2008 French Open – Nick’s Pick – Women’s Singles 4th Round
Nick’s Picks will have complete coverage of the 2008 French Open, and is coming to you live from Paris!! Also, Nick is teaming with Tennis Week to provide in-depth analysis of the French Open throughout the tournament! Check out Nick’s Picks for the entire men’s and women’s draws!
Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs. Dinara Safina (RUS)
After watching Sharapova in her match yesterday, I am a firm believer that she is feeling pretty comfortable on the clay. She was in a fight in the first set with Karin Knapp, but then in the second set she imposed her will and played the game that has taken her to the top of the tennis world.
Did Safina end Henin’s career? We will never know, but she was the last person to beat the former world #1. She is an excellent clay-courter and won the title in Berlin just a couple of weeks ago (beating Serena too)!!
Match-Up:
Sharapova is 3-2 against Safina, but the two haven’t played since 2006. One thing is for sure, Sharapova doesn’t like losing to her fellow countrywoman and you know she is going to be prepared in this match. Like I mentioned before, she looks at home on the clay and will try to dominate play from the outset. If it is rainy, the clay will be slow and could cause some odd bounces which would hurt Sharapova. The dryer the surface, the more it favors her. Safina has groundstrokes as big as her brothers, and is not afraid to use them. Sharapova doesn’t want this match to go three sets, and I think she will come in focused and ready to win.
Nick’s Pick – Sharapova in 2 sets
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs. Victoria Azarenka (BLR)
Kuznetsova has been here before, and knows what to expect in this match. She has as good of chance as anyone left to win this title, and I wouldn’t for a second doubt her abilities. To me, she has the best foundation on the WTA Tour and she knows to how maximize her strengths.
Before this year, Azarenka had lost in the first round of the French Open in both appearances she had made. This year it is a different story. In her third round match she only lost two games, and in the second round she “double-bageled” her opponent! Suffice to say, she is playing well.
Match-Up:
Kuznetsova is 2-0 against Azarenka, including a win over her earlier this year in Miami. Azarenka is tall, rangy, and has big groundstrokes. To win this match she is going to have to try and push Kuznetsova back behind the baseline. That is not an easy task, because Kuznetsova is so strong and fit that she hardly ever gives up any ground. Azarenka’s game fits well into the style of play that Kuznetsova can handle, and I think she will.
Nick’s Pick – Kuznetsova in 2 sets
Jelena Jankovic (SRB) vs. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)
Despite being seeded third, Jankovic has been very quiet at this year’s French Open. She has yet to drop a set, and I think she has to be considered as a strong favorite to win this tournament. Last year she reached the semis, and I am sure she would be very disappointed if she didn’t get back.
If you haven’t seen this 19-year old Polish girl play, you need to! She has already won two titles in 2008, with her most recent coming last week at Istanbul (on clay). She has one of the brightest futures on the WTA Tour, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her in the top 10 very soon.
Match-Up:
This will be the first career match between Jankovic and Radwanska. Both girls are fierce competitors, and get lots and lots of balls back. Simply put, Radwanska doesn’t make many mistakes. She is extremely consistent, takes the ball early, and seems very comfortable sliding on the clay.
In my opinion, Jankovic is the best athlete on the WTA Tour. Her two-handed backhand is a beautiful shot, but her real weapon is her fitness. That is what I believe will be the difference in this match. She moves across the court unbelievably, and frustrates her opponents by making them hit one extra shot than they want to. When you combine that with the fact that she doesn’t have any mental breakdowns anymore, you have a champion in the making.
Nick’s Pick – Jankovic in 3 sets
Patty Schnyder (SUI) vs. Katarina Srebotnik (SLO)
Schnyder is playing in her lucky 13th career French Open. In her previous 12 tries, she has been to the quarterfinals once and the fourth round five times. Her results on clay this year have been pretty solid, as she has been to the quarters at both Charleston and Rome.
Srebotnik pulled off the upset of the tournament so far, taking out Serena Williams in the third round. She had played her at Charleston earlier this year, and lost in three sets, but said that experience helped her out dramatically in this match. This is only the second time in 10 appearances that she has been past the third round at Roland Garros.
Match-Up:
These two veterans have played three times previously, with Schnyder winning two of those matches. Schnyder is a crafty lefty, who excels on the clay. This is because she knows how to slide, can change the pace, and hits a variety of shots from anywhere on the court. We already saw Srebotnik pull off one big upset, so she is certainly capable of another one. I just think Schnyder’s experience and clay-court prowess will be too much for the 27-year old Slovenian.
Nick’s Pick – Schynder in 3 sets
[...] Jankovic in 3 sets [...]
2008 French Open - Nick’s Pick Grid « Grand Slam Professional Tennis Predictions and Picks by Nick Bollettieri. US Open, French Open, Wimbledon, Australian Open said this on May 31, 2008 at 1:23 pm |