MIAMI, FL (March 24, 2013) — Sunday at the Sony Open saw Sorana Cirstea knock out No. 6 seed Angelique Kerber, Jelena Jankovic outplay her higher-ranked opponent Nadia Petrova, and Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova cruise losing only six games each.
Select Sunday Results:
ATP
(1) Novak Djokovic d. Somdev Devvarman 6-2, 6-4
(3) David Ferrer d. Fabio Fognini 6-1, 7-5
WTA
(28) Sorana Cirstea d. (6) Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-0
(3) Maria Sharapova d. Elena Vesnina 6-4, 6-2
(22) Jelena Jankovic d. (11) Nadia Petrova 7-6(7), 6-4
(WC) Laura Robson/Lisa Raymond d. Tatjana Malek/Tamarine Tanasugarn 4-6, 6-1, 10-8
Below are Tennis Grandstand’s “Best Shots of the Day” by our photographer Christopher Levy that includes Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams (at practice), David Ferrer, Fabio Fognini, Maria Sharapova, Sorana Cirstea, Jelena Jankovic, Laura Robson, Elena Vesnina, Somdev Devvarman and Nadia Petrova.
Sorana Cirstea
Monday Mayhem: Miami WTA Fourth-Round, ATP Third-Round Matches Previewed
On a busy Monday in Miami, all of the women’s fourth-round matches unfold. You can find a preview of all eight here in addition to a few of the remaining men’s third-round encounters.
Garbine Muguruza vs. Li Na: Into the fourth round for the second straight Premier Mandatory tournament, the Spanish rising star continues to consolidate her position as a player to watch this year. Indian Wells finalist Caroline Wozniacki became the latest player to learn about Muguruza’s ascendancy the hard way, thoroughly dismantled on Sunday. A day later, the youngster trains her weapons on Li Na, who has produced consistently outstanding tennis in the few tournaments that she has played this year. The Australian Open runner-up has lost only to Agnieszka Radwanska and Victoria Azarenka in 2013, although a knee injury sidelined her for several weeks after Melbourne. When she returned this week, her ball-striking looked as clean if not as audacious as it had in January. Never at her best in Miami, Li could turn a page now.
Serena Williams vs. Dominika Cibulkova: Awaiting the winner of the previous match in the quarterfinals is the world No. 1, assuming that she can survive the test posed by the shortest woman in the top 30. Cibulkova vanished from relevance after reaching the Sydney final, where Radwanska double-bageled her, but she pushed Serena’s predecessor in the spot to the brink in the same round here a year ago. That match against Azarenka, for which she served twice, revealed how much her explosive forehand can threaten taller opponents with more effortless power. Against a server like Serena, who struck 20 aces against her at Wimbledon in 2010, Cibulkova’s short wingspan may prevent her from creating pressure in return games and exploiting the erratic baseline play that Williams showed in the last round.
Grigor Dimitrov vs. Andy Murray: The memory of what unfolded when he faced Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells may reverberate through Dimitrov’s mind if he takes a lead against Murray. Serving for the first set that time, he conceded four double faults in a painful display of nerves. Dimitrov also took Murray to a first-set tiebreak wen they met in the Brisbane final this year, only to lose the tiebreak decisively and fade thereafter. Much more impressive than he looked at Indian Wells, Murray showed minimal mercy to another rising phenom in Bernard Tomic. His two-handed backhand should break down Dimitrov’s one-hander unless the Bulgarian enjoys an excellent serving day that allows him to dictate points with his forehand.
John Isner vs. Marin Cilic: Among the stranger statistics of the ATP is Cilic’s undefeated record against Americans, which includes victories over playesr like Roddick and Querrey. That perfection might continue against a giant exhausted from his epic victory over Ivan Dodig in the sweltering Miami heat. Mired in a slump for the last several months, Isner will have gained confidence from winning the type of close match that he so often plays, but he generally does not recover well after winning them and does not have an impressive history in Miami. The slow surface will blunt the serves of both men, a greater concern for Isner than the more balanced Cilic.
Maria Sharapova vs. Klara Zakopalova: The only woman in the lower half of the women’s draw who has defeated Sharapova on a hard court, Zakopalova halted the other Russian Maria in the wake of the latter’s strong fortnight at Indian Wells. That sole victory came a decade agao at the Australian Open, however, and the Czech subsided uneventfully when they met in Doha this February. Sharapova struggled on serve when Zakopalova took her to a third set at Roland Garros last year, and she struggled on serve again on the windy afternoon of her previous match. But she should break Zakopalova’s serve frequently with her rapier-like returns, keeping this counterpuncher on her heels from the outset.
Richard Gasquet vs. Mikhail Youzhny: These two men have developed a reputation for suffering ignominious meltdowns, including an occasion here when Youzhny drew blood from his head by smashing his racket against it. Another of those occasions featured the Frenchman surrendering a two-set lead to his fellow headcase at the Australian Open. Well past his prime, the Russian still can uncork one-handed backhands scarcely less lovely than Gasquet’s signature shot. Moreover, Youzhny has won four of their seven career meetings, surprising considering his opponent’s superior weapons.
Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Sloane Stephens: The defending champion has suffered a lull in form since winning consecutive titles to start 2013, dominated by Li and Petra Kvitova before Kirilenko upset her at Indian Wells. Radwanska dropped a set in the third round to Magdalena Rybarikova, a talented player but still a journeywoman, so she must raise her level against an Australian Open semifinalist. That said, Stephens ate a bagel from Olga Govortsova in her first set of the tournament, and she had lost four of her previous five matches before that victory. At Cincinnati last summer, she extended Radwanska to a third set despite lacking the firepower that normally troubles the Pole. Something similar could happen here in a match filled with long rallies.
Milos Raonic vs. Sam Querrey: Meeting for the fourth time since the start of 2012, these two giants play essentially the same styles in a matchup determined by execution on the day. In that regard, one must give the edge to Raonic, who defeated Querrey comfortably at San Jose last month in avenging two losses to the American last year. The slow outdoor courts of Miami favor the Canadian’s massive weapons and preference for short points much less than does the indoor arena in San Jose. In rallying past former nemesis Lukasz Kubot, Querrey continued to look vulnerable in a year when few victories have come easily. (Or, the more pessimistic might say, at all.) This match should come down to first-serve percentage and focus, critical in a match that hinges upon a tiny handful of points and in which any mistake can prove fatal.
Ajla Tomljanovic vs. Kirsten Flipkens: Recovered from a serious issue with blood clots last year, Flipkens reached the second week of the Australian Open and upset Kvitova yesterday in an oddly oscillating three-setter. Some of her better results have come on grass, which showcases her biting slice and her fine hands at net. Aligned opposite her is a Croat who clawed past Petkovic in a third-set tiebreak after upsetting Julia Goerges in the previous round. Like Flipkens, Tomljanovic has struggled with sporadic injuries, and she has played only a handful of WTA tournaments in the last several months. Transitioning overnight from the underdog to the favorite, the Belgian should fancy her chances to reach the most significant quarterfinal of her career.
Roberta Vinci vs. Alize Cornet: In a section that imploded, either of these women plausibly could reach a semifinal and collect the valuable ranking points that come with it. The main question regarding this match concerns whether Cornet can recover in time from a three-set victory that forced her to leave the court in a wheelchair. On the other hand, Vinci needed plenty of energy to grind through a three-setter of her own against Suarez Navarro, testing the veteran’s stamina. Her backhand slices could prove vital in testing the patience of an ever-edgy Cornet.
Sara Errani vs. Ana Ivanovic: After the Serb had won their two previous meetings, the Italian turned the tables at Roland Garros last year in a match that Ivanovic controlled initially before letting it slip away. The steadiness of Errani has allowed her to outlast streaky shot-makers like the former Roland Garros champion over the last year, but the latter displayed her best form in several months during her two victories here. For her part, Errani has lost just five games in two matches, the fewest of any woman left in the draw. If Ivanovic bursts to a fast start and sustains it, as she did against Kuznetsova, she could overwhelm this opponent before she settles. If Errani can find her footing and extend the rallies, meanwhile, she could complicate the plot for a woman who prefers her matches straightforward.
Sorana Cirstea vs. Jelena Jankovic: Until Jankovic won their most recent encounter in Dallas last summer, Cirstea had swept all of her meetings against an opponent consistently ranked higher than her, although each stretched into a final set and none came on an outdoor hard court. The Romanian brunette managed to upset Kerber a round after barely eking out a victory over Silvia Soler-Espinosa, a pair of results that illustrates how wide her range of form extends. Almost as impressive as the Kerber upset was Jankovic’s victory over Nadia Petrova, her seventh win in her last eight matches with the only loss coming in an airtight clash with Kuznetsova. Both women thus should enter this match with confidence, and they eye a similar opportunity to Vinci and Cornet, the winner of whom would meet the winner of this match in the quarterfinals.
Their Just Deserts: The Mega WTA Indian Wells Draw Preview
Read about what to expect from the first Premier Mandatory tournament of 2013 as we break down each quarter of the WTA Indian Wells draw in detail!
First quarter: For the second straight year, Azarenka arrives in the desert with a perfect season record that includes titles at the Australian Open and the Premier Five tournament in Doha. Able to defend those achievements, she eyes another prestigious defense at Indian Wells on a surface that suits her balanced hybrid of offense and defense as well as any other. In her opener, she could face the only woman in the draw who has won multiple titles here, Daniela Hantuchova, although the more recent of her pair came six long years ago. Since reaching the second week of the Australian Open, Kirsten Flipkens staggered to disappointing results in February, so Azarenka need not expect too stern a test from the Belgian. Of perhaps greater concern is a rematch of her controversial Melbourne semifinal against Sloane Stephens, who aims to bounce back from an injury-hampered span with the encouragement of her home crowd. Heavy fan support for the opponent can fluster Azarenka, or it can bring out her most ferocious tennis, which makes that match one to watch either way. Of some local interest is the first-round match between Jamie Hampton, who won a set from Vika in Melbourne, and Kuala Lumpur runner-up Mattek-Sands.
The most intriguing first-round match in the lower section of this quarter pits Laura Robson against the blistering backhands of Sofia Arvidsson. In fact, plenty of imposing two-handers highlight that neighborhood with those of Julia Goerges and the tenth-seeded Petrova also set to shine. The slow courts of Indian Wells might not suit games so high on risk and low on consistency, possibly lightening the burden on former champion Wozniacki. Just two years ago, the Dane won this title as the world #1, and she reached the final in 2010 with her characteristic counterpunching. Downed relatively early in her title defense last year, she has shown recent signs of regrouping with strong performances at the Persian Gulf tournaments in February. On the other hand, a quick loss as the top seed in Kuala Lumpur reminded viewers that her revival remains a work in progress. She has not faced Azarenka since the latter’s breakthrough in mid-2011, so a quarterfinal between them would offer fascinating evidence as to whether Caro can preserve her mental edge over her friend.
Semifinalist: Azarenka
Second quarter: Unremarkable so far this year, Kerber has fallen short of the form that carried her to a 2012 semifinal here and brings a three-match losing streak to the desert. Even with that recent history, she should survive early tests from opponents like Heather Watson and the flaky Wickmayer before one of two fellow lefties poses an intriguing challenge in the fourth round. For the second straight year, Makarova reached the Australian Open quarterfinals, and her most significant victory there came against Kerber in a tightly contested match of high quality. Dogged by erratic results, this Russian may find this surface too slow for her patience despite the improved defense and more balanced weapons that she showed in Melbourne. Another woman who reached the second week there, Bojana Jovanovski, hopes to prove that accomplishment more than just a quirk of fate, which it seems so far. Also in this section is the enigmatic Safarova, a woman of prodigious talent but few results to show for it. If she meets Makarova in the third round, an unpredictable clash could ensue, after which the winner would need to break down Kerber’s counterpunching.
Stirring to life in Doha and Dubai, where she reached the quarterfinals at both, Stosur has played much further below her ranking this year than has Kerber. A disastrous Australian season and Fed Cup weekend have started to fade a bit, however, for a woman who has reached the Indian Wells semifinals before. Stosur will welcome the extra time that the court gives her to hit as many forehands as possible, but she may not welcome a draw riddled with early threats. At the outset, the US Open champion could face American phenom Madison Keys, who raised eyebrows when she charged within a tiebreak of the semifinals in a strong Sydney draw. The feisty Peng, a quarterfinalist here in 2011, also does not flinch when facing higher-ranked opponents, so Stosur may breathe a sigh of relief if she reaches the fourth round. Either of her likely opponents there shares her strengths of powerful serves and forehands as well as her limitations in mobility and consistency. Losing her only previous meeting with Mona Barthel, on the Stuttgart indoor clay, Ivanovic will seek to reverse that result at a tournament where she usually has found her most convincing tennis even in her less productive periods. Minor injuries have nagged her lately, while Barthel has reached two finals already in 2013 (winning one), so this match could prove compelling if both silence other powerful servers around them, like Lucie Hradecka.
Semifinalist: Ivanovic
Third quarter: Another woman who has reached two finals this year (winning both), the third-seeded Radwanska eyes perhaps the easiest route of the elite contenders. Barring her path to the fourth round are only a handful of qualifiers, an anonymous American wildcard, an aging clay specialist who has not won a match all year, and the perenially underachieving Sorana Cirstea. Radwanska excels at causing raw, error-prone sluggers like Cirstea to implode, and she will face nobody with the sustained power and accuracy to overcome her in the next round either. In that section, Christina McHale attempts to continue a comeback from mono that left her without a victory for several months until a recent breakthrough, and Maria Kirilenko marks her return from injury that sidelined her after winning the Pattaya City title. Although she took Radwanska deep into the final set of a Wimbledon quarterfinal last year, and defeated her at a US Open, the Russian should struggle if rusty against the more confident Aga who has emerged since late 2011. Can two grass specialists, Pironkova and Paszek, cause a stir in this quiet section?
Not much more intimidating is the route that lies before the section’s second highest-ranked seed, newly minted Dubai champion Kvitova. Although she never has left a mark on either Indian Wells or Miami, Kvitova suggested that she had ended her habitual struggles in North America by winning the US Open Series last summer with titles in Montreal and New Haven. Able to enter and stay in torrid mode like the flip of a switch, she aims to build on her momentum from consecutive victories over three top-ten opponents there. The nearest seeded opponent to Kvitova, Yaroslava Shvedova, has struggled to string together victories since her near-upset of Serena at Wimbledon, although she nearly toppled Kvitova in their most recent meeting at Roland Garros. Almost upsetting Azarenka near this time a year ago, Cibulkova looks to repeat her upset over the Czech in Sydney when they meet in the fourth round. Just reaching that stage would mark a step forward for her, though, considering her failure to build upon her runner-up appearance there and the presence of ultra-steady Zakopalova. Having dominated Radwanska so thoroughly in Dubai, Kvitova should feel confident about that test.
Semifinalist: Kvitova
Fourth quarter: Semifinalist in 2011, finalist in 2012, champion in 2013? Before she can think so far ahead, the second-seeded Sharapova must maneuver past a string of veteran Italians and other clay specialists like Suarez Navarro. Aligned to meet in the first round are the former Fed Cup teammates Pennetta and Schiavone in one of Wednesday’s most compelling matches, but the winner vanishes directly into Sharapova’s jaws just afterwards. The faltering Varvara Lepchenko could meet the surging Roberta Vinci, who just reached the semifinals in Dubai with victories over Kuznetsova, Kerber, and Stosur. Like Kvitova, then, she brings plenty of positive energy to a weak section of the draw, where her subtlety could carry her past the erratic or fading players around her. But Sharapova crushed Vinci at this time last year, and she never has found even a flicker of self-belief against the Russian.
Once notorious for the catfights that flared between them, Jankovic and Bartoli could extend their bitter rivalry in the third round at a tournament where both have reached the final (Jankovic winning in 2010, Bartoli falling to Wozniacki a year later). Between them stands perhaps a more convincing dark horse candidate in Kuznetsova, not far removed from an Australian Open quarterfinal appearance that signaled her revival. Suddenly striking the ball with confidence and even—gasp—a modicum of thoughtfulness, she could draw strength from the memories of her consecutive Indian Wells finals in 2007-08. If Kuznetsova remains young enough to recapture some of her former prowess, her compatriot Pavlyuchenkova also has plenty of time to rebuild a career that has lain in ruins for over a year. By playing close to her potential, she could threaten Errani despite the sixth seed’s recent clay title defense in Acapulco. Not in a long time has anyone in this area challenged Sharapova, though.
Semifinalist: Sharapova
Come back tomorrow before the start of play in the men’s draw to read a similar breakdown!
Wizards of Oz (V): Sharapova, Djokovic, Ivanovic, Ferrer, Li, and More on Australian Open Day 5
A plethora of intriguing encounters awaits audiences as the third round begins at the Australian Open. Foremost among them are two in the women’s draw, which we include in our latest preview.
WTA:
Kerber vs. Keys (Rod Laver Arena): Long hovering on the horizon, the 17-year-old Madison Keys has soared into the consciousness of the tennis world by winning four main-draw matches in the last two weeks. Moreover, she has won most of them decisively, including routs of top-20 opponent Safarova in Sydney and the 30th-seeded Paszek here. The teenager’s serve could prove a crucial weapon against Kerber, whose superior steadiness and experience should prevail in rallies unless Keys can find a way to unsettle her, which she could with a strong start. Featured on the show court of a major for the first time, she seems more likely to rise to the occasion than crumble under the weight of the moment.
Li vs. Cirstea (RLA): Familiar with both rising and crumbling in spectacular style, the 2011 Australian Open runner-up split her two meetings with Cirstea at majors last year. Li defeated the heavy-hitting Romanian at Roland Garros but lost to her at Wimbledon before battling past her in a Cincinnati three-setter, so she will know what to expect. While Cirstea defeated Stosur in the first round here last year and can hope to capture that magic again, the moderately paced hard court in Australia would seem to favor Li’s more balanced game.
Sharapova vs. Williams (RLA): Scanning the WTA elite, one might not find two champions more similar in playing style than these two legends of first-strike tennis. Both Sharapova and Venus can hammer lethal missiles from both groundstroke wings, and both compete with the ferocity of women whose lungs illustrate their loathing for losing. Both have the ability to win free points in bunches with their serves, but both also can lose control of that shot beyond repair amidst cascades of double faults. Both have survived significant bouts of adversity, Sharapova by battling back from a career-threatening shoulder surgery and Venus by battling back from a career-threatening illness. While the American has accumulated a richer title haul, the Russian owns the more balanced resume.
Their record reflects much of the above, neatly balanced at 4-3 in Sharapova’s favor but skewed 4-1 in her favor away from Wimbledon, where Venus has claimed her greatest achievements. Not dropping a single game through her first two matches, Maria can expect a steep elevation in her opponent’s quality and must come as prepared to elevate her own quality as she did five years ago here against Davenport. Like her sister, Venus has produced some of her most dazzling surges when least expected, and she has looked quietly impressive if less overtly overpowering so far.
Ivanovic vs. Jankovic (Hisense): Those who appreciate tennis largely from an aesthetic perspective may wish to cover their eyes in a pairing of two women who sprayed disheveled errors to every corner of the court in their previous matches. Meanwhile, those who fancy their tennis served (or double-faulted) with a dollop of drama should enjoy this battle between two countrywomen who have feuded chronically but bitterly. The superior player by most measures, Ivanovic has dominated their head-to-head as her versatile forehand has hit through Jankovic’s baseline defense. So high do the emotions run in these matches, though, that one never knows what to expect from one point to the next.
ATP:
Djokovic vs. Stepanek (RLA): In addition to their five-set epic at the 2007 US Open, Stepanek has troubled the Serb on two other occasions. He won a set from him at Wimbledon last year by using his idiosyncratic style to disrupt Djokovic’s rhythm. Even as his career has faded, Stepanek continues to revel in the spotlight and ended 2012 on a high note by winning the decisive match in Davis Cup. That momentum probably cannot lift him high enough to disturb Djokovic in Australia, where he looks as dominant as ever in all facets of his game.
Ferrer vs. Baghdatis (RLA): The fourth seed in Nadal’s absence, Ferrer can falter at times with the distractions caused by partisan crowds. Supported vociferously by Melbourne legions of Greeks and Cypriots, Baghdatis hopes to revive the memories of his charge to the 2006 final. At this tournament two years ago, he became the first man ever to win after losing the first two sets to Ferrer at a major, surprising in view of their relative fitness. The fourth seed looked vulnerable in stretches against an overmatched opponent in the last round, while Baghdatis did likewise in another mismatch. His flat, net-skimming groundstrokes should offer an intriguing contrast to Ferrer’s safer topspin.
Anderson vs. Verdasco (Hisense): Reprising their meeting at the Hopman Cup this month, this match pits a rising against a fading star. Like Baghdatis, Verdasco has failed to duplicate his breakthrough performance in Melbourne (a 2009 semifinal), and he should count himself fortunate to escape a five-setter to start the tournament. On the other hand, Anderson followed his strong results in Perth with a final in Sydney, where he showed poise under pressure. Expect plenty of quick holds as each man struggles to crack the other’s serve.
Benneteau vs. Tipsarevic (MCA): Which Tipsarevic will show up here? The man who fired his way past Hewitt with a blizzard of electric shot-making, or the man who barely edged past Lacko in an unimaginative performance? Tipsarevic looked a bit drained after the heroics of his opener, and he may pay the price if he enters this match flat, for Benneteau rolled past trendy dark horse pick Dimitrov in the first round. Although streaky, the Frenchman represents a clear notch upward in quality from Lacko.
Querrey vs. Wawrinka (MCA): The lanky American with the casual power got a little too casual early in each of his first two matches, dropping the opening sets in both. Against Wawrinka, a natural grinder who thrives on long rallies, Querrey should discipline himself to eliminate such gifts. Having lost both of his previous meetings to the Swiss, including a US Open five-setter, he will need to maintain a higher first-serve percentage this time and aim to end points more efficiently.
Almagro vs. Janowicz (Court 3): In the wake of a bizarre five-set comeback against Devvarman, one wondered whether to praise Janowicz for his tenacity in roaring back after losing the first two sets, or to linger on his immaturity for letting his emotions run astray early in the match. Without that costly burst of petulance, the match likely would not have lasted as long as it did. Similarly, Almagro needed much longer than expected to dismiss American neophyte Steve Johnson in another five-setter. Between the Spaniard’s backhand and the Pole’s forehand, fans should see risky, flamboyant shot-making as each man hopes to exploit a weak section of the draw.
Quarters for Our Thoughts (II): Australian Open Women's Draw Preview
After the mega-preview of the Australian Open men’s draw appeared yesterday, we take the same type of look at the women’s draw.
First quarter: Like fellow defending champion Djokovic, Azarenka cruised through the first week of last year’s tournament. Also like Djokovic, she should do so again this year against an early slate of opponents that features nobody more remarkable than Radwanska’s younger sister. Urszula Radwanska recently lost to Wozniacki, which should tell you all that you need to know about her current form, and her sister can offer her little advice on how to solve Azarenka’s ruthless baseline attack. The world #1 has taken the sensible position that this year’s tournament is a new opportunity for triumph rather than a chunk of territory to defend, an attitude that should help her advance deep into the draw. While the quirky game of Roberta Vinci might bemuse her temporarily, Azarenka probably has less to fear from any opponent in her quarter than from the Australian summer heat, which has proved an Achilles heel for her before.
Among the most plausible first-round upsets in the women’s draw is Lisicki over the reeling, tenth-ranked Wozniacki. The world #1 at this tournament last year, Wozniacki continued her 2012 slide by losing two of her first three matches in 2013, while she has failed to solve the German’s mighty serve in two of their three meetings. Lisicki usually lacks the steadiness to string together several victories in a marquee draw away from grass, but Brisbane finalist Pavlyuchenkova might build upon her upward trend if she escapes Lisicki in the third round. Although the seventh-seeded Errani reached the quarterfinals here last year, she fell to Pavlyuchenkova in Brisbane and might exit even before she meets the young Russian to the veteran Kuznetsova. The most intriguing unseeded player in this section, the two-time major champion showed flashes of vintage form in Sydney and eyes an accommodating pre-quarterfinal draw. She could battle Pavlyuchenkova for the honor of facing Azarenka, who would feel intimidated by neither Russian.
Semifinalist: Azarenka
Player to watch: Pick your ova between Pavlyuchenkova and Kuznetsova
Second quarter: In a sense, all that you need to know about this section is that it contains Serena. Case closed, or is it? Conventional wisdom would say that a player of Serena’s age cannot possibly sustain the brilliance that she displayed in the second half of 2012 much longer, but she has built a reputation upon defying conventional wisdom. An intriguing third-round rematch with Shvedova beckons just two majors after the Kazakh nearly upset her at Wimbledon, the tournament that turned around Serena’s comeback. Mounting an inspired comeback herself last year, Shvedova has stalled a bit lately while suffering some dispiriting three-set losses. Serena can outserve, outhit, and generally out-compete players like Kirilenko and Wickmayer with their limited range of talents. Last year, though, Makarova delivered the shock of the Australian Open by ambushing her in the fourth round, reminding us that underdogs sometimes can jolt Serena before she settles into a tournament.
By the quarterfinals, the American usually has accumulated a formidable tide of momentum that compensates for the spiking quality of competition. Considering the eighth-seeded Kvitova’s recent struggles, the quality may not spike so dramatically. But Kvitova, who has lost seven of her last ten matches, may not reach that stage and may have her work cut out against Schiavone in the first round or ambitious American teen Sloane Stephens in the third round. Stephens broke through at majors last year by reaching the second week of Roland Garros, just as British teen Laura Robson did by reaching the second week at the US Open. An early upset of Kvitova, perhaps even by Robson in the second round, would result in an intriguing battle between these two rising stars with a berth in the second week at stake. There, they could meet the evergreen veteran Petrova, who becomes dangerous just when one discounts her. Kvitova’s compatriot Safarova also lurks in this area but blows too hot and cold to produce a deep run.
Semifinalist: Serena
Player to watch: Stephens
Third quarter: The ultra-steady Radwanska finds herself surrounded by an array of stunning talents with a penchant for getting in their own way. Leading the pack is the sixth-seeded Li Na, who has reached the semifinals or better twice at the Australian Open. Although she won a home title in Shenzhen, Li played generally shaky tennis during her week in Sydney before an error-strewn loss to Radwanska that ended her 2012 momentum against the Pole. Close behind Li in ranking and self-destructive potential is Stosur, who already has imploded twice on Australian soil this year. The ninth seed probably deserves some forgiveness for those losses in view of her recent ankle surgery, but the fact remains that she has lost six of her last seven matches at home in an illustration of her frailty under pressure. Stosur narrowly avoided an early date with Cirstea, her nemesis in the first round last year, and may meet Zheng Jie in the second round a week after she lost to her in Sydney. For her part, Li must hope to reverse her loss to Cirstea at Wimbledon last year if that third-round meeting materializes.
Nearer to Radwanska lies another opponent of the same model as fellow one-time major champions Li and Stosur: the charming and charmingly fragile Ivanovic. Five years after her trip to the Melbourne final, she has not reached the quarterfinals there since. The former #1 might face the other former #1 from her own country in the third round, resuming her sometimes bitter rivalry with Jankovic. Although both Serbs accumulated success against Radwanska earlier in their careers, neither has conquered her as they have declined. The fourth seed thus will feel confident of extending her nine-match winning streak from titles in Auckland and Sydney deep into Melbourne. Perhaps she can follow in the footsteps of Sydney champion Azarenka last year, or in those of Sydney champion Li the year before.
Semifinalist: Radwanska
Player to watch: Li
Fourth quarter: When Sharapova entered the Melbourne field without any match practice last year, she showed no signs of rust in sweeping to the final. In the same situation, she will aim to produce the same result on a surface where the high bounce suits her playing style. Sharapova could face Venus Williams near the end of the first week, assuming that the American survives the heat and her spells of uneven play to that point. Away from grass, she has accumulated a far better record against the elder than the younger Williams, and one would favor her in that matchup considering the relative conditions of each career. Either of these tall women would hold a significant advantage in power and serve over Dominika Cibulkova, the Sydney finalist who devoured three top-eight opponents before eating a double bagel in the final. Rarely at her best in Melbourne, she faces an intriguing opener against local prodigy Ashleigh Barty but otherwise looks likely to enter the second week.
Somewhat more uncertain is the identity of this section’s other quarterfinalist, for Kerber looked only moderately convincing in Brisbane and Sydney. A heavy hitter can outslug the German or frustrate her, a role that second-round opponent Lucia Hradecka could fill with her thunderous serve. Principally a threat on grass, Tamira Paszek remains unpredictable from one week to the next and could meet Sydney sensation Madison Keys in a second round. A 17-year-old with precocious poise, Keys may vie with Stephens for the brightest star in the future of American women’s tennis. The eleventh-seeded Bartoli opens against Medina Garrigues, who played inspired tennis at the Hopman Cup, and will hope to break away from a series of unremarkable efforts in Melbourne. While Kerber defeated Sharapova early last year, the world #2 squashed her in their other three meetings, nor has any of the other players in this section often threatened her.
Semifinalist: Sharapova
Player to watch: Venus
Final: Serena vs. Radwanska
Champion: Serena Williams
Excited for the start of the 2013 Australian Open? I will run a live chat during many of the matches at newyorkobservertennis.com. Check it out if you want to chat with me, some of my colleagues, and fellow fans while you watch the action in Melbourne.
Adidas tennis fashions for 2013 with Ivanovic, Wozniacki, Murray, Tsonga
It’s that time of year again: when the tennis season has just barely ended but you’re already looking forward to the next one. And what better way to kick off the anticipation than with a preview of the tennis outfits your favorite adidas players will be wearing at the Australian Open and Roland Garros in 2013!
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First up is Stella McCartney’s vision for Caroline Wozniacki. And I have to admit that I like it … a lot, in fact. Compared to some of the outfits Caroline has had to wear in even the recent past (cough, what was that skirt and shoes?!), this seems like the perfect combination of flirty and sporty. Ok, now I’m turning her outfits into Sugarpova flavors, oops.
Anyways, the top yellow/white combo is for the Australian Open, and the bottom blue dress is for Roland Garros. Imagine the yellow against the blue of the Australian Open courts and the blue against the red clay of Roland Garros. Visually, it sounds quite appealing. I approve Stella!
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Next up, Ana Ivanovic‘s dresses for the Australian Open and Roland Garros. Moving on ….
Ok, I’m just kidding. But really, I’m once again confused about who creates Ana’s dresses each year. The neon yellow dress she wore at the U.S. Open, while looking horrid in initial samples ended up looking great on Ana. At this point, adidas could dress her in a potato sac and her gorgeous tan legs and face could somehow make it work.
But getting back to the styles below, I’m honestly not in any way sold. Sure they’ll look great on her as always, but the strange color-blocking near the hem of the dress I could have done without — just seems like an old 1980’s pixelated computer game. I like the light blue dress, but that was so Ana Australian Open 2008. I’d get on board if adidas would just stop trying so damn hard to be original, and bring it back to basics for her outfits.
(Sorana Cirstea and Daniela Hantuchova will also most likely be wearing these dresses.)
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As for the rest of the adidas ladies, I’m really worried. Stella McCartney is now designing ALL of the adidas Barricade women’s line and it’s a two-piece version of Caroline’s Roland Garros dress — or, at least, that’s what I think it’s supposed to be. I don’t really know.
The frilly hem of the skirts is flattering enough, but I simply don’t get the black skirt with the front white panel (middle bottom). That Stella design already failed miserably during the London Olympics.
My favorite of the styles below may be the white and yellow block, but I can easily see confused players pairing the yellow/white top with the yellow skirt instead of the white one. At least there are only three colors to choose from and it’s luckily no neon yellow top with an aqua blue skirt that Laura Robson had during the U.S. Open. I am quite surprised there are no cap sleeves in this collection either, but perhaps those prints are still to be released.
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On to the fellas.
We’ve all actually seen Andy Murray‘s outfit for the Australian Open already — it’s what he wore during the ATP World Tour Finals earlier this month. I’ve really been enjoying the colors being infused into Andy’s kits this past year, and I don’t mind the yellow and black shoulder bursts on the white outfit. The only thing I’m worried about is that they’ll bring back those nauseating yellow shorts from the World Tour Finals. If they do, I’m really going to struggle watching his matches …
Oh, and there’s one more thing I’m really disappointed about in this outfit. Apparently adidas is changing his shorts from an 8″ inseam to a 9.5″ inseam. That’s ONE-AND-A-HALF INCHES less of Murray’s legs I get to see! That probably means we’ll see a lot less of his trademark mid-match move of “pulling at his shorts” that he likes to do. Damn.
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Last up is Jo-Wilfried Tsonga‘s collared polo (top row) and Fernando Verdasco‘s polo (bottom row). Most of the other adidas-sponsored players will probably also be wearing Fernando’s kit. And as with the ladies’ outfits above, the yellow/grey combos will be for the Australian Open and the blue for Roland Garros.
Somehow, the “pixelated” color blocking from Ana’s dress doesn’t look as terrible when put fully horizontal and on a t-shirt. I must also commend the design team for pulling the patterns back a notch and leaving me headache-free after viewing. I particularly like Fernando’s blue top — there’s something very retro and fitting about it.
Looking forward to seeing all the outfits in action on court come January!
Federer, Murray advance, Kvitova burning out at US Open
By Romi Cvitkovic
With the absence of Rafael Nadal giving the men’s draw a shakeup, many were expecting early upsets and surprise winners on the men’s side, but it was several seeded women who went crashing out today in the first round. Check out this and other big headlines from Day One of the U.S. Open below, including Andy Murray, Sorana Cirstea, Jack Sock, Petra Kvitova, Roger Federer, and Brits Laura Robson and Heather Watson.
Andy Murray struggles more than scoreline reveals
In what turned out to be a closer match than anyone anticipated, Murray struggled getting his rhythm early on against Alex Bogomolov, Jr. with four breaks of serve to start the match. He eventually prevailed 6-2, 6-4, 6-1, but his 28% first serve percentage made it very touch-and-go in the first set. He began cramping in his left leg after running down a dropshot in the third set, and admitted that he was “struggling a bit” with the wind, humidity and cramping, and needed to “better hydrate” for his next match.
Upon winning match point, there was not even the hint of contentment in his demeanor, and it was obvious he was not satisfied with the way he played. If he expects to go far, he’ll have to get his mental game in order … and drink more fluids.
Jack Sock outplaying his No. 243 ranking
Defending US Open mixed doubles champion, 19-year-old Sock almost had the biggest win of his career, but instead he’s into the second round when his opponent No. 22 seed Florian Mayer retired due to dizziness, 6-3, 6-2, 3-2 ret. Breaking the typically hard-hitting Mayer with his immense serving, Sock bombed his fastest serve at 134 MPH, and hit 34 winners to Mayer’s 8. Mayer was clearly not on top of his game, but Sock did everything right: held his serve, approached the net, and won several Hawkeye challenges in a row.
I had Sock as my “upset of a seeded player” pick last week, even venturing so far as to say he could easily make the third or fourth round. That seems to be all reality now instead of a distant vision.
Giant-killer Sorana Cirstea stuns Sabine Lisicki
If you know women’s tennis, it’s really not that big of a stretch to see Cirstea win this matchup. For those not familiar, Cirstea took out several top players this year already: world No. 7 Sam Stosur in the first round of the Australian Open, No. 11 Marion Bartoli in Madrid, and No. 8 Na Li in the second round of Wimbledon. The 22-year-old Romanian seems to do her best damage at Slams, but has failed to capitalize on the US Open — her best showing being the third round back in 2009. With the surprise takedown of Julia Goerges by Kristyna Pliskova today, Cirstea’s 1/8 has opened wide up, giving her a clear path to a fourth round matchup against No. 1 seed Victoria Azarenka.
Roger Federer gives Donald Young some space
In what was supposed to be a straight-forward opener for Federer, the Swiss Maestro allowed Young to win nine games. It’s unacceptable for a guy that only recently broke a 17-match winning streak to take more than the equivalent of one set from the “King of Tennis.” Sure, it’s just the first round and players tend to have the worst nerves then because anything can happen, but Young won 39% of all points played! Federer needs to stop these shenanigans and get it into gear next round. Oh, and Federer is now 22-0 for all US Open night matches played. No pressure.
Petra Kvitova burning out
Not a fan of the humidity of North America, Kvitova recently got a new inhaler and it seemed to be doing the trick for the summer hardcourt season: Montreal title, Cincinnati semifinals, and New Haven title over the weekend. But all the tennis and travelling has been catching up to her, as she was forced to a first set tiebreak against No. 65 Polona Hercog which she barely won. With her movement and energy clearly hampered, she would be lucky to make it to the fourth round against Marion Bartoli. And don’t even think about seeing Sharapova in the quarterfinals. Sorry.
Young British women split successes
The younger of the two, Laura Robson, hit a bit of luck as she drew 17-year-old newbie Samantha Crawford in the first round. Her compatriot Heather Watson, however, drew world No. 8 Na Li. Robson struggled with her serve hitting under 50% and only converted on three-of-nine break points. But she used grit and prevailed in the second set tiebreak finally winning 6-3, 7-6(6). Watson wasn’t so lucky. Li came out firing on all cylinders, keeping Watson to only five total games. The take-away from both British youngster? There’s still time to develop, but those serves are really hindering you. Robson will get her reward in the form of a second round matchup with Kim Clijsters.
US Open: Day One by the numbers
By Romi Cvitkovic
Day One of the US Open by the numbers:
51 – The number of minutes it took Sam Stosur to defeat Petra Martic, 6-1, 6-1 en route winning the first 19 points. That’s almost five straight games!
16 – The age of the youngest competitor, Victoria Duval, who lost to Kim Clijsters, 6-3, 6-1, but introduced her bubbly personality to the world.
0 – The number of second serve points (out of eight) that Alex Bogomolov, Jr. won in the first set against Andy Murray. He eventually lost 6-2, 6-4, 6-1.
2 – The number of games most people thought Donald Young would win against Roger Federer after only recently breaking his 17-match losing streak.
9 – The number of games Young actually won. Not bad.
22 – The number of US Open night matches Federer has won.
0 – The number of US Open night matches Federer has lost.
3 – The surprising number of match points it took Federer to defeat Young.
9.63 – The number, on a scale of 1 to 10, of how good Jack Sock thought his second serve was in his win over Florian Mayer.
1 – The number of break points (out of six) that Petra Kvitova converted in the first set in her win over Polona Hercog, 7-6(6), 6-1.
92 – The percentage of first serves won in her defeat of Melinda Czink, 6-2, 6-2.
-22 – The winners-to-unforced errors differential for both Melanie Oudin in her loss to Lucie Safarova, 6-4, 6-0, and Sabine Lisicki in her loss to Sorana Cirstea, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.
12 – The number of aces Mardy Fish hit in his three-set battle over Go Soeda, winning 7-6(3), 7-6(2), 6-3.
6 – The number of match points it took newly-minted American Varvara Lepchenko to finally close out the match over Mathilde Johansson, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.
1 – The number of games Victoria Azarenka allowed her opponent Alexandra Panova to win in her whipping of her, 6-0, 6-1.
87 – The percentage of first serve won by Fernando Verdasco in the second set during his win over Rui Machado, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
48 – The first serve percentage of Laura Robson in her win over Samantha Crawford, 6-3, 7-6(6).
60 – The length of the first set in the match that eventually saw Kristyna Pliskova upset Julia Goerges, 7-6(4), 6-1.
292 – The total number of points played in the 3-and-a-half-hour match where Tim Smyczek prevailed over fellow American Bobby Reynolds, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.
Adidas, Nike tennis outfits for US Open 2012 with Federer, Ivanovic, Sharapova and others
By Romi Cvitkovic
The US Open is underway and the top players are on fire — not only with their games, but also their on-court tennis apparel. Curious about what your favorite players are wearing and where to buy it? Well, wonder no more and check out this year’s US Open Nike and adidas tennis outfits for both men and women. Serve it up!
NIKE
Top women’s seed Victoria Azarenka is sporting Nike’s Volt Graphic Tank and flirty Black Flounce skirt. The tank design is just the right amount of flashy, and the fit is one of the best this season.
Na Li is pretty in pink in this Liquid Pink Jersey shirt and White Pleated skirt by Nike. A little more conservative with a dash of detailed stitches.
Maria Sharapova has been on tour for more than eleven years and her outfits are always stunning. This year, she’s flaunting Nike’s Back Court Day dress and Back Court Night dress. The day dress scores, but black on a slender and tall Sharapova seems counter intuitive. The Spiderman-esque matrix in gold on the back of the night dress is quite an intense contrast.
Nike has spiced up the normal white tank for Petra Kvitova and given her strategically-placed pleats with their Statement Pleated tank and mutli-colored Pleated skirt.
Nike has kept it solid and mostly simple for Roger Federer, dressing him in University Blue Hard Court crew tee for day, and collared Obsidian Hard Court Polo for night. What is of note is that the typically-collared Federer will be sporting no collar during his day matches. It seems they are keeping the same setup as last year.
The always unpredictable Serena Williams is giving us punches of color in her’ Statement Pleated dress in Fireberry for day and in Obsidian/Volt for night. Interesting color to highlight … there.
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adidas
Ana Ivanovic, as well as good friend Sorana Cirstea, are both sporting the spunky adiZero dress in Lime. Note: you must be tall, tan and beautiful in order for this to look fab on you.
Scot Andy Murray in equipped in his typical Barricade line but with a bit more edge as seen in the Urban Sky/Bright Gold details here. It is like a kaleidoscope?
Spaniard Fernando Verdasco complements the adiZero dress in his own adiZero Crew tee in Lime. Why the screaming colors always, adidas?
adidas keeps Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in their collared adiZero Theme Polo shirt in Dark Blue and does a nice job with light blue and orange accents.
Stella McCartney always dresses up Caroline Wozniacki in something questionable in photos that turns out great on Wozniacki herself, so I will reserve my comments. Stella McCartney Performance Rose Tan/Black mesh dress.
Nadal Comments on Federer, Early Australian Open Exits – The Friday Five
by Maud Watson
Just Play
Unfortunately, one of the biggest stories in the first week of the Aussie Open has been Nadal’s comments about Federer and his response (or lack thereof, in Nadal’s opinion) to tour issues. There was no mincing of words either, as he launched his verbal attack in his native tongue. Whether you agree with Nadal’s stance on the issues of the schedule and prize money is irrelevant. He had no business taking it outside the locker room and publicly attacking Federer. It’s frowned upon in team sports when one team member decides to air dirty laundry in public, and this is no different. Then, shortly after these controversial comments, Nadal announced he hurt his knee while sitting/getting up from in a chair, and that the pain was so bad, he was unsure he was going to play. Granted, the press asked him why his knee was wrapped. But he knew it was a freak thing, and the tests all came back negative. Just say it was precautionary, end of story. Not sure who handles PR for Nadal, but someone needs to get a hold of him and tell him to just shut up and play. When he announced he wouldn’t play in February due to his shoulder, it caused more than a few to roll their eyes and suggest he was preparing his excuse should he fall short of the title in Melbourne. His unprofessionalism in attacking Federer in the press prompted even some Nadal fans to say they had lost respect for him. Then this latest bit about hurting his knee while in a chair has sadly caused many to laugh and makes cracks about him. He’s achieved too much already in his career to slowly morph into a joke, especially at his own hands.
Flame Out
It didn’t take long for the tournament to suffer a couple of high-profile losses. On the women’s side, Sam Stosur crashed out early to big-hitting Sorana Cirstea. Not sure why some were insistent on calling this a shocker. Sam had a poor lead up to Melbourne, and it’s been evident she’s nervous playing in front of the home crowd. She was ripe for the upset. The slightly bigger surprise was Fish exiting early. Again, this wasn’t completely unforeseen. We saw shades of the old Fish in Perth, and unfortunately for him, it was the old Fish who showed up to play Falla. That’s what made his loss so much more disappointing. Falla played a complete match, and rather than digging in his heels, Fish decided to whine and complain about it. If he’s going to start behaving that way again, he’s in for an agonizing and frustrating season.
Impressive Youth
Fans may have witnessed some key moments in the careers of young guns Christina McHale and Bernard Tomic. American teenager McHale showed more than a hint of promise last season, and she’s backing it up well here in 2012. She won her opening match in straight sets over 24 seed Safarova before digging deep to pull out a victory against local favorite Erakovic. She still has plenty of room for growth, but for sure she’s looking like the real deal. On the men’s side, Tomic gave fans plenty to cheer. Down two sets to none against Verdasco, it appeared that Tomic was going to falter under the weight of his nation’s expectations in the opening round of Day 1 on Rod Laver Arena. But he kept his head about him, Verdasco got nervous, and Tomic delivered in five. He followed that up with a nice come-from-behind four-set win against Sam Querrey. These are the kind of matches that build character, and Tomic is showing that he’s continuing to mature and develop. 2012 most likely will be a growing year for both, but expect great things from each of these upstarts in the near future.
Wily Veterans
Someone who wasn’t talked up too much coming into Australia was Maria Sharapova. But in both of her opening matches, Sharapova has been a pillar of consistency, striking the ball as cleanly as ever. She should now be considered a strong contender to reach the quarters, where Serena Williams may await. Serena clipped her badly last they met, but based on current form, Serena should be the more worried if that quarterfinal clash comes to pass. On the men’s side, a tip of the hat to Lleyton Hewitt. He’s a longer shot than Sharapova to go far here, and an Andy Roddick injury helped his cause in reaching the third round. But considering his many injuries and the type of surgeries he’s undergone, he’s moving extremely well. There’s definitely some fight and game left in the tank, so don’t be surprised to see him post some impressive runs this season.
Inconsistency
That’s the problem with ambiguous rules, and unfortunately, it leaves some players on the short end of the stick. Coming off a heart-breaking five-set loss to John Isner, Nalbandian criticized what he (rightfully) considered poor officiating at the end of the enthralling encounter. In looking at the replay, Nalbandian definitely took some time in looking for the mark after he had confirmed that Chair Umpire Nouni had overruled the linesperson and called an Isner serve in. As a result, when he made the challenge, Nouni ruled Nalbandian had taken too long and didn’t allow the challenge. In principle, I agree with Nouni. Challenges are supposed to be in a timelier manner. But in Nalbandian’s defense, when is that rule ever truly enforced? And in a moment like that, as ambiguous as the challenge time rule is, you gotta let Nalbandian have that challenge (especially since it was revealed Nouni’s overrule was incorrect).