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

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Novak Djokovic (SRB)

Federer’s win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was some of the best tennis I have ever seen in my entire life. I want to congratulate Roger and his coach Paul Annacone, on a masterful strategy they put into place and there was no stopping Federer in the match. Everything he did was perfect, and he really didn’t give Tsonga a chance to breath. Beautiful tennis Roger!!!

Djokovic battled for the first three and a half sets before Tipsarevic was forced to retire with an injury. Djokovic won the first set in a tiebreaker, dropped the second set in a tiebreaker and then won the third set 6-0 and was up 3-0 in the fourth set when Tipsarevic had to stop. He has been to at least the semifinals of nine of the last 15 Grand Slams which is simply amazing!

Match-Up:

There will be no surprises in this match as this is the 24^th time these two have met. Federer is 14-9 in the previous matches and the last time they played, in the semis of the French Open, Federer won in four sets. Before that, Djokovic had beaten Federer three times in 2011 (semis at Australian Open, finals of Dubai and semis at Indian Wells).

I want to break this match down by each stroke…

Forehands: Both men have excellent forehands. I have to give a small edge to Federer here, but it’s close.

Backhands: This is where Djokovic has the advantage. Federer’s backhand has not been able to stand up to the heavy pounding from Djokovic and Nadal recently, but he was rolling it the other night against Tsonga and if he can do that against Djokovic he will be fine.

Serve: Both men have superb serves. I would give a narrow edge to Federer, but this is pretty even.

Return of Serve: Federer returns the serve really well, but Djokovic has the best in the game!

Movement: Both are phenomenal movers, no one has the edge here.

Slice: Federer is able to slice the ball a little better than Djokovic, but I don’t think this will be the determining factor in the match.

Volleys: I’d say they are pretty close to equal here, maybe a slight edge to Federer.

Mental: No doubt that they are even here!

This is a dream match, and right now the buzz in the crowd is that Federer is back. A win here would certainly help make that case, but Djokovic won’t forget that loss at the French Open and he wants this bad. This could really go either way and since I’ve broken the match down, I want to know who you think is going to win!

Nick’s Pick – Give me your prediction!

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Murray became just the seventh man in the Open era to reach the semifinals of all four Grand Slams in the same year. With the win, Murray has extended his winning streak to 10 matches as he came into the tournament having won Cincinnati. After a scare early on, Murray has looked much more comfortable and is playing great tennis.

Nadal didn’t have much of a problem with Roddick in the quarterfinals as he jumped on his early and never relented. He’s now reached the semis of six out of the last eight Grand Slams and he is the defending champion here! He wants this title so bad, and it is going to take a massive effort to slow him down.

Match-Up:

Nadal is 12-4 against Murray and has beaten him three times already this year, including in the semis of the French Open and Wimbledon.

I want to break this match down by each stroke…

Forehands: These two have very different forehands. Nadal hits with more spin than anyone, but he can also flatten it out and change the pace. Murray’s forehand is steady and reliable, but he doesn’t get the power that Nadal does.

Two-Handed backhand: Both men have tremendous backhands. Because Nadal is primarily a right-hander, his backhand is extremely powerful and when he hits it down the line, watch out! Murray’s backhand is great as well and it is one of the two-best in the entire game. He can hit any shot in the book from the backhand side, and he doesn’t make many errors.

Serve: Neither of these guys depend on the serve for a majority of their points. Murray has been able to improve his serve over the last few years, but so has Nadal. I don’t think this is going to be the determining factor of this match.

Volleys:  Both are excellent volleyers, but I think Murray has a little more feel around the net.

Movement: What can I say? Both are great movers! Both stand behind the baseline and like to run, run, run! Perhaps one of them will slip in a little and take the ball early to catch their opponent off-guard.

Return of Serve: Murray is one of the best returners in the game, so a slight edge to him.

Slice: A little bit more of an edge to Murray, but both men are excellent.

Mental: Murray has definitely improved, however, this is where Nadal thrives. Nadal is able to go harder than his opponent every time out and this is really where he is able to make a difference.

You can see how badly Nadal wants this title, especially after the summer he has had. He’s confident, aggressive and as determined as I have ever seen. Can Murray stop him? I’ve broken down the match, and I want your feedback on who is going to win!

Nick’s Pick – Give me your prediction!

Posted in 2011 US Open
Tags: 2011 us open, Andy Murray, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Nick Bollettieri, Nick's Picks, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, US Open

Sam Stosur (AUS) vs. Angelique Kerber (GER)

Stosur didn’t face a single break point on her serve in her straight-set win over Vera Zvonareva in the quarterfinals and she is into the semis at the US Open for the first time in her career. This is only her third semifinal in a Grand Slam (singles) and with the way she is playing, watch out!

Kerber continued her amazing run with a three-set victory over Flavia Pennetta in the quarterfinals. Before this tournament, she had never been past the third round of any Grand Slam (and at the US Open she hadn’t been past the 2^nd round) and now she is in the semis and will play the biggest match of her life!

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between Stosur and Kerber, and it promises to be an exciting one. This is quite a run for Kerber and she continues to prove that she has the talent to play with the best. Being a lefty, she has an advantage already and she is moving well and full of confidence. Stosur will look to continue to play the way she did against Zvonareva. She will hit the high kicking serve and she will use her heavy-spinning shots to keep Kerber off-balance. For Kerber to win, she will have to gamble a bit and take some risks because I don’t think she has the arsenal to go toe-to-toe with Stosur. This match could go three, but because of the experience and the firepower I am going with Stosur.

Nick’s Pick – Stosur in 3 sets

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)

Serena started off slowly against Pavlyuchenkova, getting broken in her first three service games, but once she gets going, she is almost impossible to stop. She squeaked out the first set 7-5, and then rolled through the second set 6-1. She is now 17-0 since Wimbledon and this is her 20th Grand Slam semifinal of her illustrious career!

Wozniacki had no trouble with Petkovic, beating the German in straight sets to set up this blockbuster semifinal! This is the only Grand Slam that Wozniacki has reached the finals of previously and to get their again (and beat Serena) she is going to have to play some of the best tennis of her career.

Match-Up:

These two have met twice before, and Serena has won both of those encounters. This is the match we have been looking forward to since the draw came out. What an opportunity this is for Wozniacki to prove to the world that she deserves the #1 ranking. I’ve heard through the grapevine that Wozniacki may try and stand closer to the baseline and take the ball earlier, and I believe this is a good strategy. She may also have to try and slip in towards the net when she can and surprise. I don’t feel that she has the firepower to push Serena back, so she is going to have to move her from side-to-side and fight for every point. Serena should be able to pounce on the Wozniacki serve, as she has been able to do that in every match of the tournament thus far. Serena will also look to be the aggressor from the outset, but she cannot let Wozniacki break her serve like she did with Pavlyuchenkova. If she does that, Wozniacki isn’t going to let her back in the match. I can see this going three sets, but in the end I have to give the edge to Serena.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 3 sets

Posted in 2011 US Open
Tags: 2011 us open, angelique kerber, Caroline Wozniacki, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Nick Bollettieri, Nick's Picks, Sam Stosur, Serena Williams, US Open

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)

Federer dispensed of Juan Monaco in a quick 82 minutes 6-1, 6-2, 6-0. He never faced a break point the entire match and he won close to 60% of the points on Monaco’s serve. Needless to say, that was an easy win for him, and I don’t expect to see those same results against Tsonga.

I was very impressed by Tsonga as he was able to battle the NY crowds that favored Fish (as well as the swirling wind) and come back from a set down to beat the American in five sets. This is his first appearance in the quarters of the US Open and he is looking to get to the semis of a Grand Slam for the fourth time in his career.

Match-Up:

Federer is 4-3 against Tsonga, and the two have played four times this year. Federer won in Doha and Rome earlier this year and Tsonga has won the last two at Wimbledon and Canada. I thought when Fish was up a set, Tsonga might fold and go down, but that wasn’t the case. He actually got stronger the longer the match went on and that was great to see. He doesn’t lack any confidence and he feeds off the crowd’s energy and having beaten Federer the last two times, he should be ready to go. He will try and hit to Federer’s backhand as much as possible and keep Federer pinned back behind the baseline. If he is able to do that, he could win this match.

On the other side, Federer and his coach, Paul Annacone, should go back and look at the tape of the previous two matches to try and glean any information they can. I think Federer, unlike Fish, will try and chip or slice his backhand return more which should take Tsonga out of his rhythm. Federer needs to come in as much as he can and make Tsonga pass him, because he doesn’t want to get into baseline rallies with the big Frenchman. I know Tsonga has won the last two matches, but I have to give a slight advantage to Federer. Watch out though because Tsonga is more than capable of pulling off this upset!

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 or 5 sets

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB)

Djokovic and Alexandr Dolgopolov played one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament in the fourth round, which included a 16-14 opening set tiebreak. Once Djokovic survived that, he was able to take hold of the match and he never looked back.

Tipsarevic knocked out Juan Carlos Ferrero in four sets to reach the quarters of the US Open for the first time in his career. This is also his first time he has been to the quarters of any Grand Slam and a win here would be the biggest of his career.

Match-Up:

Djokovic is 2-0 against his fellow countryman and I am sure these two know each other very well as they are both from Serbia and played Davis Cup together. Any time you get two players from the same country together, you know it’s going to be exciting! I love that Tipsarevic plays with the glasses on, he is like a Hollywood rock star out there! Not only that, but he can flat out play. He has a great forehand, moves exceptionally well, and his two-handed backhand is fantastic. Against Ferrero in the last round, he was hitting tremendous serves out wide, but this can be dangerous because when you do this it really opens up the court.

To beat Djokovic, he is going to have to play the match of his life. Djokovic does everything extremely well and really has no weaknesses. He seems to have a mental edge over the rest of his Serbian counterparts and that makes a big difference once the ball is in play. This is going to be a fun match to watch, but I see Djokovic moving through in straight sets.

Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 3 sets

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. John Isner (USA)

After a very long wait, Murray ended Donald Young’s great run, beating the young American in straight sets. Murray was extremely efficient, and while he didn’t serve well, he broke DY eight times and pressured his opponent throughout the match (Young had 53 unforced errors). This is how Murray likes to play and now he is one step closer to reaching the at least the semis of every Grand Slam this year.

Isner advanced to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career with a superb win over Gilles Simon in the fourth round. Isner won all three of his sets in the tiebreaker and he is playing fantastic tennis. He has worked so hard to get to this point and I couldn’t be happier for John!

Match-Up:

Murray is 1-0 against Isner with that win coming in the fourth round of the 2010 Australian Open. This match features one of the best servers in the game versus one of the best return of servers in the game. Isner is going to have to have one heck of a serving day to beat Murray, because the Scotsman is usually able to negate the big serve of many players. Isner should also try using a big kick serve to open the court and give him some free points. I don’t feel Murray can stay back behind the baseline and win this match. He needs to stand closer to the baseline, otherwise Isner is going to use drop shots and his big groundstrokes to control the court. The longers this match goes, the more it favors Murray. If Isner is to win, I think he’s got to do it in three sets or a quick four sets. I have to give the edge to Murray based on the way the two have played this year, but if Isner is able to grab control early this could be an upset.

Nick’s Pick – Murray in 4 or 5 sets

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Andy Roddick (USA)

When Nadal’s match first started (the day before it ended!) he went down early to Muller, but on Thursday, when played resumed, he battled right back and was able to win in straight sets. He showed no signs of the cramps or blister problems that popped up in the third round and he looks as determined as ever to repeat his title here.

I wasn’t sure if Roddick was ever going to get a chance to finish his match after waiting for the rain for two days and then his match had to be moved off of Louis Armstrong court because of water bubbling up through the court! After all that, he was able to get the match in and he beat a darn good player in David Ferrer in four sets. Don’t look now, but Roddick is definitely a threat to dethrone Nadal!

Match-Up:

Nadal is 6-3 against Roddick and they split their two matches last year (Nadal won in the World Finals and Roddick won in Miami). I am so happy that Roddick is playing excellent tennis again at the US Open, I couldn’t be happier for him. He now has one of, if not, the toughest test on his hand: beating Rafael Nadal. He will need to have a big serving day, and he needs to continue to break serve at the pace he has done thus far throughout the tournament. He cannot get into long cross-court rallies with the Spaniard, otherwise Nadal will use his heavy spinning balls to push Roddick back. Nadal will do what he does every time he takes the court, which is to compete harder than anyone else. He knows what he needs to do to win this match, and based on the way both men have played in 2011 I have to give the advantage to Nadal.

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 4 sets

Posted in 2011 US Open
Tags: 2011 us open, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Janko Tipsarevic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Nick Bollettieri, Nick's Picks, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer

Sam Stosur (AUS) vs. Vera Zvonareva (RUS)

We need to start calling Stosur the marathon woman! Two days after winning the longest match in US Open history she played the longest tie-break in Grand Slam history in her fourth round win over Maria Kirilenko. This is her second straight appearance in the quarters of the US Open and she is looking to reach the semis for the first time.

It was going to take a great performance to stop Sabine Lisicki, and that was exactly what Zvonareva did in her fourth round win over the young German. Zvonareva beat Lisicki in straight sets to reach the quarters for the second year in a row. Remember, last year she was the runner-up so you know she wants this title badly!

Match-Up:

Stosur is 7-2 against Zvonareva and has beaten her twice already this year (Stuttgart and Eastbourne). This is going to be a really interesting match because you have two girls who have worked so incredibly hard to get to where they are today. Stosur had to fight off injuries and illness and Zvonareva has had injuries and she has also overcome the mental obstacles that used to be in her way. You can really see what a difference that has made in her game.

Stosur has played some long matches in the last two rounds and even though she is a physical specimen, that would take a toll on anyone. She may get helped out if there is a rain delay, but you can’t count on that. She has had success against Zvonareva in the past by hitting the ball with heavy, heavy spin, which takes Zvonareva out of her comfort zone. If she is able to do that again, she will have the advantage. If Zvonareva is able to catch the ball early and hit it in her bread basket (down by her knees) and move Stosur around, then she will have the advantage. Both girls are playing excellent tennis, and this match could really go either way, but I have to give a slight edge to Zvonareva based on their rankings.

Nick’s Pick – Zvonareva in 3 sets

Angelique Kerber (GER) vs. Flavia Pennetta (ITA)

Kerber is the lowest ranked player left in the draw (#92) and this is her first appearance in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. The 23-year old German was one of three German women to have reached the fourth round, joining Andrea Petkovic and Sabine Lisicki.

Pennetta fought off exhaustion, nausea and a very tough opponent in Peng Shuai to reach the quarters of the US Open for the third time in her career. She clearly loves playing in the Big Apple and she has never been past the fourth round in any other Grand Slam.

Match-Up:

Pennetta is 1-0 against Kerber and that win came earlier this year on clay in Bastad. Kerber is a powerful lefty who has a solid two-handed backhand and a very good forehand. It is certainly a surprise to see her in the quarters, but now that she is here anything can happen. The hot, sticky weather was getting to Pennetta in her match against Peng, but I was happy to see her get through. She is very consistent from the baseline, she has great groundstrokes and she moves very well. She should be able to control the points against Kerber and having been on this big stage before, that should give her an advantage. I look for Pennetta to win.

Nick’s Pick – Pennetta in 2 sets

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs. Andrea Petkovic (GER)

Despite being down a set and 4-1 to Kuznetsova, never once did Wozniacki look like she was going to lose. She just getting grinding away and battling back and she was just more fit that Kuznetsova and that was the difference in the match. This is her third straight appearance in the quarters of the US Open and she is getting closer to winning her first major and validating that #1 ranking.

Petkovic is making her first appearance in the quarters of the US Open and it is her third Grand Slam quarterfinal in 2011. A win here would put her in the semis for the first time in her career. She has only dropped one set in the tournament and that came in the second round, so she is playing excellent tennis.

Match-Up:

These two have met twice before and each has won once. Both of those matches have taken place this year. Petkovic won in three sets in Miami and Wozniacki won in straight sets in Stuttgart. Petkovic has worked extremely hard to get where she is today. She started playing tennis at a very young age and has fought through terrible injuries to reach this point. She never once thought about giving up and it is this mentality that has taken her to the top. She plays an extremely aggressive style of tennis and has a HUGE forehand and big serve. She moves well and she will try and keep Wozniacki pushed way back behind the baseline.

On the other side, Wozniacki should be full of confidence after that great win over Kuznetsova. I was so happy to see her get through and she proved, once again, that she can trade blows with the best. To win this match, she needs to keep Petkovic off-balance and move her all around the court. She cannot let Petkovic settle in and use her powerful groundstrokes to gain control the points. I have to give a slight edge to Wozniacki based on the way she was able to come back against Kuznetsova, but this is going to be close!

Nick’s Pick – Wozniacki in 3 sets

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)

Serena jumped out to an early lead against Ivanovic and never looked back, winning 6-3, 6-4. She is playing some of the best tennis that I have ever seen from her and there is no doubt that she is the favorite to win the tournament. The only thing that can stop Serena is herself!

Pavlyuchenkova picked up a hard-fought win over Francesca Schiavone to reach the quarters of the US Open for the first time in her career. This is only her second Grand Slam quarterfinal and it is going to be quite a test!

Match-Up:

These two have met once before, at the 2010 French Open and Serena won that in three sets. Pavlyuchenkova is an extremely talented youngster, who at 20 years old, has top-ten written all over her, but this match sits squarely on Serena Williams’ racket. Pavlyuchenkova has the power to battle Serena, but she doesn’t move as well and she doesn’t get as much from her serve. Serena has been jumping all over her opponent’s second serves and that has made a huge difference for her in her wins as it puts a ton of pressure on her opponents to get their first serves in play. She isn’t making very many errors and when she plays like this, there is no one on the women’s side that can beat her.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 2 sets

Posted in 2011 US Open
Tags: 2011 us open, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, andrea petkovic, angelique kerber, Caroline Wozniacki, Flavia Pennetta, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Nick Bollettieri, Nick's Picks, Sam Stosur, Serena Williams, US Open, Vera Zvonareva

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Juan Monaco (ARG)

Federer got a bit of a scare from Marin Cilic in the third round, dropping the second set, but he didn’t let that effect his game at all and he advanced in four sets. He is playing outstanding, aggressive tennis and when Roger is on the attack you better watch out!

I watched the whole match between Monaco and my boy, Tommy Haas. I was excited to see Haas win the first set, but as the match went on he just ran out of steam. Monaco was too consistent with his groundstrokes and Haas simply didn’t have enough the tank. This is only the second time, and the first since 2007, tht Monaco has been to the fourth round of the US Open.

Match-Up:

Federer is 2-0 against Monaco and that includes a win over him earlier this year in Miami. Monaco was able to take advantage of Haas by wearing him down using his excellent two-handed backhand (that he hits very flat), a big first serve and superb forehand. The difference here is that where Haas ran out of gas, Federer won’t! Federer should be able to use his serve to win many free points and once the ball is in play, the variety of Federer should keep Monaco off-balance. I look for Federer to win in straight sets.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 3 sets

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)

Djokovic looked very comfortable in his straight-set victory over Nikolay Davydenko in the third round. If that match were a few years ago, Davydenko would’ve given him more trouble, but the Russian has lost a step and it showed.

Dolgopolov dropped the first set to Karlovic in the third round, but battled back and won in four. The 22-year old Ukrainian comes in ranked #23 in the world and is playing in the fourth round of a Grand Slam for only the second time in his career.

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between these two and it is going to be entertaining! Dolgopolov is a showman on the court. He is as unpredictable as a bumblebee flying around flowers! You never know where he is going to go and he plays an unorthodox style. He is super-talented, acrobatic, moves extremely well, has a weird serve with a low toss and his groundstrokes are excellent. On the other side, you know what you are going to get from Djokovic. He has the best return of serve in the game, his movement if off-the-wall, his groundstrokes are remarkable and his serve is fantastic. The difference in this match will be Djokovic’s ability to come in and take the ball early. Dolgopolov won’t have the opportunity to the time to move around the court like he usually does because Djokovic will be controlling the points. This match could certainly go four sets, but in the end Djokovic will prevail,

Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 4 sets

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Donald Young (USA)

Murray looked much better against Lopez than he did against Haase and that was great to see. With the top three guys still playing, Murray is able to fly under the radar a bit and that has helped him. He has been to at least the semis of every Grand Slam this year, and I know he doesn’t want that streak to end!

I couldn’t be happier for Donald Young. I have been a supporter of his ever since he turned pro at 14, and even though it has taken a while, it is fantastic to see him playing well and winning meaningful matches. This is his first appearance in the fourth round of a Grand Slam and a win here would clearly be the biggest of his career.

Match-Up:

Young is 1-0 against Murray and that win came earlier this year at Indian Wells. You know that Murray will remember that match and is going to want to prove to Young that, that was a fluke. On the other hand, Young should be full of confidence and having beaten Murray once, he knows he can do it again. Young has played excellent tennis in the last two rounds, his movement has been fantastic, his touch and feel around the net is superb, and he is even playing a bit more aggressive. He isn’t getting many free points off of his serve, and to beat Murray he is going to need more there. He has already played the spoiler twice, beating Wawrinka and Chela and he can do it again! If you look at the rankings and the results in 2011, you have to give the edge to Murray, but Young has already pulled off two upsets so don’t count him out!

Nick’s Pick – I have to give the edge to Murray, but watch out!

Gilles Muller (LUX) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Nadal faced an uphill battle in the first set against Nalbandian as he was broken early on. As usual, that didn’t faze him and he was able to advance in three sets. He does have a blister and he was cramping after the match, so we will have to see if he is affected by either of those in this match.

Muller is a former quarterfinalist here and his game sets up nicely for the hard courts. He knocked out Ernets Gulbis in the second round, which was a very good win considering how well Gublis had been playing entering the tournament. Could he pull off another big win and upset the defending champion?

Match-Up:

Nadal is 2-1 against Muller and beat him earlier this year in the third round at Wimbledon in straight sets. Muller isn’t someone Nadal can take lightly. He has beaten him before, and if he gets on a roll with her serve he could do it again. The other question heading into this match is Nadal’s health. He had to call a trainer out to look at a blister in his win over Nalbandian and then after the match he was cramping up so bad in the press conference he fell to the ground. Hopefully, neither of those will affect him, but it is something to keep your eye on.

What’s exciting about this match is you have two lefties. Anytime that happens, you better watch out! The advantage Muller has with his serve will be negated a bit because he is facing another lefty. Usually, he is able to serve it out wide on the ad court to a right-hander’s backhand, but that wont be the case here. When you combine that with everything else Nadal does, you have to give the Spaniard the edge. This could certainly go four sets, but in the end I see Nadal advancing.

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 4 sets

Posted in 2011 US Open
Tags: 2011 us open, alexandr dolgopolov, Andy Murray, Donald Young, Gilles Muller, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Juan Monaco, Nick Bollettieri, Nick's Picks, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, US Open

Sabine Lisicki (GER) vs. Vera Zvonareva (RUS)

Lisicki ended a very nice run by Irina Falconi, but I came away impressed by the young American. She is a fierce competitor and even though Lisicki was handling her pretty easily she never once put her head down or showed any negative emotions. A great performance by both girls, and in the end I was happy to see Sabine advance!

Once the ball is in play, you are never going to see Zvonareva smile on the court, as she is one of the toughest competitors out there.  She competes for every single point like they are match points and that is what separates her from many of the women on the tour.

Match-Up:

Zvonareva is 3-0 against Lisicki and has beaten her twice this year and she also beat her at the US Open last year. Her win over her at the 2011 French Open was very dramatic and Lisicki certainly had some chances to take that match. Both of these girls spend time training at the IMG Bollettieri Tenis Academy and I know both very well. Coming into the match you would think Zvonareva is the favorite as she has the higher ranking and she has won all of their previous meetings. No so fast! Lisicki is playing some of the best tennis out of anyone right now, and it is going to take a mighty effort to stop her.

Lisicki’s groundstrokes and serve are as big as anyone on the tour, but what Zvonareva does best is move and track down balls. She is going to force Lisicki to hit an extra shot or two and be a little more patient. Can Lisicki stand up to this challenge and handle the pressure of the New York crowds and the bright lights? We will have to wait and see. If she gets on a roll early and she is able to move inside the court, take the ball on the rise and force Zvonareva to hit defensive returns I like her chances. This match is really too close to call and because I know each player so well, I think I will just take the 5^th on this one!

Nick’s Pick – Could go either way, but I think this one is going three sets!

Shuai Peng (CHN) vs. Flavia Pennetta (ITA)

Pennetta won a very emotional match over third-seeded Maria Sharapova in the third round. It certainly wasn’t one of Sharapova’s greatest performances, but give credit to Pennetta because she put pressure on Sharapova from the first ball and she never relented.

Don’t sleep on Peng. She comes in seeded 13^th and she has yet to drop a set in her three matches. She has beaten a couple of tough opponents in Pironkova and Goerges to reach the third round and a win here would put her into the quarters of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career (on the singles side).

Match-Up:

Pennetta is 4-0 against Peng and has beaten her twice at the US Open (2007 and 2008). This is going to be a completely different match than the one she had against Sharapova. Peng isn’t going to make the unforced errors that Sharapova did (60 and was broken 7 times) and she isn’t going to double fault 12 times. Peng is extremely consistent from the baseline, has a solid serve and moves very well. Pennetta is going to have to be a bit more patient than she was against Sharapova and pick her points to attack. Can she come back and win another tough match on the heels of that very emotional win? I am not sure, but I do have to give her the edge because when push comes to shove she does have a tad more firepower than Peng.

Nick’s Pick – Pennetta is 3 tough sets

P.S. GOOOOOO ITALIANS!!!!

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 

Wozniacki advanced in straight sets over American Vania King in the third round and was helped by King’s 39 unforced errors. Wozniacki seems to playing a bit more aggressive and that is something I have wanted to see from her for quite some time.

Kuznetsova needed only 74 minutes to dispense of Akgul Amanmuradova in the third round and she is into the fourth round of the sixth time in her career. She won this tournament back in 2004 and she was the runner-up in 2007, so Wozniacki better be ready to play!

Match-Up:

Wozniacki is 4-2 against Kuznetsova and beat her earlier this year in the finals of Dubai in straight sets. They did meet in the fourth round of the US Open back in 2009 and Wozniacki won that in a third-set tiebreaker. Kuznetsova hits the ball beautifully from both wings, she moves well laterally, and her serve is solid. This is definitely going to be a test for Wozniacki. Can she hang in there with the powerful groundstrokes of Kuznetsova? I think so! With the way Wozniacki moves, she should be able to control the points and move Kuznetsova from side-to-side. Kuznetsova’s serve isn’t overwhelming either, which should help Wozniacki. There are going to be some long rallies in this match, and I can see this going the distance, but in the end I feel Wozniacki has a little more firepower that Kuznetsova.

Nick’s Pick – Wozniacki in 3 sets

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Ana Ivanovic (RUS)

Serena played great tennis in her win over Victoria Azarenka in the third round. That match had more of a semifinal of final feel too it than a third-rounder, but because of Serena’s seeding she is going to have to beat some very good women if she wants to win this tournament.

Ivanovic ended the dream run of Sloane Stephens, beating the American in straight sets. It has been a full year since Ivanovic has been this far in a Grand Slam and she hasn’t been past this point of a Grand Slam (4^th round) since she won the 2008 French Open which is remarkable when you stop and think about it!

Match-Up:

Serena is 2-0 against Ivanovic, but the two haven’t met since 2009. This is a big opportunity for Ivanovic to show the world that she is back, but to win, she is going to need to play the match of her life! If she tries to go blow-for-blow with Serena she is going down. Serena is more physical than her, her groundstrokes are more powerful and her serve is top-notch. This match is on Serena’s racket. The only way she falls is if she has a mental breakdown and starts over-hitting and has too many unforced errors. Ivanovic needs to stand in there and perhaps gamble a bit to try and keep Serena off-balance. She needs to get out of her comfort zone and make Serena guess to have a chance. I can’t see that happening, and I have to give the advantage to Serena.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 2 sets

Posted in 2011 US Open
Tags: 2011 us open, Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki, Flavia Pennetta, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Nick Bollettieri, Nick's Picks, Sabine Lisicki, Serena Williams, Shuai Peng, Svetlana Kuznetsova, US Open, Vera Zvonareva

Posted in 2011 US Open
Tags: 2011 us open, IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, Nick Bollettieri, Nick's Picks, US Open