US Open Women's Singles Predictions (Second Quarter)

The final section of the 2010 US Open Women's Singles Draw for us to preview is the second fourth, the Jelena Jankovic Quarter.

Second Quarter:

Jelena Jankovic SRB (4) v Simona Halep ROU
Alicia Molik AUS v Mirjana Lucic CRO [Q]
Chanelle Scheepers RSA v Akgul Amanmuradova UZB [Q]
Alize Cornet FRA v Kaia Kanepi EST (31)

This is a real odd part of the draw to work out.  The player of these eight who comes into this event playing the most formidable tennis is a qualifier, Akgul Amanmuradova.  Amanmuradova (a recent TDF interviewee), made the quarterfinals of the huge WTA event in Cincinnati a couple weeks ago, a run that included a win over top-seeded Jelena Jankovic.  That loss was one of the several iffy defeats Jankovic has suffered since retiring in back to back tournaments (Wimbledon and Portoroz), so she comes into this tournament devoid of the confidence that should be expected of a top four seed.  But Jankovic has always played well in New York, and I think she'll be able to use her easy first two rounds (Simona Halep is far more famous for her breast reduction surgery than for her tennis)  to get ready for a tough test from either Kanepi or Amanmuradova (I picked Amanmuradova to make it through to the third round in large part because her first round is much easier). Predicted Round of 16er: Jelena Jankovic

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez ESP (22) v Jamie Hampton USA [WC]
Kirsten Flipkens BEL v Patty Schnyder SUI
Romina Oprandi ITA v Julia Goerges GER
Alla Kudryavtseva RUS v Yanina Wickmayer BEL (15)

It's pretty easy to put 2009 US Open semifinalist Yanina Wickmayer through to the fourth round, but I have little idea what to do with the rest of this mess.  Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez is easily the most talented WTA player currently ranked outside the top twenty, as proven by her storm to the title in Rome this spring.  But an injury at the French Open completely derailed her season, and her play has yet to recover.  The problem is, there isn't anyone up in her nook of the draw I can trust to beat even a gimpy MJMS, though I put my faith in Patty Schnyder for lack of better options.  Kirsten Flipkens could also make it through to the third round without turning many heads, but she's been out with injury for too long for me to trust her immediately.  Predicted Round of 16er: Yanina Wickmayer

Agnieszka Radwanska POL (9) v Arantxa Parra Santonja ESP
Shuai Peng CHN v Shelby Rogers USA [WC]
Bethanie Mattek-Sands USA v Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP
Andrea Petkovic GER v Nadia Petrova RUS (17)

After a stretch time where she seemed more occupied with married life than tennis, Bethanie Mattek-Sands is back to playing the type of tennis she had before adding the hyphen.  It's a shame for her to face her frequent doubles partner Nadia Petrova in the second round, because she could have made a nice run with a better set up.  Petrova should make it through to the third round where she'll face Agnieszka Radwanska in what will be a great contrast in styles.  I think Radwanska will make it through, but I don't have any particular rationale behind that call.  Predicted Round of 16er: Agnieszka Radwanska

Alexandra Dulgheru ROU (25) v Julie Coin FRA
Sofia Arvidsson SWE v Sorana Cirstea ROU
Coco Vandeweghe USA [WC] v Sabine Lisicki GER
Zuzana Kucova SVK [Q] v Vera Zvonareva RUS (7)

I could see any of the four women in the top part of this octet coming through to the third round.  Dulgheru is the seed, Coin made the third round of this tournament in 2008 (a run highlighted by an upset of top-seeded Ana Ivanovic), Arvidsson just made the finals of the big challenger in The Bronx, and Cirstea has the most raw talent of the four.  I think Arvidsson's recent form counts for the most, so I'll take her to make it to an eventual third round match up with Vera Zvonareva.  I have Zvonareva making it through to the fourth round (the same round where she had a meltdown against Flavia Pennetta last year in an excellent night match), but she will have to really work for it against enormously powerful American wild card Coco Vandeweghe.  Vandeweghe actually upset Zvonareva in San Diego earlier this summer, a result which I think actually bodes well for Zvonareva, in that it will prevent her from being caught off-guard again.  But Coco could just as well make it through Zvonareva again, and if she does there's absolutely no reason she couldn't become the Melanie Oudin of 2010 with this draw.  Predicted Round of 16er: Vera Zvonareva