Day 5 Review, Day 6 Picks and Ace’s Match to Watch
In our Day 5 match to watch, Ace picked the match between young Americans, Jamie Hampton and Sloane Stephens. As with most of our matches to watch this USO, this one failed to live up to expectations. Stephens without a doubt loves a stage. Hampton not so much. It showed in the tennis. The grit that got Hampton to the third round was absent today. The fight that got Stephens through the first round was in evidence today. The outcome was never in doubt. American TV now has one-half of the round of 16 match up that they want. A rematch of the Australian Open match between Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens. Maybe Shvedova will have something to say about that, but I doubt it.
As expected Jheng Jie had nothing left in the tank and bowed out 2 and 4 to Suarez-Navarro. I watched this match today and I have to say that I was very disappointed in Jie’s play. The tactics that she used so effectively against Venus were non-existent today. Her early returns and moving forward into the court to take the ball on the rise was not present and she was run ragged all over the court by Navarro. All in all as a Venus fan I was disheartened by Jie’s play. However, how good does Suarez-Navarro look? I watched her doubles match against the Williams Sister and while she did not maintain her excellent play in the first set, she carried over that play into her singles match against Jie. Look for her to make the quarter-finals and maybe even higher.
Na Li had her revenge against Robson today. Li has changed her game and is now much more varied. I wonder though how long before she stops looking up into the stands as her coach tells her what to do or how soon before the umpires start warning her for coaching from the stands.
Aga Radwanska had her hands full today with Pavlyuchenkova. It was a hard fought 4 and 6 win today, but I am sure that Aga will take it as it gets tougher from here on out.
Ace’s Matches to Watch
Svetlana Kuznetsova vs Flavia Pennetta – Kuznetsova won her first match in 2 tight sets against Burdette then won a three setter against Peng, who got injured late in the match along with having cramps. Believe it or not, she is one of only two champions left in the field. Pennetta has returned from the tour from injury and has lost only 6 games which includes a thumping of Errani in her last match. About 2 to 3 years ago, this would have been a quarterfinal or later match.
Maria Kirilenko vs Simona Halep – Kirilenko is quietly moving through the draw defeating Wickmayer and Larcher De Brito in straight sets. Halep struggled in her first match against Watson coming from a title run at New Haven. Then, she won easily over an up and comer in Vekic. Winner of this match may be the odds on favorite to win the third quarter.
Ana Ivanovic vs Christina McHale – Ivanovic has defeated Tatishvili and Dulgheru in uneventful straight sets. McHale has won two matches in a tournament for the first time since Doha. She needed the wins as she has been struggling to revert back to her 2011 form. Both ladies could use another win to boost their confidence where the winner will most likely face Azarenka on Labor Day Monday.
Spin’s Day 6 Picks
Caroline Wozniacki v Camila Giorgi
Karin Knapp v Roberta Vinci
Maria Kirilenko v Simona Halep
Svetlana Kuznetsova v Flavia Pennetta
Petra Kvitova v Alison Riske
Julia Glushko v Daniela Hantuchova
Ana Ivanovic v Christina McHale
Alize Cornet v Victoria Azarenka 
