2008 US Open – Nick’s Picks – Men’s Singles Round 1
Nick’s Picks along with Tennis Week and CBS Sports will bring you live coverage of the US Open from New York City. Check back everyday for insight leading up to the Open and then throughout.
Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Arnaud Clement (FRA)
Djokovic comes in as one of the favorites to win this tournament, and this year he is taking a different approach. He has said he is done with the impersonations and making bold predictions (like he did at Wimbledon), and I feel that is a good move. The question is: Can he get back to the finals for the second straight year?
Clement made a surprise run to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and comes in ranked #78 in the world. His best showing at the US Open was back in 2000 when he reached the quarterfinals, and he has also been to the fourth round here three other times.
The Match-Up:
These two have faced twice before, with each player winning one match. Clement has been around for a long time. He is excellent from the baseline, a very good doubles player, and won’t back down from anyone. The one thing he will not be able to do in this match is control the court. Djokovic will use his outstanding forehand and fantastic two-handed backhand to move Clement all over the court. That will cause Clement to hit too many unforced errors and give Djokovic plenty of chances to hit winners. This will not be an easy match for Djokovic, but he just has too much firepower for the French veteran.
Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in three sets
Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs. Sam Querrey (USA)
Berdych has not had his best year on tour. He has seen his ranking drop to #22 in the world (down from a career high of #9), and has struggled to find consistency thus far in 2008. He has been to the fourth round here three out of the last four years, but to do that this year he is going to have to find his game right from the outset.
Querrey is no longer the new kid on the block. This is his third US Open, and in two prior appearances he has yet to get out of the second round. It is time for him to step up. He did win a hard court title back in March at Las Vegas, and he got to the semis at Indianapolis in July.
The Match-Up:
Berdych is 1-0 against Querrey, with that win coming earlier this year at Miami. Querrey is know for his big serve, but has is more than that. He has excellent groundstrokes, a very nice two-handed backhand, and for a big boy (6’6″) he moves well and has an excellent foundation. I feel that Querrey has to come in to the net more often if he is going to reach another level of excellence. He is solid from the baseline, but there are players on tour that are better.
Berdych has always been touted as one of the best youngsters coming up, but it is time now that he breaks through on a big stage. He really doesn’t have a weakness on the court, except for his mental approach. At times he seems like he is just floating around out there, and not really focused on the task at hand. There is no doubt that his thundering groundstrokes give him the edge from the baseline, but any mental breakdown might cause an upset (especially with the American fans cheering on Querrey).
Nick’s Pick – Berdych in four or five sets
Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) vs. Guillermo Canas (ARG)
About a year and a half ago I spoke to Del Potro’s coach, and we spoke about how much potential this young man has. It seems like he is finally starting to come into his own. No one is hotter right now on the ATP Tour, as Del Potro comes in winning the last four tournaments he has played in. Some people questioned his decision to pull out of New Haven to prep for the Open when he had the chance to win the US Open Series, but I agree with decision. The money will come if he continues to play like he has been.
After having a great 2007, Canas has taken a step back in 2008. He started out the year ranked #17 in the world, and he is currently at #53. He has never had great success at the US Open, but he is capable of beating anyone when playing well. I certainly wouldn’t take him lightly.
The Match-Up:
Del Potro is 1-0 against Canas, with that win coming back in 2007 at Cincinnati. Right now, Del Potro is very dangerous. He has a big serve, huge forehand, and is moving with a lot of confidence. When he comes to the net, all he has to do is put away a simple block volley because of the defensive balls that he is seeing. One thing is for sure, Del Potro has definitely won the respect of his competitors now, and in a recent interview Brad Gilbert picked him as the one guy he would like to work with if he had a choice. I would agree!!
Canas will be the retriever in this match. He runs well from side to side, gets a lot of balls back, and will simply not stop competing. However, Del Potro’s firepower will produce a lot of errors and/or defensive balls. Canas is a fierce competitor and the longer this match goes, the more it favors him. Del Potro has to get this over with quickly, he does not want this to go five.
Nick’s Pick – Del Potro in three or four sets.
Andy Roddick (USA) vs. Fabrice Santoro (FRA)
Roddick has been dealing with a shoulder injury for most of the year, which caused him to miss the French Open. Earlier this year he won titles at San Jose and Dubai, and he reached the finals at Los Angeles during the US Open Series (falling to Del Potro). Roddick won this tournament back in 2003 and reached the finals in 2006, another run like that this year would certainly be a welcome site.
I love watching Fabrice Santoro play, but anybody that plays him has to get a massage afterwards because of the way he jerks his opponents around the court! He is one of my favorite guys on the tour, but it seems like age may finally be starting to catch up with him. The clock is ticking, and he is now 35-years old and in his 19th year on the ATP Tour! I hope he continues to play for a couple more years, because he is great for the tour.
Match-Up:
Roddick is 2-1 against Santoro, but he lost the last time they faced back in 2007. Santoro is a brilliant thinker on the court. He moves and anticipates so well, and only a few people in the history of the game can match his shot-making using two-hands from both sides. He has the ability to drive the greatest players nuts with his chips, slices, dinks, dunks, lobs, and just about every other shot you can think of!
Roddick certainly has what it takes to make a run at winning another Grand Slam, however just having a serve is not enough. He counts on his forehand to control the court, and he has cut down on the errors from that side. The question is, and always will be, his backhand. He is not able to control play or get out of trouble (hit deep heavy balls or change the pace) with it. To win this match he has to have a big serving day, and cannot get frustrated. If he stands back five or six feet behind the baseline, Santoro will take advantage. Roddick has to move forward and be ready to hit those short spinning balls, but at the same time he cannot over-hit. The longer this match goes, the more it favors Santoro because he will wear Roddick down. I don’t think Roddick will let that happen though.
Nick’s Pick – Roddick in three sets
Jesse Levine (USA) vs. Chris Guccione (AUS)
Levine has come a long way, and having spent time at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy has certainly helped his game. He is coming off of a quarterfinal performance at New Haven, which should definitely give him some confidence coming in. If you get a chance, you should try to get out there and watch him play. His energy is simply contagious.
Guccione is a 23-year old Australian, who is currently ranked #88 in the world. Back in January he reached the finals at Sydney, but he hasn’t done much since. He is a talented player, but just needs to believe in himself to win on a consistent basis.
Match-Up:
Guccione is 1-0 against Levine, and that win came just about a month ago at Cincinnati. Guccione has a huge serve, and anytime you play against a guy with a big serve your main focus just has to be getting the ball back in play. Levine has to make Guccione work to win his serve, and he absolutely has to win his own serve. Guccione can also put the ball away on any defensive return, and Levine knows this from their prior match. Levine, who is a lefty, competes extremely well, and is very clever. If he has a big serving day, this could be a real match. If not, Guccione has the edge. I think this one is going to be competitive, but in the end I have to give the slightest of edges to the Australian.
Nick’s Pick – Guccione in 4 sets
Matches to Watch –
James Blake (USA) vs. Donald Young (USA) – The young hopeful vs. the American veteran. This should be a good one. Young has been on the rise for quite some time now, and he needs to have a good tournament because last year he reached the third round. Defeating Blake will not be an easy task, especially with the “J-Block” out there supporting him. Blake just reached the semis of the Olympics, and is playing very well. He knows this is his best chance to compete for a Grand Slam and has great success here in the past. This is one match I would like to watch.
Tommy Haas (GER) vs. Richard Gasquet (FRA) – Tommy just turned the big 30, and injuries have certainly derailed his career. It has been a bit of a roller-coaster ride for him, from being #2 in the world to dealing with constant shoulder injuries. When healthy, his game is good enough to challenge anyone. On the other side of the net is the shot-maker, Richard Gasquet. He can hit any shot from anywhere on the court, but like Haas has dealt with injuries in 2008. To win this match, Tommy has to serve well, force the issue, and come in whenever he can.
Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs. Juan Monaco (ARG) – Kei has surprised and impressed a lot of people this year, including James Blake and Rafael Nadal. He has been dealing with a strained abdomen muscle, which has hampered his movement and serve. If he is feeling 100%, watch out this kid is for real. Monaco is definitely the favorite in this match by rank, but if Kei is playing well this could be an upset.
