Archives for 2024

Will Holger Rune will measure up, again? Last year he won a lot of terrific matches, but in 2024, he has slipped. Yet he does say that he was close at times, and now, he wants to re-do it and create it again.

He is playing in the Hamburg Open, and the 21-year-old eventually he will try to win a Grand Slam for the first time, but he has to prove it.

“It’s been said many times that the difference between winning and losing a match is so small when you look at how few points separate players in a single match. Against [Alexander] Zverev (at the French Open), I was a few points away from winning, and against Novak [Djokovic at Wimbledon], I wasn’t close, but at the same time, I had chances to put him under pressure in the 2nd set,” he said.

“For me, it’s about converting things from the practice court into matches so I can perform even better.”

It was close at Roland Garros, when he played against Zverev, and it went into the fifth set. It was pretty darn close, but the German has more experience. However, the Denmark i had a terrific season last year when he became No. 4. He actually went into the final at Rome, and he almost won as he upset Djokovic, and Casper Ruud, but finally, he lost verses Daniil Medvedev. Even before that, on clay, he reached into the ATP Monte-Carlo, and again, he did go into the final, when he stunted the now No. 1 Jannik Sinner, but he lost versus Andrey Rublev. Rune was sharply moving ahead, but he backed off, so now he has to try and win it at the Hamburg Open.

Speaking of which, the Chinese Zhizhen Zhang, is there, hoping to do deep. 

The 27-year-old has been struggling for some years, but this season, he has improved. Currently, he is ranked No. 34, and soon, he can go into the top 30, which would be huge. He has always been consistent, but now he is more aggressive.

“ Well, the journey as a player is quite long, so be patient. Pay attention to your physicality, don´t be injured and be patient, ” Zhang said. “Injuries are the biggest enemy ever, but keep going and never give up. Then the result will be there in the end. The last 12 months have been quite impressive for me, because I didn’t expect that. I was ranked around 70 last year, and if you told me last year, I would be where I am today, I wouldn’t have believed you.”

Barbora Krejcikova over Jasmine Paolini

Five weeks ago, the Italian reached the final at Roland Garros and she was so happy, but when she went on to the court, Paolini collapsed, early, and she lost quick against the No. 1 Iga Swiatek. This time though, at Wimbledon, the super fast Paolini will try to be more relaxed, and focus, all the time. The Czech  Krejcikova has already done that, when she won the 2021 Roland Garros, with some cool shots. When she is on, she can throw in a bunch of winners, when she moves it around, and she changes the direction. She can go off, but right now, she is composed. Somehow, she edged to beat Elena Rybakina in the semis. She really mixed it up, and deep, too. “I started to get in a zone — and I didn’t want to leave the zone,” Krejcikova said. “Wow … I’m in the final.”

She is an amazing doubles player, too, winning seven Grand Slams. At the net and her return can be terrific, yet in the singles, over the years, she has backed up and lost. However, she badly wants to win the second Slam. She will go for it, but she could lose her lever.

 Paolini has improved so much over the past two years. In fact, in London, she has not won a match ever at Wimbledon, until  this year. That is bizarre, but you can changed, her direction, and her attitude. She always tried, but she didn’t go for it enough. Now she is, with some dramatic forehand and her backhand.

“This match I will really remember forever. I think the last months have been crazy for me,” Paolini said, who edged  Donna Vekic  in the semis 7-6 in the third set. “Two Grand Slam finals in a row was crazy to believe, I think, no? I’m also surprised how at the moment, I’m living this. But I feel also relaxed. I’m the same person. I’m doing the same things. I don’t want to say more because maybe Saturday I’m going to be shaking.”

These two have only played each other one time, in 2018, at the Aussie Open, and Krejcikova crushed Paolini  6-2, 6-1. That was quick, but Paolini is now aggressive, and she can be explosive, too. When Krejcikova won the French Open, she did everything in the clay, moving all around  in the box. While Paolini is playing wonderful at Wimbledon, but she will likely be anxious, yet Krejcikova knows that to do, and she will win it 6-3, 7-5. That will be an miracle title.

Jasmine Paolini vs. Donna Vekic

The Italian Paolini is playing so much better than she did last year. She was always quick, running, and she was consistent, but she wasn’t to make an attempt to nail it on the lines. Sometimes she did, and other she did not, but now she is swinging away, with her forehand and her backhand. Yes, the 28-year-old Paolini serves are mediocre, and she is not that great at the net, but each week, she is trying to get better, all the time. That is why because last month, she reached the final at Roland Garros, and while she lost, at least she was there. 

On Thursday in the semis, she could do it again, this time on the grass versus Vekic .

Another 28-year-old, the Croatian, finally reached into the semis at the Slams, and that took her a very long time. Try 42 times.  She finally reached into the semis, and now, she must be thrilled. She almost stopped because she was losing a lot.

“It’s crazy how in tennis things turn so fast. Those couple of years [2021 and 2022] were very tough,” said Vekic, who was injured. “I didn’t think I was ever going to come back to the level that I even had last year. So this now, reaching my best result ever at a Slam, I’m really proud of myself, of the work that I’ve done, of the work that my team has done.”

They last time they played was 11 months ago, in Montreal, when Paolini beat  Vekic 7-6(3), 6-2. The current No.7 Paolini was more fitting, and Vekic  missed too many errors. They haven’t played each other on the grass, so it will be different to change the tactics.  Paolini is so thorough, and she can mash her backhand, crosscourt. Therefore, Paolini will take it 6-4, 7-5.

Elena Rybakina vs. Barbora Krejcikova 

The Kazakhstan is on fire, when Rybakina is blasting his first serve, and his forehand, too. Rybakina out-hit Jelena Ostapenko, stroke to stroke. There are times when she gets angry, and she is irritated, but she does try to come back, mentally. Many times, she does.

Krejcikova also knows how to battle, even when she missed some critical errors. Both of them have won a Grand Slam, so when they start, to play, at times, they rarely  get nervous, but not that much, anymore. The Czech Krejcikova is a terrific doubles player, and she can also trick it in the singles, dancing, all around. She can hustle, and mix it up. They are both powerful, and they can attack, early. “She has big weapons. On the other hand, I do have big weapons as well,” Krejcikova said. “I expect that it’s going to be a big fight.” 

Yes, Krejcikova can make an attempt to frustrate her, but in the third set, Rybakina she will snag a bunch of winners, and she will take it 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

Jelena Ostapenko vs. Barbora Krejcikova 

They both won at the Grand Slams, so when they are totally locked in, they can jump on the lines. Yet  seven years ago, Ostapenko won Roland Garros, when she hit some many winners, constantly. However, Krejcikova grabbed it, too,  when she won in Paris, in 2021. However, since then, both of them have been pretty good, but not fantastic, all the time. The Czech Krejcikova can do anything she wants to, but when she is not playing well, she can become sad, on the court. 

Ostapenko is still trying to dominate with the opponents, even when she is missing a lot. Yet when she is on, she can hit her backhand and her  forehand into the corners, super hard. They are both veterans, and they also really want to win Wimbledon for the first time. Ostapenko leads the head-to-head 5-2, and the last time they played was last year in Birmingham, on the grass, and the Latvian won it 7-6, 6-4. Krejcikova is very intelligent, especially in the doubles, but Ostapenko will walk on the court and immediate attack, very deep. Ostapenko will win it 6-3 in the third set, yelling, happy.

Elena Rybakina vs. Elina Svitolina

Now the pressure is on by Rybakina, as the top three players are gone, so the No. 4 is right there, trying to win another Slam. However, it is 2 – 2 between Rybakina and Svitolina, and a month ago, they clashed at Roland Garros. There, on the clay, Rybakina beat her 6-4, 6-3 in the fourth round. Whether she can do it again is totally different, playing on the slow clay, versus the fast grass. However, the Russian can strike the ball, close to the lines, and she can adjust it, too. Svitolina is another gigantic hitter, and she will go for it, too, but over the years, she has come close to reach into the final at the Slams, but she has panicked. This time, she will try to be calm, and really focus. Rybakina  can drop down when her forehand can collapse, but on Wednesday, she will play terrific, and she will win it 7-5, 7-5.

Novak Djokovic vs. Alex de Minaur

The multiple champion Djokovic is favored here, pretty much every time, but at least  de Minaur is playing much better at the Slams. After Djokovic easily beat Holger Rune, and then on the court,  he started to talk about his fans, who were way to loud, and the voices. That was a bizarre event. So on Wednesday, he might get upset immediacy. That we never know about him, period. However, Djokovic has a terrific backhand against the Aussie, and his return is more solid. De Minaur can be scrappy, and he can also nail his forehand. At the start of the year, he did beat the Serbian at the United Cup, on the hardcourt, but then at Monte Carlo, Djokovic beat him 7-5, 6-4 on the clay. But this is on the grass, which is quicker, and Djokovic has won it at Wimbledon seven times, so he knows what to do. However, when the former No. 1 can become ticked off, then he can lose. The thing is, though, is he wants to show that he is brilliant on the court, with the fans, and hopefully, they will cheer him. Therefore, Djokovic will win it, but it will take four hours, and in five sets, it will be brutal, yet the victory will come, 7-5.

Taylor Fritz vs. Lorenzo Musetti

Who would have known that Fritz and Lorenzo Musetti played each other for the first time at the 2022 Wimbledon, when the American beat him in the first round. What a difference, now. Fritz did beat him again at the Davis Cup, but this year, the Italian Musetti  took him down  at Monte-Carlo, at the start of  the event. Well now, at  Wimbledon, it will be in the quarterfinals, and both of them are playing really well, finally. They like to rally, and they like to set it up. Fritz put together one of his best matches when he beat Alexander Zverev in five sets, and  Musetti out-though Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in a four sets, and he really fooled him. Fritz has never gone into the semis at the Slams, so he really wants to, but he has to push himself even more harder, and try to attack, ASAP. Musetti has had a good year, but he has yet to go to the Slam semis, period. They both will attend to dig it out. Musetti is younger, and he is improving each month, but Fritz will serve better, and more creative. As he said: “I’m a very chill person. I don’t do anything that could rub people the wrong way, so when someone kind of just goes out of their way to take a shot at me, then I’m not just going to take it,” said Fritz. “It gave me the extra fire to win.” The American will win it in four, entertaining sets.

The picks: 2024 Wimbledon, semis/quarterfinals

Jelena Ostapenko vs. Barbora Krejcikova 

They both won at the Grand Slams, so when they are totally locked in, they can jump on the lines. Yet  seven years ago, Ostapenko won Roland Garros, when she hit some many winners, constantly. However, Krejcikova grabbed it, too,  when she won in Paris, in 2021. However, since then, both of them have been pretty good, but not fantastic, all the time. The Czech Krejcikova can do anything she wants to, but when she is not playing well, she can become sad, on the court. 

Ostapenko is still trying to dominate with the opponents, even when she is missing a lot. Yet when she is on, she can hit her backhand and her  forehand into the corners, super hard. They are both veterans, and they also really want to win Wimbledon for the first time. Ostapenko leads the head-to-head 5-2, and the last time they played was last year in Birmingham, on the grass, and the Latvian won it 7-6, 6-4. Krejcikova is very intelligent, especially in the doubles, but Ostapenko will walk on the court and immediate attack, very deep. Ostapenko will win it 6-3 in the third set, yelling, happy.

Elena Rybakina vs. Elina Svitolina

Now the pressure is on by Rybakina, as the top three players are gone, so the No. 4 is right there, trying to win another Slam. However, it is 2 – 2 between Rybakina and Svitolina, and a month ago, they clashed at Roland Garros. There, on the clay, Rybakina beat her 6-4, 6-3 in the fourth round. Whether she can do it again is totally different, playing on the slow clay, versus the fast grass. However, the Russian can strike the ball, close to the lines, and she can adjust it, too. Svitolina is another gigantic hitter, and she will go for it, too, but over the years, she has come close to reach into the final at the Slams, but she has panicked. This time, she will try to be calm, and really focus. Rybakina  can drop down when her forehand can collapse, but on Wednesday, she will play terrific, and she will win it 7-5, 7-5.

Novak Djokovic vs. Alex de Minaur

The multiple champion Djokovic is favored here, pretty much every time, but at least  de Minaur is playing much better at the Slams. After Djokovic easily beat Holger Rune, and then on the court,  he started to talk about his fans, who were way to loud, and the voices. That was a bizarre event. So on Wednesday, he might get upset immediacy. That we never know about him, period. However, Djokovic has a terrific backhand against the Aussie, and his return is more solid. De Minaur can be scrappy, and he can also nail his forehand. At the start of the year, he did beat the Serbian at the United Cup, on the hardcourt, but then at Monte Carlo, Djokovic beat him 7-5, 6-4 on the clay. But this is on the grass, which is quicker, and Djokovic has won it at Wimbledon seven times, so he knows what to do. However, when the former No. 1 can become ticked off, then he can lose. The thing is, though, is he wants to show that he is brilliant on the court, with the fans, and hopefully, they will cheer him. Therefore, Djokovic will win it, but it will take four hours, and in five sets, it will be brutal, yet the victory will come, 7-5.

Taylor Fritz vs. Lorenzo Musetti

Who would have known that Fritz and Lorenzo Musetti played each other for the first time at the 2022 Wimbledon, when the American beat him in the first round. What a difference, now. Fritz did beat him again at the Davis Cup, but this year, the Italian Musetti  took him down  at Monte-Carlo, at the start of  the event. Well now, at  Wimbledon, it will be in the quarterfinals, and both of them are playing really well, finally. They like to rally, and they like to set it up. Fritz put together one of his best matches when he beat Alexander Zverev in five sets, and  Musetti out-though Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in a four sets, and he really fooled him. Fritz has never gone into the semis at the Slams, so he really wants to, but he has to push himself even more harder, and try to attack, ASAP. Musetti has had a good year, but he has yet to go to the Slam semis, period. They both will attend to dig it out. Musetti is younger, and he is improving each month, but Fritz will serve better, and more creative. As he said: “I’m a very chill person. I don’t do anything that could rub people the wrong way, so when someone kind of just goes out of their way to take a shot at me, then I’m not just going to take it,” said Fritz. “It gave me the extra fire to win.” The American will win it in four, entertaining sets.

Jannik  Sinner vs. Daniil Medvedev

They have played each other 11 times, which is a lot, and the Russian is up 6 to 5. How about this one? The former No. 1 Medvedev beat  Sinner six times, when the Italian was very young, but then the No. 1  Sinner beat the Russian five times in a row. This year,Sinner took it at the Australian Open and Miami. Clearly, it is almost even.

They are both very powerful, and they like to rally. They can change it up, and they can also decide where they serve, in the first serve and the second serve. Neither of them are terrific at the net, but they also can return pretty darn good. Medvedev badly wants to beat him, but Sinner  will once again hit some stunning shots. Sinner  will win it in five, glorious sets.

Donna Vekic vs. Lulu Sun

The Croatian is now playing much better in the third sets. Vekic  took it 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 against Paula Badosa, and at the last minute, she rose, with some massive backhands. She may not win Wimbledon, but the 28-year-old will have a chance to go even deeper. She wants to be  spectacular.

But first she has to beat against Lulu Sun, who came out of nowhere, but now, she is so consistent. She did upset Emma Raducanu here, and the 23-year-old was so solid, but before last week, she had not beaten the top 50 competitors, ever. The New Zealand person is finally playing much elite. She said that on court, she can just hit the ball and send it back. 

“I think the qualies in general, it’s not that big of a difference in the main draw,” Sun said. “In terms of the tennis, we’re not that much different, far off, from the top hundred. It’s just that little you have to get far in some tournaments, obviously in the big tournaments, to make that jump.” She did, but on Tuesday, Vekic will win it quickly, 6-3, 6-2 and advance into the semis.

Jasmine Paolini vs.  Emma Navarro

It was somewhat surprising, as the American, Navarro, beat Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-3. Not that she won, but she was totally in control. Her forehand and her backhand went deep, and Navarro hit it close on the baseline. She has had a terrific tournament, but Paolini has also been more aggressive. She is very quick, and the Italian can  allow it, all over the place. However, over the past 10 years, Paolini has lost against some critical matches, and this time, Navarro will nail her forehands, into the corners, and she will win it 7-5, 6-2.

Carlos Alcaraz vs. Tommy Paul

They are both playing  swanky, during Wimbledon, even though they had some medicare sets, but still, they can lock it in, against. They are 2-2, head to head, and last year, they played three contests. The Spaniard won it twice, and the American took it once, on the hardcourts. They split in Canada and Cincinnati, with some wild, fantastic shots. However, they both like to call it up, and set it up, until they can see that they can put it on the lines. Really, it is fascinating. Alcaraz  has won three Grand Slams, and Paul never has. Alcaraz  wants to win another major, while Paul wants to get into a final at a Grand Slam. They know each other pretty well, but not all of it, yet this time, Alcaraz will once again take another five setter, which he will, so Alcaraz will seize it, 6-4 in the fifth set. Glorious?

Coco Gauff vs. Emma Navarro

The so-called “news” is playing very well, as Navarro has gone somewhat deep throughout the events, and now she is ranked No. 17, pretty good. However at the start of the year, in the Auckland, New Zealand, she lost against Gauff 6-3, 6-1, in the semis. Cleary, the huge hitter Gauff is the favorite. Or maybe not.  Navarro just edged  Diana Shnaider 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, who she lost against her last weeks. Now she must be out of the moon. “In this sport you deal with a lot of emotions,” she said. “It’s high stress at times. So it’s something that obviously I have to deal with, but I would say that calmness, I’ve always had.”

On the court, on Sunday, she is going to have to link  to try to nail it, crosscourt . The former U.S. Open champion Gauff can crush her backhand, and she can also put it away at the net. However, while she has gone deep in 2024, but she has only won one tournament. Now she needs to try it again, and perhaps, to be rehabilitant. Gauff will win it in three, tremendous sets.

Jannik Sinner vs Ben Shelton

The American won another five setter, so when it is very deep, he really concentrated. He is darn swift, and he can try to wreck it both sides, but this year, he has been so-so, here and there, so the young player has to be locked in. 

The problem is that the No. 1 Sinner is much more fitting, and now he rarely gets angry, to lose control. Now he can throw in some errors, but the next point, he tries to forget it, and move on. The Australian Open champion has evolved his return, and at the net, too. Without a doubt, Shelton loves the big stage, but currently Sinner is better than Shelton is, at least for now, and the Italian will win it in four, leathery  sets.

Jasmine Paolini vs. Madison Keys 

She is almost 30-years-old, and Keys has gone deep a lot, but she has yet to win a Grand Slam. On the hardcourts, she is super powerful, and she can crush her forehand and her backhand, but she is not that fast, running. In a  sense, she cannot do much now, because the older you get, you can’t really fix it. However, Keys can insert  some very good shots, with her serve, at the net, and being willingness, too. Keys did reach into the 2017 U.S. Open in the final, and she lost, but she still has a chance to make it again, and maybe to win it. But Keys hasn’t yet, and maybe she never will, but she does have a legitimate shot. 

Now though it is in Wimbledon, on the grass, and Keys does like it, when she doesn’t have to play with the long rallies. Last year, she reached into the quarters, which was decent, so this time, she has to chop down against Paolini.

However, the Italian has had a stunning year, not that Paolini isn’t solid, but this year, at certain events, she decided to hit the ball, very hard. Yes, she can just shove it, but whenever she gets a chance, she can rake it. She reached the final at Roland Garros, and she was on fire, but then, she was so nervous, and she lost, quickly, against Iga Swiatek. Now Paolini is enthusiastic, but really, before this week, she had not won a match here, ever. The 28-year-old Paolini   will battle, but Keys will out-hit her in three sets, and win it with unbroken, shots.

Emma Raducanu vs. Lulu Sun 

Clearly, Raducanu is playing terrific, and here, she could crush Sun with less than an hour.  Raducanu has won a Grand Slam, but Sun is ranked outside of the top 123, and while she is playing better for sure, but over the past one year, she has beaten inside the top 70, until this week. Then she stunned the No.8 Zheng Qinwen 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. At the end, she finally rose.

The 23-year-old New Zealand did look good when she went to the University of Texas, but it will still take a while to upset the excellent competitos. 

Raducanu is having a great time, on the Center Court, and she is wandering on the ball. The Britain is still not playing 100 percent, but she is healthy, and each day, her confidence is uprising. Raducanu will win it in two, easy sets.  

Daniil Medvedev vs. Grigor Dimitrov

Clearly, the Russian has beaten Dimitrov seven times, and three losses. Medvedev has won the 2022 U.S. Open, and the former No. 1 loves to rally, on the hardcourts. But on the grass, he gets caught, when the ball is. He can beat anyone when he is playing astonishing, but he can also panic, inside his head.

There are some wonderful points from Dimitrov, who can mix it up with his one-handed backhand. He has gone deep over the past 12 years, but he has also collapsed, and he lost against even the medicare players. But right now, they do want to win Wimbledon, so they are going to attack, and skip into the net. They have played on the grass, just once, in Queen’s Club in 2017, and Dimintov won it in three sets. Maybe he can try it again, but Medvedev beat him at Indian Wells in March, so he knows how to play. It will be tight, and it will  go into the fifth set. Then, Medvedev will survive, 6-4 in the fifth set.

Tommy Paul vs Roberto Bautista Agut 

The Spaniard Bautista Agut  beat Paul  three times in a row, but then, the American began to add his strokes. Paul played a lot, all the time, and he lost quite a bit, but two years ago,  he changed with the rallies. Yes, he can go for a long time, but he can push closer to the baseline and try to touch it into the corners. The 27-year-old Paul is now  in the top 13, beating a lot of prime players. He then beat Bautista Agut twice, later, and this season at the Australian Open, Paul beat him in four tight sets.

Bautista Agut  plays all the time, week after week, but the 36-year-old rarely gets tired, so there is no question that he really likes to play, even when he is sleeping. Hahaha? However, Paul will take him down, going versus  forehand versus forehand, and the first serve to. Paul  will take it 6-4 in the fourth set.