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

It’s hard to believe that Maria Sharapova had never won a clay court title before this week. She has had good success on clay in the past (reaching the quarters and semis of the French Open), but never a title. That was until this past weekend. She defeated Dominika Cibulkova 7-6(7), 6-3 in the finals at Amelia Island to claim her third title of the year. She also improved her record to a stunning 22-1 for the season, with that lone loss coming at Indian Wells.

This is a big win for Sharapova, because it not only showed that she can win on clay, but it also proved that she is back and healthy after her two week rest. She got a little lucky in the semis, as Lindsay Davenport pulled out due to a viral illness. Tough break for Davenport, who has now pulled out of two of the last three tournaments she has played in. That was a match I was looking forward to watching, and I am sure you were too.

Let’s talk a little bit about Cibulkova. For starters, this was her first career WTA Tour final. Previously, her best result came at Guangzhou last fall where she reached the semis. She upset three seeds in this tournament (including Anna Chakvetadze), and at the end of the day she improved her ranking to a career high #29 in the world. This is a great showing for the 18-year old Slovakian, and if her recent play is any indication of her potential I will definitely be keeping me eye on her as the year progresses.