Stuttgart 2015: Championship Prediction – Kerber vs. Wozniacki

ANGELIQUE KERBER vs. CAROLINE WOZNIACKI H2H I have gone back and forth in my own mind about who wins this match.  At first, I figured Wozniacki would have momentum from her semifinal win and that Kerber might be due for a loss.  Then I looked at their head-to-head and saw Kerber has won 5 of their previous 7…

Bucharest 2015: Championship Prediction – Vesely vs. Garcia-Lopez

[7] Jiri Vesely (CZE) v [5] Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) H2H Will youth be served?  Jiri is 10 years younger than GGL.  GGL is a solid competitor who is not going to beat himself.  Vesely is a 6’6″ lefty with more weapons.  This is one of those do you pick a steady player who knows how big…

Barcelona 2015: Championship Prediction – Nishikori vs. Andujar

Pablo Andujar vs. Kei Nishikori This is not the final anyone was expecting.  Kei Nishikori is the #1 seed and defending champion so he was supposed to be here.  Pablo Andujar is not the Spaniard most of us expected (Rafael Nadal) or the Spaniard many of us expected (David Ferrer).  Does Andujar have a chance?…

Stuttgart 2015: Semifinal Predictions

Predicted Winners in BOLD [4] CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN) V [2] SIMONA HALEP (ROU) – This match is worth the price of admission.  Each player is quite fit and can make fitness an issue for an opponent with determined retrieving.  Wozniacki has not yet found her 2014 level in 2015.  Halep could use some clay court momentum…

Bucharest 2015: Semifinal Predictions

Predicted Winners in BOLD Play it again Jiri Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) v [7] Jiri Vesely (CZE) – Jiri has never won a head-to-head match vs. the Spaniard.  It is telling that two of the semifinalists in Romania are from Spain despite the unofficial Spanish national title being held this week in Barcelona.  Spain has a…

Barcelona 2015: Semifinal Predictions

Who doesn’t love Spanish guitar? Predicted Winners in BOLD I thought Rafa would be in the final 4, but this is a nice slate of matches. [1] Kei Nishikori (JPN) v [14] Martin Klizan (SVK) – Kei is handling the pressure of defending 500 points pretty well.  Klizan will need to push Nishikori backwards to…

TENNIS: Barcelona tournament ´special´ – Nadal

Originally posted on Sportcracker:
Rafael Nadal claimed the Barcelona Open was one of the few ATP World Tour tournaments played at a “real” tennis club. The world number four, and eight-time Barcelona champion, has been practising at the Real Club de Tennis, ahead of his first-up clash with fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro. Nadal will take…

Barcelona R2 previews and picks: Nadal vs. Almagro, Gulbis vs. Paire

Originally posted on The Grandstand:
Rafael Nadal will kick off his Barcelona campaign on Wednesday against familiar foe and fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro. Ernests Gulbis and Benoit Paire are also in second-round action. Nicolas Almagro vs. (2) Rafael Nadal Nadal and Almagro will be squaring off for the 13th time in their careers when they…

How Big Can Tennis Abides Get?

This map reflects countries from which Tennis Abides has had visitors as of 4-19-2015 I launched my own tennis site during the 2011 US Open.  It has been a lot of fun and resulted in some unexpected moments.  Jon Wertheim has referenced Tennis Abides a few times.  Jimmy Connors and Brad Gilbert have sent me…

Barcelona and Bucharest previews and predictions

Originally posted on The Grandstand:
Rafael Nadal will be looking to get back on track when he resumes his clay-court spring this week in Barcelona. That is exactly what Nadal managed to do in 2013, when he lost the Monte-Carlo final to Novak Djokovic then captured the Barcelona title without dropping a single set. Last…