WIMBLEDON 2015 – TENNIS NEWS: GLOBAL CHICK LOOKS OVER THE LADIES DRAW, HER OVERVIEW

Written by: Global Chick on 26th June 2015

WIMBLEDON 2015 – TENNIS NEWS: GLOBAL CHICK LOOKS OVER THE LADIES DRAW, HER OVERVIEW |

Photo by Lovey.

Wimbledon 2015 – Global Chick breaks down the women’s draw

Once again the Slam draw on the women’s side could be one of the most open draws we have seen in recent times. We have former champions, finalists and the field of the fearless WTA Rising Stars all jostling for position.

We have been hanging out with the best of them in Birmingham and Eastbourne this week, and it has been pretty interesting – with both events as Premiers, they have attracted high-class fields, and even allowing for some high profile withdrawals here and there, we have had a chance to see some great grass court skill this week.

A general view during the quarter final between Johanna Konta of Great Britain and Belinda Bencic of Switzerland on day five of the Aegon International at Devonshire Park on June 25, 2015 in Eastbourne, England. (Photo by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images for LTA)

Top Half:

Top Quarter

You can never count out Serena Williams on grass, even if she admits it might not be her best surface, it is made for that socking serve and powerful groundstrokes. Her touch at the net from her equally impressive doubles record is not to be sniffed at, and for the most part we always feel like it is on her racquet to lose.

She could face either top Brit Heather Watson who has a chance to oust Caroline Garcia, but the Frenchwoman can be somewhat variable on the grass as a potential third rounder.

But come on now, let’s be honest – what really catches our eye is the prospect of a Serena and Venus fourth round. With a score of 3-2 in Serena’s favour on the grass, it’s hard not to see the younger sibling advancing to head up the quarter.

Carla Suarez Navarro is genuinely liked on the tour, but she picks up the challenge of Victoria Azarenka in the third round and although the Belarusian is seeded far lower, she is working her way back up at quite a pace and we think she’s still the danger-woman that no-one want to meet and we just give her that edge. Swiss teen Belinda Bencic might feel the pressure to follow the footsteps of a couple of good Swiss players (you may have heard of them) who triumphed on the lawns of SW19, as she continues deep in the draw in Eastbourne, and against Ana Ivanovic who really underperformed on the grass this season, we would have to give the edge to rounding out the quarter to Azarenka.

Prediction: Serena v Azarenka

Second Quarter

Maria Sharapova says she is ready to relive that amazing baby-faced triumph that catapulted her into stardom, and she will look to smash British hearts as Johanna Konta (who had an outstanding run on the grass in Eastbourne) in the opening round, as she eyes up a potential fourth round clash with Andrea Petkovic in the fourth round.

But the German has been playing some super-aggressive tennis this week in Eastbourne, and although she does lead their head to head, Petkovic is pretty driven after her clay court season was pretty much trounced with injury and food poisoning.

A lot of hopes will be pinned on a loaded Czech section of the draw with WTA Rising Star and Birmingham finalist Karolina Pliskova looking set for a battle with tough Aussie battler Sam Stosur while Barbora Strycova and Lucie Safarova could be set for a fourth round fight, although Strycova gets Sloane Stephens in the first round. Stephens is another player who has had a deep run in Eastbourne and has adjusted well to the grass this season.

Safarova, who made her first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros made her breakthrough last year when she reached the semi-finals and as sixth seed we would expect her to shine, even if she did wilt in Eastbourne this week.

Prediction: Sharapova v Safarova

Bottom Half

Third Quarter:

Caroline Wozniacki kicks off the bottom half of our draw preview. She has also been gracing the courts of Eastbourne this week and has been putting in some fine performances and fight-backs and looks set to face Camila Giorgi in the third round. Now this could well be interesting – the feisty Italian (do they come in any other variety?) edges her 2-1 in their head to head, but the Dane has the edge on grass.

With Garbine Muguruza still not particularly convincing on grass, we have to put Birmingham champion and one time semi-finalist Angelique Kerber right up there as smacker-of-the-ball most likely to make the quarter-finals as she enjoys a decent head to head lead over the Dane. Either way that fourth round should be a good fight of they both bring their A-game.

Can one of the most enduring stories of this season, Timea Bacsinszky continue her fine run? We think former finalist Sabine Lisicki might have something to say about that as she looks to continue her own good form on grass. The German had a solid run in Birmingham and is certainly our favourite to make the fourth round.

Simona Halep really needs to kick start herself a little – she had a great start to the year, and while we have been very impressed with her attitude especially after she has admitted that at times pressure has gotten to her, she is in a pretty winnable section of the draw for someone of her skills, even allowing for Lisicki on grass (Halep beat her last year in the quarter-final).

Prediction: Kerber v Halep

Bottom quarter:

Still with us? Good. We would love to go out on a limb and say that the always dramatic Alize Cornet could reign eternal over Ekaterina Makarova (who crashed out of Eastbourne) but in a Slam, the Russian seems to save her consistency for the big stage.

It would be good to see if Keys can make the best of a curtailed grass court season after the flu kiboshed her chances of her first title defence, and she could face a troubled Genie Bouchard. The Canadian had to withdraw in Eastbourne with an abdominal strain and no-one clobbers the ball as hard as Keys, so this could be a humdinger of a match, and I would like Keys to emulate her great coach Lindsay Davenport in making a run at the Wimbledon title.

It has been fantastic to see Agnieszka Radwanska play some excellent grass court tennis this week. The trademark shots down low, and some outstanding serving in her quarter-final sees her looking more confident than we have seen her in quite some time.

Another of our favourites Jelena Jankovic has also strung together some decent performances on a surface that does not always lend itself to her defensive counter-punching style, but really who cares when she is always so entertaining.

And who can forget our defending champion, Petra Kvitova. Much like Halep, I have been so impressed with her attitude this year in terms of dealing with stuff (i.e. not being afraid to take off a couple of months for exhaustion) and kindling a love affair on the clay, especially in Madrid. But this is her domain. Battering the fluff off the ball, she is quite honestly a shoe-in to the quarter-finals for us. She was out-battered by Keys at the Australian Open… but can the American do it again to the Queen on her court?

Prediction: Keys v Kvitova

It is strawberries and cream time – you know it. Get ready as Wimbledon starts on Monday 29 June.

Wimbledon 2015 Ladies’ Singles Draw - click here

Topics: Ana Ivanovic, Birmingham, Caroline Wozniacki, Eastbourne, Genie Bouchard, global chick, Heather Watson, Lucie Safarova, Madison Keys, Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova, Sabine Lisicki, Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka, Wimbledon 2015, Wta

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June 26, 2015 at 8:31 am

#Wimbledon2015 – TENNIS NEWS: GLOBAL CHICK LOOKS OVER THE LADIES DRAW, HER OVERVIEW- http://t.co/PFvxAQc2sj #WimbledonAwaits #tennis #wta