Karolina Pliskova – TennisReporters.net

TennisReporters.net, the top 32, in 2022: women 32-26

December 11, 2022 by Matthew Cronin

32. Kaia Kanepi
She is 37 years old and she still is a darn good player. She has never gone too deep at the Slams. In at least in four of them, she has reached all the quarters. That is a fair accomplishment. However, even though she is very strong, a huge hitter, she does not have enough variety. Next year, if she wants to reach into the top 20, she has to be much more aggressive.

31. Karolina Pliskova
The Czech was so close to winning the US Open and Wimbledon,. But her mental game disappeared. When she is playing amazing, she can crush her first serve, her forehand and her backhand, but unfortunately, she is not very fast. That is too bad, but after she finished her match, when she talks to the press, she is so honest and real. Just turning 30, when she walks on the court, and she has to realize that pretty soon she will retire. In 2023, at the important tournaments, then she has to go for the lines. Maybe she can push herself at the net, as she has rarely done it. So, do it now.

30. Aliaksandra Sasnovich
She seems to really like clay, going somewhat deep at Rome and Roland Garros. She is even-keeled. There are other times when she loses early and she is upset. She has been around for 10 years. If she wants to knock down the excellent players, then she must attack very early and then try to clip the lines. Try to rip it.

29. Elise Mertens
She can really hustle. The Belgian plays all the time, and certain weeks, she is thoughtful, but other times, she loses her control. It is hard to know why she is doing. She can play great, or she can play mediocre, at best. Perhaps next year she can try to hit the ball harder, because when she does it, here and there, she can be very tough to beat her. That is up to her.

28. Martina Trevisan
Here is another young player who is rising now. The Czech is only 20 years old, and she started the year ranked No. 81. She took down a number of good players, like Jessica Pegula and Caroline Garcia. She actually won Prague this year and she wants to win when it is extremely important. She knows that, and next year she can meld it around. Finally, she can pop the ball.

27. Qinwen Zheng
Another 20-years-old who has reached the top 30, Zheng is certainly climbing up the later. Maybe she is not that powerful, but she is very quick, and steady. On court, her eyes are locked in. She started the year No. 108, and now when she starts in January, it is very possible that she can be seated at the Australian Open. If she wins a few matches, then the fans will go to watch her. She has some wonderful variety, and she has to use it all the time.

26. Victoria Azarenka
The so-called ‘Vika’ is one of the most powerful players over the past 12 years. Yes, when she started, she was very shy, and she realized that to grow, and she had to really listen, on court and off. Finally, she did, not only banging her forehand and backhand, but in some key moments, she locked in, winning two Grand Slams. However, that was a long time ago, so the 33-year-old has to find out what is working for her. She still needs a couple pieces so she can have one more shots at a huge event.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Elise Mertens, kaia kanepi, Karolina Pliskova, Martina Trevisan, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Qinwen Zheng

Emma Raducanu: ‘I’m just trying to stay on one path’

August 18, 2022 by Matthew Cronin

Emma Raducanu might be the US Open champion again, if she manages to clean it up on court. On Tuesday, she easily beat Serena Williams in Cincinnati, 6-4, 6-0. She was injured — and many people have in the summer — but currently, she is getting better. The next day, she blew out Vika Azarena, 6-0, 6-2, another Grand Slam champion.

Over that last 11 months, that might have seemed impossible, but she was so impressive in this tournament.

When Raducanu is on, she can be very fast, and she can also bang the ball. Her first serve is very big, and her return is muscular.

Against Serena, she was so excited to take her down, even though she thinks that she is the best player ever.

“I think that a big part of the match today was definitely the mental side, to not be intimidated by all her achievements. That was what I was focusing the most on, really present and thinking of my game, thinking of what I needed to do. Physically I held up pretty well” said Raducanu, who will face against Jessica Pegula next. “Like there were some longer exchanges, I held up well and I scrapped. I made her work. I feel good right now.”

She was also against Azarenka, who can crunch her forehand and her backhand, but her serve is still marginal. Plus, Azarenka is not a super quick runner. However, Raducanu can sprint.

The brit does want to win at Cincinnati or go deep. Still, on the mind of this 19-year-old was her run to US Open glory.

“I think that at this level, you play anyone, it’s a really difficult match. Each of those wins kind of build confidence regardless of the level you’re playing, every single win counts,” she said. “But, of course, this one more so, because you’re playing like the greatest. But I’m not trying to get too high or too low right now. I’m just trying to stay on one path and trajectory, because I know like I kind of feel like I have been on both ends of that, and, yeah, I’m just happy, proud of myself, but just moving on.”

By the way, she wants to play Simona Halep – that would be their first matchup – because “I think she all around is like, for me, all around the most complete player. She moves extremely well. She’s aggressive. She can defend. She makes you work so hard for every point. Could be like a slow, painful like she gets you (smiling).”

NOTES
Karolina Pliskova lost today. Yesterday, she said that “I’m 30 and I’m still like here. I don’t really want to like quit at the moment. So, I think I just want to see how it’s gonna go like this year, next year. Then I will make decision.” She still does like playing tennis, so maybe she can run up at the US Open. She reached the final in 2016.

Taylor Fritz stepped on Nick Kyrgios in two sets. Kyrgios wants to rest, and his body wore down, but the American played terrific today. He is No. 13, and he has been saying that he wants to be in the top 10 ASAP. Well, then he can do it this week, as long as he will not freeze up.

Where did Ben Shelton come from? His dad, Bryan, also played in the tour, winning Newport, twice. The 19-year-old Ben just upset Casper Ruud, so he must be very good, already. John Isner had two very good wins, beating the No. 10 Hubert
Hurkacz. The 37-year-old may not win Cincinnati, but if he can return better than he usually does, Mr. Ace may go further.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: cincinnati, Emma Raducanu, John Isner, Karolina Pliskova, Taylor Fritz

TennisReporters.net 2021 year-end review: top 5-1, the women

December 30, 2021 by Matthew Cronin

5. Barbora Krejcikova
Pretty crazy that Krejcikova won the Roland Garros singles and doubles titles. Yes, over the past eight years, she look terrific in the mixed and doubles, winning a bunch of titles. But in the singles, she looked OK, but not fantastic. And then in Paris, she shook up her head, and she beat a number of very good players. She punched out everyone. She has a lot of variety, and she can kick the forehand, as well as her effective backhand. Each year, at the net and serving, she improved. Now, everyone knows who the Czech is. There are thinhs she has to work to improve, but she is looking climbing the mountain.

4. Karolina Pliskova
Every year, the Czech looks wonderful, nailing so many aces, and throwing in her winners, with her exploding forehand and blowtorch backhand. She is a basher, and she can hustle. The is a very talkative person, in the press, winning or losing. When she wins, she can be happy if she played great. But if her performance was so-so, she would say that “I just have to be better.” When she loses, she would also say, “I really sucked.” She is a smart person, and she has beaten all the top players. But, when very deep in the Grand Slams, she seizes up. It is somewhat amazing that the 29-year-old has yet to win a Slam, falling in two finals. Perhaps in 2022, she will finally achieve her gold trophy.

3. Garbiñe Muguruza
If you go back early in the year, the Spaniard was still struggling; she did not know where to turn. She had won two Slams a few years ago, and she was knocking off everyone with her forceful strokes. But in 2018 she started to slip, gradually, and she grew joyless. She loves hitting her serve and she can be swift. She also hit some spectacular shots. This year, she looked OK, until finally, at the WTA Finals, and she found herself again. Right there, she was back, being determined. “This is actually something important when the moment comes, the tough moments, the stressful matches, to not fear them,” she said. “You have to be like, ‘Okay, you know what, I know how to handle. Let’s see how it goes.’ Have a kind of better mindset to face them.” And she did, winning the WTA Finals. Because of she can keep that attitude, then she can reach No. 1 and win another Slam.

2. Aryna Sabalenka
Possibly the strongest woman on tour with her leg power, the Belarussian can knock out anybody with her ground strokes. She can pop her dynamic forehand and her blazing backhand, as well as her returns. Except for the Grand Slams, she was decent. But at the majors, she can become freaked out and commits many silly errors. She did play very well at Madrid, when she won it, but that is the only title this year. Sabalenka will always have a legitimate shot to win a Slam for the first time in 2022. But, just like Pliskova, if you freeze, or you will lose. She needs to stay controlled when playing under pressure.

1. Ashleigh Barty
The Australian is still No. 1, mostly because when she is playing, she always keeps her focus. Talk about mixing it up, she is so lucid, moving it all over in the box. Her one-handed backhand is legendary, with she slices, spin, and on occasion, she can power it out. She is all about assortment. She has won two major titles, at the 2019 Roland Garros and the 2021 Wimbledon. But can she win the 2022 Australian Open, given that the Aussies haven’t won it in Melbourne since 1978 when Chris O’Neil’s grabbed the title? Barty has to snare it in January. “I’m looking forward to going out there this year and trying to tick that off and do the best that I can to give myself a chance to win the Australian Open,” she said. If she wants to reach the final — which she has not done before — then she will need to use her varied game and extraordinary athleticism.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, Barbora Krejcikova, Garbiñe Muguruza, Karolina Pliskova

US Open preview: Is this Pliskova’s opportunity?

August 30, 2021 by Matthew Cronin

Almost everyone wants to read about Novak Djokovic, who has a chance to win four Grand Slams this year. He is so consistent, and rarely strings together many errors. Once in a while, he does, but he is powerful, and he has a wide-ranging variety. He can smash his serves, he can return from the baseline and at the net. He is the top dog.

However, Djokovic is not the only person in New York. There are more than a few who want to reach the second week, or even further, such as Kei Nishikori, Alex de Minaur, Matteo Berrettini, Jenson Brooksby, Jannik Sinner, Denis Shapovalov and Reilly Opelka. But, the big challenge could be in the semis when Djokovic has to face Alexander Zverev. The German is flying high, he finally likes to be move and to smash it down the lines. He can go cross-court, and he can shatter it into the middle which can be very deep. He has finally matured a good amount. He hasn’t won a Grand Slam yet, but he was very close in the US Open last year. So in the fifth set, he can lock it in and then he can snag it, finally.

The No. 1 Ash Barty has only won ‘just’ two Grand Slams. This year, the Aussie has played fantastic, with her variety from her forehand and her backhand to take Wimbledon. It is hard to know where she is going, which is why she has beaten lots of excellent players. But can she win another Slam, this time in Flushing Meadows? She has grown a lot, and she is more intelligent. Without a doubt, she can push down almost everyone.

But, there are a number of players who think that when they are playing excellent, they have a shot to upset Barty.

In the first and second quarters, it could be Karolina Muchova, Jennifer Brady, Belinda Bencic, Jessica Pegula, Iga Swiatek, Paula Badosa, Maria Sakkari and Bianca Andreescu.

Plus, Karolina Pliskova wants to try to win the US Open for the first time. She has reached the final once, but could not pull it off. It’s all about her will. Pliskova thought it about it and she responded, “The next Grand Slam, I’m going to try to play like I was playing here from the first round to the last one.”

Hopefully, not early. Later.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Alex de Minaur, Alexander Zverev, ash barty, ashleigh barty, Belinda Bencic, denis Shapovalov, Iga Swiatek, Jannik Sinner, Jennifer Brady, Jenson Brooksby, Jessica Pegula, Karolina Muchova, Karolina Pliskova, Kei Nishikori, Maria Sakkari, Matteo Berrettini, Novak Djokovic, Paula Badosa, Reilly Opela

California rising, in Indian Wells

May 21, 2021 by Matthew Cronin

To start, California’s Indian Wells will play in October, which is fantastic. Over the years, in March, hundreds of thousand fans came out and watched some thrilling matches during the day and night. Last year and early this year, they couldn’t play due to coronavirus. But they waited. Last week the owners decided to push into October when many more people will have taken the vaccine. So now, it is time to try again, with the players and the fans. Go for it.

Roland Garros will start in May 29. Here comes the Grand Slams again. But, this week, who will rise up and play fantastic? Who is playing great, who is mediocre, or someone who is playing bad?

Here is the first one. Casper Ruud believes that he can reach the second week. He has had a good year, taking down Diego Schwartzman, Pablo Carreno Busta, Fabio Fognini and Stefano Tsitsipas. Ruud is playing this week in Switzerland. The 22-year-old has much more aplomb.

”I’ve shown myself that I’m up there at the high level of clay court players and I can compete well with pretty much any player on clay,” Ruud said. “I’ve been winning a lot of good matches against good opponents. So, it gives me a lot of confidence going into the Roland Garros and I have to say I’m hoping to be in Paris for the second week of the tournament. That’s my goal.”

Ruud did mention that his forehand and his backhand are strong, but he needed to improve his return, so he worked on it a lot, and now, it is better.

As he said, later, he might be playing terrific, but he is not there to knock off the big boys: [But] “I’m not a rock star in Norway yet,” Ruud said.

This was a stunner last Sunday. During the final in Rome, Karolina Pliskova lost 6-0, 6-0 against Iga Swiatek. Yes, who would believe that? The 19-year-old Swiatek won the 2020 RG and, when she plays on clay, she is incredibly good.

The 29-year-old Czech Pliskova has won some big wins over the years, reaching the final at the 2016 US Open, winning Rome in 2019, and grabbing other titles, such as Cincinnati, Doha and Brisbane.

But Swiatek was on fire in Rome, every game.

“[Swiatek] didn’t give me anything, but sometimes I just tried to make it a bit difficult just to put the ball in. I just was feeling horrible out there,” Pliskova said. “She really made it extremely difficult for me to do any point. She was playing super fast. I thought she was just going for it. She had amazing day and I had horrible day. She’s really extremely confident on clay,”

Swiatek is powerful, and more than that, she can mix it up and it is hard to read where she will go. She does like to adjust.

“She can just redirect so well and she can play even faster, and especially on clay. Because she has so much spin, it’s super tough to do something from it,” Pliskova said. “She had amazing placement of the ball. Everything was super, like, deep and just like close to the lines. She was serving quite big. She has a good serve overall. I think she didn’t have really any — I think overall she didn’t really miss anything today. Even though I was not playing great, but she was having maybe a moment of her life,”

Swiatek can win it again to win another Slam. On the other hand right now, Pliskova is in the cloud.

MORE
Sloane Stephen has won three wins in a row. Two years ago, in Madrid, she reached the semis. Two years later, she lost so many early matches, and currently she is ranked No. 65. Now the former US Open champ is in Parma this week, she appears to be slightly back. We hope …
Grigor Dimitrov lost again. He can be pretty good, but week after week, he can collapse. … Dominic Thiem lost this weekend and really thinks he can win RG for the first time. He has been there twice in the final but Rafa Nadal took him down. To do that, he is going to have to pound Nadal’s backhand, over and over.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Casper Ruud, Dominic Thiem, Iga Swiatek, indian wells, Karolina Pliskova, Parma, roland garros

On Fire: Nadal and Swiatek win Rome

May 17, 2021 by Matthew Cronin

On Sunday in Rome, Rafa Nadal and Iga Swiatek won the tournament, and they were joyful. Nadal knocked down Novak Djokovic 7-5 1-6 6-3. In the third set, he hit deeper, he moved to different areas, and his massive serves can twist it into the corners and he yanked Djokovic almost on the ground. Then Nadal would crack a winner.

Swiatek played one of the best matches ever. Given feeble opposition from Karolina Pliskova 6-0 6-0, Swiatek still performed at the level we saw when she took 2020 Roland Garros. Let’s say it again: The former US Open finalist Pliskova was out of it. She couldn’t face come with anything when it was time to raise her game. She was sleeping, maybe a bad dream? Where she goes, it is ruthless to say. Playing great or awful? In the last 10 years, for the most part, she is a head case.

Swiatek really understands how to play fantastic on clay, which is why she dominated Sofia Kenin in last year’s French final. Now she can do it again. She moves really well, she can scramble, and eventually, she can smoke a winner, with her forehand and backhand. She returns super well, too.

In Paris, she should be ranked No. 8, as Simona Halep is injured and likely she won’t play at the French Open. Is Swiatek the favorite? I would say yes, but Aryna Sabalenka , Garbiñe Muguruza and Jessica Pegula have a shot to win it, too.

NOTES
At RG, Nadal will be ranked No. 3, while Djokovic stays No. 1. Guess who is ranked No. 2? That’s right, Daniil Medvedev, who loves playing on the hard courts. But, as he said, he just doesn’t like clay. He could lose early in the first week in Paris…

Novak said: “Rafa and I had a little laugh today in the locker room after I won against [Stefanos] Tsitsipas. We kind of joked around that the old guys are still not giving up. I saw he said somewhere a few days ago that Roger [Federer], him and I think we’re showing some different, fresh energy.”

Swiatek likes to attack, and last year at RG, few of the fans knew who she was. Not know: ‘I’m, like, surprising myself actually when I’m not doing well because I’m pretty ambitious. I’m a perfectionist, which I’m fighting with actually sometimes.

“I always try to learn from what other girls experienced. There are many players that had some kind of regress, after winning their first Grand Slam. I always thought try to be different, just work, just focus on not doing the same mistakes. It works pretty well.”

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Big 3, Karolina Pliskova, rafa nadal, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Rome; Djokovic, Sofia Kenin, Swiatek

Australian Open racks up upsets

February 10, 2021 by Matthew Cronin

American Sofia Kenin wept in the second set. She was nervous, she was shaking, and she could not come down. Last year at the Australian Open, she won the tournament. But this week, she could not concentrate.

She lost in the second round, against the older player, Kaia Kanepi, 6-3, 6-2. When the No. 4 plays again, she has to suck it up. She just has to forget it about it.

“I obviously felt like I’m not there 100% — physically, mentally, my game. Everything just feels real off, obviously. It’s not good,” Kenin said. “I know I couldn’t really handle the pressure.”

Over the past couple days, not only did she lose, but two other top-10 players went down: Bianca Andreescu and Petra Kvitova. The teenager Andreescu just came back from more than a year off. So, she will shake it off.

However, the two-time Grand Slam champ Petra Kvitova is mentally gone at times, thinking of something else when she is playing. She might be thinking, “Why I am playing so badly, and should I actually be here. I just can’t stand it.”

It is still early, and we all know that Karolina Pliskova can be super powerful and take down anyone. In the first week of a Slam, she can just get away, with mediocre play. But, in the second week, it is hard to figure out if she is will be patient or nutty when she hits the ball. She has yet to win a Grand Slam, but once again, she still has a shot to win it all. On Thursday, she beat Danielle Collins.

The other American, Shelby Rogers, beat Olga Danilovic…

Canadian Denis Shapovalov won easily over Bernard Tomic. Shapovalov will face Felix Auger-Aliassime on Friday, another rising and very good player. This will be a test.
Spaniard Feliciano Lopez is 39 years old and he is still playing singles, doubles and mixed. He just keeps churning. On Thursday he won another long fifth-setter, dispatching Italian Lorenzo Sonego, which is so impressive.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Australian Open, denis Shapovalov, Karolina Pliskova, Petra Kvitova, Sofia Kenin

2008 US Open finalist Jankovic may return: ‘The door is open’

June 20, 2020 by Matthew Cronin

In the fall of 2008, Jelena Jankovic become No. 1. During the US Open that year, she knocked down Elena Dementieva in the semis. However, the super consistent Jankovic looked pretty good in the final versus better player, Serena Williams, and she was somewhat close. But, the American went for the lines, she hit some huge returns, and then won it again.

Serena now has 23 Grand Slams, while Jankovic is one of a handful of No. 1s who has never won a Slam. Without a doubt, the strong Serbian has been a dominant player and has won 15 titles. But, three years ago, she hurt her back and she couldn’t play at all. She had played week after week, all over the world, and she rarely stopped, except for the fact was she was hurt a lot and she would complain about it. Many of the players did not like her and some people though that she was cocky. When she was very young, it was all about her.From a journalist’s point of view, she was a delight. If you want to talk to her, she will about anything.

Perhaps she has grown up a lot. Currently, the 35-year-old hadn’t played since 2017, and now, she might play again on the WTA Tour, but she isn’t sure, yet.

Last week, she finally started again at an exhibition in Belgrade, with Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, Grigor Dimitrov and Nenad Zimonjic, among others.

She did not play fantastic, but good enough. To go back on tour, well, that is a huge tossup.

“This is the first time I’ve held a tennis racket in a very long time. I was sidelined by a back injury which not only hampered my tennis career, it was so bad I couldn’t walk properly or sleep,” Jankovic said. “I’ve made a full recovery but I don’t know if this is a comeback. The door is open, I never officially retired, but I am living a different life now.”

Her dangerous backhand was a weapon going down the line and crosscourt. She had great touch, too. She was always very fast, and she hustled all the time. But, her forehand was never great, and her serve was spotty. So, if she happens to come back in the WTA, hopefully, she has improved — finally. She needs to raise her game, one way or another.

“Making a tour comeback is a very different matter and a painstaking process.” Jankovic said.

FALL SCHEDULE, US OPEN PICKS
This week, the ATP and the WTA announced their schedules from August through November, including Cincinnati, the U.S. Open,Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros, among others. Obviously, they are thrilled to play again in six weeks. Still, right now, no one has any idea if they will be healthy n August. Athletes in many American sports are currently coming down with the virus. The international contingent in tennis just puts more and more players at risk.

Let’s just assume that everyone is healthy. That brings us to two big questions: Who will play the US Open and who will win. It’s still too early to answer the first question but the chances are high that both draws will contain many of the best players a very full fields. Even though they haven’t played in the big tournaments since early in March, eight people can reach the quarters in Flushing Meadows.

My [crazy] picks for the women: Ash Barty, Karolina Pliskova, Sofia Kenin, Bianca Andreescu, Belinda Bencic, Serena, Naomi Osaka and Alison Riske.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: ash barty, Belinda Bencic, Bianca Andreescu, flushing meadows, Jelena Jankovic, Karolina Pliskova, naomi osaka, Serena williams, Sofia Kenin, us open

Sofia Kenin: She thinks and doesn’t give up

February 6, 2020 by Matthew Cronin

Many players leap into the second week of a Grand Slam, and they are on fire. But, when they get on the court, they realize that, all of a sudden, they have to play ever better to upset the terrific competitors. Sofia Kenin actually did it during Australian Open over two weeks, sputtering at times, but not during the three sets she played. Mentally, she focused, she changed things up, and she went for it, with her hard and deep forehand and her backhand. She thinks, she doesn’t give up, and she actually breathes.

Of course, almost all of the top players want to achieve No. 1. They all visualize it in their heads, when they are about to go to sleep: celebrating.

Kenin knew that when she finally became very consistent and aggressive she was ready to grab it. She did over 14 days. But now, she has a number of challenges during the next few months on hard courts. It will be fascinating to see how she recovers at Indian Wells and Miami, the two of the most important upcoming events. It is critical that she continues her strong play.

Ash Barty had a very good tournament at the AO. A lot of people thought that she would win for the first time, but she still has to improve her second serve, her return and her backhand with more topspin. If she does, she will win a Slam this year….

Naomi Osaka is a tremendous ball striker, and she can whip it. But, once and a while, she can be very erratic. She is thoughtful, and she is honest, but she has to grow up more. She just has to mature or she won’t grab the No. 1 this year.

Two veterans lost, Simona Halep and Karolina Pliskova. Halep has won two Slams, so she does get hurt a lot, but coming up over the next five months, she will win a few events, good ones, too. However, even though the Czech Pliskova can look terrific outside of the Slams, but once at the big events, she forgets her successful strategies. That is why she has not won a major. Can she actually do it this year? I have no idea anymore.

The 15-year-old American Cori Gauff had a fine event. She is doing that regularly now. She wants to play all the time. She is very young, and she doesn’t want to sit down. She is an ambitious kid.

On some weeks, Madison Keys is finding in the corners. She is a huge hitter, and she can nail it on her first serves. But, on court, she can get frustrated and she stops thinking. She lost in the third round at the AO. She just has to forget about it.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: ash barty, Australian Open, Karolina Pliskova, naomi osaka, Sofia Kenin

Australian Open predictions: women

January 20, 2020 by Matthew Cronin

Who will reach the quarterfinals next week? There are some very close choices, and also, easy picks. Here it goes…

No. 1 Ash Barty is under a lot of pressure in Australia. She need three sets to oust Lesia Tsurenko in the opening round. She can be calm though, and it is likely that she will out-steady Petra Martic in the fourth round. She is so thoughtful and concentrates. That’s why she won Roland Garros last year.

Madison Keys looked very good last week, and assuming that she will continue to be healthy, she will have to go up against the two- time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova. The Czech, who destroyed Katerina Siniakova in the first round, is favored, slightly. If Keys attacks early, and doesn’t get so upset, then the American can pound her forehand in the third set. And win.

Last year at the Aussie Open, Naomi Osaka won it all. While she has been up and down since, the Japanese is incredibly powerful and her first serve is huge. Assuming that Sofia Kenin will win three matches, then the American will be pumped up. Osaka is a better player, still, and she will trip her up.

Serena Williams hadn’t played for four months and last week she finally walked on the court, winning Auckland. Now she is back, and even though she is aging, she is almost perfect when she is secure. In the fourth round, she could face against her good friend Caro Wozniacki. Can you imagine that, especially has the Dane has announced that this is her final tournament? One way or another, Serena will beat her, punching her forehand.

Both Osaka and Williams were straight-set winners on Monday.

Belinda Bencic is very unpredictable; she is great when she is very consistent, but when she becomes tired, then she gets mentally lazy. However, she is pushing herself in the backcourt, she can hit a vast amount of winners. The same goes with Aryna Sabalenka, who can be swinging away, very hard, and she can best anyone. But she also can be angry and miss the ball a lot. In the fourth round between those two, whoever will win it must understand where she is going, and how to mix it up a lot.

You never know about Simona Halep, who is very consistent, running back and forth. She rarely gets tired, but she also can become injured and then she cannot smack the ball. Regardless, over the past few years, she stopped being scared and now she does have a chance to win her third major. In the fourthth round, she likely will face the young Czech Karolina Muchova. So many Czech women are so good. So Halep has to move it all around the box. And the Romanian will.

Will Elina Svitolina finally win a Grand Slam? At some point, yes, but not this one at the AO. However, she will win three matches, and then she will lose against the enthusiastic American Amanda Anisimova. Ms. AA is getting better every second.

At some point, Karolina Pliskova will win a major, when she is consistent over seven matches. Will she do it at the AO? She is defiantly close. However, though, she has to take down against the very good young player Marketa Vondrousova. Pliskova can edge her, but she has to be very smart. Super smart.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: ash barty, Australian Open, caro wozniacki, Caroline Wozniacki, Karolina Pliskova, melbourne, naomi osaka, Serena williams, women