Predicted Winners in BOLD [4] Elina Svitolina (UKR) vs. Katerina Siniakova (CZE) – I could see one set being close, but chalk advances. [2] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs. Jana Fett (CRO) – Woz in Oz – somehow I have to come up with a tag line here. [23] Daria Gavrilova (AUS) vs. Elise Mertens (BEL) – The young…
Category: Tennis
Australian Open 2018: Day 2 Men’s Predictions
Predicted Winners in BOLD [4] Alexander Zverev (GER) vs. Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) – The big man is seeded 4th and capable of hammering his way to a title. Someone has to step up at some point from the younger tiers of players. Zverev is as good of a pick as any among the younger players at…
Australian Open 2018: Day 2 Women’s Predictions
Predicted Winners in BOLD [6] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) vs. Veronica Cepede Royg (PAR) – Pliskova has all of the qualities of a Grand Slam Champion, can being seeded 6th help her cause? [1] Simona Halep (ROU) vs. [WC] Destanee Aiava (AUS) – Halep has handled the #1 ranking reasonably well, but a 1st major would give her…
Australian Open Memories – Safin v Sampras 2002
Safin avenged his 2001 US Open semifinal loss to Sampras as both players brought out the best in each other.
Australian Open 2018: Day 1 Men’s Predictions
Predicted Winners in BOLD [3] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs. [Q] Dennis Novak (AUT) – How will Dimitrov deal with increased expectations? I am not sure, but he should win this match. [1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM) – Rafa has a very workable draw Down Under. [16] John Isner (USA) vs. Matthew Ebden (AUS) –…
Australian Open 2018: Day 1 Women’s Singles Predictions
Predicted Winners in BOLD [7] Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) vs. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) – This is not the easiest draw. Each player has won Roland Garros. Still, Ostapenko should win. [5] Venus Williams (USA) vs. Belinda Bencic (SUI) – Another interesting draw, but I think Venus’ solid 2017 earns her the benefit of the doubt. [23] Daria Gavrilova (AUS)…
Alabama Wins Another College Football Title as SEC Dominance Continues
Messy Coronations College Football in the US has a clunky system for awarding its top prize. In many cases, the top trophy is as much a matter of opinion as it is won on the field of play. In this clunky system, the Southeastern Conference or SEC has dominated in recent years. In the four…
Pancho Segura’s Wise Words on Tennis
I came across this piece from Peter Bodo regarding the late, great, Pancho Segura. This quote from Segura stood out to me as a great outlook for anyone playing tennis at any level: “It doesn’t take more than a racket and a heart to play this game,” he told ESPN in 2009. “It’s a great…
A Lifetime of Bad Tennis Computer/Video Games
Pong had a tennis quality to it. Pong was simple yet fun. Sadly, my experience with tennis based computer and video games generally topped out with Pong. It has been a hard balance for programmers to come up with a tennis game with the right level of difficulty that also actually resembles the sport of…
Happy New Year to the Readers of Tennis Abides
I hope everyone greets the New Year with a good mixture of plans, hopes, and openness to the unexpected. One can hope that the new tennis year is a good one as well.
Tennis Abides: Dan Martin on Tennis and Life 