Venus Williams vs Coco Gauff in a first round rematch at Wimbledon. Young vs old, can the kid school the vet again?
Monfils vs Lu. Lu is 36 now and he got in on a PR, though he has not played a match since mid 2018. He’s 0-3 career vs Monfils including a five setter in Melbourne.
Djokovic vs Struff. Not a walk in the park for the betting favorite. Struff’s volleys are among the ATP’s best.
Federer vs Steve Johnson. Fed admittedly is not ready, since not playing since the South American tour. Johnson just won a Challenger.
McNally vs Stosur. Old vs young, both like to get to net.
Lloyd Harris vs Diego Schwartzman. Harris will have his hands full with the human wall.
Fognini vs Opelka. Opelka beat Fog in four sets at US Open but the hot headed Italian avenged the loss at Davis Cup finals.
Ugo Humbert vs John Millman. The red hot French lefty vs the always tough as nails Aussie.
Cilic vs Moutet. Calling the upset here. The left hander from France enters his second AO and seventh major main draw with a lot of confidence.
F Lopez vs Roberto Bautista Agut. The Iron Man of Spain adds to his consecutive majors record but no way he beats the ATP’s most consistent counterpuncher.
Pella vs JP Smith. 22 seed vs the gangly Aussie veteran journeyman.
Tommy Paul vs Leo Mayer: Young American rising star vs the veteran Argentine war horse.
Mmoh vs Andujar. Is the American ready to make some waves in a major?
Daniel Evans vs McKenzie McDonald. Battle of the small guys.
Sandgren vs Trungeliti. Winnable match for the American now coached by Mike Russell.
Nishioka vs Djere. Nishioka is one of those players I would watch vs. anyone.
Albot vs Raonic. A first round flop by Raonic would officially relegate him to journeyman status.
Strycova vs Cirstea. Strycova is a feisty sort who gets under people’s skin. Fun to watch.
Paire vs Stebe. Highly probable this match on court 22 will produce some kind of drama that goes viral.
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« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next »Andrew Miller · January 21, 2020 at 6:21 pm
Bajin got Yastremska to hire him, left Mladenovic, who had recovered her ranking (from 60s to 30s) over about six months with Bajin’s help as well as the dubs. He sealed the coaching deal at the same tournament where he dropped Mladenovic or soon thereafter.
Mladenovic was more or less abandoned by Thiem and Bajin around same timeframe, within about 30 days of when Mladenovic posted her disappointment with Bajin (in French) for the world to see. October 20, loses Bajin as coach. By late November 2019, bye Thiem.
Mladenovic then went on a fierce Fed Cup run to the title that month (playing with some serious focus), leading France over everyone including Ash Barty and Australia.
Bajin for his part said this in November 2019:
““It was really great. I learned a lot and I hope she did a bit too. Her whole family is truly some of the nicest people you meet on tour. I am sad and it broke my heart that I choose not to continue but I had to think about myself. It’s selfish I admit that but if you don’t think bout what’s best for yourself who else will …? I wish her truly nothing but the best.”
Bajin this month said this on working with Yastremska, who he (I believe, not confirmed) clinched this coaching gig in Moscow in October, where Mladenovic made the semifinals. A day after she lost the semifinals to Bencic (literally within 24 hours of the match that sent Bencic to the WTA finals as a top 8 player), Bajin breaks the news to Mladenovic.
Bajin said this about Yastremska: ““I think she has one of the biggest potentials on tour. Physically she’s very gifted. She’s a great mover, and she has incredible power. Her groundstrokes are very powerful, and I believe that’s right up my coaching comfort zone if I could call it that way, ”told Tennis.com.
Scoop Malinowski · January 21, 2020 at 6:39 pm
Bajin handled this delicate matter smartly. He lost faith in Kiki and a door opened to a job with a better player with a brighter future, in his eyes. Smart move. No reason at all Bajin should be catching heat for abandoning Kiki. WTA players dump coaches all the time. Kiki has to start producing consistent singles results. Hope she does, we all like her.
Leif Wellington Haase · January 21, 2020 at 9:36 pm
Still believe Opelka is far and away the most likely American to win a Slam, but the loss to comeback king Fognini (aided fortuitously by the rainout) has to sting. When you are unseeded like Opelka and get a gift from the draw gods– three winnable matches and in the quarter with the lowest seed– you must take it. If you don’t, to paraphrase Yogi Berra, it tends to get late early
Scoop Malinowski · January 21, 2020 at 9:56 pm
Opelka is a nightmare for anyone and he’s going to get much better. Everything is solid, surprisingly dangerous from baseline. Fognini was extremely happy and relieved to beat Opelka.
Andrew Miller · January 21, 2020 at 11:32 pm
Dunno. Hard to do well when injured constantly. Hope Opelka talks to Karlovic, who made round two.
Andrew Miller · January 21, 2020 at 11:36 pm
Don’t think players like it when they are recovering their form and their coaches jump ship. I know coaches don’t like it when their players lose confidence in them either. I’m glad Mladenovic became a Fed cup hero – that was her message and she delivered it.
Bajin is kind of looking like a hitting partner. I don’t want to read too much into what Yastremska said, but if that were the only thing I read I would have thought Bajin is once again a hitting partner.
Fantastic self-promoter. All he is missing is his own academy or a deep pocked investor.
Andrew Miller · January 21, 2020 at 11:55 pm
Gauff d. Cirstea. Wow. Man, Cirstea, one of my sentimental favorites. Excellent win for the young Gauff. Quality win, gets Osaka next for the US Open re-match. I looked at her forehand – got to be a very good player to exploit it, or a decent strategist to “play tennis” and best young Coco. Cirstea did some things that are head-scratchers.
Just don’t get it. Why not use some strategy. The women’s tour has a lot of hard hitters, but strategy wise it’s not great. I say the same thing over and over.
Jon King · January 22, 2020 at 12:08 am
We watched the entire Gauff match. Gauff is what I have said before, an early maturing girl, solid player, nothing jumps out as holy cow. She will have a nice career, but anyone making any equivalency to greats like Graf or Henin or Serena is just being silly.
Cristea is dumb as a box of rocks in terms of strategy. Constantly gave up weak balls to Gauff’s backhand which is her only real weapon. Up 3-0 in 2nd set, gets a sitter at the net, has entire court to hit into…and serves up an easy ball to Gauff’s backhand…literally the only place she should NOT have hit the ball.
But Cristea is a journeyman player with no stand out weapons, and was a pretty even match for Gauff.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 12:09 am
Wozniaki d. Yastremska (ha!); Goerges d. Martic (nice upset); Suarez Navarro d. Sabalenka (wow!); Zhang d. McNally (Zhang was playing well the other day, no surprise); Jabeur d. Caroline Garcia (nice tournament for Jabeur).
Jon King · January 22, 2020 at 12:11 am
Yes Andrew you can exploit the grip on Gauff’s forehand. Cristea gave her bouncing topspin all night. Thats the perfect ball for a western grip to handle.
Gauff’s forehand falls apart against hard pace up the middle or lower, flat balls…neither of which Cristea can hit.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 12:23 am
Cirstea has always been good! Sometimes, fantastic. That’s the problem. No one ever harnessed any of this, most of all Ms. Cirstea herself. Can’t be fantastic every fifth ball. So much potential.
Always been streaky. A Baghdatis kind of player.
It wouldn’t hurt if players scout their opponents a little. Just a little. The guy O’Shannessy put it best – not just about your game, you should know your opponent’s game. Agassi said this too, it’s how your game matches up with their game and how you execute. Know where to press your advantages, deny their strengths.
On and on. Cirstea also looked a little more frail than I’m used to seeing her. I try not to comment on this stuff, she didn’t seem like her normal frame, athletic. Maybe her IG is getting her too. Yeah, too frail.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 12:54 am
Yes, Jon’s observation on Gauff forehand is spot on, it has issues. A good player should exploit it, but it’s hard to exploit as Gauff compensates for it with other capabilities, such as her speed. Patient players. Not Cirstea, never known to be patient 🙂 She has shown this for many years now – always good enough to win the tough match. But that’s not always good enough.
There was a nice story, googled it, on Cirstea and Cahill, how Cahill in 2013 gave Cirstea a tip, said hey, you know who would trade places with you in a second? Then points to a little girl in the stands and Cirstea got the message.
Jeff · January 22, 2020 at 12:56 am
I hate to say it but that is an honest and mature response from Sascha. Players fire coaches all the time and he jumped ship and admitted it with Mladenovic. Tough for her that Thiem dumped her as well but I don’t think she will have trouble finding a man or a coach.
Meanwhile Danielle Collins was at her feisty best against the Russian beauty Diatchenko in a 3-set thriller. Collins broke at 4-all in the third and then held at love and was screaming throughout. To the delight of all, the short shorts continued and her top looked very tight as well. There was extra spice in this matchup as one would expect when two glamourous females meet.
Jeff · January 22, 2020 at 12:58 am
Tommy Paul taking it to Dimitrov as I predicted on this site. He is the future of U.S. tennis for sure alongside Fritz.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 1:10 am
Raonic played a beautiful game to go up 5-3 in the second set against Garin. The Chilean is much better on hard courts than I expected and seemed to have dialed in on Raonic – then Raonic went from 0-40 to winning that through a blend of hustle, never say die, and mixing it up on Garin. Raonic even moved well.
Raonic was the reason he won that game, because Garin wasn’t giving him much.
That’s some of the best I’ve seen of Raonic in a year, but in the last few years I think Raonic has moved better than he ever has. He’s so often injured that he seems to make the most of it when he’s ok.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 1:12 am
Schwartzmann bests Davidovich, the Spanish next genner. Surprised Munar won a round, how about that!!! There’s your preview of men’s tennis in Spain in the future.
catherine · January 22, 2020 at 1:37 am
The Georges v Martic was a tight match – 13 aces helped Georges but 43 UEs didn’t. Julia is not in a good emotional state I’d guess. Neither is Sabalenka, so either Tursunov returns or she finds someone else. It’s not good to be virtually alone out on the circuit although I’m sure she has friends. Heather Watson bt Kr Pliskova, Hev up from qualifying I think.
Gauff v Cirstea – can’t agree with Andrew that it’s a quality win. I’d have been amazed if Coco had lost that to a player like Sorana and it took her 3 sets. I don’t think that’s the display you’d expect from the next GOAT against a midlist type of player who’s never won anything worth remembering. I hope Osaka puts her back in her box. I’m sure Fisette has been doing his bit of scouting and his little notebook is full.
catherine · January 22, 2020 at 2:03 am
58 UEs helped sink Sabalenka – Carla coped better with the conditions and on her Farewell Tour has nothing to lose. Neither has Woz who seems to be enjoying life and the unprecedented crowd support. ‘You don’t know how you’ll miss me until I’m gone.’
Swiatek bt Babos, decent result for teenage Iga who hasn’t played for a while.
Yastremska better reconsider tactics and forget about all the feeling stuff. Or she’ll find Sascha’s skipped off behind her back.
catherine · January 22, 2020 at 2:26 am
I hate to be boring about Gauff but I can’t stand the way she blubs after she’s won a match and thanks the crowd for its support just like she’s a legend retiring and not a 15 year old who’s probably been told that this play-acting is a good PR move. Who else cries after they’ve won an early round match ?
I absolutely detest emotional manipulation. And that’s what it is. Not coming purely from Coco I’d guess. Unless she believes the stuff she’s fed which is entirely possible.
catherine · January 22, 2020 at 2:58 am
Yastremska is getting a really bad reputation for strategic MTOs and bathroom breaks. Wozniaki mentioned this, said everyone knows she does it and you just have to be prepared. At the start of her career that’s a pity.
catherine · January 22, 2020 at 5:14 am
Nice practice for Serena, 6-2 6-3 v Zidansek (?), she really hasn’t had to do much more than wave her racquet around yet but she did have a few UEs there. (I haven’t seen highlights yet.) My guess it’s an easy run to the final.
Jon King · January 22, 2020 at 8:15 am
We turned off the sound later in the Gauff match, it got unbearable. The announcers made everything she did the greatest thing ever.
The kicker for us was when Gauff deliberately ignored Cristea holding her hand up to let her get set for a serve. Gauff serves at her. Then Gauff talks to the chair ump like the ump is trash and it was the ump’s fault, very condescending. Then Gauff wins the point at the net, screams loudly while staring at Cristea. Very unsportsman conduct and taunting.
And the announcer says “I think Co Co felt badly she accidentally served at her”.
Wow, completely turn a poor Gauff episode into her being this wonderful sportsman, the complete opposite of what actually happened….the sound went off after that one.
Jon King · January 22, 2020 at 8:30 am
Yastremska was comical when she would grab or stretch her bandaged leg if she lost a point but not when she won a few points in a row.
The academy trained junior girls are top notch at the injury thing, they start doing in at ages 11-12. If they lose, the injury causes them to barely make it to the net to shake hands. If the tactic works and they win, they scamper to the net with not a pain in the world.
Scoop Malinowski · January 22, 2020 at 9:13 am
Jon, playing possum is a big part of tennis and boxing. Fighters fake like they are hurt to draw an attack and then they launch a surprise counter. Fakery and deception are a part of sports and life and so it’s good healthy experience to learn to deal with it.
Scoop Malinowski · January 22, 2020 at 9:15 am
What I liked most about Gauff last night was her fight, her intensity, her fierce come ons after every point she won, like prime Hewitt. Part to pump herself up and part to intimidate and stare down/antagonize the opponent. She already has that big weapon/intelligence/drive already at 15 and it’s only going to get stronger. She absolutely can be better than Serena. Like Federer was better than Sampras. I said this to Steve Flink when Fed was young, at US Open, and Flink acted like it was the craziest thing ever said. But I was right. I see these signs in Coco, she can be better than Serena.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 9:20 am
Surprised by Swiatek over Babos. Babos works with Michael Joyce so she would have been prepared for this.
Hartt · January 22, 2020 at 9:21 am
I watched Wozniacki vs Yastremska and rooted for Caro. Partly because Caro is retiring but also because of Yastremska’s reputation for gamesmanship. Even Bertens said she was ready for the strategic MTO by Yastremska, because she had done it to Bertens several times before. The Match Call Migrants expert on the WTA has talked about the way she will retire when losing late in a match. Not a way to make friends on the Tour. I imagine the players have an extra incentive to beat her.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 9:27 am
Jeff indeed, Tommy Paul! Paul d. Dimitrov, Sandgren d. Berretini (both of those in long long five setters). Tommy Paul and Tenys Sandgren. Who would have picked them to upset the US open semifinalists. Yet they did.
Wild results on men’s side. Fucsovics, enjoying his status as next gen players worst nightmare, d. Sinner “easily”. Maybe those short Milan sets at Next Gen finals meant nothing because none of those guys is even in the tournament anymore (De Minaur might have lasted at least a few rounds?!).
Millman wins again over Hurkacz this time, showing again that the tournaments before the Australian aren’t the right time to play your best tennis. Hurkacz has done this two slams in a row, with his Winston Salem win against Paire then a R1 loss at US Open, now this lackluster loss at the Australian early.
Wild. Among the only results that make sense is Kohlschreiver retiring before a ball is hit against Tsitsipas.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 9:30 am
Yastremska. I tell ya. That’s bad. She may be fun to watch but these stunts are bad. And they do look like they came out of some poorly run junior tournament. The WTA should fine her.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 9:35 am
Raonic played like a champ last night. Likely a perfect opponent in Garin, but Garin is good on a hard court too. Garin has improved and credit his team, he’s playing like a Chilean #1 🙂
Jon King · January 22, 2020 at 9:44 am
Andrew, I bet Woz was laughing on the inside at the injury stunt. Like you said, so juniors.
We first saw it from a 10 year old. Pretty much any experienced junior knows to totally ignore the injury stuff. If they are injured, they will retire. If they keep playing, proceed as if they are 100% healthy.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 9:50 am
Cirstea isn’t that bad!!! She’s rarely had the consistency of shot or thought to push through the end of a high stakes match. The kind of player that would benefit from a top notch coach, her groundstrokes are gold, her competitiveness is right there.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 9:54 am
Wozniaki is like my final tournament, figures, good luck to anyone facing this joke!
For good measure: Bajin if he’s worth any salt as a coach will get Yastremska to stop pulling this stuff and cut it out of her game. Good luck to Mr. Selfish!*
*And to keeping that job with Yastremska. She’s going to want to blame someone for this early loss 😉
Jon King · January 22, 2020 at 9:55 am
Thats the point…Cristea has the tools to be much better. But tactically she is really bad.
Her skills are actually very good but her complete lack of strategy reminds me of a very talented 12 year old, not a WTA veteran.
Agree about the coach, she likely never hit on the right coach to learn strategy along her developmental path. The fact Cristea has accomplished what she has, despite poor strategy, is a testament to her skill level.
Hartt · January 22, 2020 at 10:00 am
Andrew, I was glad to see your positive words about Milos. I was sleep-deprived from the night before, so sort of dozed during his match. But will watch it closely today.
Hartt · January 22, 2020 at 10:08 am
The ATP site had an excellent article about Tommy Paul on Jan. 14.
“He can play, it’s just getting over the hump a little bit,” Stine told ATPTour.com. “I think timing wise, he’s more mentally, emotionally prepared right now to make the sacrifices that you need to make to be a more successful tennis player than what he’s been so far.”
https://www.atptour.com/en/news/tommy-paul-brad-stine-feature-adelaide-2020
Scoop Malinowski · January 22, 2020 at 10:09 am
Hurkacz was tired in that us open 1r loss to Chardy who played a perfect fifth set, I was there. Paul and Sandgren winning yesterday is one of the best American men days in a major in a ling time. Turning point?
Scoop Malinowski · January 22, 2020 at 10:12 am
Yaz is a drama queen, wta needs it. She’s only exploiting the rules. Remember caros injury timeout which helped her win her only major? Caro did it too. At 3-4 down in third then she got up and won three games in a row and her first and only major.
Scoop Malinowski · January 22, 2020 at 10:12 am
Good run for Raonic but now he has his hands full.
Scoop Malinowski · January 22, 2020 at 10:14 am
CirsteA knows how to play some tennis. 440 career wta match wins. Give the girl’s tennis iq a little credit.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 10:30 am
Talented 12 year old 😉 That was funny. Having seen a few #1s in girls 12s and 14s draws I’ve seen precisely ONE good strategist (who only got to high level college tennis, she was amazing. I think she got injured and said pro tennis isn’t in my future). Not many.
Think I mentioned I caught the set of a top boy’s 18s final (among top USTA boys) – and it was awful! See ball, hit ball WAS the strategy, and it was terrible.
Cirstea had the upper hand and lost the bead, and Gauff to her credit pushed through the pressure and dumped it on Cirstea. That was a good move.
The move on Cirstea’s part was that she let it go to three sets. Gotta close it out in two. Otherwise you allow Gauff to be a hero! Or anyone. Just don’t…close it out in two.
Another odd result yesterday was another sentimental favorite and drama queen Alize Cornet, who loses the first set (5-7 to Nicolescu) then wins the second and third 6-1 6-0 over a good opponent. Cornet can play very well but 6-1 6-0?! These scorelines make no sense at all.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 11:08 am
Calling it: Raonic to beat S. Tsitsipas
catherine · January 22, 2020 at 11:14 am
The WTA should inquire into those weird scorelines. Muguruza v Rogers ? Plays used to turn out figures like that against Steffi Graf but I don’t see any Grafs in this field.
Maybe they think, I’ve made the money, I’ll be off now.
Don’t need any more drama queens in the WTA. Or any one exploiting the rules to win. Just means you aren’t good enough.
Hartt · January 22, 2020 at 11:30 am
Andrew, I do hope you are right about Milos vs Stefanos. I am watching Milos’ match now. I expect him to serve well. The commies joked after a 228 kmh serve that you could see scorch marks on the court. Then he hit a 2nd serve at 216 kmh.
My main interest, however, is what his groundies look like. As Rafa said many years ago, if Milos has both his serve and his groundstrokes working, he is very tough to beat. He will need both firing to beat Stefanos.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 11:40 am
Tommy Paul. From losing US Open qualies to third round of Aussie. Amazing.
Scoop Malinowski · January 22, 2020 at 11:40 am
First saw coco at Eddie herr 12s where she lost in final in as to…. Noa Krzanic who did only minor damage at herr and orange bowl 18s this year.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 11:44 am
Raonic moved well! If you catch 2nd set the 4-2 game where Raonic saves break points, believe you’ll enjoy it Hartt. Seems he uses the spin to keep his hard hit shots in the court. Garin had a little “too much time” to get off a shot or two, but I believe I have truly underestimated Garin as a player.
I’m not saying this to prop up Raonic. I really am surprised Garin has a good hard-court game and seemed to dig in, even anticipate the Raonic shots. Then Raonic did something special and stepped it up a level where Garin made errors or simply couldn’t touch the shot – and the shots had a LOT of margin for error on them (perfect playing from Raonic).
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 11:47 am
Those scorelines are embarrassing. Then again, I think some WTA players shouldn’t even be in third sets to begin with. Maybe not enough warm up or something – Raonic and Garin the other day took a little time to get used to conditions, took a good set to feel the ball. Second set they were locked in.
Hartt · January 22, 2020 at 11:49 am
Andrew, I just finished seeing the first set. One thing I enjoyed about Milos’ play was him making several nice, crisp volleys. You don’t see those often in today’s tennis.
Andrew Miller · January 22, 2020 at 11:50 am
Jeff called it on Tommy Paul. Bravo, Jeff