I have to congratulate Kleybanova for a great win. I remember when she was at the Academy, her mother was a drill seargent in the Russian Army and used to walk the courts like she was a palace guard in London! Kleybanova plays a very aggressive style, can cover the court better then most people think, and really takes it to her opponents. The one thing she needs to work on is her passing shots when her opponent approaches the net. Overall, she played really well and I am very happy for her.

Also pulling off a big upset was the resurgent Jelena Dokic. After beating Anna Chakvetadze in the second round, she got another huge win over #11 Caroline Wozniacki 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 to reach the fourth round. What has helped Dokic so much is the tremendous fan support she is getting. She has always had the talent, but the question was could she come back and compete at a high level like she is doing now. Well, we can’t question her anymore!

The other winners on the women’s side were all expected as #1 Jelena Jankovic, #3 Dinara Safina, #7 Vera Zvonareva #10 Nadia Petrova, #15 Alize Cornet, and #16 Marion Bartoli all won. With Ivanovic out on the top half, it really opens up the draw on that side. It makes both Jankovic and Safina’s paths to the finals much easier as well. I want briefly comment on Daniela Hantuchova. She lost to Cornet, and she might have the most beautiful techniques in the world, but she doesn’t have the ability to generate power and hurt her opponents like some of the other young players do.

On the men’s side the biggest upset (and the only seed to lose to an unseeded player) was of #23 American Mardy Fish. He fell to former finalist Marcos Baghdatis 6-2, 6-4, 6-4. Since reaching the finals back in 2006, Baghdatis has fallen all the way down to #97 in the world and has only been past the fourth round in two of his last 10 Grand Slam appearances. Baghdatis will get Novak Djokovic next, after Djokovic struggled to get by American Amer Delic 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).

Both Roger Federer and Andy Roddick got through their third round matches without losing a set. Federer beat former champion Marat Safin 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(5) while Roddick took down Fabrice Santoro 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Federer played excellent tennis against Safin, converting on three of four break chances and winning 85% of the points on his first serve. Safin never got into a rhythm, and was making too many errors from the forehand side to keep this match close. Federer seems to have really turned it up and is moving around the court brilliantly.

Roddick is also playing at a very high level, and had 50 winners to only 19 unforced errors in his win over Santoro. It was also interesting to see Roddick come to the net so much (31/44) and was able to convert. To me, it just showed how Roddick can do a little bit of everything and when he had his chances he jumped on them and that is a very good sign.

I want to end by talking about Del Potro. Everyone  is always commenting on his serve, but I want to mention his backhand. To be able to move like he does, at his height, and catch the ball as high and as early as he can, it is incredible. He is able to take the ball six inches to a foot higher than most other players from the backhand side, which puts his opponents at an immediate disadvantage.

Can’t wait for tomorrow and stay tuned for the 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.

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Christophe Rochus (BEL)

For the first time in his career, Nadal is the top seed of the Australian Open. His best finish came last year when he reached the semis before falling to Tsonga, and you would have to think that anything short of that in 2009 would be considered a disappointment. I will be very interested to see how Nadal looks in this match.

Rochus is a fun guy to watch. He stands at only 5’7″ and moves around the court like a road runner! He is currently ranked #75 in the world, but has been as high as #38. His beat appearance down under came all the way back in 2000, when he reached the fourth round.

The Match-Up:

This will be the first career meeting between Nadal and Rochus. It’s nice to see a guy like Rochus, at the age of 30, still going strong. Like I said before, he is so quick around the court, but as you get older this is one part of your game that you lose. I will be watching this match to see how Nadal is moving around the court and challenging balls, because I think this will give us a good indicator of how he is feeling and how he will play throughout the tournament. Rochus certainly doesn’t have the guns to compete with Nadal, but this will be an interesting match to keep your eye on.

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 3 sets

Richard Gasquet (FRA) vs. Diego Junqueira (ARG)

Gasquet comes into the tournament ranked #25 in the world, which is way down from his career high of #7. The last two years he has faired well here, reaching the fourth round on both accounts. He could use a big tournament to help get back into the top 20.

Junqueira is a 28-year old Argentinean lefty who is ranked a career high of #76 in the world. This will only be his second main draw Grand Slam appearance, and his first at the Aussie Open. Last year he qualified for the French Open and reached the second round before falling to Ivan Ljubicic.

The Match-Up:

This will be the first career meeting between Gasquet and Junqueira. What a great opportunity this is for Junquiera to make a name for himself. He is a relative unknown at this point, but if he could pick up an upset that can certainly change overnight. However, defeating Gasquet is no easy task, especially with the way the ball bounces in Australia. For some time now, we have heard how good Gasquet is going to be and he has never been able to put it together and reach the finals of a Grand Slam. Now, some of the other French guys have passed him up in the rankings (Monfils, Simon, Tsonga) and that has to motivate him to get back to the top. I look for Gasquet to come out and play a strong match and make a statement.

Nick’s Pick – Gasquet in 3 sets

Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) vs. Mischa Zverev (GER)

Del Potro comes into the tournament ranked #9 in the world, and for the first time he is a top-ten seed in a Grand Slam. How he follows up a great 2008 season is going to be one of the most interesting story lines of 2009. Can he continue on that success, or take a step backwards?

Zverev is a 21-year old German that is currently ranked #80 in the world. He is a tough competitor and in 2008 he reached the quarterfinals of two tournaments. This is someone to watch out for in the next couple of years.

The Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between these two young talents, and should be a good one. Zverev is a lefty, and they are always tricky to play against so Del Potro will have to be ready for that. The big story about Del Potro is his energy. I liken his run in 2008 to a big F-18 that was firing on all cylinders and then one of the engines goes out. For a while there, Del Potro was unbeatable, but then it looked like he tired out and just couldn’t go anymore. He needs to manage his playing schedule a bit more closely this year and that will help him maintain his mental focus. For this match, I believe Del Potro just has too many weapons for Zverev and that will be the difference.

Nick’s Pick – Del Potro in 4 sets

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Andreas Seppi (ITA)

Federer doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone, but if could start the year by winning this tournament that would certainly be a big boost to his confidence. He needs a solid start here, and a good win over a talented player would definitely be that.

Seppi is a 24-year old Italian that is ranked #34 in the world. He is a big boy, 6’3″, and plays like it. This is his fourth Australian Open, and he has never been past the second round.

The Match-Up:

Federer is 3-0 against Seppi, and just beat him a couple of weeks ago in Doha 6-3, 6-3. Like Nadal, all eyes will be on Federer, looking to see how he is moving and where he is mentally. I really like Federer’s chances at winning this tournament, and having just beat Seppi recently will definitely help him out.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 3 sets

Other matches of interest:

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

Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (ARG) – This is quite the first round match! I will be looking to see how Gonzalez plays without Larry Stefanki by his side. That is a compelling story line to me. Hewitt has been hut as of late and without a doubt will have the crowd behind him. This is a must see match!

Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs. Jurgen Melzer (AUT) – We hope Nishikori’s arm is feeling better, because it caused him to pull out of a tournament last week. This is a big chance for Kei to continue his climb up the rankings and the entire Academy will be rooting him on! Watch out though, because Melzer is one heck of a competitor.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs. Juan Monaco (ARG) – This is another excellent first round match. Can Tsonga find the magic that worked for him in 2008? I sure hope so, because he has a lot of points to defend!

Sam Querrey (USA) vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) – I’m looking for Querrey to have a big year, and I think he is one of the best young Americans we have. He just reached the finals last week and is playing excellent tennis.

Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. Fabrice Santoro (FRA) – Here is a great match between two veterans. I’m sad to here that Santoro is retiring this year, and I will be following him closely throughout 2009!

Marat Safin (RUS) vs. Ivan Navarro (ESP) – The fun thing about Safin is that you never know what the heck is going to happen!! He is a former champion here and the crowd loves him. He is one of my favorite guys to watch and I without a doubt I’ll be watching this one.

It will be a very busy day for us today, as Tommy Haas, Nicole Vaidisova, and Sabine Lisicki will all take the courts. Haas will be involved in an excellent match-up with Richard Gasquet. This isn’t the type of match you would expect to see in the first round, but because Haas isn’t seeded this is what happens. Tough match for bother players, and it is hard to predict. I feel if Tommy is on, he has a very good chance to win this.

Nicole will take on fellow Czech woman Petra Cetkovska, and Sabine will face Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain. Both matches are winnable, so let’s hope we go three for three today in wins!!

Other than the NBTA alum, there are another match we have our eyes on…

Vince Spadea vs. Marat Safin – This is going to be a fun match. Both players are known for there theatrics on court, and both are unpredictable. Spadea might have to get his best raps going to distract Safin!! This is match for the fans.

Should be an excellent day out there. The weather is perfect and the fans are ready to roll. Stay with us for updates throughout the day via Twitter.

And that, ladies and gentleman, is genius. Sheer class. Style to please angels. Technical magnificence. And cojones like you’ve never seen. From both men.

Roger Federer, like Bjorn Borg, could not get six in a row. Borg went down to John McEnroe, a left-hander, like Rafael Nadal. And what Federer and Nadal gifted us last night was, like Borg-Mac, a match for history, one of the greatest.

Oh. My. Goodness. I’m out of “Holy”. No mackerel. No cow. Just sen-frickin’-sational. This was an instant classic to catapult the Federer-Nadal rivalry right up there. Make way, please. Young gods on the way to the pantheon.

I said before the match that I was sticking with Federer, just, in a thriller. They’ve given us a thriller, in a battle of champions. But we also knew that Nadal would give it everything and never stop fighting for a title he craved. At one stage Nadal had Federer in a box, lid shut, in the ground. And Federer got out of there to take it to five. And almost did enough to win. But the kid from Mallorca just would not let it go.

Roger said he’ll be back. And Nadal, who has been breathing down his neck for so long, will be on his back. In the furnace of such competition, neither man can take anything for granted.

After two sets I was lost for words. I knew well what Nadal was capable of. The boy is a force of nature. He takes the breath away with his shots, some of which defy the laws of physics. He hits winners from positions no other player would arrive at until seconds afterwards, with racket speed so bewildering the slo-mo can barely catch it.

Rafa was top-spinning Federer to death in those two sets. Federer just could not handle it. He couldn’t get over it to put anything on it. He couldn’t chip. He looked low on confidence.

Nadal has improved immensely even in the space of a year since they last played on Centre Court. And he was goddam’ brilliant then. Federer was simply brilliant too then, and still is. And the pair of them are in a different orbit to everyone else.

Nadal’s two-handed backhand was just much stronger than Federer’s one-handed. Nadal’s serve was consistently aggressive. He just kept jamming, into the body. Federer just could not nail a break point. A statistic of one from 13 (and 12 of those before the comeback) is nightmare reading for anyone, let alone a man who wants to be universally accepted as the greatest ever.

But then, on later big points, Federer’s nerve held, during the early match points against him and with the mini-breaks he needed to steal to stay in the fight. Twice towards the end of the fourth set Federer was two points from defeat. But he got back into it. He got to the breaker, where Nadal led 5-2, against just two points from victory. The passing shots in that breaker were not of this world.

When Federer got in gear, he ran around the ball and just whooped the crap out of it. With a touch of silk. He crashed forehand winners to the corner, and rained aces. But Nadal took it the distance. You could write a book on all the amazing shots in this match. Balletic leaps (from Federer), (bull) running passes (from Nadal), magnificent wide serves. Twists and turns and rallies to leave you stunned.

I’ll take a lie down now.

Ten things to take home from SW19

1. Passion bears fruit

The passion sealed it. Venus Williams’ win on Saturday in the women’s singles – and the march to the same final by her sister, Serena – was achieved through a passion that most can only marvel at. Centre Court. The world’s biggest title. And five years after they last contested it. That takes technique and athleticism, of course. But the sheer will to win is still so evident. If they pick their tournaments and be careful of hard courts that batter the body, and stay healthy, they can challenge at Wimbledon for years, even if they didn’t win a thing in between. I thought Saturday was a good match. Boy, they smash that ball. The difference was break points. Serena handled them poorly, winning two from 13. If you can’t break, you can’t win. The only other thought on the final was this: at their peak, and fully physically fit, has there ever been a person in history who could’ve beat either? I don’t think so.

2. This Brit’s a hit

Laura Robson should be an inspiration to young British tennis players. She won the Eddie Herr tournament – staged at my academy – on a hard court last year and now she’s showed versatility by winning on grass. I haven’t seen her play a lot but I know she’s well put together, solid, athletic, moves well and has the inherent advantages of the leftie. Martina Hingis has been a mentor, and that’s not a bad thing because Hingis was a tough young champion. Now get back to work, Laura.

3. Maria will be back

Anyone who thinks that Maria Sharapova is on the out needs to go see a shrink. We ain’t seen the end of the kid yet. Not by a long, long, long, long way. Sometimes you lose big matches. Shocks happen. That’s life. Get over it. Get on with it. Maria will. OK, so you see her face on a thousand billboards, and she’s making millions from endorsements and other interests. But being 21 and No 2 on the planet is not the worst situation in the world, is it? Don’t write her off. Since I knew her as a kid, she’s responded to adversity in the same way. She told it where to go.

4. Murray is on course

I’m very, very pleased for Andy Murray at the progress he’s made at this year’s championships. Holy mackerel! You only had to see what Rafael Nadal could do to Roger Federer yesterday to know he’s capable of making mince out of Titans, let alone out of a hugely promising but still developing 21-year-old in his first Slam quarter-final. Andy got as far as he was meant to. Past the last 16. Out before the semis. He can now go away and get better.

5. Ana’s fine; Jelena wobbles

Ana Ivanovic will have caused a few people to wonder about her status as the world No 1 by being knocked out early. My take is not to worry about that too much. She won the French Open. She’s had a big year. Her head is understandably in a spin. This wobble is nothing but that. She’ll be fine. Jelena Jankovic, on the other hand, has a more fundamental problem. She needs to add to her game. She’s just too damn predictable. She’s never going to win a Slam playing north-south tennis with no east-west or mixing it up.

6. It’s time to raise the roof

The weather has been excellent for most of the fortnight. But from next year, with Centre Court’s new roof, even if the weather is bad there will never again be a need for a rain delay to prevent at least one big match going on. I know rain is part of the mystique of Wimbledon. I appreciate the mystique. But I’d rather watch tennis.

7. Nadal is one hell of a shot

Trying to pick a shot of the tournament is tough when we’ve seen so much fantastic play. Murray’s winner to turn the tide in the third-set tie-break against Richard Gasquet was a contender. But I think one of Nadal’s winners against Murray tops that. The Spaniard hooked at least two of those utterly unbelievable forehands down the line – around the pole – from way outside the line. Too. Darn. Good.

8. Squabs are a damp squib

My Independent colleagues, Nick Harris and Paul Newman, broke the biggest pigeon story of the tournament, and I know our Diary asked fans if they would want to eat pigeons shot at the Club! I used to eat pigeons, years ago. Squabs. Tasty. But though Wimbledon has class coming out at the seams, with the organisers handling every situation in the right way, I wouldn’t eat one of theirs. It would probably cost too much anyway.

9. Marat should bathe in it

My positive shock of the tournament was the performance of Marat Safin in reaching the semis. I turned him away as a teenager but have a sentimental attachment and was thrilled for him.

10. Nothing bad happened

And my negative shock? How can you have any negatives about Wimbledon? Thanks for reading.

Win a week at Bollettieri Tennis Academy

I can’t thank you all enough for taking the time and trouble to enter my daily competition during Wimbledon fortnight, the prize being a week’s tennis holiday at my academy. I am paying for tuition and accommodation in Florida – our winner gets his own plane ticket.

The entries have poured in from across Britain, and from countries around the world as well. So thanks to all of you for that. You certainly love your tennis. That much is obvious from all the personal stories you told me in your emails.

We had 12 daily winners from which the one overall winner was drawn. Those 12 were: G Goodger, D O’Carrol, C Blake, D Mulreany, L Arrowsmith, G Akos, R O’Reilly, B Fergie, G Mardell, C Stewart, D Ward, and M Ravden (the last being the daily winner on Saturday, for Venus Williams’ win).

The names went into a hat yesterday (a paper cup, actually), and congratulations go to … Dan Mulreany! A special thank you to all those who entered the competition every day. It has been a fantastic two weeks.

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

Federer continued to look every bit as dominant as he has in past Wimbledon’s with his straight set victory over Mario Ancic (during which Ancic didn’t even have a break point!). Federer has yet to drop a set throughout the tournament and has only spent a total of just over eight hours on court! Right now, there is no stopping FedEx!

Safin moved on by beating Feliciano Lopez 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(1), 6-3 in the quarters, and has reached the semis at Wimbledon for the first time in his career. I couldn’t be happier to see Safin playing well again, he is one of my favorites and is an inspiration to tennis player everywhere! It seems like every time you count Safin out, he does something to remind everyone just how talented he is. The last time he had a run like this he won the 2005 Australian Open (beating Federer in the semis).

Match-Up:

Federer is 8-2 against Safin, and their last two meetings have been on grass with Federer winning them both (2007 Wimbledon and 2005 Halle). Let’s break this match down stroke by stroke. Both players have excellent groundies, but I give Federer an edge from both the forehand and backhand side. He just has more variety from each, and has that devastating slice. The serve goes to Federer. It has been his biggest weapon throughout the tournament, and was what helped him win last year. The return of serve department I give a slide edge to Safin, because I believe he is going to go for everything and take some risks. The movement goes to Federer as well. No one glides around the court and gets into position like him. Both players are excellent around the net and have great overheads.

While Federer may have the advantage in most categories, this is not going to be an easy match for him. Safin will not rollover and has the confidence required to beat Federer. The question is his mentality. I don’t believe he will lose his focus and carry-on (simply out of respect to Federer), but you never know with Safin. This has the potential to be an excellent match, and it one that I am really looking forward to. I just can’t pick against Federer until he loses!

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 sets

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Rainer Schuettler (GER)

Nadal lost a total of ten points on his serve and had only nine unforced errors in his quarterfinal match against Andy Murray! Next to Federer, no one is playing better tennis at Wimbledon than Nadal. It seems like he is becoming as comfortable on grass as he is on clay, and that is a scary thought for the rest of the tennis world.

You couldn’t ask for a more remarkable story than Rainer Schuettler (except for maybe Jie Zheng). He came into the tournament with a 4-13 record in ATP level matches on the year, and hasn’t won an ATP title since 2003 (the same year he went to the finals in Australia). None of that matters now though. He has earned his way to this spot and is now one match away from a Grand Slam final.

Match-Up:

Nadal is 3-1 against Schuettler, with his lone loss coming back in 2004. Since then Nadal has won each time they have faced, with the most recent win coming at Chennai in 2007. There is no doubt in my mind that Schuettler will battle hard against Nadal. He is extremely competitive, has a solid serve, and is comfortable coming into the net. Schuettler is also a smart player and knows how to use the court and keep players off balance. With that being said, I don’t think that will be enough right now to beat Nadal. His heavy top-spin balls simply wear his opponent’s down, and his backhand has become an outright weapon. He is serving unbelievably and is brimming with confidence. When you combine all that with his movement, wow!! It is going to take a Herculean effort to beat Nadal at this point, and I think the only person capable of that right now is Roger Federer.

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 3 sets

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Mario Ancic (CRO)

Federer was pushed by Lleyton Hewitt in the first set of his fourth round match, but after that Federer only lost six total games. He had 21 aces and was 3/3 on break chances, which is a great mix for success on grass. He has yet to drop a set, and it is going to take one heck of a performance to take him down.

Ancic might have played the match of the tournament thus far, with his fourth round victory over Fernando Verdasco. He won 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 13-11 in a match that took almost four hours. He last reached the quarters here in 2006, and guess who he lost to? None other than Roger Federer!

Match-Up:

Federer is 5-1 against Ancic, with the lone loss coming back in 2002 at Wimbledon in the first round. That was the last time Federer lost on these hallowed grounds. First off I want to congratulate Ancic for his outstanding play thus far. He made an unbelievable comeback in the fourth round, and it is great to see him back and healthy again. Simply outstanding tennis from the Croat.

Ancic is very solid from the baseline, he takes the ball early, has an excellent serve, and loves to come into the net. Against Verdasco, he came in 66 times and 61% of those points. He is going to need similar results here. I really believe to beat Federer in this match, Ancic must take some risks and hit a little bigger than he is used to. He has already played two five set matches, as well as an emotionally exhausting four-setter against Ferrer. Needless to say, the longer this match goes the more it favors Federer.

Speaking of Federer, he won last year’s Wimbledon because of his serve. If he wins it again this year, he can thank his serve again. In my opinion it is his biggest weapon. He goes down the “T” a lot, and also hits a heavy kicking serve that bothers his opponents. He also hits a very effective second serve. Right now, I just think Federer is on a roll. He has cut down on his forehand errors and it hitting out from the backhand side. Ancic will compete, and may take a set, but I give Federer the edge.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 sets

Rainer Schuettler (GER) vs. Arnaud Clement (FRA)

The 32-year old German, Schuettler, came into the tournament ranked #94 in the world. In nine previous appearances at Wimbledon, he had never been past the fourth round and this is only the second time he has been in the quarterfinals of any Grand Slam event. He’s been ranked has high of #5 in the world, but hasn’t been in the top 40 since early 2005.

The last time Clement played in the second week at Wimbledon was 2002, since then he has lost in the first or second round every year. Coming into Wimbledon he only had 13 ATP level matches under his belt in 2008, and was ranked #145 in the world. To say this is an unexpected result is an understatement.

Match-Up:

Schuettler is 4-1 against Clement, with their most recent meeting coming earlier this year in the first round of the Australian Open (Schuettler won in four sets). I don’t think anybody in their right mind picked this as one of their quarterfinal matches, but that’s sports! First off, this is not going to be a short match. If you are going to be in attendance (or sitting on Henman Hill) I would recommend that you bring a bag lunch, some extra strawberries and cream, and be prepared to sit! Both these players are consistent, not flashy, and will keep the ball in play enough to frustrate even the most patient players. Clement loves to play on grass, has a good base, and moves well. However, Schuettler plays very well on the grass too! He is very competitive and is playing at an extremely high level right now. This is going to be tight, but I give a slight edge to Schuettler.

Nick’s Pick – Schuettler in 4 or 5

Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs. Marat Safin (RUS)

Lopez needed five sets to beat Marcos Baghdatis, but came out the victor 8-6 in the fifth. He had only played one grass court match before Wimbledon, of which he lost to Nicolas Mahut in three sets. With that being said, he has been to the quarterfinals here before (2005) and reached the fourth round twice before that (2002 and 2003).

Just when you think Safin’s career is over, he comes out and reaches the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. He came in with a 10-13 record on the year, and ranked #75 in the world with absolutely no expectations so for him to be still playing is remarkable. We all know how talented he is, it is just a matter of his mental focus.

Match-Up:

Lopez is 4-1 against Safin, and beat him at Wimbledon back in 2005. This is not going to be easy match for Safin, because of the big lefty serve of Lopez. The one thing Safin cannot do is get frustrated. He has to stay very strong mentally, and absolutely cannot afford to lose his serve, because breaking Lopez isn’t easy! As much as I have been rooting for Safin, I have to keep my emotions out of it and just look at the stats. When you do that, you have to give the edge to Lopez. I cannot compliment Safin enough for his outstanding play, congrats again to Marat!

Nick’s Pick – Lopez in 4 sets

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

Nadal continued his astonishing play with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 win over Mikhail Youzhny in the fourth round. Once again he had a low number of unforced errors (13) and got 70% of his first serves in. That has really been his ticket to the winner’s circle throughout the tournament. Nadal has only committed a total of 53 errors in four matches! That is incredible.

Murray needed every bit of five sets to beat fellow youngster Richard Gasquet in the fourth round. After dropping the first two sets, Murray came back and won the third in a tiebreaker and then went on to win the match 5-7, 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2, 6-4. This is the first career Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance for Murray.

Match-Up:

Nadal is 3-0 against Murray in his career, including a win over him earlier this year at Hamburg (on clay). To bet against Nadal (before he plays Federer), would not be a smart play. Murray is one of my favorite players to watch and when he comes to the Academy, I have really enjoyed working with him. His competitive desire is second to none, and he has really played well at Wimbledon this year. Murray has improved just about every part of his game, but staying back at the baseline would not be a smart move when playing Nadal. Simply because Nadal’s heavy spinning balls will wear him down. Nadal’s improved serve and backhand, combined with the fact that he isn’t making many unforced errors give him an unbeatable recipe. I know this match is in front of the British fans, but I don’t care where you play Nadal. He is like an Air Force Pilot, Army Ranger, and Navy Seal combined. He will beat you in the sky, under water, or on the land!!

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 4

What a day it was as the second week began at Wimbledon. Two of the men, Mario Ancic and Andy Murray, came back from two sets down to win in five sets and it took Feliciano Lopez five sets to beat Marcos Baghdatis. We can’t forget about Marat Safin either!! While all that was going on, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal looked comfortable as ever, and the upsets on the women’s side continued.

Mario Ancic kicked off the action with a thrilling five set come-from-behind victory over Fernando Verdasco (who may be Spanish, but certainly doesn’t play like a Spaniard). Ancic won 13-11 in the fifth set to reach the quarterfinals where he will face Roger Federer. This is Ancic’s second five setter, and don’t forget about the grueling four-set match he won over David Ferrer in the third round. I really enjoy watching Ancic play, and it is great to have him back, healthy, and winning again. It is excellent for the sport of tennis.

While Ancic might have started the day, Murray finished it. Britain’s greatest hope was two sets down to Gasquet (who served for the match), but won it in five sets. The fans were crazy, the seen on Henman Hill was nuts, and Murray showed has resilient he can be. How he holds up against Nadal after a draining win like this is a big question.

On the women’s side, the top seeds continued to fall. Right after Jelena Jankovic went down, fourth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova lost to Aggie Radwanska in three sets. That leaves Elena Dementieva (who cruised over Shahar Peer) as the highest seed remaining. At this point, that may not be a good thing!

It was a great day of tennis at the AELTC, and I cannot wait for tomorrow!!

P.S. Congrats to NBTA junior Filip Krajinovic for winning his first round match in the Wimbledon Juniors!

For all the recent talk about how good the Serbian tennis stars are (and rightfully so), Wednesday was not the day for them. It began with the exit of the third ranked man in the world, Novak Djokovic. After plenty of talking from the Djoker over the last couple of weeks about how Federer’s reign is over, a second round loss to former Grand Slam champion Marat Safin is not good. Especially when you consider that Safin has a 10-13 record on the year and pretty much despises playing on grass (for some reasons I don’t understand). Safin may not have any Grand Slam championship runs left in him, but he sure does have some good matches.

Safin won the match by frustrating Djokovic and dominating the court with his backhand. I wrote in my pre-match breakdown that Djokovic had more variety on his backhand than Safin, but it was Safin who was able to take control with the shot. I think a telling point of the match was when Djokovic double faulted twice in one game. Not often that you see him do that, but this was a clear sign of how he was not comfortable at all. Tough loss for Djokovic to swallow, but I am sure one guy won’t mind: Roger Federer.

On the women’s side, it was top-seeded Ana Ivanovic that came about as cloes as you can to losing. Her opponent, Nathalie Dechy, won the first set in a tiebreaker and had two match points in the second set. On one of those match points, Ivanovic hit a shot that clipped the top of the net, hung in the air for about a second, and eventually fell on Dechy’s side. Ivanovic was about one inch away from losing that point and the match.

After that, Ivanovic came back to win the second set in a tiebreaker and eventually won the third set 10-8. It was an incredible match for the #1 ranked player in the world, and just goes to show that you cannot look over any match at all. If I was Ivanovic I would head to the nearest church and say a couple of prayers, because sometimes you just need a little luck.

We will have to see if Jelena Jankovic is affected by the Serbian curse tomorrow…

Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) vs. Thomas Johansson (SWE)

Baghdatis seemed to be on cruise control throughout the first two sets of his opening round match against Steve Darcis. Then he lost the tiebreaker in the third set, but managed to come back and win the fourth set 6-3. Out of all the seeded players, Baghdatis benefitted the most from the Wimbledon seedings. He came into the tournament ranked #25, but was seeded #10 due to his past results. Talk about a good draw!

At the age of 33, Johansson is clearly not the player he was six years ago when he won the Australian Open and was ranked in the top 10. He is now ranked #63 in the world and hasn’t been past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam since Wimbledon three years ago.

Match-Up:

Baghdatis is 2-0 against Johansson, including a four set victory over him earlier this year at the Australian Open. Johansson is noted for his big serve, but you cannot be a multiple time Grand Slam winner with only a serve. Baghdatis will get the crowd behind him, because he is one heck of a character! He seems to thrive on the big stages, and he is never affected by the pressure. He has excellent groundstrokes from both sides and moves well for a big guy. If healthy, I give him the edge.

Nick’s Pick – Baghdatis in 4 sets

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Marat Safin (RUS)

Djokovic picked up a tough four set victory over the tough German Michael Berrer in the first round. You are hearing plenty of talk that Djokovic is going to beat Federer in the semis here, and with that being said I wouldn’t count Federer out that quickly. Djokovic has recently stated that he thinks Federer’s reign may be coming to an end. Well, he better worry about Marat Safin right now.

Safin has never really liked the grass at Wimbledon, but did reach the quarters back in 2001. In 2005 he made an incredible run to win the Australian Open, but really has done nothing since. He is currently ranked #75 in the world, and will always be one of my favorite players on the tour to watch.

Match-Up:

Safin is 1-0 against Djokovic, but that win came back in 2005 before Djokovic really became the player he is today. This is a match between two players who don’t mind the spotlight. Djokovic could be a sports broadcaster. He always has predictions, analysis, and all the gossip! But you know what, he is #3 in the world, and he has the game to back up the talk! Both players have excellent groundstrokes and big serves. I believe that Djokovic has a bit more variety on his backhand than Safin, and also moves better. Safin is not a spring chicken anymore, and because of this Djokovic has a better base and will use it to control the match. This is going to be an entertaining match if nothing else!

Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 4 sets

Richard Gasquet (FRA) vs. Sebastien Grosjean (FRA)

Gasquet picked up a straight set victory over a tough opponent, American Mardy Fish, in the first round. Gasquet comes in not having played much tennis recently due to injuries, and he even had to skip the French Open. Last year he won an incredible match over Andy Roddick in the quarters before falling to Federer in the semis. There is plenty of pressure on the top Frenchman to get back to the late second week.

Grosjean is a former top five player, but has played only 16 ATP level matches so far in 2008. Wimbledon is a place he has thrived before, as he reached the semis in 2003 and 2004 and the quarters in 2005. Don’t be fooled by his ranking of #61 in the world, this Frenchman can still play.

Match-Up:

These two Frenchman have played twice before, with each player winning a match. I am sure that this is going to be an emotional match. They know each other fairly well, and I am sure they have practiced with one another also. Gasquet is a one of my favorite players to watch, because of how creative he is on the court. He can hit just about any shot no matter where he is positioned. I just saw him practicing on grass at the Lagardere Paris Racing Club during the French Open, and he looked very comfortable. Grosjean is a very steady player and will not hurt himself in this match. He moves well, has a solid base, but is getting a little older.

This match is on Gasquet’s racket. If he doesn’t make many errors then I give him the edge, if he does, he will be in trouble for sure. This isn’t going to be an easy one, but I give the edge to Gasquet.

Nick’s Pick – Gasquet in 4 sets

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Ernests Gulbis (LAT)

Nadal got a remarkable 75% of his first serves in during the first round. He also won 88% of the points on first serve, and had 17 aces. If he serves like that, and plays like he has been he is going to be extremely difficult to beat on the grass.

Gulbis is coming off of a quarterfinal appearance at Roland Garros, which was the best he has ever done at a Grand Slam. This is one talented youngster, and someone that I am going to be keeping a close eye on in the near future.

Match-Up:

This will be the first career match between these two young guns. It is kind of a shame that this is a second round match, because I feel both men have the potential to be around during the second week. Every time I watch Nadal play I gain a little more respect for him. I don’t think many people appreciate the amount of stress he puts his body under throughout each match. It is simply incredible. I also love the way he takes advantage of his opportunities. He never waits, he always attacks!!

In this match, both players have top-notch groundstrokes and excellent serves. Gulbis’ serve is one of the best on the tour, and I already talked about how good Nadal’s serve has been. This is going to be one heck of a match, but the difference in my eyes will be Nadal’s movement and experience. He just tracks down too many balls for Gulbis, and any time he gets a defensive ball or a short return he pounces on it.

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 4 sets