Istanbul 2015: Federer vs. Cuevas Prediction

Roger Federer vs. Pablo Cuevas The first meeting between these two comes in the first ever Istanbul final.  Cuevas has reached 3 clay court finals in the past 2 seasons.  He took a title earlier this year in Sao Paulo.  He also just soundly beat Grigor Dimitrov who provides ideal sparring prior to facing Federer….

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Estoril 2015: Gasquet vs. Kyrgios Prediction

Nick Kyrgios vs. Richard Gasquet H2H These two have played twice with Gasquet winning a one-sided match on clay and Kyrgios winning a 5 set classic at Wimbledon 2014.  Gasquet has an experience advantage as Kyrgios is playing in his first tournament final.  Gasquet holds 11 career titles.  Everything on paper suggests Gasquet may clip…

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Munich 2015: Murray vs. Kohlschreiber Prediction

Andy Murray vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber H2H These two produced an instant classic at Roland Garros last year.  I like the contrast in stroke production between two players who use different techniques to produce all of the shots in tennis.  This should be a fun match.  Clay is probably the surface that gives Kohlschreiber the best…

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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…

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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…

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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?…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…