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Coco Gauff: ‘A weight lifted and I’m able to play more freer’

October 7, 2023 by
Coco Gauff

Will Coco Gauff  win match after match, as the American is so much better than she used to be. The 19-year-old might lose in China, but she did beat Veronika Kudermetova  7-6, 6-2, and the Russian was playing terrific, but in the second set, she looked tired. However, the American has improved her forehand, a lot, and she also has begun her return, much harder. The 2023 U.S. Open champion is smarter, when she is playing. She is rising, fast.

“I do think I feel more confident. I think having that win makes you more confident in these moments,” she said. “Especially the way the US Open went for me, a lot of three-set matches, a lot of tough moments.  I think it’s way more pressure in the Grand Slam than a 1000, even though there’s still pressure, but it’s just less. I’m able to handle these emotions more because of that experience.  Honestly, I do feel more confident stepping on court. Plus the way I kind of started on the scene, a lot of people wanted that for me and expected that from me. I feel like now it’s a little bit of a weight lifted and I’m able to play more freer, focus on the long-term and how to be able to set myself up to win even more.”

The No. 3 Gauff just beat Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-2, another very good player, which means that she is so steady. She is terrific at the net, and she is very fast, running. She hasn’t lost since Montreal, so if she can beat the former No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the semis in Beijing, China, then she will continue to be on the blaze.

How about Swiatek, who when she plays, and she is shut in, she can beat anyone, on the clay and the hardcourts.  She did win Poland, in July, but after that she did not win a title, losing against Gauff in Cincinnati. She has beaten her four times, yet Gauff out-hit her at the end. Both her forehand and her backhand are so strong, and her return is very aggressive, but the No. 2 can forget what she is thinking about herself. However, off court, she is more calm.

“I just kind of played what I felt I needed to and what I felt was right at the moment. Yeah, well, for sure the confidence level got higher when I just saw that I’m in control,” she said.

The Italian Jannik Sinner  won Beijing,China, beating the two Grand Slam players with Carlos Alcaraz  and Daniil Medvedev. Not many people can do that, but Sinner continues to remedy all around. The 22-year-old has lost to the very good players, which were close, but he couldn’t decide how to process. At the U.S. Open, he played against  Alexander Zverev in the fourth round, and he was pretty close, but in the fifth set, he over hit it. However, he was not  to sad, as last month, he won Toronto, the ATP 1000. He was ready to rumble, once again.

“I’m more proud about how I improved the level this year, mentally especially. I felt like or I feel that I’m much stronger,” he said. “Also physically I know that I have to work a lot, so this is an aspect where we are going to push a lot in end of the year, especially for the next year then.  But I felt like I was playing really consistent tennis throughout the whole year.”

NOTES
The WTA Finals is now set with Aryna Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula,  Marketa Vondrousova, Ons Jabeur and Karolina Muchova. They will play in Cancun, Mexico, at the end of October.

In Shanghai, the ATP 1000, the odd Alexander Zverev lost against Roman Safiullin, who is playing well, but the German looks TIRED. Take a week off and recover…Three of the men won including Ben Shelton, Sebastian Korda and Christopher Eubanks. Will they stay during the weekend?

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Kudermetova: ‘It was not an easy time for me … but now really happy’

October 4, 2023 by
Veronika Kudermetova

The Russian Veronika Kudermetova won a tournament at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, cracking over Jessica Pegula 7-5, 6-1. She has had some fine days, but there are also some negative events. Perhaps now, that each week, she will be more intense, on the court.

For example, she beat the 2023 US Open Coco Gauff  in Doha in February in the quarters, and then the four time champ  Iga Swiatek smoked her 6-0, 6-1, fast. Then in the semis at Madrid, the Polish person, she smashed her 6-1, 6-1. Then it looked like that Kudermetova was panicking. Yes, she can mash the ball, both sides, but then, she can throw in some many strange errors.  After on the grass,  and she was decent, but not great, and then in the next five tournaments, she lost very early. However, last week, she rose up, finally stopping Swiatek 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. Right after that, she upset the No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 7-6, 6-7, 6-3. That was almost a miracle.

”I’m really happy because before, it was not an easy time for me, it was really tough moments,” Kudermetova said. “Now I’m really happy and I have a lot of motivation for the next weeks.”

They are playing in the Beijing Open, and while it  is not easy to play great again, she will battle. Sabalenka has had a interesting year, as she has improved her serve, and she is more solid. However, she does not like to get up to the net in the singles, and maybe she should, and make some different shots. Of course her forehand and her backhand are terrific, and her return is spot on. However, she has not won an event since Madrid during May, and while she has gone deep a lot, she can also be confused. In the final the U.S. Open, she look pretty darn good, but in the third set, she went down, and she lost versus Gauff 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. However, she wants to be motivate.

“I’m a world No. 1 right now, but it’s not just about become world No. 1, I think it’s about finish the year as world No. 1 and stay there as long as you can,” Sabalenka said. “It was good that I was able to achieve this goal, but there is another goal. I’m super motivated right now.  My biggest takeaway was that I need to learn how to finish the points on the net. We worked a lot on my volley game. [In the U.S. Open final]  I got over-emotion there. I wasn’t controlling myself. I was thinking all over the place in that second set. So, yeah, that’s was the biggest takeaway.  I have to, no matter what, stick to the plan and just do what I have to do on court, just kind of like shut down all those thoughts.  Also, it’s not like I don’t know how to play volleys. I used to play doubles a lot. Just to be brave to go there, you know? We worked a lot after US Open on that. I took couple of days off just to switch off and forgot about tennis because it was a really tough, tough loss for me. It was super emotional. Yeah, took couple of days off, then I start working again.”

There she is, motivation. In the first round, she just destroyed the American, Sofia Kenin. Maybe she is ready to take down everyone in China, but almost all the players are there.  Ons Jabeur just won the Ningbo Open, in China. So now she is happy again. Many people think that the 16-year-old  Mirra Andreeva of Russia is darn good, as she just upset  Barbora Krejcikova, and excellent player. In another year, if she is healthy, then she might be in the top 30 and then we will know how good she is.

 It did take Gauff a couple years to improve her forehand and her return, and currently, she are better now. She could win China, as long as she can snap the lines.

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The Picks in Rome: Friday, May 19

May 19, 2023 by
Jelena Ostapenko
Mal Taam/MALTphoto

Elena Rybakina over Jelena Ostapenko
Many people thought that Iga Swiatek was possibly going to win it, but in the second set, she became injured so in the third set, she retired. Yes, when she is totally on, she has been the best player on clay, winning Roland Garros, twice. However, outside of that, Rybakina has beaten three times, as the former Wimbledon champion would hit some incredible winners, especially with her hard forehand and her backhand.
 
The thing about the Russian is that she has won many matches, but essentially on the hardcourts and on the grass. She is so powerful. In March, she won Indian Wells, beating, believe it or not,  the No. 1 Swiatek, in the semis and also, taking down the No. 2 , Aryna Sabalenka. When she is playing great, she can beat anyone. But over the past month, she has been so-so. This is much the same way with Ostapenko, who when she is totally on, she can crush the ball so deep and into the corners. Yes, she can knock down anyone, but over the years, she has lost some odd matches. She did beat Rybakina twice,  on the hardcourts and the grass, but at the 2023 Aussie Open, she when down and she knocked her back.

This is the first time this year that Ostapenko has reached into the semis. Listen, when she is locked  in, she will look phenomenal, but when she is frustrated, then she puts together dozens or error. Yes, the Latvia can start early, grab the first set, then she will look tremendous, but currently, she is hard to read, which is why Rybakina will win it in  three, savage, sets.  

Veronika Kudermetova over Anhelina Kalinina
This is certainly almost a new thing, with Kalinina, who already  is a veteran. She has won a couple good wins in 2023, but not that much. Maybe she has become more aggressive and also, when the Ukrainian changed her tactics. Or something else, but yes, she is playing thoughtful.

Once again, the Russian Kudermetova can be hard with  herself when she isn’t finding the solution. However, though, there are days when she is more patient, and re-think about where she should go.  She certainly can bash the ball, and when she is returning,  she can mash it, down the line. She did reach the semis in Madrid, and here, in Rome, she  has done it again, sitting on the porch, waiting to start and sprint, on the court. Kudermetova will win it in two, simple, sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Daniil Medvedev over Yannick Hanfmann
Borna Coric over Stefanos Tsitsipas

Matt’s picks from Rome

8 out of 14, 57.1% correct

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The Picks in Stuttgart and Barcelona: Monday, April 17

April 17, 2023 by
Jelena Ostapenko
Mal Taam/MALTphoto

Veronika Kudermetova over Coco Gauff
The Russian has not had a good year, even though she is ranked No. 13. If you look at that, you would think that she is playing fantastic, and last year, she threw in some amazing shots. However, this year, Kudermetova has lost a ton of contests, from with the very good players, or the mediocre competitors. Perhaps she is mentally down. However, she can blitz her forehand and her backhand, and she is also very aggressive. She did beat Gauff in Doha in three sets on the hardcourts, returning very well. The American did play extremely well in the Fed Cup in Florida, but she immediately had to fly across the ocean, so while she is a teenager, it can be taxing. If she can wake up, then she can crack the balls, but in reality, Kudermetova will out-hit her in third dramatic set.

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Jelena Ostapenko over Emma Raducanu
Ostapenko is so, so up and down, there are times when she is on fire, and there are other times when she is totally checked out. The Latvia can create her shots, and she can also spring it. Ostapenko can also be very steady, throwing with some deep shots. Raducanu can also engage the rallies, and then when her backhand is right there, and she can really go for it. The problem with Raducanu is she is not deciding what she can do at the match, to be much more patient, and toss it all around. Eventually, the Britain will find herself, but the former 2021 US Open champion is losing a lot, still, so Ostapenko will win it in two odd sets.

Diego Schwartzman over Yibing Wu
Here is huge toss-up, as Wu recently won Dallas, beating John Isner. Wu is only 23-years-old, so clearly he has improving before last year, he won a ton of matches, mostly in the small tournaments, but look at this: a year ago, he was ranked No. 1749, and now, he is ranked No. 56. That is extremely good. However, Wu has to face versus Schwartzman, when the Argentine beat him in straight sets in Miami. Wu can be super consistent, but Schwartzman can mix it up a good amount. Schwartzman will win in three, long, sets.

David Goffin over Feliciano Lopez
Both of these two are aging, really fast, now. The Belgian Goffin was ranked No. 7 in 2017, playing some tremendous ball, with his terrific one-hander and with some heavy topspin. Goffin did manage to reach the final at the ATP Finals, and he did win six titles, but not the biggest ones. The Spaniard Lopez is still playing, even though he is 41-years-old, which is a little bit crazy in the singles, but many people just want to play until they pass, because they just want to go walk on the court and have another fine day. Lopezis ranked way down, 593, which is going down and down, but at least in 2015, he made a career high of No. 12 with his fun one-handed back hand, and at the net, too, That is a pretty darn good. Yes, Lopez is OK on the clay, but Goffin is still better than him and he will beat him in three, wicked, sets.

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TennisReporters.net’s top 32 in 2022: women 10-6

December 24, 2022 by
Maria Sakkari
Mal Taam/MALTphoto

No. 10: Simona Halep
The Romanian won two Grand Slams on the clay of Roland Garros and the grass of Wimbledon. She is one of the most consistent player, running everywhere with some fantastic strokes. On the court, she is rarely tired, and while she can huff and puff, she will still move it all around the box. She has beaten everyone by breaking them down. However, she lost some critical matches at the Slams and other tournaments, too. Unfortunately, she had received a provisional suspension after testing positive for a prohibited substance. She has appealed and may have a strong case. When and if she will comes back next year, has yet to be determined. And that is very sad, for everyone.

No. 9: Veronika Kudermetova
She is gradually coming up, identifying which way to go. The Russian had a decent year, reaching the quarters at Roland Garros, upsetting Madison Keys. There were a few good wins, but she was unable to win a tournament, although she did reach in the final at Istanbul. The 25-year-old thinks that she will be more level headed. “In 2023, we plan to pay a little more attention to singles. Of course, I want to win as many Grand Slams and other tournaments as possible. I also want to be remembered in tennis as a person who carried well. I always keep it simple and kind to everyone, trying to help as much as possible,” she said. Apparently, she is looking up. Now though, outside of her head, she has to do some new stuff on court. Maybe she will swing away.

No. 8: Daria Kasatkina
She managed to reach the WTA Finals and won one match, beating Coco Gauff. That was the first time that she advanced to the year-end event. In July, she won a title in San Jose, beating Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka, two top players. That tournament, along with winning in Charleston in 2017, was one of her best performances ever. However, she can check out on occasion. She is very potent, but she can misplace her thoughts. She has won six titles, which is very decent, but if she wants to reach the final at the Grand Slams, then she needs to listen with her body.


No. 7: Coco Gauff
The American had a fine year, going into the top 10 and she won some extraordinary matches. She is a major hitter. Her forehand and her backhand are pretty muscular, and she is also very good at the net. But while she is only 18 year old, she still has a lot of work to do. She has only won two small events, and outside when she reached into to the final in Roland Garros, she lost against the important players. Sure, it can be close, but even in the third set, she can throw in too many errors. Also, while she is super young, she lost to a ton of the top 10 players this year, like Iga Świątek, Halep, Maria Sakkari and Ons Jabeur. What that means is she has to more reliant, flatten out her shots and hit it deeper. As long as she can add some more solid strokes, then for sure next year, she will start to beat the best players next year.

No. 6: Maria Sakkari
In 2021, she rose, and she won some wild, fun matches. However, in 2022, she did not win a tournament, which was confusing. She can really hustle, and she can also throw in some wonderful drop shots. She can return brilliantly, but her serve is marginal. When she hits the ball, hers shot can be a little bit soft. Of course, she practices and plays all the time. It’s odd that she reached no. 3 in March and has only won one tournament in her career. So while she can look colossal, she has to decide what she will do in order to reach one of the Slams in the finals, which will be the first time. Our advice: step it up and smack the ball.

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