WTA/ATP Acapulco: Finals Predictions

Tonight will see the culmination of the tournament in Acapulco with the top seeds in both the mens and womens draw contesting the final...

David Ferrer v Rafael Nadal

David Ferrer

Rafael Nadal has been making steady progress following his comeback from injury with a final appearance in Vina del Mar (l. to Zeballos in the final) and a victory in Sao Paulo (d. Nalbandian in the final).  Nadal has really stepped up his game in Acapulco and appears to be having less trouble with his knees.  He enjoyed his best win of the year against Nicolas Almagro in a tight two setter of a semi-final, 7-5 6-4.  His toughest test so far will come in the final against David Ferrer, who needed three sets to get past Fabio Fognini in the semi-finals.  Originally I went for Ferrer, but Nadal has looked strong this week and I question Ferrer's belief in the big matches, particularly against Nadal on a clay court even though he has been out for so long.  I vowed I would not do it again, but I am going against my original prediction...

Prediction - Nadal to beat Ferrer in 3 sets

Sara Errani v Carla Suarez Navarro

Carla Suarez Navarro

You have to hand it to Sara Errani; following a first round loss at the Australian Open to her final opponent today, Carla Suarez Navarro, many people (including me) wrote off her chances of backing up a fine 2012.  However she has turned her year around with a third consecutive finals appearance having made the final two in Paris and Dubai.  On those occasions she came up second best, but she will be the slight favourite to reign supreme on the clay.  Suarez Navarro too has had a great week and looks to be relishing the chance to move up the rankings without injuries affecting her progress.  Errani hit 95% first serves in a 6-1 6-2 battering of Alize Cornet, meanwhile Suarez Navarro won her semi-final with the same scoreline over fellow Spaniard, Silvia Soler-Espinosa.  The pair have met twice this year with the most recent of those clashes, an epic three setter in Paris.  A different surface this time, but I still give the edge to Errani...

Prediction - Errani to beat Suarez Navarro in 3 sets

WTA Florianopolis Final Prediction

Monica Niculescu to beat Olga Puchkova in 2 sets

ATP Delray Beach Predictions

Ernests Gulbis to beat Tommy Haas in 3 sets

John Isner to beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin in 2 sets

I correctly predicted the winner in Dubai, but unfortunately both my finalists in Florianopolis fell last night.  Delray Beach has been a complete disaster!