Archives for November 2023

WTA Finals picks: Pegula over Gauff, Swiatek over Sabalenka

November 4, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Jessica Pegula over Coco Gauff
The two good friends, Coco Gauff against Jessica Pegula, will face off in the semis on Saturday in Cancun, Mexico.

Gauff took her down in June, on grass in Eastbourne, and then on the hard courts in August, Pegula beat her in Montreal.

Clearly, they know each other very well, as they play with each other in the doubles. Whoever will win the match, one of them will push her way back, and rally her.

Gauff edged Marketa Vondrousova 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-3, mostly because she finally controlled her forehand, as well as her first serve. The 19-year-old is much more concentrated, and her return is now deeper.

However, the 29-year-old Pegula has also added with some hard shots, from the baseline, and while she knows that she wants to set it up, she does will attach more earlier. On somedays, she can go back under the top 50, a couple years ago, but now, the No. 5 is more powerful.

After she beat the No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka a few days ago, she said: “We all, as tennis players, have experienced that to some extent — on both sides. So I try to use my match experience as best I can,” Pegula said. “Every match, you’re always going to feel different. But I think the more you put yourself in those situations, the better you feel when they come up again. It doesn’t feel like you have to panic as much.”

The American has won three matches this week, so she is playing extremely well, and while Gauff has had a better year, in the singles, but she must be a little bit tired. There, Pegula will win the match, 6-3, 7-7, 6-4.

Iga Swiatek over Aryna Sabalenka
Right now, Iga Swiatek is on the blaze, winning all three matches, pretty easily. Her forehand and her backhand are endless, whether she can go crosscourt, or down the line. Her first serve can be ruthless, with some fine aces.

However, Swiatek will face Aryna Sabalenka, and on Monday, one of them will end the year at No. 1 ranking. If Sabalenka beats the Pole person, she will stay at No. 1, or the four-time Grand Slam champ Swiatek will take No. 1, again. That should be a dramatic contest.

This year, they played each other twice, on clay, and they split it. In 2022, they played five times, which was a lot, with Swiatek beating her at the US Open, and Sabalenka took her down at the WTA Finals in Fort Worth.

They are both monstrous hitters, and they can go for broke. After they won, they were pretty happy, but they are not thrilled with heavy wind in Cancun. However, at least it is more warm, which is good.

Swiatek appears to snag back to No. 1 again, and she really will mix it up. This time, she will hop to return, as she will win it 6-4, 6-4.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story

WTA Finals: Elena Rybakina vs. Aryna Sabalenka

November 3, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

There should be a terrific match, when the No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will face against Elena Rybakina. Their match is suspended due to rain and will restart today with Sabalenka ahead 6-2, 3-5.

They are tied 1-1, so whoever wins, she will get into the semis. Both of them can hammer their forehand and their backhand, and they can also leap on the second serve. Sabalenka did lose against the American, Jessica Pegula, because while she did nail some fine shots, but she did not serve well enough. Sabalenka can screech, and she can nail it off the court, and put it away. However, sometimes she can forget, where she is hitting the ball, exactly, which way to go?

She will have to, but so will be Rybakina, a real competitor. She doesn’t chop it much, but she can also angle it. Her backhand is super solid, but her forehand is pretty hard, yet she can miss it when she cannot control it.

This year, they have played each other three times, with Sabalenka beating Rybakina 6-4 in the final at the Australian Open. There was joy, and also, sad. However, Rybakina beat her twice in a row, winning Indian Wells, and also, recently, she knocked her down in Beijing. As she said: “I think this year I was more consistent, especially in the first part of the year. In the second part was a bit unlucky with the health issues, some sickness. Overall I think I improved a lot.”

The Kazakhstan won the 2022 Wimbledon, so she can rise up when she is comfortable. This time, in Cancun, Rybakina will nail it in the corners and beat Sabalenka 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

That was a solid match on Wednesday when Ons Jabeur beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-4, 6-3. In her first match, she couldn’t hit the ball anywhere, and she lost immediately, but today, she brought in with her terrific strokes. Now she is back again, so on Friday, she will be there, pushing it hard, and determining.

How about when Iga Swiatek beats Coco Gauff 6-0, 7-5? Yes, Swiatek can play amazing, especially in the corners, but even though she has had some excellent matches, especially when she won the US Open, but currently, Gauff is still working to improve her up and down forehand. But she will, year after year. Swiatek has won two matches, and she will play in the semis, against… who knows?

In the second match, Jessica Pegula will play Maria Sakkari. Pegula has won two matches, while Sakkari is eliminated. The match, though, should be engaging. What, why and who?

ATP
Both Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev both won in Paris and it looks like that they will qualify in the ATP Finals in Turin. … Tommy Paul lost, so he is now eliminated in the ATP Finals. Casper Ruud is also gone, but Holger Rune is still there, but he has to go very deep to get into the top eight. Rune has to defend1,000 points. Ouch.

Coco Gauff against Iga Swiatek in Cancun

November 1, 2023 by Ron Cioffi

Coco Gauff has another change to beat the No. 2 Iga Swiatek, but she will have to out-hit her, backhand to backhand. Swiatek really likes to go cross-court, and then she has a chance, to crack it down the line, usually, she will do it. Gauff really runs fast, and she can also hammer her backhand. Last year, her forehand could be up and down, but now, she is much more consistent, and deeper in the corners. The Polish person Swiatek had a terrific first serve, and she can also attack with her return, but there were times that she missed some critical shots.

They have played each other nine times, when Swiatek won it won eight times. The American Gauff has to play tremendous to beat her again.
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“She’s definitely one of the best players ever and in our generation, too,” Gauff said. “I mean, it’s something that I have to do better against her. The more I can play against her, the more I can get better. Hopefully, for this time I would love to get a W on the head-to-head. We could potentially play for our second time if we both keep doing well. At this rate, we probably will have the most matches ever at the end of our careers.”

Oh really? They must already be thinking about it. In the WTA Finals Cancun, it will be super tight. Gauff does have at the net, and while Swiatek has a more consistent forehand. However, at least today, the American will snag it 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Neither Ons Jabeur or Marketa Vondrousova played well in the first round when they lost, but this time one of them will show up and play much more harmonious. When she is locked in, Jabeur, can move it around, all atop on the place. She can chuck in some fine drop shots, and also, she can slice it. But at times, her shots are two short.

Vondrousova looked pretty good in the first set, but in the second set , Swiatek scrub her out. She can hit hard off both sides, and she is quick, but however, she can fall down, mentally. The Czech can look absurd when she is on, but when she is not, she sails. Really, though, Vondrousova, can re-ship it, and in the match, she will win it 7-5, 6-3.

MEN
That was surprising when Roman Safiullin beat Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 6-4 in Paris. He hit some prime backhands. Now the chance that Alcaraz will finish the No. 1 would be a stunner….
Taylor Fritz withdrew due to his injury. He may not make into the ATP Final now, but he will have to wait in see…

Hubert Hurkacz might be the guy, depending his results. He has had a fine fall…

Tommy Paul still has a shot, but he has to win Paris. His match was a marathon, so to do it, day after day, that would be incredible.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Cancun, coco gauff, Iga Swiatek, Matthew Cronin