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How far can Del Potro Go – US Open Day 6 – 3 to See

Jake Davies
Tennis

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By Jake Davies

  • The three matches not to be missed on Day 6 of the US Open
  • Juan Martin Del Potro vs David Ferrer [11]
  • Agnieszka Radwanska [4] vs Caroline Garcia [25]
  • Karolina Pliskova [10] vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova [17]
NEW YORK, USA – Talk about Super Saturday – Juan Martin Del Potro leads our picks for the best of Day 6’s matches.

 

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Juan Martin Del Potro vs David Ferrer [11] H2H: Ferrer leads 6-3

Del Potro and Ferrer take to the court for the first time in over three years. Both players have excelled on the hard court over the years and are both former Top 5 players in their own right.

Ferrer leads the hard court head-to-head 3-2, although Del Potro snatched the last victory against the energetic Spaniard in the Wimbledon Quarter Finals of 2013 – a match where Del Potro delivered a shot around the net post on match point to claim victory.

There are certain keys to triumph for both players that will ultimately determine who progresses to the second week. Ferrer has to go outside of his comfort zone in order to get the better of Del Potro. The former World No.3 Ferrer has to regularly find his forehand down the line as a way of keeping his opponent honest – if Ferrer simply trades cross court forehand’s with Del Potro then he gives up the advantage in the rally to the big Argentinian. Ferrer’s chosen patterns of play are pivotal to his success against the dangerous, more aggressive Del Potro.

As Del Potro marches through the tougher rounds against the harder opponents he will come across players that can expose the deficiencies of the weaker backhand. So one of the keys to victory for Del Potro is making sure his backhand is stable giving no impetus to Ferrer to beat up on that shot.

Del Potro is healthy and that sends a huge message to the rest of the field. The difference in this match up is that Ferrer plays good tennis on a hard court, whereas Del Potro plays his best tennis on a hard court, giving Del Potro the edge in this one.

Prediction: Del Potro in five sets.

 

Agnieszka Radwanska [4] vs Caroline Garcia [25] H2H: Radwanska leads 3-1

Radwanska’s next obstacle en route to potentially finishing the tournament as World No.1 is Garcia. They played each other at the French Open earlier this year, in which Radwanska took the win in straight sets, but it was a lot tighter than the 6-2 6-4 scoreline suggested.

Garcia, who has had a rollercoaster ride to the World’s top 35, should provide a severe test for the fourth seed. The rising Frenchwoman has found most of her success on the doubles court with Katarina Srebotnik and now with Kristina Mladenovic. Despite the great doubles success, Garcia made her name on a singles court, stringing together special performances against the likes of Maria Sharapova back in the 2011 French Open.

The main reason that Garcia has not developed to become the player many have prepared for is between the ears, and that very reason will more than likely hold her back in this match up. Radwanska, a former Wimbledon finalist, finds ways to win even on her worst days, while Garcia has to play lights out to come through most of her matches on the WTA tour.

Radwanska rarely plays the wrong move on court when she’s waving her magic wand and for that reason I think she should win this in straight sets.

Prediction: Radwanska in straight sets.

 

Karolina Pliskova [10] vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova [17] H2H: Pliskova leads 3-0

Pliskova has a crucial bunch of months on court. First, she has a great opportunity of making the second week of a grand slam for the very first time and then she could play a part in winning the Fed Cup final for another season for Czech Republic.

The Czech has played Pavlyuchenkova on three occasions and is yet to lose a set. Pliskova is one of the most powerful servers on the circuit and gets more reward for that serious weapon on a hard court.

Pavlyuchenkova’s aim is to get involved in Pliskova’s service games and wait for her opportunity to pounce – it can be a particularly difficult waiting game against the bigger servers. You would have to favour Pavlyuchenkova when the serve is neutralised, but she has to place the ball in awkward positions otherwise Pliskova will have a comfortable afternoon on her hands.

Prediction: Pliskova in straight sets.

 

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