It is Day 5 of the Australian Open and this match has to be one of my favourites due to both players being previously ranked inside the Top 10 and meeting in the 2nd Round of what very well could have been a quarter-final match a few seasons prior. Whilst Stephens has regressed outside the Top 10 she is still a contender on any day of the week considering her US Open triumph came at a time when she was coming back from injury and not considered a serious contender for the Championship title. If there was anything to learn from that time it was that Stephens is at the ready no matter her ranking range. As for Kasatkina, she has briefly held a place inside the Top 10 tennis rankings in the past seasons and has steadily maintained her place inside the Top 20 since this brief stint.
Irrespective of Kasatkina’s time inside the Top 10 being relatively short lived – recall that 2% of players every season regress due to losing their hold on the 7 Keys. Needless to say, as Kasatkina currently hovers outside the Top 10, she has the potential to become a barrier breaker this season in particular, if she is able to further progress more consistently at the Grand Slam level this season…
To read the full article please consider supporting my work through my new Book (pending release late 2024) that incorporates a variety of my writing — Dr Berge
To learn more about our data, predictive analytics and how to optimise your own performance, head on over to AM8 International. To learn more about AM8 International check out our selection of Books and/or options to join Dr B’s Pack to gain exclusive access to the best in the world. Not quite ready? Head on over to Beyond Top 10 Tennis for free access to 100+ episodes directly from Dr Berge of what it really takes to win multiple Grand Slams to securing that Top 10 tennis ranking with new episodes each week. More? Catch up on our Tips over on TikTok, Twitter, Threads or Instagram for quick snippets to apply in your game, today.