Will Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner take the Miami title?

Carlos Alcaraz
Mal Taam/MALTphoto

Is it possible for Carlos Alcaraz  to win Indian Wells and Miami back to back?

Some people have, but not many, such as Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek.

Azarenka  is still there, but Djokovic decided not to play in Miami, Federer has retired and Swiatek, who won Indian Wells, just lost in Florida against Ekaterina Alexandrova. When you win Indian Wells, you could be tired, depending on how you feel.

Alcaraz’s will find out shortly, when he has to face versus  Lorenzo Musetti, the Italian, who put down Ben Shelton 6-4, 7-6(5).  

On court, the 20-year-old can really throw into some very cool shots, being patient and when he is set up, he can drive the ball. Alcaraz can miss here and there, down the line or crosscourt. Yes, he will keep going, harder and harder.

“Every player has his own style. But probably mine is a little bit different to other Spaniards’ style,” he said. “I think other Spanish players have similar style than mine. I’m more aggressive. I think my ball goes faster. I have a lot of things that I can do on the court. It’s depend on the player.”

Believe it or not, in the 2023 Miami, he lost to Jannik Sinner in three sets. Maybe it will happen again, because the Italian is still winning. Sinner won the Australian Open, and this season he has won almost all of it, also winning Rotterdam. But guess what?  Alcaraz out fooled him, beating Sinner it 6-2 in the third at Indian Wells in the semis. It could happen again, but  Sinner has to be patient, and go for it early, if there is a chance.

Christopher O’Connell will play Sinner on Tuesday , and he has to play spectacular, as this year he has not gone deep at all, until this week. He has to play very consistent, and move forward, fast. If he wins it, it will be one of his best matches of all time.

Speaking of Hubert Hurkacz … he has had a decent year, even terrific, as the tall man not only can chuck it some many aces, but he can hit his forehand and his backhand deep, without too many errors. He is thoughtful, that is for sure. However, he has to face Grigor Dimitrov, a veteran, as the one-handed backhand can earth him. He can play great, or he can disappear. It is hard to know, but it should be a very intense match.

We all know that the former No.1 Azarenka has won the title three times in Miami in 2009, 2011 and 2016, and she was very good, but she would hit some off errors. Maybe she will win it again, but she is ranked No. 32, and she has not won a big title in a long time. The 34-year-old is still so powerful, from both sides, but she does not return enough, and to run it down. Maybe Azarenka  will rise up one more time, but first she has to face Yulia Putintseva, who has been consistent for a long time. They will try to jump on the lines.

Here is a stellar match when Elena Rybakina will face Maria Sakkari, the two top 10ers. The No. 4 Rybakina won Brisbane, and her strokes can be tremendous, but she can also trip it down. Finally, Sakkari started to play well over the past few weeks, and she reached the final at Indian Wells. She loves to rally, for many hours, but she also has to go for it, faster. She has no choice as Rybakina will attack her as soon as she can and put it on the lines.

Coronavirus boots Indian Wells

These are tough days now. Not only in tennis, but millions of people are in need and we feel for them.

But, presently, all eyes are on the coronavirus as it spreads throughout the world. People are getting sick everywhere.

On Sunday night, at Indian Wells, the 2020 BNP Paribas Open was cancelled. No one could play on court against the fantastic competitors, like Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Ash Barty or Serena Williams. All the healthy players were already there, at Indian Wells when word came – practicing, smacking the balls, talking with their coaches. They were pretty surprised on Sunday that the owners did not want to take chances in this situation. Even though it was super sad that no one could go to watch at the matches, but at the same time, many people would are nodding. Since then, the infections numbers just keep rising.

The players, too, assuming that they learning about the coronavirus (like everyone else), know that it is dangerous to play. More importantly, it is even more dangerous to watch. Packing in thousands of spectators right now is not a smart move. In other sports and non-athletic events, cancellations are everywhere.

The Miami tournament will start in 12 days. The owners already have said that they will play, even though the coronavirus is spreading in Europe and North America. No one can predict what will happen; it’s very day-to-day. Everyone wants to watch Miami, another big tournament, but you just have to wait and see what happens. If you want to help, make sure to wash your hands … a lot! That would help, for sure. It is a crazy life, now.  

Miami final: John Isner can bounce Alexander Zverev

Here goes John Isner, playing fantastic again. The same goes with Alexander Zverev, who was reeling during the first three months, but now the No. 3 is calmer and he is hitting it close to the lines.

Isner was totally locked in against Juan Martin del Potro is the semis. As always, his first serve is massive, and his forehand is big and gutsy. His backhand is still medicore, but he can nail it down the line when he wants. Also, he is 6 foot 10 and he isn’t that fast, but he is sharp at the net.

The German Zverev won two ATP World Tour Masters 1000s, snagging Rome and Canada in 2017. He also has a huge first serve, is pretty quick, and can go crosscourt, down the line and put in a few good dropshots. He has beaten Isner three times, in 2016 in Shanghai, and last year, in Miami (7-6 in the third) and Rome. The 20-year-old has had a solid event in during the past 10 days, beating David Ferrer, Nick Kyrgios, Borna Coric and Pablo Carreno Busta, without dropping a set. He could be a little bit cocky, but over the past six months, he has learned that he cannot play perfect all the time. He had to push it back and figure it out. 

Over the past few days, Zverev was very good, sprinting side to side and when he was way off the court, he can nail it for a winner. He was totally pumped up.

Isner not only defeated the red-hot del Potro, he also jumped over Marin Cilic and  Hyeon Chung. The American has never won an ATP 1000, but he has come close. He is 32-years-old and I am sure he will continue in the next four years. But, when you are in the final at the ATP 100s and/or the Grand Slams and have such a rare opportunity, you have to grab it. 

While Zverev is a better player than Isner, he will drop down a bittoday and Isner will win it in three tough sets.

Ostapenko vs. Stephens: Are they the future No. 1s?


We have all watched Stephens over the past eight years, at the Slams, playing bad at times, and playing great. Last year, we watched Sloane during the summer, after she came back due to her foot surgery. She didn’t play for nine months. It took her a couple months or so to be more comfortable, and then, she knew she was ready to leap. 

She won the 2017 US Open, showing strength, super speed and lethal shots. During the rest of the year, she failed quickly, because her body was tired and she needed to take a long rest. 

She did not, and in the beginning of 2018, she was shaky. But once again, her legs are strong, she began to be a little more aggressive, and she rarely missed. So now, she is right there again, cool, calm and collected.

Even though Ostapenko is ranked No. 5, the elder Stephens is the favorite over the 20-year-old Ostapenko. Without question, the American has matured. Now, she can be funny and real. 

Ostapenko is very young, and she will grow, but even so, she is an excellent player already. She is just a huge hitter, with her forehand and backhand. She hits so many winners, which is terrific, but when she is off, she also has numerous errors. Over the past 10 days, though, she was on it, not only running fast, but being more consistent and a little more patient. She is learning. Last year, she won Roland Garros on pure power. The fans were pretty surprised that the Latvian was so confident and she loved to slide on the clay. Just like Stephens, Ostapenko skidded in the first couple months. But here in Florida, she was patient and thoughtful.

Both of them can crack their backhands and forehands, crosscourt and down the line. There serves are so-so, but they can jump on the second serves and whack-em. 

They are certainly showing that they are here now, and both of then want to reach No. 1 this year. When? Hard to say, but Ostapenko is already in the top 5 and Stephens is in inching to the top 10. So, in a few more months, if they maintain their composure, they could be right there.

Who will win? They have to go into the third sets. Ostapenko will swing away, but Stephens will bring it back, and back, and back. Sloane will pick up a Premier Mandatory trophy. 

John Isner vs. Juan Martin del Potro: Coming down to the wire?

Finally, John Isner is back again. I mean, in the last nine days, he woke up in Miami. Prior to that during the past two and a half months, he was sadly down. He only won two matches, and he lost time and time again. Very early.

But after he played Indian Wells, he talked to his coach, and his friends, and they said, ‘C’mon, you are better than that. Don’t be so nervous and be  so depressed on court. When you get start the match, make sure to shake it off, even if you whiff. This is your life. You are 32-years-old now so it is time to believe in yourself, because in another five years, you might retire. So go to it.’”
He did and in the last three days, he played extremely well, knocking out the  No. 3 Marin Cilic, and the young rising Hyeon Chung in straight sets.

Isner and Cilic have been around for a very long time. Cilic has played pretty well in 2018, but he has not been terrific. So Isner hit some huge serves, his big forehand, and he was very patient. When he beat Chung fairly easily, he returned pretty decently, which is surprising, because over the past decade, Isner  rarely broke. But he did on Wednesday.

So now he will face Juan Martin del Potro. The Argentine won Indian Wells, and when he arrived in Miami, he said he was very tired and he wasn’t sure whether he can last. But he has, overcoming Milos Raonic in three very long set, 7-6 in the third.  The Canadian Raonic was right there, but he hesitated, or he just missed it. As Delpo said, I can go for my shots, anytime I want,  because I am riding the waves. He sure is.

They will play on Friday with Isner against Del Potro. Last year, they played each other twice, in Canada,  with Juan winning 7-5 7-5, and in Paris Bercy,  John won 6-4 6-7 6-4.

All of those contests were on hardcourts, and they will do it again in Florida. Obviously, del Potro is favored, as he has won the 2009 US Open, and almost two weeks ago, he won his first ATP 1000 in California. He is simply cracking the ball.

If Isner can crush it when DelPo hits a second serve, he might have a chance to break him. However, if he doesn’t, then he will go down in straights set. But if he does, he can go into the third set and then, who knows?   Obviously, Del Potro is favored, as he has won the 2009 US Open, and almost two weeks ago, he won his first ATP 1000 in California. He is simply cracking the ball.

If Isner can crush it when DelPo hits a second serve, he might have a chance to break him. However, if he doesn’t, then the American will go down in straights set. But if he does, he can go into the third set and then, who knows?

Federer lost, but you cannot win every time

Over the years, there are lost moments when the players go down hard. On Saturday in Miami, the great Roger Federer lost against Thanasi Kokkinakis 3-6 6-3 7-6(4) in a dramatic three-setter.

The Swiss has won so many times against everyone, but this time, he was out of bounds. On the past 14 months, Federer has been spectacular, but you cannot win every week. That is impossible. So now, he has decided that he will not play on clay once again, meaning that Federer won’t return on court on the grass in mid June. That is almost 3 months when he won’t be there, when the fans will be a little upset —or really upset — but perhaps they can watch some other people play. Yes, everyone knows that Federer has so much variety, and intelligence, but that doesn’t mean he is the only talent on tour with some great players. So, if you have an opportunity, watch pro tennis on TV, on the internet, or at the tournament. That would be nice.

You have to like Kokkinakis, the Aussie, who stunned Federer. Yes, Federer did not play great, but so what? The very young Kokkinakis nearly retired, but he did not, he recovered. He practices all the time. So, when he went on court, he was ready for battle. He served huge, returned pretty welland smoked his forehand. If he stays healthy, he will be a force the rest of this year.

No. 1 Simons Halep went down to Aga Radwanska. Stunned? I am not. The Pole is a very, very fine player when she is healthy and motivated. She has been on tour for more than a decade. She has come close to winning a major, but she hesitated too often. Her forehand is pretty mediocre. Still, maybe she can change it in the next couple of years, because if she cannot, then the former No. 2 Aga will not grab a Grand Slam. 

But, in Florida, she can make some noise, if she manages to knock out Vika Azarenka on Monday, who is rising fast. Radwanska has to push her back and run down shots because when Azarenka is on top of the ball, she can totally rip it, down the line and cross court. Another note: If Azarenka can play every month this season, she will go right back into the top 5. 

So what about Halep? She is a true grinder, and never gives up, which is good. But mentally, she gets upset and confused. Being No. 1 is terrific, but at this point, she has to find a way to win a Grand Slam. Somehow. However, she does love clay, so maybe she can take a deep breath and get on the Roland Garros winner’s stand. 

Here’s a fantastic match on Monday: Sloane Stephens against Garbine Muguruza. Both of them has won Slams, both of them love rallies. Ashleigh Barty is rising all the time. I bet she will crack the top 10 soon. … Finally, the frequency injured Nick Kyrgios came back. He will face Fabio Fognini and the Italian wants to yank him around. … So you like long matches? If you do, Jack Sock will face Borna Coric. Sock now comes into the net quite a bit, which can be good, but he has to put it away because Coric is getting better all the time.

Verdasco: ‘Hopefully and stay for few more years on the tour’

The 34-year-old Fernando Verdasco took down the No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov and eventually, lost in Indian Wells to Taylor Fritz. On the plus side, he says that he is not ready to retire now. The former top 10 Verdasco reached the ’09 Australian Open against Rafa Nadal, losing in five incredible sets, that lasted more than five hours.

After he rests and goes on vacation Verdasco, wants to walk on the court and begin hitting again. He is playing Miami this week, and he is hoping that he will be hitting the ball next week, too.

“Tennis was always my life since I’m a baby. I always love this sport. I always love to play,” Verdasco said. “Of course, you always have some crisis in your life that, you like to play but maybe you just want to go on a beach and just relax some days with friends. But, actually, when I’m away for maybe a week, maybe 10 days, I miss it. And then I just want to go back to the court, to the gym, and work and try to keep improving and working hard to stay in the top level and being able to fight against the best players in the world, no? Now I’m 34 and I have to fight against players with 21, 22, 23 (of age) that that they are much younger. They have much less miles or kilometers in his legs.”

Verdasco admits that one of the reason he lost to Fritz is because he didn’t go for the lines often enough. He can be steady, and aggressive, but there have been some matches when he backed off.

“I was sometimes losing matches because, in the important moments with my serve, I was just kind of like not pushing. But just playing with first serves maybe 100 miles, and maybe I need to serve 125, 130, 135 sometimes, even if I miss.” Verdasco said. “But that’s what really makes you improve, and sometimes you have to take the risk. One match with Andy Murray, fourth round in Australia when I did semifinals, the fifth set against him, I start serving, 130 all the time. And, I surprised his return, because he was waiting for me wide, wide, wide, and then I start to do T hard, and many free points I got. Is not easy with pressure. And, hopefully, I will still have time to improve in more things and stay for few more years on the tour.”

Verdasco has always had a huge forehand, and his first serve, but his backhand has been mediocre. The Spaniard continues to work on it, to mix it up and hit it reasonably deep.
 
“My forehand was always there, or feeling good. The backhand, sometimes not that regular or maybe hurting that much. So, maybe I have to work my footwork to try to play with my forehand as much as possible. Backhand be aggressive. Changing, mix it up, high, low, slice. … It depending on who you play. Everything change about that. You try to change your game to hurt him, and at the end you’re hurting yourself because you’re not doing what you know how to do the best. So, in the end, it’s kind of like confusion because you lose because you don’t know what you’re doing on the court. That’s the worst feeling when you jump on court and you lose doing that.”

Miami notes
Vika Azarenka crushed CiCi Bellis in the first round. Azarenka admitted that she was pretty nervous, but once she went on court, she immediately locked in. Can she win Miami once again? It is a little early, but you never now with her. She faces Madison Keys in the next round. Keys has to get going. Azarenka already has.

Monica Puig took down Sam Stosur 6-3, 6-4. Puig loves Miami, where she lives.

Katarina Pliskova will face Ekaterina Makarova on Thursday. The Czech has to keep her head down because during some days, she doesn’t focus. The same thing goes with Makarova, but both of them are very good.

Roger Federer, who let the final against Juan Martin del Potro at Indian Wells slip away, says after Miami is done, he will decide whether to play Roland Garros. Now that would be nice to have play the Slam he didn’t play last year. Here are two very good matchups in doubles: John Isner/Donald Young v. Kyle Edmund/Nenad Zimonjic; Zverev brothers vs. Santiago Gonzalez/Verdasco.