US Open Women's Singles Predictions (Fourth Quarter)

A preview of the bottom fourth of the 2010 US Open Women's Singles draw, the Kim Clijsters Quarter.

Fourth Quarter:

Samantha Stosur AUS (5) v Elena Vesnina RUS
Bojana Jovanovski SRB v Anastasia Rodionova AUS
Sara Errani ITA v Tathiana Garbin ITA
Johanna Larsson SWE v Alisa Kleybanova RUS (28)

This section features two formidable but sputtering seeds, both of whom could conceivably lose in the first round.  But I see both Sam Stosur and Alisa Kleybanova making it to the third round, where Stosur's first strike abilities should contrast fascinatingly with Kleybanova's counter-punching.  Stosur has never had much success in New York, and the surface could be too fast for her to get around her backhand the way she likes to.  But her serve should love this surface, and if her arm is feeling as good as she says it is, the erratic Aussie should be able to pile on aces in Flushing.  One player in this section who could sneak through is Anastasia Rodionova, who made the third round of the US Open last year in a run somewhat marred by the bizarre end to her upset of Sabine Lisicki in the second round, with Lisicki collapsing to the ground with an injury on match point.  But Stosur can blow any of these others off the court, so I'll stick with the seedings this time.  Predicted Round of 16er: Samantha Stosur

Daniela Hantuchova SVK (24) v Dinara Safina RUS
Vania King USA v Christina McHale USA [WC]
Zuzana Ondraskova CZE [Q] v Sybille Bammer AUT
Olga Govortsova BLR v Elena Dementieva RUS (12)

This could be a real fun section.  The Hantuchova-Safina match is definitely one to watch, though the result may have been foreshadowed by Safina's recent win over Hantuchova in New Haven.  The winner of that match faces the winner of a battle of young Americans between Vania King and Christina McHale, one which I think King should be able to eke out on experience.  Surging qualifier Zuzana Ondraskova recently made the semifinal of Budapest and the final of the challenger in Bucharest, and I think she'll be able to beat Bammer for a win that would get her into the top 100 for the first time since 2007.  Elena Dementieva will be tested early by hard hitting Olga Govortsova, but should make it through that match all the way to what I predict will be a messy third round match with Dinara Safina. Predicted Round of 16er: Elena Dementieva

Marion Bartoli FRA (13) v Edina Gallovits ROU
Virginie Razzano FRA [WC] v Klara Zakopalova CZE
Ana Ivanovic SRB v Ekaterina Makarova RUS
Timea Bacsinszky SUI v Zheng Jie CHN (21)

This is a seriously loaded octet.  Marion Bartoli should make it through Gallovits easily, but then could have her hands full with Zakopalova, who is playing some of the best tennis of her career in these last couple months.  Bartoli should get through, but it could be a long one.  The bottom half of the section is considerably trickier to predict.  Ana Ivanovic had a great run in Cincinnati, but it ended with her turning her ankle in Cincinnati, an injury that kept her out of New Haven.  Ivanovic should make it through the slumping Makarova (Ivanovic has recently practiced with southpaws Patty Schnyder and Lucie Safarova in preparation for playing the lefty Makarova), which sets up an intriguing match with Zheng Jie.  Ivanovic's biggest strength during her run in Cincinnati was her return, and for all the other strengths in her game, Zheng has one of the worst serves in the top 100.  Bartoli-Ivanovic is an intriguing match-up, one which Bartoli won recently in Stanford.  I think Bartoli gets through again, but if Ivanovic is playing with a huge amount of confidence by that point it could be a totally different story.  Predicted Round of 16er: Marion Bartoli

Petra Kvitova CZE (27) v Lucie Hradecka CZE
Elena Baltacha GBR v Petra Martic CRO
Sally Peers AUS [Q] v Aleksandra Wozniak CAN
Greta Arn HUN v Kim Clijsters BEL (2)

Like fellow surprise Wimbledon 2010 semifinalist Tsvetana Pironkova, Petra Kvitova has struggled mightily since leaving London.  She has gone 0-5 since her impressive showing, and there's no particular reason to think she'll turn it around in New York.  Hradecka is a solid, fairly consistent player who should be able to pull off the mild upset.  Kvitova's struggles make this an extremely appetizing part of the draw for Elena Baltacha to be in, and I think she'll be able to capitalize on the soft draw to make the third round of the US Open for the first time.  While the top is rather squishy, the bottom of this draw is completely solid with the presence of Kim Clijsters.  Clijsters should walk Arn,Wozniak, and Baltacha with considerable ease, a routine first week that the defending champion can't mind in the least.  Predicted Round of 16er: Kim Clijsters