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The top 10: the women after the US Open

September 14, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Here is my list of the women with the biggest impact from the US Open.

1. Coco Gauff
When it started, it looked like she had a chance to win her first Grand Slam, but she had to wait over seven matches. She is only 19-years-old, but she knew that if she played really well, especially with her new, very good forehand, then she could beat anyone. That she did, when her backhand was terrific, her first serve was even harder, and of course, at the net, she could put it away. Her confidence is so high, that soon enough, if she is healthy, then she can become No. 1. A new, fantastic player.

2. Aryna Sabalenka
Yes, she is No. 1, and she has had a fine year, but in the third set in the final, she made so many errors, and she did not mix it up, more. Yes, she is a massive hitter, with her powerful backhand and her forehand, but at times, her serve can be mediocre, and at the net, she is OK, but she needs to improve it. She did win the 2023 Aussie Open, and perhaps she will recover in the fall, yet she could be frustrated again. It is all about her direction.

3. Karolina Muchova
The Czech looked wonderfully, all the way into the semis, and during the first and the second set, she was pretty close against Gauff, but then, she pushed back and she made some crazy error. On the court, she can be patient and smart, but then she forgets what she is doing, and then she panics. Really though, she is a fine player, but the older you get, she has to add some better shots. She only has won just one title, Seoul, in 2019. Maybe she can win another title during the tough fall.

4. Madison Keys
She looked great in four matches, then right at the end against Sabalenka, she collapsed in the third set tiebreaker. Of course she can crush the ball, with her hard forehand and her backhand, but she still can be concert, and then she will over-hit it. She has gone deep many times, and off the court, she seems to be intelligent, but the only way to win a Slam for the first time has to add something new, and be much more CALM.

5. Jelena Ostapenko
She is just so hard to figure out. She played so well and she crushed Iga Swiatek and then the next match against Gauff, she made so many errors, and it ended, quickly. She is one of the biggest hitters, but she is also somewhat slow, and she doesn’t be patient enough. That is how she is, maybe for ever.

6. Marketa Vondrousova
The great thing is that she won the 2023 Wimbledon, and she played as well as she can. The other Czech has gone deep at another various events, and she has also taken down a number of darn good players. However, in the quarters against Keys, she did not play at all. Yes, the American played stellar, but Vondrousova was second-class, and maybe worse. Hopefully, she can forget that she was way down, and if she does that, she can stay in the top 10 for a long time.

7. Sorana Cirstea
At the beginning this year, it looked like that she has become more aggressive, and push herself into the het, and also, to go for it much early. The 33-year-old has around for 17 years at the WTA Tour, so she was always very decent, but not fantastic. But now, in the summer and at the U.S. Open, she looked so much better, on court. Maybe in 2024 she will finally reach the top 10. That would be a stunner.

8. Qinwen Zheng
She is only 20-years-old, so clearly she is already good, reaching the quarters, and beating Ons Jabeur. It will take the Chinese to improve a lot, and she knows that, but if she can commit it, then she will continue to take down the good players. However, she has to leap higher.

9. Carolina Wozniacki
Was it surprising that the former No. 1 won a couple matches and she looked pretty good, but in the third set against Gauff, she could not out hitter her, forehand versus forehand. Her backhand has always been great, and she can run fast, almost forever, but her forehand and at the net were good, but not sublime. However, she is a little bit better, so moving forward, maybe she will gradual wax.

10. Xinyu Wang
The young 21-year-old player really likes to play the doubles, but in the singles, she can be interesting. She returns very well, and at the net, too, but in the back courts, she can be proper, but she does hit the ball even harder. She needs to be more gutsy.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, Carolina Wozniacki, coco gauff, jelena ostapenko, Karolina Muchova, madison keys, Marketa Vondrousova, Matthew Cronin, Qinwen Zheng, Sorana Cirstea, us open, Xinyu Wang

US Open pick: men’s final

September 10, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Novak Djokovic over Daniil Medvedev
Two years ago, in the final at the U.S. Open, when Daniil Medvedev before it started, it looked like that against Novak Djokovic, he could out-hit him. Maybe he would not, but he could knock him down. It might have been almost impossible, yet he could be oh-so powerful. He started hitting the ball, even if he missed a few shots, but he believed that in a few hours, he might be a little bit nervous, but he realized that Medvedev was so consistent, and with more depth. He won it, winning it 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

Djokovic had won 27 matches, but on Sunday, he was tired, mentally, and he could not produce enough winners. He was barely mediocre. But this time, in 2023, he looks totally healthy, so when he goes on the court, he will be fresh. As Medvedev said, he will have to play fantastic, all the time, but he does have a to chance to beat Djokovic again.

“He (Djokovic) is always better than the previous time he plays. For example, I beat him in the [2022] U.S. Open final, he beat me in Bercy (Paris Masters) in a great match. [He lost to] Carlos [Alcatraz] beat him in Wimbledon, he beat him in Cincinnati. Novak is going to be his best version on Sunday, and I have to be the best-ever version of myself if I want to try to beat him. Novak, when he loses, he’s never the same after… It’s just a different mentality… So, I have to use it knowing that he’s going to be 10 times better than he was that day. And I have to be, if I want to still beat him, 10 times better than I was that day.”

Maybe he will, but Djokovic really wants to win another huge tournament, which would be 24 Grand Slams, the most of all time. But he did say that if he wins, it could be the last, which would be totally nuts. Even if he loses, next year, and he is healthy, he certainly has a solid chance to win any of the Slams.

“Well, fact is that, at 36, every Grand Slam final … could be the last one. So I think that I probably value these occasions and opportunities to win another Slam more than I have maybe 10 years ago,” said Djokovic. “It’s another shot for history.”

Both of them are playing great, but stroke to stroke, whoever will win, he will have to play better, backhand to backhand, as well as when they serves. Also, when you return, if you manage to catch it, you have to put it some different areas, or if you can, to try it to wack it.

Medvedev will push him into the fifth set, and he will certainly try to chuck in a bunch of winners, but Djokovic will be so calm again, and he will sling in a few outstanding winners. He will win it 7-6 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. Ka-bang.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: daniil medvedev, Matthew Cronin, men's final, Novak Djokovic, us open

US Open picks: men’s semifinals

September 8, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Novak Djokovic over Ben Shelton
In 2003 at the U.S Open, Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open, knocking down David Nalbandian and Juan Carlos Ferrero. He became No. 1, and he won a number of excellent titles. But that was just one, but it is better than nothing.

Ben Shelton has reached into the semis, and he has had an incredible strokes over the past 11 days, but really, can he stun Novak Djokovic, who has won 23 Grand Slams? I doubt that. Yes, the 20-year-old has played fantastic, with his terrific first serve, his forehand and his backhand. He is fast, running, and he can also knock it in very close next to the lines. That is right now, though, and without a doubt, he is improving a lot, but before he came here, he lost a number of matches over the past four months. Assuming he continues to be healthy, and add more game, then he could reach the top 10, or higher, by the end of the year. However, there is history, and some people rise, and other people stay there. That is really happened.

But not Djokovic, who won his first Grand Slam title, grabbing the 2008 Australian Open, who looked very good, but he still had to improve his forehand, and at the net, too. Right now, though, when he is playing great, he is almost perfect. However, the last time was in Flushing Meadows in 2018, when he beat Juan Martin del Potro in the final, a gigantic hitter. He could not play last year at the U.S. Open, but in 2022 final, the Russian, Daniil Medvedev, beat Djokovic. So in a sense, there are times when the Serbian loses, not all the time, but sometimes. As he said: “Believe in yourself and your abilities; confidence is key to success.”

He must have watched on TV looking about Shelton, how he should play. He will out-stroke him, backhand to backhand, and at the net, too, and also with his hard serves. Shelton can win one set, but other than that, Djokovic will win it 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 and reach the final once again.

Carlos Alcaraz over Daniil Medvedev
Both of them are not tired at all, and they have also played each other a couple times, and it was close. At night, the same thing will occur, with some long, strong rallies, all over the place, with more than a few huge shots. They both have won it here, and they could do it again. Alcaraz can do whatever he wants to, and he also likes to do some fantastic rallies, but he can also slip, once and a while. He is very young, and at times, he can over think, but constantly, he can also be more patient, until he can try to put it away.

Medvedev can be to intense, and he can also become angry, yet he can re-set himself. His forehand and his backhand are so devout, and his first serve is massive. He has said that he wants to become No. 1 again, but he also knows is that first, he has to figure out how t unearth Alcaraz. He will, for two sets, but Alcaraz will climb up again, and he will win it 6-4, 4-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-3.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Ben Shelton, Carlos Alcaraz, daniil medvedev, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Novak Djokovic, us open

US Open picks: Wednesday, September 6

September 6, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Aryna Sabalenka over Qinwen Zheng
The 20-year-old Zheng is practicing all the time, trying to discover how she can improve her forehand, and also, when she can have a chance to crush her backhand. She has had a solid year, but not great, yet, but she is very young, so gradually, assuming that she wants to be much better, then soon enough, she can be inside in the top 10.

However, she still has to enrich all of it, as the same thing with the now No. 1 Sabalenka, who when she started, she was decent, but not great. Now, she is. Not all of it, but at least this year, she won her first Slam when she won the Australian Open. She is a gigantic hitter, with both sides. Sabalenka is quick, and she is fast, but her second serve and at the net is still so-so. Regardless, she really does know how to play, so on Wednesday, she will beat Zheng 6-3, 6-4.

Madison Keys over Marketa Vondrousova
The American really likes to entertain the fans in Flushing Meadows, and Keys appears to be healthy, on the court. She may not be to fast, running, but her huge forehand, and her gigantic backhand is solid. Keys can also attack immediately, and try to dictate.

The Czech Vondrousova has had a very good year, starting slowly, but then in July, she won Wimbledon. Her variety was encaging. She can spring and she can also whack her backhand. She also can volley close to the net. However, Keys can explode, with her forehand, and when she does, she will win the match 6-3, 7-5.

Carlos Alcaraz over Alexander Zverev
Two years, before the Spaniard became alive, Zverev dominated the Spaniard, early, when he beat him, twice. But then in 2022, Alcaraz began to rise when he beat him in Madrid in the final. Well, OK, Zverev was tired, due to when he won the semis, which was terrific, but his body was breaking down. Then at Roland Garros, a few weeks later, Zverev got him again, in a long match in the quarters, but it was close. This year, though, they faced off once again in Madrid and Alcaraz crushed him 6-1, 6-2. Yes, Alcaraz looks so darn good when he is on, but when Zverev is locked in, then he can chuck it in a number of shots.

The German can do a variety of shots, and he can mix it up, but there are times when he can back off. Alcaraz rarely does, and there are moments when he messes it up, when he tries to bang it, even though it is nearly impossible. However, he has won two Grand Slams, and each month, he is more skilled, and more patient. In the quarters, Zverev won a match agains Jannik Sinner in almost five hours. That was one of his best matches, ever, but on Wednesday, if he has to play in another three hours, or more, he will start to be exhausted. That could be wrong, but Alcaraz is fresh, and he is quicker, and he is also better at the net. He will win it 6-4, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2.

Daniil Medvedev over Andrey Rublev (written on Sept. 5)
The 2021 champion Medvedev can be up and down, when he is playing, but he can be brilliant, when he is shut in. His forehand and his backhand are so consistent, down the line, and side to side. He can be irritated, when he is not going well, and then he will hit some bizarre shots, which are out. Yet he can also be so steady, as he can move it all around the box.

However, will Rublev finally take down the biggest players at the Slams? He has, in the ATP 1000s, when he beat a number of very good player, beating Medvedev in the 2021 Cincinnati and at the ATP Finals in Italy. So clearly, when he is cracking his forehand and his backhand, and putting it away, he can upset the big boys. He really does think that if he can return better, and he can serve with a lot of aces, then he can feel satisfied. However, this year, Medvedev beat him 6-2, 6-2 in the final of Dubai. He simply beat him on the hardcourts, showing that he is smarter than he is. Medvedev will beat him again, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story

US Open picks: Monday, Sept. 4

September 4, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Jannik Sinner over Alexander Zverev

The powerful Italian has raised in the game, with some intelligent shots. He is being more patient, in the rallies, and he waits until he has a chance to put it away. Yes, Sinner can miss it, when he isn’t playing well, but at least over the past eight days, he has been solid.

Zverev is now hitting slightly harder, with his forehand, and also, to attach towards the net. He is returning more officially, and he is improving close at the net. However, Sinner can chase it down, and he can also throw in a bunch of aces. He will, but it will take at least three hours, and Sinner will out him in four hard sets, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-5.

Alex de Minaur over Daniil Medvedev

Each year, if you can commit yourself, then eventually, you will improve a good amount. De Minaur has said that this year, he could see that he finally understands to hit the back ruthless, and raid more often
“I know what I want to accomplish, what I want to do and and it’s always great when you can execute as well. I think what I’m bringing is the kind of energy and intensity from the first point till the last and and it’s been showing because it’s been really helpful to keep my level throughout the whole match.”

Well said, but Medvedev will find energy most of the match. Two days ago, in the match, he was so-so, and he yelled at his coaches, but he still managed to beat Sebastian Baez 7-6 in the third set. He was satisfied, but still on the court, he looked pretty upset. Because of that, the Australian will where him down. Yes the Russian is a better player over all, yet De Minaur will rise up and defeat him in five brutal sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

Jessica Pegula over Madison Keys

The last time they played each other was in San Diego last year , and Pegula beat her 6-4, 7-5. Surely, it was a tight contest. Pegula does really like to rally, and move it all over the place. However, Keys is a bigger first serve, and either way, when she gets set, she can hit as hard as she can, deep, or in the corners. However, when she if healthy, and that isn’t often, she can drive the ball.

Yes Keys has done deep at the Grand Slams, reaching the final at the 2017 U.S. Open. But that was different, and while she can hit so harsh, she can go away.

Pegula is unpredictable at the majors, but the 29-year-old is more mature. She will drum Keys 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

Marketa Vondrousova over Peyton Stearns
The young American, Stearns, won the NCAA team titles two times at the University of Texas. She went pro, two years ago, and when she started at the WTA, she looked OK, but she lost against the top 15 players. Finally, she is not only aggressive, but she is also more thoughtful, on the court.

However, at Wimbledon, Vondrousova beat her in the first round, and eventually, she won the tournament. Yes, that is on the grass, but she is more solid, and she swings very hard. When she is on, the Czech has almost all of the shots, but there are times when she lets go. Either way, Vondrousova will beat the American 6-2, 7-5.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Alex de Minaur, Jannik Sinner, Jessica Pegula, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Peyton Stearns, us open

US Open picks: Friday, Sept. 1

September 1, 2023 by Ron Cioffi

Caroline Wozniacki over Jennifer Brady
The former No. 1 Wozniacki played pretty well when she knocked off Petra Kvitova. Her backhand has always been excellent, and her returns were terrific. However, her forehand is pretty good, but not great, which is why she has only won more than one at a Grand Slam. Can she do it again? That would be a huge challenge.

Brady was very good for a long time , but in 2021, she got hurt, physically, and she could not play in the WTA for two years. That is very long. Before that, she made it in the semis at the 2020 U.S. Open,and in 2021, she reached into the 2022 Aussie Open. Yes, she was darn good. However, Brady still is trying to get back, physically and mentally. She does really like to crush the ball, but Wozniacki is more in control. The Dane will win it in two tough sets.

Karolina Muchova over Taylor Townsend
The Czech can look so good, when she is sprinting, and slap it back. Over the past three months, she reached the final at Roland Garros and Cincinnati. She didn’t win it, but she is right there. Muchova appears to be healthy again, so the American Townsend has to play great to upset her. She is quite good in the doubles, but in the singles, she has improved this year, but she has not beaten a lot of top 10 players. Yes, the veteran wants to show the fans that she is legitmatety very good, but to watch it, she is going have to play great. She will at times, but really, Muchova is a better player. She will win it in two basic sets.

Tommy Paul over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
This should be a terrific, wild match. The American Paul beat him in Miami in straight sets, but the Spaniard wants to play much better at the U.S. Open. At the Australian Open on the hardcourts, again, Paul edged him 6-4 in the fifth set. Davidovich Fokina pushed himself back, and Paul attacked him, with some excellent shots. His forehand is a little bit better, but Davidovich Fokina has a more consistent backhand. Paul is more comfortable at the net, while Davidovich Fokina likes to add some different shots.
They will have another long five sets, and once again, Paul will beat him again, 7-5.

Taylor Fritz over Jakub Mensik
The 17-year-old Mensik qualified, and he has played almost every week, going to a bunch of small events. However, the teenager can be pretty steady, and also, he is tall, so when he gets a chance, he can swing hard and try for a winner. He beat a number of juniors, but this time, he has to play substantially better to upset Fritz, who has gone deep in a lot of events. Fritz once won Indian Wells, but he has yet to go into the second week at the U.S. Open. The San Diego native really wants to, so he has to be super consistent. As he said, the American Andy Roddick won the title in 2003, but that was it. Will it be this time?

“We’ve all been hearing about who’s going to be the next American (after) Andy Roddick 20 years ago our entire careers. We all want it so bad,” said Fritz. “Hopefully it’ll be one of us soon.”
He will win it over Mensik in straight sets.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, caroline wozniaki, Jakub Mensik, Jennifer Brady, Karolina Muchova, Matthew Cronin, Taylor Fritz, Taylor Townsend, Tommy Paul, us open

US Open picks: Wednesday, August 30

August 30, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Dominic Thiem over Ben Shelton
In 2020, , Thiem won the tournament, with some tremendous shots. His forehand and his backhand with some heavy spin, and with depth. But he became hurt, and it has taken him in the last year to recover, physically. Now it look like that he is slightly better. He is not 100 percent, but at least 70 percents.
Shelton is only 20-years-old, and he is already pretty good. He can nail on the lines, across and down the line. He can run very fast, and attack the ball. However, he still has a lot of work to do, especially with his serves and at the net. There will be so many rallies, side to side, and while Shelton will put on some great points, Thiem will rise again, and win it in five, tough sets.

Frances Tiafoe over Sebastian Ofner
Yes, the nice and funny person Tiafoe really loves Flushing Meadows, and he has had some phenomenal matches. However, there are times when he over thinks, especially during the rallies. Yes, he is very swift, and he can get it back, but also, he goes for it too early. But in a sense, when he playing terrific, then he can beat almost anyone.

He should be able to beat Ofner, who has yet to reach the top 50, but he did have some fine tournaments. At Roland Garros, the Austria qualified, and then he won three more matches before he lost against Stefanos Tsitsipas. He was more than loyal. They are the positives things, and at the start of the year, he was ranked No.193. Months later, he is ranked No.58, so apparently, he is playing much better. However, Tiafoe has a better backhand, so he will win it in four, muscular sets. As Tiafoe said: “New Yorkers love great entertainment,” says Tiafoe. “Everyone is tapped into tennis. The energy is second to none. Some people are made for it. Some people aren’t. I feel like I can make that stadium shake.”

Elena Rybakina over Ajla Tomljanovic
In Rome, Rybakina won the title, and it seemed like that when she is on, she can step on anyone. But after that, she looked decent, but not skilled. In March and April, she won Indian Wells and she reached the final in Miami, on the hardcourts. She was so powerful, and nailed her backhand, down the line.
Tomljanovic has been playing for a long time, traveling a lot, and tournament after tournament. She is 30- years-old, and when she is on, she can be somewhat fit, but other times, she can back off. She does like the spotlight, but when it is quiet, she can disappear. Tomljanovic will challenge Rybakina, but it won’t be enough. Rybakina will win in two fun sets.

Danielle Collins over Elise Mertens
Collins beat her in Doha, but it was close. The American likes to hop on, and swing very hard, with both sides. She did have a good week in Montreal, taking down a few good players. However, the next week, Iga Swiatek crushed her, so Collins has to be much more devout. Yes, she is a huge hitter, yet she needs to mix it up more.

The Belgium Mertens plays a lot, each month, everywhere. She can be faithful, reaching the semis at the 2018 Aussie Open, and twice at the quarters at the U.S. Open. She does like to change her tactics, but her serve, and at the net, are so-so. Collins will beat Mertens in three, close sets.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Collins, Mertens., Ofner, Rybakina, Shelton, Thiem, Tiafoe, Tomljanovic, us open

US Open 2023: Which women will reach into the quarterfinals?

August 24, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

1st quarter
The current No.1 Iga Swiatek won the tournament last year, and she has had a very good year, but not perfect. When she starters rolling, then she can smash the ball, side to side. However, when she is not playing well, she can get very frustrated. However, she will reach into the quarters, unless Jelena Ostapenko rises up immediately, then the contest will be very tight in the fourth round. Assuming Swiatek will win, then she will face against the No.6 Coco Gauff, who just beat her two weeks ago. The American has really improved with her forehand, and her return, too. She should get there into t he quarters, but while the terrific person Petra Kvitova has never liked the heat in New York, she can play tremendous, so she could hit some huge winners. But not this time as Gauff will out hit her, forehand to forehand.

2nd quarter
In July, Elena Rybakina won Wimbledon and she looked terrific, bending down, and putting it away with some massive shots. She is very quick, and fast, but a couple weeks ago, she hurt herself. If she is healthy next week, she will be right there, grabbing the title. But she has to prove it, as Karolina Muchova came up playing very consistently, and she is also fast, side to side. They should face each other in the quarters, but there are two others can beat Rybakina, including Vika Azarenka [who still retires a lot], and Belinda Bencic, who loves to rally. At the end, though, she can miss some key shots. The Czech Muchova will upset Rybakina in three wild sets.

3rd quarter
Jessica Pegula has yet to reach the semis at the U.S Open, ever. Now the No. 3 seed is much more mature, on court, so this time, she will be jumping up and down in the second week. She hopes, as in the third round, she likely will have to play against Elina Svitolina, who has had a very good summer. Is that a toss-up? Yes, but Pegula will trip her down, in a very long contest. Other than that, the No.7 Caroline Garcia is not playing well at all, which is too bad, because early this year, she has been so thoughtful, but not now. The current reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova is playing more than decent, currently, as does the young, good player, Anastasia Potapova. Vondrousova did beat Pegula in three, savage sets on the grass, but this time, on the hardcourts, the American will beat her in two, delicious sets.

4th quarter
Aryna Sabalenka did win the Aussie Open, this year, and she can pulp her forehand and her backhand, and also, she can slap it, when she returns. But she can throw some odd strokes, and then she can lose. Yes, she certainly can win it, but she will have to play great in the second week. She could face the No.5 Ons Jabeur, who reached here in 2022, when in the final, she tripped up. Perhaps she will try to do it again, but it really looks like that Barbora Krejcikova will chop down Jabeur in the fourth round.
Sabalenka can be strange, on court, but she is maturing a lot, so yes, she will reach into the quarters, but there are two people who will challenge her, such as Donna Vecic and and Daria Kasatkina . Good luck for both of them. Sabalenka will win it in two sets.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story

The picks at Cincinnati: Friday, August 18

August 18, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

There has been a lot of rain, in Cincinnati, and also, the same thing last week in Canada. It is odd in August, during the heat. Every year, the players pull out when they are injured, because they played so many matches, on the clay, at Roland Garros, on the grass, at Wimbledon, and now they started to play on the hardcourts. It can be brutal. However, some of the excellent players can control what they are doing, and not play every second. Many of the Slam winners have learned within him or her bodies, just like Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek, for the most part. They are playing this week in Ohio. They can actually win the event. Here are four matches on Friday.

Karolina Muchova over Marie Bouzkova
Believe it or not, Swiatek edged Muchova in Montreal a week ago. It was darn close, so right now, if the excellent doubles player can play wonderfully, the No. 17 can go very deep at the tournament. She did reach into the final at Roland Garros, so when she is healthy, she can beat anyone. The other Czech, Bouzkova, is very decent, and she does have some interesting defense, point to point, but she has yet to be in the top 20. Maybe she will do it, eventually, but not now. Muchova will win it in straight sets, around 6-4, 6-3.

Carlos Alcaraz, over Max Purcell
Alcaraz edged Tommy Paul 6-4 in the third set. He could have lost, as in the second set tiebreaker, he threw so many errors, which is very unusual. But the young Spaniard re- composed, and he was more consistent. When he attacks, he can crush the ball. Purcell is a very good doubles player, but currently, he is trying to hit some bigger shots, in the singles. However, he did have a very good year in the singles, the small ones, so it looks like his forehand and his backhand are stronger. Yet Alcaraz will push him back, into the wall, and he will win it in two sets.

Alexander Zverev over Adrian Mannarino
The German had a terrific match on Thursday when he beat Daniil Medvedev in three, brutal sets. Yes, Zverev can be super steady, and now he can really mix it up. As he said, “But at the end of the day I did what I had to do. I kind of fought it out and I’m happy to be sitting here as winner.” He can belt it, into the corners, but as he has said, he still is not 100 percent after he became hurt last year. Mannarino plays almost everyday, and he is older, but he just keeps moving on, on the court, consistently. He does like to mix it up, and change it around, but on Friday, Zverev will be tired, but he will go for it, early. Zverev will win it in three sets, 6-4.

Iga Swiatek over Marketa Vondrousova
Almost once a month, Swiatek can turn it on, and then she can rush forward, to hit some massive shots. His first serve is very big, and she can return and hit it very deep. Yes, though, she can become frustrated, and over hit, it. Vondrousova is skill full, and she can aggrieve. Her backhand is powerful, and her forehand is improving a lot. She can upset Swiatek, as long as she can be super consistent, and really go for it, into the corners. However, Swiatek is on fire again, so she will win it in three sets, 6-3.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Alcaraz, Bouzkova, cincinnati, Karolina Muchova, Mannarino, Purcell, Swiatek, Vondrousova, Zverev

In Canada: McDonald beats Raonic

August 10, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

This is the first time that Mackenzie McDonald has reached into the semis at the ATP 1000s in Toronto. On Thursday, he beat Milos Raonic 6-3, 6-3, who looked very good in his two matches, but then, he was a little bit flat, or he must have been to tired. But not the American, who had decided to win the match, and he had to really go for it. He looked very good, going cross court and down the line. McDonald can be very steady, but the reason why he has yet to crack into the top 45. Maybe he will, as long as he can add some strategic shots. He is 28-years-old, so this is a perfect time, on court, but you can pretend that you will survived, for years, but to go much further, he has to really push himself.

Another up and down competitor, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, won a very tough match, and the Spaniard outlasted Casper Ruud 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (4). They will play each other in the quarters on Friday.

Davidovich Fokina is still pretty young, but he has also lost some super close matches, and he lost. When he is locked in, then he can bash his forehand and his backhand. He is pretty fast, running, and his first serve and his return is decent. Yes, he did reach into one final, period, at Monte-Carlo last year. Then, when he did, he would continue to build and finally, win a tournament. He still isn’t, yet. If you look at this year, he has lost five super closes against the top players. For example, at Wimbledon, he lost against Holger Rune 7-6(8) in the fifth set. That was brutal, but he eventually has to be more calm. If he going to win a tournament, he must be sealed in. Davidovich Fokina, will win the match, 7-6, 7-6.

Alex de Minaur beat Taylor Fritz 7-6 (7), 4-6 6-1. He will face Daniil Medvedev on Friday, another difficult match, The Aussie 24-year-old is also extremely good, when he is on, and just like the former two time champion, Lleyton Hewitt, he can be highly consistent, but not all the time. This time, he will have to grind it, as the Russian really thinks out there, many times. Medvedev will win it in two long sets.

Each week, Jessica Pegula can look very good, early on, and then after that, she has to decided whether she can be damn loyal, or swing harder. It is hard to tell whether this season, she will win an event. She did easily beat Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-0, which was impressive, but last week in Washington, she went down against Maria Sakkari. She will face Coco Gauff or Marketa Vondrousova on Friday. That will be very intense.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Alex de Minaur, Jessica Pegula, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Toronto