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Caroline Wozniacki vs Venus Williams Preview – WTA Auckland 2015 Final

Caroline Wozniacki vs Venus Williams Preview – WTA Auckland 2015 Final

  • Posted: Jan 10, 2015

Caroline Wozniacki pic Caroline Wozniacki vs Venus Williams Preview   WTA Auckland 2015 Final

 

Following impressive showings from both competitors throughout the week at the ASB Classic, former world No. 1 players Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams will meet for a sixth time on the professional tour. Wozniacki will look to capture the Auckland title as well as a first ever victory over her American adversary, as Venus remains undefeated in the head-to-head series 5-0.

Watch the match live here: Williams v Wozniacki

As the top seed of the tournament, Danish star Caroline Wozniacki was the first of the two finalists to advance to the exciting berth. However, she also faced the tougher semi-final match-up, and was forced to contest a decider against fourth seed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova. Following a heated contest, Wozniacki rallied back from a set down to edge out the victory 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

“She’s a tricky player to play because she doesn’t give you much rhythm,” Wozniacki said. “She comes to the net, she mixes the pace – I think she played really well today. For me it was about just staying in the match. I didn’t start off too well, I didn’t really feel the depth of the ball that I wanted to. But I started playing better as it went on, and I think she did too. I just had to kind of get going out there.”

Seeded third for this particular event, former finalist Venus Williams had little difficulty dispatching fellow American Lauren Davis to advance to the final. Williams dropped a mere three games in the match and finished with a score of 6-0, 6-3 in 67 minutes. Williams hit four aces, won 71% of her first service points and saved three break points en route to her first final of the season.

“She’s obviously a tough competitor,” Wozniacki said. “She’s played really well this week – very aggressive, serving well, taking the ball early – it won’t be easy, but I’m looking forward to it. I’m happy to be in my first final of the year, and hopefully there will be many more to come this year.”

This marks the sixth time that these two competitors will cross paths on the professional tour, with Williams leading the series with an unblemished 5-0 record. While four of those encounters took place seven years ago, the most recent match-up was last season, where Williams cruised past Wozniacki 6-3, 6-2 en route to winning the Dubai title several days later. While I fully expect this to be a far more competitive encounter, this may be Williams’ time to shine in Auckland.

Prediction: Venus Williams in Three Sets

Simona Halep vs Timea Bacsinszky Preview – WTA Shenzhen 2015 Final

Simona Halep vs Timea Bacsinszky Preview – WTA Shenzhen 2015 Final

  • Posted: Jan 10, 2015

Simona Halep WTA Simona Halep vs Timea Bacsinszky Preview   WTA Shenzhen 2015 Final

 

After many predicted that the top seeds would work their way to the final, it appears only one was able to reach the final match of the tournament, as Simona Halep will meet eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky to determine who will lift the Shenzhen title on Saturday. This is just the second time that these two competitors will cross paths on the WTA tour, with Halep leading the head to head series 1-0.

Watch the match live here: Halep v Bacsinszky

As the top seed at the event, Simona Halep was the first to advance to the tournament final with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over the last remaining Chinese competitors at the event, Zheng Saisai. The contest lasted one hour and 26 minutes and saw Halep win 68% of her first service points and save four of six break points she faced on serve. The Romanian’s difficulty and low stats were due to Zheng’s improved performance in the second set.

“It was a tough match – she played really well in the second set,” Halep said. “I was a little bit nervous, but I stayed focused and it worked very well for me because I was able to come back.

“It’s difficult to play someone for the first time, but I think I did a good job today.”

While many expected Czech No. 1 Petra Kvitova to cruise into the final of the event, she was upset in straight sets by the tournament’s eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky 6-4, 6-4. She was simply unable to find a way through Timea’s defence on court and only managed one break of serve, while allowing herself to get broken three times during the encounter.

For Timea, a player who had dropped past No. 230 in 2014 and worked her way back to the Top 50, looked ecstatic with her win over a gracious Kvitova.

“Timea played really well,” Kvitova said. “She has a really great backhand. Her forehand has more topspin, which is a little bit different. She served well in the important points too.”

This is just the second time that Halep and Timea cross paths on the professional tour, with the Romanian leading the series 1-0 with a victory in Belgium nearly five years ago. Given Timea’s upset win over Kvitova, one should not underestimate her game against Halep, who has not played her best tennis this week in Shenzhen. While the Romanian still deserves the advantage, this could potentially head to a deciding set.

Prediction: Simona Halep in Three Sets

Kei Nishikori vs Milos Raonic Preview – ATP Brisbane 2015 SF

Kei Nishikori vs Milos Raonic Preview – ATP Brisbane 2015 SF

  • Posted: Jan 10, 2015

Kei Nishikori11 Kei Nishikori vs Milos Raonic Preview – ATP Brisbane 2015 SF

 

After passing through their quarter-final obstacles, respective national No. 1s Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic will meet to determine who will advance to the final berth on Sunday. This is the sixth time that the two competitors will meet on the professional tour, with Nihiskori leading the head to head series 4-1.

Watch the match live here: Raonic v Nishikori

Nishikori dispatched a motivated Bernard Tomic 6-0, 6-4 to reach the final four in Brisbane. He managed to win 92% of his first service points and convert four break point opportunities to close out the match in 58 minutes of court time. He will certainly be the fresher of the two semi-finalists, as his opponent was forced to play three sets on Friday.

Faced with a fellow big-server on Friday, Canadian star Milos Raonic advanced to the Brisbane International semi-final with a 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(2) win over Sam Groth. His Australian adversary struck 22 aces, seven more than Raonic’s count for the match, and managed to break him in the second set to force a decider. It was Groth’s second match against a Top 10 player.

“I think he played better than I did, and I sort of got through with experience and sort of just grit in that match,” said Raonic.

Groth agreed with his opponent’s rationale.

“I actually think I had the better of the match until both tie-breakers,” said Groth. “I think that’s the next step for me. Against these better guys, they don’t give you anything in the big moments. I maybe gave him one or two points. Someone with a quality serve like Milos, you can’t afford to do that.”

This marks the sixth time that Raonic and Nishikori will cross paths on the tour, with Kei leading the series 4-1. He is also 3-0 against the Canadian on hard courts, which does not bode well for Raonic’s chances on Saturday. He has also won their last two meetings on the tour; once to reach the US Open quarter-finals and once to lift the Tokyo title near the end of the 2014 season.

Prediction: Kei Nishikori in Three Sets

Shangri-La Abu Dhabi & Mubadala World Tennis Championships – The Perfect Combination

Shangri-La Abu Dhabi & Mubadala World Tennis Championships – The Perfect Combination

  • Posted: Jan 09, 2015

The Mubadala World Tennis Championships 2015 was a very special event. The organisers really know how to integrate the fans into the whole experience, giving a closer and more personal link between the fans and players that larger tennis events around the globe can only dream of.

 

The match of the tournament for me was Andy Murray’s straight sets defeat of Rafael Nadal. The Scott’s pre season training is clearly paying off while Nadal is struggling for fitness due to his 5 month injury lay off.

 

IMG 6761 Shangri La & Mubadala World Tennis Championships   The Perfect Abu Dhabi Combination

 

My stay in Abu Dhabi was made even more special thanks to the Shangri-la, which along with the awesome 5 star service, commanded a 5 star view of the Sheik Zayed Grande Mosque that is breath-taking.

 

26. Infinity Pool Shangri La & Mubadala World Tennis Championships   The Perfect Abu Dhabi Combination

 

The hotel is less than 15 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and the grandiose foyer that welcomes you on arrival is simply stunning.

 

Fancy a spot of shopping? Next door to the hotel is a large souk which you can walk to or for an added experience, why not take abra (boat) from the hotel via a small canal (runs every 10 minutes).

 

23. Souk Qaryat Al Beri with abra driver guests and vendors Shangri La & Mubadala World Tennis Championships   The Perfect Abu Dhabi Combination

 

The Shangri-la Abu Dhabi has fine-tuned its relaxation offerings to perfection… The infinity pool with a view towards the Grande Mosque is incredible, as is the beach area where you can nap on a sun lounger or even an Arabian tent where you can relax in for hours with your Shisha.

 

27. Shangri La beach Shangri La & Mubadala World Tennis Championships   The Perfect Abu Dhabi Combination

 

The award winning Spa is certainly a must experience during your stay.

 

29a Shangri La & Mubadala World Tennis Championships   The Perfect Abu Dhabi Combination

 

For more details visit the Shangri-La Abu Dhabi website here.

 

Hotel Deluxe Rooma Shangri La & Mubadala World Tennis Championships   The Perfect Abu Dhabi Combination

Shangri La Hotel Qaryat Al Beri Abu Dhabia Shangri La & Mubadala World Tennis Championships   The Perfect Abu Dhabi Combination

Roger Federer vs James Duckworth Preview – ATP Brisbane 2015 QF

Roger Federer vs James Duckworth Preview – ATP Brisbane 2015 QF

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2015

Roger Federer32 Roger Federer vs James Duckworth Preview   ATP Brisbane 2015 QF

 

17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer was given a surprisingly stiff challenge in his first professional match-up of 2015, but managed to claw his way out of danger to set up a quarter-final clash with another Australian in James Duckworth. This is the second time that the two competitors cross paths on the tour, with Federer leading the series 1-0 with a victory t last year’s Australian Open.

Watch the match live here: Federer v Duckworth

In less than an hour of professional competition in the New Year, Roger Federer found himself down a set and a break to a player ranked outside the Top 150 in the ATP World Tour. After saving three set points in the opening frame, Federer quickly found himself down 6-4, 3-1 and facing an unrelenting opponent. He eventually fought back to defeat John Millman 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

“I thought I got quite lucky,” said Federer on-court. “He was playing great tennis until maybe the last couple of games. I had to fight very hard. Credit to him for pushing me to the edge.

“I didn’t play badly, but maybe felt a bit tired at times. The first match of the season you never know quite what to expect. I am sweating like crazy. I am happy we had a good match and I got through in the end.”

Federer is now just four matches away from reaching 1,000 victories on the professional tour. Only Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl hold that honour. His next contest is against James Duckworth, who saved two match points against Jarkko Nieminen to win 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 in two hours and three minutes.

“I just wanted to really to focus on holding my serve and then putting pressure on his serve, looking to be aggressive and try and dictate. I think I did that quite well in the game that I broke at 1-0 in the third.”

This marks just the second time that these two competitors will cross paths on the professional tour, with Federer leading the series 1-0. Their last meeting took place at the Australian Open, which Federer won in straight sets. Given his ability to work his way out of danger on Thursday, the Swiss star is unlikely to face more more difficulty against Duckworth.

Prediction: Roger Federer in Straight Sets

Ivo Karlovic Upsets Top Seed Novak Djokovic in Doha

Ivo Karlovic Upsets Top Seed Novak Djokovic in Doha

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2015

Karlovic Ivo Karlovic Upsets Top Seed Novak Djokovic in Doha

 

In keeping up with the wacky week one results, top seed Novak Djokovic was downed by Ivo Karlovic in the quarter-final round of the Qatar Exxon Mobil Open, thus ending his win streak from last September.

In their first meeting in over seven years, the towering Croatian rallied from a set down to defeat Djokovic 6-7(2), 7-6(6), 6-4 in the Serb’s third match at the tournament. Karlovic hit 21 aces and 49 winners to reach the semi-final stage of the tournament.

“It was unbelievable,” said Karlovic in his on-court interview following the match. “When I arrived here, I didn’t expect that one. He wasn’t able to show his full range because it was windy. I just focused on my game and in the end I was a little luckier.”

Karlovic appeared to only get stronger as the match went on, as he struck 20 winners in the second set and eventually pressured Djokovic enough to snatch a late break and close the match out in 2 hours and 16 minutes.

This is Karlovic’s second ever win over a No. 1 player, as he defeated Roger Federer at the 2008 Western and Southern Open and has now managed a second win seven years later. He will next face David Ferrer, who dispatched Dustin Brown in straight sets to reach the semi-final round of the tournament.

“I think the (windy) conditions favoured me,” said Ferrer. “Dustin has a very good serve and with the wind it was more difficult for him than me. Fortunately I could win playing solid, because I cannot do too much with the wind.”

Maria Sharapova vs Elina Svitolina Preview – WTA Brisbane 2015 SF

Maria Sharapova vs Elina Svitolina Preview – WTA Brisbane 2015 SF

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2015

Maria Sharapova20 Maria Sharapova vs Elina Svitolina Preview   WTA Brisbane 2015 SF

 

After breezing past her Spanish opponent on Thursday afternoon, Maria Sharapova finds herself two wins away from a first title of the season in 2015 at the Brisbane International. Her next challenger is world No. 28 Elina Svitolina, whom she has only encountered once before on the professional tour. Sharapova leads the head to head series 1-0.

Although this particular competitor has challenged her in the past, Sharapova had no trouble with Carla Suarez Navarro on Thursday, as she was able to breeze past the Spaniard 6-1, 6-3 to reach the semi-final stage of the event. The Sochi star only needed 68 minutes to close out their quickest encounter yet.

“We went back and forth with our victories in 2014 so I’m always a little bit aware of girls that I lose to,” Sharapova said after the match. “I certainly know that she’s capable of playing really well, though. She plays defense great and makes you hit a lot of balls. Especially on a slower court like here, you just don’t want to give her that much time to play her game. I thought I did a good job of that today.

“Maybe I made a little too many unforced errors in the beginning, but I finished strong.”

Sharapova’s next match-up is against one of the WTA tour’s rising stars Elina Svitolina, who rallied from a set down to upset third seed Angelique Kerber 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. This was the second time that the Ukrainian prospect managed to score an upset over her German foe.

“She’s a young girl that’s already in the Top 30 with a tremendous amount of potential, and someone you’ll be seeing in the top very soon,” Sharapova said. “She definitely has a good game. She’s an all-around player. It’ll be a tough match-up for me, but one that I’m looking forward to, actually.”

This marks just the second time that these two competitors cross paths on the professional tour, with Sharapova leading the series 1-0. The Russian’s victory took place last year in Beijing, where she defeated the Top 30 player 6-2, 6-2. While this could be a slightly more competitive match, it will likely still end in straight sets fr the top seed.

Prediction: Maria Sharapova in Straight Sets

Simona Halep vs Zheng Saisai Preview – WTA Shenzhen 2015 SF

Simona Halep vs Zheng Saisai Preview – WTA Shenzhen 2015 SF

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2015

Halep WTA Tour Simona Halep vs Zheng Saisai Preview   WTA Shenzhen 2015 SF

 

Simona Halep is through to the semi-final round of the Shenzhen Open, where she will contest a Friday match-up against the only Chinese player remaining in the draw, Zheng Saisai. This will serve as the first meeting between the two competitors and will likely follow the trajectory of Halep’s earlier matches at this event.

The Romanian needed three sets to win her first match but has since had no trouble finding her form again. Against Aleksandra Krunic, Halep needed just over an hour to prevail 6-3, 6-3. She won 69% of her first service points and saved three break points to secure her spot in the final four.

“The match was good – I played better than the last few rounds – and I’m looking forward to playing the semifinals,” Halep said. “My game is getting better day by day. I want to improve match by match and see how far I can go here.”

Halep will next meet Zheng Saisai, who picked up an impressive upset win over fourth seed Zarina Diyas. Zheng rallied from a set down to win the match 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-2 in 2 hours and 39 minutes. It was a close call for the Chinese player, as she was within a few points away from defeat. However, she showed mental fortitude and eventually found her openings in the third and final set, where she won 13/18 first service points and 6/8 second service points to win the match.

This marks the first time that Halep and Zheng will cross paths on the professional tour, and appears to be a match-up tailor-made for the Romanian. While Zheng is a scrappy player, Halep is far more well-rounded and has a bigger game. Barring any shenanigans, the top seed should win the contest in straight sets and advance to the final in Shenzhen.

Prediction: Simona Halep in Straight Sets

Venus Williams vs Lauren Davis Preview – WTA Auckland 2015 SF

Venus Williams vs Lauren Davis Preview – WTA Auckland 2015 SF

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2015

Venus Williams French Open Venus Williams vs Lauren Davis Preview   WTA Auckland 2015 SF

 

A generational battle between two fellow Americans is scheduled to take place in the semi-final round of the ASB Classic in Auckland, as former world No. 1 Venus Williams is scheduled to face youngster Lauren Davis for a spot in the tournament final. This is the first time that these two competitors cross paths on the professional tour.

19th-ranked Venus Williams reached the semi-final round with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over her rival Elena Vesnina – a win that leveled the head-to-head score at 2-2. There was a moment of weakness for the American, as she rallied from a break down in the second set to win the next four games and the match.

“Things seemed to be going on serve, but then she had a big game for a break and another big game for a hold, and things were getting really interesting,” Williams said of the second set. “She was really picking up her level. But after that, I don’t know, the games came and then it was over.

“That’s what you have to expect every time. Nobody’s going to give it to you.”

In the final match of the day, Lauren Davis defeated Polish qualifier Urszula Radwanska 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 to set up the semi-final clash with Williams. She won 70% of her first service points and saved 8 of 12 break points to close out the match in 1 hour and 59 minutes.

This is the first time that Williams and Davis will meet on the professional tour and could prove to be a more competitive encounter that most would predict. Davis has already upset Sloane Stephens this week and will be looking for another confidence booster en route to the final.

Prediction: Venus Williams in Three Sets

Milos Raonic vs Sam Groth Preview – ATP Brisbane 2015 QF

Milos Raonic vs Sam Groth Preview – ATP Brisbane 2015 QF

  • Posted: Jan 08, 2015

Milos Raonic3 Milos Raonic vs Sam Groth Preview – ATP Brisbane 2015 QF

 

Canadian No. 1 Milos Raonic successfully commenced his 2015 season on the ATP World Tour with a straightforward victory to arrive at the quarter-final stage of the Brisbane International. He will next face Sam Groth, whom he has encountered one previously on the professional circuit. Raonic leads the head-to-head series 1-0.

The world No. 8 had a relatively routine encounter against Mikhail Kulushkin on Thursday afternoon, as he dispatched the world no. 69 6-3, 6-4. The contest lasted exactly 60 minutes and saw Raonic hit 17 aces and win 90% of his first service points. He also won 71% of his second serve points and did not face a single break point throughout the entire encounter.

“I served well… We finished last year and we definitely thought I could do a lot better with my serve, so we spent a lot of time this off season and I’m happy that it’s going well,” he said. “I’ve put a lot of work in technically so I feel better as tennis player. I feel much stronger and fitter. I also spent a lot of time discussing and consulting with my team about the mental side, what I need to do to make the next step forward, especially in the big events. So I’m trying to incorporate that and see where it takes me.”

His opponent, Sam Groth, began his week with an upset of Lleyton Hewitt and has since managed to work his way to the quarter-final round of the event. Against Lukasz Kubot, he struck 21 aces, won 78% of his first service points and saved both break points faced on serve to close out the match in two hours and 29 minutes.

This marks just the second time these two competitors will meet on the ATP World Tour, with Raonic leading the series 1-0. That contest took place in the 2013 DC Open in Washington, which the Canadian won 7-5, 6-4. Given that both these players are big hitters, this could make for an intriguing affair.

Prediction: Milos Raonic in Straight Sets