Only the lists for now, cos I don't have time as always... Later on I will add some preview. Here are my predictions:
GO DEEP list: Barty, Riske
GO DOWN list: Zheng S., Rybarikova
It's also awkward that some qualifications are still running, so only today evening full line-up will be known. Probably then I would add some additional players to the lists.
Recap after 2R: Almost after the 2nd round, because Riske hasn't played her second round match yet. Ehh...Rybarikova, Rybarikova... makes the story of these two days. I could say that she lost twice, first time almost :( and the second time for real, but she covered twice her spread which means a loss for us. Her first match with Vikhlyantseva was ridiculous - 1st set easily 6-1 for young Russian, then 5-3 in the 2nd set and Ryba was ready to pack her bags, but out of nowhere, Vikhlyantseva has lost 6 games in a row, then won 4 games in a row... and finally lost in 3rd set via tie-break. And in the 2nd round, Ryba lost to Goerges but only by 4 games as the spread was 5 games. Rest players according to plan, Barty and Riske won their matches both covering their spreads and Zheng went down smoothly with Siniakova. So after 5 matches, there is 3-2 ATS which is decent considering the rollercoaster featuring Rybarikova.
Recap after 3R: Two matches from the list: Riske lost to Hsieh in one of the last matches of the second round. It was strange to watch, Riske was even more surprised than me I guess. Both players are in shape and Riske should have known what she can expect form Hsieh since the met twice in the past and Riske won both encounters. She started slow and the forehand was just a disaster, I can hardly remember any point won from the FH side. She found some more rythm in the 2nd set but it was too late for in-shape Hsieh. I didn't see the match Barty-Stosur but the younger Aussie took it quite comfortably 60 63. So after full three rounds, there is 4-3 ATS, only Barty is still in the game and she meets with Bertens - it's should be a good matchup for her considering the current form and the H2H so I will give it a try.
Recap after R16: Barty had a four-game dip which cost her the first set but then she regrouped and took the control over the next two... In the next round she meets up with Kvitova and I
will quit this match. Barty did her job already by covering spread in all three previous matches and enough is enough. She has a poor h2h record with Kvitova (0-4), both are in good shape and what I acknowledged in one of my previous posts
the GDGD method happened to be more effective in early rounds rather than in further stages of tournaments. As for now, there is 5-3 ATS, which is already a decent result, and I still can't help but think about that first round match when Vikhlyantseva should had defeated Rybarikova and then there would be 6-1 ATS right now, which would be an amazing result. Anyway, I am skipping the Barty-Kvitova clash, and if she came through it then Kontaveit/Hsieh would be much more comfortable opponent.
Recap after QF: Apparently I was wrong when quitting Barty-Kvitova match...or wasn't I? Of course, it ended up 76 36 62, but Kvitova had the early edge 5-2 in the tie-break and then set points, so the encounter could easily clinch 76 63 in Kvitova's favor...So often it's hard to say if you were wrong or right. Moving on, now Barty will take on Kontaveit in the SF and although a negative h2h (0-1), this time I will give a try.
Recap after SF:Can't say much since I haven't seen that match - blame it on 4 yours rain delays ... Looks like Barty is in superb shape. Now she will face Pliskova in the final, and I must say I am surprised a little bit for Plisk had a really poor record with Halep, especially on hard courts. Something unexpected must have happend because Plisk won 10 out of the last 11 games in that tardy match. I am not sure about the final, Pliskova and Kvitova were on my back-up go-deep list, so I may say that the final features the clash between my two "go-deep" players and in such cases I usually like to stand back...but form this blog's perspective, Plisk is not on any list, plus Barty look really, really confident and consistent right now, plus handicap -1 or -1,5 is not that big, and plus:) I think Bart's game has been improving/changing a little bit, she uses more BH topsin instead of slice, and can mix up a game a little more than 2-3 years ago. I have mixed feelings but slightly in favor of Barty so I will give it a try again.
As you can see, GDGD method is 6-3 ATS in Miami right now, and after the final, it can be either 7-3 or 6-4, whichever of these results are fine with me.
Recap after the final: An incredible week for Barty, with the biggest achivement in her career. Luckly she was on go-deep list and she went really, really deep:). It's hard to predict the winner, even when you pick 2-3 palyers, and frankly it's not my intention but I succeed 3 times (Budapest, Acapluco, Miami) out of 9 tournaments I have coverd by GDGD method. Anyway...let's sum up Miami a little bit - despite the "Rybarikova case":), the results are very good: 7-3 ATS and +3,3 units of profit. Lets look at the final table once again.
Matches (
all these matches you can find on my blogabet, marked as "GDGD"):
20.3.2019 1R down Siniakova-3,5 Zheng *WIN
21.3.2019 1R deep Riske+3 Kanepi *WIN
21.3.2019 2R deep Barty-3,5 Yastremska *WIN
23.3.2019 3R deep Barty-5,5 Stosur *WIN
25.3.2019 R16 deep Barty-3 Bertens *WIN
28.3.2019 SF deep Barty-4 Kontaveit *WIN
30.3.2019 F deep Barty-1 Pliskova *WIN
20.3.2019 1R down Vikly...-4,5 Rybarikova *MISS
21.3.2019 2R down Goerges-5 Rybarikova *MISS
22.3.2019 2R deep Riske-1 Hsieh *MISS
Matches that I omitted, and was not published on blogabet as a free picks
26.3.2019 QF deep Barty+2,5 Kvitova *WIN
