Grand Slam Professional Tennis Predictions and Picks by Nick Bollettieri. US Open, French Open, Wimbledon, Australian Open

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)

Serena came in ready to battle in the quarterfinals. As soon as she stepped onto the court you could tell she meant all business. She was fit, fully of energy, and moving very well as she dispensed of Justine Henin 6-2, 6-0. I have, and will continue to say, that when Serena is healthy, focused, and determined she is not only the best athlete on tour, she is the best player.

Kuznetsova surprised a lot of people with her 6-4, 6-4 victory over Venus Williams in the quarterfinals. This shouldn’t come as a shock though; Kuznetsova is quietly playing some of the best tennis on tour. She has reached three finals already this year, including last week at Indian Wells.

Match-Up:

Williams is 3-1 against Kuznetsova, but they split two matches in 2007. Kuznetsova has one of the best lower body foundations in all of tennis. She hits the ball early, she is very stable, and stays close to the baseline hitting flat from both sides. This combination makes her extremely difficult to beat or even stay neutral with.

Williams’ movement was a big key to her victory over Henin in the quarters. She was able to track down a majority of Henin’s drop shots, and once she got to the ball she put it away soundly. We all know about her powerful groundstrokes and her sonic serve, but if she is moving well (which she is) she is very difficult to beat.

Kuznetsova will be ready to play, you can be sure of that. She has already beaten one Williams sister, and she is capable of beating the other. If Williams gets down on herself at all, Kuznetsova will pounce. This is going to be close, but I give the edge to Williams.

Nick’s Pick – Williams in 3 sets