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The Olympics in Tokyo: Barty, Osaka have early exits

July 28, 2021 by Matthew Cronin

In Tokyo, at the Olympic Games, many of the top women have lost, including Ash Barty and Olympic flame lighter Naomi Osaka.

With Osaka in the Olympic spotlight, it took a streaky Marketa Vondrousova to knock her out 6-1 6-2.

Wimbledon champ and No. 1 Ash Barty was quickly bounced by Sara Sorribes Torma of Spain in the first round. Definitely, a shock.

There are some players looked banged up. Garbine Muguruza is very strong, beating Alison van Uytvanck. When she is on, she can win this tournament hands down. But not this year.

Elina Svitolina also really wants to win, making up for her disappointing performances at the Slams. However, she can smash the ball. Marketa Vondrousova is slightly better, but she has to be more precise.

Kei Nishikori knocked down No. 7 Andrey Rublev. Nishikori is up and down, but he really likes playing in Tokyo. He can go much further. He is very thoughtful and can be a top player when he is very healthy, which is rare.

Daniil Medvedev continues to grow, even in the fifth set, when he is 38-18. Perhaps he is on the way, not only in Tokyo, but maybe at the US Open? The No. 2 has to charge at the net and put the ball away.

Novak Djokovic has won three Slams this year, and if he wins Tokyo and the US Open, then he might be the best player of all time. I mean that.

At the doubles, Andy Murray and Liam Broady are rocking and rolling. Out of nowhere, they emerged. But Croats Marin Cilic and Ivan Dodig got them out in the quarterfinals. Kiki Bertens’ just retired, winning 10 WTA singles titles. At WTA 1000 in Cincinnati, she beat Simona Halep in the final. She also won the 2019 Madrid, defeating Petra Kvitova, Sloane Stephens and Halep. That was wonderful. She was very good overall, but she was never spectacular at the Slams. Good enough, though.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: daniil medvedev, Elina Svitolina, Kei Nishikori, naomi osaka, Novak Djokovic, olympics, Tokyo

Who will play the Olympics? Not enough

July 17, 2021 by Matthew Cronin

Will play: Djokovic, Zverev, Berrettini, Barty, Osaka and Kenin.

Won’t play: Nadal, Thiem, Federer, Kerber, Azarenka and Serena

Who doesn’t like to watch the Olympics? Many of us do on TV, not only tennis, but gymnastics, swimming, basketball, soccer, or track and field. It will start next week at the 2021 Tokyo, and it should be a blast to watch, but there will be no fans. That could be bizarre.

On July 16, 23 of the ATP top 50, will not play in Tokyo, including Nadal, Thiem, Federer, Shapovalov, Raonic, Evans, Opelka, Isner, Fritz, Kerber, Azarenka, Serena, Halep, Kenin, Andreescu and Konta.

Novak Djokovic is in, which is terrific, as the Serbian has won three Grand Slams this year. He was victorious at Wimbledon and now he has 20 Grand Slams, like Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal. At the US Open, Djokovic has a big chance to win it all four. Assuming they will be healthy, the Big Three could have some fascinating matches, long ones, some tough ones. In the second week, they will begin to bash the ball. They were confident, and ready to go even further.

Which ones? It is early, six weeks away, so we don’t know who is playing healthy and excellent on the court. I won’t guess, but today, here are more players who will reach the second week with Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Matteo Berrettini, Denis Shapovalov, Sebastian Korda, Ashleigh Barty, Simona Halep, Serena Williams, Angelique Kerber, Garbiñe Muguruza, Sofia Kenin, Bianca Andreescu and Iga Swiatek.

In Newport, this week, Jack Sock won a singles match and then he lost against Kevin Anderson. The American went way down, in singles, and in 2017, he was a career-high No. 8. And in doubles, in 2018 that was another positive signs, his a career-high No. 2. So when he is healthy, and in good shape, he can gradually go up the ladder, but very slowly. He is ranked No. 231, which is way out there, but this season, he played a lot, especially on the USTA Pro Circuit. Clearly, he really wants to try. Good luck.

Wimbledon finalist Anderson got hurt two years ago, and now, he is close to reach the top 100 again. Yes, the 35-year-old may not reach a Slams final again as he did at the ’17 US Open and ’18 Wimbledon, but the tall man hits his huge serves and forehands. Remember, in 2018, he was ranked No. 5. He was darn good. When you watch him at a match, he can be so respectable, or more so. He does believe that in the next year, he will reach the top 20. But beyond that, he will have to prove it. That is life.

By the way, Sock will play Atlanta next week. Also, his friend, Nick Kyrgios, will also play, singles and doubles.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Alexander Zverev, angelique kerber, ashleigh barty, Dominic Thiem, Matteo Berrettini, naomi osaka, Novak Djokovic, olympics, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sofia Kenin, Tokyo, victoria azarenka

TR rewind from 2018: the cool Naomi Osaka beats Serena

February 17, 2021 by Matthew Cronin Leave a Comment

Naomi Osaka, the Japanese who lives in Florida, won the US Open, and arrived as one of the best players this year. Yes, the 20-year-old wasn’t perfect, but slowly, she got better and better though the fortnight. At the US Open, she fought. Her big serve was unbelievably good, her forehand was powerful, and her backhand was vicious. She returned pretty well, too, and she hustled.

Even in the last game, when it was 5-4, and Osaka had to serve it out, she wasn’t very nervous and took her time. She won match point with a hard serve into the corner. Yes, she cried, because there were a lot of people who were booing, but at the end, she smiled, a few times. The now No. 7 could win a number of majors over the next 15 years. Osaka is that good.

The Others

Serena Williams
At the US Open, Serena played six matches, and she looked darn good, knocking off a bunch of strong players. But in the final, against Osaka, she was mediocre, half and half. She served OK, but it’s not like she needed to bring in her massive first serves, and her second serve was up and down. She rarely came into the net, which she should have. When she belted her backhand and forehand, they would fly out, and there were a number of errors.

Obviously, Serena was very angry during the match. She was very, very ticked off. She yelled, she screamed, she busted her racket, she was very frustrated. She argued with the chair umpire, asking for an apology, time and time again. The fans were surprised by the code violation. They didn’t really know why. But many people love her, so they booed with the the umpire.

Serena lost it, on court and off court, she argued some, and she defended herself. OK, yes, it’s all about tennis, and she really wanted to win. But, if she stopped yelling, after a few minutes, and played, it could have had a different outcome. She had to be super calm, but she couldn’t, and perhaps she would have overcome Osaka.

As Serena said, Osaka played great and she deserved it. Good for Serena for saying that. But she has to be honest, and should have said, “Sorry, I messed it up, apologies.” She hasn’t done that yet. We will see whether she dowa it during the fall— if she is going to play for the rest of the year. Everything is questionable now. Ugh.

Anastasija Sevastova
The 29-year-old Sevastova showed off her incredible variety, upending Elena Svitolina and Sloane Stephens before going down versus Serena pretty quickly. But, her amazing drop shots, her very quick feet and variety were in full display. Yes, she needs to improve her serves, and her returns, but she will remain dangerous.

Madison Keys
For the most part, Keys played well, even better, because from January through most of August, she was so-so. But at the USO, she was aggressive, more accurate and she focused, a lot. However, Osaka served huge, and Keys couldn’t break her. She has to find some consistency. Hopefully, during the fall, she will be healthy and move up the ladder.

Carla Suárez Navarro
The veteran Spaniard beat Caroline Garcia 5-7 6-4 7-6(4), then she beat Maria Sharapova in straight sets. She did lose against Keys in the quarters, but still, the-30 year-old decided to hit her shots hard and deep, spin it, slice it, and smack the ball when she had an opportunity. She has been around for a long time, and she has yet to win a major, and maybe she won’t. But, given that she has been better this year, the No. 22 has a long shot at a Slam.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: anastasija sevastova, Carla Suarez Navarro, madison keys, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, naomi osaka, Serena williams, us open

TennisReporters.net 2020 year-end review: top 5-1, women

December 29, 2020 by Matthew Cronin

5. Elina Svitolina
The muscular Svitolina can crush it with a tremendous strength. She can dominate with her strong forehand, and her ripping crosscourt backhand. She also has a good first serve. She had a very decent in 2020, but not spectacular. The Ukrainian did win Monterrey and Strasbourg, but there small tournaments. A few years ago, she was on fire, winning Brisbane, Dubai, Rome, the WTA Finals and Toronto, all huge events. However, when she loses, she can get disgruntled and dissatisfied. She has a complete game but she hasn’t won a Grand Slam. She must figure out what is stopping her from her first major. Maybe, she just needs more variety.

4. Sofia Kenin
Five years ago, it was pretty clear that the American was very good, and she became better each month. She can pummel the ball each way with depth. At the Australian Open, she beat the No. 1, Ash Barty, and then in the final, she flew high, beating Garbine Muguruza 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. The 22-year-old said, “These two weeks have been the best two weeks of my life.”
They sure were. However, after that, she had a few terrific wins, but she also lost a good amount during the summer. She was hurt, which is why she went down to Vika Azarenka 6-0, 6-0 in Rome. That was a stunner, and we all know that she crying. But came back strong, reaching the final at Roland Garros. She had a real chance, but she lost to Iga Swiatek in straight sets, hampered by a leg injury and an opponent who was on fire. Then, that was it for the rest of the year. If she is healthy in 2021, then she certainly has a chance to do deep all the time.

3. Naomi Osaka
The three-time Grand Slam winner has a game without boundaries. She won the US Open, outhitting Azarenka in three sets. Not only can she smack the ball, but when she is returning, she can hit it close to the lines. After that, she attacks. Osaka only played five tournaments in 2020, partially because she was injured. Still, the year was not just about tennis. Her political statements supporting Black Lives Matter and her unrivaled income from endorsements made her a global name beyond the tennis court. Those accomplishments helped the sport’s profile. Assuming that she is healthy in 2021, she will snag some big tournaments and maybe more Slams. She is that good.

2. Simona Halep
The Romanian is so bright, on the court, being very patient. Her backhand and forehand can go crosscourt or down the line. Her net game is very solid. Over the past decade, she was excellent at times, but emotionally, she would get upset. She can grind it, but at the Slams, very deep, she could back off. Finally, at Roland Garros, in the final in 2018, in the third set, she went for it and she beat American Sloane Stephens. She was finally there. The next year at Wimbledon, she was totally zoned in, crusing Svitolina in the semis. In the final, she stunned Serena Williams quickly, perhaps her best match ever, if not one of the best matches by anyone in 10 years. However, she can be inconsistent. This year she didn’t win a Slam, yet she won Dubai, Prague and Rome. After Swiatek thrashed her in the RG fourth round, she said, “It was a fantastic year with all the tough moments that we all had, so I’m not going to ruin the whole year just for a match. Of course, it’s not easy to take, but I’m used to some tough moments in this career.” And, she still will find a way to prove she’s one of the best in the world.

1. Ashliegh Barty
Obviously, she is a damn good player. She can be fragile, but she can also be super steady. However, the odd thing is that she is still No. 1 even though she played only four events, three in Australia in January, and one in Doha in February. After that, she didn’t play at all for the year. It wasn’t that she was hurt, she didn’t want to travel after that, staying in Australia due to the vicious coronavirus. That is totally respectable, but it has been a crazy year. Before that, Barty won Adelaide. In Melbourne, she did beat Petra Kvitova in the quarters, but in the semis, she lost to Kenin, which was very close. She is very intelligent, and thoughtful. She also loves playing doubles. She won Roland Garros in 2019 but has only one other trip to a major semifinal. In 2021, she has to reset and drive. She practices all the time, improving and trying new shots. She likes to play all sports, including her well-documented stint on the professional cricket ground. Barty will continue to get better, and she will grab a Slam in 2021. No doubt about it.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Elina Svitolina, naomi osaka, Simona Halep, Sofia Kenin

The big clash: Azarenka versus Osaka

September 12, 2020 by Matthew Cronin

When exactly did it dawn on us that the former two-time Grand Slam champion Vika Azarenka was playing well enough to take the 2020 US Open and to win another major?

Before August, it was hard to know when will the Belarussian was going to return to her former dominating game, winning matches all the time and smashing very deep and true. There were a good three years when she was out of it, mentally, focusing on family and not processing tennis. But, in 2020, she began to practice a lot, and re-think what she needed to do. She found more patience, overcoming her earlier rut of being baffled.

But, not anymore. As she said, she matured a lot. When she finally woke up, went on the court, and she locked in, winning at the Western & Southern Open. She won it all, getting a walkover when Naomi Osaka withdrew due to injury. Now, she has reached the US Open final, and on Saturday, she will face another two-time Slam champ in Osaka.

Azarenka shocked Serena Williams when she beat her in three sets – the first time the Belarussian took down the American at a major. On Thursday, at night, Serena was 19 victories and 4 losses. In Thursday contest, there were some fine points, but Serena knew she could make Azarenka nervous. She did that at the Grand Slams, so many times, then Serena would grab it again. In the second and third set, Serena was so-so, while Azarenka let her strokes and aggressiveness fly and she went for it. This time, the powerful Azarenka grew up.

She won the Australian Open twice, and she also reached two US Open, another two times. Also, the vast basher reached the semis at the French Open and Wimbledon. Clearly, when 31-year old Azarenka was playing very with determination from both sides to side, she can beat anyone.
Osaka, who won the 2018 US Open and then the following Australian Open, is also on a roll. She had some dry patches in 2019. But when she returned from the COVID-19 pause,, she really wanted just to go out there and have fun. During the last 12 days, Osaka dug in, win or lose. Her strong commitment to support the Black Lives Matter movement on social media and by wearing masks with Black victims’ names, seems to help her focus on that mission, and her tennis game.

In the second week, you could know that Osaka would hit very hard from the backcourts, and she was fast. Just like Azarenka, they want to go for shots immediately and find a mammoth winner.

This will surely be a three-setter. In the final set, someone has to commit and take a big chance. Azarenka will do that, and win the 2020 US Open. She will be extremely satisfied.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: 2020, naomi osaka, victoria azarenka, vika

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

Top 20s in 2019: Women, No. 5-No. 1

December 28, 2019 by Matthew Cronin

No. 5: Bianca Andreescu
What an incredible year for the Canadian, with the 19-year-old snaring the US Open. She is such mighty and potent. She may not be so tall, but she is so quick and sturdy. She bangs the ball, and when she gets an opportunity, she honker down and strikes. In California, in March, she won Indian Wells, flipping Angie Kerber. She got hurt, but she came back in August and she won Toronto, upending Karolina Pliskova and Serena Williams. When she won in New York, she knocked down Carolina Wozniacki, Belina Bencic and Serena. Then, everyone knew that she will go very deep for years, if she won’t get significantly hurt. Assuming that she will be healthy in 2020, she could reach the No. 1 at some point, perhaps in February. She is coming up so breathless.

No. 4: Simona Halep
The Romanian had a pretty good year overall, snaring Wimbledon. That was surprising, because year after year, the 28-year-old had never gone to the final on grass in London, becoming frustrated. But two years ago, she finally won a major, taking Roland Garros. After that, she was more smooth. Without a doubt, she gets hurt a lot, but she keeps playing tournament after tournament. At Wimbledon, in the final against Serena, she rose up so high, playing one of the most dominant performances in years. After that, Halep did not play well from August through October. She is so steady, all the time. In 2020, if she wants to win another Slam, she had to be more offensive.

No. 3: Naomi Osaka
At the start of the year, the big basher won the 2019 Australian Open, five months after she grabbed the 2019 US Open. She was so darn good, never backing off, hitting oh-so-hard. Then the Japanese became messy, and she was unsettled. She was over-hitting too often. It had gotten mixed messages from coaches, the old one and the new one. Sometimes it doesn’t matter at all, but there are many more players who really listen to their the coach. When they begin to play on court, they can only react. Osaka certainly can grip it, totally, when she goes for it. She appears to be thinking, so that can be good or bad. In 2020, there will be months when she is happy and playing fantastic. When can she win a major again? Perhaps at Wimbledon, on the cool grass.

No. 2: Karolina Pliskova
The tall, powerful Czech was pretty consistent, reaching No. 2. But, for whatever reason, the 27-year-old has yet to win a major. Amongst the top 5, they have all snared a Grand Slam, but Pliskova hasn’t been able to take a slam. She should have it already, and maybe she can, but rather than just panicking, she can reassess and re-think her tactics. When she is on a roll, she can defeat one and all. Her huge first serve are possibly the best one on the tour now, and she can crack her forehead and backhand on the lines. However, Pliskova is not that fast and she doesn’t return deep enough. She is a very smart, talking with her, off the court. But, on court, she still gets confused. She can win a Slam, and she really wants to, so in 2020, on the hard courts, she will take either the Australian Open or the US Open. As long as she breathes.

No. 1: Ash Barty
A few years ago, who would have thought that the Australian could actually become No. 1? Doubles, yes, because she was completely in control, but she also was/is a terrific volleyer and returner. But in singles, she would get very nervous and push the ball. However, this year, the 23-year-old started to change things. Not immediately, but she could tell that her heavy forehand, her slice backhand and her deep return were vastly improved. In April, she won a huge title in Miami on hard courts. And, then in June, on clay, she won Roland Garros. In Birmingham, she won on grass. Three different surfaces. At the end of the year, she won the WTA Finals over the top players. That is why that clearly, she is No.1, hands down. Can she continue as No. 1 for the entire year in 2020? That is difficult, for everyone, now, but given that she can still add some new shots, without a doubt, she will snag more than a few more titles. Maybe at the 2020 Australian Open? Absolutely.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Bianca Andreescu, Karolina Pliskova, naomi osaka, Simona Hapel

WTA Finals: Eight great players, but who will win?

October 26, 2019 by Jeff Frank

Over the past 25 years — or even longer — it usually looked like the No. 1, or the No. 2 were serious favorites at the WTA Finals. But this week coming up, in the eight-player, round-robin event in Shenzhen, China, almost all of the competitors will have a shot to win. That is almost unheard of. There will be a bunch of three-setters, surprises and complicated group calculations. Whoever wins the event, she has to step up and produce top-level tennis.

In the Red Group, it will be Ash Barty, Naomi Osaka, Petra Kvitova and Belinda Bencic.

In the Purple Group, it will be Karolina Pliskova, Bianca Andreescu, Simona Halep and Elina Svitolina.

The odds
Although Barty, Andreescu, and Osaka all share the same odds going into the Finals, I believe that perhaps that Pliskova has a decent chance.”

Red Group
Will Barty stay at No. 1? Probably, because she has a big lead in points. But while the rankings are important, the Australian still wants to win the event. She has improved a tremendous amount this year, staying patient, and she really mixed it up a lot. But, at times, she should become more aggressive.

Yes, Barty won Roland Garros, her first victory at a Grand Slam. In the final, she showed no fear. Then at the US Open, she exited in the fourth round against Qiang Wang and couldn’t hit it into the corners often enough.

She reached the semis of Wuhan and at the Beijing final, so she enters the event in good shape. But, in her group is the player who won Beijing, Osaka, who beat Barty in three sets. Osaka usually goes for it as soon as she can and Barty likes to work her way into the points. So if the Aussie wants to win it, she has to go for her shots, immediately.

In the fall, Osaka turned around her play. She had won the Australian Open, but then slumped, on clay, grass, and the US Open. She is a terrific hitter, but the pressure affected her mentally and she wasn’t focused. Now she comes in with wins at Osaka and Beijing, and if she can find her rhythm, she’s another one who can win it for the first time.

Talking about being up and down, there’s also Kvitova. The Czech can be fantastic, jumping on balls with her massive forehand and cracking first serve. She can scramble, she can re-set, and she can be very competitive until the final ball. But, the two-time Grand Slam champion can also unravel mentally when she can’t get her game going. So does the 29-year-old, one of the most popular and friendly players off the court, really want to win the tournament badly? To do it, she must be totally focused, day after day.

At the start of the year, Bencic didn’t look like she’d be among the top eight at China. A few years ago, she cracked the top 10 and beat a lot of top players with her variety and tactical ability. But, she had a few injuries, and took at least a year-an- a-half to become good again. Right now, she is patient or aggressive as she needs to, and is winning against the biggest names again. To win the tournament this week, though, will be difficult with all the quality opposition.

Purple Group
Pliskova can play fantastic ball. Her first serve is massive, she can go down the line with her forehand and backhand, and she is pretty good when she goes up into the net. But, she has yet to win a Grand Slam. She has been at the top for years, and she has got fairly close, darn close. But, in important moments, she backs off, mentally. Also, the Czech is not very fast, and opponents can break her down. If she immediately starts to roll, she can bash the ball, put together a ton of winners and win the WTA Finals. The No. 2, though, is not the favorite; there are very solid players in the field who can run her around.

Where did the Canadian Andreescu come from? Yes, the teenager looked very good in the juniors. But, to join the WTA and then almost immediately win a few huge events, such as Indian Wells, Toronto, and the US Open, was a shocker. Of course, Andreescu is very young, but she already knows the right way to play. While she isn’t very tall, she is super agile, has a huge amount of shots, and she can move forward regularly. She can surely win a Grand Slam again, assuming that she stays healthy, and she can become No. 1. But she hasn’t played before at the WTA Finals, and many of her opponents haven’t played that much against Andreescu, nor she has played against them. They will have to adjust. One way or another, she’s one of the favorites to win the WTA Finals.

You never know with Halep, a true grinder who now competes hard. In 2018, the Romanian won a major for the first time at Roland Garros, which took a lot of pressure off her. The 27-year-old she stopped being so nervous and she dug deep.

Halep is one of the best returners and, she can run side-to-side forever. Plus, she is pretty good tactically, so in the final at Wimbledon, she locked in and only missed a couple of shots. It was possibly her best match ever, crushing Serena Williams in the final. But since, she hasn’t done much at all. Halep was frequently hurt in the run up to this week, and to win the Finals, she would have to hit the lines constantly. Right now, though, she might just want to go back home.

Svitolina is also in question. Having won the WTA Finals in 2018, she looked like she had a real chance to next win a major. She did improve a bit, reaching a pair of semifinals, but she has yet to reach a final at the Slams.

She is a very strong player, running back and forth, and side to side. Physically, when she is healthy, she can beat everyone, but Svitolina can be frustrated on court. Winning a second straight title will be tough.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: ash barty, Belinda Bencic, Bianca Andreescu, Karolina Pliskova, naomi osaka, Petra Kvitova, Purple Group, Red Group, Shenzhen, Simona Halep, wta finals