The Miami Open tennis tournament continues with first-round play from Crandon Park. We had an up-and-down day with our tennis picks on Tuesday as we went 2-1 with our selections. Injuries were a big factor on the card as they went both with and against us. Danka Kovinic had to retire after the first set, which worked well for us as we had Shuai Peng with one of our three picks. However, we also had Lesia Tsurenko but she had to withdraw early as well. She was trailing 3-2 in the opening set before being forced to call it quits. Our lone pick that made it through the entire way was the Kirsten Flipkens-Jennifer Brady showdown, which went in our favor. Flipkens actually dropped the first set before recovering to win the final two 6-3 and 7-5. As a result, we cashed in with that pick and went either 1-0 or 2-1 depending on how you look at it. At any rate, it’s onwards and upwards to Wednesday. Here are our tennis picks for Wednesday and all of these matches will start in the evening and night sessions.
Sorana Cirstea vs. Monica Puig
This is a high-profile first-round match for a number of reasons, the chief one being that Puig – who won Olympic gold for Puerto Rico last summer in Rio – will get a large crowd behind her in Miami, one of the foremost Latino cities in the United States. If there is a tournament where Puig can make a run, fueled by adrenaline and passion, it’s this one. She rode a wave of support last August in Brazil, and she can very much do the same thing in Crandon Park. Cirstea is a talented player, but one who has failed to reach the ceiling of her potential. This match, on merit, could go either way, but playing in Miami should give “Pica” an extra edge which can provide a lift in tight situations.
Pick: Puig in three sets
Julia Goerges vs. Alison Riske
This is a tricky match in that Riske – having lost in the first round of Indian Wells – will be physically fresh and motivated to bounce back. She could be a more dangerous opponent than results might suggest. However, Goerges has made two semifinals this season and has also reached the round of 32 in Indian Wells. She’s playing solid tennis and has managed to build back her career after a few extremely frustrating seasons. Her career is back on an upward trajectory, and while Riske could ambush her, Goerges is in a very good frame of mind, and that’s hard to bet against for a veteran who still has a few prime years ahead of her. Goerges is a bigger hitter off the ground when compared to Riske, so the biggest reason to pick Riske is to think that Goerges will implode and not play with the calm consistency she needs. Very simply, Goerges is not likely to implode in this matchup. She should be able to dictate the way this match is played. Take Goerges with your tennis picks here.
Pick: Goerges in straight sets
Alize Cornet vs. Aliaksandra Sasnovich
This match appears to be straightforward on paper, but that’s part of the point with Cornet. The Frenchwoman is an erratic player. She can go toe-to-toe with the elite players on a given day, playing great defense and counterpunching at a high level. However, that tendency to sink into a defensive posture also causes her to play with less aggression against ordinary opponents. Cornet will play the best players tougher than others, and she will lose to average foes more often than many of her WTA counterparts. This is why Cornet matches are often much more complicated than they should be, giving bettors some hesitancy about their selections. Nevertheless, Sasnovich has come through the qualifying rounds in Miami. That’s a good run for an up-and-coming player, but she might let down her guard after reaching the main draw. Cornet should be able to control this match and win it, so take her with your tennis picks in this spot.
Pick: Cornet in straight sets
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