis at the 2020 U.S. Open,and in 2021, she reached into the 2022 Aussie Open. Yes, she was darn good. However, Brady still is trying to get back, physically and mentally. She does really like to crush the ball, but Wozniacki is more in control. The Dane will win it in two tough sets.

Karolina Muchova over Taylor Townsend
The Czech can look so good, when she is sprinting, and slap it back. Over the past three months, she reached the final at Roland Garros and Cincinnati. She didn’t win it, but she is right there. Muchova appears to be healthy again, so the American Townsend has to play great to upset her. She is quite good in the doubles, but in the singles, she has improved this year, but she has not beaten a lot of top 10 players. Yes, the veteran wants to show the fans that she is legitmatety very good, but to watch it, she is going have to play great. She will at times, but really, Muchova is a better player. She will win it in two basic sets.

Tommy Paul over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
This should be a terrific, wild match. The American Paul beat him in Miami in straight sets, but the Spaniard wants to play much better at the U.S. Open. At the Australian Open on the hardcourts, again, Paul edged him 6-4 in the fifth set. Davidovich Fokina pushed himself back, and Paul attacked him, with some excellent shots. His forehand is a little bit better, but Davidovich Fokina has a more consistent backhand. Paul is more comfortable at the net, while Davidovich Fokina likes to add some different shots.
They will have another long five sets, and once again, Paul will beat him again, 7-5.

Taylor Fritz over Jakub Mensik
The 17-year-old Mensik qualified, and he has played almost every week, going to a bunch of small events. However, the teenager can be pretty steady, and also, he is tall, so when he gets a chance, he can swing hard and try for a winner. He beat a number of juniors, but this time, he has to play substantially better to upset Fritz, who has gone deep in a lot of events. Fritz once won Indian Wells, but he has yet to go into the second week at the U.S. Open. The San Diego native really wants to, so he has to be super consistent. As he said, the American Andy Roddick won the title in 2003, but that was it. Will it be this time?

“We’ve all been hearing about who’s going to be the next American (after) Andy Roddick 20 years ago our entire careers. We all want it so bad,” said Fritz. “Hopefully it’ll be one of us soon.”
He will win it over Mensik in straight sets.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, caroline wozniaki, Jakub Mensik, Jennifer Brady, Karolina Muchova, Matthew Cronin, Taylor Fritz, Taylor Townsend, Tommy Paul, us open