Tennis is in a really good place right now. The game is played by some of the top athletes in the world and their are a couple of traits that the best on both size all possess: size, strength, speed, power and a unbelievable will to win. It make not difference how you go through the draw, because you are eventually going to have to face the top guys including Djokovic, Nadal, Murray, Federer, Del Potro, Ferrer and even some of the best young ones like Tomic, Raonic, Nishikori, and Harrison. They are all very difficult out’s.

Let’s look back on some of the best matches…

Federer vs. Nadal – So many fans and players were sort of taken aback and so was I about how Federer sort of lost his way in towards the end of that match. His backhand, which was just about flawless throughout the previous rounds, totally broke down and he was shanking balls in all directions. Nadal played much closer to the baseline and controlled play. The final blow to this match was Federer’s serve, which went from being consistent to inconsitent!

Djokovic vs. Murray – Frank Sinatra had an old hit entitled, “What a Difference a Day Made,” well we should change that too “What a Difference Ivan Lendl Made!” No one ever doubted Murray’s ability, but what Lendl has made a world of difference with his game. Murray is in better control of his mind and body, he is standing closer to the baseline and his forehand is much more aggressive. Very nice to see. Yes, Djokovic won the match, but this is exactly what Murray must do to win a Grand Slam. He is so close, but getting over that Djokovic hump is going to be difficult!

Djokovic vs. Nadal – I must bring out a few very important points of interest and try to make all you realize what these two went through. Chris CarMichael, considered one of the top writers, said “The endurance of tennis is critical to be able to perform the intense movements required to last in a four and a half hour match and them come back 48 hours later and  do it again. Recovery is a must do of your training!”  This match ended up with two winners, even though the trophy was in Djokovic’s hands. Can you fans believe how far these two guys ran in this match? This match demonstrated a display of every type of shot and movement plus determination beyond description. Simply amazing and congrats to both men!

Sharapova vs. Azarenka – This match was a bit of a letdown for Maria, but was very positive for Azarenka. She dominated the match in all ways, and I was happy for her! She has improved her physical fitness and is much stronger in her lower body, giving her controlled power.

I want to say a special thanks to:

• The unbelievable fans – they broke the attendance record and were very hospitable
• Tennis Australia – great job!
• ESPN and The Tennis Channel – all the commentators were outstanding!!
• The man above for some great weather
• Unsung heroes like the ball boys and girls, linesmen and women, chair unpires and everyone else

It was a great tournament and I cannot wait until Indian Wells, the Sony Ericsson and the French Open!

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Andy Murray (GBR) – I have watched both players throughout this tournament and sum up my opinions of both in a few short sentences. Djokovic will stand close to the baseline and move Murray in all directions. He will get several quick points from his serve and will put a ton of pressure on Murray’s serve. He feels confident and this will play an important role on the outcome of this match. Murray will stand a few feet behind the baseline, will get to every ball, his serve has improved and Lendl has helped him maintain his focus.

Djokovic will not relent and will continually pressure Murray from every direction and their are going to be plenty of long rallies in this match. Their is no doubt in my mind that both men are capable of winning this tournament, but in the end I cannot pick against Djokovic. Djokovic in 4 sets.

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Roger Federer (SUI) – This match-up can be compared to the New England Patriots vs. the Baltimore Ravens. Federer, to me, is like Tom Brady. Both men are smooth and cool under pressure and they play with a great finesse. Nadal is like Ray Lewis. They both play a physical style of defense and will come at you with all their might and if you get up they will knock you down again! The Super Bowl draws a huge audience and so will this match! This is how I see it…

Roger Federer – He uses a heavy racket to play with and this means he cannot try to work the racket using physical strength, but he has to relax and use his talented hands and racket head speed with the racket head and arm extended away from his body on the forward swing and then driving the racket head an arm totally out to the target, Many say he has the very best finishing shots in the game, but to do that he has to be completely balanced and have control of his entire body before the ball arrives. Brady and Federer are both with the ability to read the defense and make a quick adjustment. Once again, both of them have soft hands which enables them to handle the ball easily. In addition, Roger has gained a great deal of confidence with his backhand and is much more aggressive on his passing shots.  No one changes the pace better than Roger with his biting low slice and don’t forget his drop shots from both sides. He also has the ability to use the very same serve toss to hit a kicker or a wide-slice serve.

Rafael Nadal – Nadal is one of a kind and there is no doubt in my mind that he is basically a freak of nature! It’s amazing to me when just about everyone is ready to say he can’t come back and then guess what, he comes back again! The entire world should try to follow his work ethic because this guy never gets tired and is always trying to get better and better. Nadal will do what he has always done against Federer which is to hit his lefty cross-court forehand with heavy spin to Federer’s one-handed backhand. Federer will move Nadal all over the court and try to avoid cross-court rallies. Both men are in top form, but what will be a major factor as the match rolls on is whether or not Federer is able to play his variety of shots which includes coming into the net.

The odds certainly favor Nadal, especially if the match becomes a dog fight with long sets and rallies. Most experts and I agree that the longer the match goes on, the more it favors Nadal. We must also bring our the clear facts that the heavy cross-court forehands of Nadal could take a toll on Federer’s backhand. Having said all of that, I just like the way Federer is playing and I am going to give a slight edge to him. Although, if this match goes five sets, I give it to Nadal. Federer in 4, Nadal in 5!

Women

Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs. Petra Kvitova (CZE) – Kvitova has had success against Sharapova in the past, but Maria is playing great tennis right now! Kvitova’s forehand is hard to read because she is a left and she can hit winners from anywhere on the court. Her bakchand is also an offensive shot and she doesn’t hit with much spin. Her first serve is very good, and she has a lot of action on her second serve, but it can be attacked. She is very comfy at the net and also moves well for her height. Pay close attention to the way she returns serve because she does it very well and with great consistency.

There is no reason to break down Sharapova’s game in to much detail, but this is what will take place. She will stand close to the baseline and pound the tar out of every ball with little spin. She will go after tentative second serves and punish you at all times. She has spent many hours on her physical fitness program and equal time working on her return! Her serve is still a major weapon and will have a big impact on a win or a loss. Finally, no one is stronger mentally that Sharapova!

I give a slight edge to Sharapova because she refuses to lose and will find a way to win! Sharapova in 3 sets.

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!

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. 

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!

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

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

This is the first real test for Federer, as Cilic comes into this match playng great tennis and he should be full of confidence. I said before the tournament that I liked Federer’s chances of winning this event, and he has done nothing so far to change my opinion.

Cilic has beaten two of the best up-and-comers in the world in Ryan Harrison and Bernard Tomic and both times I have picked him to lose! Well, I guess I am going to try my luck again with him!

Match-Up:

Federer is 2-0 against Cilic, which includes a win over him earlier this year in Monte Carlo. Cilic has played some unbelievable tennis in the first two rounds and he will have to play even better to knock off Federer. His groundstrokes are excellent, he has a sonic serve and for a big boy he moves really well. He thrives off of pace, and that is where I think Federer can make an impact. Federer has the ability to change the pace and play with more variety than Harrison or Tomic did. He also has the big serve to get out of tough positions and he isn’t making very many mistakes right now. I think Cilic can win a set and keep it interesting, but I have to pick Federer to advance.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 sets

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)

Djokovic almost pulled off the rare feat of triple-bageling and opponent in the second round as he beat Carlos Berlocq 6-0, 6-0, 6-2. What can I say about Djokovic that hasn’t been said before this year? The man is playing some of the best tennis in the history of the game and there appears to be no end in sight!

Davydenko has been as high as #3 in the world, but injuries and age have started to catch up to him. He still has some good tennis left in him though as he beat Nadal earlier this year and almost won Munich.

Match-Up:

Djokovic is 4-2 against Davyenko and the two just met in Canada were Djokovic won 7-5, 6-1. A few years ago this match would been a quarterfinal of semifinal, but that isn’t the case anymore. I watched Davydenko’s whole match against Potito Starace in the second round and he still moves well, has the solid groundstrokes and can get free points off his serve. Starace stood well behind the baseline though which gave Davydenko more time to recover before each shot. That is definitely not going to happen in this match. Djokovic loves to catch the ball early, on the rise, and keep his opponents off-balance. As I have said recently, right now, Djokovic is playing at a level that we have never seen in the sport. He has no weakness in any part of his game and he can place the ball anywhere he wants. I look for Djokovic to continue his amazing 2011 with a straight-set victory here.

Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 3 sets

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. David Nalbandian (ARG)

After a rather long (for his standards) first round match, Nadal was only out on the court for a little over an hour in his second round win over Nicolas Mahut. After winning the first two sets, the Frenchman Mahut was forced to retire with an abdominal injury. A solid win for Nadal and that should give him some more confidence.

Nalbandian knocked off Ivan Ljubicic in four sets to reach the third round of the US Open for the second straight year. Nalbandian has been hampered by injuries over the last few years, but when he was healthy he was definitely a threat to go deep into every tournament.

Match-Up:

This is the fifth career meting between these two and they have split their previous four. Their last battle came in the Round of 32 in Miami in 2010 and Nadal won that in three sets. Nalbandian certainly isn’t the player he was a few years ago. He’s ranked #76 in the world and injuries have slowed him down. He has all the talent in the world, but his physical conditioning has never been where it could have. There is no way that I think he has enough in the tank to stand in and take the constant pounding of Nadal’s groundstrokes. Nadal is going to make Nalbandian hit difficult winners and that is not a recipe for success for the Argentine. Could Nalbadian win a set? Sure! But I just don’t see any way he wins this match.

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 3 sets

Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs. Andy Murray (GBR)

It was a tale of two different Andy Murray’s in his five-set thrilling victory over Robin Haase. The first two sets he looked listless and out of energy and then he turned it on in the third set winning the next two easily. The fifth set was strange though as Murray was running away with it, Haase starting hitting winners again and all of a sudden he had ourselves one heck of a match. In the end though, Murray was just too much. A difficult win, but one that I think will help him moving forward.

Lopez hasn’t really faced a big challenge yet in his two matches, but that is about to change. He’s been to the fourth round at the US Open twice before (2007 ad 2010), but never further.

Match-Up:

Murray is 5-0 against Lopez and beat him earlier this year in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in straight sets. Lopez has the big lefty serve as well as the powerful forehand. His movement is solid, but the difference here will be Murray’s return of serve. He has one of, if not, the best return of serve in the game and he is able to put pressure on his opponents at all times. Once the ball is in play, Murray should have the advantage. Now, if he comes out and plays like he did in the first two sets against Haase, Lopez will jump all over him. I don’t think Murray will let that happen again though and I look for him to advance in three tough sets or maybe four sets.

Nick’s Pick – Murray in 4 sets

• What’s going on with Andy Roddick? I was shocked to see him lose so early as he definitely has the goods to compete with the best. He is still a top-ten guy, but he needs a big summer and an even bigger US Open to show that he is still elite. I wouldn’t bet against Andy. He is a tough competitor and he has more good tennis in him.
• Despite being injured and having not played for a long time, it is still sad to see the Williams’ sisters not playing at the very end. They are great for the sport and the women’s game really misses them. Hopefully they will stay healthy and we will be seeing more of them going forward. If they are playing in the US Open they are both real threats to win the tournament.
• The same can be said for Kim Clijsters. Not having her in the women’s field is a shame. She brings so much life and energy to the court and the Wimbledon fans really love her. I hope she recovers well and is able to defend her US Open title.
• Caroline Wozniacki needs to win a Grand Slam to put all the doubters to rest. The talk isn’t going to stop until she wins a big title. She has the game, she just needs to be more aggressive and work on her second serve. It is going to be tough to win one with a weak second serve.
• Petra Kvitova is for real! This girl has the talent to win numerous Grand Slam titles and she just blew Sharapova off the court. She can hit from anywhere and when she strikes the ball (and it goes in) she is very tough to beat. I am looking for big things from this lefty in the future.
• Speaking of lefties, people have also talked about whether or not lefties have an advantage and I certainly think they do. You see Nadal on the men’s side and Kvitova on the women’s side and because they are left-handed they are able to serve out wide on the deuce side and into the body on the ad side and it really opens up the court. In today’s game, lefties definitely have a slight advantage.
• It was great to see Maria Sharapova back in the finals of a Grand Slam. It’s been too long since she has gotten there, and she proved to everyone that she is still one of the best in the world. Her serve isn’t the same as it was years ago, but it is still a weapon and better than most. I think she is without a doubt one of the top contenders for the US Open.
• You have to love what Sabine Lisicki did at Wimbledon. After winning Birmingham, she writes a letter asking for wild card, gets in and then reaches the semis before losing to Sharapova. Lisicki has been at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy for quite some time and you will not meet better people. Her father does a great job with her (I wish more tennis parents were like him) and even when she was down on her luck last year, Lisicki always kept a positive attitude and now she is back and playing great tennis again. I am so proud of how far she has come and the sky is the limit for Sabine!
• I am not sure what happened to Andy Murray in the semis against Nadal. He came out on fire in the first set and then it just seemed to slip away from him as the match progressed. He didn’t look as aggressive and he wasn’t moving as well. I thought this was a great opportunity for Murray to reach the finals at Wimbledon, but I think he will have others. I love watching him play and I am excited to see how he does at the US Open.
• Were you as shocked as I was to see Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pull off the upset over Roger Federer? That may be the shocker of the year thus far in 2011, especially since Federer was up 2 sets to love. He had been 178-0 when winning the first two sets at a Grand Slam and he appeared to be on his way to the semis when Tsonga just went nuts. He hit winners from all over the court and he was awesome. It will be interesting to see how Federer recovers from this going forward.
• Finally, what can I say about Novak Djokovic? The guy is absolutely phenomenal and to beat Rafael Nadal on grass in the finals of Wimbledon is a daunting task. He was able to control play and even when Nadal looked like he had hit a winner, Djokovic was able to get it back and eventually win the point. These two are clearly the best in the game right now, and it is great for the sport to have two men who are playing at such a high level so consistently. I can’t wait to see what happens at the US Open.

I want to give a big thank you to The Independent newspaper for their great work throughout the tournament. I also want to say what a great job Wimbledon does every year. The tournament is a spectacle and is run extremely well every year. I think next year I am going to stay longer!!

When I watch Nadal play, I have to pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming! He performs at the same level no matter the tournament and usually makes the impossible look possible. He believes in himself to a degree such that every single inch of his body and mind react with conscious thought. Can I truly break down his game? Heck no, because he break all the rules of gravity and at the same time he has a certain rare gift you cannot teach. It is called passion, baby!

Don’t think I am not going to give equal attention to Andy Murray, but my reasons are far different. He is a character and at time sort of reminds me of Andre Agassi, especially with his ball striking and anticipation, but they are totally different when it comes to showing emotions and focus.

Match-up:

Nadal is 11-4 against Murray and has beaten him twice already in 2011. Nadal beat him in the semis here last year and also in the quarters in 2008. Here is a breakdown of their games:

Forehand – Nadal hits with a ton of spin and can also flatten it out by not dropping the racket head below the ball. Watch out when running him wide, because he can get his racket head on the outside of the ball and hit it down the line for a winner. He uses a full western grip, which the majority of tennis player cannot use because they lack the wrist and forearm strength as well as the foundation needed to hit with this grip.

Murray’s forehand is very steady. He will get most balls back in play and recently he has added a more killer approach to his shot and can hit it from any position on the court. He doesn’t use a grip like Nadal, but he uses a weak semi-western to strong eastern and can hit with plenty of spin for control.

Backhand – While Nadal plays left-handed, he is actually a rightly in everything else. This extra strength and coordination in his right hand makes his backhand lethal and allows him to high hit balls, low ball and while off-balance. Murray has one of the very best backhands in the game. His balance and body control enable him to do just about anything he wants from this wing.

Serve – Nadal has a tremendous advantage being a lefty which includes: taking his opponent out wide and off the court when serving to the ad side and he can serve into his opponent’s body when serving to the deuce court, making it difficult for righties to hit their big forehands. Murray’s serve is much improved and it now gives him much more free points and defensive returns that it used to.

Volley – Nadal is a pretty darn good doubles player and he does not get to fancy with his simple, well-placed volleys. Murray is not hesitant to attack the net and makes simple volleys (including touch volleys) when he is close to the net.

Movement – Even the dictionary can’t describe this part of Nadal’s game, but it all starts out with him feeling and knowing he can get to any ball. At the same time, Murray is also an excellent mover and he is right up there with the top guys in this department.

Court Position – Nadal prefers to stand a few feet behind the baseline for most of his shots, but he will come forward to hit defensive returns. Murray’s court position is a part of his game that needs attention. He has a tendency to stand to far behind the baseline and even though he gets to every ball, his opponent can retrieve his returns. He is definitely showing and proving to his opponents that he no longer be as patient as he has in the past and he will come forward and attack when necessary.

Nick’s Pick – Murray is definitely playing some of the best tennis of his career, which is helped by his more balanced control of his emotions. Nadal is in a position to repeat and coming off the French Open, he is brimming with confidence. I do not feel Murray can win this match from the baseline. He has to force the issue with all sorts of surprises. This is a huge match for Murray, because Wimbledon is England and England is Wimbledon. It has been so long since a player from England has won this prestigious title and that pressure falls squarely on Murray’s shoulders.

No matter which way I review this match, I have to give a slight edge to Nadal, but if I were you I would call in sick to make sure you see this match.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs. Novak Djokovic (SRB)

Wow! I am sure the entire tennis world is asking the same question: How could Federer lose after being up two sets? His record before that win winning the first two sets at a Grand Slam was 178-0!! This is what makes sports so intriguing. You never know what can happen and if you did know already you wouldn’t be interested! You have to credit Tsonga. The guy hung in there and changed his strategy and it was absolutely incredible to witness.

I was very interested in watching the Djokovic/Tomic match because Tomic spent some time training here a couple of years ago. I came away impressed with how well Tomic played and I thought at times he definitely outplayed Djokovic. However, Djokovic came up with the big shots at the right times and demonstrated why he has been the best player of 2011.

Match-up:

Don’t sleep on Tsonga in this match. He is 5-2 against Djokovic and the last time they played was in the quarters of the 2010 Aussie Open and Tsonga won that match in five sets.

Tsonga’s strategy - He will serve big forcing weak returns and then will put the ball away with huge forehand winners. He will attack relentlessly from the outset and he came in close to 60 times against Federer, forcing Fed to hit his best shot. Never once did he put his head down, which is very tough when you lose the first two sets. His movement is superb and I was really impressed with his mental toughness. Tsonga is full of confidence and generally he can get the crowd on his side with his off-the-wall play, which always helps.

Djokovic’s strategy – Djokovic has very compact groundstrokes that he hits when standing very close to the baseline. He has a great serve which he can place with pin-point accuracy and there is no one who returns serve better than the Djoker (this may be the determining factor in this match!). He has great touch around the net and can volley with the best of them. Lastly, he is always in control of his body no matter where he is on the court.

Nick’s Pick – This will be a must-see match and should have plenty of excitement. Tsonga will work the fans, but Djokovic has what it takes to stay cool, calm and collected. Keep in mind, Tsonga put a ton of pressure on Federer’s one-handed backhand and even moved him several feet behind the baseline. He will not be able to do this against Djokovic as his backhand is extremely solid. Despite their head-to-head record, I have to give the edge to Djokovic based on the way he has played thus far in 2011. Regardless, this will be a great match!