US Open Women's First Round Upset Predictions

With the women's US Open draw officially out, it is now time to make bold predictions and predict upsets that will look foolish within 30 minutes of play beginning on Monday. But, alas, I will still try my best to predict the big upsets that I think will occur in the US Open women's tournament. For the purposes of this post, upset predictions will be made based on non-seeds beating seeds and not on the odds for each match.

US Open Women's First Round Upset Predictions

Sabine Lisicki to beat Shuai Zhang (27) in three sets: I am making this prediction for two reasons. First, despite having a good week in New Haven, including a straight sets victory over Petra Kvitova, Zhang had to pull out of the Connecticut Open with injury. I could tell she wasn't 100% healthy when she took a medical timeout in the Round of 16 against Magda Linette, and that was proven to be the case when she withdrew from the tournament. Second, Lisicki played well enough in Washington, making the Quarterfinals, that I feel confident enough that she will capitalize on this opportunity and win the match.

Lucie Safarova to beat Anett Kontaveit (26) in three sets: I'm not very confident about this one, but I saw enough in Toronto for me to think that she will pull the upset. Safarova won three matches in Toronto, including impressive victories over Dominika Cibulkova and Ekaterina Makarova. Yes, she lost to Sloane Stephens in Toronto and Cincinnati, but I think that's more of a matchup problem as opposed to anything regarding Lucie's form. Kontaveit form has also cooled off recently, losing in the First Round of Cincinnati and New Haven.

Camila Giorgi to beat Magdalena Rybarikova (31) in three sets: These two just played in Cincinnati, with Giorgi winning in two sets. I am not convinced of Rybarikova as a top-echelon player. Yes, she played amazing tennis at Wimbledon that showed how much variety she has in her arsenal, but I don't think she can sustain top tennis in the long haul. Yes, Rybarikova won in New Haven in 2014, but she didn't make it out of qualifying in Cincinnati nor New Haven, and the only reason she made it out of qualifying in Toronto is because she got into the draw as a lucky loser. Giorgi also looked very good in Cincinnati and came within one set of the Quarterfinals.

Ashleigh Barty to beat Ana Konjuh (21) in two sets: Barty looked great in Cincinnati. She qualified and made the Round of 16 of Cincinnati and had a very impressive win over Venus Williams. Until she played Caroline Wozniacki in the Round of 16, she had only dropped one set in qualifying and the main draw combined. Barty also qualified and made the Round of 16 in Toronto, coming within one set of the Quarterfinals. Konjuh, meanwhile, has lost three matches in a row, which included a retirement in Toronto.

Sofia Kenin to beat Lauren Davis (32) in three sets: Davis has lost six matches in a row, not winning a match since Eastbourne, where (despite winning a qualifying match) the only reason she got into the main draw and not out in the Final Qualifying Round was because she was a lucky loser. In her six match losing streak, she has only won one set and won nine games combined in the past two matches. Kenin did lose in qualifying of Cincinnati and New Haven, but earlier this summer won an ITF tournament in Stockton, made the Final of another in Lexington, and made the Semifinals of another in Sacramento.

The popular upset pick will probably be Maria Sharapova to beat Simona Halep (2), given the 6-0 head to head lead for Sharapova and the fact that she has five majors to Halep's zero. However, I don't see it happening. Sharapova has played only a single match since retiring in Rome, and had to withdraw from the next tournament she played in Stanford. And she was taken to three sets in that match in Stanford that she did play against Jennifer Brady. I don't think Sharapova has the matchplay necessary to beat Halep, and so I think Simona wins that match in three sets.

Three Bold Predictions and Draw Projections for Wimbledon Women

On Friday, the Wimbledon men and women's draw came out, allowing every tennis pundit the opportunity to make predictions and projections that will look laughable in two weeks.  But, part of the fun of the draw is making these prognostications, being that pundit who "called" the big upset.  I will do my best to make my readers proud, with a goal of one bold prediction coming through.  So, what do I expect to happen for the women in London?

Three Bold Predictions

 - Camila Giorgi will make the Quarterfinals.  Yes, this does sound crazy given Giorgi's form, or lack thereof.  Giorgi had to pull out of the Ricoh Open in the Netherlands, a title she was defending, and lost her opening matches in both Birmingham and Eastbourne.  She is under a lot of pressure to pick up a decent haul of points at Wimbledon due to the rankings drop that came with losing those Rosmalen points.  And, given Giorgi disastrous Third Round against Wozniacki last year, is she Giorgi not good enough for the biggest stages of tennis?

Giorgi's draw initially seems as if it wouldn't help her cause but I see reason for hope.  Her opening round against Muguruza will be a huge moment for Garbine, as well.  This will be only the second match for Muguruza following her win at Roland Garros, and her first major.  Not only that, but as the defending Finalist, she has a ton of points to defend, in addition to the new pressures on her shoulders.  It's also important to note that Camila leads the H2H 2-1.  I believe Giorgi's powerful game with overwhelm a stunned Muguruza and that she will advance.  Although she had a good run in Mallorca, Mariana Duque-Marino is a clay courter and should not present problems for Camila in the Second Round (based upon my projections).  In the Third Round I have Giorgi playing Lucie Safarova, and although she has had success here in the past, Safarova's poor recent form suggests that Giorgi could send Lucie packing, as well.  In the Round of 16, I believe Camila will take on equally-as-erratic Sabine Lisicki, a former Wimbledon Finalist.  I think a confident Giorgi goes toe-to-toe with Lisicki in a wild match, winning it in three sets.  Then, in the Quarterfinals, Giorgi will lose to Venus Williams.

- Tsetvana Pironkova will make the Semifinals.  Normally, drawing the seven seed is a recipe for a First Round exit, but given Bencic's recent absence on tour, the confidence Pironkova got from her run in Paris, and her history at Wimbledon, and all of a sudden, it seems as if the fortnight will be good to Tsetvana.  As I mentioned earlier, Bencic has just returned from injury, and I watched much of her run to the Ricoh Open semis, and was not impressed by her game.  It seems as if Belinda has lost some of the punch on her groundstrokes.  From there, I think Pironkova easily dismisses Andrea Petkovic, who's counterpuncher style is not the best for grass.

From there, I foresee Pironkova taking on Petra Kvitova, two-time Champion, and Agnieszka Radwanska, former Wimbledon Finalist.  In regards to the Kvitova match, last year's loss to Jankovic, when Petra looked to be in red-hot form showed me that Kvitova on any given day can just play disastrously.  I also think that Kvitova has lost a lot of the confidence she gained from that 2014 title, and has gone off the rails a bit lately.  Pironkova will win that match in what, like for Lisicki-Giorgi, should be a wild affair.  Radwanska has not impressed me with her grass court play this season.  She looked lethargic in her loss to Coco Vandeweghe in Birmingham, and collapsed from a set-and-a-break up against Dominka Cibulkova in Eastbourne.  Radwanska seems to have even loss some of the touch that she is famous for.  Pironkova will surprise again and win that match to reach the Semifinals, before ultimately losing to Serena Williams.

- The Final will be contested between the Williams sisters.  Yes, we will get another Final between Venus and Serena Williams.  For Serena to get to number 22, she will have to go through her sister, who will be desperate for another major to help cap off a brilliant career.  The drama, the storylines, and the high level of play will help make this an extraordinary Wimbledon Final.  The two have played 27 times, with the head-to-head very tight, Serena leading 16-11.  And while Serena won easily at Wimbledon last year, the two played a very tight match the US Open last year, Serena taking it in three sets.

As a tennis fan, this is the type of match you want to see.  And I believe we will see it on one of the biggest stages of tennis, two weeks from today.  A five-time Wimbledon champion, with seven majors, battling a six-time Wimbledon champion, with 21 majors.  So yes, I predict this match will be the Final, and it will surely be a treat to watch.

Draw Projections

 - Quarterfinals:
Serena Williams defeats Coco Vendeweghe in two sets
Tsetvana Pironkova defeats Agnieszka Radwanska in three sets
Angelique Kerber defeats Madison Keys in three sets
Venus Williams defeats Camila Giorgi in two sets

- Semifinals
Serena Williams defeats Tsetvana Pironkova in three sets
Venus Williams defeats Angelique Kerber in three sets

- Final
Serena Williams defeats Venus Williams in three sets.