“The Other” 2011 Women’s U.S. Open Bracket

I have been ignoring “the other” women’s bracket of the 2011 U.S. Open tournament. With Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki in the “first” bracket it has been hard to pull myself over to watch the other bracket. Seeing who is left in “the other” bracket and reviewing their stats for the tournament, it’s been my loss completely. Angelique Kerber is definitely the dark horse of the women’s 2011 U.S. Open; she did not enter the tournament with a rank, has not made it past the first round of any of the grand slam events this year (until the 2011 U.S. Open), her prize money for 2011 is on par with the salary of a senior engineer. Yet she upset Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland who was ranked 12th going into the U.S. Open. While Kerber has not broken into the 2011 U.S. Open top 20 rankings for Aces, points won on serves, or serve speed, she is ranked well in break points won (she’s won 20 in the tournament so far) and she’s won 83 points from first serve returns (this could be useful if she gets to face Serena Williams in the final). Kerber first has to make it past Flavia Pennetta of Italy who was ranked 26th going into the tournament. Pennetta has a lot more credentials than Kerber. Pennetta won the 2011 doubles Australian Open event this year along with Disela Dulko. Thus far in the 2011 U.S. Open, Pennetta is ranked in the top 20 for Aces (she has 16), break points won (23), second serve return points won (79), and first point return points won (77). The winner of the Kerber – Pennetta match will play much more known players. Samantha Stosur is Australia’s tennis sweetheart. She’s won several doubles grand slam events and was the runner up in the women’s singles 2010 French Open. Her statistics so far in the 2011 U.S. Open show power on both the serving side and the defensive side of the game. She is ranked in the top 20 thus far for Aces (11), break points won (19), points won on her first serve (73%), points won on her second serve (53%), serving speed (113 mph), points won on returning the first serve (87), and points won on returning the second serve (74). Stosur must get past Vera Zvonareva of Russia before making it to the semi-finals. Zvonareva was ranked No.2 coming into the U.S. Open. Like Stosur, she’s won a double’s grand slam event but never a single’s grand slam event. Her stats for the tournament are very similar to Stosur’s. She is ranked in the top 20 thus far for Aces (14), break points won (19), points won on her first serve (74%), points won on her second serve (52%), points won on returning the first serve (59), and points won on returning the second serve (71).

I predict whoever wins this “other bracket” will have to face Serena Williams. Here are Serena’s stats. Aces (35), break points won (16), points won on her first serve (82%), points won on her second serve (60%), serving speed (119 mph), points won on returning the second serve (60). To match William’s stats for the tournament, that person will have to have a killer first serve and be able to return killer serves. I give Samantha Stosur the best chance at doing that.


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