Frances Tiafoe over Gijs Brouwer

There has been so much rain in Houston that there   were three days when no one was able to play, or court. But finally, on Friday, it was time to play, and if the players won, they had to play once again, that day. It can be physically very tough. Yesterday, Tiafoe played sufficiently,  winning two matches, and somewhat solid. At the start of the tournament, it looked like that he was struggling, and he needed to forget about the loses and move on. Here, it should be that when he is playing well, he is the top-seed, so he should win it all. But he still is not comfortable with the clay, but just like Rafa Nadal does, who is addicted to the dirt, and he also added with the grass, and the hardcourts. He knew it, but it took him for a while.

Believes it or not, Brouwer was born in Houston, Texas, even though he lives in the Netherlands. He did have some terrific wins last year, but he has yet to reach the top 100, so he has to fly into the sky. Yes Tiafoe will stop him, and crash him. The American will win it in two fun sets. 

Tomas Martin Etcheverry over Yannick Hanfmann

It can be really odd to see that the two players have reached into the semis, as they have  gone deep, hardly at all. But eventually, during a week, they can see exactly what they do and to push themselves. The Argentine is only 23-years-old,  and at Indian Wells, he almost upset Andy Murray. That was a real grinder, and at least Etcheverry had some long, tough rallies, especially with there solid backhand. At Santiago, on clay, he reached the final, upsetting Sebastian Baez . Etcheverry  likes a lot of the clay, grinding for  along time, and he would try with his forehand quite deep. He has a long way to go, but at least over the past year, the 6-foot-5 man has added with some strong shots. 

The German Hanfmann has yet to be into the top 90, and he is ranked No. 134, of course he wants to play so much better. This year, he had a few very good matches, when he reached into the quarters in Santiago, which was pretty fine. However, Etcheverryand will win it in two tough sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Frances Tiafoe  over Gijs Brouwer
Correct: Tomas Martin Etcheverry over Yannick Hanfmann

Matt’s current week picks

14 out of 18: 77.7% correct

Perhaps Jannik Sinner  can win Miami, but he has played Daniil Medvedev five times, and he has not been able to beat him. Yes the Italian has played extremely well during the past month, and he certainly has improved, but overtime he has played with the Russian, he has only won three sets, and he lost ten. Yes, back in the 2021 ATP Finals in Italy, Sinner almost upset him, but in the third tiebreak, Medvedev edged him 7-6 (8).

The 21-year-old has more wise, and his strokes are deeper.

“I never beat Daniil. We had already one final in Rotterdam [in Febraury],” Sinner said. “I was able to win one set there. We had a couple of matches where we went [to a] third set. Also there I need to make some changes, trying to mix up the game a little bit also.  I feel ready to compete.”

The problem is that Medvedev is more steady, and while he can push the ball, he can problem solve. He can hit it courtcourt, he can flat it out, and he also can jerk the opponents, until they become exhausted. Medvedev can get tired, too, but that is rare. This year, he has won a huge amount of matches, so his confidence is so high.

However, he does think that Sinner has improved so much.

 “I cannot hit a 110 mph forehand. That’s an advantage, and Sinner is capable of doing this,” Medvedev said. “Jannik is progressing really, really fast, especially this year. In terms of baseline game, Jannik can hit the ball very strong. I think that’s where [he beat Carlos Alcaraz] have this kind of ping-pong tennis. That’s where he can bring him trouble.”

Yes he can, as when he finish in the match, he goes home to a hotel, he will turn on the TV to watch who is playing, and then he can study. As long as you can to add some new shots, and put them on the court, then while you can miss some shots, still, eventually, you will nail the winners.

Maybe people just give it up, but other people has stayed in there, such as Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal, who knew that years ahead, you will finally learn to do it. When Djokovic  won his first Slam, he was very good, but his forehand was OK, yet not great. Now he is. The same goes with Nadal, who also won his first major. His backhand was somewhat soft, but currently, it is so much better, and deeper.

The 27 -year-old Medvedev has won some huge events, but he has only won one Grand Slam. That is good, but not enough, yet. However, he has won 18 singles titles, with not only when he won the 2021 U.S. Open, but he also grabbed three ATP 1000s and one at the ATP Finals.

Sinner has won seven tournaments, but he has yet to win a Grand Slam, or an ATP 1000, either. Yes, he is trying to reach up in the mountain, and he knows that, so at Miami, he has to throw in some risky shots.

However, as long as Medvedev  is ready to crush the ball on Sunday, the Russian will win it in three wild sets.

Matt’s Miami picks

Correct: Daniil Mededev over Jannik Sinner
Correct: Petra Kvitova over Elena Rybakina

Matt’s Miami scoreboard
19 out of 28: 67.8% correct