2009 Sony Ericsson Open – Nick’s Picks – Women’s Singles Round 2
Nick’s Picks will be coming to you live from The Sony Ericsson Open from March 25th-29th. Follow along for predictions, picks, and insight into the tournament on the blog and on TennisWeek.com.
Serena Williams (USA) vs. Alexa Glatch (USA)
Serena is a special lady and will give her opponents everything she has and then more. She has won this title five times in her career, including the last two years and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her in the winner’s circle again in 2009.
Glatch is a 19-year old up-and-coming American who is currently ranked #124 in the world. She received a wild card into the main draw and then dispatched of Timea Bacsinszky 6-4, 6-1 in the first round. She’s a tall, athletic girl who hits offensively from both sides and is fun to watch!
Match-Up:
This is the first career meeting between these two Americans and it should be an exciting match for the fans. Serena will run for every ball and control play. She will also come to the net and put pressure on her young opponent. Glatch cannot just keep the ball in play and hope for mistakes from Serena. She has to go for her shots and hope Serena’s serve and forehand break down. This match is on Serena’s racket and she knows it!
Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 2 sets
Venus Williams (USA) vs. Shahar Peer (ISR)
Peer had a nice win over a young up-and-comer, Tami Hendler, in the first round. She is a fan favorite in Miami and has had success here in the past. She is a competitor through and through and will never give up no matter what the score.
Venus comes in ranked #6 in the world and already has won two tournaments thus far in 2009. She has won this tournament three times before, but not since 2001. She moves around the court like a beautiful dancer and is truly a pleasure to watch.
Match-Up:
Venus is 1-0 against Peer, with that win coming in 2007 in Memphis. Peer’s strength is definitely her movement which forces her opponents to go for bigger shots. She is going to have to step it up in this match by mixing her shots wisely and by making surprise trips towards the net. Venus will do what she does best: control play, hit big serves, run for every ball and attack whenever possible.
Nick’s Pick – V.Williams in 2 sets
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs. Tamira Paszek (AUT)
Kuznetsova hasn’t played many matches this year due to injuries, and is just 7-3 in 2009. She won this title back in 2006 and reached the semis last year before falling to Serena so you know she enjoys the warm weather and purple courts of Miami!
Paszek is an 18-year old Austrian who comes into the tournament ranked #74 in the world. She did get to #35 back in 2007 and she has been to the fourth round of two different Grand Slams. She had to qualify to get in this year.
Match-Up:
Kuznetsova is 1-0 against Paszek, with that win coming at Wimbledon in 2007. There is probably no one player with a better foundation on the WTA Tour then Kuznetsova. She is as strong as a bull and her groundstrokes will keep her opponents pinned behind the baseline throughout the match. Paszek is no push over though. She is talented enough to make Kuznetsova work for every point, and if Kuznetsova isn’t feeling 100% she could find herself going home early. This is a match to keep your eye on.
Nick’s Pick – Kuznetsova in 3 sets
Jelena Dokic (AUS) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)
Dokic got through the first round with a straight-set victory over Edina Gallovits. At one point it looked like she was going to move on easily, and then she started to get frustrated and lost her focus giving away a couple of games. She cannot do that against Wozniacki.
Wozniacki is a very-talented youngster from Denmark, and if you haven’t had the chance to see her play you are missing out. She is a perennial top-ten player now and it won’t be long until she is challenging for the big titles yearly.
Match-Up:
Dokic and Wozniacki are 1-1 against each other, and both of those matches have come in 2009. Dokic won at the Australian Open, but Wozniacki beat her badly in Memphis a couple of weeks ago. This match is on Dokic. If she plays up to her ability she can win, if she loses her focus and starts to get upset she will get beat like she did in Memphis. After spending a couple of weeks with her at the NBTA, I know how intense she is on the court and that is why she is such a dynamic player. I have to give the edge to Wozniacki, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Dokic pull this one out.
Nick’s Pick – Wozniacki in 3 sets
