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

Tommy Haas vs. Rafael Nadal: Hats and Shirts off to Tommy

At the end of this terrific match, Haas took his shirt off and threw it to the fans, that were on their feet applauding with all their might, thanking Tommy for the many years he has played the game and the excited he added to the 2012 Australian Open. What a gentleman Mr. Nadal is. He hugged Tommy and then asked the audience to get up and salute him for his tireless dedication to the game.

Yes, this might have been Tommy’s last Aussie Open, but I will tell you all. This man has been with me for over 20 years and I had to wipe away my tears of joy as I watched the match that ended around midnight on the east coast. By the way, when you talk about one-handed backhands, there is none better than Haas’. It is a thing of beauty.

Kim Clijsters

That win by Clijsters sent a message directly to all the other women in the draw that she is healthy and ready to repeat her title. After the match, she also thanked her husband for his continuous support he has given her and she will support him in all ways if he decided to pursue a basketball coaching career in the United States. She is truly a classy lady and an example for others to follow. You can still be a fierce competitor, but you can also respect the game. My wife, Cindi, doesn’t say much about tennis but she sure does like watching Kim Clijsters and the way she conducts herself on and off the court.

Christina McHale 

This young girl is special and she is extremely competitive. She has no fear and for good reason, because if I had a forehand like her’s I wouldn’t be afraid of much either! Thanks goes to the USTA and to Patrick McEnroe who has been helping her, but Pat must realize he is getting a little to old to be her hitting partner! Christina will give Jankovic a fierce battle because of her fire power. I am excited about her future and I think American fans are too!

Posted in 2012 Australian Open
Tags: Rafael Nadal, Australian Open, Tommy Haas, Nick Bollettieri, Kim Clijsters, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, christina mchale, 2012 australian open

The 2012 Australian Open got off to a great start with a host of really good first round matches. No big upsets on the men’s side, but on the women’s side 2011 US Open champion, Sam Stosur did fall. Playing in front of her home fans has always been difficult for Stosur and it showed. Here are my picks for some of the more interesting second round match-ups:

Men

Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) vs. Andy Roddick (USA) – Their will be no surprises between these two veterans in this match. Hewitt had to give everything and more to win his first rounder and now he has to turn around and face a difficult opponent in Roddick in the second round. Roddick showed a bit of zip in his first round win over Robin Haase and will definitely have an advantage on the serve against Hewitt. Roddick needs to move Hewitt side-to-side and keep the points short to beat the Australian and I have to give him the edge. Roddick in 4 or 5 sets. 

Gael Monfils (FRA) vs. Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) – For many years, Monfils was more famous for his antics on the court than his winning. He seems to have turned that around and is playing great tennis. The crowd loves watching him play and he is definitely a showman, but he is hitting fewer errors and isn’t committing as many mistakes and the wins have been piling up. Bellucci is no push-over, and for many years he has been touted as one of the best young guys on the tour, but so far he hasn’t lived up to the billing. Monfils will be tested, but in the end he should pull it out. Monfils in 3 or 4 sets. 

John Isner (USA) vs. David Nalbandian (ARG) – This match has all the makings for a barn-burner. Isner comes in playing good tennis and Nalbandian is always a difficult out. He was beating Jarkko Nieminen pretty handily in the first round when Nieminen retired, so Nalbandian was able to get some rest. Nalbandian isn’t going to make many mistakes so Isner is going to have to pick his spots to attack. He needs to serve well and win as many easy points their as possible, but the longer this match goes the more it is going to swing to Nalbandian. I like Isner here in 4 sets, but watch out this could be an upset!

Tommy Haas (GER) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP) – I am thrilled to see Tommy back and playing good tennis again. He has been training with me for so long that I consider him part of my family. Throughout his whole career it’s seemed as if he is cursed with injuries, but he comes back more resilient each time. He has one of the greatest one-handed backhands you will ever see, a killer forehand and a fantastic slice. Nadal is going to do what he does to Federer’s one-handed backhand. He is going to hit heavy top-spin forehands to it and try to break it down. Tommy cannot get into long rallies with Nadal, especially cross-court rallies to Nadal’s forehand this will only spell trouble. If Nadal is able to jump out to a fast start, then watch out because once he gets rolling he is almost impossible to stop. I have to give the edge here to Nadal, but this will be a fun match. Nadal in 4 sets. 

Women

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs. Anna Tatishvili (GEO) – This match is all about Wozniacki. She has the goods to win it and probably will, but I will be watching to see how she plays. Everyone is waiting for her to claim her first major title and until she does their will always be chatter. I want to see her play more aggressive. She needs to get a high percentage of her first serves in and she cannot start pushing her second serve because her opponent will jump all over that. I would also like to see her go for her forehand when she has the opportunity and not play as defensive. I look for Wozniacki to advance but she is going to have to play better tennis if she wants to capture this title. Wozniacki in 2 sets. 

Jelena Jankovic (SRB) vs. Kai-Chen Chang (TPE) – Jankovic looked great in her first round win over Laura Robson as she controlled the points from the first ball. Now, she gets a qualifier in Chang and should be able to do the same. Jankovic has tested about every coach imaginable, but it all really boils down to her own mentality. She has the tools to compete with the best and she is super athletic, she just needs to focus mentally. Jankovic in 2 sets. 

Sabine Lisicki (GER) vs. Shahar Peer (ISR) – Lisicki, who trains at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, needed three sets to win her first round match and now she faces an even more difficult opponent in Shahar Peer. Lisicki’s game is to hit the crud out of the ball from anywhere on the court. She has a big-time serve and her groundstrokes are some of the very best. Her issue is that sometimes she presses a little and overhits, so if she can avoid that she should be in good shape. Lisicki should be able to win this match, but Peer will not go down without a challenge. She is very competitive and will make Lisicki work for every point. As long as Lisicki stays within herself and can avoid injury she should be just fine. Lisicki in 3 sets. 

Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) vs. Sloane Stephens (USA) – You don’t hear much chatter about Kuznetsova these days and if you are on the women’s side that should make you nervous. She is always dangerous and she looks like she is in excellent shape right now. She has a great foundation and generally makes little to no errors on the court. Stephens is a young American who has all the physical gifts to be a top player. Her biggest weakness is her mental game. She looked much better at the 2011 US Open, and if she can play like that consistently she will be in good shape. At this point, I don’t think she has enough to beat Kuznetsova right now, but that day may come very soon. Kuznetsova in 2 or 3 sets. 

Posted in 2012 Australian Open
Tags: Svetlana Kuznetsova, Rafael Nadal, Australian Open, Tommy Haas, Andy Roddick, Jelena Jankovic, Nick Bollettieri, David Nalbandian, John Isner, Gael Monfils, Caroline Wozniacki, Sabine Lisicki, Shahar Peer, Nick's Picks, Lleyton Hewitt, Thomaz Bellucci, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, sloane stephens, 2012 australian open, anna tatishvili

Wow, wow! I watched this match and i said to myself, as the clock ticked towards midnight, that Ryan Harrison has all the tools to be a top-10 player and he is in contention to win major championships in the future. He has played many of the top ten ranked players already and has showed flashes of brilliance against all of them. Yes, he is emotional, but in time this will be an asset because he will control his emotions.

Ryan Harrison

Forehand – He can hit with spin or he can drive the ball from any position on the court. You will see Ryan covering lots of court space to hit more forehands.

Backhand – Very steady two-handed backhand and he’s exceptional at hitting winners down the line.

Backhand Slice – He can change the pace, he can buy time and he can hit his slice down the line keeping it very low. Oh yes, he can also attack with a slice forcing his opponent’s to hit up on the ball.

Volley – This is an area of his game where he is very comfortable with a simple block volley or a soft touch-volley. Down the road, you will see Ryan attack much more.

Serve – This 19-year old boy can really serve the big bombs, including having one of the very best second serves on the tour. His average second serve is around 110-115 mph which is off the charts!

Movement – Not only does he anticipate well, but in his mind he can run down any ball no matter where it is, forcing his opponent’s to hit extra shots and often errors.

Mentality - Be patient, it is improving every single day. His competitiveness is off-the-wall and he is a crowd-pleaser for the fans. He has had his ups and downs, but in the end we will all witness him become one of the top players in the world!

Andy Murray

Hats off to Andy Murray and his team. It was a fierce battle the first set and the beginning of the second set, but Andy must have felt the penetrating eyes of Ivan Lendl looking down upon him and I am sure this helped him through the first few sets in maintaining his composure!

This was a great match to watch and I want to congratulate both men for giving everything they had. Their were long, physical rallies and the quality of play was very high. We are all very proud of Ryan and we wish him nothing but the best throughout the rest of 2012!

Posted in 2012 Australian Open
Tags: 2012 australian open, Andy Murray, Australian Open, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Nick Bollettieri, Ryan Harrison

I can’t wait for the 2012 Australian Open to kick-off next week. The fans down under are great and all the players just rave about how well they are treated. I just took a look at the draw for the first time and here are my thoughts on some of the first-round match-ups.

Men

Mardy Fish (USA) vs. Gilles Muller (LUX) – This should be a good test for Mardy. He had an unbelievable year in 2011 and it will be interesting to see if he can maintain that momentum in 2012. He has a great two-handed backhand, he is one of the best returners in the game, his forehand is improved and he is really comfy at the net. The difference here should be Fish’s mentality and his ability to return the serve. Muller has a big-time serve and he has monster groundstrokes, but Fish should be able to win this match if he is playing his game. Fish in 4 sets. 

Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs. Bernard Tomic (AUS) – This is the match that all the Australian fans are going to be honing in on. Tomic is one of the best up-and-comers in the world and after a third round appearance last year, there is going to be plenty of pressure on him to repeat that performance. Verdasco clearly isn’t the player he was a few years ago, but he can still whip it around with a killer forehand. Tomic has the ability to lull his opponents to sleep and when you combine that with his big serve, excellent forehand and his outstanding two-handed backhand he is very dangerous. This should be a fun match to watch, but I am going with the upset. Tomic in 4 or 5 sets. 

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Ryan Harrison (USA) – Wow! Another great first-rounder. Harrison needs to get into this match early and he needs to control his emotions throughout. If he allows Murray to get off to a fast start, then he will be in trouble from the outset. You know what Murray is capable of, and while Harrison is a bit of a wild card he has the potential to pull of a big upset. We will all be rooting for Harrison here at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and wish his good luck! Based on history and experience, I have to give the edge to Murray here, but this should be a close one. Murray in 4 sets. 

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) – Can Djokovic repeat his 2011 numbers in 2012? Well, anything is possible, but I am not sure if anyone can have a season like that again. He shouldn’t have any troubles with the Italian, Lorenzi, in fact he should send him back to the pizza parlor real quickly! The real thing to watch for in this match is how well Djokovic plays. Djokovic in 3 sets. 

Women

Na Li (CHN) vs. Tsenia Pervak - After reaching the finals here last year, Na Li went on to win the French Open, but after that she struggled throughout the rest of 2011. Can she recapture her magic from early 2011 or will she continue to play like she did at the end? Pervak can definitely push Li around the court, but Li thrives off her opponent’s pace and she should be able to win this routinely. Li in 2 sets. 

Kim Clisjters (BEL) vs. Qualifier – At this point, Clijsters opponent is unknown, and it really shouldn’t matter. She is the defending champion down under and will be favored again for a deep run. Questions about her health will remain until she can prove she is good to go, but she shouldn’t have any issues reaching the second round. Clijsters in 2 sets. 

Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs. Gisela Dulko (ARG) - Sharapova spent plenty of time at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy during the off-season, and it was all business for her. She worked a lot on her physical strength and her base, and you know when healthy she is more than capable of winning this tournament. Dulko is a cagey veteran who should be able to test Sharapova, but as long as Sharapova remains healthy and focused she should advance. Sharapova in 2 sets. 

Heather Watson (GBR) vs. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) - Here is another match that features a young IMG Bollettieri student, Heather Watson, against a top seed, Victoria Azarenka. Watson has had some close matches against the top players, but she hasn’t been able to pull one out yet. I told her to let her game do all the talking and when she gets into those tight situations to relax and don’t over-think it. Azarenka is certainly favored to win this match as she is one of the best in the game, but don’t be surprised if Watson pushes her to three sets. I have to go with Azarenka, but I will be rooting for Heather! Azarenka in 3 sets. 

Posted in 2012 Australian Open
Tags: 2012 australian open, Andy Murray, Australian Open, Bernard Tomic, Fernando Verdasco, Gilles Muller, Gisela Dulko, Heather Watson, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Kim Clijsters, Mardy Fish, Maria Sharapova, nal li, Nick Bollettieri, Nick's Picks, Novak Djokovic, paolo lorenzi, Ryan Harrison, tsenia pervak, Victoria Azarenka

Carl Sandburg once said “it’s never over until it’s over” or maybe it was Yogi Berra – either way the message is pretty clear. Keep fighting, keep trying and maybe you can turn around a hopeless match, game, set or whatever it is you are attempting. This is the message we try to instill in our students at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy every single day!

Vince Lombardi, the legendary Green Bay Packers coach, would say “we never quit, we just ran out of time.” All competitors of life must have this attitude to become a true winner. When it’s easier to quit then come back, the real winner keeps fighting until the final whistle!

How do these clichés relate to tennis? Well, coming back from a likely defeat is an attitude. We see evidence of this posted on locker-room walls in sayings like: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!”

Mental toughness separates great players from good players and whether winning or losing, great players will fight and claw for each point. Some examples of this in tennis include Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Lleyton Hewitt, Rafael Nadal, Francesca Schiavone, Kim Clijsters, Andre Agassi, Monica Seles, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Jim Courier. They wouldn’t give up, regardless of the score. When great players lose, they leave their heart and soul on the court!

These athletes can look at themselves in the mirror after the match and say, “I gave it my all, I have nothing left.” If you have this attitude any loss will mean you got beat! Each player may go about this thinking their own way. For example, Chris Evert said she played not to lose whereas Jimmy Connors said he played to win at all times. Despite their slightly different philosophy, they were both great champions and were mental giants on the court.

To me, it is simple. Winning is a state of mind. It is a belief that something is going to happen that will enable you to prevail – the score is secondary. You should manage each point, each game with the entire contest in mind. If you can accomplish this, you’ll end up a winner regardless of the score.

When reading this article, sit down and read it again and again! So many people in life go into a battle with a loss already in their mind. They will find an excuse whether it be their parents, their coach, their strokes, not feeling well or any other myriad of reasons why not – and that is a bunch of you know what! You lose because you lack the will to fight when nothing seems to be working for you. In my mind, that attitude will result in a loss in whatever you try.

When you are out on the court, you are in a battle and you need to be a warrior. Then, and only then, I want you to be truthful with yourself and place yourself into one of the following categories. What excuses do you make? When making your decision be sure to consider that there are three sides to every story: your side, my side and the truth!!

Quitter

It wasn’t my day

Match was just practice

I could have done better

I blew it in the 3^rd-set tiebreaker

I was a warrior!

Posted in Uncategorized

To achieve the maximum result from your effort, no matter what task you are undertaking, you have to be focused. You cannot step between the lines and hope to give your best when your thoughts and concerns are elsewhere. No one understands this better than me after working with tens of thousands of students spanned over six decades. I can watch a student walk up to the court 20 yards away and know immediately if the student is focused and ready to give all they have to be a winner. I can tell by their body language, by the way, the athlete carries him or herself, or whether the student has something in the way of total commitment. Because I understand so well I emphasize what we call our ‘Student Life Program’. The clear understanding is that students have to be full of excitement and not distracted. This is where our staff must be on their toes and not only be able to feel and see when a student is out of synch but come up with a fix. Our athletes are required to have a life which focuses on stability. This is not an easy task trying to balance education, sports, social activity, rest, and time to regenerate their batteries. In conclusion all of the above can go in so many directions but your attitude can and will play a huge of success or failure.

Posted in Tennis Tips, Uncategorized

Sam Stosur, the 2011 US Open Champion!

I spent two weeks at the US Open, and each day my eyes were glued to the action on and off the court (including the scheduling nightmare that was the second week!). No matter which way I look at the tournament, to me, the story is Sam Stosur.

Her win over Serena Williams on Sunday comes after years of hard work and dedication and proves to everyone what determination and will can do for you. She was at a cross-roads in her career a few years ago because of an illness (Lyme Disease), but she didn’t let that deter her. Instead of throwing in the white towel, she fought back with all her might, spending many hours in the gym and also working on her technique. During this time off, she developed the big kick serve, which she can hit to both the ad and deuce court, and it has become a major weapon in her game.

In addition to her new weapon, the improvement in her physical conditioning has helped her stay in rallies much longer. She is able to hit the ball with heavy spin, forcing her opponent to move back and allowing her to take control the points. She was a true warrior throughout the tournament both on and off the court!

When looking back many, many years Australia has always been a leader on both the men’s and women’s side and they have had some of the best players that have ever picked up a tennis racket. Hopefully, Sam’s victory will bring new energy and excitement to young boys and girls and to the entire junior development program of Australia.

I’d like to congratulate Sam’s support staff as well, for standing by her side, including her coach (and one of my favorite students) Paul Kilderry. Congratulations to Sam on a fantastic tournament and good luck to you moving forward!

P.S. Don’t forget your good luck hotel, the Radisson on Lexington and 48th. They already have your suite ready to go for 2012!!

–Nick Bollettieri

Posted in 2011 US Open
Tags: 2011 us open, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Nick Bollettieri, Sam Stosur, Serena Williams, US Open