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The picks at Wimbledon: Friday, July 14

July 13, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Novak Djokovic over Jannik Sinner
Remember that last year, at the 2022 Wimbledon, Djokovic was down 0-2, but then he came back and he roared, grabbing it 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. The Italian was clearly tired, and then he broke down with so many errors.

But the Serbian has done it so many times at the Grand Slams, owning 23 majors. He knew what to do, and while Sinner is improving, he still isn’t playing excellent, match after match. He has won seven titles, which is fine, but he has yet to win it at the Slams, or the ATP 1000s. He is very good, but the 21-year-old has to set it up, ASAP.

Djokovic thinks that he has improved, but even when he beat him in Monte Carlo, it was pretty easy. However, he does think that eventually he can be more consistent.

“He’s playing on a very high level. He likes to play on grass,” Djokovic said. “He likes to play on quick surfaces because he likes to be aggressive and take control of the point. From both forehand and backhand, he’s smashing the ball really, really hard, trying to be the one that is going to dictate the point from early on. I know his game well. He’s so young, so of course it’s expected that he’s going to improve. He is improving, no doubt, I think with the serve, he’s been serving better. On grass, it obviously makes a difference. He’s a very complete player.”

Is that true? Yes, Sinner is concise, and his forehand down the line is can be very impressive. His hard backhand can slap it, and his first serve is flat and inhuman. However, he doesn’t return that well, and he isn’t fabulous at the net. Likely, that is because he has yet to reach into the Grand Slams final. But it is time to do it this year.

Sinner thinks that he is going to play 100 percent to upset with Djokovic.

“Physically, I have improved,” Sinner said. “I’m much stronger. I can stay on court for many hours without suffering. Also, mentally, you’re going in with a slightly different mental side on court knowing you are also top 10 player. It is a little bit different. I have some good things now in my game, and hopefully I can use it in the right way. I’m going to stick with my game plan. Hopefully I can execute it in the best possible way.”

He sounds that he really wants to do, but the Serbian will chuck in some his amazing backhand, and because of that, while Sinner will push it into the fifth set, at the end, Djokovic will win it in once again. Ka-boom.

Carlos Alcaraz over Daniil Medvedev
The Russian has had a really good year, winning a number of the tournaments, but also, he can let down. Medvedev won in Rotterdam, Doha, Dubai, Miami on the hardcourts, and in Rome, on the clay. But on grass, he began to struggle, yet 12 days ago, he switched at Wimbledon, and he became more patient. That has been good, but when he beat five players, and he clapped and cheered. Yet none of those were in the top 30 players, so to beat the No. 1 Alcaraz, he will have to play unreal. He knows that in March at Indian Wells in the final, Alcaraz jumped high, and he won it 6-3, 6-2.

“I think Indian Wells is not going to count a lot here. It was so slow in Indian Wells,” Medvedev said. “It’s not going to be the same. At Wimbledon, the ball bounces lower. The serve is more important. There, I felt like I couldn’t get free points with the serve.”

There will be a number of the points where they can hit both sides, with there forehand and there backhand. When they are into it, they can also hit a number of aces, in the first serves, as well as when they can spring on the second serve.

“It’s interesting to play someone like Carlos,” said Medvedev. “He is an amazing, amazing player. What he continues to do is just unbelievable. He doesn’t stop. I don’t think he will, but I’ve played a lot of great players in my career. I managed to win many times. So I’m going to try to do my best. If I show my best, I’ll have my chances.”

Believe it to not, at the 2021 Wimbledon, they played each other for the first time in the round 64, and Medvedev crushed him 6-4, 6-1, 6-2. An early blow out. And then in 2022 at the U.S. Open, Alcaraz waxed up, quickly, and he won it.

Just like Rafa Nadal when he won it the first time at Roland Garros, the Spaniards began to beat everyone. Perhaps the 20-years-old can eventually win all four Grand Slams . But he has a long way to go.

“[Medvedev’s] really a complete player,” said Alcaraz. “I’m going to say, like I think [Andrey] Rublev said a few times, he’s an octopus. He catches every ball. He’s an amazing athlete… He does almost everything well.”

This will go into the fifth set, and there will be some great points, into the corners, and changing it up, too. Neither of them have reached into the final at Wimbledon, so it is crucially important. Whoever can put together more than a few shots close at the end with his terrific forehand, then he will win it. It has to be Alcaraz, who will win it with an amazing dropshot.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Carlos Alcaraz, daniil medvedev, Jannik Sinner, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Novak Djokovic, wimbledon

The picks at Wimbledon: Thursday, July 13

July 12, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Elina Svitolina over Marketa Vondrousova
There are certain people forget that Svitolina had some strange losses when she started to play the WTA. She was very good, and she won a lot of matches, but at the Grand Slams, eventually, she would freak out, and she would disappear. Her forehand and her backhand was usually deep and hard. She was fast, but her serve and also at the net, was marginal. She did not win the Slam or even reach the final. She was so good, but that was pretty odd.

But now, when Svitolina came back after she had a child in April. Now she had a new perspective. Win or lose, she will rethink, and mix it up even more.

As Svitolina said, “It’s different right now… I think it’s less years that I have in front than behind me. I have to go for it. I don’t have time to lose anymore. I don’t know how many years I will be playing more.”

At Wimbledon, the Ukrainian reached the semis in 2019, when she looked good, but a very fit Simona Halep took her down. Then two months later, she reached the semis again at the US Open, and she was cracking the ball, but the great Serena Williams out-hit her. Now she has another chance to right the ship.

“I try to tell myself that I have to be decisive. Today, as I walked to Center Court, I saw so much history along the way. You understand that you are training for this,” Svitolina said. “I said that you need to go out and act decisively, you need to give all your strength. It really helped me and also calmed me down a bit.”

Over the past 10 days, Vondrousova has lookd very calm, too. However, she had to really push herself, and drive the ball, crosscourt and down the lines. She is brisk, and she can also attach with her harsh return. Certainly she has not had a great year, but week to week, she can explore when she has a chance.

As the lefty said: “I never thought I could play so good here because I didn’t do well on grass before. For me, it’s just amazing feeling. I don’t know, I’m trying so hard in every match.”

Four years ago, she reached the final at Roland Garros, and she was so darn good, but the now retired Ash Barty took her down.

“I never thought I could play so good here because I didn’t do well on grass before,” Vondrousova said. “For me, it’s just amazing feeling. I don’t know, I’m trying so hard in every match. Every match is incredibly difficult here.”

Yes it is, especially because Vondrousova beat her twice, but Svitoina grabbed it three times. However, this is the first time that they have played each other on the grass. Vondrousova will not be nervous for a few minutes, but whatever the reason this time, Svitoina will out her in three dramatic sets.

Ons Jabeur over Aryna Sabalenka
Two years ago at Wimbledon, Sabalenka beat Jabeur 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals. They have played each other four times, and they have split it, with the Belarussian recently beat ingher in the WTA Finals, 7-5 in the third.

Yes, Sabalenka has blown up over the past year, but when the Tunisian is mentally sound, she can really change it up with her rare strokes. She has yet to win a Slam, but last year here Jabeur almost won it in the final as Elena Rybakina was more consistent, at the end. However, she has a chance at the tough match in the semis.

“I don’t regret last year,” she said. “I believe last year I wasn’t ready to play this kind of match. It happened for a reason. I have learned a lot from the final. Definitely very proud of myself for the improvement that I did mentally, physically, and with the tennis racket.”

If you look at Sabalenka, when she serves, right after it stays in, she will look where it is, and if it is deep enough, then she can start where she wants to go. She is competent, and she hits it extremely merciless. She is not very good at the net, and she can rarely spins it with her backhand, but with her forehand, she can wreck it, and try for a winner. She won the 2023 Australian Open, and that was the best two weeks ever. But that has left now, so this time, she is going to have to throw her thought, on court.

Even if she does, Jabeur will hit her fantastic backhand, and she will win it in three competitive sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks at Wimbledon

Correct: Aryna Sabalenka over Madison Keys
Correct: Daniil Medvedev over Christopher Eubanks
Correct: Carlos Alcaraz over Holger Rune
~~Elena Rybakina over One Jabeur~~

Matt’s picks from Wimbledon

14 out of 19. 73.6% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, Elina Svitolina, Marketa Vondrousova, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, One Jabeur, wimbledon

The picks at Wimbledon: Wednesday, July 12

July 11, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Elena Rybakina over One Jabeur
Exactly one year ago Rybakina found her forehand, and she came back, and grabbed the Wimbledon title, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 over Jabeur in the final. Can she do it again? Perhaps, but Jabeur played fantastic when she clubbed Petra Kvitova easily.

The former seven-time major champion, Mats Wilander said that Rybakina is on fire, “When she starts getting going we realize ‘Oh okay, here we go again.’ She’s perfect for the grass with the big serve and then the confidence from last year. So out of the three, you most probably have to put Rybakina half a step ahead in terms of being the favorite.”

They have played each other four times and they have split. Jabeur has so much variety, and she can slice it, spin it and flatten it out. When she is feeling good, she can throw in her terrific drop shots. However, she can hit it too short and her serve is so-so.

Rybakina can be nervous at times, but she can also really think about the different strokes. There are times when her forehand goes off, and her second serve can be too short. But on the grass, she believes that eventually, she can jump to grab her winners. For the second time at Wimbledon, Rybakina will edge Jabeur in another fun three-setter.

Aryna Sabalenka over Madison Keys
They have split their match, one to one, with Sabalenka winning almost five years ago in Cincinnati on the hard courts and Keys grabbed it in Berlin two years ago 7-5 in the third. Sabalenka won a Slam for the first time this year, taking the Australian Open.

Keys has not done it yet, but she has gone very deep at all the four Slams.
She thinks when she is healthy, she can beat almost anyone. She can mash her forehand and her backhand, and her first serve is extremely powerful, but her second serve can be weak. She will hustle, and she also will try to put it into the corner and put it away.

Yes, the same goes for Sabalenka, who hops on balls very early and she will swing it very hard. She can blitz her forehand and her backhand, and while she is returning, she can over-hit. Yes, she has matured a lot of the past year, and she is much more secure. Without a doubt, Keys wants to go even further, but in the third set, the No. 2 Sabalenka will win it in three massive sets.

Daniil Medvedev over Christopher Eubanks
It was predictable that Eubanks was going to lose against Stefanos Tsitsipas, but he did not. Last year, the former Georgia Tech star was unable to beat anyone of the top 20 at all. But he realized eventually if he can hit the ball even harder, and then he can crush the balls off both sides. The 27-year-old changed it up, and his first serve became more consistent. “It’s a bit nuts right now. It’s crazy to see my social media feed that I’m just used to kind of going to, seeing it’s a lot of me,” he said. “I’m like, What is this? This is weird. The entire experience all together has just been a whirlwind. It’s been something that you dream about. But I think for me I didn’t really know if that dream would actually come true. I’m sitting here in it now, so it’s pretty cool.”

That is darn cool, but he has to something that he can reject Medvedev. The Russian has had a strange year, winning a lot, and then, almost out of nowhere, he over-hits. Yes, the former No. 1 really likes his brutal forehand and his heavy backhand, and also, when he returns, too. He doesn’t love at the net, but it is pretty darn good, yet here and there, he can mentally check out. However, on the grass, in London, Medvedev will swell up, and he will step on the top against after the American. Medvedev will win it in four interesting sets.

Carlos Alcaraz over Holger Rune
These two have tied, one to one, which is interesting, but not really. The first time was in 2021 Next Gen ATP Finals in Italy, and Alcaraz, won it easily. Then in the fall, last year in 2022, in Paris indoors, Rune won it when Alcaraz retired, due to an injury. So really, that was important, yet the 20-years-old still haven’t played each other enough, and because of that, it is all most even.

It is pretty clear there will be some long points, down the line, and crosscourt. They can mix it up, and they can also rush into the net. They are very potent, and while they are still young, they have played a lot since they started, so they know how to hit the ball, intelligently.

As Alcaraz said: “If I have to take some weapon from him, I’m going to say the backhand. I’m not saying that my backhand is bad, no. I think he has a great backhand. He has a lot of passion; he loves the game. He’s a very competitive guy, as well. I could describe him like this.”

It is highly unlikely that they will go into the glorious five-setter, and while Rune wants to win a Grand Slam, he will miss a few shots at the end. Alcaraz will win it with four awesome winners.

Matt’s yesterday picks at Wimbledon

Correct: Novak Djokovic over Andrey Rublev
Correct: Jannik Sinner over Roman Safiullin
Iga Swiatek over Elina Svitolina
Jessica Pegula over Marketa Vondrousova

Matt’s picks from Wimbledon

11 out of 17. 64.7% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, Carlos Alcaraz, Christopher Eubanks, daniil medvedev, Elena Rybakina, Holger Rune, madison keys, Ons Jabeur, wimbledon

The picks at Wimbledon: Tuesday, July 11

July 10, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Iga Swiatek over Elina Svitolina
Surprising, they have only played each other once, two years ago in Rome, and Swiatek beat the Ukrainian 6-2, 7-5 in the quarterfinals. Swiatek has changed a lot when she improved a tremendous amount, with her massive strokes. She is very quick and she can bash the ball with her forehand and her backhand. The No. 1 has a fabulous first serve, and she can be creative. Finally, she is now convinced that she can motor on the grass.

Svitolina barely won when she upset Vika Azarenka. Before that, she lost five times, but she kept going hitting her hefty forehand and her backhand. But this will be even harder, as the Pole person is locked in. The four-time major champion hasn’t won Wimbledon yet, but she can do it this year.

“Every day my love is getting bigger,” Swiatek said. “Hopefully, I’m going to have as many days as possible to stay here and play on this court, because for sure, this is my best year on grass. I feel really kind of motivated, because I know that even when you’re not feeling 100 percent, (the) hard work is paying off. So I’m happy I did that work and I can stay here.”

The former No. 3 Svitolina will dig in, but Swiatek will it in three wild sets

Novak Djokovic over Andrey Rublev
The rising Russian has put together some excellent shotmaking. Rublev can strike it down the lines, and he can also pound it when he thinks that he can mash it crosscourt. However, at the Australian Open on the hard courts, Djokovic bullied him 6-1 6-2 6-4. That was really quick, as the Serb elevated his game early and outhit him, with his brutal serve and his forehand. He only made a few errors.

In order to shock Djokovic on the grass, Rublev is going to have to totally redefine his approach. He is also going to take big risks all the time. When he returns, he has to thump the ball. Djokovic has won Wimbledon many times before, and this year, he has looked very good, but he has lost a few, odd matches. Regardless, Djokovic will win it in four unreal sets.

Jessica Pegula over Marketa Vondrousova
The Czech has had a decent year, and she has been pretty consistent, but she has not reached into the finals this year. If you look at Vondrousova, she did manage to reach the final at the 2019 Roland Garros, but on the grass, she struggled. Apparently though, over the past nine days, she looked smarter. Her backhand is very stable.

Pegula has struggled at the Slams, but at least she is trying to push herself and not be so nervous. Fortunately, she has reached into the second week at Wimbledon for the first time. Clearly, her forehand and her backhand are harmonious. The reason why is she also plays a lot of the doubles, sprinting so close to the net. She can put it away, solidly.

At the Grand Slams, the No. 4 has yet to reach the semis, but this time she has a real opportunity to do it. Pegula will punch Vondrousova to win it in three competitive sets.

Jannik Sinner over Roman Safiullin
They have only played with each other once and the Italian took it 7-6(6), 6-3 on hard courts. Yes, Sinner is a huge hitter, and he can nail it, but he can also throw in some strange errors. He also can be very competitive and he can swing away with some phenomenal shots. Sinner has won six titles, but he has not won an ATP 1000,or even one of the Slams. Yes, he is 21-years-old, but as he once said, “I have my own path and my own way to go.” Then go a little harder or faster.

Safiullin has had a terrific tournament, but the Russian had never won an ATP event. At least he is feeling very good now. Perhaps he decided to change it up. He will have to try hard, but Sinner has a better forehand and when he returns well, too. The Italian will win it in three quick sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks at Wimbledon

Madison Keys over Mirra Andreeva
Carlos Alcaraz over Matteo Berrettini
~~Stefanos Tsitsipas over Christopher Eubanks~~
~~Petra Kvitova over Ons Jabeur~~

Matt’s picks from Wimbledon

9 out of 13. 69.2% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Andrey Rublev, Elina Svitolina, Iga Swiatek, Jannik Sinner, Jessica Pegula, Marketa Vondrousova, Novak Djokovic, Roman Safiullin, wimbledon

The picks at Wimbledon: Sunday, July 9

July 8, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Andrey Rublev over Alexander Bublik

The Russian continues to try at the Grand Slams, not only that he can crush the ball, but also, over the past two years, he has been more intelligent. Yes, Rublev can play some bad mistakes, but he can nail with his heavy forehand, and with his backhand, to put it down the lines.

Believer it or not, they just played against each other in the final, at Halle, when Rublev edged the other Russian, Bublik, 6-3 in the third set. Yes, the tall man can knock his first serve and his forehand, but he isn’t quite fast when he is running. For sure, he has had a very decent year, but not enough, so Rublev will win it again, in four tough sets.

Iga Swiatek over Belinda Bencic
This should be an intense match. Both of them can split the ball, and they can also jump early to try to put it away, fast. Swiatek recently said that on the grass, she is feeling much more comfortable than she did recently. Swiatek is very please after she won Roland Garros, recently, but that is on the clay, not on the switch grass. But now she can go low and find where she will go, low and hard.
As she said,“ I feel like last year was a little bit different, especially coming back after winning Roland Garros. It wasn’t the easiest moment for me. I try really not to come back to that. I’m just taking experience from just this period of time of playing on grass, and that’s all. It’s just a totally different chapter.”

Bencic can beat anyone when she is feeling good. Her serve isn’t that great, but her forehand and her backhand can be jolly sharp. The Swiss does believe that she can finally win a Grand Slam, and maybe she can, but how can she out-last versus the Polish person? She does have a chance, but Swiatek returns better, as does her serve, so once again, the No. 1 will win it in three brute sets.

Novak Djokovic over Hubert Hurkacz

It is pretty clear that Serbian better than him, beating Hurkacz all five times. In 2019 at Wimbledon, Djokovic lick him in the third round, in four decent sets. He is just faster, and his backhand might be his best ever. Djokovic can mix it up a lot, and he can stay there until he has a real shot to put it away.

Hurkacz has had a decent year, but not great, losing pretty early. Djokovic will win it in four easy sets.

Elina Svitolina over Victoria Azarenka

This is risky, as Azarenka has beaten Svitolina all five times. Certainly, when the two time champion Azarenka is totally bolted, and she can hit some cruel shots, down the lines, and cross court, too. However, Azarenka has retired a lot over the past few years, which is why she has not won a big tournament since 20? Yes, Azarenka destroyed Svitolina at the 2023 at the Australian Open, but she was just returning. There is no doubt that when Azarenka is totally shut it in, she can find the lines. However, Svitolina looked very good on the clay, at Strasbourg and Paris. She absolutely has to be very consistent, and drove her back. As the Ukraine said: “I will go out there and put the fighting spirit on and just really fight for every single point.” She will, when Svitolina will defeat Azarenka in three tough sets.

Matt’s recent picks at Wimbledon

~~Andy Murray over Stefanos Tsitsipas~~

Matt’s picks from Wimbledon

3 out of 5, 60% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Alexander Bublik, Andrey Rublev, Belinda Bencic, Elina Svitolina, Hubert Hurkacz, Iga Swiatek, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Novak Djokovic, victoria azarenka, wimbledon

The picks at Wimbledon: Thursday, July 6

July 6, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

These picks were written before play started. Due to a technical error, these picks were not posted on Wednesday, July 5.

Andy Murray over Stefanos Tsitsipas
The Greek finally grabbed it right at the end, when he beat Dominic Thiem 7-6(8) in the fifth set. He almost lost, but he hung in there, so on Thursday, his legs will be tired, but he really wants to win. He has been struggling, but his strokes can be consistent, so against Murray, he must be super patient.

When Murray won Wimbledon, twice, his return was very deep, his first serve was banging it, and his backhand was fantastic. However, he is not that fast now, as not only that he us aging, but he almost retired due to his broken legs. He knows that, and he is trying to bring home again, but he may not as he was not won an event since 2019. As he said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt sort of physically this good coming into Wimbledon. The last few years have been very challenging. I’m hoping I’m fit and ready for a good run.”

Tsitsipas can play amazing on the hardcourt, but on the grass, he is still wheezing on the slippy grass. There will some long rallies, yet Murray will rise once again at Wimbledon, and he will win it in five, dramatic sets.

Sloane Stephens over Donna Vekic
The once great American player now has become slightly better, trying to powder the ball. Stephens looked pretty good at Roland Garros, which was somewhat surprising, as she lost a number with some sole matches. However, she has gone deep at a variety of events, so when she is feeling good, she can be highly consistent.

Vekic has had a somewhat solid year, when she reached into the final at Berlin, but also, on clay, she was so-so. She can be aggressive, and she can mix it up, but not often enough. Vekic does think that eventually, she can actually win a Slam for the first time, but she will have to prove it. Stephens has been before, so she will do it again, and win it in three tremendous sets.

Belinda Bencic over Danielle Collins

The Swiss can look that she is going into the sky, touch it, and then go backdown and nail with a damn fast winner. Bencic can really hustle, and she can also grind it until she has a chance to hit the lines. However, when she backs up, she can throw in some strange errors. Collins had a good year in 2022, but over the past nine months, she has lost pretty quickly. Maybe she is confused, or it is possible that she doesn’t know where to go. Bencic will find it, and she will win it in two big sets.

Frances Tiafoe over Dominic Stricker
All of a sudden, Tiafoe actually knows how to play on the grass. Over the years at Wimbledon, he looked cluttered, and he wasn’t going to go the right way. But he just won Stuttgart, so apparently, he could see how he can play, with his strokes. He might be 22- years-old, but he does think that he is a little more sold. Stricker is also very young, as he is 20-years-old, and he his rising, slowly. He is briskly fast, and the Swiss can bash his forehand. However, Tiafoe will be more patient and he will win it in three long sets.

Matt’s picks this week

Correct: Belinda Bencic over Danielle Collins
Correct: Frances Tiafoe over Dominic Stricker
~~Sloane Stephens over Donna Vekic~~

Matt’s picks from Wimbledon

3 out of 4, 75% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Andy Murray, Belinda Bencic, danielle Collins, Donna Vekic, Frances Tiafoe, Matthew Cronin, sloane stephens, Stefanos Tsitsipas, wimbledon

The picks at Wimbledon: Wednesday, July 5

July 3, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

Barbora Krejcikova over Heather Watson

Over the past 13 years, the Britain has put together some nice wins. Watson can really hustle, and she can also play hour after hour, but the reason why is she has yet to reach the top 35. Maybe because her heavy strokes isn’t hard enough.

Krejcikova looks pretty darn good, and while she can play up and down, when she is concerning, she can pulp the ball. She is awesome at the net, and she can also return, pretty deep. However, from the backcourt, she can hit it too short. In a sense, though, she is pretty confident, when she won 2021 Roland Garros.

Yes, that is on clay, but on the grass, Krejcikova will be slightly confident, and she will win it in two secure sets.

Donna Vekic over Shuai Zhang
The Chinese Zhang has lost eight matches in a row, which is surprising, given that last year, she beat some very good players, but she is slipping, big time.

Vekic plays a lot, week after week, and this year, she moved forward. She can miss some odd-shots, but she can also roar with her backhand. She looked very good in Berlin, so perhaps at the Slams, she will continue to rise. At least in the first round, she will win it in two easy sets.

Sebastian Korda over Jiri Vesely

It seems like Korda is playing much better than he did it three months ago, as he was hurt, so he had to stop. However, at Queen’s, he finally looked very good, reaching the semis. He can be strong, and nail his forehand and his backhand. He is not perfect, yet, but he is getting better, year after year. The older Czech Vesely has had some terrific matches, but he is aging, and while the 6-foot-6 player has hit a number of aces, but in the backcourt, he can fall down. Korda will win it in four hard sets.

Matt’s yesterday picks

Correct: Andy Murray over Ryan Peniston

Matt’s picks from Wimbledon

1 out of 1, 100% correct

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Andy Murray, Barbora Krejcikova, Donna Vekic, Jiri Vesely, Matthew Cronin, Ryan Peniston, Sebastian Korda, Shuai Zhang, wimbledon

Chris Evert’s Wimbledon predictions and Rybakina’s chances

July 2, 2023 by Matthew Cronin

At 2022 Wimbledon, the aggressive Elena Rybakina won the tournament. During those two weeks, she was totally focused, and she dove on the lines. Her forehand and her backhand were very heavy, and she was also powerful. She finally understood what she had to do and not think about the pressure.

She is not the only one. Petra Kvitova just won a tournament and the Czech grabbed The Championships trophy twice. Iga Swiatek just won the 2023 Roland Garros and Aryna Sabalenka took it at the 2023 Australian Open.

But can Rybakna win it back to back in London? The former 18-Grand Slam champ Chris Evert says that Rybakina has to be more flexible.

“I think any time there’s an injury this close to Wimbledon, it gives anybody pause. You definitely have to be 100% physically to play seven matches and to do things with your body that you’re not accustomed to doing versus a hard court or a clay court,” Evert said. “You have to be adaptable, flexible, you have to be able to move on some slick courts. It all kind of screams you better be careful with your body and you better have that good balance.”

Not too many women have won it back-to-back. Venus and Serena Williams have done it, as has Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King, among others. Evert did win it three times on the grass, as she was so steady, especially with her terrific backhand. She knows that when you had won at the Slams, in the next year, it could be totally different.

“[Rybakina] has going against her, it’s always tough to defend your title. I just feel like she’s shown a little vulnerability this year,” Evert said. “She’s got the perfect game for grass when everything is working, but everything has to be working. She played a great, great match when she won the tournament, but at the same time I don’t know if she’s at that top form right now. I see [Aryna] Sabalenka and Iga [Swiatek]. I only see the other players getting better and better. I wouldn’t put her on the top of my list, even though she’s defending champion. I wouldn’t put her on the top of my list. At the same time there’s a little bit of an unknown as to what her health is, what her fitness is like. I really can’t make a definitive statement on that.”

She is probably correct. This year, Rybakina won Indian Wells and Rome, and also reached the final at the Australian Open, but she lost in a few key matches, including verses Sabalenka.

There are other people who can very deep, such as Kvitova and the 2017 Roland Garros champ Jelena Ostapenko, who is playing great again.

The No. 1 Swiatek has yet to win at Wimbledon, but her forehand and her backhand are phenomenal. Yet she has to re-think what she is going, to be more patient on the grass. Evert things that she could be vulnerable.

“It’s her best Wimbledon result I believe was the fourth round. She’s won tournaments on hard court,” Evert said. “Swiatek won tournaments on clay courts, Grand Slams, majors. She has such great court coverage in the sense of she can slide, her legs are very crucial, the court coverage is very crucial in her game. In order for her to really get set for the ball, she has to know how to move and she has to be very comfortable and her footing has to be solid. Footing is not necessarily solid on the grass. Plus the fact with that extreme western forehand, when I’ve been watching her on grass, anybody has trouble with. Even Coco Gauff has trouble with that low slice forehand when you have that extreme grip to hit up on the ball. It’s very awkward.”

When she was talking, she discussed about Gauff, as the American is very good, but the young player still has to work on the court.

“I think that Coco, and Iga for that matter, like the waist high balls and the balls around the shoulder with that western grip. But the short ones will give them trouble. So I think that and the fact that she can’t really at this point feel super confident on the grass. I think she feels confident. She’s No. 1 in the world, the best player in the world, but this surface may take away a little bit of her strength, which is her moving because of the sliding.

“Also I think if you’re going to win Wimbledon, you’ve got to have a big serve, you’ve got to win free points off that serve. The players have been attacking her second serve a little bit. She doesn’t have that big Sabalenka, Rybakina first serve. I’m nitpicking here because she’s No. 1 in the world and she’s great, and I think she can win Wimbledon, don’t get me wrong. But there’s some little nuances in her game that might hurt her a little bit on the grass court that don’t affect her as much, that help her actually, on the other surfaces.”

The big basher Kvitova certainly can win it for the third time, and yesterday, Madison Keys won the Rothesay International beating Daria Kasatkina, which was huge.

You can throw in who have a chance to reach into the quarterfinals, like Jessica Pegula, Caroline Garcia, Barbora Krejcikova, Ons Jabeur, Karolina Pliskova and Donna Vekic. They can win in all, or fall down. As Pliskova said, “If you believe in yourself, you can beat anyone.”

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Aryna Sabalenka, Chris Evert, Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, Matt Cronin, Matthew Cronin, Petra Kvitova, wimbledon

Novak Djokovic: the Wimbledon favorite

June 29, 2023 by Ron Cioffi

When Wimbledon starts, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will be the favorites, but it is possible that the American men Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul and Sebastian Korda can go deep into the second week.

The former champ John McEnroe said, “I think Taylor is a confident kid. He’s worked really hard on his movement and fitness, which is the reason to me he’s in the top 10,” McEnroe said. “He hits a great ball. I don’t think he’s actually that comfortable on grass. I think Tiafoe is a better volleyer and more skilled at net, athletically better. That would help him on the grass. Taylor hits a better ball and is a bigger guy. His serve is probably a little bit more dependable.”

Neither of them have reached very far at Wimbledon, although they are pretty young. They have to be more consistent and attack pretty early. In order to win point after point, they can construct their strokes. And, of course, they have to be totally locked in, all the time.

“Both of them would be in the quarters of Alcaraz or Djokovic, which would make it more difficult. I think at this time those two and maybe [Sebastian] Korda are the guys. Tommy Paul looks like he’s fallen off at the moment a little bit,” McEnroe said. “Hopefully he’ll get it back. I think there’s going to be guys soon, Americans, that are going to make the breakthrough within a year or two hopefully. I think that’s going to be big.”

Yes it will, as the U.S. men have not won a Grand Slam since 2003 at the US Open with Andy Roddick won it. It might be 20-years-ago in September that they cannot win another Slam again. But before that, in England, you can actually play longer in the rallies. They don’t have to slide all the time, and they can actually return, more. In the 1990s, there were some really quick rallies, and with millions of aces.

“The people that can add that adaptability and finish points at net successfully, like an Alcaraz, for example, who is a really good volleyer, Novak learned it, so did Rafa [Nadal],” McEnroe said. “I believe that’s why Tiafoe has a shot because he’s skilled at net. That will help you get over the hump at Wimbledon. Yes, it’s more homogenized. Yes, it’s more like hard courts. The bounce is higher, but there’s still a nuance that only a few get it.

“Look at [Casper] Ruud, for example. He’s regarding this as he’s showing up, hoping for the best. He could be out in the first round or two. [Stefanos] Tsitsipas doesn’t seem to be comfortable at all, can’t figure out how to play on the grass. There’s an opening. There’s many guys that don’t even understand it, or girls for that matter. That’s why it’s pretty narrowed down who can actually win it. That’s why Novak can afford not to play any tournament because he’s so confident, he understands what it takes, he doesn’t feel the need to play any warmup matches and he still wins it almost every year.”

Yes, he is the now 23-Grand-Slam champion. Djokovic really thinks that he can win another major once again. However, he can lose here and there, so at Wimbledon, he can become lost during a match, and he will fall down. Or maybe Alcaraz will rise, now.

As he said: “Novak is the main favorite to win Wimbledon, but I will try to play at this level to have chances to beat him or make the final. I saw a statistic that Novak has won more matches at Wimbledon than the other top 20 players (combined),” the Spaniard Alcaraz said. “What can you say about that you know? Novak is the main favorite to win Wimbledon. That’s obvious. But I will try to play at this level, to have chances to beat him or make the final at Wimbledon.”

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Left, Lead Story Tagged With: Carlos Alcaraz, Frances Tiafoe, Matthew Cronin, Novak Djokovic, Sebastian Korda, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, wimbledon

Wimbledon champions: Novak Djokovic and Elena Rybakina

July 11, 2022 by Matthew Cronin

The now 21-Grand-Slam champion Novak Djokovic decided to stay the course, even though Nick Kyrgios was serving gigantic in the Wimbledon final. The Aussie won the first set 6-4, and he was super confident, even though this was the first time that he had reached the final at a Grand Slam.

Kyrgios also really likes the slick grass, and he believed that if he could play very well, that he could punch Djokovic, who he had beaten two times.

But hold on. In the second set, the Serb decided that when the rallies began, he would change the direction and trick him. It was close, but he knew that if he served strong, and that he could bust the Australian’s backhand, then he could frustrate him.

He sure did that, and eventually won it 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3) .

Kyrgios said: ‘“He’s a bit of a god, I’m not gonna lie,” said Kyrgios. “I thought I played well. … It’s been an amazing couple of weeks for me personally.”

But he lost, so he has to go back to work and work be even harder. He yells a lot on court, as he did repeatedly and annoyingly so on Sunday. While he can attack and he can snap out of his habit, when he loses control, then he throws in too many errors.

In January, the Australian Kyrgios finally realized that he was about to click.

He won the doubles with his good friend Thanasi Kokkinakis at the Australian Open, and he realized that when he plays a lot, he can be much more solid.

“I think the doubles in Australia has really helped me at a Grand Slam level,” Kyrgios said. “I felt like just the kind of mundane, you win a match, you have a day off, you practice, you go again over a two-week period. I realized in Melbourne it’s a long time. You can’t explore, you can’t really go to the city here. You can’t enjoy your time as much as you would like to. You kind of have to stay in your house, be reserved, take your mind off things. I think in Melbourne I really realized that.”

Before that, he had never reached the semifinals before. It surely helped that 22-time-Grand-Slam champion Rafa Nadal pulled out with an abdominal tear, giving Kyrgios a walkover in the final.

Regardless, Kyrgios beat Stefanos Tsitsipas, Brandon Nakashima and Cristian Garin. In some matches the 27-year-old can be subdued.

“I just feel like I’m more mature. I think earlier in my career if I made a third, fourth or quarterfinals, I’d be on my phone a lot, I would be engaging online a lot, would be keen to go out to dinner and explore or just do things,” said Kyrgios. “I think everyone has the same goal in my team. That’s why it’s working. We all know what we’ve come here to do.”

He was close, but the the 35-year-old Djokovic is older and more mature, too. Now, going in the next two months, can Mr. Novak continue to win a lot. If he can play the US Open (the US currently bans incoming travelers who don’t have a COVID-19 vaccine – Djokovic does not), then he might get lucky and not have to face two of the tour’s best players, Alexander Zverev and Nadal, who are injured. Regardless, Djokovic will fight, during the last breath.

Rybakina’s big game take trophy
If you look at the entire year, Elena Rybakina was struggling on the court. She had some good wins, but not great ones. However, at Wimbledon, she began to push up the mountain. Over the past couple years, she would win a terrific match and then in the few days later, she would be erratic. In London, she was finally in the zone. She knocked off Zheng Qinwen, Bianca Andreescu, Simona Halep and in the final on Saturday, she out-hit Ons Jabeur 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Rybakina has a big first serve, a vicious return, and she can strike bigtime with her forehand and her backhands. She finally boomed.
“The last three years I think I’m top 20,” Rybakina said. “And I had very good matches, great battles, against great champions, and it was always close. In those close moments I was the one who will lose the serve or just miss. Maybe it mentally clicked (this time). I believed in myself more in this tournament and in the crucial moments I was just solid enough to win.”

And how.

Filed Under: Featured Bottom Right, Lead Story Tagged With: Elena Rybakina, Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic, rafa nadal, wimbledon