McIntyre Tennis

Start of the Clay Court Season Means the French Open is Fast Approaching

By Mike McIntyre

Photo: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

With the Miami Open just reaching its conclusion with John Isner and Sloane Stephens hoisting their respective winners trophies, the ATP and WTA Tour's now switch their focus from hard to clay courts. The surface transition is an exciting period of time as it means that we are fast approaching the next Grand Slam of the year at Roland Garros. With roughly a month and a half still to go this is the time for players to assert themselves as pre-tournament favorites for the French Open. With that in mind, let's take a look at who to watch out for in the men's and women's games.

Will defending champion Rafael Nadal be healthy enough to capture his 11th title in Paris? The Spaniard had a remarkable return to form in 2017 capturing both the French and US Open's but has been limited in his appearances this year due to knee issues. If at (or close to) 100% he is the heavy favorite to be the last man standing once again in June.

Photo: Bob McIntyre

The biggest challenge to Nadal might well have been the ageless Roger Federer but he has once again decided to skip the clay court season and prepare for his ultimate goal of capturing yet another Wimbledon crown. Federer raced-out to his best start to a season ever with 17 consecutive wins before he fell to Juan Martin Del Potro in the finals in Indian Wells.

Active winners at Roland Garros are few and far between due to Nadal's incredible dominance over the past decade. In fact, the only ones left on the ATP Tour aside from the previously mentioned Federer are Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka. Djokovic continues to struggle to regain his form and his confidence while Wawrinka has a very mediocre 3-4 record thus far in his limited appearances in 2018. In other words, the chances of a first-time French Open winner if Nadal falters are high.

Likely candidates who could take-down the King of Clay include Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev and the previously mentioned Del Potro. Aside from Federer, it has been Del Potro who has had a stellar 2018 with a 21-4 record that has seen him rise to No. 6 in the ATP rankings. His game works well on clay too and he has previously made the semifinals of Roland Garros in 2009 and the quarterfinals in 2012, both times falling in five set thrillers to Federer.

Thiem and Zverev meanwhile represent the future of the ATP and at the ages of 24 and 20 respectively it is only a matter of time before they achieve Grand Slam success. Thiem has gone an impressive 8-1 already this year on clay with a tournament victory in Buenos Aires. Last year he went 24-5 on clay including a run to the semifinals at Roland Garros where he lost to eventual champion Nadal. Zverev is still looking for his Grand Slam breakthrough and he routinely gets knocked for failing to yet attain a major quarterfinal. The German has not yet played on clay in 2018 but had a respectable 16-4 record on the surface in 2017. The kid is going to have his turn at the majors sooner rather than later and there's no reason why that can't happen at the next Slam of 2018.

With the women, few would have given Jelena Ostapenko a realistic shot of winning her first major title last year at Roland Garros but the 20 year old certainly cannot be underestimated this time around. While her game lay dormant to start 2018, she made the finals in Indian Wells on hardcourt and that boost in confidence should propel her into the clay court season feeling pretty solid about her game.

Photo: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

Other active female winners in Paris include Svetlana Kuznetsova (2009), Francesca Schiavone (2010), Garbine Muguruza (2016), Maria Sharapova (2012, 2014) and, of course, Serena Williams (2002, 2013, 2015). Of that group I'd give only Muguruza - the current World No. 3 - a valid shot at taking home the trophy. Sharapova is on-again, off-again dealing with nagging injury issues, just recently parted ways with her long time coach and just doesn't seem to have it since returning to the WTA Tour following her 15 month suspension that ended last Spring. As for Serena Williams, let's give the 23 time Slam champion a little more time to shake-off the rust after her nearly 14 month layoff from competition while she was pregnant and became a first-time mother.

Legitimate female contenders in 2018 aside from Muguruza, include World No. 1 Simona Halep who was oh-so-close a year ago. The Romanian was heavily favored heading into the final vs Ostapenko last year but could not capitalize despite being up a break in the third set. Another Slam disappointment happened for Halep to start this year as she lost the Aussie Open final to Caroline Wozniacki. Halep however has maintained a positive attitude thanks in part to her own internal sense of competition but also due to the wonderful influence that her coach Darren Cahill has on her. Halep is widely considered to be the leading contender to win the French Open and finally break through the barrier to her first career major.

Photo: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

Other noteworthy competitors who will also be in good standing to triumph in Paris among the women are rising star Elina Svitolina, former World No. 1 and 2017 semifinalist Karolina Pliskova and two time semifinalist Timea Bacsinszky if she's healthy and has some matches under her belt, as she only recently returned to the tour following a few months off due to injury. 

Aside from Rafael Nadal, the men's and women's fields are really wide open with a list of younger and more experienced contenders at this year's edition of Roland Garros. Tune-in again later in May to see how the above mentioned players have navigated the lead-up tournaments on the red dirt and who is poised to achieve Grand Slam Glory in Paris.

Thursday's WTA Results from the Australian Open

By: Mike McIntyre

Photos: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

There were plenty of questions surrounding World No. 1 Simona Halep heading into her second round match against Canada's Genie Bouchard. She toughed out an opening round win over young Australian Destanee Aiava but suffered an ankle injury in the process.

Bouchard had ended her 6 match losing streak with her first round victory against Oceane Dodin. Halep was a big step-up from that level of competition despite the fact that the Aussie Open is the only Slam where Bouchard has performed at the best over her career. 

Halep won the match 6-2, 6-2 and will next face American Lauren Davis who is ranked 76th in the world.

For Bouchard it is back to the drawing board as her career limbo continues. She has a lot of work ahead of her if she wants to maintain her status as the No. 1 Canadian woman.

U.S. Open finalist Madison Keys has advanced to the third round after her 6-0, 6-1 dismantling of Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Keys was all smiles after her match and will play Ana Bogdan in the third round.

Russia's Elena Vesnina was facing an up-and-coming player in Japan's Naomi Osaka. The 31 year old couldn't handle the game of her younger opponent on Wednesday.

The 20 year old Osaka won 7-6(4), 6-2 but will have her hands full against Australia's own Ashleigh Barty next.

One of only two players who has even been to the Australian Open final (and won it in 2016), Angie Kerber continued her impressive start to 2018 and improved to 11-0 (including the Hopman Cup) with her 6-4, 6-1 win against Donna Vekic.

Kerber's winning streak has turned her into an immediate favorite to capture her third Grand Slam title here in Melbourne this year.

The only other previous finalist and winner left in the women's draw is Maria Sharapova who avenged her U.S. Open loss to Anastasija Sevastova with a straight set win 6-1, 7-6(4). Sharapova will now provide THE match of the third round when she faces the previously mentioned Kerber.

Tuesday's Women's Results at the Australian Open

By: Mike McIntyre

Photos: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

Petra Kvitova was playing in her first Australian Open since 2016.

Kvitova was beaten in an epic match by Andrea Petkovic 6-3, 4-6, 10-8.

US Open finalist Madison Keys opened with a 6-1, 7-5 victory against Qiang Wang of China.

8th seeded Caroline Garcia of France with a routine 7-5, 6-3 win against Germany's Carina Witthoeft.

Garcia will next face 18 year old Marketa Vondrousova who is already ranked 62nd in the world.

The 22 year old Witthoeft is currently ranked 50th in the WTA rankings right now, hovering near her career high.

Garbine Muguruza was able to finish her first match in three tries in 2018 without injury difficulty. She advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 win against Jessika Ponchet.

Donna Vekic raises her arms following a 7-5, 6-3 win against Japan's Nao Hibino. She will face Angelique Kerber next.

Maria Sharapova was fired-up in her return to Melbourne.

Sharapova is one of two players along with Kerber who have won the Aussie Open in their careers. The two are expected to face one another in the third round.

A selfie with her fans after a 6-1, 6-4 win against Tatjana Maria.

Canada's Genie Bouchard trying to cool-off in her first round match with Oceane Dodin.

The Genie Army has stuck with their player through tough times the past few years.



It's nice to see Bouchard smiling once again on the court. We'll see how long that lasts however as she will next face World No. 1 Simona Halep.

Sharapova Defeats Halep in Epic First Round Match at the US Open

By Mike McIntyre

It was THE match that everyone was looking forward to as the US Open began on Monday. World No. 2 Simona Halep against wildcard Maria Sharapova, the Former World No. 1 and 2006 champion in New York. And it didn't fail to deliver on the hype.

Sharapova used her serve and aggressive groundstrokes to dictate play against Halep throughout the match but the Romanian found a way to stay with her. Sharapova led 6-4, 4-1 at one point and it looked like her opponent would be unable to make the necessary adjustments in her game to counter. Halep, however, kept her composure and approached each point as a fresh opportunity to get back into the match. She would amazingly reel-off five straight games over a suddenly jittery Sharapova to even the contest at one set apiece.

In the third however, Sharapova's risky and rewarding style of play would prove to be what she needed to pull-off the upset on Arthur Ashe Stadium. Despite holding a 6-0 career advantage over Halep coming into the match, Sharapova's limited match play this summer while she has dealt with injuries certainly afforded the No. 2 Halep the status as favorite.

Halep's groundstrokes were up to the task but her serve was not. In particular, Sharapova was consistently crushing the Halep second serve with both her forehand and backhand. There was no escaping the punishment from the Russian on this night, no matter what side Halep selected. Sharapova would advance with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory in a 2 hour and 44 minute opening night thriller. The New York crowd was on the receiving end of a performance worthy of a Grand Slam Final.

Sharapova summed-up her unexpected victory by saying, "Despite not playing a lot of matches coming into this, it almost seemed like I had no right to win this match today. And I somehow did. I think that is what I'm most proud of."

With No. 7 seed Johanna Konta also falling on opening day, the draw has opened right up for Sharapova who suddenly has a nice path towards the semi-finals. In her way, of note, is potentially Sloane Stephens who has made the semi-finals in both Montreal and Cincinnati this summer. Sharapova would have until the quarter-finals for that potential encounter.

Up next for Sharapova is the 59th ranked Timea Babos on Wednesday. The pair have never faced each other and on paper, it is now clearly Sharapova who is the favorite. After her win over Halep, Sharapova was uncharacteristically emotional on the court with tears welling in her eyes. We will see if she can recover emotionally from such a draining first round match to deliver on expectation. 

In the meantime here are some photos from last night courtesy of Jimmie48 Photography who captured the magic of perhaps the greatest first round match we've ever seen at the US Open.

Preview of the U.S. Open Women's Draw

By Mike McIntyre

There has perhaps never been more at stake in women's tennis at the final Grand Slam of the season as there is this year, as eight different players could leave the U.S. Open with the World No. 1 ranking. While some have a much stronger shot at accomplishing the feat than others, it reflects a WTA Tour that is still in-flux with the absence of Serena Williams and reveals a group of players who have yet to decide who among them might settle into the role for an extended period of time. Here is a look at the four quarters of the main draw and who we think stands the best chance of hoisting the trophy, and perhaps also emerging as the next No. 1 player in the world.

First Quarter

Current World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova assumed the role thanks to a Johanna Konta victory over Simona Halep at Wimbledon after she herself had already been knocked-out of the draw. Pliskova seemed comfortable talking about her new position at the top of the rankings while she was in Toronto at the Rogers Cup but was pushed to a third set there by 19 year old Naomi Osaka in the third round before falling to veteran Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter-finals. Pliskova would get revenge against Wozniacki in the quarter-finals in Cincinnati before falling to eventual champion Garbine Muguruza in the semi-finals there. I foresee this progression continuing for Pliskova with a return to the finals in Flushing Meadows as a distinct possibility. She's in a great section of the draw filled with recent underacheivers like Kristina Mladenovic and over overachievers like Barbora Strycova in her path towards the final sixteen. Potential quarter-final foes include the struggling Aga Radwanska, a relatively dormant Svetlana Kuznetsova and a couple of dangerous floaters like Lucie Safarova and the young CiCi Bellis. By the quarter-finals I see Pliskova's game coming into a groove and believe she will fight hard to keep her No. 1 status. 

Photo by Mike McIntyre

Keep an eye on: Bellis, Safarova and Vandeweghe

Pass on: Kuznetsova, Mladenovic and Radwanska

Second Quarter

The two big seeds in this section of the draw couldn't be heading in more different directions. Fourth seeded Elina Svitolina may be a surprisingly unknown quantity to many quasi-tennis pundits - she was seriously undervalued by the media in Toronto - but she is a major obstacle to any serious U.S. Open contender. The 22 year old has won a whopping five titles in 2017 and is proving she is ready to claim her first Grand Slam. It may not happen in New York, but it will indeed happen at some point in the near future the way she has been playing.

Photo by Bob McIntyre

Also in this section is sixth seeded and defending champion Angelique Kerber who has had a abysmal season for someone who came into 2017 holding two Slam titles to her name. Kerber is limping into the Open and has not given any signs in match play that she is ready to raise her game to the levels it was at a year ago. Playing rising star Naomi Osaka of Japan in the opening round might very well afford Kerber a quick exit like she experienced at the French Open back in the spring. Osaka has pushed the likes of Konta, Halep and recently in Toronto, Pliskova, to three sets and seems poised to have a breakthrough. She's a hard hitter and if she's healthy I think this could swing her way.

Photo by Mike McIntyre

Keep an eye on: Gavrilova, Keys, Osaka

Pass on: Bouchard, Ostapenko

Third Quarter

Caroline Wozniacki has had a resurgence this season and has climbed her way back into the top-ten in the rankings with appearances in six finals. Unfortunately for her she has lost every one of those finals and in straight sets to boot. Having made the finals twice at the U.S. Open (2009 and 2014) means that Wozniacki knows how to handle the pressure at the final major of the year. I can see a quarter-final appearance here this year but I don't think she has the fire of some of her younger top-ten peers.

Photo by Mike McIntyre

Venus Williams at the age of - well, does it even matter anymore - is also in this section of the draw and the American superstar has already surprised us by making the finals of two Slams in 2017. Her summer appearances don't inspire confidence but you can't count out someone who has made the finals here four times previously including two tournament victories. Her last showing in the finals was fifteen years ago however so I'm not banking on Venus to make it past the fourth round or quarter-finals at best.

Photo by Mike McIntyre

My pick here - and it's not groundbreaking by any stretch - is Garbine Muguruza. She can play more freely now after picking up her second Grand Slam at Wimbledon as she proved with her recent win in Cincy. She has a nice draw, matches-up well vs Wozniacki and Venus, and isn't afraid to take her chances and go for it. I also like Caroline Garcia of France as a potential dark horse here who is the 18th seed in this part of the draw. People might also be mentioning Petra Kvitova and who wouldn't want to see her succeed, but I don't like her play on hardcourts this summer.

Keep an eye on: Garcia, Makarova

Pass on: Kvitova, Rybarikova

Fourth Quarter

Let's just get right to it and admit that the Simona Halep vs  Maria Sharapova match is one of the greatest first round matches of all-time at a Slam. We get the No. 2 seed against the former World No. 1 and U.S. Open champion of 2006. Halep must have been in disbelief when she found out who she drew in her opening match and yet I feel that overcoming this obstacle is almost a necessity for Halep if she wants to hoist a Grand Slam trophy one day. Mentally she needs something to prove to herself that she is a true champion and what better than by defeating one of the greatest players (love her or hate her) of recent history. Her 0-6 record against Sharapova is daunting, yet Halep has played very consistent tennis this year and has made it deep in almost every tournament she has played. Recent no-shows in the later stages of Toronto and Cincy have me concerned if I'm a Halep fan, as there is clearly something that is holding her back from playing anywhere near her best tennis when it seems to count. As if her 6-1, 6-1 thrashing by Svitolina in the semi-finals of Toronto wasn't bad enough, she followed that up by getting blitzed 6-1, 6-0 in the finals of Cincinnati by Muguruza. Halep is only five points behind Pliskova for the No. 1 ranking and that can either motivate or hinder her performance against Sharapova depending on how she reacts Monday night.

Photo by Mike McIntyre

The good news for Halep is that a) Sharapova has not proven to be healthy enough to compete in recent months and b) the rest of her draw is pretty favorable. Her second through fourth round matches don't make me blink an eye if she wins her opener, and Johanna Konta could meet her in the quarter-finals but the Brit has not really performed on the hardcourts since her Wimbledon semi-final run.

Photo by Jimmie48 Photography

Do keep a close eye on Sloane Stephens who has been straight-up fire this summer. In only her third tournament back after an eleven month layoff, the American made the semi-finals in Toronto beating Kvitova and Kerber along the way. She then followed that up with another semi-final appearance in Cincinnati to prove that Toronto was no fluke. That saw her ranking skyrocket from 934 in the world to its current spot at No. 84. Only a matter of time before she is back in the top 20 and with her recent confidence she is not someone you would want to face. A second round match against New Haven finalist Dominika Cibulkova is an early test, but she has had plenty of those lately and handled them with relative ease. 

Photo by Mike McIntyre

Keep an eye on: Goerges, Stephens

Pass on: Everyone else not named Halep or Sharapova

Maria Sharapova Denied French Open Wildcard

By Mike McIntyre

The French Tennis Federation announced on Tuesday that Maria Sharapova would not be the recipient of a wildcard at the upcoming French Open. After serving a 15 month ban for using a prohibited substance, the two-time Roland Garros champion did not yet have a ranking that was high enough to gain direct entry to the tournament. Tennis fans and media alike have been buzzing for the past few weeks wondering if the Russian would receive special treatment based on her previous success in Paris. Today that possibility was put to rest and Sharapova will have to sit this one out.

While the WTA Tour has welcomed Sharapova back with open arms and wildcards into events in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome, the decision in Paris rested solely with the French Tennis Federation. Their chief Bernard Giudicelli did not pull any punches when he explained that, "There can be a wildcard for the return from injuries - there cannot be a wildcard for the return from doping."

Sharapova has gone 4-3 since her comeback, making the semi-finals in Stuttgart and then the second round in Madrid. She retired from her second round match in Rome on Tuesday while leading 2-1 in the third set with an apparent thigh injury. Despite her moderate success in the past two weeks the 30 year-old would have been considered among the favourites to win the French Open due to her prior victories there and the fact that her most dangerous opponent (and everyone else's for that matter) Serena Williams, will not be competing as she prepares to give birth to her first child later this year. With Sharapova now joining her on the sidelines, the draw will be as wide open as it has ever been in Paris. Only three former champions will be playing in the field this year: Svetlana Kuznetsova (2009), Francesca Shiavone (2010) and Garbine Muguruza who is the defending champ from a year ago.

Personally I agree wholeheartedly with the stance taken by Giudicelli. While it is true that Sharapova has served her time for her infraction, I don't believe that she should be the recipient of any special consideration. There are plenty of other players who have been working hard over the past year to have the opportunity to compete in this Grand Slam and it would be unfair for them to have their position taken by someone based on their name alone. I am certain we will see Maria Sharapova back at Roland Garros again in 2018 and with her talent level and competitive drive I am sure she will be contending for a title there once again.

Sharapova Shocks Tennis World With Positive Drug Test Result

By Tia Ko

Maria Sharapova, former world number one, revealed at press conference on Monday in LA that she failed a drug test after her run during the Australian Open back in January. She tested positive for meldonium (also known as mildronate), a drug that was newly banned beginning January 1, 2016 and one that she had been taking for the past ten years. The drug was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list “…[B]ecause of evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance."

The drug was designed to treat ischemia, a condition where there is a reduction in blood supply to body tissue. Patients with diabetes and heart-related diseases also use it as it increases the flow of oxygen to muscles and organs. Meldonium is mainly produced and used in Eastern Europe and according to Latvian manufacturers, when prescribed for medical use, it’s only used for four to six weeks; a much shorter period than Maria’s ten year treatment.

Maria said that she took the drug for a decade because of her magnesium deficiency and family history of diabetes. She was unaware that meldonium was newly banned despite receiving numerous notifications from the WTA and ITF and accepts “full responsibility” for taking the substance. Some of the performance enhancing effects of meldonium include: decreased levels of lactate in blood, increased levels of glycogen in cells during long-lasting exercise, improved heart activity, increased physical work capabilities, and increased rate of recovery.

As a result of her announcement, Nike ended her eight-year sponsorship contract that was renewed in 2010 stating, “"We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova. We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues. We will continue to monitor the situation." It was her biggest endorsement deal equaling $8.75 million per year.

Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer also ended ties on Tuesday saying, “Maria Sharapova was under contract with TAG Heuer until December 31, 2015. We had been in talks to extend our collaboration. In view of the current situation, the Swiss watch brand has suspended negotiations and has decided not to renew the contract.” The contract was worth approximately $2.8 million.

A third partner, Porsche, also stated that it would wait until further details are released so that it can analyze the situation; in the meantime, however, the luxury car company will not be pursuing future activities. Other sponsors including Head, Evian, Avon Products and American Express have yet to comment on their relationship with Maria.

On Wednesday, Maria said in a statement on Facebook, “In this moment, I am so proud to call you my fans. Within hours of my announcement, you showed me support and loyalty, which I could only expect to hear when someone would be at the top of their profession. I wanted to let you know that your wonderful words put a smile on my face. I'd like to play again and hope to have the chance to do so. Your messages give me great encouragement.” Fans around the world expressed their support for the Russian player with the hashtags #IStandWithMaria and #LetMariaPlay.

Beginning March 12, 2016 Maria will be provisionally suspended from playing professional tennis. A two year suspension is the minimum ruling for unintentional drug use and four years is the maximum for intentional use.

Australian Open Women's Quarterfinal Preview

By Tia Ko

Serena Williams (1) vs. Maria Sharapova (5)

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova will meet for the 21^st time Tuesday afternoon in Melbourne where they will compete for a semi-final spot in the Australian Open. It will be the first time the two have met prior to the semifinals at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2010. Statistically speaking, Sharapova doesn’t have a very good chance of winning this match considering she hasn’t beaten Williams since the WTA Championships back in 2004. Since then, Williams has gone 17-0 with her last victory over Sharapova occurring during the semifinals of Wimbledon last year 6-2 6-4. Serena’s road to the quarterfinals has been pretty smooth sailing despite not having played competitive tennis since her devastating defeat at the US Open in September. In her last four matches combined, her opponents have only managed to win 17 games to Serena’s 49 with her toughest match coming in the first round against Camila Giorgi 6-4, 7-5. After that, she was victorious over Su-Wei Hsieh, Daria Kasatkina, and Margarita Gasparyan.

Maria Sharapova’s route to the quarterfinals has also been straightforward except for her third round where it went to a deciding set against the American Lauren Davis 6-1 6-7(5) 6-0. She also beat Nao Hibino, Aliaksandra, and Belina Bencic. When asked about her upcoming match, “It’s not like I think about what I can do worse,” Sharapova said. “Always trying to improve. I got myself into the quarterfinal of a Grand Slam. There is no reason I shouldn’t be looking to improve and to getting my game in a better position than any other previous round. It’s only going to be tougher, especially against Serena.”

Agnieszka Radwanksa (4) vs. Carla Suarez Navarro (10)

Agnieszka Radwanksa and Carla Suarez Navarro have only met three times but their past two encounters have gone the distance. The last time they met was last year at the Miami Masters where the Spaniard won 5-7 6-0 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Head-to-head, Radwanska leads 2-1. In Radwanska’s fourth round match, she was two points away from being defeated by Anna-Lena Friedsam 4-5 in the third set; however the German ended up getting leg cramps late in the match and failed to get into the rallies thereafter. Radwanska was able break and serve out her game winning 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-5. Radwanska also beat Christina McHale, Eugenie Bouchard, and Monica Puig on her way to the quarters.

Carla Suarez Navarro seeded no. 10 disappointed hopeful Australians when she beat the new hometown hero Daria Gavrilova in the fourth round. Gavrilova, who originally represented Russia but emigrated to Australia last year, took the first set easily 6-0 but was unable to stay focused and ended up losing to Suarez Navarro 0-6 6-3 6-2. The Spaniard defeated Viktorija Golubic, Maria Sakkari, and Elizaveta.

Angelique Kerber (7) vs. Victoria Azarenka (14)

Victoria Azarenka leads their head-to-head 6-0. Will the higher seeded Angelique Kerber be able to finally take a match from the Belarusian? These two met just a few weeks ago in the finals in Brisbane where Vika won easily 6-3 6-1. Azarenka is a two-time champion having won in both 2012 and 2013 and is currently a favorite to win a third title down under. The German Kerber is looking to reach her best result at a Grand Slam since her semifinal performance back at Wimbledon in 2012. Kerber beat Misaki Doi, Alexandra Dulgheru, Madison Bregle, and Annika Beck on her way to the quarters. Vika was victorious against Alison Van Uytvanck, Danka Kovinic, Naomi Osaka, and Barbora Strycova on her route to the last 8. 

Johanna Konta vs. Shuai Zhang

We’re witnessing the success story of Zhang Shuai, the first women’s qualifier to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals in 26 years. This has been the first time the 133rd ranked 27 year old Chinese player has made it past the first round of a Grand Slam much less the fourth! She will be playing against 47^th ranked Johanna Konta. The two met only twice: once in the 2012 US Open qualifiers with Konta coming out on top 6-4 3-6 7-5 and once in 2013 during the Guangzhou, China tournament with the Chinese countrywoman winning 7-5 6-3. Both players created huge upsets as they made their way to the quarters most notable Zhang beating no. 2 seed Simona Halep, Alize Cornet, Varvara Lepchenko, and Madison Keys. Konta upset no. 8 seed Venus Williams in the first round then Saisai Zheng, Denisa Allertova, and Ekaterina Makarova. 

Will Maria have what it takes to beat Serena at Wimbledon during their semi-final match?

By Tia Ko

Head-to-head, Serena Williams leads 17-2 with Maria Sharapova’s only wins coming in 2004 (Wimbledon final and the Tour Championships). Will today be her first victory in more than a decade against the 5-time Wimbledon champion? It’s obvious that Sharapova will have to play her best tennis if she wants a shot at the final and we’re here to give some key insights.

First, she will have to force Williams to play longer rallies; Williams takes a while to warm up and it will be important to get an early lead in the first set to set the momentum for the rest of the match.

Secondly, limit the amount of unforced errors. During Maria’s last four matches, her number of unforced errors has been almost equal (and sometimes more) than her number of winners. It will be hard to compete if Serena comes out hitting like she has been for her matches this week, hitting sometimes 3x more winners than unforced errors.

Finally, and most importantly, Sharapova has to make her serve work. Let’s give you some quick statistics from her quarterfinal match against Coco Vandeweghe: she got 60% of her 1st serves in, winning 73% of them; however, she only won 36% of her 2nd serves. Comparing this to Serena’s quarterfinal match versus Victoria Azarenka, Serena got 65% of her 1st serves in winning 80% of them while also winning 58% of her second serves. Maria will have to put more on her second serve if she wants to win those points because we’ve all witnessed how Williams can take advantage of a weak serve.

"There are definitely no secrets between each other's games, but it will be an incredible moment for me to step out on Centre Court against her again.” The world number four stated at an interview yesterday.

If she is able to stop Serena’s winning streak this afternoon she will play the winner of Garbine Muguuza (ESP)[20]/Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)[13] on Saturday afternoon.

Rogers Cup WTA Draw Analysis

By Mike McIntyre

The Rogers Cup is ready to begin in Toronto on Monday where Petra Kvitova is the defending champion and Serena Williams is the number one seed. With both Vika Azarenka and Maria Sharapova having to withdraw due to injuries, many will be expecting a Serena victory by the time Sunday comes around.

As one of the top eight seeds in the tournament, Williams received a first round bye and will play the winner between qualifier Chanele Scheepers and Francesca Schiavone. Schiavone won the French Open in 2010 and then lost there in the finals in 2011, the same year she reached her career high ranking of 4th in the world. Clearly stronger on clay, the Italian is now ranked 55th in the world but still represents a quality opponent should she face Serena in round two.

This quarter of the draw has not just one, by two Williams sisters in it. Venus makes her first tournament appearance since the French Open and could face Serena in the third round. The two will play in a doubles exhibition on Monday night against former world number one Monica Seles and Canadian sensation Genie Bouchard. They are not however entered in the office Rogers Cup doubles draw.

Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli will bring her two-handed forehand and backhand to Toronto and is also in this section of the draw as the 7th seed. She will face the winner between qualifier Lauren Davis and former Grand Slam champion and lucky loser Svetlana Kuznetsova. Oddly enough, Davis defeated Kuznetsova on Sunday in the final round of qualifying, but as the Russian was the highest ranked player in the qualifying draw, she takes a spot that was vacated in the main draw by Vika Azarenka's last minute withdrawal. Look for the veteran to make the necessary adjustments to earn the victory over Davis this time.

First Quarter Prediction: Serena Williams d. Bartoli

In the next quadrant of the draw, Agnieszka Radwanska will look to get her confidence going as she aims for her first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open later this month. The third seed will have a tough opening match as she will face the winner between Yanina Wickmayer and Laura Robson. Wickmayer was once ranked as high as 12th in the world and has three career titles to her name. The 23 year old has still not reached her peak and while currently only ranked 57th in the world I feel that she is due for a breakthrough at some point. Robson for her part represents the future of British tennis on the WTA Tour and at only 19 years of age is the 32nd ranked player in the world. Wickmayer defeated Robson in their only career meeting back in 2010 on grass and should expect a much tougher match this time around. This match-up is one I would recommend to anyone attending on Monday and has three sets written all over it.

Up and coming American Sloan Stephens is the 14th seed and also in the second quarter of the tournament. Lookout as well for the future Mrs. Alexander Ovechkin - Maria Kirilenko that is, along with 5th seeded Sara Errani who will threaten Radwanska for a spot in the semi-finals.

The 26 year old Errani is one spot below her career best ranking in singles and has made the finals of two clay court and two hard court tournaments proving she can play well on either surface. She got to the semi finals of the French Open where she was humbled by Serena Williams 6-0, 6-1. Her record at the Rogers Cup is a mediocre 1-5, so I'm not sure if playing in Canada agrees with her too much. Still, given her 5-1 record against Kirilenko I would expect her to make her way to the quarter-finals to face Radwanska against whom she has struggled with a 2-6 head-to-head.

Second Quarter Prediction: Radwanska d. Errani

In the third quarter of play Li Na of China is the 4th seed and made the finals of the event a year ago while Angelique Kerber of Germany is the 8th seed. Kerber has had a solid but not spectacular season and is 1-6 lifetime vs Na. Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic is also in this section and the 16th seed could also put together a good run here in Canada where she won the event all the way back in 2006 in Montreal. 

I'd look a little bit beyond the top seedings in this part of the draw to 11th ranked Italian Roberta Vinci to have a strong outing here. She has made the quarter-finals the past two years and knocked off some quality players while on Canadian soil. Her last tournament appearance was nearly a month ago but she won that event in Palermo on clay.

Don't overlook Dominika Cibulkova as well who could face Kerber in the second round and is currently ranked 21st in the world. The Slovak just won the event in Stanford last week where she knocked-off Radwanska in the final. The win was particularly meaningful to Cibulkova as she was double "bageled" earlier in the year by Radwanska 6-0, 6-0 in the finals in Sydney. Her confidence levels should be enough to carry her through a few rounds.

Third Quarter Prediction: Vinci d. Ivanovic

In the last part of the draw, Caroline Wozniacki replaced 2nd seed Azarenka late Sunday night and will receive a bye even though she is the 9th seed in the event. Azarenka lost for the first time in nine career meetings on Sunday to Sam Stosur in the finals of Carlsbad, California. Her official reason for withdrawing in Toronto was due to a lower back injury. 

The 23 year old Wozniacki is still the youngest player in the top ten in the rankings even though it seems she has been there for quite some time now. She brings a modest 21-16 record on the WTA Tour into this event and has been struggling to find consistency all season long. The Dane was 3-6 during the clay court season and then fell in the second round of Wimbledon. Getting back onto hard courts is probably the best thing for her at this point.

Wozniacki, who won here in 2010, could face Jelena Jankovic in the third round and then either defending champion Kvitova or Sam Stosur in the quarter-finals. Jankovic is 29-12 on the season but has lost in the first round of the Rogers Cup in each of the past three years. Stosur made the finals in Toronto two years ago but has also been inconsistent since her U.S. Open victory that same summer. Kvitova meanwhile has won a hard court event in Dubai earlier this year and made the quarter-finals of Wimbledon.

This section of the draw is extremely tough, with rising Canadian sensation Genie Bouchard also present. Bouchard opens with a tough match against Russian Alisa Kleybanova who was once ranked as high as 20th in the world before Hodgkin's Lymphoma forced her to withdraw from the game. Kleybanova played in only one event in 2012 and has only played in three this year that have all been challenger type events. Currently ranked 602nd in the world, it will be a real test for her to get back up in the rankings but something we'd all love to see given the difficulties she has faced.

Fourth Quarter Prediction: Kvitova d. Jankovic

Semi-final predictions:

Serena Williams d. Radwanska

Kvitova d. Vinci

Final Prediction:

Williams d. Kvitova

Serena will be hungry to reclaim the Rogers Cup title and show that her loss at Wimbledon a month ago was just a small blip on the screen in her otherwise stellar 2013 season.

Check back with us often throughout the week as we will be covering the tournament live from the Rexall Centre in Toronto. Follow us on Twitter as well for timely updates on all of the action both here and in Montreal.