Australia vs. India Key Questions

Can India's left-armers dismiss Warner and Watson?

Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan have bowled pretty well with the new ball in the tournament so far for India. However, coming up against one of the most destructive opening partnerships in the tournament so far poses a significantly tougher challenge for the new ball duo.

If the southpaws succeed in getting the openers quickly, India could apply a stranglehold on the Australian middle order with spin. Conversely, if Watson and Warner see out the new ball successfully, they could establish a launchpad to tee off against the spinners fearlessly.

Who is going to come out on top between Hussey and Ashwin?

The Australian think tank will have earmarked Ravichandran Ashwin's spin as the main weapon in India's bowling attack. Integral to any plans Australia may have devised to negate Ashwin's threat is Mike Hussey. Hussey is by far the best player of spin in the Australian team. He can be relied upon to rotate the strike sensibly, and with his eye set in, he can be an extremely aggressive batsmen with the best slog sweep in the business.

If Ashwin manages to tie down or even snare the wicket of his Chennai Kings teammate, India will have delivered a telling blow. Not many of the others in the Australian middle order, are likely to able to negotiate Ashwin's googlies and carrom balls, and they could be forced into undue risks against Harbhajan Singh.

Do the Australian bowlers have a plan for Kohli and Dhoni?

India's most successful limited overs batsmen are in the middle of a purple patch with seemingly no end in sight. Virat Kohli has become the byword for consistency across all forms of the game, and his consistency in shot selection and elegant use of wrists is a joy to behold for all cricket lovers.

Despite his tribulations with the captaincy amid constant criticism, MS Dhoni has had an excellent year with the bat in limited overs cricket, especially in the subcontinent. Kohli and Dhoni are unlikely to be troubled by Australia's spinners. The onus could end up falling on the young shoulders of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, or the reliable Shane Watson will hope to continue his knack of getting wickets with his golden arm.

Which team can go bigger in a shortened match?

Like most cricket in Colombo this year, this match is also hostage to uncertain weather. In the event of a shortened match, both teams pack a considerable punch in their batting order. With a significant chance of rain being a factor, Australia would do well to include David Hussey in the side to ally his big-hitting prowess to that of his brothers. Watson and Warner can consistently clear the ropes, but George Bailey and an off-colour Cameron White might put the skids on the Australian run rate. Another concern for the Aussies is that after the inexperienced yet explosive Glen Maxwell, they have a pretty long tail.

India have a plethora of big-hitters, who can be equally at home launching spinners into the stands, or taking fast bowlers to the cleaners. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir are on par with Watson and Warner in terms of explosiveness. Dhoni can invent the most unnatural shots with the most powerful wrists in the game. Kohli and Suresh Raina can easily get 10 an over, and Rohit Sharma and Yuvraj Singh are two of the most natural strikers of the long ball in limited overs cricket. Furthermore Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh and Ashwin can all accelerate at the bottom of the order, thus ensuring that India bat big until no.10. A clear advantage that could come in handy in a shortened game.

Pakistan vs. South Africa Key Questions

Do Pakistan need to play both Gul and Tanvir?

Pakistan are going to play at the Premadasa for the first time in this tournament. Compared to the other venues in this tournament, the pitch is likely to be more favourable to the spinners than fasters. So far Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir have bowled an extremely poor line and length, and have been extremely expensive even against Bangladesh.

Umar Gul's modus operandi nowadays seems to be to bowl as short as possible. While Tanvir can still be effective if he gets in the right rhythm, Gul still seems to be living off his feats in the 2009 World Twenty20. With either of Yasir Arafat or Abdul Razzaq likely to feature, Pakistan could drop one of the two pace bowlers and boost their spinning options by adding the young Raza Hasan to the attack.

Will Imran Nazir succeed against Steyn and Morkel?

Advocates of Imran Nazir have been basking in the glory of his match-winning knock against Bangladesh in the group stage. Since Nazir's return to the side in the lead-up series against Australia, he has very rarely fired.

Against the best new-ball attack in the tournament, one gets the feeling that Nazir will have to be extremely lucky to get a decent score. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel are unlikely to serve Nazir any buffet balls to go after, and the opener could easily succumb to a rush of blood or cross-batted shot in the powerplay overs.

Can South Africa's middle order cope with Pakistan's spin trio?

South Africa's middle order is packed with game-changers, including captain AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, JP Duminy and Albie Morkel. However, they will not have encountered a challenge as stern as facing Pakistan's spin trio in the subcontinent.

The wiles and guile of Saeed Ajmal have been simply too hard to handle for most batsmen, including the grandmasters of playing spin bowling - the Indian middle order. Consistently bowling at an economy rate of under 6, Ajmal's sheer variety within the allotted 24 deliveries is a demonstration of a spinner at the top of his craft. Hafeez and Afridi have not bowled to their standards so far in the tournament, with both erring on a shorter length frequently. If Pakistan's spin manages to contain the South African middle order, they could even defend a small total. Conversely if the Proteas big-hitters succeed, they could bat Pakistan out of the game.

Which team can go bigger in a slugfest?

With sporadic showers in the forecast, the game could easily end up being a shortened hitting contest, much to the chagrin of many a cricket purist. Until the men in charge of running the game come up with a better solution for rain-interrupted twenty20 matches, the teams have to adjust to the current rules.

In such a scenario, the strength of the bowling attack hardly matters. With batsmen not putting any premium on their wickets, scoring boundaries becomes the ultimate aim. Both teams have players who can go big and change the game in an over. For Pakistan, the Akmal brothers will have to come to the fore. Shahid Afridi can't be relied upon with the bat anymore, so Nasir Jamshed will be expected to continue his fine form and launch his wristy aerial shots on both sides of the wicket. South Africa might just have the edge in the sense that their batsmen have a method to their madness. de Villiers and Morkel in particular, can go big without looking unnecessarily rash or risky. Furthermore, Johan Botha and Robin Peterson down the order can also clear the ropes effectively. It could be a close run bash.

England vs. West Indies Key Questions

Can Eoin Morgan fire for England in the subcontinent?
There is a lot of pressure on Eoin Morgan. In light of Kevin Pietersen's controversial absence, Morgan is the one batsman with the x-factor that England can rely upon to deliver a game changing knock. The fact of the matter however, is that Morgan has not delivered for England in the subcontinent for quite a while.

Morgan has the ability to score across all areas of the park, with his innovative strokes and powerful bottom hand. Morgan might find the West Indies battery of medium pacers to his liking, enabling him to get some form. However, the main challenge will come against the wily Sunil Narine.

Should Badree partner Narine?
It's a tricky conundrum for Darren Sammy. Should he make a call based on the playing surface of Pallekelle which has generally favoured bounce over spin so far? Or does he go for the temptation of playing two spinners after England's batting unravelled so spectacularly against India's spinners?

Samuel Badree has already delivered the goods against England previously, helping skittle England out of 88 in a twenty20 match last summer. Narine's mysteries on the subcontinent are already known. With the English batsmen likely to play out Narine's overs watchfully, Badree could tempt the inexperienced middle order into giving their wickets away.

Should Briggs partner Swann?
By the same token, should England also play an extra spinner to partner Graeme Swann? It's a guarantee that Samit Patel will return to the playing eleven for this match. England could really go for the extraordinary and pull a rabbit out of the hat and play the talented t20 specialist Danny Briggs.

Briggs also has the ability to deliver the new ball with control allied with craft. Chris Gayle can at times struggle to get going in the early overs against spin, so it might be an option worth trying. However, if the pitch plays true, it could end up being a gamble too far against the plethora of big-hitters in the West Indies batting line-up.

Can Russell and Bravo both play?
Johnston Charles has yet to play a defining knock and justify his place in the first eleven. Considering his one-dimensional style of batting its rather unfair that the Windies have to drop one of either Dwayne Bravo or Andre Russell to accommodate Charles in the team.

Bravo's bowling has been receding in quality and potency for some time, yet his batting remains strong especially in the closing overs of the innings. On the other hand, despite some erratic deliveries, Andre Russell has the ability to deliver balls at 140k plus, a trait that could come in handy at Pallekelle. Furthermore Russell has consistently proven himself with the bat in t20's over the last year in all conditions. Facing a lower middle order featuring Bravo, Russell, Kieron Pollard and Darren Sammy would be a frightening proposition for the opposition bowlers.

Should Lumb be given a chance?
Michael Lumb and Craig Kieswetter had an instrumental role in helping England win the last World Twenty20. Second in importance only to Kevin Pietersen's consistent brilliance in the Caribbean, Lumb and Kieswetter launched many England innings with scintillating hitting in the powerplay overs, establishing a great launchpad for the team to score big totals or chase down targets with ease.

Lumb hasn't featured much for England since then, but it might be worth bringing back this winning partnership for England. On the other hand, Alex Hales' best twenty20 knock for England came against this West Indies bowling attack in the summer, so it might be worth persisting with the talented youngster.

Can Broad and Finn trump Gayle and Samuels?
Stuart Broad has already identified that getting Chris Gayle out cheaply will be the bowling attack's main focus. The challenge for Broad and Finn is that unlike most opening batsmen, Gayle is most comfortable when the ball bounces, as his pull shots and square cuts are second to none.

If Broad and Finn can alter their natural lengths and pitch it up, they might have a better chance of snaring Gayle. With Dwayne Smith and Johnston Charles already susceptible to high-quality new ball bowling, Broad and Finn could potentially set the tone of the West Indies innings, if they manage to get Gayle, and then West Indies' best batsman of the year, Marlon Samuels. However, if the Jamaican duo survive England's best bowlers, then England could be left chasing shadows in the field. If Gayle and Samuels flourish, West Indies are unlikely to lose the match.

Sri Lanka vs. New Zealand Key Questions

Can Jacob Oram regain his SLPL form with the ball?
Jacob Oram was clearly the stand-out bowler of the inaugural edition of the Sri Lankan Premier League. Cumulatively Oram snared 9 wickets for 53 runs at a remarkable economy of 3.31 over the whole tournament.

The first group stages of the World Twenty20 haven't quite seen Oram at his best with the ball. His 3 wickets have averaged 26 each at an economy of almost 10 an over. Of course the standard of batsman at the World T20 is much higher, but if Oram can snare some top order Sri Lanka wickets on a pitch that has something for the fast bowlers with the new ball, the Black Caps attack could put a stranglehold on a middle order that hasn't really been tested at the tournament.

Should Sri Lanka select Dananjaya or Herath?
With Ajantha Mendis expected to be sidelined, Sri Lanka will have to make a call between the experience of Rangana Herath or the mystery of the novice, Akhila Dananjaya (Are all new spinners from Sri Lanka supposed to be mystery spinners?).

Outside of Oram and James Franklin, the Kiwis batting order is filled with right-handers. In that context, playing Herath does make a lot of sense, with his left-arm skidding deliveries possibly restricting the big-hitters from opening up. However, if the pitch at Pakellele plays truly as it has throughout the tournament, then McCullum, Taylor and Co could end up hitting Herath out of the attack. Dananjaya is an exciting option, but depending on the nature of the pitch, his mysteries could either be easily picked up, or completely bamboozle the New Zealand batsmen. A tough call for Mahela Jayawardene and the Sri Lankan think tank awaits.

Should Jayawardene open?
Jayawardene lit up the group stages and super eights of the last World t20 with some truly remarkable innings when opening the batting. The remarkable aspect of Jayawardene's innings in t20 cricket is that he can accelerate the strike rate playing in the classical mould. It's almost as if he caresses the ball without the bat making a sound, relying on perfect timing and precision of wrists.

With the much hyped Dilshan Munaweera flattering to deceive, Jayawardene could open the batting along with Tillakaratne Dilshan. If the two stalwarts get the scoreboard ticking in their contrasting styles, Sri Lanka could conceivably bat New Zealand out of the game.

Can Vettori be effective against Sri Lanka's lower middle order?
Daniel Vettori has long been one of the most economical spinners in t20 cricket. However, bowling against Dilshan, Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara in home conditions is a different challenge altogether. The Sri Lankan veterans are unlikely to succumb to spin.

However, if New Zealand do manage to get into the Sri Lankan middle order, Vettori's variations in pace and length, could possibly stifle the power hitting abilities of Jeevan Mendis, Angelo Matthews and Thisara Perera. It could end up being a key tactical battle in the match.

Who will come out on top between Malinga and McCullum/Taylor?
Lasith Malinga will be expected to deliver with the new ball against Brendon McCullum. If Malinga gets early wickets, its unlikely that the Black Caps will have a springboard in the middle overs to launch a big total. If McCullum settles into his groove, then even the best bowling can be inconsequential for the mercurial opener.

Malinga will also be expected to deliver consistent yorkers in the business end of the innings. In these stages he is likely to come up against Ross Taylor. Malinga has generally had Taylor's number in their head-to-head battles in the longer forms of the game. In the shortest form of the game however, a batsman can play with less fear. Taylor's preference to move across the stumps in the death overs can also negate the impact of Malinga's yorkers, unless the paceman alters his line to leg stump, a strategy that is fraught with risk in the closing stages of the innings. An expensive over or a spurt of wickets in the final overs could just be the difference between winning and losing this match.

Murray and Djokovic showcase the gap between the best and the rest in majestic final

After 76 long years, Great Britain finally has a grand slam winner in Andy Murray. In a final that will long be remembered in the annals of US Open history, Andy Murray overcame Novak Djokovic in a titanic battle that lasted almost 5 hours of relentless quality tennis. There were lengthy rallies galore, amazing scrambles, transitions from attack to defence and vice versa, jaw-dropping winners, subtle drop shots and cute volleys. The match simply featured everything a true tennis fan would want to see in a grand slam final.

Murray's first grand slam was a testament to the variety of shots he possesses as well as a tactical acumen that enables him to adapt to the most difficult of conditions. During his quarter-final victory over Marin Cilic, Murray took a while to adjust to the faster conditions on Louis Armstrong court. However, once he adjusted his game he utilized the speed of the court to his advantage with his soft hands at net completely bamboozling the Croatian, as Murray eventually won at a canter after being a set and double break down.

Then in the semi against Tomas Berdych, Murray clearly understood the tricky windy conditions better. After losing a tight first set, Murray adjusted the pace and angles of his shots to flummox Roger Federer's conquerer. Berdych ultimately ended up beating himself as he went for outrageous winners completely befuddled by Murray's variety in pace and placement.

In the final, once again in extremely terrible conditions, Murray adjusted to the circumstances much better than the defending champion Djokovic. While Djokovic displayed his unease with the conditions throughout the first two sets, Murray played extremely smart tennis to arrive at the cusp of his grand slam victory.

That the journey from cusp to completion took much longer had a lot to do with the dogged determination of Djokovic. Playing some excellent tennis from the baseline, Djokovic mixed it up with some brilliant approach play and scintillating play at net to take the match into the fifth set.

Murray could easily have fallen by the wayside considering he had thrown a two set lead away. In stead he played a brilliant first game to break Djokovic to start the fifth set. He didn't let the momentum get away, as he broke Djokovic again in the third game of the set. Despite losing one of the breaks, Murray dispelled any doubts serving four coruscating first serves to take a 4-2 lead and ultimately win an engrossing match.

Murray vs. Djokovic might just be the defining rivalry of men's tennis in 2013. Other than the brilliant final, both players showcased some immaculate tennis mixed with a winning fortitude throughout the tournament. Whether Rafael Nadal will be the same force after such a long injury remains to be seen. Roger Federer is only going to find it more difficult in best of five set matches as he gets one year older.

It was a great year for the big four of men's tennis. 2012 ended up with all them winning a grand slam, and the signs are promising for their continued dominance in 2013. It is a slight worry however, that the next big star from the ATP seems to be nowhere on the horizon. Messrs Federer, Djokovic, Murray and Nadal have now been duelling for the best part of 5 years, with nobody outside the top four a genuine title threat at major tournaments.

Almost all the players outside the top four seem to be clones of each other, possessing the 2 pack combo featuring a big serve and a big forehand. The hope is that there is a younger generation who is looking to emulate the variety and tactical discipline of the big four, rather than focusing solely on power and physicality. Until we have some variety in the middle reaches of the men's game, the top four will once again be the main contenders at the grand slams in 2013.

Serena leagues above the competition

Serena Williams won her 4th US Open and the 15th grand slam of her career at Flushing Meadows in an error-strewn yet thrilling women's final of the 2012 US Open. It was a fitting conclusion to a summer of unparalleled dominance by Serena.

After her shock first round defeat at Roland Garros, Serena has simply been relentless in her quest for glory. A tricky first week at Wimbledon notwithstanding, she has played at a level rarely seen in the history of women's tennis, outhitting and outsmarting the toughest of opponents including players ranked higher than her and fellow grand slam winners.

Serena won Wimbledon serving more aces than any other player in the tournament, including the entire men's field. Unbelievably, she backed up her performance at Wimbledon by playing even better grass court tennis at the Olympics, thrashing Victoria Azarenka 6-1 6-2 in the semis, and then simply obliterating Maria Sharapova 6-0 6-1 to win the gold medal.

At Flushing Meadows Serena continued her remarkable streak. With opponents simply clueless against her serve, and Serena herself absolutely pounding returns, she steamrollered her way into the final. After winning the first set of the final 6-2, a routine victory against Azarenka seemed a formality.

To the Belorussian's credit, Azarenka put in a concerted effort and refused to wilt away. Proving why she won the Australian Open and became the reigning world no.1, Azarenka had Serena rattled. After winning the second set convincingly 6-2, she twice broke Serena in the deciding set and was serving for the championship at 5-4. Unfortunately her composure deserted her at the vital moment, and a succession of unforced errors enabled Serena to claw her way back and ultimately win the match.

Despite the loss, Azarenka seems to be the closest to being a realistic challenger to Serena's dominance. A lot depends on her ability to recover from this devastating loss. Azarenka can take a lot of pride in the way she fought against Serena in the final, as many lesser opponents would simply have rolled over after the hammering she received in the first set. Her performance was another illustration of her grit and determination following on from tough three set victories over Samantha Stosur and Maria Sharapova in the quarter-finals and semi-finals respectively.

For Azarenka to improve and take her game to a level at which she can consistently challenge for grand slams, she has to work on her first serve. If she can add a few clicks to her first serve, it will substantially reduce the pressure on her to go for outright winners from the baseline. Her baseline game is probably the best after Serena, although she could work on generating more power when she hits cross-court off both wings to ally her tremendous ability to hit winners down the line at will.

Maria Sharapova has had her best year in grand slams in ages. Completing the career grand slam by winning the French Open was a phenomenal achievement for Sharapova, and rest assured she can now put the injury-strewn years of 2010 and 2011 behind her. Remarkably, Sharapova's game now seems best suited to clay. However, her serve is a major weakness against the best opponents. Its extremely doubtful if Sharapova's serve will ever have the same potency that it had in her pre-2009 heyday. Nonetheless Sharapova did demonstrate a desire to win and fight hard throughout the year, a trait that establishes her as the second biggest challenger to Serena after Azarenka.

2012 saw three breakout stars in women's tennis. Agnieszka Radwanksa made a long-awaited grand slam breakthrough by reaching the Wimbledon final. However, she did have a rather alarming slide post-Wimbledon, and one hopes that this talented artistic player is just going through a small blip in form.

Angelique Kerber played some of the best tennis this summer, but unfortunately was the victim of an extremely tough draw at Flushing Meadows. The southpaw can generate power of both wings with minimum effort, and if she can somehow overcome her ability to implode in tight situations, Kerber can be a dark horse to crack the top 5 in 2013.

The Italian Sara Errani truly had a year to remember. Winning the French Open and US Open doubles with her friend Roberta Vinci, Errani forged her reputation in singles by reaching the final at Roland Garros and then the semis at the US Open. Errani has a feel-good vibe about her, and her uncomplicated approach to the game has paid dividends this year. Whether she can maintain this form in 2013 will depend on her adding some aggression to her game, though her variety and silent movement across the court have caught many big-hitters cold many times this year.

Ultimately, despite the presence of many pretenders to the crown, the biggest competition that Serena Williams faces is from herself. When she is focused and on song, Serena is simply unbeatable. Remarkably her game is getting better after the age of 30, and the possibility of holding all four grand slams at the same time will be a big motivation for her in 2013. Her biggest challenge in that regard, will be to improve her game on clay, and win the French Open a second time. Outside of Paris however, on hard courts and grass, Serena Williams is set to continue her dominance from 2012 into 2013.

US Open 2012 Women's Quarterfinals preview

The women's singles draw at the US Open is down to the last eight, and with the last 4 grand slam winners still present along with a former grand slam champion and two grand slam finalists, the quality of tennis during the home stretch of this years tournament is guaranteed to be of a high level.

Victoria Azarenka (1) vs. Samantha Stosur (7)

The best match-up of the quarterfinals features world no.1 and Australian Open champion Azarenka against the defending champion, Stosur. It should serve up a feast of high-quality tennis.

Azarenka has had a sensational year, and were it not for the dominance of Serena Williams, the Belorussian could conceivably have ended the year with three grand slams. In reaching this stage, Azarenka has remarkably lost only ten games. She has been utterly dominant in all facets of the game, and should dominate the rallies from the baseline against Stosur.

Stosur has failed to build on her remarkable achievement last year when she won at Flushing Meadows playing some uninhibited and fearless tennis. The Aussie has shown a tendency to freeze on the big occasions this year, and has done well to reach this stage after her disaster at Wimbledon. However, Stosur has come off two incredibly tough matches, and she displayed some frailty against British teenager Laura Robson, who saved many match points before eventually succumbing against the champion.

Stosur can match Azarenka for power from the baseline, though the world no.1's greater consistency and exceptional movement should prove too much for the reigning champion. Stosur can spring a surprise if she utilizes the greater variety that she possesses, although Azarenka's ruthless efficiency should ensure that she prevails in two close sets.

Maria Sharapova (3) vs. Marion Bartoli (11)

After cruising through the first three rounds, Sharapova's US Open challenge nearly unravelled against compatriot Nadia Petrova. Ultimately, her competitiveness and tenacity enabled her to get out of an extremely tricky situation. It could just be the wake-up call that the French Open champion needed.

Up against Sharapova is the extremely unpredictable and inimitable Frenchwoman, Marion Bartoli. When Bartoli is on fire, even the best in the world can't live with her, as witnessed in the shock win over Petra Kvitova in the round of 16. When Bartoli's serve clicks, she possesses a strong all-court game that enables her to overcome any adversary.

The challenge for Bartoli has always been in following up a huge victory. Bartoli will be extremely motivated and will relish being the underdog against Sharapova. If Sharapova's serve has an off-day, then Bartoli does have the game to dominate her opponent. Bartoli can possibly take a set, but Sharapova's big match experience and greater consistency should enable her to make it through to the semi's in three tough sets.

Ana Ivanovic (12) vs. Serena Williams (4)

Many in the field of tennis journalism, have given up writing previews for matches featuring Serena Williams this summer. After coming through some narrow escapes in the early rounds of Wimbledon, Serena's level of play has simply belonged on another universe altogether.

It's not often that a round of 16 clash at a grand slam features a double bagel, but that is exactly what Serena dished out to the unfortunate Andrea Hlavackova. While her groundstrokes and serve remain as powerful as ever, Serena has started to display a hitherto unseen finesse to her play, finding remarkable angles and finishing points with some exceptionally placed volleys.

It's great to see Ana Ivanovic in the quarterfinals of a grand slam again. The former world no.1 hasn't reached the levels displayed during her peak, nonetheless she has displayed impressive mental fortitude and staying power in some tricky matches in the earlier rounds, especially when coming back from a set down in the third round against impressive American Sloan Stephens. Riding on the momentum of that victory, Ivanovic went for her shots with more freedom resulting in her best performance of the tournament in an impressive win over Tsvetana Pironkova.

The problem for Ivanovic is that her serve is still unreliable. Her low first serve percentages will ensure that Serena attacks her second serves. On the other hand, Serena's serve is almost impenetrable. It's Ivanovic's first grand slam quarterfinal since winning the French Open in 2008, but her journey in this tournament should come to an end against Serena. While it won't necessarily be a double bagel again, it should be a fairly routine straight sets victory in Serena's quest to complete one of the most dominant summers in the history of women's tennis.

Sara Errani (10) vs. Roberta Vinci (20)

Best friends on the circuit, the French Open doubles champions play against each other in this intriguing quarterfinal. Quite how Italy has started producing some brilliant women's tennis players in the past few years is a question for another time. Following in the footsteps of Francesca Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta, Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci have been the two breakout players in the top 20 this year.

Errani has built on her impressive start to the year. After reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, Errani capped off a brilliant clay-court season by reaching the finals at Roland Garros. Errani's performance at the US Open so far proves that her earlier performances were no fluke. Her victory over an in-form Angelique Kerber in the round of 16 was extremely impressive, dispatching the highly fancied German in two hard-fought sets.

As impressive as Errani's victory was, Vinci's was even more remarkable. She completely out-thought and outfought world no.2 and Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska, eventually thrashing her 6-1 6-4. After making her name on the doubles circuit, Vinci has finally made a breakthrough on the singles circuit this year. Her experience in doubles allows Vinci to catch opponents off-guard with her cunning play at net and subtle movement around the court. 

These both know each other's games inside out. Errani has the greater experience at this stage of a grand slam, especially this year, and her greater variety will prove a big asset in this match. Add in to the mix, that Errani has won her last three matches against Vinci, and the younger Italian should prevail in three close sets against her best friend.