Archives for June 2023

The picks from Roland Garros: Monday, June 5

June 4, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Alexander Zverev over Grigor Dimitrov
He is really feeling right now. Zverev is more and more ego, with his tremendous forehand and with his variety stokes. On the bassline, he can slap it, crosscourt and down the line. He is not perfect yet, but his first serve is harder now, and he can also really pay attention.

Against Dimitrov, he is going to have to push him way back. The Bulgarian has so many different shots, with his slice, when it is flat, or topspin. Dimitrov thinks that when they are out there, he can eventually control him. However, the German just said: “I’m here to play some of the best players in the world, and today was definitely the case in that,” Zverev said.
He must be playing on the top the ball, and while Zverev can check out, for a few games, or more, but in the fifth set, he will put a few huge winners. He will win it over Dimitrov in five wonderful sets.

Holger Rune over Francisco Cerundolo
Is it possible that Rune can go all the way? He is playing terrific, with his forehand, his backhand, and he also improved with the return. If he continues to play so solid, he could be facing in the final.

“That’s a big question, man. Well, the time will show,” he said. “We’ll see. Obviously I believe I can. But I have to play my best tennis, be in my best state of mind to do it, and I have to take one match at a time.”
Cerundolo also is playing so smart, on the court. He runs very fast, and he has a lot of angles. He has put together some logical wins and he is certainly rising, but on Monday, Rune will be more fitting on the forehand, and he will win it in four large sets.

Iga Swiatek over Lesia Tsurenko
The No. 1 is crushing everyone, and to beat her on clay, someone else will have to play 100 percent. At the beginning 2022, Swiatek looked very decent, but not great. However, in February, she began to win all the time. Apparently, she changed her attitude and her strokes. But also, each month, they can lose once and a while, and that can be OK.

“A lot of like new situations and a lot of ups and downs. “Every year,I face different challenges, so I kind of just thought about these challenges and tough moments I had and also how I overcame them. All the moments where I felt really, satisfied with my tennis,” Swiatek said.
“But like overall, I just thought about my life.”

Everyone wants to look at the life, on the court and off. Tsurenko decided to push herself, during the points. She has been here for a hefty time, and she has won some tremendous wins, but Swiatek is stronger, with her forehand and her backhand. She will crush Tsurenko in two easy sets.

Ons Jabeur over Bernarda Pera
She was struggling a lot this year, but Jabeur right her ship. She has a immense variety, and she can touch a number of drop shots. She can be fragile, but she can also start the battles.

‘I’m getting back to my level. I feel like I’m moving great, and I’m feeling like it’s getting better during the matches. The game is there,” she said. “ Physically I’m feeling definitely much better.”

Eleven months ago, Pera won in Hungary and Hamburg, on clay, back to back. That was won of her two best weeks, ever, but after that, she did not win that much. She clearly really likes clay, but to beat the top- 10 competitors, the 28- year-old is good, but not great. Perhaps she can do it eventually, but Jabeur will win it in two quick sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Carlos Alcaraz over Lorenzo Musetti
Correct: Stefanos Tsitsipas over Sebastian Ofner
Correct: Elina Svitolina over Daria Kasatkina
~~Sloane Stephens over Aryna Sabalenka~~

Matt’s picks from Roland Garros

22 out of 32, 68.7% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Iga Swiatek, Matthew Cronin, Ons Jabeur

The picks at Roland Garros: Sunday, June 4

June 3, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Sloane Stephens over Aryna Sabalenka
This could be wrong, because Sabalenka is playing darn good, but yesterday, the Belarusian was upset because her country’s involvement in Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. She decided not to go into the press conference. As she said: “I know they still expect some questions that are more about the politics and not so much about my tennis,” Sabalenka said. “For many months now, I have answered these questions at tournaments and been very clear in my feelings and my thoughts. These questions do not bother me after my matches. I know that I have to provide answers to the media on things not related to my tennis or my matches, but on Wednesday, I did not feel safe in the press conference.”

That is likely true, and because of that, she must be pretty sad. When she gets on court , Sabalenka might be thinking about the situation, so then she won’t be able to be very calm, with her massive forehand and her backhand.

Stephens has heard it, so now she will totally be in control. She has had a difficult year, but once and a while, she can not just be patient, in the back, but she waits until she can smash it, down the line or crosscourt. Stephens is now saying that she loves playing at Roland Garros. This week, she has looked very good, with very few errors. This time, Stephens will dust down Sabalenka in the third set, putting together some tremendous shots.

Carlos Alcaraz over Lorenzo Musetti
This should be a terrific match, as Musetti won Hamburg in 2022, beating Alcaraz in three wonderful sets. However, at the USOpen, Alcaraz won it all. The Italian finally became much more real.

“The match in Hamburg gave me a lot of confidence… Of course, it’s a completely different position, different status but I think we will enjoy our match.” “I see (him as) a friend. He started a (new) way, a new generation,” Musetti said. We are trying to push him and to get closer.” The Spaniard added, “It’s a big challenge for me. I remember the match in Hamburg. It was really, really tough. He’s a really talented player. I know him very well. We played tournaments when we were kids… It’s going to be a really fun match.”

There will be some extremely rallies, with there backhands, flat or spin. They don’t chop it much, but with the forehand, they can push it very close on the backcourts. They are still working to improve there returns, especially with there second serve.

Alcaraz is on fire again, and while Musetti thinks he has to be more steady, he won’t be able to change a few important tactic in the fifth set. Alcaraz will win it with a few insane shots.

Stefanos Tsitsipas over Sebastian Ofner
The Greek is quietly playing as he knows that in the second week, many of the fans will go to watch him. He has not had a fantastic year in 2023, as there were times when he would lose his head. But currently, he is more serene, just like he did at the Australian Open. In the final, he was there but then he went down. After that, he lost some odd matches, but in Paris, he decides that he was going to think hard, every second.

“I’ve produced some really good tennis when I’m at a psychological state of ‘nothing matters and I don’t care anymore’. And I just want to play it, I don’t care what the outcome will be,” he said. “I have broken back. I’ve suddenly found my rhythm back into the game. I guess there is lack of expectation, lack of thought… when you’re out there because you’re constantly analysis every decision.”

Ofner just played three hours and 50 minutes, and while he ran for hours, and he looked a little bit tired, but his backhand was so sober. However, the 27-year-old has yet to reach the top 100, ever. He will eventually, but he won’t be able to out-hit him. Once again, Tsitsipas will reach into the second week once again. He will win it in straight sets.

Elina Svitolina over Daria Kasatkina
The No. 9 has had a pretty decent year, as the Russian has improved with her forehand, as well as her first serve. She can be somewhat consistent, and on occasion she can chuck in some fun drop shots.

However, Kasatkina has played six times again Svitolina, and she lost every time. She is more oomph, as her forehand and her backhand are stronger. There are times when the former No. 3 would disappear, with some crazy shots, but the older you get, you can be much more proper. Without a doubt, Kasatkina will try to change something new, but even if she does, Svitolina will find her way again, and she will win it in two long sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Alexander Zverev over Frances Tiafoe
Correct: Coco Gauff over Mirra Andreeva
Correct: Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova over Kayla Day
~~Taylor Fritz over Francisco Cerundolo~~

Matt’s picks from Roland Garros

19 out of 28, 67.8% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz, Elina Svitolina, french open, Lorenzo Musetti, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, paris, roland garros, roland-garros, sloane stephens, Stefanos Tsitsipas

The picks for Roland Garros: Saturday, June 3

June 3, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Alexander Zverev over Frances Tiafoe
Gradually, although he is not great again, but he is climbing. When Zverev almost won the 2021 U.S. Open, it looked like that next year, he would be more brilliant, and more control. But he has not been there, as last year, he became hurt, physically. He can crack his forehand and his backhand, and jump on the return. At the net, he still is mediocre, although, each year, if he tries, he will get better, as he hopes.

Tiafoe has had a good week, so far. Before on the clay, he was struggled, but now he is more thoughtful. His forehand is massive, and he will paint it on the lines. To win it, the American has to be totally locked in. He will try, but in the fifth set, the German Zverev will move forward, and he will win it in some, large, sets.

Taylor Fritz over Francisco Cerundolo
The American San Diego man is playing more conformable, on the slow clay. Fritz has studied on the TV, watching the other matches, as he wants to understand how exactly he has to play. Sometimes he does it, and other times, he doesn’t get it, to use more crosscourt.

All of a sudden, Cerundolo finally found the self-trust. He is adgle, and he can smash his forehand. The Argentina believes that when he is on, he can throw some fantastic shots. While he believes that he can knock him down, Fritz will swell it, and he will win it in five, savage, sets.

Coco Gauff over Mirra Andreeva
This rarely happens, but at Roland Garros, only a few of them have reached into the third round when you are only 16-year-old. The Russian Andreeva is already somewhat solid, and she is super fast, running, too. She can smash her backhand, and jump with her forehand, too. As she said: ‘Maybe, as my coach says, to not be like a diva. To stay humble all the time.”

Last year at the 2022 Roland Garros, Gauff reached the final, and for six matches she was playing lights out. Yet in the final, she folded and she threw in so man errors. This time, while she has had a mediocre season in the singles, on the court, but this week, her forehand has become better, and her backhand has always been massive. Because of that, the American will win it two, brittle, sets.

Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova over Kayla Day
The American has not beaten the top 10 competitors, but she seems to be more honest, in the courts. She is a little bit more stronger with her forehand, and her return has also improved. However, she has yet to be in the top 100, so she has a long way to go. The Slovakia Schmiedlova can be up and down, but she has also had some solid wins over the past 10 years. She has beaten some important matches, such as in 2020, when she stunned Vika Azarenka at Roland Garros. However, she has yet to reach in the second week, so she isn’t stable enough, but this time, she will beat Day in three, really crazy sets.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story

The picks at Roland Garros: Friday, June 2

June 1, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Carlos Alcaraz over Denis Shapovalov
In his second time at Roland Garros, Rafa Nadal was so young, but he won the tournament, anyway. His forehand was phenomenal. The other Spaniard, Alcaraz, was yet to win it here, but he did grab it in his first major, at the 2022 U.S. Open. He was just so driven. Now, the super fast player has a really good shot to win it here now, but before he can snag it, he has to be more placid.

The Canadian Shapovalov has not been very good, this year, but at times, when he is much more effect, then he can put it on the corners. If he wants to out-last him, then he will have to really change it up, and return, better, too. As Nadal said, Alcaraz is already excellent, but he still has to add a few, intelligent, shots. He will, when Alcaraz will beat Shapovalov in four brittle sets.

Lorenzo Musetti over Cameron Norrie
The Italian is rising, with his confidence. Now he doe like to spin, but he can clap his forehand and his backhand. His first serve is somewhat decent, and he can throw it at the net. However, Musetti can hit some unpaired shots. If he wants to win the match, he has to settle down, as Norrie can play for so many hours. He can attack, or he can just sit there until his opponent will miss it. Norrie rarely gets tired, and he does blending it up all around. In the court, he will, but in the fifth set, Musetti will hit some terrific backhands and win it.

Karolina Muchova over Irina-Camelia Begu
She can play amazing when she is hitting so harsh, with her forehand and her backhand. Her serve isn’t great, but she is decent at the net, and she can scramble, too. The 26-year-old Czech said that right now, she wants to go much further.

“It’s the biggest tournament and I like to play them as well as — I don’t want to say I’m not focused on other tournaments, but the motivation is bigger at all the four slams,” Muchova said. ”I think that might be it. But anyway, anywhere I am, I’m trying to play the best against top seeds and trying to get back my ranking. I think I’m getting there step-by-step.”

More than that, but Begu really knows how to play different tactics. She can rush ahead, and she can bang her backhand, but her forehand isn’t great, which is why she has yet to win a major. But she is trying, even though decently, she tossed her racket. Oh well, most of the players, do. She is 31-year-old, and very respectable, on court, but she has yet to reach in the top 20. Maybe she will, someday. Believe it or not, they played each other at Madrid a few weeks ago, and Begu beat Muchova in two, tough, sets. This time, Muchova will turn it around. She will win it in three savage sets.

Anastasia Potapova over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
The Russian is pretty young, and she has moved up the changed, somewhat faces. Yes, over the past two months, she put up some fine shots, but also, against some of the top 10 players, she lost in the third sets, four times. Clearly, she has more spawn to do. On the court, she looks aggressive, but also, she isn’t mixing it around, enough.

Pavlyuchenkova is another player who has been for a long time. She has been very respectable, but not fantastic. She almost retired, due to an injury, and she could play for five months. “Now she is back, hoping that she can run without pain. “It was a rollercoaster of emotions because I was sad. I was close to crying, but also sad because I wasn’t sure what (comes)after,” she said. Potapova beat her one time, and it was pretty close. Without a doubt, Pavlyuchenkova will make a mammoth effort, but Potapova will pop her in two surprising sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Bianca Andreescu over Emma Navarro
Correct: Nicolas Jarry over Tommy Paul
Correct: Frances Tiafoe over Aslan Karatsev
~~Lauren Davis over Lesia Tsurenko~~

Matt’s picks from Roland Garros

13 out of 20, 65% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Anastasia Potapova, Cameron Norrie, Carlos Alcaraz, denis Shapovalov, Irina-Camelia Begu, Karolina Muchova, Lorenzo Musetti, Matthew Cronin, paris, roland garros, roland-garros