Tuesday was not a very productive day for the Tennis Picks with a couple of retirements on top of a couple of losing selections, but it isn't something to get too downhearted about with the tournament played over the next fortnight.
News outside of the Miami Open took the tennis headlines more than anything out of the First Round- Rafael Nadal looks to have been ruled out for the next month and will be hoping to be able to find some form ahead of the French Open, but, more importantly, the surprising news out of Australia that Ashleigh Barty is retiring has rocked the top of the WTA Tour.
After winning the Australian Open, I thought Ashleigh Barty was ready to dominate the WTA Tour- she also won Wimbledon last year- but the current World Number 1 has always been her own person and the decision is a real surprise, but also something you could have imagined Barty doing.
It is a disappointment- I really do think she had the all-court game to become the clear World Number 1 on the WTA Tour.
However, the Tour will move on and it opens the door for others to fill a void that has been left since Serena Williams dominated a few years ago. There are players like Iga Swiatek who look capable of doing that, but consistency is going to be the key for so many on the WTA Tour, one that has been lacking until it looked like Ashleigh Barty was ready to take over.
Clara Tauson - 4.5 games v Shuai Zhang: When Caroline Wozniacki retired from the WTA Tour, Danish Tennis fans must have been wondering how long they would have to wait to have another potential top ten and Grand Slam challenger to follow. It hasn't taken as long as some may have expected with 19 year old Clara Tauson looking like she has all of the potential to be a major player on the Tour for years to come.
Over the last twelve months Clara Tauson has really showcased her talents and her numbers are very impressive. She has really performed well when facing players Ranked outside the top 20 on the hard courts, but even taking into account those matches, Clara Tauson has looked really good and capable of winning some big titles as she gains experience.
Clara Tauson has a really big serve and it puts her on the front foot on the hard courts, while the Dane is a strong return player. I certainly think she is capable of getting the better of someone like Shaui Zhang who is an inconsistent player and who has the kind of numbers to underline the point.
Shuai Zhang did win the title in Lyon, but she had not won a main draw match since the Australian Open before that and was beaten in the First Round at Indian Wells last week. Even looking at a larger sample over the last twelve months, Shuai Zhang has been someone who can struggle when it comes to the return game and that puts a lot of pressure on her serve.
The First Serve can be a potent weapon at her best, but I think Clara Tauson can put considerable pressure on the Zhang Second Serve. That is where this match may be decided with Tauson having the stronger return numbers of the two players and I do think her own serve should contain the pressure that Shuai Zhang is able to try and exert.
It also should be noted that Shuai Zhang has really struggled to be as competitive as she would like when she has faced opponents Ranked inside the top 50 on the hard courts. The Second Serve and the return has been vulnerable in those matches and I think Clara Tauson is able to come through with a good, solid win to take her place in the Second Round.
Irina-Camelia Begu - 3.5 games v Hailey Baptiste: You can't help but feel these are two players that will soon be moving in opposite directions in the World Rankings with the veteran Irina-Camelia Begu falling and young American Hailey Baptiste at a career best World Ranking.
However, that is something to come and right now you have to favour Irina-Camelia Begu to have a little too much know-how for her opponent.
Neither player has shown enough consistency in the 2022 season and both players were beaten in the First Round at the Indian Wells Masters in the lead up to this event. Hailey Baptiste did upset Caroline Garcia at the Australian Open after Qualifying for the main draw, but she has yet to really handle facing top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts and has suffered some big losses already in 2022.
A 5-7 record against top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts over the last twelve months does not really paint the full picture for the young American- Hailey Baptiste has produced some poor numbers in that time with her second serve vulnerable and having won just 39% of return points played across those twelve months in those matches.
I can't ignore the fact that Irina-Camelia Begu has had an average record against players Ranked outside the top 50 in the World Rankings, but she has had the stronger numbers than her opponent in this First Round match. The feeling is that Begu can keep Hailey Baptiste under the gun if she can produce plenty of first serves in this one, while she has been pretty good in the return part of her tennis which will give her the edge in this match.
A poor record against players Ranked outside the top 100 in hard court matches over the last twelve months is a real surprise, even if Irina-Camelia Begu's best days are behind her. However, I do think the Romanian has been a little unfortunate in those matches that have produced a 1-3 record and the feeling is that she will have enough in her game to get the better of Hailey Baptiste despite the latter being an improving player on the Tour.
Irina-Camelia Begu has lost four matches in a row and she has not won a match in Miami since 2016, but she has operated at a higher level than Hailey Baptiste and I expect her experience to help her edge to the win and the cover of this mark.
MY PICKS: Irina-Camelia Begu - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Clara Tauson - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Miami Update: 0-2, - 4 Units (4 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)
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