Sam Stosur, the 2011 US Open Champion!

I spent two weeks at the US Open, and each day my eyes were glued to the action on and off the court (including the scheduling nightmare that was the second week!). No matter which way I look at the tournament, to me, the story is Sam Stosur.

Her win over Serena Williams on Sunday comes after years of hard work and dedication and proves to everyone what determination and will can do for you. She was at a cross-roads in her career a few years ago because of an illness (Lyme Disease), but she didn’t let that deter her. Instead of throwing in the white towel, she fought back with all her might, spending many hours in the gym and also working on her technique. During this time off, she developed the big kick serve, which she can hit to both the ad and deuce court, and it has become a major weapon in her game.

In addition to her new weapon, the improvement in her physical conditioning has helped her stay in rallies much longer. She is able to hit the ball with heavy spin, forcing her opponent to move back and allowing her to take control the points. She was a true warrior throughout the tournament both on and off the court!

When looking back many, many years Australia has always been a leader on both the men’s and women’s side and they have had some of the best players that have ever picked up a tennis racket. Hopefully, Sam’s victory will bring new energy and excitement to young boys and girls and to the entire junior development program of Australia.

I’d like to congratulate Sam’s support staff as well, for standing by her side, including her coach (and one of my favorite students) Paul Kilderry. Congratulations to Sam on a fantastic tournament and good luck to you moving forward!

P.S. Don’t forget your good luck hotel, the Radisson on Lexington and 48th. They already have your suite ready to go for 2012!!

–Nick Bollettieri

Stosur didn’t face a single break point on her serve in her straight-set win over Vera Zvonareva in the quarterfinals and she is into the semis at the US Open for the first time in her career. This is only her third semifinal in a Grand Slam (singles) and with the way she is playing, watch out!

Kerber continued her amazing run with a three-set victory over Flavia Pennetta in the quarterfinals. Before this tournament, she had never been past the third round of any Grand Slam (and at the US Open she hadn’t been past the 2^nd round) and now she is in the semis and will play the biggest match of her life!

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between Stosur and Kerber, and it promises to be an exciting one. This is quite a run for Kerber and she continues to prove that she has the talent to play with the best. Being a lefty, she has an advantage already and she is moving well and full of confidence. Stosur will look to continue to play the way she did against Zvonareva. She will hit the high kicking serve and she will use her heavy-spinning shots to keep Kerber off-balance. For Kerber to win, she will have to gamble a bit and take some risks because I don’t think she has the arsenal to go toe-to-toe with Stosur. This match could go three, but because of the experience and the firepower I am going with Stosur.

Nick’s Pick – Stosur in 3 sets

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)

Serena started off slowly against Pavlyuchenkova, getting broken in her first three service games, but once she gets going, she is almost impossible to stop. She squeaked out the first set 7-5, and then rolled through the second set 6-1. She is now 17-0 since Wimbledon and this is her 20th Grand Slam semifinal of her illustrious career!

Wozniacki had no trouble with Petkovic, beating the German in straight sets to set up this blockbuster semifinal! This is the only Grand Slam that Wozniacki has reached the finals of previously and to get their again (and beat Serena) she is going to have to play some of the best tennis of her career.

Match-Up:

These two have met twice before, and Serena has won both of those encounters. This is the match we have been looking forward to since the draw came out. What an opportunity this is for Wozniacki to prove to the world that she deserves the #1 ranking. I’ve heard through the grapevine that Wozniacki may try and stand closer to the baseline and take the ball earlier, and I believe this is a good strategy. She may also have to try and slip in towards the net when she can and surprise. I don’t feel that she has the firepower to push Serena back, so she is going to have to move her from side-to-side and fight for every point. Serena should be able to pounce on the Wozniacki serve, as she has been able to do that in every match of the tournament thus far. Serena will also look to be the aggressor from the outset, but she cannot let Wozniacki break her serve like she did with Pavlyuchenkova. If she does that, Wozniacki isn’t going to let her back in the match. I can see this going three sets, but in the end I have to give the edge to Serena.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 3 sets

We need to start calling Stosur the marathon woman! Two days after winning the longest match in US Open history she played the longest tie-break in Grand Slam history in her fourth round win over Maria Kirilenko. This is her second straight appearance in the quarters of the US Open and she is looking to reach the semis for the first time.

It was going to take a great performance to stop Sabine Lisicki, and that was exactly what Zvonareva did in her fourth round win over the young German. Zvonareva beat Lisicki in straight sets to reach the quarters for the second year in a row. Remember, last year she was the runner-up so you know she wants this title badly!

Match-Up:

Stosur is 7-2 against Zvonareva and has beaten her twice already this year (Stuttgart and Eastbourne). This is going to be a really interesting match because you have two girls who have worked so incredibly hard to get to where they are today. Stosur had to fight off injuries and illness and Zvonareva has had injuries and she has also overcome the mental obstacles that used to be in her way. You can really see what a difference that has made in her game.

Stosur has played some long matches in the last two rounds and even though she is a physical specimen, that would take a toll on anyone. She may get helped out if there is a rain delay, but you can’t count on that. She has had success against Zvonareva in the past by hitting the ball with heavy, heavy spin, which takes Zvonareva out of her comfort zone. If she is able to do that again, she will have the advantage. If Zvonareva is able to catch the ball early and hit it in her bread basket (down by her knees) and move Stosur around, then she will have the advantage. Both girls are playing excellent tennis, and this match could really go either way, but I have to give a slight edge to Zvonareva based on their rankings.

Nick’s Pick – Zvonareva in 3 sets

Angelique Kerber (GER) vs. Flavia Pennetta (ITA)

Kerber is the lowest ranked player left in the draw (#92) and this is her first appearance in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. The 23-year old German was one of three German women to have reached the fourth round, joining Andrea Petkovic and Sabine Lisicki.

Pennetta fought off exhaustion, nausea and a very tough opponent in Peng Shuai to reach the quarters of the US Open for the third time in her career. She clearly loves playing in the Big Apple and she has never been past the fourth round in any other Grand Slam.

Match-Up:

Pennetta is 1-0 against Kerber and that win came earlier this year on clay in Bastad. Kerber is a powerful lefty who has a solid two-handed backhand and a very good forehand. It is certainly a surprise to see her in the quarters, but now that she is here anything can happen. The hot, sticky weather was getting to Pennetta in her match against Peng, but I was happy to see her get through. She is very consistent from the baseline, she has great groundstrokes and she moves very well. She should be able to control the points against Kerber and having been on this big stage before, that should give her an advantage. I look for Pennetta to win.

Nick’s Pick – Pennetta in 2 sets

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs. Andrea Petkovic (GER)

Despite being down a set and 4-1 to Kuznetsova, never once did Wozniacki look like she was going to lose. She just getting grinding away and battling back and she was just more fit that Kuznetsova and that was the difference in the match. This is her third straight appearance in the quarters of the US Open and she is getting closer to winning her first major and validating that #1 ranking.

Petkovic is making her first appearance in the quarters of the US Open and it is her third Grand Slam quarterfinal in 2011. A win here would put her in the semis for the first time in her career. She has only dropped one set in the tournament and that came in the second round, so she is playing excellent tennis.

Match-Up:

These two have met twice before and each has won once. Both of those matches have taken place this year. Petkovic won in three sets in Miami and Wozniacki won in straight sets in Stuttgart. Petkovic has worked extremely hard to get where she is today. She started playing tennis at a very young age and has fought through terrible injuries to reach this point. She never once thought about giving up and it is this mentality that has taken her to the top. She plays an extremely aggressive style of tennis and has a HUGE forehand and big serve. She moves well and she will try and keep Wozniacki pushed way back behind the baseline.

On the other side, Wozniacki should be full of confidence after that great win over Kuznetsova. I was so happy to see her get through and she proved, once again, that she can trade blows with the best. To win this match, she needs to keep Petkovic off-balance and move her all around the court. She cannot let Petkovic settle in and use her powerful groundstrokes to gain control the points. I have to give a slight edge to Wozniacki based on the way she was able to come back against Kuznetsova, but this is going to be close!

Nick’s Pick – Wozniacki in 3 sets

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)

Serena jumped out to an early lead against Ivanovic and never looked back, winning 6-3, 6-4. She is playing some of the best tennis that I have ever seen from her and there is no doubt that she is the favorite to win the tournament. The only thing that can stop Serena is herself!

Pavlyuchenkova picked up a hard-fought win over Francesca Schiavone to reach the quarters of the US Open for the first time in her career. This is only her second Grand Slam quarterfinal and it is going to be quite a test!

Match-Up:

These two have met once before, at the 2010 French Open and Serena won that in three sets. Pavlyuchenkova is an extremely talented youngster, who at 20 years old, has top-ten written all over her, but this match sits squarely on Serena Williams’ racket. Pavlyuchenkova has the power to battle Serena, but she doesn’t move as well and she doesn’t get as much from her serve. Serena has been jumping all over her opponent’s second serves and that has made a huge difference for her in her wins as it puts a ton of pressure on her opponents to get their first serves in play. She isn’t making very many errors and when she plays like this, there is no one on the women’s side that can beat her.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 2 sets

Lisicki ended a very nice run by Irina Falconi, but I came away impressed by the young American. She is a fierce competitor and even though Lisicki was handling her pretty easily she never once put her head down or showed any negative emotions. A great performance by both girls, and in the end I was happy to see Sabine advance!

Once the ball is in play, you are never going to see Zvonareva smile on the court, as she is one of the toughest competitors out there.  She competes for every single point like they are match points and that is what separates her from many of the women on the tour.

Match-Up:

Zvonareva is 3-0 against Lisicki and has beaten her twice this year and she also beat her at the US Open last year. Her win over her at the 2011 French Open was very dramatic and Lisicki certainly had some chances to take that match. Both of these girls spend time training at the IMG Bollettieri Tenis Academy and I know both very well. Coming into the match you would think Zvonareva is the favorite as she has the higher ranking and she has won all of their previous meetings. No so fast! Lisicki is playing some of the best tennis out of anyone right now, and it is going to take a mighty effort to stop her.

Lisicki’s groundstrokes and serve are as big as anyone on the tour, but what Zvonareva does best is move and track down balls. She is going to force Lisicki to hit an extra shot or two and be a little more patient. Can Lisicki stand up to this challenge and handle the pressure of the New York crowds and the bright lights? We will have to wait and see. If she gets on a roll early and she is able to move inside the court, take the ball on the rise and force Zvonareva to hit defensive returns I like her chances. This match is really too close to call and because I know each player so well, I think I will just take the 5^th on this one!

Nick’s Pick – Could go either way, but I think this one is going three sets!

Shuai Peng (CHN) vs. Flavia Pennetta (ITA)

Pennetta won a very emotional match over third-seeded Maria Sharapova in the third round. It certainly wasn’t one of Sharapova’s greatest performances, but give credit to Pennetta because she put pressure on Sharapova from the first ball and she never relented.

Don’t sleep on Peng. She comes in seeded 13^th and she has yet to drop a set in her three matches. She has beaten a couple of tough opponents in Pironkova and Goerges to reach the third round and a win here would put her into the quarters of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career (on the singles side).

Match-Up:

Pennetta is 4-0 against Peng and has beaten her twice at the US Open (2007 and 2008). This is going to be a completely different match than the one she had against Sharapova. Peng isn’t going to make the unforced errors that Sharapova did (60 and was broken 7 times) and she isn’t going to double fault 12 times. Peng is extremely consistent from the baseline, has a solid serve and moves very well. Pennetta is going to have to be a bit more patient than she was against Sharapova and pick her points to attack. Can she come back and win another tough match on the heels of that very emotional win? I am not sure, but I do have to give her the edge because when push comes to shove she does have a tad more firepower than Peng.

Nick’s Pick – Pennetta is 3 tough sets

P.S. GOOOOOO ITALIANS!!!!

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 

Wozniacki advanced in straight sets over American Vania King in the third round and was helped by King’s 39 unforced errors. Wozniacki seems to playing a bit more aggressive and that is something I have wanted to see from her for quite some time.

Kuznetsova needed only 74 minutes to dispense of Akgul Amanmuradova in the third round and she is into the fourth round of the sixth time in her career. She won this tournament back in 2004 and she was the runner-up in 2007, so Wozniacki better be ready to play!

Match-Up:

Wozniacki is 4-2 against Kuznetsova and beat her earlier this year in the finals of Dubai in straight sets. They did meet in the fourth round of the US Open back in 2009 and Wozniacki won that in a third-set tiebreaker. Kuznetsova hits the ball beautifully from both wings, she moves well laterally, and her serve is solid. This is definitely going to be a test for Wozniacki. Can she hang in there with the powerful groundstrokes of Kuznetsova? I think so! With the way Wozniacki moves, she should be able to control the points and move Kuznetsova from side-to-side. Kuznetsova’s serve isn’t overwhelming either, which should help Wozniacki. There are going to be some long rallies in this match, and I can see this going the distance, but in the end I feel Wozniacki has a little more firepower that Kuznetsova.

Nick’s Pick – Wozniacki in 3 sets

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Ana Ivanovic (RUS)

Serena played great tennis in her win over Victoria Azarenka in the third round. That match had more of a semifinal of final feel too it than a third-rounder, but because of Serena’s seeding she is going to have to beat some very good women if she wants to win this tournament.

Ivanovic ended the dream run of Sloane Stephens, beating the American in straight sets. It has been a full year since Ivanovic has been this far in a Grand Slam and she hasn’t been past this point of a Grand Slam (4^th round) since she won the 2008 French Open which is remarkable when you stop and think about it!

Match-Up:

Serena is 2-0 against Ivanovic, but the two haven’t met since 2009. This is a big opportunity for Ivanovic to show the world that she is back, but to win, she is going to need to play the match of her life! If she tries to go blow-for-blow with Serena she is going down. Serena is more physical than her, her groundstrokes are more powerful and her serve is top-notch. This match is on Serena’s racket. The only way she falls is if she has a mental breakdown and starts over-hitting and has too many unforced errors. Ivanovic needs to stand in there and perhaps gamble a bit to try and keep Serena off-balance. She needs to get out of her comfort zone and make Serena guess to have a chance. I can’t see that happening, and I have to give the advantage to Serena.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 2 sets

After a very tough first-round win over Heather Watson, Sharapova powered her way through Anastasiya Yakimova 6-1, 6-1. She still committed too many unforced errors (23), but she never let Yakimova get in the match for one second and she won close to 60% of the points on her opponents’ serve. Nice win for Maria!

Pennetta came into the tournament ranked #25 in the world and she is looking to get back to the fourth round of the US Open after losing at this stage last year. She’s lost a total of 8 games in two matches thus far, so she is clearly playing some excellent tennis.

Match-Up:

Sharapova is 2-1 against Pennetta, but they haven’t met in over two years. Pennetta is solid from the baseline, she can come in to the net, and she doesn’t make many mistakes. She’s not going to be able to necessarily hurt Sharapova with her shots, but she will make Sharapova work for every ball. Maria will want to play shorter points by hitting her powerful serve which forces a defensive return and opens the court up for an easy winner. If she serves well and is able to keep Pennetta pushed back behind the baseline she should win this match in two sets. If Pennetta is able to move Sharapova all over the court, she could be in trouble. The difference here is that Sharapova is just relentless with her groundstrokes and her serve. She will not back down and she will not stop coming at Pennetta even if she hits an error or a double fault. This is what separates her from most of the other women on the WTA tour.

Nick’s Pick – Sharapova in 2 sets

Sam Stosur (AUS) vs. Nadia Petrova (RUS)

Stosur knocked off young American, Coco Vandeweghe, in straight sets to reach the third round of the US Open for the second time in her career. Last year, she was a quarterfinalist here, and I see no reason why she can’t repeat those results in 2011.

Petrova had to fight off a tough challenge from Yung-Jan Chan in the opening round, but she cruised to a straight set win over Polona Hercog after that. She has twice been a quarterfinalist at the US Open and she has reached the fourth round two other times.

Match-Up:

Petrova is 4-1 against Stosur, but in their one meeting this year, Stosur won in straight sets. Both of these girls can really hit the ball and control the court at all times. Stosur definitely has the advantage with her serve and her movement is probably a bit better, but once the ball is in play, it is anybody’s game. Look for Petrova to try and win quicker points with her flat, penetrating groundstrokes, whereas Stosur won’t mind tracking down an extra ball or two to make Petrova work even harder. Both of these girls are veterans and understand what it takes to win. I have to give a slight edge to Stosur, based on the way they have played in 2011, but I could see this going three sets.

Nick’s Pick – Stosur in 3 sets

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Victora Azarenka (BLR)

Serena cruised to an easy win over Michaella Krajicek in the second round, but I don’t think she is going to have such an good time against Azarenka. When you seed Serena this low, this is the kind of match you are going to get in the third round, which is unfortunate for both girls.

Azarenka comes in ranked #5 in the world, but she hasn’t played too much this summer. After reaching the finals at Wimbledon, she lost early at Stanford and then reached the semis in Toronto. She should be fresh and she won’t have any problems getting pumped for a match of this importance.

Match-Up:

Serena is 5-1 against Azarenka and beat her recently in the semis of Toronto in straight sets. If you are heading out to watch this match, you better bring your helmet and shield because both of these girls are going to be firing missiles back and forth! Both girls are going to play extremely aggressive tennis and neither is going to back down from the challenge. I know Serena hasn’t played much tennis this year, but every time she takes the court I think she is going to win. If she falls behind early, Azarenka won’t waste any time jumping all over her, but in the end, I have to give the edge to Serena.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 3 sets

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs. Vania King (USA)

Everyone wants to know when Wozniacki is finally going to have that breakthrough moment and win her first Grand Slam. Well, I think she is playing the kind of tennis right now that can get her to that spot. The draw has opened up nicely, and I don’t see any reason why she wouldn’t be considered a favorite to win this tournament.

King has reached the third round of the US Open for the second time in her career. A win here would put her into the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career. Now, she has won multiple Grand Slam titles on the doubles side, but I am sure she would love to pull off a big upset in front of the American crowd!

Match-Up:

Wozniacki is 2-0 against King, which includes a 6-1, 6-0 win over her earlier this year at the Australian Open. King is an excellent doubles player, and she is going to have to use some of those skills if she wants to win this match. She cannot beat Wozniacki from the baseline. She must come in and try and take the ball early and catch Wozniacki out of position. That is extremely difficult to do though, as Wozniacki is one of the best movers on the tour. You certainly have to give the advantage in this match to Wozniacki, but King has the ability to keep it close and put the pressure on.

Nick’s Pick – Wozniacki in 2 sets

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

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

Zvonareva held on to beat her friend, Elena Vesnina, in straight sets. She loves playing on the grass and having reached the finals here last year, she should be full of confidence. As long as she can keep her emotions under control, which she has done a great job of in 2011, their is no reason why she shouldn’t be able to make another deep run. She has faced Pironkova twice before and she lost the first match at Moscow in 2009 and beat her in the semis of Wimbledon here last year.

Pironkova will certainly not back down from the challenge in this match and she will take it to Zvonareva from the outset. What sets Zvonareva apart is her consistency and her ability to cover the court so well. Her groundstrokes are excellent, she has a solid serve and she is a very good returner. Pironkova may be able to win a set here, but I have to give the edge to Zvonareva because of her experience on the grass.

Nick’s Pick – Zvonareva in 2 sets

Venus Williams (USA) vs. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP)

Martinez Sanchez knocked off Jelena Jankovic in the first round by coming back from a set down. Jankovic didn’t help herself by double-faulting eight times, but Martinez Sanchez played well and went for it all on every point. She is 0-2 against Venus and they actually met in the Round of 32 at Wimbledon in 2008 and Venus won that in straight sets.

This match will be dictated by Venus. She was pushed to the brink by Kimiko Date-Krumm in the second round, but she was able to win the big points and that is what mattered in the end. I have been impressed by her resiliency and her fitness level after taking so much time off. If Venus can keep the ball in play and doesn’t make too many unforced errors she should be able to win this match in straight sets. If she struggles at all, Martinez Sanchez will jump all over her like she did against Jankovic.

Nick’s Pick – V. Williams in 2 sets

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Maria Kirilenko (RUS)

I was surprised to see Serena lose the first set against Simona Halep in the second round, but she was able to bounce back and regain control of the match. Once she figured out how to win easy points against Halep and her serve started rolling she was in good shape. Like I have said before, as the tournament progresses Serena is only going to get better and better. I do think we will start to see the Serena of old where she comes out and takes it to her opponents from the outset.

Kirilenko is 0-3 against Serena, but they have never played on grass. Kirilenko can really hit the ball from both wings, she moves well and she is a keen competitor. She’s been to the quarters of a Grand Slam before so I don’t think the stage is too big for her to handle. Because Serena is still trying to get back into playing shape, I definitely could see Kirilenko winning a set and pushing Serena. On the other hand, if Serena is able to get out to a quick lead early this match could be over before you know it.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 3 sets

Sabine Lisicki (SUI) vs. Misaki Doi (JPN)

Wow! I was so excited to see Lisicki win that match over Li Na. I sat in her box throughout the whole match and at the end you could really see how much that win meant to her, especially after the French Open. She fought so hard against Na and I was really impressed with how she held herself together against such a difficult opponent. Her game is perfect for the grass and when she steps onto those green courts she just reaches another level of confidence.

This is her first match against Doi, and she should continue to play the way she has throughout the last two tournaments. Doi doesn’t have as much firepower as Li Na does, but she is consistent and she will not make many mistakes. Lisicki needs to continue to play aggressive tennis, get her first serves in and win quick points. I could see this match going three sets if Doi is able to frustrate Lisicki, but I have to give the edge to my girl!

Nick’s Pick – Lisicki in 3 sets

Benesova reached the second round for the third time in her career by beating Sandra Zahlavova 8-6 in the third set. She has never before been past this point at Wimbledon and this is certainly not an easy match. She is 0-1 against Azarenka, but that match was back in 2008 at the US Open. She is a very solid lefty who doesn’t make many mistakes, but she doesn’t have the big weapons.

I am going to be watching this match closelyto gauge how Azarenka is performing. She is the fourth seed and she needs to play up to that level. She definitely has the talent to win this tournament, but she has never been past the quarters at Wimbledon. Will this be the year she breaks through? We shall see!

Nick’s Pick – Azarenka in 2 sets

Anne Keothavong (GBR) vs. Petra Kvitova (CZE)

There is going to be plenty of intrigue surrounding this match because Keothavong is British and the media will definitely be circling. She’s been to the second round here twice before, but never further. If she could beat Kvitova she would, without a doubt, become the darling of the British press. Her record against Kvitova is 0-2, and that includes a loss earlier this year.

What Keothavong has to do in this match is what for her opportunities and when Kvitova makes mistakes. Kvitova definitely has the bigger weapons and she should be able to control play, but she has a tendency to sometimes make a bunch of unforced errors and that could help Keothavong greatly. We know that the crowd will be cheering for Keothavong, but I don’t think she has enough to get this done.

Nick’s Pick – Kvitova in 2 sets

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Simona Halep (ROU)

It was awfully nice to see Serena back on the court and to see her get that first win. You could see how emotional she was and I had a chance to speak with her later that day and you could see how grateful she is to have another chance at playing after that scary injury. Now that she has that first match out of the way, I feel she will move a little better and shake off some of those nerves that cost her the second set against Rezai.

Halep has never played Serena before so she is in for a tough match. Her groundstrokes are very good and she covers the court well, but I guarantee you she has never played anyone like Serena. I will be keeping my eye on Serena to see how she performs against the young Romanian, but I look for her to advance in straight sets.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 2 sets

Na Li (CHN) vs. Sabine Lisicki (GER)

This should be a very entertaining match between two of the girls that are playing some of the better tennis right now. Lisicki just won a warm-up tournament on grass and Li is coming off of her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. Neither girl was really tested in the opening round. They’ve met once before, which was at Stuttgart on clay earlier this year and Lisicki won that match in two sets.

Lisicki grew up here at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and she plays one way: she goes for it all on every shot! Against Li, who is going to get a ton of balls back and hit it flat, she needs to take her chances and really go for winners. When she gets her serve in and can put away a quick winner, she is really at her best. The longer the points go on, the more it favors Li. This is a tough match to call, because both are playing well, but I have to give a slight edge to Li just because of her experience thus far in 2011 (but I will definitely be rooting for my girl Sabine!!).

Nick’s Pick – Li Na in 3 sets

It’s been a long wait for Vera Zvonareva, but her patience has paid off. Playing in her 30^th Grand Slam, Zvonareva has reached her first career final by defeating Tsvetana Pironkova 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Only two players (Zina Garrison and Nathalie Tauziat) played in more Grand Slam before reaching the finals than Zvonareva. I’ve gotten to know Vera over the last year as she has been training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and she is a great person off the court and an extremely fierce competitor on it. I am so happy for her and everyone at the Academy is thrilled with her success.

Serena went down early to Kvitova, falling into a 4-2 hole in the opening set but she regained her footing and came back to win 7-6(5), 6-2 to reach her sixth career Wimbledon final and the 16^th Grand Slam final in all. Serena has been the favorite from the outset and she has proven match-in and match-out that she is the #1 ranked player in the world for a reason and it is going to take a remarkable effort to beat her.

Match-Up:

Serena is 5-1 against Zvonareva, but the two haven’t played since 2008 on the clay at Charleston. Wow, what a Wimbledon it has been on the ladies side! We saw Venus go down, we saw the Belgians both fall and in the end we are left with a very enticing woman’s final. Zvonareva has come a long way on the mental side of the game and this has shown in the last two matches as she lost the first set in both. Can she carry this same belief into the finals against Serena? That is one interesting story line that I will be watching. I feel Zvonareva is going to put on a great show out there and she should really take in this moment because they don’t come around very often. I don’t think she can just try to hit with Serena, she needs to go for her shots and try to keep Serena off-balance. Serena’s serve has been unbelievable and she broke her own record for most aces by a woman in a Grand Slam. If she continues to serve like that, Zvonareva is going to need to try and hit some winners off of the return instead of just trying to keep the ball in play.

You have to give the edge here to Serena because she has been here before, she’s the #1 ranked player in the world and after having lost in doubles and seeing her sister going home, she isn’t not going to want to leave without a big trophy in her hands. I feel Zvonareva can push this to three sets, but in the end I like Serena.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 3 sets

Serena Williams is going to advance!

Today’s big match: Serena Williams v Petra Kvitova

Let’s cut to the quick: the young lady from the Czech Republic is going to be overwhelmed by Serena Williams today and lose in straight sets. Kvitova is a banger: she hits the ball very hard and has a decent first serve but that’s about it. She really should have lost her quarter-final against Kaia Kanepi, and had let-offs when she was match point down in that three-setter.

This is definitely the crowd-puller of the afternoon because of the potential for the upset by an unseeded outsider of the reigning champion. Upsets are always possible, of course, for reasons we cannot predict, like an injury or a freakish loss of form by a favourite. But there’s nothing in this pair’s history, abilities, form or talent that suggests an upset.

Kvitova and Serena have met just once before, at the Australian Open earlier this year, where Serena took care of business in their second-round match-up in the manner you’d expect: two and one.

Kvitova’s second serve is attackable. Serena will take any short ball and rip it up. She’ll also come in quite happily.

When we consider why Serena is such a fearsome opponent, we note her great physical shape and movement. Her forehand has got that big swing, bigger than you’d think is helpful, but with such strong foundations she gets away with it.

On the backhand, Serena and her sister Venus have the quickest turnbacks in the game: watch for that hip and shoulder rotation and way the racket is positioned for the ball. Serena’s got that powerful serve. Her second serve is not attackable either. She’s comfortable at the net. In all, she is stronger, fitter, quicker, more versatile, and also has the mental advantage of having been here so many times before.

Kvitova is not that rare in being unseeded and in the semis: she is the 10th unseeded player to reach the last four since 2001. She is the last remaining leftie in the draw, but leftie players have not thrived here for a while. The last leftie winner was Martina Navratilova, 20 years ago, and there hasn’t been a leftie Slam finalist since Monica Seles at Roland Garros in 1998.

Kvitova will jump into the world top 30 for the first time whatever happens. She trains in the same club in Prostejov, Czech Republic as Tomas Berdych, and this is the first time she’s been beyond the fourth round of any Slam.

She’s had three wins against top 10 players in her career, including beating Venus Williams in Memphis two years ago. There won’t be any family business on Serena’s mind today, though, apart from wanting to make sure that a Williams reaches the final.

Williams v Kvitova

How they match up:

American Nationality Czech

28 Age 20

Palm Beach Residence Fulnek

1995 Turned pro 2006

Right-handed Plays Left-handed

5ft 9in Height 6ft

No 1 World ranking No 62

36 Career titles 1

$31.2m Career prize-money $637,000

W55 L7 Wimbledon record W5 L2

Winner (3 times) Wimbledon best SF (2010)

1-12 Odds 12-1

Head-to-head: Williams leads 1-0

My prediction: Serena in two

Coaching report: Roger Federer v Tomas Berdych

In these pages on the opening day of the tournament, I said this was the most wide open Wimbledon I’ve known, partly because Roger Federer’s years of invincibility are over. I also wrote: “If there’s one player I think could cause Federer problems in the top quarter, it’s Tomas Berdych.” Then I outlined some of Berdych’s recent achievements. So yesterday was a surprise, but not a big shock for me.

I watched the match and can point to seven things that stood out in Federer’s demise. First, he looked completely out of sync with himself. By that I mean his movement was not as fluid as his best and his timing was off. Roger himself told us in the post-match interview that he’s had a slight back and leg injury and maybe that explains it – but only partially.

Second, Roger made an atypical error of strategy in response to an approach by Berdych to serve into Roger’s body on the deuce side. Roger can choose to hit his return forehand or backhand but erred in hitting backhand, taking him off the court, and leaving it wide open for Berdych to attack.

Third, Roger’s sliced backhand has hurt him throughout the tournament and it was off again yesterday. Fourth, on return of serve, two hands are going to give him a better chance than the one-handed backhand and whoever you are – genius or no – you need not just to adapt but to realise you need to adapt. The power of the game these days has changed things.

Fifth, Berdych is in tremendous physical shape. The guy should model cycling shorts because he’s got incredible thighs. He has obviously spent a lot of time in the gym – and building that core strength. Sixth, related to the previous point, was the power of Berdych’s forehand. He hit an amazing amount of winners – 51 in the four sets, 16 in that final set alone – and his big forehand weapon provided most of them.

Seventh, Berdych kept a better check on his emotions than Federer. Amazing.

Win a week at my academy

Ritesh Gupta predicted the right scoreline of the Nadal v Soderling game, so goes into the hat to win a week at my Florida academy. To enter today, do the same for Williams v Kvitova, plus sentence on the manner in which your pick will win. Email entries to n.bollettieri@independent.co.uk

If the prize is for a child, parent(s) or guardian(s) must accompany at your own expense. Winner must arrange travel.