A forum to discuss all things related to the Women’s Tennis Association.
Copyright © 2024 | MH Magazine WordPress Theme by MH Themes
A forum to discuss all things related to the Women’s Tennis Association.
Copyright © 2024 | MH Magazine WordPress Theme by MH Themes
Radwańska started the first set 4-0 against Wozniacki went to on lose four straight games. Does every match of the Pole have to be such a thriller?
I know 😀 She makes me nervous lately. But she made it easy in the end. Yay Aga!
Oh no. Sveta next ?
Cibby v Karolina will play at 9:30 pm – my time. That one should be good!
Strycova vs Jankovic might be close too. I never seem to pick it right with Jelena Jankovic.
Awsome Wuhan Quarterfinals
Awesome, I mean, awesome in Wuhan.
Kvitova vs Konta
Halep vs Keys
Radwanska vs Kuznetsova
Pliskova or Cibulkova vs Jankovic or Strycova 🙂
In the other WTA tournament, Tashkent, there’s nearly no way of telling what will happen. Flipkens is the highest seed left, but seeding means very little there.
Quartfinals Tashkent:
Kozlova v Voegele
Kristyna Pliskova v Khromacheva
Tsurenko v Hibino
Flipkens v Allertova
After Wuhan 900 and Tashkent 280, there’s a Beijing 1000 and one official 470 point tournament, Moscow, left on the calendar: Hong Kong, Luxembourg, and Linz, Autria are all 280’s. Tianjin confuses me – according to WTA it’s a two year old 280 point tournament which Aga Radwanska won last year, but the money on offer is more like Moscow or Tokyo. (maybe the upgrade in points on offer got missed by the website??)
Well, I just woke up and of course missed seeing Aga’s v Sveta. But I accept that Sveta is a fierce competitor and she can be too good. Also leads their long history h2h (I forget by how much). I’m always a bit deflated when Aga loses.
So the last QF match left is Dominica Cibulkova v Barbora Strycova. On now 🙂
Cibby and Strycova both had to play first matches of the day in Wuhan and they are playing their 2nd match of the Wuhan day. Cibby beat Karolina 62 62 earlier and Strycova beat Jankovic in 3 sets.
Both of them are super fit and …..okay I think Cibby wins but Barbora can be as tricky as Aga or Monica Niculescu.
Cmon Aga losing a close match again 6-1 6-7 4-6 match point saved by Svetlana. But I have to say that the Russian played a very good match, she was agressive at crucial points, really punished Radwańska’s second serves.
What I’ve seen of Kuznetsova, she looks strong and playing with aggression! She’s got some fire right now. I just hope Aga is ready to have a go in Beijing 😀
Dominica Cibulkova makes the Semifinal. Wuhan will be:
#12 Cibulkova vs #10 Kuznetsova
#5 Halep vs #16 Kvitova
H2H is 4-3 Cibulkova vs Kuznetsova. But Sveta hasn’t beaten her since 2008!
H2H is 3-0 Halep vs Kvitova. But Petra wasn’t in good shape going into 2016 Fed Cup; she was still playing with a low level of energy.
Who has the most Ambition and Incentive?
For the race, Kuznetsova is ranked #11 and close to qualifying for Shanghai! Last year she went to the secondary year end final in Zhuhai. (Which is no small potato money-wise). Cibulkova is ranked #7 in the Race to Shanghai — and looks to secure a spot for the first time! ?
Halep has qualified by making Wuhan SF – she’s going to Shanghai. Petra Kvitova is lagging behind due to having mono and taking so long to make a comeback. But she’s playing great. Although I picked Simona to win Wuhan, I’m cheering for Petra because I hate to see her miss out on one of the year end finals. Right now she’s down at #21 in the race rank. Winning Wuhan would get her into Zhuhai but I’m hoping she can collect enough points in the coming tournaments to get to Shanghai — it would be a stretch, tho. Improving her seeding for AO is the main priority along with going into 2017 strong and healthy.
Finally watched Aga’s QF match, manwerty. Nearly a 3 hour match which should have been over in 2! But Kuznetsova and Cibulkova deserve each other 😀 Cibby knocked out Karolina in just over an hour then took 1.5 hours to take Strycova but was still bouncing around at the end.
Here’s Sveta/Aga Highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LZueGCoP_Q
Here’s Cibby/Barbora Highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-eFzIrXubM
Dominika Cibulkova was crazy good. Kuznetsova tried hard – what a match!
Cibby into the Final 😀
Now to try and stay awake for Simona and Petra. Wuhan.
My Beijing WTA bracket it done.
There have been some amazing matches this week but none better than Cibulkova’s marathons. And to think there are still people who believe women don’t deserve equal pay
#shameonthem
Gosh, I’m so angry at Tennis Channel (emailed them) they are broadcasting that lunkhead, Tomic’s match, while the Wuhan Semifinal Petra v Simona is on. Zukes, I’m going to cancel my subscription and get whatever it is you and hawks gets, ed.
So done with them.
rc,
I have been getting increasingly frustrated with the tennis channel and which matches they cover. It’s been building for some time. Very disappointing.
ed gets it. 🙂
#$%^ it’s no use. I see Simona must be playing terrible and/or Petra hitting her off the court! either way, I’d like to see it live. Not watch Tomic and Bellucci. How frustrating.
thrilled to see petra winning big again! is it due to her own gr8 play or opponents being poor? really hope it is the former as i love petra’s game when she is on…
about time she moved up the rankings…the top is where she belongs in terms of sheer talent..
Indeed, amy. It’s weird seeing where Petra is in the race to Singapore ranking, #21. She’s usually been somewhere near the top or top 5. Winning Wuhan tonight would get her near top 10 – 12 in the race. IF she could win the tournament in Beijing too — that would put her where she should be 🙂
It’s a lot to ask though.
Congrats to Petra Kvitova and Kristyna Pliskova!! Winners in Wuhan and Tashkent.
Beijing is going to be good with so many playing to secure a place in one of the year end finals: Singapore or Zhuhai.
Beijing Notes:
Shoot, two of my favorites to pick up points year end finals lost first round: Carla Suarez-Navarro (Picked her to the quarterfinal) and Jelena Jankovic. Was guessing JJ would have incentive and want to make Zhuhai year end final.
If the qualifiers had been placed before picking the bracket I might have picked a at least one differently. I try to keep a few of the Chinese players straight: Qualifier, Y.Wang defeated Brengle, that’s the one I would have switched for sure. Q. Wang is the other Wang I worried about but Aga got a straight set win. No excuse though for overlooking Shuai Zhang and picking Stosur. Bad picking.
Chinese players not to overlook in future tournaments: Shuai Zhang, Q.Wang, and Y.Wang. Ying Ying Duan can be dangerous too. Sasai Zheng nearly beat Roberta Vinci and I’m worried about Venus’ upcoming match vs Shuai Peng.
? Matches to watch on Monday’s schedule:
R1 McHale v Gavrilova
R1 Pliskova v Safarova
R2 Bencic v Shvedova (is Bencic in good form yet?)
R1 Bacsinszky v Arruaberrena
R1 Strycova v Siegemund
R1 Williams v Peng
R1 Garcia v Goerges
R2 Keys v Mladenovic (Mladenovic might be getting hot – she beat JJ in 3 sets)
R2 Radwanska v Makarova
Not sure why Monday’s schedule has R1 mixed with R2.
Monday’s winners in Beijing:
Gavrilova, Bacsinszky, Strycova, (Shuai Peng beat Venus, yikes!) Garcia, Keys, Radwanska, Shvedova, Kerber, Kasatkina, Pliskova, Svitolina, and Muguruza.
Tuesday picks:
Kvitova over Y.Wang
Svitolina over Lisicki
Pliskova over Kasatkina
Konta over Babos
Halep over Wickmayer
Cibulkova over Cornet
Wozniacki over Vinci
Kuznetsova over Doi
Shuai Zhang over Riske
Congrats to welshwitch picking Shuai Peng over Venus – that was genius! 😉
I hope we get to have Muguruza v Kvitova soon 😀
Wednesday Beijing:
? Yes. Muguruza vs Kvitova is On. Odds slightly favor Petra but Garbine has two solid wins already in Beijing: Irina-Camelia Begu and Putintseva. After a slightly shaky start v young, talented Y.Wang, Kvitova easily won the second set. I watched the replay of Kvitova v Wang. If Petra is tired from the effort of winning Wuhan, I couldn’t tell. On one hand I’m cheering for Petra because she’s had a bad year and needs the ranking points. But on Garbine’s side, she’s the defending champion, and has had a terrible season after winning Roland Garros, she also needs the win to gain confidence. 😀 Should be good. Each have a lot of reason to fight for it.
? Keys vs Kuznetsova
Also should be good, the odds are very close, and it’s tough to call. Although I picked Sveta in my bracket based on her form in Wuhan, I’m having second thoughts. Madison is looking more confident and comfortable than she was in Wuhan and I liked what I saw in her win over Kiki Mladenovic.
Gavrilova vs Bacsinszky and Pliskova vs Kasatkina are literally too close to call. And though Caroline Garcia is tipped to beat Venus’ killer, Shuai Peng, I feel like Peng will get the win.
The ones I’d pick:
Konta over Babos
Svitolina over Lisicki
Kerber over Strycova
? Thursday will bring us Radwanska vs Wozniacki – episode THREE (in as many weeks).
? Also Thursday, Halep vs Zhang! Simona is still playing smooth and strong and she has her supporters in Beijing, but the home crowd is going to go crazy for Zhang 😀
rc,
As always, you have provided some great previews of the upcoming women’s matches!
Thanks again for keeping us updated! It’s a pleasure to read your analysis!
?
Nny,
Thank you!! Very happy you enjoy reading my WTA ramblings. I love following Asian swing – even though I don’t watch many live matches. I was a big Li Na fan. It’s nice to see her influence, how the sport is growing and the good attendance in China. Also I’m pretty sure there’s maybe four or five Chinese WTA players we’ll see again at AO. I’ve finally identified Q.Wang from Y.Wang, can tell Saisai Zheng from Shuai Peng from Shuai Zhang, and know who 6’1″ Ying Ying Duan is 😀
But I think I might be writing thier names wrong and the last name comes first: Zheng Saisai and Zhang Shuai is how it should be written. Do you know which way is right?
I think you write it shuai peng but say it like peng shuai basically read it backwards
Oh, Geez. Thanks Benny!
Zhang Shuai, the one playing Simona Halep later tonight is the one I think is most impressive.
Edit: Halep and Zhang play Thursday. Times are confusing!
rc,
I also find it confusing with Chinese names. I think the last name comes first, but am not certain!
I have not been able to see matches because of the time difference. I try to watch when I can and maybe see replays. But I am not up for the time difference with Asia.
Both Karolina Pliskova and Aga Radwanska have qualified for Sinapore. So the pressure is off of them in their next matches…
http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/5949634/title/champion-radwanska-confirms-singapore-return-joined-by-debutant-pliskova
Honestly I don’t Garbine puts up much of a fight. Didn’t watch the Putintseva match, but she looked average against Begu and her average is definitely not enough to beat Petra. However, Kvitova might be tired.
Picked Kuznetsova to win against Madison Keys. Keys has had an amazing year and even if she’s cooled down a bit last month I still believe that girl has at least one GS in her. But basing on current form Kuznetsova will likely get that one.
Radwańska vs Wozniacki on Thursday should be amazing and I just hope Aga will cruise but I’m really unsure about this.
Also, I’m really happy to see her Shuai Peng score a big win. She had some injury troubles lately but I still remember her dream run to the US Open 2014 semis and I absolutely loved her tennis back then.
Also picked Kuznetsova to win vs Keys. I find it hard to warm up to Keys and Vandewehge – maybe that will change. Only caught the last set but that was disappointing from Kuznetsova. She had me all convinced that she was making a bid to go to Singapore.
Good win for Madison, though.
Picked Petra to the final here. But I thought Garbine, the FO Champion, would put up more of a fight in this part of the season. She needs some of Cibby’s positive energy.
Pojd Petra to Singapore 😀 yes…
Poor Garbine.
Now time to kick back, drink my coffee and watch the replay of Kerber v Strycova 🙂
From the scores, Garcia vs Peng looks like it was the best match.
Radwanska literally crushed Wozniacki but there were two really surprising results today. I can accept Svitolina beating Kerber, I actually thought she was going to take a set, but what on earth happened to Halep? Zhang is obv great right now but giving halep only three games is an another level of being great.
Yep. Zhang remains the Simona killer. Really thought Simona could beat her this time. Haven’t seen the match yet.
Yes! Aga moves on 🙂 She’ll face #39 Yaroslava Shvedova or #58 Alize Cornet. Wouldn’t have thought to pick either of them this deep. #49 Dasha Gavrilova is a bit of a surprise this deep in the tournament too. But we know she can get hot 😉
Due to bad weather, Shvedova and Cornet have to play two times in one day, I think.
Beijing QF’s:
#11 Kvitova vs #9 Keys. Sounds like a good match but I haven’t been good at guessing which matches are good in Beijing. Petra got the big win over Madison at the Olympics. Keys has had a better 2016 in general but Petra’s on a late season roll.
#19 Svitolina vs #49 Gavrilova. I like this match-up for its feisty potential. Both are 22 years old and know each other well. Dasha has the upper hand with two wins over Elina in 2016: Cincinnati and Madrid. Elina has the better record and has been much more consistent in 2016, though.
#14 Konta vs #36 Zhang. Both got big wins in R16 to get here. Konta over Pliskova and Zhang over Halep. Johanna eliminated the surprise qualifier, Shuai Zhang, in the quarterfinal of AO this year and also beat her 63 63 in Wuhan last week. Konta is my pick.
#3 Radwanska vs #39 Shvedova or #58 Cornet. Aga’s got this, I think.