Pierre's Tennisrulz Blog (get your own blog here)

Friday, August 25, 2006

2006 US Open Preview

Hello everyone and welcome back to my columns. For the past few years, I have been writing a preview for grand slams but also writing daily reports from the US Open. Good news, I'm back and as I'm leaving for New York City tomorrow, I'll be writing my columns and posting photos as well! I will be attending the first 6 days of the US Open and will thus bring you photos and comments from those. I have been fortunate enough this year to complete my "career slam" when i went to Melbourne to see the Australian Open. But I am now more than ready to head back to New York for what has always been one of my very best events.

I have now arrived in New York and after a day of shopping and walking around the city tomorrow, Monday morning I'll start my journey in Flushing Meadows, one that will include 6 days of tennis so hopefully the entire first 3 rounds of the ladies singles draw.

A lot of interesting matchups in the first round, I will comment on a few of them and do my little predictions report on here, which of course will be in competition with Todd Spiker's Backspin column as well! Starting Monday, I will also be writing reports after each day of tennis and also will publish some of my best photos in this article:)

So may this be a great week of tennis!

1st round matches of interest:

-Maria Sharapova(3) def Michaela Krajicek: I really hope to see this match (I won't go if it's on Arthur Ashe though, Krajicek is talented, has lots of fans that can create quite an atmosphere, Sharapova will win in 2 but not easy...
-Elena Vesnina def Mary Pierce(13): Vesnina has been playing better and better and Pierce has simply not practiced enough...
-Anastasia Myskina(11) def Viktoriya Azarenka: Azarenka is talented, Myskina not playing her best and has foot problems, this could go to 3 sets..
-Nicole Vaidisova(9) def Chanda Rubin: Interesting match for fans as they'll see Chanda back, but not a problem for Nicole...
-Severine Bremond def Stephanie Dubois: Huh? Yes you read right... Unfortunately, out of nearly 10 visits in New York, I think it's the first time a girl from Quebec (where I live) makes it to the main draw...! Go Steph... but she'll lack weapons against Bremond...

2nd round matches of interest:

-Daniela Hantuchova(17) def Serena Williams: tough match to call but just because of lack of play, I'll pick Dani
-Tatiana Golovin(27) def Agnieszka Radwanska: Tatiana could be tested here, experience or lack of experience from Poland's upcoming star will give Tatiana a pass to the next round...
-Lucie Safarova def Anna-Lena Groenefeld(15) - Safarova has lots of talent, it's time she put on a big win

Predictions starting 3rd round:

Mauresmo(1) def Dechy(31)
Ivanovic(16) def Hantuchova(17)
Safina(12) def Kutuzova
Hingis(8) def Fedossova
Sharapova(3) def Likhovtseva(32)
Vesnina def Li(24)
Chakvetadze(23) def Myskina(11)
Petrova(5) def Golovin(27)
Kuznetsova(6) def Zheng(29)
Vaidisova(9) def Jankovic(19)
Safarova def Kirilenko(20)
Dementieva(4) def Zvonareva(33)
Schnyder(7) def Bartoli(26)
Srebotnik(22) def Davenport(10) - it's more like predicting Davenport will not play at the Open...
Peer(21) def Schiavone(14)
Henin-Hardenne(2) def Sugiyama(28)

4th round:

Ivanovic(16) def Mauresmo(1)... would be quite a win for Ana
Hingis(8) def Safina(12)
Sharapova(3) def Vesnina
Chakvetadze(23) def Petrova(5)
Vaidisova(9) def Kuznetsova(6)
Dementieva(4) def Safarova
Schnyder(7) def Srebotnik(22)
Henin-Hardenne(2) def Peer(21)

QF:

Ivanovic(16) def Hingis(8)
Sharapova(3) def Chakvetadze(23)
Vaidisova(9) def Dementieva(4)
Henin-Hardenne(2) def Schnyder(7)

SF:

Sharapova(3) def Ivanovic(16)
Henin-Hardenne(2) def Vaidisova(9)

Final:

Henin-Hardenne(2) def Sharapova(3)

Have a great week of tennis, and I'm looking forward to writing back on Monday about what I will have seen:)

# posted by Pierre : 4:53 AM  

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