Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova To Headline US Open Day One

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Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova To Headline US Open Day One
By Tripp Mateschitz, Lawn Tennis Analyst, Posted: Sunday, August 24, 2014 10:20pm PST USA

Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova To Headline US Open Day One, Roger Federer, Venus Williams

NEW YORK--Day one at the US Open sees two American hopefuls and two former New York champions in action. All four matches could go the distance, however look for Americans Venus Williams and Donald Young to advance into round two as well as Maria Sharapova of Russia and Novak Djokovic of Serbia.

Round One: (19)Venus Williams(USA) vs. Kimiko Date-Krumm(JPN)
The 19th seeded Williams opens against the unseeded Kimiko-Date Krumm of Japan. The 88th ranked Date-Krumm at 43 years old possess a wealth of experience and reached a career high WTA Tour ranking of four in 1995.

The 34 year old Williams reached a number one WTA Tour ranking in 2002 and took the US Open title in 2000 and 2001. Head to head Williams leads Date Krumm 3-0; however the American struggled to win the duos’ first and third matchups in three sets. Date-Krumm can absorb and redirect power very well, but Williams should have more power and momentum from sterling play earlier this summer to get past Date-Krumm.
Prediction: Williams in two sets.

Round One: (5)Maria Sharapova(RUS) vs. Maria Kirilenko(RUS)
Two of the WTA Tour’s most marketable players meet Monday night after the opening ceremony. Sharapova, a former world number one and 2006 US Open winner and the 113th ranked Kirilenko and played several three setters in the past.

Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova

Look for Americans Venus Williams and Donald Young to advance into round two.

This year however Sharapova’s level of play is higher than Kirilenko’s and Sharapova should be able to overpower her opponent Monday on this faster court.
Prediction: Sharapova in two sets.

Round One: (1)Novak Djokovic(SRB) vs. Diego Schwartzman(ARG)
The 79th ranked Schwartzman and the top ranked Djokovic have never played before as the 22 year old Argentinian has primarily competed on the ATP Challenger Tour. The Argentinian will be overwhelmed in only his third ever grand slam match.
Prediction: Djokovic in three sets.

Round One: Donald Young(USA) vs. Blaz Kavcic(SLO)
The 27 year old 92nd ranked Kavic defeated the 25 year old 47th ranked Young 6-2, 6-3 in a 2011 qualifying match in the duos’ only prior meeting on a hard court in Florida. The American Young became the youngest ever year end junior number one at 16 years five months old in 2005. Young’s best US Open result is a 2011 fourth round finish. The Slovenian has never advanced past round one at the US Open.
Prediction: Young in four sets.