The 4th round wrapped up and more big seeds fell by the wayside. I only guessed two right before the tournament began, unsurprisingly Williams and Azarenka!
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams handled the most hyped match of the tournament thus far, beating (16/15) Stephens 64 61. As expected, Williams was focused from the outset and looked in the mood for revenge. The first set was a real struggle, whereby Williams was often the one on the defence. Stephens battled back from a break down to level the set but ultimately didn't play as well as Serena on the big points.
2/2 Azarenka was forced once again to fight back from a set down to beat (15/13) Ivanovic 46 63 64 in a rain postponed match. Throughout the match, Victoria struggled to find her range against the hit and miss style of her opponent. In the end, Ivanovic's 42 unforced errors helped Azarenka break her serve 9 times, which contributed to her downfall.
4/3 Radwanska failed for a 4th time to go beyond the 4th round at the US Open, as (25/24)Makarova scored a 64 64 win; her 1st win in 4 meetings with the Pole. Radwanska was guilty of complacency in the 1st set as she lost 8 games from 4-0 up, to trail 46 0-2. As always, the dangerous left handed was dominant as soon as she had shrugged off the nerves, reaching her 2nd major quarter final of the year. For Radwanska, it's the only major in which she hasn't reached the quarters this year.
6/5 Li was ruthless against (12/9) Jankovic, breaking her opponents serve on all 7 opportunities to win 63 60 under the lights.
20/18 Suarez Navarro put everything on the line to edge (9/8) Kerber 46 63 76(3), having initially led 4-2 in the 1st set and served for the match at 5-4. She is the 1st Spaniard to reach the quarters here since 1998, whilst Kerber has now failed to reach any major quarter final since Wimbledon 2012!
Elsewhere, (13/10) Vinci beat the rain and a 1-4 deficit to end the run of qualifier Giorgi 64 62, moving through to her 2nd straight quarter final here. Pennetta defeated the red hot (19/21) Halep 62 76(3) for her 3rd win in as many attempts to move through to her 4th quarter final here. Hantuchova ended the run of wildcard Riske 63 57 62, hitting 15 aces to move into her 1st major quarter final since 2008; her 1st in New York since 2002!
Showing posts with label Radwanska. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Radwanska. Show all posts
Tuesday, 3 September 2013
Sunday, 1 September 2013
Kvitova and Wozniacki wilt
The third round wrapped up and a sizeable number of top players either struggled or went out.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams handled Kazakh Shvedova consummately 63 61.
2/2 Azarenka struggled for over 2 hours against Frenchwoman Cornet before winning 67(2) 63 62. In the 1st set, Cornet served well and Azarenka made too many unforced errors, even though she fought back from 1-4 down to force the breaker. Though she was admittedly disappointed after dropping a close first set, her level improved over the next two sets as she found her rhythm and just as she did at the French Open, she came back to edge Cornet in three.
4/3 Radwanska raised her level at all the important stages of her 64 76(1) win over Russian Pavlyuchenkova.
6/5 Li served 11 aces in avenging last year's loss to Brit Robson 62 75, despite trailing 3-0 in the 2nd set.
8/6 Wozniacki was once again punished for her passiveness, losing to Italian qualifier Giorgi under the lights 46 64 63. The Italian was rewarded for her all out aggression, hitting 46 winners to 45 unforced errors; Wozniacki hit only 13 winners in contrast. The Dane saved 4 match points before falling, but was once again beaten by a more proactive player; letting a golden opportunity to reach the semi finals slip in an open section of the draw. This is the 1st year since 2008 that Wozniacki hasn't reached a Grand Slam quarter final.
9/8 Kerber avenged her Wimbledon loss to Estonian Kanepi easily 60 64.
10/7 Kvitova was crushed 63 60 by American wildcard Riske, a woman who she beat just last week in New Haven! Though Riske played consistently and within herself, Kvitova was in a slumber, lethargically hitting away at the ball to no avail. Worryingly, Kvitova was once again struggling with her health and had her blood pressure taken on the court. She later revealed that she was still afflicted by the same virus with which she suffered at Wimbledon.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams handled Kazakh Shvedova consummately 63 61.
2/2 Azarenka struggled for over 2 hours against Frenchwoman Cornet before winning 67(2) 63 62. In the 1st set, Cornet served well and Azarenka made too many unforced errors, even though she fought back from 1-4 down to force the breaker. Though she was admittedly disappointed after dropping a close first set, her level improved over the next two sets as she found her rhythm and just as she did at the French Open, she came back to edge Cornet in three.
4/3 Radwanska raised her level at all the important stages of her 64 76(1) win over Russian Pavlyuchenkova.
6/5 Li served 11 aces in avenging last year's loss to Brit Robson 62 75, despite trailing 3-0 in the 2nd set.
8/6 Wozniacki was once again punished for her passiveness, losing to Italian qualifier Giorgi under the lights 46 64 63. The Italian was rewarded for her all out aggression, hitting 46 winners to 45 unforced errors; Wozniacki hit only 13 winners in contrast. The Dane saved 4 match points before falling, but was once again beaten by a more proactive player; letting a golden opportunity to reach the semi finals slip in an open section of the draw. This is the 1st year since 2008 that Wozniacki hasn't reached a Grand Slam quarter final.
9/8 Kerber avenged her Wimbledon loss to Estonian Kanepi easily 60 64.
10/7 Kvitova was crushed 63 60 by American wildcard Riske, a woman who she beat just last week in New Haven! Though Riske played consistently and within herself, Kvitova was in a slumber, lethargically hitting away at the ball to no avail. Worryingly, Kvitova was once again struggling with her health and had her blood pressure taken on the court. She later revealed that she was still afflicted by the same virus with which she suffered at Wimbledon.
Thursday, 29 August 2013
Errani exits early, lacking confidence
The second round saw the first major upset as both halves of the draw tried to catch up after rain delays.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams looked a little tense at times but handled big hitter Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan well in the end, 63 60.
2/2 Azarenka let a 5-0 lead become 5-3 before rolling away with a 63 61 win over Canadian Wozniak in breezy conditions.
4/3 Radwanska had to deal with a late come back from Spain's Torro-Flor before winning 60 75. The Spaniard began hitting her flat forehand well in the 2nd set to come back from 3-5 down.
5/4 Errani was handily beaten by compatriot Pennetta 63 61, no doubt a huge disappointment considering her semi final run last year. Pennetta was the aggressor as she played like her former top 10 self, hitting 33 winners (7 aces) to just 19 errors compared to Errani's 12:18 ratio. She dominated the rallies and broke Errani's serve 6 times to claim a 3rd win in six meetings. Errani later admitted to choking under the pressure of being upgraded to 4th seed after Sharapova's withdrawal and isn't enjoying being on the court at the moment after several sleepless nights. This adds to her poor results this year in the slams and I wish her all the best in reviving the confidence of the clay court season soon!
6/5 Li continued in a business like fashion to beat Sweden's Arvidsson 62 62.
8/6 Wozniacki was steady as always against South African Scheepers, winning 61 62.
9/8 Kerber was at her scrapping best against rising Canadian talent Bouchard, eventually coming through 64 26 63 in a match featuring some phenomenal defence.
10/7 Kvitova had a rare straight sets win over Serbian Jovanovski 62 64.
Notably, Venus Williams went down to Zheng 63 26 76(5) in a thrilling match that had the crowd on their feet. I felt bad for Venus; she recovered from 1-4 15-40 in the 3rd set but was left to rue a rushed and missed backhand volley at 5-5 in the tiebreak. With good health and more matches, she could yet still be a force to be reckoned with in the future at the age of 33.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams looked a little tense at times but handled big hitter Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan well in the end, 63 60.
2/2 Azarenka let a 5-0 lead become 5-3 before rolling away with a 63 61 win over Canadian Wozniak in breezy conditions.
4/3 Radwanska had to deal with a late come back from Spain's Torro-Flor before winning 60 75. The Spaniard began hitting her flat forehand well in the 2nd set to come back from 3-5 down.
5/4 Errani was handily beaten by compatriot Pennetta 63 61, no doubt a huge disappointment considering her semi final run last year. Pennetta was the aggressor as she played like her former top 10 self, hitting 33 winners (7 aces) to just 19 errors compared to Errani's 12:18 ratio. She dominated the rallies and broke Errani's serve 6 times to claim a 3rd win in six meetings. Errani later admitted to choking under the pressure of being upgraded to 4th seed after Sharapova's withdrawal and isn't enjoying being on the court at the moment after several sleepless nights. This adds to her poor results this year in the slams and I wish her all the best in reviving the confidence of the clay court season soon!
6/5 Li continued in a business like fashion to beat Sweden's Arvidsson 62 62.
8/6 Wozniacki was steady as always against South African Scheepers, winning 61 62.
9/8 Kerber was at her scrapping best against rising Canadian talent Bouchard, eventually coming through 64 26 63 in a match featuring some phenomenal defence.
10/7 Kvitova had a rare straight sets win over Serbian Jovanovski 62 64.
Notably, Venus Williams went down to Zheng 63 26 76(5) in a thrilling match that had the crowd on their feet. I felt bad for Venus; she recovered from 1-4 15-40 in the 3rd set but was left to rue a rushed and missed backhand volley at 5-5 in the tiebreak. With good health and more matches, she could yet still be a force to be reckoned with in the future at the age of 33.
Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Serena & Azarenka cruise through openers
All 8 competing top 10 players progressed through the 1st round, most of them cruising past their opponents.
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams was emphatic against former French Open champion Schiavone, winning 60 61. The Italian often extended Williams in the rallies but mostly was the first to err, whilst also hitting too many double faults. Not even a hug with a ball boy could salvage her hopes.
2/2 Azarenka crushed Pfizenmaier 60 60 in a deceptive match. The German had a total of 11 game points during the match against a below par Azarenka, but couldn't win any of the crucial mental battles.
4/3 Radwanska had a steady start, beating Spain's Soler Espinosa 61 62.
5/4 Errani was ruthless against Australian qualifier Rogowska, crushing her 60 60!
6/5 Li was in good form against Govortsova, beating the Belarusian 62 62.
8/6 Wozniacki out steadied the unpredictable Duan 62 75. The Chinese qualifier hit the ball early and flat and began to take advantage in the 2nd set, leading 3-0 and 5-3. However, the Dane was typically solid under pressure, saving a set point and taking advantage of her opponents many loose errors.
9/8 Kerber had a surprisingly easy 61 61 win over Czech Hradecka considering her recent poor form.
10/9 Kvitova was once again extended to 3 sets, this time against Japan's Doi, winning in windy conditions 62 36 61.
I must also add that the shock of the tournament thus far was the defeat of 2011 champion and recent Carlsbad winner (11/11) Stosur at the hands of 17 year old, American qualifier ranked 298, Victoria Duval. The teen recovered from 57 24 down to beat the Aussie 57 64 64 for the biggest win of her young career. It was Stosur's worst US Open result since 2008!
(Rank/Seed)
1/1 Williams was emphatic against former French Open champion Schiavone, winning 60 61. The Italian often extended Williams in the rallies but mostly was the first to err, whilst also hitting too many double faults. Not even a hug with a ball boy could salvage her hopes.
2/2 Azarenka crushed Pfizenmaier 60 60 in a deceptive match. The German had a total of 11 game points during the match against a below par Azarenka, but couldn't win any of the crucial mental battles.
4/3 Radwanska had a steady start, beating Spain's Soler Espinosa 61 62.
5/4 Errani was ruthless against Australian qualifier Rogowska, crushing her 60 60!
6/5 Li was in good form against Govortsova, beating the Belarusian 62 62.
8/6 Wozniacki out steadied the unpredictable Duan 62 75. The Chinese qualifier hit the ball early and flat and began to take advantage in the 2nd set, leading 3-0 and 5-3. However, the Dane was typically solid under pressure, saving a set point and taking advantage of her opponents many loose errors.
9/8 Kerber had a surprisingly easy 61 61 win over Czech Hradecka considering her recent poor form.
10/9 Kvitova was once again extended to 3 sets, this time against Japan's Doi, winning in windy conditions 62 36 61.
I must also add that the shock of the tournament thus far was the defeat of 2011 champion and recent Carlsbad winner (11/11) Stosur at the hands of 17 year old, American qualifier ranked 298, Victoria Duval. The teen recovered from 57 24 down to beat the Aussie 57 64 64 for the biggest win of her young career. It was Stosur's worst US Open result since 2008!
Sunday, 25 August 2013
Quarter final predictions
So, the final Grand Slam of the year is upon us. Sadly, world number 3 Maria Sharapova is absent with bursitis in her shoulder and so too of course is Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli, who of course stunned everyone recently with her confounding and abrupt retirement. So, most (including myself) believe the title will be decided between Williams and Azarenka. Here are my predictions, though Wimbledon surprised everyone, so here's hope that the US Open follows the script a little more closely.
1st Quarter: Serena Williams VS Kanepi
Williams has a tough draw but I assume she'll handle it; including a potential 4th round clash with Stephens. I think Kerber will lose before the quarters and Kanepi will take advantage. Venus may beat Flipkens in the 1st round, but doesn't have the necessary stamina any more to pose a big threat, whilst Bouchard doesn't yet have enough experience.
2nd Quarter: Radwanska VS Cirstea
Radwanska's consistency will put her in good stead to reach her 1st US Open quarter final, though Lisicki is a dangerous floater. Cirstea is in good form and seeing as she has recently beaten Jankovic and Li, she should advance through her section.
3rd Quarter: Wozniacki VS Halep
Wozniacki has a good chance to return to the late stages of a Grand Slam here, seeing as Vinci is her biggest threat. Halep comes into the event in great form and I can see her handling anyone like Kirilenko, Kuznetsova or Errani in her section.
4th Quarter: Stosur VS Azarenka
Stosur should take advantage of an earlier Kvitova exit here; perhaps at the hands of Petkovic in the 2nd round, though Petrova's always unpredictable. Azarenka has a tough draw, with either Ivanovic or Cibulkova potentially waiting in the 4th round, but is expected to pull through.
1st Quarter: Serena Williams VS Kanepi
Williams has a tough draw but I assume she'll handle it; including a potential 4th round clash with Stephens. I think Kerber will lose before the quarters and Kanepi will take advantage. Venus may beat Flipkens in the 1st round, but doesn't have the necessary stamina any more to pose a big threat, whilst Bouchard doesn't yet have enough experience.
2nd Quarter: Radwanska VS Cirstea
Radwanska's consistency will put her in good stead to reach her 1st US Open quarter final, though Lisicki is a dangerous floater. Cirstea is in good form and seeing as she has recently beaten Jankovic and Li, she should advance through her section.
3rd Quarter: Wozniacki VS Halep
Wozniacki has a good chance to return to the late stages of a Grand Slam here, seeing as Vinci is her biggest threat. Halep comes into the event in great form and I can see her handling anyone like Kirilenko, Kuznetsova or Errani in her section.
4th Quarter: Stosur VS Azarenka
Stosur should take advantage of an earlier Kvitova exit here; perhaps at the hands of Petkovic in the 2nd round, though Petrova's always unpredictable. Azarenka has a tough draw, with either Ivanovic or Cibulkova potentially waiting in the 4th round, but is expected to pull through.
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