Notes: Due to the rain, yesterday, most of the women’s matches were canceled. Assuming that the rain will stop, we already wrote about Petra Kvitova over Ekaterina Alexandrova, as well as Carlos Alcaraz over Taylor Fritz, http://www.tennisreporters.net/archives/20281 – while Jessica Pegula will face Elena Rybakina today.
Elena Rybakina over Jessica Pegula
Yes, Rybakina won the 2022 Wimbledon, totally crushing the ball, she returned terrific, and she put it away, early. In January, she also reached the final at the 2023 Australian Open, and she lost in three dramatic sets against Aryna Sabalenka. She was sad, but within a couple days, she rose again. At some point, she will become No. 1, if she is healthy, and also, she just won Indian Wells, and off course, jumped on Sabalenka for the first time. “It’s not only physically but also kind of like experience, because even being not fresh, you still need to push yourself to find these moments in the match where it can turn around, which is not easy to always to do, but I think for now I’m managing.” Yes she is.
Now, Rybakina can slip, here and there, but she keeps chugging. However, she has to face against Pegula again. They have played just two times, and the American won it, at Miami two years ago, and also, at the end of the year. Pegula beat her 4-6 6-3 7-6(2) in Guadalajara. In Mexico, Pegula eventually won it, and the 29-year-old has pocked it just two times. At that point, it looked like at some point that she could actually win a Grand Slam, but not yet. However, her forehand and her backhand are massive when she is on, and she will mix it up a lot. As she said, ‘She’s been playing some great tennis. It’s going to be a great test and I think a deserved semi for a tournament like this.” Yes it will, but this time, Rybakina finally hoped it down and she won it in three wild sets.
Daniil Medvedev over Christopher Eubanks
The American Eubanks almost came out of nowhere, upsetting the very good players. It took the Atlanta man for years to improve, and now, his backhand is much better, and also, with his return, too. However, Medvedev has been playing great over the past two and half months, beating almost everyone.
The Russian won three events in a row, in Rotterdam, Doha and Doha. At Indian Wells, he reached the final and finally, he lost, going against the No. 1, Carlos Alcaraz. But here, he is there again, into the quarters. Medvedev has said that when he isn’t playing great, he can just be more stable, and move it all around. His backhand and his forehand are almost perfect when he is playing terrific, and he rarely makes a lot of errors. This is a great day for Eubanks, and the fans will be cheering for him, but the American will be confused during the match. Because of that, Medvedev will win in straight sets.
Karen Khachanov over Francisco Cerundolo
Karen Khachanov upset Stefanos Tsitsipas with some massive strokes, and while the Greek appeared was a little bit injured, the Russian hit the balls very deep and hard. Maybe he is turning it around, as he did reach the semis at the 2023 Australian Open. However, he is ranked No. 16, which is good, but he certainly wants to go into the top five this year. They all do. He can blast the ball, but his return is still so-so.
His opponent, Cerundolo, has had a so-so year, not going deep, until he landed in Miami. The Argentine was struggling, all the way back in July, and he reached the semis in Hamburg, but after that, he did not do it again, in eight months. Cerundolo is only 24- year-old, so he did say that currency, he is going to have to try to rip the ball, when he can, and he did upset Felix Auger-Aliassime in Miami. Now he is calm, and leaping on the ball. Maybe he will, to return a lot, and serve into the corners, so he can out-last Khachanov on the hardcourts. This really is a toss-up, but deep in the third set, in a tiebreaker, Khachanov will nail him and win it.
Wednesday picks
Correct: Jannik Sinner over Emil RuusuvuoriAryna Sabalenka over Sorana Cirstea
Matt’s Miami picks
14 out of 23: 60.9% correct