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

It seems like Russell is always paired with one of the top three or four guys at every Grand Slam, doesn’t it? This time he gets Nadal and he has never faced the Spaniard before. Nadal, coming off of the French Open and having to defend Wimbledon, is definitely going to have one of the toughest challenges of his career in trying to win this tournament. He should be able to get by Russell in straight sets, as his game is just too tough for the veteran American, but to me, this is more about winning Wimbledon.

The men’s side is so tough. You’ve got Federer, who I think is going to give it everything he has to try and win this tournament. You’ve got Djokovic, who has had the year of his life. You’ve got Murray, Del Potro, Soderling, Berdych and the list goes on. It’s going to be a great tournament and whoever wins it is really going to have to earn it!

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 3 sets

Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs. Radek Stepanek (CZE)

Stepanek is 3-2 against Verdasco and beat him in the fourth round of Wimbledon back in 2006 in five sets. That was five years and in that time, both men have changed dramatically. Verdasco has spent a ton of time training out in Las Vegas with Gil Reyes and that work paid off for him in 2010. Thus far in 2011, he has struggled and his ranking has dropped down to #23. A loss here would be a big blow to his confidence, especially after losing in the first round last year.

Stepanek is a great counter-puncher, but like Verdasco he has not played his best tennis in 2011. He’s only 13-12 on the year, but he is also a dangerous player. He will fight and fight, but does he have enough to take out Verdasco? I’m not sure. I have to give the advantage to Verdasco, but Stepanek could certainly win a set and make this competitive.

Nick’s Pick – Verdasco in 4 sets

James Blake (USA) vs. Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)

To me, this seems like “Custer’s Last Stand” for Mr. Blake. He is nearing the end of his great career and he has endured so much to get here. His heart and fighting spirit have never been questioned, and you just want to root for him so hard. He is done some great things for American tennis over the year and we are lucky to have a guy like James on the tour. He’s 0-1 against Baghdatis in his career and to beat the Bag-Man he cannot try to exchanges blows with him from the baseline. He needs to take chances, attack the net and serve well.

Baghdatis is a guy that is hard to figure out. Sometimes he plays great tennis and other times you aren’t sure where his head is. He usually plays well at the majors and at Wimbledon he is a former semifinalist. I think he may have too much for Blake at this point in the American’s career, but this should be fun to watch either way.

Nick’s Pick – Baghdatis in 4 sets

John Isner (USA) vs. Nicolas Mahut (FRA)

Wow! What are the odds that these two would play each other again in the first round of Wimbledon? I mean they haven’t played once since their epic Wimbledon match last year and low and behold they get paired with each other again in the first round. I know the draw is random, but it smells fishy to me….just kidding!

This year, I expect things to be different and I expect Isner is going to come and get down to business quickly. I don’t expect many breaks of serve, but I feel Isner has a more complete game now than he did last year. He definitely doesn’t want to get into an exhausting slug-fest like last year’s battle because he had nothing left in the tank for the next round. There will be plenty of excitement about this match, but I expect Isner to win in three or four sets.

Nick’s Pick – Isner in 4 sets

Match-up:

Djokovic is 2-0 against Blake and beat him in last year’s US Open. This should be an exciting match because you will have the crowd rooting hard for Blake, and there has been no one better than Djokovic in 2011. He’s 18-0 on the year and has all 3 events he has entered (Australian Open, Dubai and Indian Wells where he beat Federer and Nadal). He is now the #2 player in the world and I don’t think anyone wants to play against him right now.

Blake may have to do some things he isn’t used to. He will have to try and surprise Djokovic, because if he tries to go stroke-for-stroke with the Serb, he will not have any success. Djokovic has no weakness and with his confidence level where it is, I cannot see him losing this match. I am certain Blake will fight hard, but in the end Djokovic just has too much of everything.

Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 2 sets

Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) vs. Robin Soderling (SWE)

Match-up:

Del Potro is 2-1 against Soderling, but the two haven’t played since 2009. Wow, when the draw came out, this was the match everyone was looking forward to. You’ve got two of the best in the world going at it in the 3rd round, which is something you just don’t see anymore but because Del Potro is still coming back from his injury he is still trying to get his ranking back up. Both men possess big weapons from both sides and both have huge serves. This is a tough match to call.

Soderling has had an excellent year thus far, posting a 19-2 record and winning three tournaments. He did take an early loss at Indian Wells, but I don’t think that will effect him. I think the difference in this match will be Del Potro’s ability to take the ball early and on the rise and catch Soderling out of position. Because of his height, he is able to hit the ball when it is above his shoulders and this makes it very difficult for his opponents to anticipate where the next shot will go. This match will go three sets, and in the end, I look for Del Potro to pull it out!

Nick’s Pick – Del Potro in 3 sets

Filip Krajinovic (SRB) vs. James Blake (USA)

If you haven’t heard of Filip Krajinovic yet, you will soon. He is only 18 years old and is already ranked #331 in the world. Krajinovic has been training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy for the last couple of years and he is one of the best up-and-coming players in the world. Trust me when I say that Krajinovic is definitely one player to keep an eye out for!

Blake comes into the tournament ranked #52 in the world and having lost in the third round at Indian Wells to Nicolas Almagro. He did pick up a good win over David Ferrer in the second round, but he fell to Almagro in three sets. Blake has had good results in Miami, reaching the quarters twice before falling to Nadal in 2008 and Federer in 2006.

Match-up:

This is the first career meeting between the veteran Blake and the young pup, Krajinovic. Blake has been a role model in the world of tennis for years. He has come through a lot of adversity and understands what it takes to win. He is one heck of a player who is smart, competitive, and has great groundstrokes. It seems as of late that father time may be catching up with him, but nevertheless, he is still a tough out in every tournament. Krajinovic is a dynamic player. He has a huge forehand and serve, and his backhand is excellent. He covers the court well and is a bit of a risk taker. For Krajinovic to win, he needs to take advantage of every opportunity that is presented to him. Blake won’t give the youngster anything easy, but this is going to be a close match.

Nick’s Pick – I have to give the edge to Blake, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Filip win this in an “upset”.

Ryan Harrison (USA) vs. Michael Llodra (FRA)

Harrison is another young pro who trains at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy. He comes into the tournament ranked a career high of #248 in the world. He picked up a good win over Taylor Dent in the first round of Indian Wells, but then lost to eventual champion, Ivan Ljubicic, in two sets. This is a great opportunity for Harrison to pick up some more points and continue his climb up the rankings.

Llodra has lost his last two matches, but before that he won the title in Marsellie, beating top-ten player Robin Soderling along the way. He is a talented lefty who presents a problem for whoever he plays. His best result in Miami came back in 2007 when he reached the third round before losing to Novak Djokovic in straight sets.

Match-up:

This is the first career meeting between Llodra and Harrison. Llodra has a big-time lefty serve and will come to the net whenever he has the chance. He knows what he does best, and he will do it as much as possible. This match is dependent on how Harrison can return Llodra’s serve, because I feel once the ball is in play, Harrison has the advantage. The young American is coming into his own and he will be filled with confidence. He has a huge forehand and his serve is nothing to laugh at either. This will be a great match to watch, and with the American fans there to cheer on Ryan I can’t wait to see it!

Nick’s Pick – Harrison in 3 tough sets, but this match really comes down to how he handles the Llodra serve

IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy Ryan Harrison

Seventeen-year old American and IMG Bollettieri student Ryan Harrison qualified for his second consecutive main draw of an ATP event in Delray Beach after defeating Izak van der Merwe of South Africa 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(2). He also qualified the week before at the Region Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis before losing to eventual finalist John Isner in the first round. He will face talented youngster Ernests Gulbis of Latvia in the opening round. He also moved into the quarterfinals of the doubles in Delray Beach with fellow IMG Bollettieri pro, Taylor Dent.

Speaking of Dent, he is also playing singles in Delray Beach and will take on American James Blake in the first round. Other IMG Bollettieri pros that are playing include Kei Nishikori and Xavier Malisse. Nishikori will take Benjamin Becker and Malisse will face Jeremy Chardy.

Good luck to everyone!!

Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) vs. Donald Young (USA)

Hometown favorite, Hewitt, advanced to the second round with a straight set win over Ricardo Hocevar of Brazil. Hewitt was a finalist here back in 2005, where he lost to Marat Safin in four sets. Since then his best result was back in 2008 when he reached the fourth round. A potential fourth round match with Federer is looming this year.

This is the first time that Young has advanced past the first round of a Grand Slam since the 2007 US Open. He qualified to get in and then beat Christophe Rochus in the first round in four sets. A win here would truly be the biggest of his career.

Match-Up:

Hewitt is 1-0 against Young, with that win coming last year in Washington. This match is very interesting because you’ve got the youngster with loads of potential on one side and the veteran Australian hero on the other. Young is going to have to play the match of his life to win this. Hewitt has the crowd behind him, is full of confidence and is playing great tennis right now. He is standing closer to the baseline and I haven’t seen him play this aggressive in quite some time. You can’t question Young’s strokes, but he has had so many off-court distractions that he hasn’t hit his potential yet. I look for Young to give him a match, but Hewitt will advance.

Nick’s Pick – Hewitt in 3 sets

Tommy Haas (GER) vs. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB)

After dropping the opening set in a tiebreaker to Simon Greul in the first round, Haas refocused and only lost seven games in the next three sets. He is a three-time semifinalist down-under, having last reached it in 2007.

Tipsarevic knocked off young American, Ryan Harrison, in the opening round. Tipsarevic reached the third round back in 2008, but has never been further. In fact, Tipsarevic has never been further then the fourth round in any Grand Slam in his career.

Match-Up:

Haas and Tipsarevic are 1-1 against each other, but they haven’t played since 2007. I spent many hours with Haas at the Academy in the last couple of months. He is playing some of the best tennis of his career right now and is extremely focused mentally. He is coming into the net more and his serve is working. Tipsarevic is a streaky player, and when he is on, he is on. He covers the court extremely well and has solid groundstrokes. I just feel like Haas has too much for Tipsarevic and will be able to break him down.

Nick’s Pick – Haas in 4 sets

James Blake (USA) vs. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)

Blake comes into the tournament ranked #45 in the world, which is the lowest he’s been since August of 2005. He’s a former Australian Open quarterfinalist, but he hasn’t looked like the same guy who was once ranked #4 in the world for quite some time. He rolled over veteran Frenchman Arnaud Clement in the first round, and a win here would certainly give him the confidence he’s been looking for.

del Potro needed four sets to shake the pesky American Michael Russell in the first round, and now he will get another tough American in round two. Like Blake, he’s been to the quarterfinals down under, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him playing there again. The one thing you have to watch out for with del Potro is that he has a wrist injury, so keep an eye out for that.

Match-Up:

This is the second meeting between Blake and del Potro, with Blake holding a 1-0 lead. Everyone keeps asking if Blake’s career is over, but I still think he has more left in the tank. He has a solid game, moves well, and is very aggressive. He knows what it takes to win a big match, and has the experience of playing in the later stages of Grand Slams. This is going to be a tough match for del Potro, but if his wrist isn’t bothering him he should be okay. He has more firepower than Blake, his movement has improved, and he can hit basically every shot in the book. His serve is top-notch and there really isn’t a weakness in his game. I see Blake winning a set, but del Potro will win the match.

Nick’s Pick – del Potro in 4 sets

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

Cilic had his coming out party back in 2008 at the Australian Open, knocking out two seeds including 2007 finalist Fernando Gonzalez. Since then, he has continued his ascension in the rankings and is all the way up to #14 in the world.

Tomic is the next great hope for Australian tennis, and at the age of 17 he certainly has a bright future. He looked good in the first round, taking out Guillaume Rufin of France in straight sets. He is already ranked #289 in the world and I am sure he will be making his way into the top 200 very soon.

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between two of the youngest, most talented players on the tour. Tomic trained at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy for much of 2009 and I watched him develop many facets of his game. He has the ability to lull his opponents to sleep with his style of play, but don’t be confused because he hits the ball beautifully from both sides and has an improved serve. He needs to continue working on his movement, and he also needs to focus on what is happening on the court and don’t worry about the outside distractions.

On the other side of the net, Cilic is certainly one of the best young players on the tour. He has outstanding groundstrokes, a booming serve and I don’t think he is anywhere close to his maximum potential. He will look to control the court with his aggressive style of play, but he can’t let the Aussie crowd distract him from the task at hand. If he stays focused, look for Cilic to advance in a tough match.

Nick’s Pick – Cilic in 4 sets

Roger Federer begins his quest for a sixth straight US Open title against American Devin Britton

It’s US Open time again and we are thrilled to be back in New York for the entire tournament. Be sure to stay with Nick’s Picks throughout the tournament for live coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam. We begin today with our breakdown of the draws.

Men’s Draw

The big story about the men’s draw is the change at the top. For the first time in a long while, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal could have faced before the finals. Nadal has slipped to #3 in the rankings because of injuries and Federer and Andy Murray have taken over the top two spots. Alas, it was not to be, as Nadal was placed in Murray’s half of the draw and can still face Federer in the finals.

Speaking of Federer, he starts off with an interesting match against young American, Devin Britton. Britton spent many years training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and then as a freshman in college he won the NCAA singles championship this year at Ole Miss. Britton is a serve-and-volleyer and this will be a great experience for him.

Assuming Federer plays like he has, he should be able to move through the draw with not many issues. He could face Lleyton Hewitt in the third round and possibly James Blake in the fourth, but I don’t see either of those guys stopping FedEx. A potential Nikolay Davydenko quarter could be tricky, but the match we all want to see is a Federer/Andy Roddick semifinal. After a fantastic Wimbledon final, a rematch in the semis here would be must-see TV.

Roddick’s path could be tough though as he could run into some trouble in the fourth round against either Tommy Haas or Fernando Verdasco. He would also have to get by Novak Djokovic in the quarters, whom he lost to in last year’s quarterfinals. Since then though, Roddick has beaten him three consecutive times (all this year).

On the bottom half of the draw, all the talk is about Murray and Nadal. Murray, last year’s runner-up, begins his quest for a first Grand Slam title with a tough opponent in Ernests Gulbis. He could also face a big-serving third round opponent as Ivo Karlovic and Taylor Dent both loom in that section of the draw.

Those guys aren’t the only big guys who can serve in the bottom half, as they are joined by Jo-Willy Tsonga, Tomas Berdych, Juan Martin Del Potro, Marin Cilic, and Stan Wawrinka. All of those guys are talented enough to beat anyone. You’ve also got a couple of sly Frenchmen in Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon in the draw; watch out for those guys as well!

The match everyone is going to be looking at early on is Nadal vs. Richard Gasquet. We all know that Nadal has been dealing with injuries, but Gasquet is playing in his first ATP Tour level match since April after missing most of 2009 because of a drug suspension. He comes in ranked #46 in the world, but has been as high as #7.  This will be a very interesting match for both players.

Overall, I think the bottom half of the draw is a bit stronger than the top half just because of the quantity of men who are more than capable of taking down the top guys. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any one of those guys playing well into the second week.

Women’s Draw

As has been the case for most of 2009, the field is once again wide open. This draw seems top-heavy to me. On the top you have a very strong contingent of Russian women which includes: Dinara Safina, Alisa Kleybanova, Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova, Nadia Petrova, and Svetalana Kuznetsova. You’ve also got Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, Sabine Lisicki, Caroline Wozniacki and Jie Zheng. This is an extremely tough half of the draw and whoever comes out is going to be battle-tested.

The top-seed on the women’s side is Safina, and she is still looking for her first Grand Slam title. She has not been able to put together a strong showing in the finals of a Grand Slam yet, and some people question whether or not she should be the top seed. She could face fellow Russian Kleybanova (a big hitter) in the third round and possibly Jankovic, Ivanovic, or Lisicki in the quarters.

The semis on the top half of the draw are tough to predict. You’ve got Dementieva (who I think has the best groundstrokes on tour), and two former champions here: Sharapova and Kuznetsova. Dementieva and Sharapova could meet in an epic third-round bout with the winner having to move on and face maybe Kuznetsova or even Wozniacki in the quarters. Should be interesting to follow.

On the bottom half of the draw the story revolves around two names: Williams and Clijsters. Both Serena and Venus find themselves in the bottom half with wild-card Kim Clijsters (2005 champion) also lurking. Serena, the defending champion, opens up with American Alexa Glatch, and could face Daniela Hantuchova in the fourth round and possibly the uber-talented Vera Zvonareva in the quarters.

Venus and Clijsters could face in the fourth round, which would be one heck of a match. The winner of that match could be looking at Victoria Azarenka in the quarters, and beating her is never an easy task.

Don’t forget about the young Michelle Larcher de Brito. The 16-year old Portuguese sensation, who trains at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, opens up with Mathilde Johansson and is looking for her first career win at the US Open.

My prediction for the women’s draw has to start with Serena. Until someone knocks her off, I just can’t predict her to lose. She is so good when she is focused and fit and playing in New York always seems to bring out the best in her. Don’t be surprised if there are numerous upsets in the draw, because when the field is this wide open, who knows what will happen!!

Gael Monfils was one of three players who had to retire on Monday

Monday at the Aussie Open proved to be a day full of injuries and retirements. A total of three players, two on the ladies side and one on the men’s side, couldn’t finish their matches. It’s not very often that you have this happen in the fourth round of a Grand Slam! Did the Australian sun finally take its toll on the players, or is the early season injury-bug taking effect? No one can be sure, but for the players that advanced I’d bet their not complaining!

Perhaps the luckiest of them all was Serena Williams. She looked sluggish and was clearly not playing her best tennis against Victoria Azarenka, losing the opening set 6-3. Beginning in the second set, Azarenka started to feel woozy and nautious and she couldn’t finish. With Serena up 4-2 in the second, Azarenka was forced to retire. She said later that she had been sick and vomiting all morning, but decided to give it a go. Before she started to feel ill, Azarenka proved that she could hang with anyone. She was hitting bombs from both sides of the court (especially the backhand), was moving well, and serving very aggressively. Sometimes Mother Nature just has other plans for you, and this definitely helped Serena.

The other lady that didn’t have to stay on the court too long was Svetlana Kuznetsova. The former Grand Slam champion moved on after Jie Zheng retired in the first set because of a wrist injury. Kuznetsova was up 4-1 in the first when Zheng decided she couldn’t go any longer. This is a good break for Kuznetsova who will have her work cut out for her in the quarters when she takes on Serena.

Rounding out the quarterfinals will be Elena Dementieva and Carla Suarez Navarro. Both won in straight sets, and will face each other next. I’ll have more on this match in the picks.

On the men’s side, it was Gael Monfils that had to step aside during his match with friend, Gilles Simon. Monfils was down two sets to one, and just couldn’t go anymore. The match was like a cat (Simon) versus a mouse (Monfils). Simon was definitely the aggressor while Monfils was constantly on the run, doing a little bit of everything (including too much slow stuff). Simon will get Rafa Nadal in the quarters, which is unfortunate the way Nadal is playing. He glided past Fernando Gonzalez and still has yet to lose  a set. His forehand and serve kept Gonzo on his heels the entire time.

The great match from yesterday was between Fernando Verdasco and the trendy pick to win the tournament, Andy Murray. Verdasco won the match in five sets, and played absolutely fantastic tennis. Verdasco spent time in the off-season with Gil Reyes, the long time trainer of Andre Agassi, and it appears that it really paid off. During his visit, Andre spent time talking with him and just speaking to a legend will help your confidence. When you are physically fit, it helps you mentally as well. Murray was clearly dissapointed to lose, but he battled to the bitter end and Verdasco was just too much.

The timing of the Aussie Open is hard for many of the players because it comes right after their off-seasons. When I was with Andre, he never put aside his physical fitness program, even in the off-season. When the vast majority of players were taking vacations, Gil had Andre spend three to five hours per day running the hills of Vegas and watching what he ate constantly. This relentless training enabled Andre to be a winner not only down under, but all over the world. It seems to have had the same affect on Verdasco!

The last men’s match was between American James Blake and 2008 finalist, Jo-Willy Tsonga. The Frenchmen won the match in straight sets over Blake, and just had way too much firepower on the groundstrokes and his serve made a huge difference as well. In the third set Blake was up 5-3 and serving for the set, but couldn’t close it out and then Tsonga came roaring back to win the set in the tiebreaker. Tsonga’s forehand and serve overpowered Blake, and when he hit the second serve it kicked up above Blake’s shoulder making it very difficult to hit the one-handed backhand return. I thought throughout the match that Blake looked very negative. You cannot do this against a player like Tsonga, especially in a Grand Slam.

Here is a little tip for you that pertains to the Blake-Tsonga match. When returning the serve against a big server (especially if they have a big kicker on their 2nd serve), you have to give them a different look every time. You can move back, come forward, and even move during the server’s motion to try and keep them off balance. Blake never really did this, allowing Tsonga to get into a comfortable rythym.

Stay tuned later today for the rest of the quarterfinal picks!

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Marat Safin (RUS)

Federer cruised in the second round, defeating Evgeny Korolev 6-2, 6-3, 6-1. So far, so good for Federer as he looks to tie Pete Sampras’ record for the most Grand Slam singles titles. The road is about to get a little tougher though as Safin is rolling into town.

Speaking of Safin, you have got to love the guy! He is definitely one of my favorites, even though you never can be too sure as to what you are going to get from him.

The Match-Up:

Federer is 9-2 against Safin, but one of those losses came back in 2005 in the semis of the Aussie Open. That was a classic battle with Safin coming out ahead 9-7 in the fifth set. If we get anything like that match we are in for a treat. No one will ever question Safin’s technical ability on the court. He has the offensive firepower to beat anyone; he just has a difficult time focusing the whole time. However, Federer is an inspiration to his opponents. Players get pumped up to face him and I am sure Safin will be ready. Federer must not underestimate Safin’s ability, because if he does this could be close.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 sets

Andy Roddick (USA) vs. Fabrice Santoro (FRA)

Roddick survived a tough match against NBTA alum Xavier Malisse in the second round, and will now face another tough opponent in Fabrice Santoro.

Santoro is unbelievable. There is not much else I can say about this 36-year old magician. All I know is that when he leaves the game, there will be a whole that cannot be filled in. He will be sorely missed.

The Match-Up:

Roddick is 3-1 against Santoro, and beat him in the first round of the 2008 US Open in straight sets. Before the tournament began, Roddick’s new coach, Larry Stefanki, had Roddick lose 15 pounds. It looks as though this is really helping him stay in the long rallies (which he will need against Santoro). Also, Roddick’s backhand continues to look better than ever before and we all know how good his serve is. Roddick knows Santoro had to go five sets in his previous match and don’t think he isn’t going to try and work him hard. Be careful though, Santoro knows how to frustrate the best of them and Roddick cannot let Santoro’s “junk” throw him off. I know Santoro is the magician, but even the best wizards sometimes run out of tricks.

Nick’s Pick – Roddick in 4 sets

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Tommy Haas (GER)

Nadal has cruised through the first two rounds, losing a total of 11 games in six sets. He has added to his already stellar game and looks as healthy as ever. If Nadal continues on this pace, it could be another unbelievable year for the young man.

Haas has been with me at the Academy for 18 years. He spent some time with me right before the Aussie Open and it appears as though the things we worked on are paying handsome dividends.

The Match-Up:

Nadal is 3-0 against Haas in his career, and beat him once last year in Cincinnati. When Tommy was at the Academy before the Aussie began he was hitting very well, but everything was flat and waist high which was putting him on the defensive all the time. We worked on hitting heavy balls that kept his opponent back and allowed him to add more variety to his game. At the same time, Nadal has added to his game with a penetrating, flat forehand and an improved serve. If Haas can mix it up, hitting slices, angled shots, and placing his serve well then he will be right in this match. Nadal is going to get everything back, and Haas needs to accept that and just worry about what he can control. I feel that Haas is going to give Nadal one heck of a challenge, but in the end the edge goes to the Spaniard.

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 4 sets

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs. Dudi Sela (ISR)

Tsonga had some back pain in his dramatic four-set victory over Ivan Ljubicic in the second round. He didn’t call for the trainer, but was clearly in some pain and even talked about it after the match. Hopefully, a day off will help him recover.

Sela is into the third round of the Aussie Open for the first time in his career. The 5’9″ Israeli spent some time at the Academy when he was younger and is one heck of a competitor.

The Match-Up:

Tsonga is 1-0 against Sela, with that win coming at Indian Wells last year. The fans love Tsonga because every moment he is on the court you are getting entertainment. He plays a very aggressive game, using a big forehand and excellent movement to control points. Sela is quick, smart, and plays from the baseline. He has an excellent one-handed backhand that he can hit down-the-line and on-the-run. If Tsonga can stay healthy and keep himself composed mentally then he should win this match.

Nick’s Pick – Tsonga in 4 sets

Other matches of interest:

Here are some of the other matches that I will be keeping my eye on during the first round.

Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) vs. Mardy Fish (USA) – Anytime Baghdatis is playing you have to watch. The guy is pure entertainment and with his history down under, watch out! Also, it’s nice to see Fish playing solid tennis. The US can really use him right now.

Amer Delic (USA) vs. Novak Djokovic (SRB) – Delic is an inspiration to every kid in the US. He went to college and now look, he is competing at the top level. Djokovic is 1-0 against Delic, but needed four sets to beat him. Keep an eye on this match to see if Delic can continue his stellar play or if the Djoker will advance.

Marin Cilic (CRO) vs. David Ferrer (ESP) – This should be an interesting match just because Cilic is 6’6″ and Ferrer is 5’9″! Ferrer is very smart and extremely quick. He is going to have to use both of those assets to compete with the all-around game that Cilic possesses. I know Ferrer is the higher ranked player, but it feels like this is Cilic’s match to lose.

Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE) – Berdych is 3-2 against Wawrinka, but they have never faced in a Grand Slam. Both of these guys are around the same age and have been ranked in the top ten. It seems like we keep waiting on Berdych to do something great; well there is no time like the present!

James Blake (USA) vs. Igor Andreev (RUS) – Blake’s backhand looks fantastic, his forehand is rocking, and he has been in control of the points for both of his previous matches. Now, he gets a tough opponent in Andreev. I think Blake will pull it out, but he has to be patient and wait for his chances to attack.

Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs. Fernando Verdasco (ESP) – This is a rematch from a couple of weeks ago when Stepanek beat Verdasco in three sets in the finals of Brisbane. Both players are playing excellent tennis thus far in 2009, and it will be interesting to see who takes this match. Stepanek cannot stay back at the baseline, he must come in some and catch Verdasco off-guard.

Mario Ancic (CRO) vs. Gilles Simon (FRA) – Ancic is 1-0 against Simon, beating him at the 2009 Masters Series tournament in Miami. We all know how good Ancic can be if he is 100% healthy, and he just had to go five sets with Karlovic so that may take a toll on him. Simon has the guns to win this match, so this one could go the distance.

With Venus out, her part of the draw really opens up. You’ve got Navarro and two other Spaniards, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Anabel Medina Garrigues, as well as 12th-seeded Flavia Pennetta. All of a sudden the players in that section have an excellent chance of making a deep run.

Venus’ younger sister, Serena, struggled as well but was able to defeat Gisela Dulko 6-3, 7-5 to reach the third round. After the match Serena was right back out on the practice courts, which is not something you will see very much. This shows you how frustrated she was with her play, and how focused she is on winning this tournament. She will get Shuai Peng next.

Also winning on the women’s side was the Russian contingent of Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova. Both won fairly easily and are always a threat to contend. The one thing about Kuznetsova is that she came into the tournament a bit injured so we will have to see if that has any bearing as the days wear on.

On the men’s side, all the top guys moved. The brightly colored Nadal continued to look brilliant on the court with a three-set dismantling of Roko Karanusic. He has only lost a total of 11 games in six sets so far. The big difference in Nadal’s game has been a flat forehand. He is driving through the ball with the racket and not letting it drop down as much so the ball is penetrating more through the court. Things are about to get a bit more difficult for Nadal though as he will now face NBTA alum Tommy Haas. Haas won easily over Flavio Cipolla and when he is on there are not many better. This is one of the bigger third-round matches on either side of the draw.

Also winning were top-ten seeds #4 Andy Murray, #5 Jo-Willy Tsonga, #6 Gilles Simon, and #9 James Blake. The only seeded player to fall was #25 Ivo Karlovic. The big-serving Croat lost to fellow countrymen Mario Ancic 5-7, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. This was a tough second-round match for Karlovic as Ancic is a former top-ten player and would still be ranked high if not for numerous bouts with mono. Ancic will face Gilles Simon of France next.

Blake is playing very free and loose, which seems to be helping him stay focused. His groundstrokes are extremely solid and he looks as gooas as ever. He’s got a strong opponent in the third round in Igor Andreev, but if he contines to play like he has been I like his chances.

There are some very good third-round matches on this half of the men’s draw and we will be breaking them down later today…