Archives for September 2022

Saturday pix at the 2022 US Open

September 3, 2022 by Matthew Cronin

Garbiñe Muguruza vs Petra Kvitova
This should be a classic match given that both of them have won two Grand Slams – Muguruza at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and Kvitova at Wimbledon. They can be brilliant, or they can be irritated on court. However, when they play each other, and they are into it, then they can break down break down each other’s forehands and backhands. Yes, the Spaniard can be bloody, but they have played each other six times before, and the Czech has won five times. Apparently, Kvitova knows how to defeat Muguruza and she will win it in two wild sets.

Carlos Alcaraz vs Jenson Brooksby
The Spaniard thinks that if he can be more consistent, and also listen to what he should be doing, then he can beat anyone. The young man has beaten so many very good players, while still having some ups and downs. He really likes to bang it around, and slam it, but so does Brooksby, who had a fine match two days ago. The American really is in a position to control rallies, and within a second, then he will put it away. Alacraz can run into the net and be an effective volleyer. Alcaraz is still deciding what he can do, before he starts in the match, and then on court. In this match he will dance around the American, and he win in four savage sets.

Andrey Rublev vs Denis Shapovalov
The Russian has been close to be into the top 4, and maybe he can win a Grand Slam, for the first time. He is super consistent, and he is also more determined as he hits harder and harder at the lines. There are times, week after week, when he gets a little pissed off, and then he can lose. Yet Rublev has learned that he needs to be calm. The Canadian plays all the time, and her travels everywhere. Shapovalov has a lot of moxie and with some cool variety. He has won some jolting sets, but he has also had some mediocre days. Rublev will fight in this Grand Slams and has been a little bit more honest with himself, at least this week. He will win it in five crunchy sets.

Danielle Collins vs Alize Cornet
The entire world on Friday wanted to see Serena Williams. But in the third set, she lost to Ajla Tomljanovic . So that it is, and she has retired. Obviously, she is one of the great players ever. So now, the fans will be focusing on other good players like Collins. At this year’s Australian Open, and she reached the final, upsetting the now No. 1 Iga Swiatek. In the final, she was pretty close, but the current No.1, Ash Barty slightly hit her. Then, Barty retired, which was a shocker. The American had a terrific tournament here and hopes to take out Cornet, as she did in the Australian Open quarters. On Saturday, they will play each other again, toe to toe. The Frenchwoman has been playing very well over the last months, and she can really bring it, using her serves and mix it up everywhere. But, if she does not, then Collins will blitz her. Yes, Cornet is very confident, but Collins wants to play much better than she did over the past five months, when she was sloppy. This time, Collins will win with some hard volleys in three sets.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Alize Cornet, Andrey Rublev, Carlos Alcaraz, danielle Collins, denis Shapovalov, Garbiñe Muguruza, Petra Kvitova, us open

Friday predictions at US Open

September 2, 2022 by Matthew Cronin

Matteo Berrettini vs Andy Murray
Just before he got hurt, the Italian was feeling good, not only being very consistent snd controlled. He has yet to win a Slam, but he has gone deep, especially at the 2021 Wimbledon, when he reached the final, and he lost to No. 1 Novak Djokovic in four sets. But he kept going, jumping in and throwing it hard. This year, he reached the semis at the Australian Open, and he won Queen’s. But guess what? In Stuttgart, Berrettini played against the three-time champion, Murray, and he beat him in three difficult sets. This time, at the U.S. Open, things can change. The Scotl looked very good in the first two matches, as he hit some wonderful strokes, especially with his first serve and his wide-eyed return. If it goes into the fifth set, then Berrettini will tire him, but it doesn’t, then Murray can decide how to fool him. That is a toss-up, but in the end, Murray will win.

Nick Kyrgios vs J.J. Wolf
The so-called ‘new’ American, Wolf, is already smiling on the courts, sprinting and bashing his forehand. This year, he played a number of challengers, and he won a lot, but the 23-year-old knew that he needed to add to his shots. At least this week, he threw in some wonderful strokes. However, Kyrgios is playing so well, almost every match, with his mind-blowing serves, his muscular forehand, and also, his with his fine net play. Of course he can yell all day, but other than that, on court, he finally learned to be more efficient. There will be some crazy rallies, but Kyrgios will win in three sets.

Jessica Pegula vs Yue Yuan
We talked it before, but if Pegula can reach the second week, then she will finally have a terrific change to win the US Open. For so many years, she was pretty consistent, but she rarely tried to go for it, deep and close to the corners. She finally decided that if she can get into the top 20, then the world would know who she is. But even further, Pegula is ranked No. 7, which is keen. However, she has yet to reach the fourth round at Flushing Meadows, so this time, she has to knock it up.
Yuan has come out of nowhere in singles and currently she is ranked No. 142. Maybe she started to work hard with a couple of coaches, so she is now more mature. Regardless, Pegula will be patient, and when she has a chance, she can crack her shots. She will win in two sets.

Vika Azarenka vs Petra Martin
The Belarussian has won two Grand Slams. Years ago, she was one of the most aggressive strokers with her forehand and her backhand. However, her serve has been OK, but not great, and at the net, she stumbles. But the outgoing Azarenka can really return, in the lines. She would scream ‘C’MON.’ Very loud She has a child, and she has said that she is totally happy. We are sure that she is, but on court early in her matches, she can look terrific, but then, not so much. If she can manage to win fast, then she will continue to battle. However, Croatian Martin has been around for a long time. Years ago, she hit the top 15, and at the US Open, she reached the fourth round a few times. Yet she never was able to go super far. She upset Paula Badosa this week, so the 31-years-old must have been solid. Can she poke around against Azarenka? Maybe, for an hour or so, early, but Azarenka will be intense and she will win it in two sets.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Andy Murray, J.J. Wolf, Jessica Pegula, Matteo Berrettini, Nick Kyrgios, us open, vika azarenka, Yue Yuan

Four picks on Thursday at the US Open

September 1, 2022 by Matthew Cronin

Grigor Dimitrov vs Brandon Nakashima
Is it possible that the Bulgarian can reach the semis at a Grand Slam once again? The cool backhander did go deep at Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the US Open. In 2017, he was ranked No. 3, winning the ATP Finals. It was clear that each year, with his terrific strokes, he did say that yes, I certainly will win a Grand Slam. Unfortunately, he hasn’t yet, and he is starting to slow down. However, can still rock the boat. Yet American Nakashima is trying to gain speed but his shots were not deep enough. He has had some good wins, but the 21-year-old is ranked No. 69, so he has continue finding new gears. It is so hard to tell how Dimitrov will play, but in this match, he will sweep the American and win it in three sets.

Iga Świątek vs Sloane Stephens
When No. 1 Świątek starts in a point she can hit it so hard, with her forehand and backhand. She will go for it almost immediately. Yes, Ash Barty retired after she won at the Australian Open, leaving the top ranking open. Then Świątek won match after match. However, when she easily won at Roland Garros (she just lost one set) but then she began to slump a little bit, losing three tournaments a row. Look, you cannot win all the time, it is impossible, even with great players such as Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. Swiatek has won two Grand Slams at RG. So, this year, she has won six titles — excellent titles — but she is not in their class yet. Stephens won the USO, but she pulled back after that. Still, she is not in the top 32. Of course, she can be super consistent, still, but she hasn’t improved enough. When she is happy, on court, then she thinks about what to do, she can snap back into form. Once again, there will be some bewitching points, but Świątek will storm early and win it in three sets.

Borna Coric vs Jenson Brooksby
The Serbian just won Winston-Salem. He said he wasn’t sure that when he came back after his surgery, he will not win a lot all the time. But slowly, he started to be consistent and really go for it. So, in the past 10 days, he was much more dependable. The 21-year-old American Brooksby has put together a number of very good wins. However, in three months, he was very solid, but after Miami, he began to slump. Yes, here and there, he can be very good, but in the last three tournaments, he was confused, and he lost quickly. Of course, he can rip it with his forehand and backhand, but he can also miss a lot. Coric won a long five-setter in the first round and will have to find ways to break down Brooksby. Coric will win in four difficult sets.

Belinda Bencic vs Sorana Cirstea
The Swiss can look amazing, running around and mixing it up, but then she would lose control. She can be thrilling, and then she can also look lazy. She has always been a fascinating person, but Bencic still doesn’t understand who she is. The veteran Cirstea is also trying to reach into the top 20 before she retires. Ten years ago, she did reach to the No. 21, and then she fell back. Currently now, the Romanian has had some OK wins, but not a lot in 2022. Maybe she can change it up and try to something new. Perhaps she will, but Bencic will out hit her with some incredible shots to win in straight sets.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Belinda Bencic, Brandon Nakashima, Grigor Dimitrov, Iga Świątek, Jenson Brooksby, sloane stephens, us open