coco gauff – Page 2 – TennisReporters.net

Sabalenka: “I think the best season in my life so far”

October 31, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Jessica Pegula finally played terrific at the WTA Finals, beating the intense player, Elena Rybakina in two sets. However, on Tuesday she has to face against the No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka, who crushed Maria Sakkari.

They have played each other five times, and Sabalenka beat her four times, mostly on the clay, but at this tournament last year, she beat her 6-3, 7-5 on the hard courts. The Belarussian also really likes on the hard courts, winning the Australian Open. Her forehand and her backhand are massive, and her return is super aggressive. However, she can get frustrated on the court, over hitting the ball, and not coming into the net. She can be a brilliant player, but also, she can check out in the third set, occasionally.

Pegula believes that when she can go for it, and also to risk it, rather than just to put it on play, then she can actually grab a lot of winners. Years ago, she was decent, but she wasn’t been able to out-hit against the top players. Now she is, and to win this match, she has to change it up more, and push her into the wall.

Sabalenka knows that she has to be patient, and to jump it when she is returning. As she said, two days ago: “It’s just super great season, I think the best season in my life so far. Hopefully this is just the beginning: with every year I’ll play better and better. I use this year as a motivation for me to keep working hard, to keep pushing, and see where is my limit are. ”
Sabalenka will make some odd error, but towards at the end, she will hit some massive first sets and she will win it 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

Surpassingly, Rybakina did now play well enough on Sunday against Pegula, when she lost. Yes, the American was so consistent, but the 2022 Wimbledon champ has had a solid year, but she only won one ever, in Rome. She certainly has beaten all the top players, but her forehand can be spotty. The Russian Rybakina is a huge hitter, and she can return pretty well, but if she wants to win another huge event, then she has to raise quickly.

Sakkari is one of the best rallies, hitting hour after hour. She can be so steady, but she plays all the time, and in the fall, she looks very tired. Yes, she does want to show that she is still there, in the matches, but she is not hitting the ball deep enough, which is why Rybakina will win the match 6-4, 6-1.

Notes: the women and men

On Monday, two of the former champs, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek, won easily, so they are in it.

In Paris, Taylor Fritz won a match, and he said that his body is so-so. If he wins a couple matches, then he has a solid chance to play in the ATP Finals. Or maybe not:

“It’s something that’s been bothering me for a little bit… I didn’t think it was anything too bad going in [to this match], but one where I slid out and sliced that forehand, I felt like I did something that I had never done to it before,” said Fritz. “Like maybe I tore something or pulled it. So I’m going to have to get it checked out and see what’s going on.”

The other American, Tommy Paul, won a marathon, beating Richard Gasquet 0-6, 6-2, 7-6(6). He has to win the tournament to qualify, but it is almost impossible. But at least he will try…

He may be ranked No. 7. but last year in Paris, Holger Rune won it, but now he is defending 1,000 points. He does have a chance to qualify, but he has to go very deep to do it again. He has not played very well since Wimbledon, so he is going to have to recover, immediately. Rune is only 20-years-old, so over the next couple years he will get better, here and there, but he has to think about it all of the time. They all must do.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Cancun, coco gauff, Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, Maria Sakkari, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, wta finals

Coco Gauff: ‘A weight lifted and I’m able to play more freer’

October 7, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Will Coco Gauff win match after match, as the American is so much better than she used to be. The 19-year-old might lose in China, but she did beat Veronika Kudermetova 7-6, 6-2, and the Russian was playing terrific, but in the second set, she looked tired. However, the American has improved her forehand, a lot, and she also has begun her return, much harder. The 2023 U.S. Open champion is smarter, when she is playing. She is rising, fast.

“I do think I feel more confident. I think having that win makes you more confident in these moments,” she said. “Especially the way the US Open went for me, a lot of three-set matches, a lot of tough moments. I think it’s way more pressure in the Grand Slam than a 1000, even though there’s still pressure, but it’s just less. I’m able to handle these emotions more because of that experience. Honestly, I do feel more confident stepping on court. Plus the way I kind of started on the scene, a lot of people wanted that for me and expected that from me. I feel like now it’s a little bit of a weight lifted and I’m able to play more freer, focus on the long-term and how to be able to set myself up to win even more.”

The No. 3 Gauff just beat Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-2, another very good player, which means that she is so steady. She is terrific at the net, and she is very fast, running. She hasn’t lost since Montreal, so if she can beat the former No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the semis in Beijing, China, then she will continue to be on the blaze.

How about Swiatek, who when she plays, and she is shut in, she can beat anyone, on the clay and the hardcourts. She did win Poland, in July, but after that she did not win a title, losing against Gauff in Cincinnati. She has beaten her four times, yet Gauff out-hit her at the end. Both her forehand and her backhand are so strong, and her return is very aggressive, but the No. 2 can forget what she is thinking about herself. However, off court, she is more calm.

“I just kind of played what I felt I needed to and what I felt was right at the moment. Yeah, well, for sure the confidence level got higher when I just saw that I’m in control,” she said.

The Italian Jannik Sinner won Beijing,China, beating the two Grand Slam players with Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev. Not many people can do that, but Sinner continues to remedy all around. The 22-year-old has lost to the very good players, which were close, but he couldn’t decide how to process. At the U.S. Open, he played against Alexander Zverev in the fourth round, and he was pretty close, but in the fifth set, he over hit it. However, he was not to sad, as last month, he won Toronto, the ATP 1000. He was ready to rumble, once again.

“I’m more proud about how I improved the level this year, mentally especially. I felt like or I feel that I’m much stronger,” he said. “Also physically I know that I have to work a lot, so this is an aspect where we are going to push a lot in end of the year, especially for the next year then. But I felt like I was playing really consistent tennis throughout the whole year.”

NOTES
The WTA Finals is now set with Aryna Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Marketa Vondrousova, Ons Jabeur and Karolina Muchova. They will play in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of October.

In Shanghai, the ATP 1000, the odd Alexander Zverev lost against Roman Safiullin, who is playing well, but the German looks TIRED. Take a week off and recover…Three of the men won including Ben Shelton, Sebastian Korda and Christopher Eubanks. Will they stay during the weekend?

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, Ben Shelton, Christopher Eubanks, coco gauff, Iga Swiatek, Jannik Sinner, Matthew Cronin, Sebastian Korda, Veronika Kudermetova

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

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: women’s final

September 9, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Coco Gauff over Aryna Sabalenka
The last time that the American women won at the U.S. Open was Sofia Kenin, who won it. She was spectacular. However, she started to slip, and she almost disappeared, but on Saturday, and other American, Coco Gauff, will have a chance to win a Grand Slam for the first time. Without a doubt, she has a very good chance to grab it. However, she has to beat the soon to be the No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka, who is a huge hitter, side to side. She almost lost in the semis against Madison Keys, but she continues to smash her forehand and her backhand, and she won it, 0-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (10-5) . Yes, she was satisfied, but she is going to have to play better, almost each point, because the 19-year-old Gauff has improved her forehand and with her return. Yes, the Floridian is rising, each month, but she has only won five titles, which is good, but if you look at the great Serena Williams, she was only 18-years-old, she won the 1999 US Open. Then, she won 73 titles. Darn, good, huh?

In the semis on Thursday, Gauff edged Karolina Muchova 6-4, 7-5. Yes, she missed some odd errors, but she managed to be more congruent, in the end. Now, can she do it against the Belarusian Sabalenka? She shore can, as they have played each other five times, and Gauff has won it three times. However at the Indian Wells in March in the quarters, Sabalenka beat here 6-4, 6-0. As she said: “I honestly don’t like to think about that match. From that match to the current one she improved a lot and she will be a different player. I think I should concentrate and prepare for another fight.”

Yes, it was a bad day for Gauff, but both of them are thinking about it, on the hardcourts, and how she should decide exactly what to do? Does she attach early? Should you be patient, until she can see that touch the lines, very hard? Can you chip it, or slice it? Last year in Toronto, Gauff beat Sabalenka 7-6 (4) in the third set. Obviously, it was wildly close, but Sabalenka finally won a Grand Slam when she won the 2023 Australian Open. Both of them are so much more mature, on court.

It is true on Saturday, there will be some amazing rallies, but in the third set, Gauff will dig deep and win the 2023 U.S. Open 3-6, 6-2, 7-5. Another new Grand Slam champion.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, coco gauff, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, us open

US Open picks: women’s semifinals

September 7, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Coco Gauff over Karolina Muchova

This should be a very tight match, as the American is playing as well as she has over the past two months. Rapidly, Gauff improved her forehand, her first serve, and her return. After she lost against her good friend, Jessica Pegula , 7-5 in the third set, she continued to focus, and then, she rose.

Yes, she is on the blaze, but she still has to understand what she has to do, point to point. The great Serena Williams did, and that is why she has won 23 Grand Slams. Gauff has won five titles, but no Slams, yet. It is time to try, again.

Believe it or not, in Cincinnati, in the final, Gauff beat Muchova 6-3, 6-4. It was some what close, but the Czech missed a bunch of easy shots. However, at least she made the final at Roland Garros, and she nearly beat Iga Swiatek, but she lost 6-4 in the third. Close, but no cigar.

She has only won one title, a small place, so while she is much more suitable, she can lose control.
Because of that, deep in the third set, Gauff will hit a few gigantic winner and she will win 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Madison Keys over Aryna Sabalenka

At Wimbledon in the quarters, the Belarus took her down, somewhat easily 6-2, 6-4. She will attack early, and with her forehand and her backhand, she will rein. Yes, the new No. 1 can still throw in a decent amount double faults, but it is a lot better now, this year.

Keys knows that if she wants to beat her, she has to jump her early, and while the American can assault her immediately, it also is that when she is running, side to side, and she hits it, then she will try to hit it on the lines. Keys has gone deep before, reaching the final the 2017 U.S. Open, and she lost against Sloane Stephens, but she did have a terrific event. As she said: “I think I just find another gear when it comes to Slams. Part of it is that I put a little bit more pressure on myself, which is a good thing and also a bad thing sometimes. But I’ve just peaked at the right time. I haven’t had too many disappointing exits at Slams.”

Can she beat Sabalenka on Thursday night? I would say yes, a real upset, winning it 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, coco gauff, Karolina Muchova, madison keys, Matt Cronin, us open

US Open picks: Tuesday, Sept 5

September 4, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Coco Gauff over Jelena Ostapenko

Many people are thinking that Gauff is ready to win the U.S. Open for the first time. She is playing wonderful ball, with her terrific backhand, and at the net, where she really reads it. She has lost a few sets, but in the third set, she jumps on the ball, and she focuses. It is possible that she can be shaky, in the match, but she is maturing.

Ostapenko actually won Roland Garros years ago, and she put in so many winners, as she went for it, all the time. But now, while she can crush the ball, currently, she can wait, here and there, until she can go for the right shot. Yes, she can make some crazy shots, and it will go out. That is her, but Ostapenko really likes to play in front of the massive crowns. However, Gauff will challenge her, backhand versus backhand, and she will win it, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Novak Djokovic over Taylor Fritz

The American Fritz has played much better at the U.S. Open, with some intense strokes. Before that, he was somewhat confused, and his return was spotty. However, over the past two years, his forehand and his backhand has been concisely powerful. However, he has only won one ATP 1000, and he has never gone deep in the Slams. But maybe he is finally more mature, point after point.

But he has to face against Djokovic, who has won 23 Grand Slams, as well as a huge amount of the ATP 1000s. Clearly, the 36- year-old is better than just about everyone, as his backhand is the best ever, and his intelligent serves. He can also run very quickly. Yes, it will be above 90 degrees on Tuesday, so they will eventually be tired, if it goes long, more than three hours. Djokovic has beaten him all seven times, including at Cincinnati, when he crushed him 6-0, 6-4. Yes, two year ago, at the 2021 at the Australian Open, Fritz looked very good, but in the fifth set, the Serbian raised up, and Fritz fell.

This time at the U.S. Open, Fritz will win a set, but Djokovic will bury him, stroke to stroke, and he will grab it 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3.

Karolina Muchova over Sorana Cirstea

Three years ago, the Czech beat Cirstea at the U.S. Open in the third round in a massive match, grabbing it 7-6(7). Will they do it again on Tuesday? Sure, why not? They are both hitting deep, into the corners, and attacking it. They can bash the ball, and they also can be steady. Yes, Cirstea can back off, and the reason why is because she has yet to win a huge tournament, but at this year, the veteran has changed her tactics. So she has won a bunch if matches.

However, Muchova is one of the best players when she can lock it in. She has yet to win a Grand Slam, but at least she came close at Roland Garros. However, she can collapse, when she isn’t playing well.
The 33-year-old Cirstea is finally understanding that if she wants to go further, she will have to take the gloves off. She will, and the Romanian will win it 6-4, 5-7, 7-6

Frances Tiafoe over Ben Shelton

The 20-year-old Shelton has already had a fantastic tournament, and he is growing, day after day. He is physically strong now, and he is faster, running, too. Also, he can mix it up, and down the line. He will improve a lot over the next 10 years, but right now, Tiafoe believes that he can actually win it at the U.S. Open. That is a huge task, as he has yet to win a Slam, or an ATP 1000. Maybe he is ready. He can look stellar when he is on, trying to paint the lines. His forehand and his backhand are darn stout, but he is going to have to do it against Shelton, who will be pumped, up. As Patrick McEnroe said: “This is the biggest match like this in a long time. A very long time.”

However, Tiafoe will control him, and he will win it 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Ben Shelton, coco gauff, Frances Tiafoe, jelena ostapenko, Karolina Muchova, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Novak Djokovic, Sorana Cirstea, Taylor Fritz, us open

US Open picks: Sunday, Sept. 3

September 3, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Sorano Cirstea over Belinda Bencic
This is certainly surprising, as Cirstea has been pretty decent over the past 12 years, but she never went very deep at the tournaments. But now she is, not only because she is smarter, on court, but now she can leeway harder.

Bencic really likes to have large rallies, and then when she can run closer the net, she can hop on the ball. Both of them have been around for a long time, and they know that in order to win the match, they have to think about exactly what to do, when it is tied. Cirstea is playing as well as she can, and this time she will win it 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.

Tommy Paul over Ben Shelton
At the start if the year, with the Americans, who would have thought that they will face each other in the fourth round at the U.S. Open? Almost no one. However, here they are, playing excellent tennis, on the hard courts, and sprinting side to side. Over the past year and a half, Paul began to push himself, just running, but really to go for it. His backhand is better than he was, and his first serve is much stronger.

Shelton is very young, and he will get better, months after month, but he still needs to be more brilliant, during the rallies. Yes, he can rake the ball, and cheer, after he hits a winner, but he need to be very focus, all the time. As Paul said: “I’m doing things I have never done; never been to the fourth round of the Open, never played on Ashe, never won on Ashe. So it’s exciting for me right now.”

Paul really wanted to be the second week, here, and while he can back off, he will swing hard. He will win it 7-6, 5-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Coco Gauff over Caroline Wozniacki
In her last set, Gauff was on inferno, with her better first serve, her terrific backhand, and her intelligent at the net. She is improving fast, even when with her now sturdy forehand. But what about Wozniacki, who just came back last month, to play again? The former No. 1 was always so consistent, and her backhand was phenomenal. However, her forehand was decent, but not great, and the reason why as she only won one Grand Slam. She did not return harder. There are different things, and now it looks like she is raring to go.

This should be a very close match, into the third set, and while Wozniacki has studied her, Gauff will attack her late, and she will win it 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Taylor Fritz over Dominic Stricker
The San Diego man is rolling, rolling. Fritz is not only hitting the ball so hard, but he is really mixing it up, all over the place. He can make some crazy shots, yet he can also know which way exactly to go.

The young Switzerland Stricker is quite young, and the lefty plays all over the world, with some fine weeks. He has not yet taken out the big boys, but at least he qualified, so he must think that he can shock Fritz. All the players want to do it, but on the court, Fritz will push him way back and win it 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Belinda Bencic Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Carolina Wozniacki, coco gauff, Dominic Stricker, Matt Cronin, Sorano Cirstea, Tommy Pau, us open

The Washington final: Who will win. Maybe Maria Sakkari?

August 6, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Neither Coco Gauff or Maria Sakkari have won a bunch of titles, but they have had some excellent matches. In fact, Gauff has won three titles, while Sakkari has one no titles. It is for her to finally explode in Washington.

Both of them played fantastic over the past six days, hitting some muscular shots. They are both very fast when they are running, and they can also grind it, point after point. However, when it is very deep, in the weekend, they can fold. They are definitely positive, when they are playing great, but when they don’t, they can become very frustrated, inside there heads.

Sakkari has had an up-and-down year, winning a number of matches, in the first three months, and then she started to slip, week after week, even on the grass. But somehow, she recovered, so now she is more secure.

Gauff is also trying to add a few shots, especially with her forehand. It will certainly take her a while, but this week it appears that she is stepping and swinging with her legs, with her forehand, and also, with her arms. She is very young, still, so it will take her even more time to add with her game.

However, Sakkari holds a 4-1 lead versus Gauff, 4-1. She beat her in 2022, in Doha, on the hardcourts, and also, on the clay, in Rome. When Sakkari is playing so intense, and she doesn’t become so angry, all the time, then she is locked in, just like she beat Jessica Pegula in three sets in the semis. She is right there.

However, Gauff is also looking to win another title, the fourth time. Is it a pick-em? No, because Sakkari has been better than she is, although in the finals, Gauff has been more thoughtful. This time, Gauff will win it in three sets, when she nails her delicious backhand.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: coco gauff, Maria Sakkari, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Washington

The picks at Roland Garros: Wednesday, June 7

June 6, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Ons Jabeur over Beatriz Haddad Maia
The Brazilian has changed a few interesting tactics over the past year. Haddad Maia beat a number of the very good players. She can throw in some deep shots, with her spin and her slice. As she says that, “I think I had a very tough draw. I had to push myself.”

Yes, she does. However, Jabeur is more mature, even though in the matches, she can over think. She does have an incredible top spin, and she can also mix it up a lot, but at times, she isn’t hitting hard enough. She has to play if she is playing great, or mediocre, with everyone. “I have learned a lot how to accept things, either good or bad. For me, being injured was part of my path, how the season would have started here this year. I worked a lot on my mental health and worked a lot on how to manage all this, because I believe there is a lot of injuries are connected to our emotional part,” Jabeur said. “I’m trying to manage that.”

Over the past 10 days, she really does. It will be a very long match on the slick clay, and in the third set, Jabeur will win it with some eye-popping drop shots.

Iga Swiatek over Coco Gauff
At the 2021 Roland Garros in the final, Swiatek wiped Gauff in two easy sets. In the quarters on Wednesday, the American is going to have to play substantially better, especially with her up and down forehand. Her backhand is so solid, and strong, and at the net, she can put it away, many times. However, her second serve is so-so, and her return is OK, but not great, which is why she has never won a major yet. But she really wants to stun Swiatek.

“I guess the revisiting part for like the mentality, it’s in the past. In a positive way, not like I lost in the final, I don’t want to think about it,” Gauff said. “It’s more so I don’t want to make the final my biggest accomplishment, I guess. I want to keep moving forward and keep reaching further heights.”

Gauff will have a huge shot to upset Swiatek, as the Polish person is playing amazing again. She has not had a great year, but week after week, she makes another effort. She still thinks that she will jump it early, and go down the lives. Swiatek will once again beat her in three impressive sets.

Alexander Zverev over Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Frequently, the players can rise almost out of nowhere, but they do, and know that Martin Etcheverry is playing and incredible tennis. He is pretty young, so the Argentine has pushed with his forehand and his backhand. He is not very comfortable at the net, or his serve, too, but he is improving. As he said: “I have a lot of emotion right now. I think I am really, really happy. The best moment of my life,” he said.

He has to try to chop down versus Zverev. The German look better each day, and his forehand and his backhand are huge. Yes to beat Zverev, Martin Etcheverry is going to need more than 100 percent.

“I think he has a lot of more experience than me, but I feel really good to play against him. I am playing incredible tennis this week, and just I have to focus in my game and trying to do the same like I am doing all the day,” Martin Etcheverry said.

He might, but Zverev will hit him forehand to forehand, crosscourt, and he will win in three tough sets.

Casper Ruud over Holger Rune
He did win amazing match with Rune when he edged Francisco Cerundolo 7-6(7) in the fifth set. That wasn’t a stunner, but it was so close and his backhand was more than consistent. He has yet to win Roland Garros, but the smart player can really mix it around, and also he can smash his forehand. However, when he gets inside the court on Wednesday, he must be somewhat tired if it goes on for than three hours.

Ruud clearly know that, then during in the rallies, he can just sit on the baseline and wait for a decent chance into the corners. Ruud is pretty smart, and he can attack when it is right there.

The Norwegian seems to think that he is coming closer to beat anyone. Last year, he could not beat against the best players, at the Slams, but now he is coming close. Ruud will hit some fun drop shots, and he will win it in four exhausting sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Aryna Sabalenka over Elina Svitolina
Correct: Novak Djokovic over Karen Khachanov
Correct: Carlos Alcaraz over Stefanos Tsitsipas
~~Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova over Karolina Muchova~~

Matt’s picks from Roland Garros

29 out of 40, 72.5% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Alexander Zverev, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Casper Ruud, coco gauff, french open, Holger Rune, Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur, paris, roland garros, roland-garros, Tomas Martin Etcheverry