Today (Sunday 13 January 2013), Monday, 14 January 2013 if you are living in Australia and other countries Down Under, marks the start of the Australian Open 2013. During this Grand Slam and others to follow, Overhead Spin will attempt to pick the winners of the ladies’ matches scheduled during tournament play. Consider it Overhead Spin’s Suicide Pick.
From time to time many people ask
me during Grand Slams who do I pick to win when doing Suicide Pool. I thought it would be fun than rather than
people asking me via Twitter, Facebook or emails, they could just come here and
do their pick-ems. I will post the
matches for each day and give my picks and the results. The results will be important
as fans will need to see how much effort the winning player put forth in order
to be able to do their picks for the next round etc.
So without further ado, here are the matches scheduled for
Day 1 on the women’s side.
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PLAYER A
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PLAYER B
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KAREN’S PICKS
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RESULTS
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Na Li
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Sesil Karentacheva
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NA LI – coming off a very good Sydney even though she lost to
eventual champ Radwanska
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Kristyna Pliskova
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Sacha Jones
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PLISKOVA – never seen either woman play, but Pliskova is higher
ranked for what it is worth
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Coco Vandeweghe
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Sorana Cirstea
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CIRSTEA – more variety but she retired in her last match so exercise
caution
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Julia Georges
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Vera Dushevina
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GEORGES – because if you can’t beat Dushevina, you really need to
take stock
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Romina Oprandi
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Tsvetana Pironkova
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Tough one but I am picking Oprandi on form and guile
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Yuxuan Zhang
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Jie Zheng
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JHENG – on form player
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Ana Ivanovic
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Melinda Czink
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Tough one – but I am going with Ivanovic
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Yung-Jan Chan
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Daniela Hantuchova
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This should be a long drawn out affair and CHAN may pull it out as
she plays well in Australia but Daniela also plays well here. Pick em
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Maria Koehler
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Karin Knapp
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This one is tough as I have never seen either player. Going with KNAPP as name more familiar to
me
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Johanna Larsson
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Jelena Jankovic
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This should be a long drawn out battle and I am going with JANKOVIC
to try and get a good start on her season
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Mona Barthel
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Ksenia Pervak
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This one is also going to be a long drawn out affair. Pervak is a
fighter & Barthel has had good results this season. I am going with PERVAK on mental game
alone.
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Heather Watson
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Alexandra Cadantu
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WATSON – but this one will be a tough battle
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Irina-Camelia Begu
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Arantxa Rus
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BEGU – Rus does not play well on hard courts
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Bojana Bobusic
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Agnieszka Radwanska
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RADWANSKA – on form
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Angelique Kerber
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Elina Svitolina
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KERBER – if she can’t pass the first round?
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Lucie Hradecka
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Kiki Bertens
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This is also a toss up. Bertens is coming off a very good Auckland
but HRADECKA by experience for me
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Casey Dellaqua
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Madison Keys
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The Australian crowd will be rooting hard for Casey but I think KEYS
takes this one in straights
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Stefanie Voegele
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Tamira Paszek
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PASZEK – despite having a poor start to the season, I expect her to
win this
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Ekaterina Makorova
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Michelle Larcher de Brito
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I had no idea de Brito was still playing tennis. MAKOROVA in straights
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Camila Giorgi
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Stefanie Foretz Gacon
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GIORGI – the young Italian made a name for herself when she took out
Schiavone at the USO. Look for great
things in 2013 from her
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Vesna Dolonc
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Olivia Rogowska
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As in the Dellaqua/Keys match, the Australian crowd will be rooting
for the Aussie. ROGOWSKA
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Anabel Medina Garrigues
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Marion Bartoli
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GARRIGUES – she is coming off a great victory at Hopman Cup and while
it is still an exhibition her net play was awesome. Bartoli seems to be in a slump and is ripe
for an upset
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Dominika Cibulkova
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Ashleigh Barty
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CIBULKOVA – after that shellacking in Sydney, I expect Domi to bounce
back and bounce the 16 year old in straights.
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Mandy Minella
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Valeria Savinykh
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Pick em – I say MINELLA even though she is returning to the Tour from
injury
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Kirsten Flipkens
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Nina Bratchikova
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FLIPKENS – with the retirement of Henin and Clijsters, Flipkens is
hoping to keep Belgian hopes alive.
Should come through in straights
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Chanelle Scheepers
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Klara Zakopalova
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Another pick em – this time I think SCHEEPERS will triumph
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Venus Williams
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Galina Voskoboeva
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Sentimental favourite of this write and tennis fans in general, I pick
WILLIAMS for this one. Galina has an
interesting game and I am sure Serena gave Venus pointers on how to play her.
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Alize Cornet
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Marina Erakovic
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If ERAKOVIC can keep her serve working she should be able to get
through CORNET who does not do well on hard courts.
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Petra Martic
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Misaki Doi
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MARTIC – I have not seen Martic since she was ousted in the first
round of the USO by Stosur. Here’s
hoping she comes to play. MARTIC in 3
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Olga Puchikova
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Maria Sharapova
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SHARPAOVA – nothing more to be said really.
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Take it away folks and may the force be with you
