This Week In Tennis
|
|
|
|
WTA SINGLES DRAW
(1) Karolina Pliskova
Best Result: F - 2016
2016 Result: F - Kerber
Pliskova arrives at the U.S. Open as the top seed for the first time in her career, looking to build on a career-best Slam performance last year in New York when she finished runner-up to Angelique Kerber. She'll face the typical questions asked of someone in her position: can she handle the added pressure of being #1? Is she ready to take the next step in her career and hoist a maiden Slam trophy? Can she hold off a slew of challengers for her top ranking?
(2) Simona Halep
Best Result: SF - 2015
2016 Result: QF - S. Williams
More than any other player in both draws, Simona Halep has a lot of obstacles to overcome during the next fortnight. While she has the momentum of reaching the semifinals in Toronto and the finals in Cincinnati, both tournaments ended with lopsided and lackluster losses. She also carries the baggage of failing to win her first Slam title at the French Open this year, after being a set and a break up in the final against Ostapenko. Halep could also find herself with the top ranking on her racquet for a fourth time this year with a deep run in New York. First up, though, she has the not-so-small misfortune of drawing Sharapova in the first round.
(3) Garbiñe Muguruza
Best Result: 2R - 2015, 2016
2016 Result: 2R - Sevastova
Despite a 2-4 career record in New York, and having never gone past the second round, Muguruza enters this year's tournament as the big favourite. After an indifferent first half of the season, Muguruza has come on strong since winning Wimbledon and parlaying that success into a consistent hard court swing ahead of the U.S. Open. The Spaniard made the semis in Stanford, quarterfinals in Toronto, and capped her run with a Cincinnati title that saw her beat the top two seeds (Pliskova and Halep) as well as Kuznetsova and Keys.
(4) Elina Svitolina
Best Result: 3R - 2015, 2016
2016 Result: 3R - Kvitova
Svitolina is the most accomplished 22-year-old on the WTA Tour. For someone so young, she's already won often and at some of the bigger tournaments just below the Grand Slam level. She has shown the ability to compete and beat the best players in the game; three of her WTA-leading five titles in 2017 have been at Premier events (Dubai, Rome, and Toronto). That she has made only two career Slam quarterfinals is likely a function of still being so young: the talent is there, and her quality of results suggests it is only a matter of time before she has a big Slam breakthrough. The hard courts of Flushing Meadows seem as good a place as any.
(5) Caroline Wozniacki
Best Result: F - 2009, 2014
2016 Result: SF - Kerber
Wozniacki returns to the site of her greatest Grand Slam successes a totally different player from one year ago. Ahead of the 2016 event, Wozniacki was mired in a months-long slump, ranked in the 70s, and a shadow of her former self. A semifinal run last year kickstarted a revival, and she returns a year on seeded #5 and having made six finals in 2016. She's made two finals in New York, and a further three semis in her career. Given the much talked about wide open field, Wozniacki's chances are as good as anybody's. That said, she faces a tough draw with Venus Williams (0-7 lifetime) and Muguruza in her quarter.
(6) Angelique Kerber
Best Result: W - 2016
2016 Result: W
What a year for Angelique Kerber. After experiencing the extreme highs of winning two Slams last year and an Olympic silver medal, Kerber has flown in a much lower orbit in 2017: to date, she has yet to make it past the fourth round in three Slams, whereas she made three Slam finals last year. Her #1 ranking is gone too, ceded to Karolina Pliskova in July. But, despite a mere 25-17 match record on the season, Kerber has another shot to recapture some of her best form, and she will be tested immediately by Naomi Osaka in the first round.
(7) Johanna Konta
Best Result: 4R - 2015, 2016
2016 Result: 4R - Sevastova
Jo Konta has turned in a solid follow-up to her breakout season last year: she won Miami and Sydney, made the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, and survived the British media circus on her way to the semifinals at Wimbledon. As a result, Konta achieved her a career best #4 ranking in July, and currently sits at #7 heading into the U.S. Open. Her summer hard court results have been unspectacular (QF in Cincinnati, and first round in Toronto), but Konta remains one of the top hard court ballers on the WTA Tour. In her path at Flushing: an in-form Goerges in the third, this week's Connecticut finalist Cibulkova in the fourth, and Halep in the quarters.
(8) Svetlana Kuznetsova
Best Result: W - 2004
2016 Result: 2R - Wozniacki
The 2004 champion is fresh off her first Slam quarterfinal since 2014 (Wimbledon), and has been firmly entrenched in the top 10 for a year now. As has been said and written many times before, especially at The Body Serve, Kuznetsova has the pedigree to beat anybody on any given day. She has the top seed in her quarter, and the winner of Vandeweghe/Radwanska likely in her fourth round. To get there, though, she will have to get by a tricky first rounder in Marketa Vondrousova.
Best Result: F - 2009, 2014
2016 Result: SF - Kerber
Wozniacki returns to the site of her greatest Grand Slam successes a totally different player from one year ago. Ahead of the 2016 event, Wozniacki was mired in a months-long slump, ranked in the 70s, and a shadow of her former self. A semifinal run last year kickstarted a revival, and she returns a year on seeded #5 and having made six finals in 2016. She's made two finals in New York, and a further three semis in her career. Given the much talked about wide open field, Wozniacki's chances are as good as anybody's. That said, she faces a tough draw with Venus Williams (0-7 lifetime) and Muguruza in her quarter.
(6) Angelique Kerber
Best Result: W - 2016
2016 Result: W
What a year for Angelique Kerber. After experiencing the extreme highs of winning two Slams last year and an Olympic silver medal, Kerber has flown in a much lower orbit in 2017: to date, she has yet to make it past the fourth round in three Slams, whereas she made three Slam finals last year. Her #1 ranking is gone too, ceded to Karolina Pliskova in July. But, despite a mere 25-17 match record on the season, Kerber has another shot to recapture some of her best form, and she will be tested immediately by Naomi Osaka in the first round.
(7) Johanna Konta
Best Result: 4R - 2015, 2016
2016 Result: 4R - Sevastova
Jo Konta has turned in a solid follow-up to her breakout season last year: she won Miami and Sydney, made the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, and survived the British media circus on her way to the semifinals at Wimbledon. As a result, Konta achieved her a career best #4 ranking in July, and currently sits at #7 heading into the U.S. Open. Her summer hard court results have been unspectacular (QF in Cincinnati, and first round in Toronto), but Konta remains one of the top hard court ballers on the WTA Tour. In her path at Flushing: an in-form Goerges in the third, this week's Connecticut finalist Cibulkova in the fourth, and Halep in the quarters.
(8) Svetlana Kuznetsova
Best Result: W - 2004
2016 Result: 2R - Wozniacki
The 2004 champion is fresh off her first Slam quarterfinal since 2014 (Wimbledon), and has been firmly entrenched in the top 10 for a year now. As has been said and written many times before, especially at The Body Serve, Kuznetsova has the pedigree to beat anybody on any given day. She has the top seed in her quarter, and the winner of Vandeweghe/Radwanska likely in her fourth round. To get there, though, she will have to get by a tricky first rounder in Marketa Vondrousova.
TOP 32 SEEDS
|
1. Pliskova
2. Halep 3. Muguruza 4. Svitolina 5. Wozniacki 6. Kerber 7. Konta 8. Kuznetsova |
9. V. Williams
10. Radwanska 11. Cibulkova 12. Ostapenko 13. Kvitova 14. Mladenovic 15. Keys 16. Sevasatova |
17. Vesnina
18. Garcia 19. Pavlyuchenkova 20. Vandeweghe 21. Konjuh 22. Peng 23. Strycova 24. Bertens |
25. Gavrilova
26. Kontaveit 27. Zhang 28. Tsurenko 29. Lucic-Baroni 30. Goerges 31. Rybarikova 32. Davis |
PLAYERS TO WATCH
- Venus Williams - The elder Williams has reached two Slam finals in 2017, something she hasn't done since 2003. Furthermore, she has been the most consistent Slam performer over the past two seasons, making the second week in six consecutive Slams.
- Ashleigh Barty - The young Aussie is having a breakout year in singles. She won her first title in Kuala Lumpur, followed by a finals showing in Birmingham. Barty has wins over Garbine Muguruza and Venus Williams this year, but draws Ana Konjuh in a tricky opener.
- Sloane Stephens - After losing in the first round of her first two events back, Stephens made back-to-back semis in Toronto and Cincinnati.
- Madison Keys - The Stanford champ has been swinging for the fences, taking Muguruza to three tough sets in Cincinnati, holding -- and losing -- three match points. Her huge hitting, if consistent enough, could take her far.
- Maria Sharapova - The 2006 champ has missed the last six Slams and will be eager to get back on one of the game's biggest stages. She will have to be in good form right away, however, as she draws #2 Simona Halep in the first round.
- Ekaterina Makarova - One of the hottest players on tour, winning Washington and scoring hardcourt wins over Halep, Konta, and Kerber along the way. The lefty always seems to raise her game at Slams and is your definitive darkhorse/unseeded player to avoid if you are a top seed.
FIRST ROUND INTRIGUE
(2) Halep vs Sharapova
(6) Kerber vs Osaka
Niculescu vs. (14) Mladenovic
Riske vs. (20) Vandeweghe
(26) Kontaveit vs. Safarova
(4) Svitolina vs. Siniakova
Mertens vs. (15) Keys
(13) Kvitova vs. Jankovic
Watson vs. Cornet
(21) Konjuh vs. Barty
Stephens vs. Vinci
TOURNAMENT NOTES
- The 2017 edition will be the first U.S. Open missed by Serena Williams since 2010. She has made at least the semifinals in the last eight Opens she's contested.
- Eight women have a statistical chance to gain the no. 1 ranking after the U.S. Open, all the way down to current no. 9 Venus Williams.
|
|
ON THE WEB
Think Tennis Is the Most Gender-Equal Sport? Here's Why That's a Problem
Restoring A Landmark For African American Tennis Stars
The Most Intimate -- And Potentially Terrifying -- Job In Tennis: An Emcee
U.S. Open offers chance to marvel at Venus Williams' skill and grace — and to ignore her age
Women’s Tennis Still Awaits Its Next Age of Rivalries
Patty Schnyder Brings a New Outlook and a New Family on Tour
U.S. Open Women's Preview: Garbine Muguruza Or The Field?
Venus Williams Will Be Playing For Herself And Serena At U.S. Open
Venus Williams Is In The Top 10. Stop Taliing About Her Age
Tennis commentator Doug Adler speaks out on Venus Williams remark: I'm not a racist
PODCASTS
The Body Serve - US Open Preview: Where My Boys At?
WTA Insider - US Open Preview: Who will leave New York at No.1?
No Challenges Remaining - Paul Annacone and Giri Nathan
Beyond The Baseline - Rod Laver on inaugural Laver Cup
Realz Tenis Fanz - It’s a Serena Baby Shower US Open 2017 Draw Show Event
Tennis.com - Pre-U.S. Open Potpourri
Tennis Connected - With Cincinnati Complete, it’s Time for the US Open
Tennis Nerd Podcast - MASSIVE US OPEN MEGA-PREVIEW! WITH MATT ZEMEK!
Thirty Love - Tracy Austin on US Open and Tennis's Old Stars
Lucky Loser Podcast - I Know What A Birthday Is
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.
ARCHIVES
September 2022
July 2022
June 2022
January 2022
September 2021
September 2020
August 2020
May 2020
November 2019
August 2019
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
January 2018
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
October 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
RSS Feed