I think everyone is hitting on why I didn't do a bracket. I kept vacillating between different players winning this or that. And as we saw, I thought the two titlists and one of the finalists from last week could possibly do well. They all lost. While the fourth finalist, that I didn't mention, because I don't care about her is Garcia, is the only one that was seeded and she won. So my choices are rarely rational. I like to think they are. Because I put reasons behind them. But if I think it about it, it's probably just reasons I come up with to justify my emotional choices.
Good win for Osaka today. Doesn't look good. But she played terribly and found a way through. Found that inner confidence or voice or whatever that has allowed her to make herself a champion. So she showed her champion side today. Of course, AKS is not exactly the most difficult player to come back against. So she had help. Match was entirely on Osaka's racket. A bunch of errors. But a bunch or winners. The better returner. The better point constructor. The easy power. Just the better player.
I'm sad I missed the Vika/Ostapenko match. I probably would have found it frustrating. But it sounds like it was fun nonetheless. Glad to see Vika through. Ostapenko now with two first round exits after winning the title. Definitely doesn't look good. BUT... while she's not been good at all this year, she's made two straight Wimbledon quarters, including the semis last year. I think her run to the semis last year was partially because she got a very good draw. Everything fell apart for her to have to play basically no one to the quarters. Though Flipkens had been to the Wimbledon semis before. Then beat Cibulkova before falling to Kerber playing some of the best tennis of her career. She won Wimbledon in the juniors. So Wimbledon really may be where she has her best results. Thrilled to see Vika through. Osaka can definitely beat her. But she can definitely beat Osaka. Neither of them is at home on clay. So hopefully it'll be a great match. Huge Osaka fan. Would not be sad to see her win. But will definitely be rooting for Vika. Been a huge fan of hers longer and am just looking to see her build her ranking back up. But Osaka still probably the better player at this point. At least her second serve isn't useless. But if she plays like she did today, Vika will definitely take advantage.
The second round is shaping up to have some really nice matches actually. Osaka/Vika, Collins/Barty, Kenin/Andreescu, Sabalenka/Anisimova, Stephens/Sorribes Tormo, Potapova/Vondrousova, Mladenovic/Martic, Hseih/Petkovic, Kasatkina/Puig.
Muchova picked up right where she left off after Prague and beat Kontaveit. I thought Kontaveit would win that one fairly easily actually because Muchova hadn't played since Prague. But her pretty good spring continues. Failed to qualify here last year. So it'll add at least a little ranking points for her. And she definitely has an opportunity against Begu. Though Begu will definitely see it as an opening in her draw as well. Not sure how that one will go at all. The French has been her best slam, by a good bit. And she's defending a 3rd round from last year. And this entire quarter opened up when Kvitova pulled out. Sabalenka will definitely feel like she's got an opening. But, the way she's been playing, I wouldn't be surprised to see Anisimova beat her. Or Begu if she makes the third round. Or Muchova either. And the 4th round could be anyone from Alexandrova/Stosur and Bolsova/Cirstea. No idea who wins ANY of these matches. Sabalenka the most powerful probably. Obviously the highest ranked. Played sublime tennis to finish last year. But really has not been great this year and definitely not this clay season. So I can't really pick her either. Wide open eighth of the draw. Halep will probably beat whoever shows up. But... of course Halep isn't unbeatable. Currently down a break early in the second set. I can't imagine Tomljanovic having the goods to win the match though. The quarter is definitely Halep's for the taking. Should Sabalenka make it to Halep. She's got the power and game to beat her. No doubt. But Halep could certainly drub her too. Or grind it out more likely.
