Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) – Their will be no surprises between these two as they know each other’s game very well. Del Potro has a sonic serve, a big icker second serve, a very aggressive, flat forehand, an excellent two-handed backhand, and moves really well for a big guy. On the other side, you know what Federer does. He moves around the court like Ali glided over the boxing ring, his grounstrokes are fantastic and he can place his serve anywhere. We are all thrilled to have Del Potro back and playing good tennis again, but Federer will not be impressed because he will play his game and that will make him a winner. Should be a great match, but going with Fed. Federer in 4 sets.

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE) – Berdych’s match against Almagro ended with the fans booing him for refusing to shake Almagro’s hand. We will have to see if that has any effect on this match. I would imagine that the fans would be squarely in Nadal’s corner for this match, and they do have an effect. Nadal would do what he does best and hit heavy spinning balls, trying to push Berdych back off the court. Berdych has the big serve and powerful groundies, but I’m not sure if that will be enough. Gotta go Nadal here and looking forward to a possible Nadal/Federer semi! Nadal in 4 sets.

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. David Ferrer (ESP) – Djokovic continues to roll and many wonder how he can play at that high of a level for so long. That, I cannot answer, but his physical conditioning and nutrition certainly have a lot to do with it. Novak definitely has the advantage against Ferrer (he does against everyone!) and will play a much more aggressive game than his counterpart. Ferrer is in great shape and covers the court extremely well. I give a ton of respect to Ferrer and the way he plays the game, but it’s impossible to pick against Djokovic. Djokovic in 4 sets.

Women

Victoria Azarenaka (BLR) vs. Aggie Radwanska (POL) – Azarenka is looking for that first Grand Slam title, and boy this is a great opportunity. She has monster groundstrokes, has become a better defensive player, plays the big points very well and can turn defense into offense better than most anyone. Her serve has been great and she hasn’t been broken yet throughout the tournament. Radwanska has a tough task here. She doesn’t have the big weapons, but she doesn’t make any mistakes either. She moves extremely well and anticipates where the ball is going to be perfectly. Azarenka should be able to control points, and if she continues to serve at the current pace, she should win. Azarenka in 2 sets.

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs. Kim Clijsters (BEL) – Wow, this is going to be a barn-burner! Both women come in playing fantastic tennis and even though Clijsters may be a little nicked up from her last match against Na Li, she will be competing to the last point. Wozniacki looked great against Jankovic, but Clijsters will come at her from the first ball. Clijsters’ movement is superb, her serve is solid and her aggressiveness is what really sets her apart. Wozniacki will need a good serving day, because any weakness here and Clijsters will jump all over her. This is going to be a tough match, but I have to give the edge to Clijsters. Clijsters in 3 sets.

Maria Sharapova (RUS) vs. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) – Sharapova has been all business in her matches and only knows one way to play. She stands inside the baseline taking the ball early, has a superb return of serve, and her groundstrokes are some of the best. Makarova is a lefty who built her game based on her movement and making you hit one extra shot. She is sneaky good and should be full of confidence after dispatching Serena Williams in straight sets. Makarova must go for her shots and use her slice serve to keep Sharapova off-balance. The key to this match is whether or not she gets a good percentage of first serves in play because Sharapova will pounce on her second serve. Because of the stage and their experience, I definitely give the edge to Sharapova. Sharapova in 2 sets.

Gasquet has worked himself back into the top 15 in the world with consistent play. He hasn’t won a tournament in 2011, but he is not an easy out either. He defeated a tough opponent in Sergiy Stakhovsky in the first round in straight sets and is looking to make a deep run in NYC.

In a battle of two former top-twenty players, Karlovic beat Fernando Gonzalez in straight sets. The hard-serving Croat hasn’t had a great year, posting a 14-19 record, but he is still capable of competing with the top guys day in and day out.

Match-Up:

Gasquet is 1-0 against Karlovic, but that win came back in 2005 on clay. If this match was best two out of three, then I would like Karlovic’s chances a little better. Being that it isn’t I have to give the edge to Gasquet. The Frenchman should have the advantage once the ball is in play. I don’t think the Karlovic’s serve will be enough to beat Gasquet. If Karlovic didn’t slice every backhand then he would have an opportunity to attack Gasquet’s one-handed backhand, but he doesn’t. I wish I would’ve had Karlovic at a young age at my Academy. I would not have let him slice a single backhand, I would’ve made him hit over the ball. I feel if he would do this, combined with his serve and forehand he would be a more complete player. I look for Gasquet to move on, but Karlovic will keep it interesting.

Nick’s Pick – Gasquet in 4 sets

Bernard Tomic (AUS) vs. Marin Cilic (CRO)

Tomic is a guy that is certainly on the rise and he definitely has top-ten talent. He has shown that already this year when he reached the quarters at Wimbledon and beat some darn good players including Andreev, Soderling and Malisse before falling to Djokovic in four sets. He’s currently ranked a career high of #60 in the world, but it won’t be too long before he breaks the top 50 and even higher!

Cilic just beat a tough teenager in Ryan Harrison, and now he gets another one in Tomic. He kept his composure very nicely against Harrison, despite the young American serving for both the second and third sets. He hasn’t had a great 2011, but he is a guy that can turn it on and beat anyone.

Match-Up:

Cilic is 1-0 against Tomic, with that win coming at the 2010 Australian Open in five sets. Sometimes you may think that Tomic is sleeping out on the court, but trust me, he is wide awake! He glides across the court, has fantastic groundstrokes and he has the big-time serve. To me, having that serve, is what sets him apart from his competition. He is able to play it extremely well, and he is able to use it to get free points when he needs them. I know Cilic is ranked higher and played with great poise in his first round win, I just smell an upset here and have to give a slight advantage to the young Australian!

Nick’s Pick – Tomic in 4 sets

David Ferrer (ESP) vs. James Blake (USA)

Ferrer comes into the tournament ranked #5 in the world, but he hasn’t played as much tennis as some of the other top guys this summer. He reached the finals in Bastad in early July and then lost in the third round of Cincinnati. That shouldn’t affect him too much though as he has had good results in Flushing Meadows in the past (semifinals in 2007).

Blake hung on against Jesse Huta Galung in the first round, winning in four sets. No one gets more support from the fans than James, and I am sure he would love to have a big run here as his career is certainly winding down.

Match-Up:

Blake is 2-0 against Ferrer, with their last match coming in 2010 at Indian Wells. I don’t think Blake can win this match from the baseline by just keeping the ball in play. He needs to come in and try to surprise Ferrer and keep the Spaniard off-balance. The crowd will definitely give him a boost, but I am not sure that is going to be enough right now. Ferrer may not have a huge weapon, but he does everything so incredibly well and he gets to about every ball which makes him very tough to beat. I think Blake can take a set and keep it interesting, but in the end, Ferrer just has too much firepower.

Nick’s Pick – Ferrer in 4 sets

Donald Young (USA) vs. Stan Wawrinka (SUI)

I have always been a big supporter of Donald ever since he turned pro back in 2004. He has all the natural gifts you need to be a contender, he just needs to remain focused on what is happening on the court and forget everything else. He had a nice run to the semis in Washington DC and he beat Lukas Lacko in straight sets in the opening round.

Wawrinka has had a solid year, posting a 28-14 record and winning a title. He crashed out early at Wimbledon, losing the second round, and I am sure he is going to try and avoid that same fate here in NYC. You never know what you are going to get from Wawrinka, but when he is on and focused he is tough to beat.

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between these two, and with Young playing you know there is going to be plenty of interest. Young has no choice in this match, he has to gamble a bit and go for his shots. He has great hands and touch, and he anticipates so well that he is able to compete with anyone. One area he needs to get more free points from is his serve, especially in this match. Wawrinka is so big and strong that he has the ability to push Young backwards and control the play. Wawrinka does have a tendency to lose focus at times, he cannot do that against Young (especially in front of the US fans). There is no doubt that Young is beginning to demonstrate some of the talents that we had hoped to see years earlier, but is that enough against someone like Wawrinka? Right now, I am not sure and I have to give the edge to Wawrinka.

Nick’s Pick – Wawrinka in 4 sets

Wow, what a third round match this is going to be! Del Potro was on a roll, got hurt, came back and was winning again and then had to pull out of Madrid just a few weeks ago so his physical well-being is up in the air. He has all the tools to end Djokovic’s winning streak, but how will he hold up physically. If anyone could take out Djokovic right now, it could be Del Potro as he can step into the court and hit the high ball above his shoulder and catch the Serbian out of position.

Djokovic is 3-0 against Del Potro, and beat him on clay back in 2009 in Rome in straight sets. To me, this match is all about Djokovic and his mental focus. He needs to just remain focused on the task at hand and not worry about anything else. He knows his game is the best right now and if he can continue to keep his mind in the right place I have to give him the advantage. This should be one heck of a match!

Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 4 sets

David Ferrer (ESP) vs. Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR)

Ferrer is 2-0 against Stakhovsky and just beat him on clay in Madrid earlier this year. The Spaniard essentially has no weaknesses on clay. He moves well, his serve is clicking, he is a great returner, and his groundstrokes are penetrating. He is a very dangerous player on the dirt and it is going to take one heck of a match to beat him.

Stakhovsky took out Kei Nishikori in four sets in the second round and is into the third round of the French Open for the first time in his career. He doesn’t make many errors, he hits the tar out of the ball from both sides and he can really bomb his serve. He plays with a ton of confidence whenever he steps onto the court. I am not sure he has the game to beat Ferrer on clay, but he can certainly push him to four sets.

Nick’s Pick – Ferrer in 4 sets

Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs. Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)

Ljubicic is 2-1 against Verdasco, but lost their only match-up on clay. He is coming off a good win over Sam Querrey in the second round and he looks very confident right now. You know he has the big serve, but he also can follow that up with solid groundstrokes and heady play. He understands what it takes to win and even on clay he can control play with his serve and groundies.

Verdasco hasn’t had a great year and his ranking has slipped to #20. He still has the big serve and monster forehand, but the rest of his game hasn’t been as good as it was in the past. If he gets to tiebreakers against Ljubicic he should have the advantage, but I like the way Ljubicic is playing right now and I look for him to score the upset and win in four sets.

Nick’s Pick – Ljubicic in4 sets

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Michael Berrer (GER)

This is the first match between Murray and Berrer. This is Berrer’s first appearance in the 3rd round of a Grand Slam in his career. He comes into the tournament ranked #95 in the world, but he has been as high as #42. He is a lefty, which always presents a unique challenge, but I don’t think he has enough to beat Murray on clay.

Speaking of Murray, there have been plenty of questions about whether or not he will win a Grand Slam and I just don’t think anyone can win one right now without playing more aggressively. I feel he is playing too defensively and he just needs to go out there and whack it! He needs to show off his impressive two-handed backhand and his great return of serve. He has the game to beat anyone, but on the biggest stage he hasn’t been able to use his weapons to their fullest. I love watching Murray play and he is a fighter which I admire, but I just wish he would play more aggressively when he has the opportunity.

He should be able to get by Berrer in straight sets, but as the tournament progresses I am going to keep my eye on how he plays.

Nick’s Pick – Murray in 3 sets

There is only one other “person” that is undefeated on the tennis court and that is the backboard and if Novak keeps winning I just might start calling him Novak “The Backboard” Djokovic! The in streak he is on is historic and it seems he is getting more confident as the tournaments go.

Hanescu is 0-5 against Djokovic in his career and things don’t look too good for him heading into this match. He has an all-court game, but he lacks the firepower to push Djokovic back. Djokovic has been taking the ball early, even on the clay, and his conditioning has been world-class throughout this amazing run. I can’t see him losing a set against Hanescu, nevermind the entire match. I look for the streak to hit 38!

Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 3 sets

David Ferrer (ESP) vs. Julien Benneteau (FRA)

Ferrer faced a tough opponent in the opening round in Jarkko Nieminen, but he made quick work of him and displayed just how good he can be on clay. He grinds for every point and he keeps his unforced errors very low. He also has a great return of serve and his movement is remarkable. There is no glaring weakness in his game, especially when he is on clay.

Benneteau is 3-2 against Ferrer, but the two haven’t met in three years. Benneteau is a very good player and will have the crowd behind him, but right now Ferrer is playing some fantastic tennis and I don’t see him losing this match. I look for Ferrer to advance in straight sets.

Nick’s Pick – Ferrer in 3 sets

Sam Querrey (USA) vs. Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)

Before I mention Querrey, I want to take a quick second to say how proud I am of the way John Isner competed against Rafael Nadal. He gave him everything he could handle and he really played some great tennis. This was a very positive sign for American tennis. Now, back to Querrey, he beat a very tough opponent in Philipp Kohlschreiber in the first round in four sets and now gets another difficult test in Ljubicic. He is 1-1 against the hard-serving Croat, but they have never met on clay.

When you break down these two, they both have big serves (don’t expect a ton of brakes of serve) and excellent forehands, but to me it’s the backhand and the movement that make the difference for Querrey. His backhand is superb and his movement for a big guy is very good. I think those two elements of his game will make the difference in this match and I look for Querrey to advance in four or five sets.

Nick’s Pick – Querrey in 4 sets

Robin Soderling (SWE) vs. Albert Ramos (ESP)

When people think of Robin Soderling they often overlook how good of a clay-courter he is. He’s been to the finals the last two years and although he really pounds the ball from both sides, he doesn’t hit with a ton of spin and he is able to push his opponents back off the court.

He had a test in the first round against IMG Bollettieri student, Ryan Harrison, but he proved too much for the young American (although Ryan did take a set). I don’t think Ramos will prove to be a huge challenge for Soderling and I look for the Swede to move on.

Nick’s Pick – Soderling in 3 sets

Keep your eye on…

Kei Nishikori vs. Sergiy Stakhovsky – Around here, Stakhovsky is remembered for taking out Ryan Harrison in the second round of last year’s US Open in a thrilling five-setter. Now, another IMG Bollettieri student will try to beat the powerful Ukrainian. Nishikori doesn’t want to get into long rallies with Stakhovsky and he should try to put the ball away early. When Stakhovsky is on, he doesn’t miss and he can also serve bombs. Should be a close match that could really go either way, but you know I will be cheering for Kei!!

Match-up:

This is the seventh career meeting between Fish and Ferrer and they have split the previous six. Fish is on a roll, having beaten Gasquet and Del Potro in back-to-back rounds. He moves well, has a very good backhand and his serve and forehand have improved so much in the last couple of years. Against Ferrer, Fish cannot make any mistakes. Ferrer gets every single ball back, and he make so few unforced errors. Ferrer is also one of the best returners of serve in the game, and he will pounce on anything defensive. I think this match goes three sets, and in the end I have to give a slight edge to Ferrer because of his consistency.

Nick’s Pick – Ferrer in 3 sets

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Kevin Anderson (RSA)

Match-up:

Anderson is 1-0 against Djokovic, and that win came back in 2008 in the second round here in Miami. Anderson is a big boy, he stands 6’8″ and has a monster serve. He has a unorthodox wind up on his groundstrokes, but they are relentless and he never stops working. He knocked off John Isner in the fourth round and a win here would definitely be one of the biggest of his career. Beating Djokovic will not be easy though. He is on a roll and there are no signs that he will stop soon. He beat Troicki in straight sets and he is playing absolutely unbelievable tennis. Despite Anderson’s groundstrokes and serve, Djokovic just has too much of everything. He is so solid from all over the court and his confidence is at an all-time high. I look for Djokovic to advance in two sets.

Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 2 sets

Gilles Simon (FRA) vs. Roger Federer (SUI)

Match-up:

Simon is 2-1 against Federer, but Roger did beat him earlier this year in a five-setter at the Australian Open. I didn’t think Simon would get by Tipsarevic in the last round, and he was down a set, but he came back and won it in three. That’s a testament to his work ethic and his fighting spirit. He has a very nice two-handed backhand, moves extremely well and his serve is solid. He’s had success against Federer in the past, and this is a dangerous match for Roger. I think this goes three, and I give the advantage to Federer.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 3 sets

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE)

Match-up:

Nadal is 9-3 against Berdych and has won eight straight against him. Nadal has yet to be tested in his matches, while Berdych is coming off of a hard fought three-set victory over Florian Mayer. Both men have powerful groundstrokes and excellent serves. Nadal moves better than Berdych and definitely hits the ball with more spin. How can I pick against Nadal? It’s impossible!

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 2 sets

Their was plenty of hype about the Federer/Wawrinka match, but it definitely didn’t live up to that hype as Wawrinka didn’t play his best tennis. Federer moved past him pretty routinely and his play on the court was superb. I am very impressed with how Federer is playing and right now it’s going to take an unbelievable effort to beat Federer but I do feel Djokovic has the talent to test him.

Djokovic played fantastic tennis in his straight set victory over Tomas Berdych in the quarters. He faced only two break points against his serve while breaking Berdych five times. Djokovic’s forehand was on and he seemed to win all the big points at the right times and when the second set tiebreaker went his way you could see that Berdych was disappointed and Djokovic jumped all over him in the third set. If the match was one set all, you never know what would have happened.

Match-up:

Federer is 13-6 against Djokovic and was 4-1 against him in 2010. Both men are playing fantastic tennis and both are more than capable of winning this tournament. Against Wawrinka, Federer was able to pick on some weaknesses, but that is not the same story against Djokovic because the Serb doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. I don’t think Federer will stand on the baseline and try to hit with Djokovic. I see him moving Djokovic around, chipping, hitting dropping shots, serving well, and really playing with a ton of variety. I really think that the difference in this match will be Federer’s versatility and his ability to adapt to any situation. The longer this match goes, the more it favors Federer. If Djokovic is to win this match, I think he needs to win it in straight sets or in a quick four sets. It’s hard to pick against Federer and I see him winning this match.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 sets

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. David Ferrer (ESP)

Murray never quite got into a rhythm against Dolgopolov, but was able to win 65% of the points on the Ukrainian’s second serve demonstrating why he is the best “returner-of-serve” on the Tour. This is his fifth appearance in the semis of a Grand Slam and he is looking to get back to the finals of the Aussie Open for the second time in his career. Could this be the year Murray takes home a Grand Slam title? His chances look as good as they ever have right now.

Ferrer did what many people didn’t expect anyone to do: beat Nadal at a Grand Slam. He has played fantastic tennis to start 2011 and has a 9-0 record on the year and already won a title last week in Auckland. This is the second appearance in the semis of a Grand Slam (first was in 2007 at the US Open) and with the way he is playing Murray is going to have a very tough match on his hands.

Match-up:

Ferrer is 3-2 against Murray, but all three of his wins have come on clay and Murray has won both their matches on hard courts. Murray had one heck of a match against Dolgopolov and what stood out to me was Murray’s fitness. You can see how much work he has put into his physical fitness and it paid off for him big time in this match. He will need his strength against Ferrer because the Spaniard works extremely hard, moves well, has a great forehand and serve and competes for every point. I feel Murray will be able to force Ferrer into making more unforced errors that he is used to and that will be the difference in this match. Murray’s ability to break his opponent’s serve and his off-the-wall movement make him difficult to beat and I see him continuing his winning streak.

Nick’s Pick – Murray in 4 sets

P.S. There has been a lot of talk about the balls and how they are fuzzing up and how quick they are and everything. I say both these men don’t care. They could play with a golf ball!!

• Dolgopolov is fantastic when stretched out wide to his forehand and hits his underspin forehand with an open stance.  This shot is deep and gives him time to get back into position.
• Soderling started out with an easy first set, but Dolgopolov soon began to show that he is not a fluke.  He is so smart on the court.  His balance and speed make it possible for him to pinpoint his shots wherever he wants.
• Soderling did not throw in the towel and came back to win the fourth set 6-4.  The fifth set proved to be too much for Soderling as he became frustrated and his forehand began to fly all over the place.
• When Soderling came in he had no chance as well.  Dolgopolov set up his passing shots and that was the end of Soderling.  Dologopolov won the crowd over and Soderling was shocked.

Jurgen Melzer vs. Andy Murray

• Murray has been so quiet, but his results have been loud and clear.
• It makes no difference who you play in the third round because they had to win a few matches to get there, but the lefty Melzer seemed to be no match for Andy.
• What was very obvious to me is the ease Andy plays with.  His movement makes him a candidate to be on Dancing with the Stars!

Milos Raonic vs. David Ferrer

• David Ferrer is number seven in the world and his game is not that complicated.  He owns the baseline and moves with complete ease.  His experience and mental toughness were very crucial after losing the first set.
• Raonic is no flash in the pan himself.  He has given a loud message to the world that he will be a force to reckon with down the road.
• His serve alone will give him a chance to be in the heat of every battle.  His excitement and serving to one of the best returners was too much for him.  This tournament will be the start of a very successful pro career.

Rafael Nadal vs. Marin Cilic

• There are not many words to describe Rafael Nadal.  He is so special both on and off the court and his family, including his uncle and his father, are reasons why he is at this point today.
• His interviews are really fun to watch.  He has simple, but almost humorous answers that further explain why he is a champion of champions!   Let’s add how kind he is to the spectators especially with children who think of him as a superstar.
• His family and how they worked with him should be a T.V for kids and parents alike to enjoy.
• Nick’s Note: Nadal should be an example of a role model across all sports and athletes should strive to be more like him.

Flavia Pennetta vs. Petra Kvitova

• Petra is a huge striker no matter where she is on the court.
• Flavia has great wheels and makes very few errors.  Her consistency forced Petra to overhit resulting in unforced errors.
• Great to see a few Italians in the second week, but where are the Italian men??

Iveta Benesova vs. Vera Zvonareva

• I could write and write but Vera is a completely new and confident person with her mental approach to the game.
• All of my coaches and students at IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy find it hard to believe that she trains all day on the court and in the gym and still feels she should do more.  My compliments to her team of coaches and trainers.

Agnieszka Radwanska vs. Shuai Peng

• Peng gave it all and then some but Radwanska did the same.  It was a war obombs flying everywhere!  In the end Radwanska moved on even though this match could have gone either way.

Federer dropped a set against Robredo in the fourth round, but he bounced right back and beat the Spaniard in four sets. He has looked a little vulnerable at times, but then he demonstrates why he has been one of the best two players in the world for a long time. Playing his good friend, Wawrinka, isn’t going to be easy for Federer. He is 6-1 against him and beat him three times in 2010, but to me Wawrinka seems like a more confident player than he was last year.

Wawrinka was absolutely too physical for Roddick in the fourth round and he was able to out-muscle the American and push him around the court. I feel Roddick needs to get back some of his strength to be a real competitor in the Grand Slams. The other men are more physical than he is and it is hurting his chances of winning another Grand Slam title. This is the second time Wawrinka has been to the quarters of a Grand Slam and I think he has a very good shot of reaching the semis.

You know what both men are going to do, but the difference to me is Federer’s variety and his ability to turn defense into offense so quickly. He also has a mental edge over Wawrinka and when you play somebody you know really well, that can be a big factor. I look for Federer to win, but this is going to be tough.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 sets

Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs. Novak Djokovic (SRB)

This is the match I am most looking forward to watching. Both men were picked as youngsters and both have shown they are capable of winning on the big stage. Djokovic is 4-1 against Berdych, but Berdych beat him in straight sets in the semis of Wimbledon last year. Djokovic doesn’t really have a glaring weakness, he does everything extremely well and he is the definition of consistent. On the other hand, Berdych gets more firepower from his groundstrokes but is not as good as a mover as Djokovic.

This match could really go either way. If the heat is a factor then Berdych gets the advantage, if Berdych has any mental lapses than Djokovic will jump all over him. I think I am going to give a slight edge to Berdych based on the way both men are playing and what I have seen thus far, but it is the slightest of advantage’s. I certainly would not be surprised at all to see Djokovic advance.

What I would love is to hear your take on the Berdych/Djokovic clash. Who do you think is going to win and why?

Nick’s Pick – Berdych in 4 sets

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. David Ferrer (ESP)

Nadal took down Marin Cilic in straight sets and has yet to drop a set in four matches. He looks as good as he ever has and has an impressive 11-3 record against Ferrer. The two faced three times in 2010 and Nadal won each of those in straight sets.

After dropping the first set to Milos Raonic in the fourth round, Ferrer bounced back and beat Raonic 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarters of the Australian Open for the second time in his career. The fact that he knows Nadal so well and understands his game will really help Ferrer in this match. He won’t be surprised by anything Nadal does and he will be ready for everything Nadal has to throw his way. The difference in this match to me will be Nadal’s backhand and his overall firepower. I feel their movement is about equal, but Nadal has more offensive groundstrokes than Ferrer does and he has the ability to go from defense to offense in a split second. I look for a four-setter and for Nadal to advance to the semis!

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 4 sets

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)

I came away very impressed with Dolgopolov in his five-set win over Robin Soderling in the fourth round. He is smooth on the court, moves well, has solid groundstrokes and can hit with anybody. It seems like there is always a player you don’t expect to make a run deep into the second week at the Australian Open and this year it appears to be Dolgopolov. This is his first Aussie Open and he is into the quarters of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career.

Murray breezed by Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 and has a 1-0 record against Dolgopolov (although that match was in 2006). Like Nadal, Murray hasn’t really been tested yet but I feel that is going to change. Dolgopolov plays a unique style and should be able to test Murray a bit. Unfortunately for Dolgopolov, Murray will not try to beat him up physically like Soderling attempted. Murray will move him around, return serve well and play great defense. That should be enough to offset what this tricky Ukrainian does.

Nick’s Pick – Murray in 4 sets

Berdych needed four sets to beat a tough opponent in Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round. After a great summer in 2010, Berdych ended the year on a sour note. This will be a test to see which Berdych is out on the court – the one from the middle of 2010 or the one from the end.

Gasquet is 2-1 against Berdych, but in their one meeting last year Berdych won easily. Both men were picked to be top players when they were young, and both have spent time in the top ten. Neither has won a Grand Slam, and neither has been extremely consistent over their careers. The key in this match will be Berdych’s groundstrokes. Can he keep Gasquet off-balance and break down the Frenchman’s backhand? Berdych definitely has the overall advantage in this match, but Gasquet has the talent to win. I look for a close match with Berdych advancing in four sets.

Nick’s Pick – Berdych in 4 sets

Andy Roddick (USA) vs. Robin Haase (NED)

Roddick hasn’t dropped a set in his two matches, but he seems to be lacking a little power on his groundstrokes. They don’t seem to be penetrating like they have done in the past, and that is going to be a problem moving forward. It isn’t that he is playing with too much spin, but he isn’t generating enough to keep his opponents pinned behind the baseline.

Haase is a 23-year old Dutchmen who is ranked #62 in the world and is playing in only his third Australian Open. He was a top junior (ranked #3 in the world) and did reach the finals of Junior Wimbledon back in 2005. This is the first time he has been in the third round of any Grand Slam and it’s also his first match against Andy Roddick.

Haase hits with a ton of power from both sides and has beaten some top men in the past. This will not be an easy win for Roddick. Look for the American to use his serve to keep Haase back and Roddick has to win easy points. He cannot get into long rallies with Haase. The edge in experience goes to Roddick and this should help him in this match. I look for Roddick to win, but this will be tough.

Nick’s Pick – Roddick in 4 sets

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Bernard Tomic (AUS)

Nadal has lost a total of four games in two matches and he is playing absolutely unbelievable tennis. He gets to just about every ball and hits some shots that I used to think were impossible! The guy is amazing to watch and he is getting closer and closer to winning the “Rafa-Slam.”

Tomic pulled off a big upset with a straight set win over the hard-serving Feliciano Lopez. This will be a whole other level against Nadal. Tomic has a great two-handed backhand, his movement is deceptively good, and he doesn’t lack confidence. You will know how this match is going to go right from the outset. If Tomic is 8-10 feet behind the baseline and trying to rally with Nadal, he has no chance. Nadal will hit angled shots, drop shots and move him side-to-side. If Tomic can hang on the baseline and take the ball a little earlier and hit it flat, he could play with Nadal for a couple of sets. This will be a fun match to watch, but you have to think Nadal is going to win in straight sets.

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 3 sets

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP)

Murray has kept a rather low profile for his standards through the first two rounds and he hasn’t really been tested. He looks confident and seems at ease with everything which is a great sign. He is also playing a little more offensive which I feel is the way to go because his defense is already so good.

Murray is 1-0 against Garcia-Lopez, with that win coming on grass at Queen’s Club back in 2009. Garcia-Lopez is a solid righty who has been as high as #29 in the world. I don’t think he has the game to compete with Murray on the hard courts, and with Murray’s ability to turn defense into offense and to return so well, I see him moving through in three sets.

Nick’s Pick – Murray in 3 sets

A couple of other matches to keep your eyes on…

Kei Nishikori vs. Fernando Verdasco – Verdasco is coming off of a come-from-two-sets-down-five-set win over Janko Tipsarevic and Nishikori beat Florian Mayer in four sets. How will that long match affect Verdasco? Can Nishikori move Verdasco around and keep him off-balance? Verdasco is in great physical shape and that should help, but this match could go either way.

Xavier Malisse vs. Roger Federer – It’s weird to see Federer win the first two sets and then get pushed to five sets, but that is exactly what happened against Gilles Simon. Federer hung tough though and won it in five. Meanwhile, Malisse breezed through Albert Montanes, losing only 5 games in three sets. This is a tricky match for Federer, and I am so happy to see “X” playing well again. He is great for the sport!

John Isner vs. Marin Cilic – A battle of two giants. Longer points and longer rallies will not be the way that Isner wins this match. He needs to win quick, easy points and move forward when he has the chance. Cilic has been a little up and down so if Isner gets a chance he needs to jump on it immediately. You have to give a little edge to Cilic, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Isner win.

Richard Berankis vs. David Ferrer – Berankis was cruising by Nalbandian when the veteran retired in the third set. This is going to be a different match because of how well Ferrer moves. Berankis will stand on the baseline and for a smaller guy he packs a huge punch on his groundstrokes and serve. Ferrer probably gets the edge because of his experience, but again, I wouldn’t be surprised to see my man Richard win!

Marcos Baghdatis

I stayed up late last night to watch the Baghdatis/Ferrer match and I was thoroughly entertained. If you didn’t get a chance to see it, Baghdatis dropped the first two sets, but then came back and won it in five. After dropping those opening sets, Baghdatis threw his racket and realized that he was hitting the ball hard and flat. Ferrer took the ball easily and used Baghdatis’ power for his returns, catching Baghdatis out of position.

Baghdatis changed the pace and it changed the match. He added slices and hit forehands high and deep with spin and less power. Ferrer became frustrated and went for winners while having to generate his own power. This didn’t work. Baghdatis knew how to win the crowd over and began pounding his chest and looked to the audience.

All it took was a simple change of tactics and Baghdatis was able to make a huge difference and win the match. Hopefully, you can learn from this and use this when you play!