A Few Quick Hits Ahead of a Jam Packed Week of Tennis Ivo Karlovic is the all-time ace leader on the ATP Tour. He just captured the Hall of Fame title in Newport, RI. I don’t think he will be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, but he’s had a hell of a career given…
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Hamburg 2016: Pablo Cuevas vs. Martin Klizan Championship Prediction
Pablo Cuevas vs. Martin Klizan Cuevas has won 2 titles in 2016 and is in his 4th tournament final of the year. Klizan won a title earlier this year and is 4-0 in career finals. Klizan is left-handed and has a big serve, but Cuevas has taken great care of his service games this week…
Bastad 2016: Ramos-Vinolas vs. Verdasco Championship Prediction
Verdasco already played another lefty this week. Will that help? Championship Prediction: Albert Ramos-Vinolas vs. Fernando Verdasco This is an interesting match-up as both Spaniards are left-handed. Everyone on tour is used to playing right-handed players. This creates a comparative advantage for left-handed players except when they play other left-handed players. Ramos-Vinolas had a great…
Newport 2016: Ivo Karlovic vs. Gilles Muller Championship Prediction
Ivo Karlovic vs. Gilles Muller Anyone thinking the 1990s are long gone hasn’t seen the tennis in Newport. Since Newport falls after Wimbledon, pressure is minimal to make the grass play like that at the All England Lawn Tennis Croquet Club (those courts slowed down in 2002). Ivo Karlovic is 37 years old and is…
International Tennis Hall of Fame: Justine Henin and Marat Safin
Henin and Safin: Backhands To Remember Justine Henin Most Vivid Memory – I vividly recall an incredible match versus Jennifer Capriati at the 2003 US Open. Their semifinal clash seemed to be a match of power versus variety and movement. Both players were excellent in this match. As was expected, Capriati hit the ball hard, but…
Hamburg 2016: Semifinal Predictions
Predicted Winners in BOLD A good overview of the 4 quarterfinal matches Renzo Olivo VS (3) Pablo Cuevas – I am taking the higher seed here in large part because Cuevas had the easier quarterfinal match. Stephane Robert VS (7) Martin Klizan – Klizan also had the easier quarterfinal match.
Newport 2016: Semifinal Prediction
Predicted Winners in BOLD (8) Donald Young VS (3) Gilles Muller – Muller has had a highly successful grass court season. Young beat Muller in a one-sided manner earlier this year, but Muller is a 6’4″ left-handed player who is solid on grass. (4) Marcos Baghdatis VS (2) Ivo Karlovic – Baghdatis has had a nice 2016 in general and played well in…
Tennis Power Ranking 2016: Murray Cuts Novak’s Lead
The 7th Tennis Power Ranking of 2016 Novak Djokovic – Nole was the first man since 1992 to win the Australian Open and French Open in the same year. Novak adds Masters 1000 titles at Indian Wells, Miami, and Madrid to his impressive 2016 results. Novak’s title at Doha is worth 250 points and his…
Wimbledon 2016: 8 Final Thoughts
Why 8? Why Not? Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber staged a final in which one player played quite well and the other played even better. In their Australian Open final earlier this year, Kerber and Williams combined to break serve 3 times in a 10 game first set. Over 21 games, there were only 2…
Tennis Abides Update – July 12, 2016
Dear readers, My computer developed problems in the middle of the 1st set of the Wimbledon final. These problems have been addressed, but this was not the best time for silence from the site. This evening I will be posting both a Wimbledon wrap-up and the newest power rankings. In the coming weeks, we should…
Tennis Abides: Dan Martin on Tennis and Life 