TENNIS TUESDAY: France Wins Fed Cup Merci A Kiki; Zverev, Thiem and Tsistipas Get Surprising Wins at #ATPFinals

KIKI STEALS THE SHOW AS FRANCE WINS FED CUP IN PERTH

Much to the surprise of many observers, France defeated Australia in the Davis Cup Final held in Perth, Australia last weekend. After the first two matches were 6-1 6-1 France (Kiki Mladenovic d. Ajla Tomljanovic) and 6-0 6-0 Australia (Ash Barty d. Caroline Garcia), most people expected the World #1 to lead her team to their first Fed Cup in 45 years. But after leading 6-2 against Mladenovic Barty's game went off and eventually she lost in a 3rd set tie-break. Amazingly, Tomljanovic was able to win her match to even the tie at 2-all but then Garcia and Mladenovic teamed up to win the decisive doubles tie against Barty and Samantha Stosur and victory for France.

SOME SURPRISING RESULTS AT THE 2019 ATP YEAR END CHAMPIONSHIPS

The ATP Year-End Championship is happening now in London. Currently called the Nitto ATP Finals, it will be moving to Turin, Italy in 2020. Although it started off slowly, there have been some surprising results. Dominic Thiem has defeated Roger Federer for the third time this year. He followed up that win with a 3rd set tiebreak victory over Novak Djokovic which many people are calling the best 3-set men's match of the year. However, in the even more surprising results section is the fact that both Alexander Zverev and Stefans Tsitsipas defeated players whom they had 0-5 head-to-head records against in straight sets. Zverev defeated World #1 Rafael Nadal and Tsitsipas defeated Daniil Medvedev.

TENNIS TUESDAY: Nole,Rafa Suffer Shock Clay Defeats; Fognini Wins Monte Carlo Masters; Fed Cup Final Is FRA v AUS;

FOGNINI WINS FIRST MASTERS SERIES SHIELD IN MONTE CARLO
Amazingly, the flamboyant and talented Fabio Fognini, 31,  won his first ATP Masters series event in Monte Carlo by following up his stunning defeat of Rafael Nadal with a relatively tight 6-3 6-4 win over Dusan Lajovic who beat the person who took out Djokovic the round before. Lajovic became the lowest seeded player in Monte Carlo in 18 years while Fognini became the first Italian player to win the Monte Carlo tournament in 50 years, and only the fourth player to win the tournament in the last 15 years since Nadal has won it 11 times, Djokovic twice, and Stan Wawrinka once (2014). It was  aoyhood dream for Fognini, who was born a short 40-minute drive away in San Remo, just over the border in Italy and often visited the famous tennis club as a youngster.

DJOKOVIC AND NADAL SUFFER SHOCK CLAY COURT LOSSES
In Monte Carlo, the two best players in the world, #1 Novak Djokovic and #2 Rafael Nadal both suffered shock upsets to start  their clay court season. Djokovic lost to Daniil Medvedev in the Monte Carlo quarterfinals in a tough 3-set match, while Nadal lost what he called "his worst clay court match in 14 years" to Fabio Fognini in the semifinals 6-4 6-2. Nadal was down 5-0 in the second set with Fognini serving for a bagel set before staging a mini-comeback that was ultimately unsuccessful.

FED CUP SEMIFINALS: FRA DEFEATS ROU 3-2, AUS DEFEATS BLR 3-2
Two exciting Fed Cup semifinals were played this weekend, with France utlasting Romania despite some heroics from Simona Halep to win 3-2 and Ash Barty continuing to drag her squad over the finish line, this time, against Belarus. In November France will face Australia down under!

2017 FRENCH OPEN: Women's Quarterfinals Preview

Here are my predictions for the women's quarterfinals at the 2017 French Open. Last year I correctly predicted 3 of 4 women's quarterfinals and correctly predicted 4 of 4 men's quarterfinals. This year I have also predicted the men's quarterfinals.

Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) Samantha Stosur (AUS) [23] vs Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) [11]. Ostapenko is a hard-hitting 19-year-old who eliminated a probably injured Samantha Stosur in the 4th round to reach her first career quarterfinal. There she will face former World #1 Caroline Wozniacki who has been playing excellent tennis all year but has been unlucky in the multiple tour finals she has been in. Wozniacki delivered a rare double bagel in her 2nd round match and outlasted 2009 French Open champ Svetlana Kuznetsova in the 4th round to reach her 9th career quarterfinal. Surprisingly these two have already met 3 times in the last year, including twice on clay and the younger player has won every time. Can Woz turn things around this time? I think the person who can play the most nerve-free tennis will win, and there youth usually has an advantage. PREDICTION: Ostapenko.

Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) [13] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) [4] vs Venus Williams (USA) [9] Timea Bacsinsky (SUI) [30].  This should have been a marquee showdown between two major champions but both stumbled on their way to this quarterfinal berth. Kiki Mladenovic took out the defending champion in yet another dramatic 3-set battle, again utilizing the partisan French course to power her to her best ever showing at her home slam. For the second year in a row, Bascinszky took out Venus Williams in the 4th round of Roland Garros, although this time it was a 3-set thriller, where the Swiss player's movement and unorthodox game befuddled her more powerful opponent, leading to double-break advantages in all three sets they played. Last year, Mladenovic won the women's singles title here with fellow quarterfinalist Caroline Garcia but has recently strongly criticized her former partner for ending their partnership with a text. It would be quite a drama if one or both of them ended up in the singles final this year. PREDICTION: Mladenovic.

Elina Svitolina (UKR) [5] vs Simona Halep (ROU) [3].  This showdown is the most anticipated match of the clay court season. These are the two best players on the surface this year, and most analysts believe whoever wins this match has probably the best chance to win the 2017 Roland Garros title. The two met in the final of Rome, which Halep was on the way ti winner when she injured her ankle which made her questionable to even appear in Paris. Halep has not looked hampered by injury in her first 5 rounds, and demolished a very good clay court player in the 4th round (Carla Suarez Navarro) to get here while Svitolina had to come back from a beak down in the final set repeatedly to gut out a win 4-6 6-3 7-5 over Petra Martic. Svitolina is probably the mentally tougher player but I think Halep should have enough confidence to prevail, although if it gets deep in the third set, I would give Svitolina the edge. PREDICTION: Halep. 

Karolina Pliskova (CZE) [2] vs. Alize Cornet (FRA) Caroline Garcia (FRA). Karolina Pliskova is the highest ranked player remaining in the draw, and is two wins away from grabbing the World #1 ranking from Angelique Kerber. Despite having one of the most powerful serves on tour for year, Pliskova had never advanced past the 3rd round of any major tournament before the 2016 US Open where she reached the final by beating both Williams Sisters before losing to Kerber. Caroline Garcia is finally starting to realize her potential by reaching her first major quarterfinal. To get there, she had to dispatch a countrywoman, which she did in pretty convincing fashion by overpowering Alize Cornet. Whether Garcia can reach her first major semifinal may depend on the order of play on Wednesday, and whether she is the only French hope remaining for the title this year. Head-to-head the two are matched 2-all with Garcia winning their one clay court meeting. However, I think that if the two play their best tennis (which probably won't happen) Pliskova should prevail.  PREDICTION: Pliskova. 

TENNIS TUESDAY: Nadal 15-0 On 2017 Clay; Federer Withdraws From Roland Garros; Halep Defends Madrid Title

NADAL WINS MADRID FINAL; 30TH ATP MASTERS SHIELD; NOW 15-0 ON 2017 CLAY
Rafael Nadal, the King of Clay, is having another extraordinary clay court season this year. He won his 52nd career clay court title and 30th ATP Masters shield by extending his undefeated streak on clay by beating Dominic Thiem of Austria 7-6(8) 6-4 to win the Madrid Mutua Open. Nadal has now won his 5th title in Madrid and his 10th(!) title in Barcelona and Monte Carlo. Interestingly, Nadal notched up a win against Novak Djokovic on his way to the final, stopping a losing streak against the former World #1 and setting their head to head at 24W-26L.

NO CHANCE OF #FEDAL AT #RG17 AS ROGER PULLS OUT OF FRENCH OPEN
2017 Australian Open champion Roger Federer has finally confirmed what many of us suspected awhile ago after he won the Sunshine Double in March: The 18-time major champion would skip the entire clay court season to focus on the summer grass and hard court seasons. In a statement released on his website on Monday May 15th, he said "I need to recognize that scheduling will be the key to my longevity moving forward. Thus, my team and I concluded today that playing just one event on clay was not in the best interest of my tennis and physical preparation for the remainder of the season."

HALEP DEFENDS MADRID TITLE BY OUTLASTING KIKI MLADENOVIC
The hottest player on tour in 2017 is Kristina "Kiki" Mladenovic, who has reached 4 tournament finals this year (winning only 1). Simona Halep was pushed to a 3rd set against Kiki in final of the Madrid Open, eventually winning the deciding set 6-2, which was the Romanian's first defense of an important title. Halep's win means that she returns to the Top 5 in the rankings, while Mladenovic will rise to World #14.

KERBER REGAINS #1 RANKING, SERENA UNLIKELY TO BE #1 AGAIN IN 2017
Angelique Kerber has regained the #1 ranking by earning enough points in Madrid to surpass the total by Serena Williams. Since Serena is not playing any tournaments for the rest of the year it seems unlikely that she will be #1 ranked again in 2017, although it is possible that if Kerber does not defend the ranking points she earned in 2016 (US Open title and Wimbledon final) that the German's total may fall below Kerber's. However, it's possible that other players such as Karolina Pliskova (who currently leads the Race to Singapore), Halep or Dominika Cibulkova could reach #1 this year.