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The Picks in Madrid: Sunday, May 7

May 6, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Carlos Alcaraz over Jan-Lennard Struff

Remember at the 2021 Roland Garros in the third round when Struff had to face Alcaraz, a new 18-years-old player. He was good, but the Spaniard had to work, all the time. There, in Paris, Struff beat him in three, interesting, sets. Then next year at the 2022 Wimbledon,Alcaraz began to rise, and he edged Struff 6-4 in a classic, five-setter in the first round. It was a great match, but then the German knew that he could see that soon enough, the teenager would become excellent. And he is now, as he has now won 20 matches in a row. Not many people have done that before.

“We played in Roland Garros when he was 18. For a young player like him, he changed so much in this time. When we see what he achieved in this last two years, it’s just amazing,” Struff said. “I managed to beat him in Roland Garros. From the matches as well in Wimbledon, it was very intense match, he’s a complete player. He has a lot of weapons. He’s serve and volleying, playing strong from the baseline, serving well, he has a dropshot. He’s very fast. He’s a great athlete. … I have to go for it otherwise I will have no chance. I will try my best to beat him and win my first title.”

Struff is a huge hitter, and his confidence is finally rising again. Will that help against the Spaniard?

Alcaraz can smash his forehand and his backhand. He can throw in different shots when he serves, and for the millionth time, he can charge into the net. Even more than that, his dropshot is amazing.

Alcaraz may be the favorite, but Struff took down Stefanos Tsitsipas, the No. 3, in the quarters. Then he really showed himself in the semi against Aslan Karatsev. However, just like the multiple champion, Rafa Nadal, Alcaraz is pretty darn good on clay. Because of that, Alcaraz will win it once again, kicking down in two, tough, sets.

Matt’s yesterday pick

~~Iga Swiatek over Aryna Sabalenka~~

Matt’s picks from Madrid

8 out of 14, 57.1% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: atp, Carlos Alcaraz, madrid, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin

The Picks in Madrid: Saturday, May 6

May 6, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Iga Swiatek over Aryna Sabalenka
It was going to happen in the final at Madrid, as the No. 1 and the No. 2 believe that if they played so consistent, then they can beat anyone. However, they both think that if they play well and throw in some deep returns, then the rallies will be close.

They both have two huge forehands and their backhands are super vigorous. Swiatek has a better clay record, and she won Roland Garros twice by being patient and also crushing the ball. The challenge is really on, again.

After she won the 2023 Australian Open, Sabalenka was finally satisfied. Before last year, she looked pretty good but also she struggled, especially at some events. She can really run, and she can also push herself, from the backcourt where she can snag some winners. At the end of year in the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, she cut down over Swiatek in three sets on the hard court. Then two weeks ago, on indoors on clay in Stuttgart in the final, Swiatek battered Sabalenka in two sets on clay.

“Really different,” Sabalenka said, “but I really like it. I don’t have to rush things. I just have to wait for my opportunity and I just have to take it and go for it. … I really want to have this revenge. I think I would just play with more passion. I wouldn’t rush things. Yeah, I would just go one more time, try better, and fight for this title.”

Then Sabalenka will attempt to go for it with some hard shots. But, if you recall, at Rome almost one year ago, Swiatek destroyed her

On Saturday, Swiatek will win it in three sets, with some electrifying points.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Carlos Alcaraz over Borna Coric
~~Jan-Lennard Struff over Aslan Karatsev~~

Matt’s picks from Madrid

8 out of 13, 61.5% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, madrid, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, wta

The Picks in Madrid: Friday, May 4

May 5, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Carlos Alcaraz over Borna Coric
On Friday, the Spaniard will be 20-years-old and he is in the semis again. Alcaraz is on top of the ball, crushing his strong forehand and his backhand, which can be exact, or fling it with some crazy, good spin. He has never played against Coric, and he knows that the rallies will be super long. But both of them will do it, trying to table in some cosmic shots. As Alcaraz said, he is just fine to hurl in a number of dropshots, and with a huge of winners, right over the net.

“This is something that I did a lot when I was young. I feel really comfortable on that shot,” he said.” Yeah, is a really good weapon for me. Honestly, I just feel it, the dropshot. Alcaraz did win the 2022 US Open, but that is only one Slam, yet. However, he really does believe he will continue to get better, and win, a lot. As he said: “I want to be part of the, you know, the best tennis players in history and I will work for it.”

Back in 2018, Coric took down Roger Federer, Juan Martin del Potro, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev, among others. He was so terrific, grinding all the time, and he was so consistent. But he never made it into the top 10, partly because he could be somewhat odd, on the court, and also, he needed to take over the net, more frequently. “Carlos is an impressive player in an incredible form. He is the favorite against me, but I will go out and have fun on the court,” Boris said. Five years later, he is going for it, and if he wants to out-hit against Alcaraz, he must have to take off the gloves off. He might, but Alcaraz will pound him and knock him out in two, tough, sets.

Jan-Lennard Struff over Aslan Karatsev
To see these two in the semis at the ATP 1000s rarely happens. The combination of the rankings are 176. That is so rare in the ATP 1000s, where so few people would think that the players will win in a bunchs of matches. Usually, deep at the tournaments, the top 30 men will have a legitimate chance to go very profound with the young players, good players, but this time, the long veterans are here now.

Struff stunned Stefanos Tsitsipas, and it looked like he was going to lose quickly, but he came up huge, especially with his first serve, and his hefty forehand. Two weeks ago, they played each other in a qualifying, and Karatsev chopped him. Now, it will be very close again, this time on the fast clay courts.

“Aslan is playing amazing this week. I didn’t play the best tennis in that match, but he made me play not good I feel like,” Struff said. “I think we need to analyze it now, focus on the match and I hope I can do better.”
He will have to as Karatsev is finally rising, and he must be breathtaking.
“I started the year inside the top 100, then I dropped and lost some matches. You have to keep going and believe,” Karatsev said. “From the qualifying, match by match, it has got harder, so mentally you have to be there more. Because your opponent doesn’t give you any free points so you have to be there yourself.”

It will be maybe three hours, with some long points, and in the third set, Struff will hit a few winners into the corner. He will win it , when he is almost exhausted, but he will be happy.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Iga Swiatek over Veronika Kudermetova
Correct: Aryna Sabalenka over Maria Sakkari
Stefanos Tsitsipas over Jan-Lennard Struff
Zhizhen Zhang over Aslan Karatsev

Matt’s picks from Madrid

7 out of 12, 58.3% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Aslan Karatsev, atp, Borna Coric, Jan-Lennard Struff, madird, Matthew Cronin, With Carlos Alcaraz, wta

The Picks in Madrid: Thursday, May 5

May 4, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Stefanos Tsitsipas over Jan-Lennard Struff
These two have had some close matches, with Tsitsipas winning three, , and Struff grabbing two, one on clay, and another of the hardcourts, at the ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati. The veteran Struff has had a decent year in 2023, as when he started, he was way back, with his ranking which was No. 152. He must have been fighting.

However, he began to play different, and manage it. Tsitsipas can also be more tolerant, and he does what kind of shots. He will think occasionally, and when he does, the strong man will decide which way to go. Tsitsipas will nail more than a few aces with his serve, and he will win it in two, famed, sets.

Iga Swiatek over Veronika Kudermetova
The Russian Kudermetova has had a surpassing tournament, as over the past year, she would play spectacular, and then, she would lose it, on the court. But as she said, “I step on the court, I try to do my best. I try to improve. That’s give me confident. When I step on the court, I know behind of my shoulder I have a lot of good practice, a lot of good matches. It’s give me really belief in myself.”

She must, but now she has to upset Swiatek, who is totally into it. She knows how to caper on the ball, and she can also be nursing.“ Having both things combined and being able to do both, like, Rafa [Nadal] or Novak Djokovic], they can play great in defense and be patient and also they can attack well. I think this should be the goal of every tennis player,” Swiatek said. “That’s why we are working on both, but for sure there are many girls right now who are playing fast serve and fast first ball. I can’t really tell you, but I don’t mind.” She apparently is playing happy, with no nerves. There for, Swiatek will win it in two, smart, sets.

Zhizhen Zhang over Aslan Karatsev
Who would have known that Zhizhen Zhang was going to win again, even though he had not won hardly anything anything at all in the the ATP Tour, but he is this week, and now he will out-hit over Aslan Karatsev in two sets.

Aryna Sabalenka over Maria Sakkari
Aryna Sabalenka is rippled along, as her forehand is massive again. This week, Maria Sakkari played some fine tennis, with some touch, and she will try to slide and bring it back, but Sabalenka will attack her backhand, and put together in the corners. Sabalenka will win it in two sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Carlos Alcaraz over Karen Khachanov
Correct: Iga Swiatek over Petra Martic
Correct: Borna Coric over Daniel Altmaier
~~Jessica Pegula over Veronika Kudermetova~~

Matt’s picks from Madrid

5 out of 8, 62.5% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, atp, Iga Swiatek, madrid, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Stefanos Tsitsipas, wta, Zhizhen Zhang

The Picks in Madrid: Wednesday, May 3

May 3, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Carlos Alcaraz over Karen Khachanov
Here and there, the Spaniard is already playing as well as he could, crushing Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2. He is already so good, crushing his forehand and his backhand, and he attacks, even with his return.
Khachanov has had a fine event, putting together with his massive shots, and also, he can rip the ball. However, while he knows that he has to almost attack him, early, but how can he bend down and get into the rallies? He can do it for a while, but the Spaniard Alcaraz will drive him close to the net and put it away. The soon to be No. 1 Alcaraz will win it in two, long, sets.

Jessica Pegula over Veronika Kudermetova
In Madrid, Pegula has finally understand what she knows how to be more honest, on the court, and in the dirt. Not only has she played for years in the singles, but now over the past couple years she has also plays the doubles, and that is became with her special shots. She reactid, all the time. Kudermetova also can react, with her hard forehand and her backhand, somewhat deep, and close to the corners. She can miss some solitary shots, but she can also to be truly center. This will be a long match, point after point, but at the end, Pegula will grab it in the third set, with her new optimistic game.

Iga Swiatek over Petra Martic
The No. 1 is rolling again, with her huge, deep shots. Swiatek jumps very quickly, and she will mash her vicious forehand and her backhand. There are moments when she dumps the ball, but after words, she reacts. Martic is still fast, and she goes to try with the rallies. She also can mix it up, and fool her opponents. However, Swiatek is overthrow again, and she will out-hit her, so Martic won’t see what to do. The Polish Swiatek will win it, in two, fast, sets.

Borna Coric over Daniel Altmaier
He played more than three hours, and clearly he will be tired, but finally, he is playing much better than he did three months ago. Coric can be so steady, and he can also engage in the rallies. He can also mix it up, and when he is feeling good, then he can strike. The German Altmaier rose last year, winning a bunch with small events. However, the 24-year-old has pushed himself, going early, and bang close to the lines. He will try to exhaust Coric, which is a good idea, but as long as he doesn’t retire, with an injury, the Croatian will win it in two, exhausting sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Carlos Alcaraz over Alexander Zverev
Correct: Aryna Sabalenka over Mayar Sherif
~~Taylor Fritz over Zhizhen Zhang~~
~~Irina-Cametia Begu over Maria Sakkari~~

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: atp, Borna Coric, Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, madrid, Matthew Cronin, wta

The Picks in Madrid: Tuesday, May 2

May 2, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Carlos Alcaraz over Alexander Zverev
This is one of the best matches early, as the Spaniard has won a Slam, and the German has reached the final. Last year, Alcaraz was on fire, with some breathtaking shots. He beat Zverev in the 2022 Madrid, out-hitting him with some muscular shots. On Tuesday, he wants to do it again, and he won’t back down. He wants to show the world that very soon, he wants to be No. 1 again. He has to, as Zverev beat him at the 2022 Roland Garros in the quarters, 7-6 (7) in the fourth set. That was so close.

“I really want to play that match. I really want to show my great level I have great memories from last year in the final but obviously I have to be really focussed in that match,” Alcaraz said. “I know that Sascha [Alexander ] is a really good player, a really aggressive one with good serves. I have to show all my skills.”

Zverev can be hit some massive shots, and with his first serve, close to the corners, when he flips it as a winner. However, this year, he has been mediocre at times, but one of the main reason why is because last year at Roland Garros he tore his three ligaments in his right ankle. He had to retire in the semis verses Rafa Nadal. Had he not done that, he might have stunned Nadal. But he could not, so currently, he wants to play 100 percent.

“We played in the final here last year, played a massive match at [Roland Garros] before I got injured. … I’ve been on Tour for 10 years now, so,” Zverev said. “It’s kind of been a break, I’ve been injured, not dead so I’ve not been reborn again or something like that. It’s still the same old me and I still want to win these tournaments and I’m going to do everything I can to do so.”

Perhaps he will, if he can push Alcaraz back, near the wall, and frustrate him. However, Zverev has lost some mediocre matches, and while he used to be No. 2, this year he has not able to win the top 25 men. Because of that, while if he feels healthy, then he should be able to go into the top 10, again. But not yet, as Alcaraz will win it in two, dramatic sets.

Taylor Fritz over Zhizhen Zhang
Two days ago, it looked like he had a fine match, but he still wasn’t good enough to win the next contest. But once again, Zhang played incredible; edging Norrie. But now he has to face with Fritz, who apparently, on the clay, he adjusted. Perhaps the reason why is in Madrid, it is faster on the court, so he can hit the balls quickly, and tucked in a number of winners. He can really throw in some tremendous shots, in the backcourt. His first serve ishard-hearted, and he can ship. The quick Zhang will attempt to have some long rallies, and he will also try to put it in the lines, but Fritz will pound him back, and the American will win it in two, engaging, sets.

Aryna Sabalenka over Mayar Sherif
Even though when she starts at the tournament, the teenager can be a little bit slow, mentally, to get into it when she can. She was thinking about at the tournament, how well she will be, and to play more than respectable. Currently, she knows that, as she said: “I think tennis is a little bit different right now. Everyone is playing well, and it’s not actually easy,” Sabalenka said. “I think just because I’m able to focus on myself and no matter what happen on court, I’m fighting for every point. … Everyone is trying to hit the ball very hard. Everyone is serving. Everyone is playing really aggressively and fighting for every point. You have to be really focused and have to work very hard to be on the top all the time.”

Then do it if you can. At the event, Sherif has came very strong. She has some amazing spin, and she can also re-set her direction. Her forehand isn’t that hard, but her backhand is powerful. Yes, Sherif is jumping into the air, but the No. 2 Sabalenka will hit it harder and she will win it in two amusing sets.

Irina-Cametia Begu over Maria Sakkari
The veteran Begu has been around for a long time, going place to place, with some classic matches, and also, some so-so cities. She can be consistent, and she also can punch her backhand. Begu can create, and she can go really low. However, the Greek Sakkari also like some king-side rallies, and she will go back and forth, hoping that she can put it in a basket. Sakkari has not had a good year, but it does seems to like that she is playing more efficiently. However, she will continue to struggle, and Begu will win it in three, super long, sets.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, atp, Carlos Alcaraz, Irina-Cametia Begu, madrid, Matthew Cronin, Taylor Fritz, wta

The Picks in Madrid: Friday, April 28

April 27, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Carlos Alcaraz over Emil Ruusuvuori
The Finn has had a respectable year, with a few impressive wins, but he has yet to reach into the top 30, and maybe he will, eventually, but he has to change his strokes, here and there. At least Ruusuvuori played pretty well in Miami, beating Botic van de Zandschulp, and in Barcelona, he took down Frances Tiafoe . Yet how will he stun Alcaraz, as the Spaniard just won Barcelona? He has only lost two matches this year, and he has been winning a lot of some very good players. He is almost jolly aggressive, and he can chuck it in with variety. Maybe he is mentally tired, but he is a teenager, so he will be fresh. Alcaraz will win it in three, engaging sets.

Andrey Rublev over Stan Wawrinka
The three-time Grand Slam champion is aging, and he is not as fast as he was, but on clay, he can really control him. Wawrinka has an amazing backhand, with a tremendous rotation, and also, he can nail it crosscourt, or down the line. When he is on, he can be great to watch him. However, Rublev is now more settled, on the court. He can try to pin him down, and swing so hard with his stout forehand and his backhand. Yes, Rublev still isn’t great enough on clay, but year after year, he can understand what he has to do. There for, Rublev will clip Wawrinka in the third set to win it, with some savage shots.

Martina Trevisan over Eugenie Bouchard
The Canadian Bouchard looked terrific years ago, almost 10 years ago in 2014 , when she reached the semis at the Aussie Open, then in the final at Wimbledon, and then, in the semis again at the US Open. She was trucking along, as her forehand and her backhand were huge. But then next year, she started to disappear, and she did get hurt, a bit, but then she did not know why she couldn’t hit the balls in the lines. Then she was essentially gone. Bouchard stopped playing, and she also decided to go on TV. She is actually pretty decent. And then, she started playing again, so now she is trying to go upwards.

Someone can write a book, about why she was so good, and also, barely mediocre. The good thing was in Madrid, she qualified, and now she was to face Trevisan, who really likes playing on clay. Yes, the No. 20 has not had a very good year, but the Italian can spin her shots, and she can also mix it up. Even though Bouchard wants to go fast, and she also likes to play on the dirt, but it will take her a few months before she can really focus. As a result, Trevisan will win it in three, bizarre sets.

Vika Azarenka over Alycia Parks
The two-time Grand Slam champ Azarenka is addicted on the hardcourts, but in Europe, over the years, she can be wild on the clay. She is used to it, but perhaps she has not won more Slams is because when she is on court, she can hit some sole points, way out. Azarenka does think about her life, and that is terrific, yet the 33-year-old won’t really change at the net, and also, her return, too. However, she can be intense, as does the American Parks, who is ready to crush the ball. On the hardcourt, she can move forward, and she can bend down, and shoot it up. But she is not there, yet, on the lurking clay. Azarenka will win it, in two honestly, decent sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Dominic Thiem over Kyle Edmund
Correct: Aryna Sabalenka over Sorana Cirstea
~~Elina Svitolina over Aliaksandra Sasnovich~~

Matt’s picks this week

2 out of 3: 66.7% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: atp, Carlos Alcaraz, Eugenie Bouchard, madrid, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Stan Wawrinka, vika azarenka, wta

Ka-boom: Can the American men go deep on European clay?

April 24, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Taylor Fritz: “Maybe not all the other, older generation of Americans wouldn’t want to play so much on clay, but it’s important.”

The American men have not won the ATP 1000 in Madrid was in 2002, when the Grand Slam eight time champion Andre Agassi won it on clay. He had been No. 1, and he also won all four, winning the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open. But with the current men, no one has won it, and it has been almost 20 years. The last one was Andy Roddick, who grabbed it at the 2003 U.S. Open.

In a sense, it is somewhat decent, as over the years, many people thought out in the county began to really like tennis. Not just in Switzerland, and Spain, but also, with Serbia, as Novak Djokovic has won 21 Grand Slams. He can play spectacularly, as did the now retired Roger Federer, as well as Rafa Nadal, who is still playing.

Unfortunately, both Djokovic and Nadal are hurt so they cannot play in Madrid this week. But the No. 10, Taylor Fritz, is playing and he has had a pretty good year, but not phenomenal. He has yet to reach into the semifinals in the Slams, but at least he had won an ATP 1000 at the 2022 Indian Wells. He was rising, and at times, he looks amazing, yet on the dirt, he has yet to go deep at Barcelona, Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros. He wants to go further, and he wants to, but he is not quite there, yet.

“Well, look, if you want to be one of the best players in the world, you really do have to perform on all surfaces. I think what other choice do you have? You have to embrace it,” Fritz said. “You have to try to enjoy playing on it, try to get better, try to have the best results possible. I’m still obviously improving a lot, but it’s always been important for me to try to play a serious clay court schedule. Maybe not all the other, older generation of Americans wouldn’t want to play so much on clay, but it’s important if you want to be top-5, top-10 player to be able to perform on every surface.”

Not only did Agassi finally became so much better in the clay courts, but Jim Courier and Pete Sampras both won at Rome. In the early 1990s, Courier won Roland Garros twice, with some long, hard points. You can also throw in Michael Chang, another American, who when he was so young, he flew up into the sky and nailed it, winning with some incedible matches, and he won Paris in1989. That was mind blowing. Those four combined for 27 Grand Slams. Ka-boom.

Right now, with the current men, it is possible that someday, someone will win a major. But we are not sure. As Fritz said, that the Russian Andrey Rublev has become so steady. Last week, he won the ATP 1000 Monte Carlo. “He’s very consistent. He’s made lots of quarters, semis, and I think this is his third final. It’s kind of just whoever plays the best on that week” Fritz said. “He has been unlucky. But yeah, obviously he’s 100% at the level of a player who you would expect to have one and he’ll have one soon.”

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: andre agassi, Andrey Rublev, atp, Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune, jim courier, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Michael Chang, pete sampras, roland garros

The Picks in Barcelona, Stuttgart, Munich: Wednesday, April 19

April 19, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Barcelona Open Banc Sabadel
Carlos Alcaraz over Roberto Bautista Agut
Last year, the former U.S. Open champion Alcaraz crushed him 6-2 6-0
at Indian Wells. At that point, the young man was on fire, and the very good veteran had a lousy day. But now they are on clay, as the Spaniards are hoping to be highly consistent, and to pulp there forehand and there backhand. Alcaraz can be a little bit wild, yet he really does not care because he believes that in the next point, he can find it on the lines.

The 35-year-old has had some wonderful years, but Bautista Agut is slipping back, so Alcaraz will win it in two, long, sets.

Stuttgart
Caroline Garcia over Tatjana Maria
This will be a very tough match as they have played each other twice, on the grass and on the clay, and the Frenchwoman won it two times, yet it was three sets, and it was pretty darn close. Garcia can romp the ball, running side to side, and also, to change into the net. Maria is 35-years-old, but she still is pretty fast when she is running. She did win Bogota, which was surprising, but clearly, she wants to keep playing until she will have to retire. The German will change against Garcia, and she does like to mix it up, but in the third set, the Frenchwomen will hit a few terrific backhands and win it in three sets.

Paula Badosa over Cristina Bucsa
At the Australian Open, the Spaniard Bucsa qualified, and then she upset two respectable, but in the third round, Iga Swiatek crushed her. She must have been happy for a little while, but after that, she must have been totally frustrated. Bucsa can be somewhat proper and she can also really go for it.

The same thing goes with Badosa, who can be a very fun player, on the court, but she is trying to figure out where she has to go. She has won a decent amount of matches, but not enough. The No. 31 Badosa looked pretty decent in Charleston, and she won three matches, so it appears that she is rising again. On the clay, Badosa will win it in two, lengthy sets.

Munich
Marcos Giron over Alexander Ritschard
They have yet to play each other, and while it is early, they want to get impression. The American Giron has had a so-so year, even though in 2022, he won some fine tournaments. Now, he is struggling, and while he can be proper, but currently, he cannot knock down the very good players — yet. The Swiss Ritschard did have a decent last year, on the hardcourts, but on the clay, he could not move up, hardly at all. Yes, he can be somewhat consistent, but he cannot hit the ball hard enough. Therefore, Giron will beat him in two decent sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Jelena Ostapenko over Emma Raducanu
Correct: David Goffin over Feliciano Lopez
Correct: Diego Schwartzman over Yibing Wu
Correct: Cameron Norrie over Pavel Kotov
Correct: Denis Shapovalov over Jozef Kovalik

Matt’s current week picks

5 out of 5: 100% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: barcelona, Carlos Alcaraz, Caroline Garcia, Marcos Giron, Matthew Cronin, Munich, Paula Badosa, stuttgart

The Picks in Barcelona, Banja Luka, Stuttgart: Tuesday, April 18

April 18, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Barcelona Open Banc Sabadel
Cameron Norrie over Pavel Kotov
The Britain is always playing and he rarely loses very early, as over the past two years, he changed a lot of his strokes. He is very strong, and he can thud his forehand and his backhand. Norrie had a fine year, upsetting a number of good people, yet right now, he has been up and down, very good, or so-so.

However, when he is playing solid, then he should be able to out-think Kotov, who is fairly young, and the 24-year-old did just reach into the semis in Morocco, upsetting Benjamin Bonzi. Clearly, he is rising a little bit, but he is out of the top 100, so he still has to really improve his shots. Norrie will beat him in two, somewhat easy, sets.

Denis Shapovalov over Jozef Kovalik
Is it time for the Canadian to stand up? Shapovalov can look terrific, with his leaping backhand, and smashing his forehand. His first serve is solid, but not fantastic, while at the net, he still needs to improve. Without a doubt, last year, he knocked out a number of very good players, but in 2023, he has done very little. This week, he will try to wake up.

The Slovakian Jozef Kovalik is 30-years-old, and in the singles, he has yet to take down the excellent players. That is why he is ranked No. 155, which mean that he is struggling to stay in the ATP. Maybe he can one day, but not now, as Shapovalov will beat him in two sets.

Banja Luka
Novak Djokovic over Luca Van Assche
Maybe it looks like that Djokovic will crush him, but Van Assche is only 18-year-old, so in the next five years, he can improve himself a tremendous amount. The Frenchman has won two small events this year, and while they did not beat any players outside of the top 100, but still, just to win it all, he certainly is rising, fast. On clay, he can mix it around and vault on the ball. While he must be so psyched to play against the 21 Grand Slam winner Djokovic, but he will likely be nervous, so the No.1 Serbian Novak will win it in two decent sets.

Stuttgart
Iga Swiatek over Qinwen Zheng
The No. 1 Swiatek has not had a great year, but she has been hurt, physically, so this week, assuming that she is healthy, she will be ready to re-set her life. Both her forehand and her backhand are so hard, and almost immediately, she will attempt to nail a winner, fast. At times, she can go too early, and she can also become upset when she cannot hit it in the right way, but if she can breathe, then eventually, she can turn it around.

Zheng is only 20-years-old and already, she is ranked in the top 25. That is not easy for anyone, so while she has not had a great 2023 season, at least last year, she upset a number of good players, such as Paula Badosa and Veronika Kudermetova. The problem though, it that while she is superfast when she is running, but at the 2022 Roland Garros, Swiatek beat Zheng in three sets. Currently, it is all about the clay, ever though in Germany, it is indoors, so it will be faster. Regardless, Swiatek will beat Zheng in three sets, just like they did in Paris.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Banja Luka, barcelona, Cameron Norrie, denis Shapovalov, Iga Swiatek, Matthew Cronin, Novak Djokovic, stuttgart