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

Malisse was two points away from reaching the fourth round of Indian Wells but couldn’t close out the match against Somdev Devvarman and lost in the tiebreaker. He did pick up a nice win over Jo-Willy Tsonga in the second round though and he went on to win the doubles title there so all in all it was a good tournament for the long-time IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy pro. He beat Ryan Sweeting in the first round in Miami in straight sets and he is playing really well right now.

Llodra comes into the tournament ranked #25 in the world, which is only three spots below his career high. He reached the third round of Indian Wells before falling to Viktor Troicki and his best result in Miami came back in 2007 when he reached the third round.

Match-up:

Llodra is 2-1 against Malisse, but their last meeting came all the way back in 2009 in the first round of the Australian Open and Malisse won that in straight sets. Llodra is a hard-serving lefty who will come into the net as much as he can to try and win easy points. He has a solid forehand and a good backhand and his movement is top-notch. On the other side, Malisse doesn’t really have a glaring weakness in his game. His attitude is excellent, his strokes are very good, and his footwork is some of the best on tour. It has always been a mental thing with Xavier, but he seems to be over that and I look for him to advance in a tough match.

Nick’s Pick – Malisse in 3 sets

Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)

Del Potro beat Ricardo Mello in the opening round 6-4, 6-4 and he is slowly, but surely working his way back up the rankings. It is just a matter of time before the young Argentine is back in the top 10 and contending for Grand Slam titles again. He is as dangerous of a player as there is and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him playing deep into the second week.

2011 has been kind to Kohlschreiber as he comes into the tournament with a 9-7 record and he has been to the quarters of only one tournament thus far. His best result in Miami came last year when he reached the third round before he was ousted by Jo-Willy Tsonga in straight sets.

Match-up:

Del Potro is 3-0 against Kohlschreiber and just beat him at Indian Wells in two tiebreak sets. Both men strike the ball very hard from both sides and both have booming serves. The difference is Del Potro is able to take the ball earlier than Kohlschreiber and catch him off-balance and out of position. The difference here will be Del Potro’s ability to win more easy points and to force Kohlschreiber into unforced errors. I look for another close match, like they had at Indian Wells, but in the end I see Del Potro advancing.

Nick’s Pick – Del Potro in 2 sets

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Radek Stepanek (CZE)

Match-up:

Federer is 10-2 against Stepanek and beat him twice in 2010. Stepanek is the type of guy that is difficult to play against. He doesn’t give you much to work with, and he likes to serve and volley and approach the net whenever he can. He is solid from the baseline, but he doesn’t have the variety that Federer has. On the other side, Federer will look to rebound from a tough loss at Indian Wells and get back in the winner’s circle. He needs to prove to everyone that he can win a big title again and this would definitely qualify. He is no longer #2 in the world, and I am sure he knows this. He has a great record versus Stepanek and he knows how to beat him. I look for a tough test for Federer, but in the end I look for him to advance in straight sets.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 2 sets

Marin Cilic (CRO) vs. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB)

Match-up:

Cilic is 5-0 against Tipsarevic and beat him twice last year. Tipsarevic reached the finals at Delray Beach a couple of weeks ago and lost in the second round of Indian Wells last week. He is a tricky player because he plays with a ton of junk and he hustles for every single ball and will never relent. He can get the crowd on this side, and with a Serbia vs. Croatian match the crowd can always be a factor. Tipsarevic did reach the quarters in Miami in 2008 so he has also had some success down here.

While Tipsarevic will fight hard against Cilic, the hard-serving Croat just has too much firepower for his opponent. His serve is huge and his groundstrokes are excellent. He needs to maintain his mental focus, because he does go through lapses at times. With his past success against Tipsy, I give the edge to him, but I look for this to possibly go three sets.

Nick’s Pick – Cilic in 3 sets

Monfils came back from two sets down for the first time in his career in the opening round to beat Thiemo De Bakker 6-7(5), 2-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-1. Winning a match like this at a Grand Slam should give him a ton of confidence heading into the second round and I am looking for him to bounce back against Gil (who needed five sets as well to beat Pablo Cuevas 9-7 in the fifth).

These two met at a Challenger back in 2008 and Monfils won that in three sets. Often times, Monfils plays way too much defense and relies on his fitness and athleticism to win matches. I would like to see him take it to his opponent’s more and not rely so much on his opponent to make a mistake. He has also got to play smarter tennis and put his opponent’s away when he has the chance. I believe the first-round was a wake-up call for Monfils and I look for him to get by Gil in three or four sets.

Nick’s Pick – Monfils in 3 or 4 sets

Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)

Berdych dispensed Italian qualifier Marco Crugnola in three sets and lost six total games. He has never been past the fourth round in Australia and I think if he didn’t get to at least the quarters this year he would be disappointed, especially after reaching the finals of Wimbledon and the semis of the French Open in 2010.

Kohlschreiber comes into the tournament ranked #35 in the world and he has had success here in the past as he knocked off Andy Roddick back in 2008 in the third round and then challenged Nadal here last year. He came back from the brink in the first round, winning in five sets (he dropped the first two sets) over Tobias Kamke.

Berdych is 4-1 against Kohlschreiber, but the last time they faced (2009 Canada), Kohlschreiber won in three sets. Both of these guys can really strike the ball. Kohlschreiber has a big serve and a monster forehand and he isn’t afraid or timid. He is a dangerous opponent and is someone that Berdych needs to take very seriously. I have to give the edge to Berdych, but don’t be surprised to see Kohlschreiber push him to four sets here.

Nick’s Pick – Berdych in 4 sets

Keep an eye on the Federer/Simon match. Simon is 2-0 against Federer, but the two haven’t played since 2008. I am confident Federer will win, but this could be a great match. Simon has all the weapons, but has been injured off and on for the last couple of years. I am interested to see how Federer handles Simon.

John Isner (USA) vs. Radek Stepanek (CZE)

Isner is one of the few American men left in the draw after the opening round and he faces a very tough opponent in Radek Stepanek in the second round. The two have faced one before, back in 2008, and Stepanek won that in straight sets. Isner is a much different player than he was back then and I feel he has the necessary tools to win this match.

Isner cannot get into long rallies with Stepanek. He needs to serve well and win quick, easy points. He also needs to serve and volley a little, which Stepanek will do constantly throughout this match. Stepanek is going to approach the net every chance he gets and he will never relent. I don’t see this match ending in straight sets, but I look for Isner to pull it out in the end.

Nick’s Pick – Isner in 4 or 5 sets

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. Ryan Sweeting (USA)

Nadal was up 11-0 when Marcos Daniel retired in the second set. Nadal has come out with a new forehand: “The Helicopter Blade” and it is a difficult shot to hit. This guy just keeps getting better and better and I am not sure if anyone can stop him from winning his fourth straight Grand Slam title.

Sweeting is into the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2006 US Open and he is certainly facing a huge uphill battle against Nadal. Sweeting hits the ball well from both sides, but he is going to have to try and approach the net as much as possible and put pressure on Nadal. I just can’t find any way Nadal will lose this match. He has too much of everything for Sweeting and should advance in straight sets.

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 3 sets

On the top half of the draw, keep your eyes on these matches as well…

Del Potro vs. Baghdatis – How will Del Potro feel after playing in the first round? Can Baghdatis get the crowd on his side and use that momentum to win this match? If I had to pick, I would think Del Potro would advance, but with the injury still out there, who knows. This match is going to be fun to watch.

Nalbandian vs. Berankis – Berankis isn’t a big guy, but he packs a huge punch. He serves big, has monster groundstrokes and isn’t afraid of anyone. He played well in the opening round, but gets a tougher opponent in the second. Nalbandian is coming off of a long, emotional five-set win over Hewitt and that will definitely take a toll on his body. I am sure he is praying for a rain delay or heat delay or any kind of delay so he can get some rest. I am picking the upset in this match and I think Berankis will win it!

Maria Sharapova training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy

Standing in the epicenter of the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy’s 56 tennis courts last week, one could look around and see the following all on adjacent courts:

• Maria Sharapova working on her game while coach Michael Joyce gave advice from a chair on the side of the court

• Jelena Jankovic going through drills with IMG Bollettieri Director Chip Brooks as he offered encouragement through his distinct Southern twang

• Sabine Lisicki fine-tuning her serve

• Future stars Ricardas (Richard) Berankis, Filip Krajinovic, Michelle Larcher de Brito and Heather Watson smashing forehands

Jelena Jankovic training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy

With established pros like Xavier Malisse, Michaella Krajicek and Jelena Dokic also refining their game, and ATP stars like Kei Nishikori, Taylor Dent and Radek Stepanek slated to arrive later in the week, the IMG Bollettieri courts possess quite possibly the best collection of talent in the world during the lead-up to the US Open.

Practicing on courts easily viewed by excited IMG Academies campers and their families, all of the players were extremely gracious in taking photos or signing autographs after their training sessions ended.

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Igor Andreev (RUS)

Despite having lost in the semis to Doha last week, Federer comes into the tournament as the favorite to win it. If he does win the title it will be his fourth Australian Open trophy and the 16^th Grand Slam title of his illustrious career. I’m sure Federer would like nothing more than to show everyone else that he is still the one to beat.

Andreev has always been someone that was touted as the next big thing, but he hasn’t been able to live up to that billing yet. His best result at a Grand Slam came in 2007 at the French Open where he beat Andy Roddick and Marcos Baghdatis en route to the quarterfinals. He’s been to the third round of the Aussie Open three times.

Match-Up:

Federer is 2-0 against Andreev, but the two haven’t faced since the fourth round of the 2008 US Open. Andreev is more of a clay-court player, but don’t be surprised if he is able to challenge Federer for a bit. He doesn’t have a glaring weakness, but he also isn’t extremely consistent. Federer’s ability to mix it up and play with extreme variety is what will separate him in this match. Look for a good match, but in the end Federer will advance.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 3 sets

Ryan Harrison (USA) vs. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB)

Harrison is one of, if not, the best young American right now and is appearing in his first career Grand Slam. He won a wild-card tournament that was held in Atlanta back in 2009 to earn a spot in the main draw. Ryan and his brother, Christian, both live and train at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and we think they both have a very bright future.

Tipsarevic just reached the semis earlier this month in Chennai and two years ago in Australia he played a fantastic five-set match against Federer in the third round where he lost 10-8 in the fifth. He comes into the tournament ranked #35 in the world, just two spots below his career high ranking of #33.

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between the young Harrison and the veteran Tipsarevic. Tipsarevic is a fantastic mover, has solid groundstrokes, and is extremely competitive. Harrison is an aggressive baseliner with a big serve and a monster forehand. He covers the court well and does a good job of keeping the pressure on his opponents. Harrison will not back down from the challenge of playing a top 40 player in his first Grand Slam, and I feel like he will give Tipsarevic one heck of a match. He must stay positive throughout the match and keep his confidence high. You have to give Tipsarevic a slight edge because of his experience, but don’t count Ryan out at all.

Nick’s Pick – Tipsarevic in 4 sets

Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) vs. Michael Russell (USA)

This is the first time that Del Potro will come into a Grand Slam with the expectation of winning the tournament. Having won the 2009 US Open, people are going to expect big things out of him throughout this year. It will be interesting to see how he deals with that new pressure. He reached the quarters here last year before falling to Federer in straight sets.

Russell is a 31-year old American veteran who has been around for a while now. He comes in ranked #79 in the world which is 19 spots below his career high of 60. His best result in a Grand Slam came back in 2001 when he reached the fourth round of the French Open

Match-Up:

Del Potro and Russell are 1-1 against each other, with Russell winning their last match which came back in 2008 at Adelaide. Russell is a guy that on any given day he can play with anyone. He moves well, has excellent groundstrokes and could be dangerous. The issue for Russell here is that he cannot just keep the ball in play with Del Potro. He has to go for broke and try to hit a lot of winners because Del Potro will not give him anything easy. Look for the big Argentinean to use his sonic serve to keep Russell off balance and attack whenever possible.

Nick’s Pick – Del Potro in 3 sets

Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs. Ivo Karlovic (CRO)

Stepanek comes into the tournament ranked #13 in the world and having reached the finals of Brisbane just a couple of weeks ago. He trains at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and is one of the most versatile men on the tour. He’s been to the third round of the Aussie Open four times, including last year.

Karlovic comes into the Australian Open ranked #37 in the world and is looking to find the rhythm he had back in 2008 when he was as high as #14. He’s been to the third round of this tournament once before (2008) and he needs a couple of big wins to get his confidence back.

Match-Up:

Stepanek is 3-0 against Karlovic and beat him 16-14 in the fifth set of a classic Davis Cup match last year. I’ve been saying for years now that without a reliable offensive backhand, Karlovic is going to struggle against the better players. When he came to the Academy a couple of years ago we worked hard on this shot, but he hasn’t implemented it into this game. In today’s game, you cannot have a weakness like this and expect to consistently win big matches. Stepanek is very crafty, will hit powerful penetrating groundstrokes with not a lot of junk on the ball, will serve and volley and can cover the court with the best of them. There won’t be many breaks of serve in this match, but when they do come, it will be Stepanek doing the breaking.

Nick’s Pick – Stepanek in 4 or 5 sets

Can Andy Murray win his first Grand Slam title in Paris?

Stay tuned to Nick’s Picks throughout the French Open for predictions and analysis of the tournament. Today, we begin with our breakdown of the Men’s Field. Tomorrow we will have the Women’s Breakdown and Friday we will take a look at the Draws.

Top 10 Ranked Players

Rafael Nadal (ESP)
Height: 6’1”
Weight:  188 lbs.
D.O.B: 06/03/1986
Turned Pro: 2001
Current Ranking: 1
Plays: Left-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: Australian Open, Indian Wells, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Rome
2008 French Open: Champion

Nick’s Thoughts:

Nadal is having a fantastic 2009, with wins at the Australian Open and Indian Wells and not to mention on the clay courts of Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Rome. Although, he had his 33 match clay-court winning streak snapped by Roger Federer in the finals of Madrid just last week. Nadal looked tired after his grueling semifinal match against Djokovic, but I wouldn’t expect to see any hangover effects come French Open time. He has won this tournament every time he has entered (four straight years) and hasn’t lost a set there since the 2007 finals against Federer. I would definitely say Nadal is the favorite and right now it would be difficult for me to see anybody taking him down.

Roger Federer (SUI)
Height:  6’1”
Weight:  177 lbs.
D.O.B:  08/08/1981
Turned Pro: 1998
Current Ranking: 2
Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: Madrid
2008 French Open: Finals

Nick’s Thoughts:

Federer absolutely needed that victory over Nadal in the finals of Madrid. He hadn’t won a title since October of last year (Basel) and people are starting to think that maybe Federer doesn’t have it anymore. The win should not only quiet his critics for a bit, it should also give him some confidence if he gets the chance to face Nadal in the finals once again. Federer has stated numerous times that this tournament is his focus for 2009, and I wouldn’t count him out just yet. With a good draw and the right situation he has the ability and talent to win this tournament. I know he hasn’t had the best year, but he turns it up during the Grand Slams.

Andy Murray (GBR)
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 175 lbs.
D.O.B.:  05/15/1987
Turned Pro:  2005
Current Ranking: 3
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: Doha, Rotterdam, and Miami
2008 French Open: 3^rd Round

Nick’s Thoughts:

Murray comes into the tournament ranked a career high of #3 in the world. Next to Nadal, Murray is having the best year of anybody on tour. He has a great record and has already claimed three titles thus far in ’09. He has only played the French Open twice in his career and has never been past the third round. Clay is definitely not Murray’s best surface, but I certainly feel he has what it takes to win a Grand Slam.

Novak Djokovic (SRB)
Height:  6’2”
Weight: 176 lbs.
D.O.B:  05/22/1987
Turned Pro:  2003
Current Ranking: 4
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: Dubai and Belgrade
2008 French Open: Semifinals

Nick’s Thoughts:

Djokovic has been to the semis here the last two years and was a quarterfinalist back in 2006. His clay-court game has been excellent thus far in 2009. He gave Nadal one heck of a match in the semis of Madrid, won the title on clay in Belgrade the week before that and reached the finals of both Rome and Monte Carlo (falling to Nadal both times). Many people don’t think of Djokovic has a great clay-courter, but clearly he has shown in the past and this year that his game translates well on every surface.  His groundstrokes are fantastic from both sides, and I think at times he could apply a little more heavy spin and depth.

Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)
Height:  6’6”
Weight: 182 lbs.
D.O.B:  09/23/1988
Turned Pro: 2005
Current Ranking: 5
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: Auckland
2008 French Open: 2^nd Round

Nick’s Thoughts:

Del Potro had a nice run to the semis in Madrid, beating Murray and Stan Wawrinka before falling to Federer. He hasn’t had great success at the French Open in the past, but that is partly due to the fact that his ranking has been low in previous years giving him a poor draw. Del Potro moves very well for a big buy and because of that I could see him making a run well into the second week.

Andy Roddick (USA)
Height:  6’2”
Weight: 195 lbs.
D.O.B:  08/30/1982
Turned Pro: 2000
Current Ranking: 6
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: Memphis
2008 French Open: Did not play

Nick’s Thoughts:

It’s no secret that Roddick has never played well on clay. His best result actually came in his first main draw appearance in 2001 when he reached the third round before falling to Lleyton Hewitt. Since then he has lost in the first round four times, including his last two appearances. He is playing better in 2009 since hiring coach Larry Stefanki. His played in Madrid last week and advanced to the quarterfinals (beating Haas and Davydenko) before losing to Federer in three sets. That is an encouraging sign and perhaps that will give him some confidence in Paris.

Gilles Simon (FRA)
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 152 lbs.
D.O.B.:  12/27/1984
Turned Pro:  2002
Current Ranking: 7
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: None
2008 French Open: 1^st Round

Nick’s Thoughts:

Simon is now the highest ranked Frenchmen in the world, and with that comes big expectations when playing at Roland Garros. He hasn’t had success in the past, reaching the second round in 2007 and losing in the first round last year. He has played eight clay-court matches thus far in 2009 and is 4-4. Simon’s game is more suited for the hard courts, because he needs to add a little more variety especially from the baseline when playing on clay. It will be interesting to see how he deals with the new pressure from the French press this year.

Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
Height:  6’2”
Weight: 179 lbs.
D.O.B:  11/15/1983
Turned Pro: 2001
Current Ranking: 8
Plays: Left-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: None
2008 French Open: 4^th Round

Nick’s Thoughts:

Verdasco is the newest addition to the top-ten in 2009. This lefty-Spaniard has a monster forehand and moves very well. He has been to the fourth round the last two years and reached the quarterfinals of each of the four clay-court tournaments he has entered thus far in 2009 (lost to Nadal twice). He made a big-time breakthrough earlier this year by advancing to the semis of the Aussie Open, and it will be interesting to see if he can repeat that success at Roland Garros.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 200 lbs.
D.O.B.:  04/17/1985
Turned Pro:  2004
Current Ranking: 9
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: Johannesburg and Marseille
2008 French Open: Did not play

Nick’s Thoughts:

Tsonga has been up and down this year and hasn’t really played well on clay up until now. His results include a first round loss to Gasquet in Rome and a second round loss to Ljubicic in Madrid. This will be his first appearance at the French Open since 2005 when he lost to Andy Roddick in the first round. Tsonga has the tools to do well on any surface and is a crowd pleaser because he can knock out the very best with one punch. The question: Is he healthy and ready to play long points?

Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)
Height:  5’10”
Weight: 154 lbs.
D.O.B:  06/02/1981
Turned Pro: 1999
Current Ranking: 10
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: None
2008 French Open: 3^rd Round

Nick’s Thoughts:

Davydenko hasn’t played much in 2009 because of injuries, but he did get to the semis in Rome and Estoril and the quarters in Monte Carlo. Davydenko has always played well at Roland Garros, reaching the semis twice and the quarters once. His game is extremely solid and he is a tough out for anyone. If Davydenko is feeling well, he could be a bit of a dark horse.

Others to Watch

Gael Monfils (FRA)
Height:  6’4”
Weight: 177 lbs.
D.O.B:  09/01/1986
Turned Pro: 2004
Current Ranking: 11
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: None
2008 French Open: Semifinals

Nick’s Thoughts:

Monfils made an incredible run to the semis last year and he had the entire nation of France captivated by his outstanding play. He is an incredible athlete; he just needs to stay mentally focused at all times. You never know what you are going to get from Monfils, and his unpredictable nature makes him very exciting to watch. He could lose in the first round or he could find himself back in the semis, it all depends on his mental approach.

P.S. He has a lot of points to defend so he better keep that in the back of his mind…

Marin Cilic (CRO)
Height:  6’6”
Weight: 180 lbs.
D.O.B:  09/28/1988
Turned Pro: 2005
Current Ranking: 13
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: Chennai and Zagreb
2008 French Open: 2^nd Round

Nick’s Thoughts:

Cilic has played in four clay-court tournaments already this year, without much success. He is 6-4 on clay this year and has only played at Roland Garros twice. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Cilic make a deep run because he has a great game, but at the same time, without a whole lot of clay-court success, it is difficult to predict a big tournament from him.

Radek Stepanek (CZE)
Height:  6’1”
Weight: 167 lbs.
D.O.B:  11/27/1978
Turned Pro: 1996
Current Ranking: 19
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: Brisbane and San Jose
2008 French Open: 4^th Round

Nick’s Thoughts:

Stepanek had an excellent start to 2009, winning titles in Brisbane and San Jose and reaching the finals in Memphis. He got to the quarterfinals in Barcelona back in April and has a solid clay-court game. Stepanek is going to make you work and like Davydenko isn’t someone you want to see on the other side of the net. Keep your eye on Stepanek…

Ernests Gulbis (LAT)
Height:  6’3”
Weight: 169 lbs.
D.O.B:  08/30/1988
Turned Pro: 2004
Current Ranking: 41
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: None
2008 French Open: Quarterfinals

Nick’s Thoughts:

I really thought Gulbis was going to have a breakout year, but it hasn’t happened yet. He is just 8-14 in 2009 and hasn’t gotten past the second round of any tournament this year. Still, you saw what he did in last year’s tournament by reaching the quarters. I expect to see Gulbis play well in Paris, but he is still young and unpredictable.

Tommy Haas (GER)
Height:  6’2”
Weight: 195 lbs.
D.O.B:  04/03/1978
Turned Pro: 1996
Current Ranking: 63
Plays: Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
2009 Titles: None
2008 French Open: Did not play

Nick’s Thoughts:

Haas has not played in the French Open since 2006, and even his best result (4^th round) isn’t a great indicator of how good he can play on clay. His game is suited for any surface, but his mind and body must be ready to go. Do not be shocked to witness my student of 18 years knock off a top seed!

Who are your dark horses? Let us know!

Sabine Lisicki training at the Academy

Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy student Sabine Lisicki reached the semifinals of the Cellular South Cup with a 6-3, 6-4 win over third-seeded Lucie Safarova. This is Lisicki’s second career semifinal appearance in a WTA tournament, with her first one coming last year in Tashkent. She reached the finals there before falling to Sorana Cirstea in three sets. To get to the finals in Memphis, she will have to get by Victoria Azarenka, the two seed, today. This will be the first match between these two 19-year olds, and should be a good one as both of them have yet to drop a set. On the other side of the draw, top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki will face Anne Keothavong in the other semifinal.

On the men’s side, Radek Stepanek, who trains at the NBTA, advanced to the quarters with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Stefan Koubek. Stepanek, who won last week in San Jose, will face Juan Martin Del Potro in the quarterfinals later today. This is the first meeting between Stepanek and Del Potro. The other quarterfinal matches are top-seeded Andy Roddick taking on eighth-seeded Sam Querrey, former world #1 Lleyton Hewitt will face Christophe Rochus, and finally Igor Kunitsyn will play Dudi Sela.

Congrats and good luck to both Sabine and Radek today!

Nick and Michelle Larcher de Brito

No, I’m not talking about the 1991 Marc Cohn hit, I’m talking about the large group of players that train at the Academy that are playing in Memphis this week. On the men’s side, Kei Nishikori, Tommy Haas, Radek Stepanek, and Taylor Dent will all take the court and on the ladies’ side Michelle Larcher de Brito, Sabine Lisicki, and Michaella Krajicek are all playing.

Nishikori has a tough draw, as he will open with Marcos Baghdatis and then if he wins that he will face either Tommy Haas or Sam Querrey. If he gets out of that round, he will have to face Andy Roddick. Not. Easy. Last week’s titleist, Radek Stepanek will open with American qualifier Kevin Kim and if he gets through that he will face either Stefan Koubek or Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. Finally, Taylor Dent opens up with the very young and talented Ernests Gulbis. This will be a good match for Taylor and we will get to see how he is feeling physically after playing last week in San Jose.

On the women’s side, Michelle received a wild card and will take on Sofia Arvidsson in the opening round while Sabine will face Ekaterina Bychkova. Lastly, Krajicek will play Russian Alla Kudryavtseva. This will be Michelle’s first WTA main draw of the year after she reached the second round of qualifying for the Aussie Open.

Good luck to everyone playing in Memphis this week!

Radek Stepanek training at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy

For the second time in 2009, Radek Stepanek has won a title. His first came back in January in Brisbane, and now he has added San Jose to that list. Stepanek, who trains at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, beat American Mardy Fish 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 to win the event. It was the second consecutive match that Stepanek had to make a comeback to win, after he lost the first set in the semifinals to Andy Roddick.

With the win, Stepanek moved up two spots in the rankings to #19 in the world, which is the highest he has been since he was #18 back in July of 2008. Congrats to Radek and keep up the great play this week in Memphis!

Tommy Haas training at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in February 2009

Tommy Haas and Radek Stepanek, two players who train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, both reached the quarterfinals of the SAP Open in San Jose yesterday with straight set victories. Haas defeated Christophe Rochus 6-2, 7-5 while Stepanek beat Chris Guccione 6-2, 7-6(1) and are the first two players to get to this round.

Haas will await the winner between top-seeded Andy Roddick and the very talented youngster Ernests Gulbis, while Stepanek will either face Taylor Dent or Todd Widom. Dent is another player who trains at the Academy and is looking to reach the quarters of an ATP-level tournament for the first time since October of 2005 because of a severe back injury that kept him out of play for two years.

One other Academy alum, Kei Nishikori, will also take the court today to try and reach the quarters when he faced second-seeded Juan Martin Del Potro. Nishikori beat Gilles Muller in the opening round, while Del Potro needed two tie-break sets to be Italian qualifier Andrea Stoppini. Nishikori and Del Potro last met in the fourth round of the 2008 US Open, and Del Potro won that match in straight sets.

Good luck to both Taylor and Kei today!