Marie Bouzkova – TennisReporters.net

The Picks in Rome: Saturday, May 13

May 13, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Victoria Azarenka over Madison Keys
They have played each other for a long time, as they are not so fast, running, but the reason why is because they have gone deep at the big tournaments. They totally crush the ball, with there forehand and there backhand. They can be very consistent, at times, and they also can whack it when they are returning.

Azarenka has won two Grand Slams at the Aussie Open, and Keys reached into the 2017 US Open, also. Clearly, they both think that if they are healthy, then they can try to go deep again, but they will have to prove it, now. On clay, Azarenka can slip when she is trying to nail her forehand, but she can always try to stand up and nail it with a winner. Keys can also crush her backhand, but she still becomes injured, a lot, so because of the, Azarenka will win it in three, sizable, sets

Alexander Zverev over David Goffin
The German has played so many marathons, when he is being so patient, and also, when he can change it up. Zverev has gone very deep a lot, on the hardcourts, especially, and also, he has been more than respectable on the clay. Yes, he is not played very well as he has, because he ruined his leg, so to come back can be very difficult.

However, he will continue to battle, and so does Goffin, who will continue to play until he has to finally stop. The former No. 7 is a master at times, with his top-spin, as well as he can flat it out, and drive it. He is pretty good in the slow clay courts in Rome, so he does like to rallies, and he also can smash it, close to the lines. However, Goffin is sliding down, and because of that, Zverev will win it in two brutal sets.

Coco Gauff over Marie Bouzkova
Each day, it is hard to understand how well the American is going. She can look terrific, and it appears that she is improving each week, but then she falls backwards. It is a conundrum. Gauff has a marvellous forehand, and she is also very sufficient at the net. She also is pretty decent with her return. The Czech Bouzkova can be decent, when she is locked in, but that is rare. Yes, last year she won Prague in July, and it appeared that she would go far. But after that, the current No. 38 didn’t go deep at all, so while she wants to move up the latter, that doesn’t mean that she can go further in Rome. Gauff will win in three, super long, sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Novak Djokovic over Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Stan Wawrinka over Grigor Dimitrov
Sebastian Korda over Roman Safiullin

Matt’s picks from Rome

4 out of 10, 40% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: atp, Marie Bouzkova, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, rome, wta

The Picks in Rome: Thursday, May 11

May 10, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Aryna Sabalenka over Sofia Kenin
She just won the tournament in Madrid, and now she has to compete again. She did say after she won that she never gets tired, and that she can practice a lot. Sabalenka is a huge hitter, and she can bash her very strong, forehand. The American Kenin is playing a little bit better, and she really needs too, because a few years ago, she won the 2020 Aussie Open. After that, she went down, somewhat fast. She will be very aggressive, and she certainly likes to attack, but she is not the right place, yet, so Sabalenka will win it in unreal two sets.

Jessica Pegula over Taylor Townsend
The 27-year-old Townsend plays a lot, in the singles and the doubles, and at times, she can win some solid matches, but other times, she cannot seem to be to nail it very deep and true. Maybe later, or in a few years, she can advance her tactics, and her forehand, but still, she can be so-so in the singles. However, she is fun to watch.

Pegula is usually pretty darn close, against everyone, and there are days when she returns well, and also with her solid backhand. She is there week after week, and when she is playing stunning, then her confidence grows. Pegula knows all about Townsend, and how she will plays, so she will be comfortable, and she will win it in two, simple, sets.

Marie Bouzkova over Caty McNally
The still young American McNally thinks that each month, she will be more improved, with her solid forehand and her backhand. She can throw it around once in a while, and she can also plays very loyal. This year, though, she had some strange losses. Perhaps she needs more time to deduce what she has to do. The Czeck Bouzkova has had a erratic years, as she barley won a number of matches. Last year, she did push herself into the top 40, but now, she is falling back. Maybe she is ready to put together in the court and play either way. This is essentially a guess, but this time on the slow courts in Rome, she will edge McNally in three, long, sets.

Caroline Garcia over Ana Bogdan
The Frenchwoman Garcia has some great shots, with her spin, her flat shots, and her drop shots. Years ago, she confused herself, and her shots went to short. But now, even though when she gets frustrated, she is much more of-a-piece, match after match. Bogdan has had some interesting matches, but the 30- year-old can’t seem to go very deep. At least in February, she won four matches in a row in Dubai, so on the hardcourts, she must have played with her fit backhand. She slapped a bunch of winners. Still, though, she isn’t great enough. Because of that, Garcia will win in two, plain, sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Gregoire Barrere over Brandon Nakashima
~~Andy Murray over Fabio Fognini~~
~~Jaume Munar over Thanasi Kokkinakis~~

Matt’s picks from Madrid

1 out of 3, 33.3% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, Caroline Garcia, Jessica Pegula, Marie Bouzkova, Matthew Cronin, rome, Serena williams, Sofia Kenin, Taylor Townsend, wta

TennisReporters.net’s top 32 in 2022: women 25-21

December 15, 2022 by Matthew Cronin

No. 25: Shuai Zhang
The 33-year-old keeps improving, not just the doubles, which she has been wonderful, but also in the singles. Four years ago, at the Australian Open, she won the doubles with Sam Stosur. They were so happy, and they also took the US Open. How about that? However, in the singles, though, she won just three singles, which is decent. If she is going to beat everyone, she has to out-hit the huge players. Here and there, she has won a few big matches, like this year, she upset Anett Kontaveit. She is very steady, and she can still run quite fast, but she doesn’t have enough power.

No. 24: Marie Bouzkova
Another Czech continues to beat some fine players. She started the year ranked No. 97 and gradually, she became much more fit and more caring. She reached the semis at Guadalajara in October and she was satisfied. However, she has to improve her serve, net play and forehand, too. That is the only way she can reach into the top 5 in 2023.

No. 23: Amanda Anisimova
The 21-year-old has had an interesting year, with some phenomenal shots, but also, she has to feel unfulfilled. She believes that she can mince down almost anyone, and she has won a lot of matches going deep. Still in the Grand Slams, she backed off. Yes, she can whack her forehand and backhand and she can attack. However, she is not fast enough yet and her serves are marginal. She did get hurt in August, so in September, she stopped for the rest of the year. Next year, if she is healthy, then she will add some new diverse shots and come into the net more. If she reaches the top 10, it will because she trusted her skills and found ways to improve.

No. 22: Barbora Krejcikova
Krejcikova and her partner, Katerina Siniakova, rose to no. 1 in doubles. They were so conformable. In singles, she had an odd year. At the Australian Open, she reached the quarters, and was no. 3. She looked very decent. However, after that she went down so slowly, losing everything for seven months. Finally ,at the end of September, she found out what she had to do to recover. Somehow she did, with more spin, winning Estonia and Ostrava and upsetting the no. 1 Iga Swiatek. Then she lost at her next event. If she can be more attentive, then she can push herself back into the top 5. Maybe. She has to keep find some consistency.

No. 21: Elena Rybakina
At Wimbledon, she almost came out of nowhere to win her maiden Slam on the grass. She was so ferocious, bending down, do a split and aim for the lines. She returned very deep, and with a lot of skill. That was her two best weeks ever. But, after that, she just looked decent. Without a doubt, she is only 23 years old, so she has more time to throw in some more variety in her strokes. She is very good but not phenomenal yet.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: amanda anisimova, Barbora Krejcikova, Marie Bouzkova, Matthew Cronin, Shuai Zhang