2023 Wimbledon Preview and MLB + WNBA All-Star rosters thoughts
The Monday morning edition of "Four things to know before 4 AM" is live!
Happy July 4th eve, everyone in the United States! Those in Canada, I hope you had a great Canada Day on Saturday. Anyways, in the sports realm, this past weekend was the reveal of two pro leagues’ All-Star rosters and the first NASCAR race… On the streets right outside metropolitan Chicago. We also received a bevy of free agency signings in both the NBA and NHL, as the former started on Friday early evening (6 p.m. EST) and the latter started at noon EST on Saturday.
I will be giving my overview on the MLB and WNBA rosters, as well as discuss the major signings for those NBA players that switched teams over the weekend. But first, let’s take a look at the Wimbledon draw, as by the time you are reading this, tennis’s third major’s first round is underway.
1) 2023 Wimbledon Preview and Predictions
As this post goes live at 6 a.m. EST, the following players would have just started their first round matches on the famed Wimbledon grass courts: (7) Andrey Rublev; (12) Felix Auger-Aliassime; (4) Jessica Pegula; and (19) Victoria Azarenka.
Defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic will look to extend his grand slam titles total and break a tie with Serena Williams (23 titles each). However, 2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios will miss his second consecutive major recovering from a wrist injury.
Djokovic, a four-time Wimbledon winner, may face unranked veteran Stan Wawrinka in the third round, but his toughest match may not be until the semifinals, when he potentially could go head-to-head against (4) Casper Ruud; however, Djokovic has a career 5-0 record against the Norwegian.
As for the world’s new number one men’s player - Carlos Alcaraz - the Spaniard has one of the toughest paths to the championship: a fourth-round match against (19) Alexander Zverev (2-3 all-time against the German); a quarterfinals duel versus (6) Holger Rune (1-1 all-time); and, if he advances, potentially faces (3) Daniil Medvedev in the semis (1-1 all-time).
Lastly for the men’s draw, I cannot not mention the local Maryland product in Francis Tiafoe. The tenth-ranked American is coming off a Stuttgart Open title win two weeks ago in a tune-up tournament in Germany. He should now be able to cruise to the third round of Wimbledon, but that is when the hurdles begin. He could face (21) Grigor Dimitrov, then Rune in the fourth round and Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
Men’s Semifinals Prediction: (6) Holger Rune vs. (5) Stefanos Tsitsipas and (4) Casper Ruud vs. (2) Novak Djokovic
Men’s Wimbledon Championship: (2) Novak Djokovic defeats (6) Holger Rune
In the women’s draw, world’s number one Iga Swiatek is coming off her fourth major at age 22 in winning the 2023 French Open. However, Wimbledon is her weakest grand slam, as she has never advanced to the quarterfinals in her young four-year WTA career. Swiatek could face (7) Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals this year - favorable for the Polish star, as she’s 7-0 against Gauff all-time.
Defending Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina has just as tough a draw as Alcaraz, as her potential opponents could be:
Alize Cornet (second round)
(27) Bernarda Pera (third round)
(13) Beatriz Haddad Maia (fourth round)
(9) Petra Kvitova (quarterfinals)
(2) Arya Sabalenka (semifinals)
Also, Venus Williams is still competing at age 43, as she earned a wild card spot and will face fellow wild card opponent Elina Svitolina at 10:30 a.m. EST this morning.
The draw could not be more wide-open for any other competitor, as there has been four finalists over the past two years since Serena Williams retired in 2022.
Women’s Semifinals Prediction: (7) Coco Gauff vs. (4) Jessica Pegula and (6) Ons Jabeur vs. (2) Arya Sabalenka
Women’s Wimbledon Championship: (2) Arya Sabalenka defeats (4) Jessica Pegula
2) 2023 MLB All-Star rosters announced
We are almost a week away from the All-Star week festivities in Seattle, Washington - and, with that, came the announcements for both the National and American League rosters for next next Tuesday’s All-Star game. For those unaware, MLB is the only major professional sports league that requires at least one player from each team, and each roster consists of 32 players.
The headliners from analyzing the two teams are as follows:
The MLB-leading Atlanta Braves (56-27) have eight total All-Stars, including the entire infield (five positions), 2023 NL MVP frontrunner Ronald Acuna Jr., and two starting pitchers (2023 NL Cy Young candidate Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder)
You can call the American League the “Toronto Rangers”, as there are 10 combined Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers players selected as All-Stars
The team hosting the All-Star game (Seattle Mariners) only have one representative (starting pitcher Luis Castillo), but will also have another (outfielder Julio Rodriguez) playing in next, next Monday’s Home Run Derby
The Baltimore Orioles have four players going to Seattle, and all rightfully deserved: outfielder Austin Hays (leads the AL in batting avg.); catcher Adley Rutschman (top-three MLB catcher in only his 2nd season); relief pitcher Yannier Cano (MLB-leading 1.12 ERA); and closer Felix Bautista (MLB-best 18.16 strikeouts per nine innings - which would be an MLB record at season’s end)
3) 2023 WNBA All-Star rosters announced
Sticking with the All-Star theme, the complete WNBA All-Star rosters were revealed on Saturday afternoon. The game tips-off on July 15 (next, next Saturday). You can see the complete list of players below, and I will give my thoughts thereafter.
To no one’s surprise, the 16-1 Las Vegas Aces lead with four All-Stars (Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and A’ja Wilson)
For the first time in eight years, every WNBA team has at least one player in the All-Star game - taking a page from the MLB
A rookie (Aliyah Boston) is starting ahead of the likes of Alyssa Thomas, Elena Delle Donne and Napheesa Collier. No shame, but just shows how well this year’s number one overall pick has been playing (15.3 points per game on 62.6% from the field; 8.5 rebounds per game and 1.5 blocks per game).
Speaking of Thomas, she should have been one of the 10 All-Star starters, as she has a WNBA-best six career triple-doubles, and has accrued three of them this season alone - the former Maryland Terrapin has been stepping up her game ever since Connecticut Sun teammate Brionna Jones tore her Achilles’ a month ago
4) NBA Free Agency weekend roundup
Wrapping up today’s Snippets, I will take a look at the top-four major NBA free agent signings over the weekend - in order by size of total salary:
Guard Fred VanVleet: Three years, $128.5 million deal (Raptors to Rockets)
The former All-Star guard for the Toronto Raptors opted-out of his contract a month ago, and the young Houston Rockets, in dire need of veteran help, nabbed the 29-year old on a whopping $42.8 million per year deal. Holy overpay, Batman! I get that the Rockets needed experience on one of the youngest 2023 rosters, but for a player turning 30 next year is slightly concerning. We will see how he fits with the likes of Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green and center Alperen Sengun, along with 2023 number four overall pick Amen Thompson.
Guard Dillon Brooks: Four years, $80 million (Grizzlies to Rockets)
This signing caught the NBA world by surprise, as the former Oregon Duck was kicked off the Grizzlies for a laundry list of antics - none more glaring than his perpetual trash-talking that reared its proverbial ‘ugly head’ against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs. Who signs the headcase? None other than the way-too-young and immature Rockets. This signing feels less of an overpay but more of a questionable signing for a headcase like Brooks.
Guard Donte DiVincenzo: Four years, $50 million (Warriors to Knicks)
The first positive signing of this list, the Knicks got a great deal ($12.5 million per year) for the former Milwaukee Buck and Golden State Warriors guard. The former Villanova Wildcat product joins two other alums (wing Josh Hart and superstar guard Jalen Brunson) in New York after a career-best offensive season (shooting a career-best 40% from three last season). He is a great sixth man and had the second-best defensive season since his 2019-2020 second season in Milwaukee.
Guard Bruce Brown: Two years, $45 million (Nuggets to Pacers)
Brown was seeking a new team after his success with the championship-winning Denver Nuggets - he got just that on Friday, signing a $22.5 million per year deal with the Indiana Pacers. The midwestern team has gotten significantly better this off-season, also acquiring Knicks’ reserve forward Obi Toppin and drafting one of my favorite rookie prospects in Penn State guard Jalen Pickett (a point guard version of Nikola Jokic) with the second pick of the second round. As for Brown - he fits right into the starting ‘3’ position for the Pacers, and should continue his success after a strong fifth season in the league.
—-
Continuing with other NBA news - despite the Portland Trail Blazers re-signing wing Jerami Grant to an insane five-year, $160 million deal ($32 million annually) - the team’s face of the franchise in point guard Damian Lillard announced that he wants out. This news is not that too surprising, on the other hand, since the team drafted guard Scoot Henderson number two overall in last month’s NBA Draft.
That is going to do it for this Monday July holiday edition of my Snippets. Enjoy the next couple of days off for this extended Fourth of July weekend!
Until next time, signing off.