Wimbledon Ladies Draw: Quarter by Quarter

First Quarter

Serena Williams enters this year’s Wimbledon with a lot to prove. After losing in the second round of the French Open to youngster Garbiñe Muguruza, Williams appeared vulnerable and lacking confidence. Last year at this time, Williams was coming off of a championship run at Roland Garros and riding a 31-match win streak. Even though Williams’ season has not gone as well as she initially planned, Wimbledon would be the perfect place to get back on track.

In order for Serena Williams to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish for a sixth-time, the 17-time major winner will have to overcome some large obstacles along the way. The first test comes in the third round when she faces the 25 seed Alize Cornet, who upset Williams in the semifinals of Dubai in February. If Williams prevails, her projected fourth round opponent would be the rising young Canadian Eugiene Bouchard. Bouchard presents a much bigger challenge for Williams than Cornet. The 2012 Wimbledon junior champion, with her big serve and forehand, has a game well suited for grass. It will be interesting to see how the Canadian, who nearly took out Sharapova in Paris, fairs against Williams on grass.

If the seeds hold to form, Serena Williams’ quarterfinal opponent will then be Maria Sharapova. In fact, if the two make it to the quarters, they are scheduled to play on the tenth anniversary of their historic 2004 final. As well as Sharapova has been playing, tennis fans know that the matchup against Williams doesn’t fair well for the Russian. In addition, with every passing round, it becomes more and more difficult to eliminate Williams. As difficult as Serena Williams’ road may be, history has proven that she brings some of her best tennis to the All-England Lawn and Tennis Club.  

Projected Quarterfinal: Serena Williams vs. Maria Sharapova

First Round Match To Watch: Heather Watson v. Ajla Tomljanovic

Popcorn Match: Serena Williams v. No. 13 Eugenie Bouchard

Sleepers Camila Giorgi and Alison Riske

Semifinalist: Williams

Second Quarter

The second quarter of the Wimbledon draw should be renamed the youngsters’ quarter because of the number of future WTA champions. This section features 17-year olds Belinda Bencic and Donna Vekic; 18-year old Victoria Duval; and 19-year old Madison Keys. Even though these players most likely will not win the title, it will definitely being interesting to see how these young guns fair in the tournament. However, if I were to pick one of these players to make a deep run at this year’s event, it would have to be Madison Keys. Coming off winning her maiden WTA title in Eastbourne last week, the young American is riding an emotional high. Keys’ game is well suited for grass, which she lists as her favorite surface.

In addition to the young players in the draw, we also find grass-court specialist Sabine Lisicki. The German, seeded 19^th at this year’s event, presents a serious danger to the top seeds. In her last four appearances at SW19, Lisicki made the quarterfinals twice, a semifinal, and a final. It will definitely be interesting to see how the 24-year old handles the pressure of being last year’s finalist. The popcorn match of this quarter would have to be the projected third-round encounter between Lisicki and Ana Ivanovic. Ivanovic, who is coming off a title run of her own in Birmingham, is having one of the best year’s of her career. When breaking down each of the players’ game, the two possess a very similar playing style. Both players have huge forehands, move fairly well, and have effective serves. However, based on their results at SW19 in the past, I believe that Lisicki will come out the victor.     

Projected Quarterfinal: Simona Halep v. Jankovic

First Round To Watch: Jelena Jankovic and Kaia Kanepi

Popcorn Match: No. 11 Ana Ivanovic v. No. 19 Sabine Lisicki

Sleeper: Madison Keys

Semifinalist: Lisicki

Third Quarter

The biggest headline regarding the third quarter of the draw is the comeback of Victoria Azarenka. The two-time grand slam champion, who has not played since Indian Wells in March, returned to the tour last week in Eastbourne, losing to Camila Giorgi in her opening match. With so little match play over the past couple of months, is it realistic to think that Azarenka can make a deep run at SW19?

Similar to Williams in the first quarter of the draw, the Belarusian has a tough road just to get to the second week of Wimbledon. In the first round she faces former Wimbledon semifinalist Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. The Croat’s big serve and flat groundstrokes can prove to be troublesome for Azarenka. A much stiffer test is ahead for Azarenka in the third round, where she could potentially play either Garbiñe Muguruza or American Coco Vandeweghe. The young Spaniard proved at the French Open that she could push the top players. Muguruza easily handled Serena Williams, and nearly took out Maria Sharapova en-route to her first career grand slam quarterfinal. On the other hand, Vandeweghe is coming into Wimbledon red-hot. The 22-year old American just won her maiden WTA title in ‘S-Hertogenbosch, where she won seven matches and hit 83 aces along the way.

If Azarenka can get some matches under her belt, I believe that she can make it through her quarter. In the quarterfinals, Azarenka is projected to play Agnieszka Radwanska, whom the Belarusian holds a commanding 12-4 record over. Following a second round exit last year, Victoria Azarenka has very little to lose during the fortnight. As one of the fiercest competitors on the WTA Tour, Victoria Azarenka will fight tooth and nail into the later rounds of the tournament.

Quarterfinal: Agnieszka Radwanska v. Victoria Azarenka

First Round Upset Alert: Sara Errani v. Caroline Garcia

Popcorn Match: Agnieszka Radwanska v. Svetlana Kuznetsova

Sleepers: Tsvetana Pironkova; Coco Vandeweghe

Semifinalist: Azarenka

Fourth Quarter

In the final quarter of the women’s draw we find two former Wimbledon champions, along with the number two seed Li Na. Following a shocking first round exit at the French Open, the two-time grand slam champion enters Wimbledon looking to regain the form that helped her win the title Down Under earlier this year. Before last year’s Wimbledon, Li Na contemplated retirement

because of her sub-par results. Li’s decision to give it one more chance at the grass court major was a wise one. Her quarterfinal showing proved to be the start of the most successful stretch of her career. The world number two, with her flat groundstrokes and improved net play, is capable of playing well on the grass. However, as I mentioned in my French Open preview, if Li doesn’t maintain laser-like focus throughout a match, there is a strong likelihood she could make another early exit at a major.

The most intriguing matchup in this quarter is the potential third round between five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams and 2011 champ Petra Kvitova. At 34 years of age, Venus Williams can still compete with the best players on tour. Even though Williams has not made the second week on any major since 2011, at Wimbledon, the lawns of the All England Club seem to bring out the best in the five-time champion. The same could be said about Petra Kvitova. In the last six majors Kvitova has played, the Czech has made the second week only once, at Wimbledon. The reason the Czech southpaw is so successful on grass is her increased ability to dictate play and keep points short. Moreover, the unpredictability that is typically associated with the Kvitova game seems to disappear when stepping on the lawns of SW19.  

Kvitova has a 3-1 record against Williams; however, they have never met on grass. If both players can get through their first two matches, this match has the potential to be a blockbuster. Scheduling this match on any court other than Centre Court would be a serious injustice to these two great champions.     

Quarterfinal: Li Na v. Petra Kvitova

Popcorn Third Round Match: Venus Williams v. Petra Kvitova

First Round Upset Alert: Sloane Stephens v. Maria Kirilenko

Sleepers: Caroline Wozniacki; Venus Williams

Semifinalist: Li

Semifinals: Williams def. Lisicki; Li Na def. Azarenka

Final: Williams def. Li

French Open Review

The fortnight at Roland Garros has come and gone. During the two-week competition, fans witnessed everything from shocking upsets, to the usual matchups. As we transition from dirt to turf, there are several things we can take away from the events that transpired at the tennis season’s second major. In my French Open review, I will discuss the three biggest takeaways from this year’s tournament.

Generational Shift

From the start of the 2013 season, I noticed a generational shift taking place on the WTA Tour. The marque women such as Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova were upset early at the majors by much younger players. At the Aussie Open and Wimbledon, top-ranked Williams was beaten Sloane Stephens (then 19) and a 23-year-old Sabine Lisicki. In regards to Sharapova, the Russian was taken out in the second round of Wimbledon last year by the 20-year-old Portuguese player Michelle Larcher de Brito.      

In addition to aging, the reason why we are seeing the top women upset at the majors is because of the fearlessness of today’s top women prospects. Most players when stepping on the court to play Serena Williams or Maria Sharapova are so awestruck by the presence of these great champions that by the time they get their head into the match, it is too late. Conversely, youngsters Eugenie Bouchard, Simona Halep, and Garbiñe Muguruza possess the inner belief where they can compete with the best players on tour. The 2014 French Open was a perfect example of the threesome’s fearlessness.    

If you have not realized from my previous blogs, I am a huge fan of Serena Williams. Coming off a victory in Rome just a week prior, Williams was my favorite to win the French Open. However, the 17-time grand slam champion ran into an impenetrable wall in the second round, Garbiñe Muguruza. In all my years of watching Serena Williams dominate women’s tennis, never before have I seen her utterly manhandled by an opponent. Typically, when Williams starts a match slowly, she manages to find her imposing game. After losing the first set quickly 6-2, I expected Williams to change her game plan to counteract the powerful, flat hitting of the Spaniard. However, as quickly as Williams fell behind in the first set, she also did in the second, dropping her serve in the opening game of the set. The world number one looked befuddled throughout, unable to fully get her teeth into the match. Moreover, the 20-year-old Spaniard did what very few players have been able to do, take the racquet out of Serena Williams’ hands. In the hour-long encounter, Garbiñe Muguruza displayed the composure and determination of a seasoned champion.

The 2014 French Open represented a changing of the guard on the women’s side. After much anticipation, the young guns are finally beginning to make an impact on tour. The Williams/Muguruza match represented the apprentice schooling the master. Going forward, I expect a greater generational shift to take place. Lastly, based on the performances by Halep, Bouchard and Muguruza, it is fair to say that the future of the WTA Tour has arrived.

Aussie Champs, Top Players Falter

One of the most shocking developments of the 2014 French Open was the early exits made by the reigning Australian Open champions. For the first time in the Open Era, both Aussie Open champs were eliminated in the opening round. In my French Open preview, I had mentioned the reasons why Li Na and Stan Wawrinka would lose early in the tournament. Based on the events that transpired during their respective matches, my analysis of the players was spot on.

Prior to the tournament, I anticipated Stan Wawrinka making another deep run at a major. Throughout his career, the Swiss number one has had the most success on clay, winning the Master Series event in Monte Carlo and making the final of both Madrid and Rome. However, Wawrinka’s impressive form in Monte Carlo did not carry over to the red dirt at Stade Roland Garros. In fact, his form was quite the opposite.

During Wawrinka’s first round match against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, the world number three looked completely out of sorts. Garcia-Lopez, a former top 30 player who has beaten the likes of Nadal and Murray, appeared un-phased by the matchup against the reigning Aussie Open champ. After quickly dropping the first set, as expected, Wawrinka fought hard to level the match at a set all. However, the Australian Open champ’s game completely deserted him; as a result, Wawrinka managed to win only two games in the final two sets.

Was the pressure too much for Wawrinka to handle? The Swiss player disagrees. Contrary to his belief, pressure was definitely a factor in Wawrinka’s performance. A player let down following a championship run are common on both the men and women’s tour. The last major champion to lose in the first round of the subsequent major was then eight-time French Open champion, Rafael Nadal last year at Wimbledon. On the women’s side, 2011 Wimbledon and U.S Open champions Petra Kvitova and Sam Stosur both lost in the opening round of the next major. Pressure is something that even the greatest champions to ever play the game have succumbed to. Stan Wawrinka was the latest grand slam champion to be affected by the stress of being a grand slam champion.

Contrary to Wawrinka, Li Na has dealt with the pressures of winning a major before. After winning her first major at the French Open in 2011, the Chinese number one won only a handful of matches the rest of the year. Not only does Li Na have to cope with the pressures of the tennis community, she has to bear the weight of the entire Chinese nation.

The big question going into the French Open was whether Li Na learned to manage her emotions after winning the previous major. In my French Open preview, I had mentioned the importance of Li Na maintaining laser-like focus, which she often struggles with during matches. Li Na’s first-round opponent was another talented youngster, 21-year-old Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic. After a breakthrough 2013 season, Mladenovic has struggled in 2014, and has seen her ranking fall outside the top 100. However, if you have ever watched the French Open, the French crowd is like the 12^th man in football, providing a confidence boost to the native players.

Li Na, like Stan Wawrinka, dropped the first set against the 103^rd ranked Mladenovic. However, unlike her male Aussie Open counterpart, Li squandered two opportunities to capture the opener. The world number two quickly regained her championship form, taking the second set against the local favorite 6-3.

At the start of the decider, it appeared that Li had finally sunken her teeth into the match, and would run away with the set. After a hold to open the set, Li failed to win another game. The errors began to fly off of the Aussie Open champ’s racquet, committing 37 in the match. Instead of continuing to apply pressure on the young Frenchwoman, Li’s focus wavered, thus allowing Mladenovic and the French crowd to hang around. As Li lost her focus, Mladenovic regained hers, clinching the match on her second match point, 6-1.

The great Billie Jean King once said, “Pressure is a privilege.” How a player copes with the pressure separates the generational champion from the all-time great. Pressure means that there is an expectation of you to produce an anticipated outcome. The great champions of our sport, Roger Federer and Martina Navratilova to name a few, have used pressure as fuel to produce the desired outcome. I am not implying that Stan Wawrinka and Li Na are not great tennis players. However, some players respond to pressure better than others.   

 A Young Star Is Born

In previous blog posts, I mentioned that American tennis, especially on the women’s side, has a surplus of young players. Based on the American women’s performances at the 2014 French Open, there was one player in particular who truly impressed me. Her name is Taylor Townsend.

Townsend, the former number one junior in the world, entered the public spotlight under unfortunate circumstances. In 2012, Townsend was denied a wild card into the U.S Open because the USTA felt that she was not fit enough to compete. Townsend, just 16 years old at the time, went against the USTA’s decision and flew to New York to compete in the junior event, without any financial backing. Thankfully, the situation was resolved, and Townsend has been able to get back to what she does best, tennis.

Prior to the French Open, three ITF challenger events held in the United States. Based on the results of the American men and women, a main draw wild card is awarded to the man and woman who perform the best at these events. After winning the ITF titles in Charlottesville and Indian Harbour Beach in both singles and doubles, Townsend was given the wild card into the French Open.

Playing in her first main draw at a major as a professional, my expectations were modest for the 18-year old American. Townsend received a favorable first-round opponent, fellow American Vania King. After handily beating King 7-5 6-1, the young American faced a much tougher opponent in the next round, 20^th seeded Frenchwoman Alize Cornet.

Much to my surprise, Townsend rushed out to a 6-4 4-1 lead against the feisty Cornet. The young American exhibited the weapons that helped her become the top junior in the world, her lefty serve and forehand. When it appeared Townsend had the match in hand, Cornet fought back, winning five straight games to take the set 6-4. For most players, when they experience a let down such as Townsend’s, the following set most often times is a quick one. However, the final set proved to be the most enticing of all.

With the French crowd firmly against the 18-year-old American, Townsend exhibited the guts and determination equivalent to Serena Williams. Townsend showed no signs of disappointment after failing to close out the match in straights sets. If anything, losing the second set motivated the American to finish out the match in winning fashion.

When Townsend closed out the match 6-4 in the third, I was overcome with emotion. Why do you ask? It is performances like Townsend’s that inspire me to work hard in order to succeed. Townsend proved all the people who doubted her fitness, as well as the French crowd who fully supported their compatriot wrong. In sports and in life, you cannot teach someone a fighter’s mentality. This mentality is something that a person is born with. Taylor Townsend proved that she possesses a quality that many of the tennis legends displayed during their careers. If Townsend can retain the attitude she displayed in her two-hour and half hour match with Alize Cornet, the American has a bright future ahead of her. 

What were your takeaways from the French Open? Let me know in the comments section below.

In my next blog I will be breakdown the men and women’s Wimbledon draw.  

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