Predictions for Wozniacki Versus Dementieva
While I haven’t been following too much of the tennis post-US Open, the Pacific Pan Open has had a lot of great tennis and compelling stories in the past few days.
There’s Maria Sharapova’s early exit, the strong showing by the now 40-year old Kimiko Date Krumm, Coco Vandeweghe’s trip to the quarters, and more. It’s nice to see the mix of familiar faces and newcomers making a push towards success as the season comes to a close.
At the end of the day, however, two of the top women have advanced to the finals: Caroline Wozniacki, the world number two, who is poised to take the number one ranking from Serena Williams, and Elena Dementieva, the seventh seed.
Both overcame tough opponents in the semifinals to grab their spots in the final. For Wozniacki, it was a real test from Victoria Azarenka. She needed three sets to advance, eventually closing out the feisty Belorussian 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4. At the same time, I could see the fight being a real positive for Wozniacki, who only played five games in her win over Agnieszka Radwanska. Radwanska retired with a left foot injury after trailing in that first set.
For Dementieva, US Open and Wimbledon finalist Vera Zvonareva and French Open champion Francesca Schiavone stood in her way. Like the veteran and champion that she is in her own right, Dementieva won both matches with poise, experience, and the brand of shot-making that seems so capable of winning her a major title. Regardless of her disappointing inability to win a major, she advanced in both rounds in straight sets, defeating Zvonareva 7-5, 6-2, and Schiavone 6-4 7-5.
Given the last two rounds, their results so far this year, and their match history, this is a truly compelling final. Both have played a somewhat even amount of tennis in the quarters and semis. Fitness won’t really be a factor, although Dementieva’s arguable playing stronger tennis given her easy advances.
On the other hand, pressure could very well be a factor: Wozniacki needs to win this event and reach the quarters in Beijing next week to secure the world’s top ranking. She would also walk home from the event with her sixth title of the year.
The head-to-head record of Wozniacki and Dementieva is also noteworthy: It’s currently locked at 3-all. In this regard, I give Wozniacki the edge as she won the last meeting, during a high-energy and high-drama semifinal match at New Haven. In the final tournament of the US Open Series, Wozniacki prevailed in three sets, winning 1-6 6-3 7-6 (5).
I’m going with Dementieva to pull-off the upset and win the tournament. She’s on a roll, the pressure’s on Wozniacki, and I don’t think there will be much to stop the Russian from exacting revenge after a disappointing loss in New Haven.
Sharapova Wins in Singles; Davenport Advances in Doubles
Maria Sharapova beat Olga Govortsova in straight sets to get to the final 8 at Stanford. Lindsay Davenport paired with Liezel Huber to win, too. Here’s a brief recap of what happened today at the WTA tour even in California, a part of the US Open Series.
In Stanford:
- Sharapova wins in a 6-3, 6-3 match over the 43rd-ranked Govortsova. Compatriot Elena Dementieva looked shaky against Dinara Safina’s slayer, Kimiko Date Krumm. Dementieva beat the veteran in three sets: 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Date Krumm played a great tournament by ousting the former top women’s player Safina. She followed up the act with this impressive play, meaning she’s still a real threat these days — even at 39.
- Ana Ivanovic, who showed signs of life by winning a match, lost to Marion Bartoli in two sets. Yes, Bartoli is a strong player, known for her two-handed strokes on both sides and run to the Wimbledon semifinals. The loss, however, just shows Ivanovic isn’t even close to being back to the level that won her a Grand Slam title a couple years ago. She has a long way to go before any titles — at any stage — go her way.
- Sixth-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel fell to Maria Kirilenko, who made it to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, 6-4, 6-3. Is Kirilenko ready for another surprise run? She proved earlier this year she has the skill and belief to make it happen.
- Victoria Azarenka beat the fan favorite Melanie Oudin 6-3, 6-1 to get to the quarterfinals. Oudin, entered in the doubles event with Michaella Krajicek, lost to Davenport and Huber. The pair, playing together for the first time, were defeated 6-4, 6-2.
Henin and Nadal Begin with a Bang
Justine Henin and Rafael Nadal, my two picks to win the event, began their French Open campaigns with strong showings. Henin beat Tsvetana Pironkova (try saying that ten times fast), 6-4, 6-3, while Nadal took out Gianni Mina, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2. There easy wins portray two players confident on the red dirt, and it will be interesting to see how these two stories develop over the next two weeks.
And, yes, they will both last for all of the two weeks. Henin, despite winning a title in Stuttgart, did not come back to the WTA tour after her retirement simply to win a title in Stuttgart. She’s hungry for much, much more. And while her draw is far from easy (one could make a strong case that it’s the worst in the draw with potential meetings against Maria Sharapova, Sam Stosur, and Serena Williams before the finals), she knows how to succeed at Roland Garros. Nadal no doubt feels quite the same. He needs to prove that not only is he back in the swing of things, he can swing his way to another Grand Slam title. There’s no reason why these dreams cannot become a reality soon enough.
Besides these two, the Americans were in action today, with wins posted by Andy Roddick in a five-set thriller, Robby Ginepri, who upset compatriot Sam Querrey, veteran Jill Craybas, and Betthanie Mattek-Sands, the winner over another American, Vania King.
While it will be difficult for any of them to make a real run for the title, it’s nice to see each fighting through themselves and making the effort to win on the surface on which Americans are notoriously poor players. Who knows what can happen, really.
Other matches of note: Sharapova won in straight sets and Kimiko Date Krumm (one of, if not, the tournament’s oldest player at age 39) took out last year’s finalist, Dinara Safina in the biggest upset so far.
What a day! And the tournament has only just begun.
