10 things we learned from the 2015 US Open

     The 2015 US Open has come and gone and now we have to wait until January for the next grand slam to start in Australia. Don't get me wrong, there's still plenty of great tennis to be played in 2015: Davis Cup, Fed Cup, ATP World Tour Finals, and WTA Tour Finals. But on this blog, I only have the time to address the grand slams, so odds are good this is my last blog post on here until the Australian Open starts up.
     If you want to keep up with me through out the year, I suggest you follow my tennis twitter handle and like my tennis Facebook page, which I have provided links to below. Anyways, what I will do here is do my recap of the US Open by listing 10 things to take away from the event. Enjoy!

#1. Novak Djokovic established that he is the best in the world: Going into the 2015 US Open, Novak Djokovic hadn't won the event since 2011, which is puzzling considering the fact that hard court is his best surface. By ending that drought and winning his second career US Open title, Novak Djokovic soundly reminded us that he is the best tennis player in the world. He won three of the four grand slam titles in 2015 and has already secured the year-end world #1 ranking. Who is number two is up for debate, but as for who is number one, it's clearly Novak Djokovic.

#2. Flavia Pennetta can win a grand slam: This seems like an obvious statement, but I don't know what else to say other than we learned that Flavia Pennetta can win a grand slam. She played the best tennis out of anybody over the course of the two weeks and deserved to win her first career grand slam title. It's somewhat sad that she won't be back to defend her title since she'll retire after the season is over, but it's nice to see a player like her finish her career on such a high note.

#3. Roger Federer is still really good: Father time is having a difficult time slowing down Roger Federer. Like wine, Federer seems to almost get better as he ages. Obviously this isn't true since he is not longer at the peak of his dominance, but if it weren't for Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer would probably still be the number one player in the world.

#4. Serena Williams is human: Serena Williams fell short of her goal of winning the calendar slam, but we shouldn't forget that she was actually attempting to win five straight grand slam titles as opposed to four. What we were expecting her to do was something almost unfathomable and Serena Williams reminded us that even she has days when she can't be at her best. In a way, seeing Serena Williams lose made me have even more respect for her. Seeing her lose was a reminder that the level of competition she routinely destroys is high quality competition and that we really shouldn't take her level of dominance for granted.

#5. Rafael Nadal is on his way out: I know this isn't exactly a news flash, but seeing Rafael Nadal lose in the 3rd round was another reminder that his best days are truly behind him. He's still a great champion and one of the best in the world, but it's clear that he is no longer a serious threat to win grand slams outside of Paris.

#6. Maria Sharapova is in an interesting place right now: Maria Sharapova didn't compete in the 2015 US Open due to a right leg injury, which creates a lot of uncertainty heading into 2016. While she is still ranked #3 in the world, the uncertainty lies in her ability to win more grand slams. I think she can win more, but at the moment she has a lot of work to do.

     She has been given a wild card to next week's Wuhan Open and she will also play for Russia in their Fed Cup Final against the Czech Republic in November. There's still plenty of tennis left for her to play in 2015 in order for her to gain momentum for 2016. Hopefully she can take advantage and put herself in a good position to win in Australia.

#7. Donald Young brought a ray of hope to American men's tennis: Donald Young surprised everybody by reaching the 4th round of the 2015 US Open before falling to Stanislas Wawrinka. Young had a very good tournament and definitely gave American fans something to smile about. It's encouraging to see some American success on the men's side.

#8. Eugenie Bouchard is still in a funk: Right when it started to look like Eugenie Bouchard was coming out of the darkness, it all fell apart again for her. Prior to her 4th round match, she slipped and fell in the locker room and had to withdraw due to a concussion. It almost feels like the tennis gods are messing with her or something, but let's just hope she makes a full recovery and is able to have a strong outing at the Australian Open.

#9. Andy Murray is focused on Davis Cup: Andy Murray's 4th round exit to Kevin Anderson was disappointing, but the good news for Andy Murray is that his dream of helping Great Britain win Davis Cup is still alive. He is willing to skip the ATP World Tour Finals in order to get fully fit for the Davis Cup final against Belgium. When Andy Murray wants to accomplish something,  he usually finds a way to get it done. Look for Andy Murray and Great Britain to win the 2015 Davis Cup title.

#10. Roberta Vinci stole the show: If there was anybody who walked away from New York with more fans, it was Roberta Vinci. Her passion, emotion, and authenticity after knocking out Serena Williams was very refreshing. In addition, her support for her fellow countrywoman and close friend Flavia Pennetta was inspiring. Roberta Vinci may have finished in second place, but she won the hearts of tennis fans across the world in a way that very few players have ever done in tennis history.

---Ben Parker: To keep up with my tennis coverage year round, follow me on twitter @atp_guy and like my tennis Facebook page ATP Guy Nation

2015 US Open preview: 10 things to look for

     The 2015 US Open begins Monday, August 31. What I would like to do is preview the event by listing 10 things to look for over the course of the best fortnight in tennis. Enjoy! 

#1. How will Marin Cilic do defending his title? The 2014 US Open was unique in that the men's champion wasn't somebody named Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, or Murray. The winner was Marin Cilic, who currently is seeded #9 in the men's main draw. It'll definitely be interesting to see how Cilic plays knowing that he has a grand slam title to defend. 

#2. How will the absence of Maria Sharapova affect the women's draw? Maria Sharapova withdrew from the US Open earlier today, making Serena Williams' half of the draw a little bit easier. It will be interesting to see if anybody takes advantage of Sharapova's absence and makes a deep run to the semifinals.  #7 seeded Ana Ivanovic is projected to do so at the moment. 

#3. Kei Nishikori has a nice draw: Kei Nishikori, currently seeded #4 in the men's singles draw, is projected to face #7 seeded David Ferrer in the quarterfinals and #1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Facing Djokovic isn't the nice part of the draw, but having David Ferrer in his quarter of the draw is very nice. Look for Kei Nishikori to once again threaten at Flushing. 

#4. Can Eugenie Bouchard get something going? Eugenie Bouchard has had a terrible season so far, losing in the first round of both the French Open and Wimbledon. She needs to finish 2015 on some sort of a positive note. What helps her out is that Maria Sharapova was going to be in her section, so perhaps she'll be the one to benefit from Maria' absence. 

#5. Will Andy Murray carry over positive momentum from Montreal? Andy Murray snapped an eight-match losing skid to Novak Djokovic in the final of Montreal.  Will this mini breakthrough for Murray will carry over into the US Open? 

#6. How will Serena Williams handle the pressure? The biggest story of the 2015 US Open without question is Serena Williams' quest for a calendar grand slam. It'll be interesting to see how she handles the pressure and the media over the course of the event. Especially early on in the tournament. 

#7. Will Rafael Nadal get anything going? Rafael Nadal is currently seeded #8 in the US Open men's draw and is having the worst season he's had since he reached the world #1 ranking. It'll be interesting to see if he can survive into the second week and be a threat. 

#8. Will Sloane Stephens get a boost from the American crowd? Sloane Stephens is another young player in the women's draw who is having a down year. Perhaps she'll make a deep run and thrive on the home crowd. 

#9. Look for Novak Djokovic to win the men's singles title: I don't expect the winner of the men's title to be somebody surprising. I think Novak Djokovic will get his groove together and win the US Open for the second time. 

#10. Look for Serena Williams to capture the calendar slam: I got my money on world #1 Serena Williams to deliver the goods and capture her fourth grand slam of the year. It's her world right now and I don't see anybody stopping her. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy to keep up with tennis! 

For a printable bracket of the men's draw, click here 

For a printable bracket of the women's draw, click here

10 things we learned from Wimbledon

     The 2015 Wimbledon championships lived up to the hype. Novak Djokovic reminded us that he is still the number one tennis player in the world and Serena Williams completed her "Serena Slam" with a calendar grand slam remaining a possibility. What I would like to do is recap the event by listing ten things to take away from the two weeks that were on the grass in London.

#1. Serena Williams is on a mission: Serena Williams did everything she could to prevent the media from talking to her about the "Serena Slam" and the possibility of a calendar grand slam, but make no mistake, this was on her mind the entire two weeks. She knows that if she wins a calendar grand slam in addition to the "Serena Slam", there is no reason to not say she is the greatest female tennis player ever. Steffi Graf in my opinion can already step aside  as can Margaret Court, but a calendar grand slam would just about be the icing on the cake. Winning 25 grand slams would officially do it for academic purposes, but Serena knows that if she wins the calendar slam, nobody will say she isn't the greatest ever.

#2. Novak Djokovic reminded us he's the best player in the world: After winning Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic should have silenced any critics who say he isn't the best player in the world. I think had Roger Federer won the title, there would be some room for debate, but at the moment, Novak Djokovic has a firm grip on the world #1 ranking while also having two grand slam titles in 2015.

#3. The WTA is still a crap shoot:  I've been saying for years that the WTA is a crap shoot. The 2015 Wimbledon reaffirmed this fact with Garbine Muguruza being the player to face Serena Williams in the final. I don't want to take anything away from Muguruza. She had a fantastic tournament and deserves all the credit in the world for what she accomplished at Wimbledon. But what I'm talking about is that week in week out, there is no consistency on the WTA tour outside of the fact that Serena Williams continues to dominate everybody she faces.

#4. Will Andy Murray win another Wimbledon? After seeing Andy Murray lose in straight sets to Roger Federer in the semifinals, one does have to wonder whether or not we will ever see Andy Murray win another Wimbledon title. The good news for Andy Murray is that he still has plenty of years left and he also is in the midst of leading Great Britain to its first Davis Cup title since 1936. Things are still looking good for the Scotsman.

#5. Victoria Azarenka appears to be on her way back: Victoria Azarenka should be feeling good about how things went for her at Wimbledon. She lost in the quarterfinals to Serena Williams and took her to a third set. Azarenka appears to be on a very short list of players who may deny Serena Williams of a calendar grand slam later this summer.

#6. Stanislas Wawrinka may be correct about himself: Now that he has won two grand slam titles, Stanislas Wawrinka rightfully deserves to be considered a contender at every grand slam, but when asked if he deserves to be considered in the same conversation as Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal, he hesitates, saying that he can compete with them, but what makes them different is their consistency.

     I don't think we should take Wawrinka's comments to be him simply trying to come off as humble. I genuinely believe that he is telling us what he thinks and I think we need to respect his honesty. As it stands, his results at Wimbledon (losing in the quarterfinals) back up his claims. He is able to put together some really good runs at grand slams, but week in week out he isn't the same player as those other guys I just mentioned.

#7. Venus Williams is probably done as a grand slam contender: I honestly believed Venus Williams was a threat to beat Serena Williams and win the Wimbledon title, but after losing in straight sets to Serena in the 4th round, I have a hard time thinking that Venus Williams can come back next year and win. It appears as though father time really has his grasp on Venus Williams and at best she can survive the opening week of a grand slam.

#8. Rafael Nadal may finally be done as a grand slam contender: I don't want to say that Rafael Nadal is done winning grand slams, but the man already has 14 grand slam titles as it is, and only Roger Federer has been able to go beyond that mark with 17 grand slam titles. 14 was the max for Pete Sampras and if I can be honest, Roger Federer may be sitting on 14 grand slam titles as well if it weren't for the fact that his first few grand slam titles were won in a weaker era. I'm not taking anything away from Roger's 17 grand slam titles, I'm just saying that 14 is a lot and given the way his body is breaking down, it's probably not realistic to expect Rafael Nadal to win another grand slam.

#9. Maria Sharapova needs to find a way to overcome Serena Williams: Maria Sharapova has had a fantastic career. She's won a career slam and has five grand slam titles overall. But I have to say, the way that Serena Williams has dominated her over the years is alarming. Plus, her inability to beat Serena Williams may be what keeps her from winning 10 grand slams or more.

     After her 2-6, 4-6 loss to Serena Williams in the Wimbledon semifinals, Sharapova now has a 17 match losing streak to Serena Williams. That really is unacceptable for a player who has won so many grand slams and found success against every other player on tour. Sharapova has to find a way to get some wins against Serena Williams. Otherwise, her inability to beat Serena Williams will remain a bit of a black mark on an otherwise fantastic hall of fame career.

#10. Grigor Dimitrov is really a disappointment: After appearing to have a breakout season in 2014, with a ranking as high as #8 in the world to go along with a trip to the semifinals of Wimbledon, Grigor Dimitrov has since regressed. He is now #16 in the world and he lost in the 3rd round of Wimbledon to Richard Gasquet in straight sets to follow up a first round loss to Jack Sock at Roland Garros. Perhaps what we saw from Grigor Dimitrov in 2014 is the best we'll ever see from him.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy and like my Facebook page ATP Guy Nation to keep up with the world of tennis! 

2015 Wimbledon Men's Singles Final Preview: Novak Djokovic vs. Roger Federer

                                                (Credit: Marianne Bevis. Click here for source) 

     The 2015 Wimbledon men's singles final is Sunday at 9:00 AM EST on ESPN. The two men competing for the title are men who we have been accustomed to seeing on the final Sunday of grand slams: World #1 Novak Djokovic and world #2 Roger Federer. Federer is in possession of 17 grand slam titles, the most of any male player, and Djokovic is in possession of 8 grand slam titles, which makes him tied with Andre Agassi and a slew of other players.

     They have faced each other 39 times over the course of their careers, with Federer holding a 20-19 edge. While it is true that Federer's best surface is grass and Djokovic's best surface is hard court, what's interesting is that in the three matches that they have played on grass (all being at Wimbledon), Djokovic has won twice. This suggests that the grass may not be giving Federer as big of an advantage as we would think. Ironically, Federer has had better success against Djokovic on clay, with a 4-3 record. What makes that ironic is that Federer has only one grand slam title on clay at the 2009 French Open but he has seven Wimbledon titles.

     In truth, if you look at the head-to-head records, there really isn't a reason to give one man an edge over the other. When these two guys play, it's almost always a really competitive and close match. When it comes to picking a winner, one has to look at how both men have been playing over the course of the tournament.

     To get to the Wimbledon final, Roger Federer has defeated Damir Dzumhur, Sam Querrey, Sam Groth, Roberto Bautista Agut, Gilles Simon, and Andy Murray. In his six matches, Federer has dropped only one set.  As for Novak Djokovic, he has defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber, Jarkko Nieminen, Bernard Tomic, Kevin Anderson, Marin Cilic, and Richard Gasquet. In his six matches, Djokovic has dropped two sets, both of which were in his five set thriller against Kevin Anderson.

     Based on this data, one would give Federer a slight edge. He has dropped fewer sets against slightly better competition. In the semifinals, Federer defeated Andy Murray in straight sets, who is probably the biggest threat to him and Djokovic. As for Djokovic, he too won his semifinal match against Richard Gasquet in straight sets, but in that match he was taken to a tiebreaker in the first set and narrowly won the next two sets 6-4, 6-4.

     What also factors into all of this is what both players are playing for. Federer is playing for his 18th grand slam title and his eighth Wimbledon title, which would give him more Wimbledon titles than any other man in the history of tennis. As for Djokovic, he is playing for his ninth grand slam title and his third Wimbledon title.

     What Federer is playing for is greater from an all-time historical perspective, but at least in his case, his legacy is already set in stone as the greatest tennis player of all-time. Some, including myself, have put forth arguments for why Rafael Nadal should be considered the greatest of all time, or why Pete Sampras deserves to recognized as such, but at the end of the day, the true measuring stick for greatness in tennis is grand slam titles.

     Federer has more of those than any other man in the history of the game, which is why I say his legacy is set in stone. One can argue about a lot of things, but nobody can argue about who has the most grand slam titles ever. The answer is Roger Federer and until somebody else passes him with more grand slam titles, Federer will be the greatest tennis player ever.

   

                                                 (Credit: Marianne Bevis. Click here for source)

     Unlike Federer, Djokovic is still in the process of passing other tennis legends on the all-time grand slam champion list. He is still yet to pass Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors, Ken Rosewall, and Fred Perry, all who have eight grand slam titles as well. Ahead of him on the all-time list are Bill Tilden (10), Rod Laver (11), Björn Borg (11), Roy Emerson (12), Rafael Nadal (14), Pete Sampras (14), and of course Roger Federer (17).

     While many rightfully want to mention Djokovic in the same sentence as Nadal, Sampras, and Federer for what he has accomplished so far, it needs to be made clear that Djokovic still has a some work to do before he fully deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as those three players. For Djokovic, a win on Sunday against Roger Federer would be a huge résumé builder for him and also put him eighth on the all-time grand slam titles list.

     A loss on the other hand, would hurt his legacy. It would make him 1-2 in grand slam finals this year and also give another grand slam title to a player whose all-time record he is chasing. In many ways, one could argue that if Novak Djokovic wants to someday join the greatest of all-time discussion, he needs to win Sunday's Wimbledon final against Roger Federer. That may sound like an overreaction to one match, but if you think about it, this is the final of Wimbledon, the biggest tennis match of the year and he is playing the game's greatest player.

     When considering all these factors, I have to give a slight edge to Novak Djokovic to win Wimbledon. In my Wimbledon preview, I picked him to win and I don't see a good enough reason for me to pick against him. While Federer may never get another chance to play in a Wimbledon final and win a record eight Wimbledon titles, Novak Djokovic really does have more on the line. His reputation as the best player in the world and his reputation as perhaps the greatest tennis player ever are both on the line. Federer has neither of those things on the line and thus shouldn't feel as much motivation to win.

     If Djokovic doesn't win this title, this will sting way more than the loss in Paris did last month because now his pain will be compounded by another failure in a grand slam final. For Djokovic, this feels like a must win match while for Federer, it feels much more like icing on the cake. That in short is the real difference here.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy for tennis news. Also, like my tennis page on Facebook ATP Guy Nation

2015 Wimbledon Women's Singles Final: Serena Williams vs. Garbine Muguruza

                                         (Credit: Katherine Shann. Click here for source) 
   
     The women's Wimbledon singles final between world #1 Serena Williams and world #20 Garbine Muguruza is on Saturday at 8:00 AM EST on ESPN. While Muguruza is making her own kind of history by reaching her first grand slam final, Serena Williams is playing for something much bigger. She is playing to win her 21st grand slam title, which would close the gap on Margaret Court, who has 24 grand slam titles, the most all-time. She is playing to complete her second "Serena slam", which is winning four straight grand slam titles regardless of what year they were completed in. Lastly, she is playing to keep her calendar slam hopes alive, which is winning all four grand slam titles in a single season.

     Based on both their career achievements as well as what they have accomplished in the past season, it is clear that Serena Williams is the favorite to win this match. Anybody picking Muguruza to win would be predicting an upset of epic proportions. Not because Muguruza can't win, but because of what Serena Williams has at stake.

     Serena Williams is playing to become the first player since Steffi Graf in 1988 to win the calendar slam. She is playing to solidify herself as the greatest player in the history of women's tennis. If she were to lose, we would fail to see one of the greatest achievements in the history of sports, let alone tennis. There is so much riding on tomorrow's match from a historical perspective, that a loss for Serena Williams would be historically catastrophic.

     As for the tournament itself, here is how both players got to the final: Serena Williams defeated her sister Venus Williams in the fourth round, Victoria Azarenka in the quarterfinals, and Maria Sharapova in the semifinals. As for Muguruza, she defeated Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth round, Timea Bacsinszky in the quarterfinals, and Agnieszka Radwanska in the semifinals.

   

   

                                         (Credit: Celebwax.com. Click here for source) 
            
     While Muguruza appears to have had the easier draw, it should be noted that Caroline Wozniacki, Timea Bacsinszky, and Agnieszka Radwanska were all ranked higher than her going into this tournament. While the players she defeated aren't as good as Azarenka and Sharapova, Muguruza still deserves a ton of credit and respect for defeating three players ranked higher than her to reach the final. We shouldn't hold her draw against her at all when it comes to predicting who wins tomorrow. She played the draw she was given and so far has delivered the goods.

     If one were to make an argument for why Muguruza is going to win on Saturday, it would be because she has take down some really good players and has also defeated Serena Williams in one of their three meetings. That one meeting came in the second round of the 2014 French Open in which Muguruza won by the score of 6-2, 6-2.

     While it was on a different surface, it remains true that Muguruza has seen herself win a grand slam match against Serena Williams. The fact that she has done this has to give herself tremendous confidence going into Saturday's final. Not many players can say that they have won a grand slam match against Serena Williams on any surface, which puts Garbine Muguruza in rare company.

     That all being said, I still have Serena Williams winning this match in straight sets. I think Muguruza will give Williams a good fight, but in the end, we will see Williams come out victorious. Williams has too much at stake and also holds a 2-1 edge in the head-to-head, with both wins coming on hard court, a surface closer to grass than clay.

     If Muguruza is able to win the opening set, she'll definitely have a chance, but even then, one has to pick Serena Williams to win. Serena Williams had her toughest test in the third round against Heather Watson in which she trailed 0-3 in the third set and had to squeak it out 7-5. Serena Williams has been in as tough of a hole as she could realistically be in and she still came out victorious. The scary thing for Muguruza is that there is nothing she can do to give herself a "safe" lead. Unless she wins a championship point, Serena Williams will be favored to win all the way.

     I don't mean to make it come off like Muguruza has no chance of winning. She absolutely does. She is a top-20 player who is on the verge of cracking the top-10! She absolutely has a chance of winning! The problem is that she has no better chance than anybody else who has faced Serena Williams at Wimbledon. Every time a player puts the pressure on Serena Williams, Serena finds a way to deliver the goods and get the job done. Nobody is mentally tougher than Serena Williams, and that more than anything is why she is going to win.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy for tennis news 

   

   

2015 Wimbledon Preview

     Wimbledon starts Monday, June 29 at 7:00 AM EST on ESPN. In a few hours, the greatest tennis players in the world will begin their quest to win the most prestigious tournament in all of tennis. Don't get me wrong, all of the grand slams are prestigious, but Wimbledon has a special significance to it given its surface (grass) and its location in the United Kingdom, which is where tennis was born. When you win Wimbledon, you forever become tied to a rich history and legacy that no other tennis tournament in the world possesses.

     With that as an introduction, here is my preview of the third grand slam event of the season. Like all my other previews, I will list ten key things to look for. Enjoy!

#1. With David Ferrer out, Andy Murray should coast to the semifinals: Andy Murray, who is seeded 3rd in the gentlemen's draw, got a lucky break with David Ferrer withdrawing from the event due to an elbow injury. Ferrer, who was seeded 8th, was projected to meet Murray in the quarterfinals. With Ferrer now out, the toughest match Murray has en route to the semifinals is facing 10th seeded Rafael Nadal in the 4th round. Judging by how Nadal has been playing as of late, I have no reason to think Nadal will give Murray much trouble. Assuming Andy Murray doesn't blow up in one of his early matches, we can pretty much pencil him in to reach the semifinals.

#2. How will Lucie Safarova handle the pressure? Lucie Safarova reached the French Open final as the 13th overall seed, losing to Serena Williams in the final. As a result of her miraculous run, she is now seeded 6th in the ladies draw at Wimbledon with way more pressure and expectations than she had on her going into the French Open. It'll be interesting to see how Safarova responds and whether or not she can back up her strong performance at Roland Garros with a Wimbledon title. In order to do so, she'll probably have to beat Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals, Serena Williams in the semifinals, and Petra Kvitova in the final. That's a very tall order.

#3. Novak Djokovic needs to bounce back: Novak Djokovic needs to win Wimbledon. He needs it to reestablish himself as the best player in the world and he needs it to numb the pain from what happened in Paris. It's that simple.

#4. Venus Williams might be Serena Williams' biggest obstacle: While Petra Kvitova is the player who is favored to win the other half of the draw, Venus Williams might be Serena Williams' biggest obstacle. They are projected to face each other in the 4th round and Venus Williams' favorite surface is grass. If there is any place where Venus Williams can still give her younger sister a run for her money, it is at Wimbledon, a grand slam she has won five times.

#5. Roger Federer has a great chance of winning the title: Roger Federer is projected to face Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals and Andy Murray in the semifinals. Both players can certainly beat him, but neither of them are players who I would say should be favored, either. In addition, Novak Djokovic looks vulnerable despite being the #1 player in the world after seeing what happened at Roland Garros. I know that he's getting up there in age, but Roger Federer is still the #2 player in the world and he is playing at his favorite grand slam. He should be feeling very confident going into this tournament.

#6. Eugenie Bouchard needs to get back on track: Eugenie Bouchard has fallen outside of the top 10 and is seeded 12th. She is projected to face #8 seeded Ekaterina Makarova in the 4th round, which isn't too bad, but then she is projected to face #2 seeded Petra Kvitova in the quarterfinals, who has won Wimbledon twice. Bouchard needs to take this one match at a time, but if she can get herself back to the quarterfinals, she should feel good about her progress heading into the US Open.

#7.  How will Kei Nishikori's calf hold up? Kei Nishikori has been dealing with a calf injury, which he claims won't affect him for Wimbledon. However, there's no telling how Kei will feel after a couple of matches. How Kei Nishikori feels early on in the tournament will definitely be one of the things to keep an eye on. Especially since he is the #5 seed in the whole tournament.

#8. Look out for Sabine Lisicki: Don't let her 18th overall seeding fool you. Sabine Lisicki is a very dangerous player on grass and always a threat at Wimbledon. She's been to the semifinals twice and the finals once. Don't be surprised if she goes even further this year and wins the entire title.

#9. Look for Novak Djokovic to win the gentlemen's title: Even though he has had his ups and downs, Novak Djokovic is still the best player in the world. He has won Wimbledon twice and should be treated as the favorite to win the title. This really is his title to lose.

#10. Look for Serena Williams to win the ladies' title: Serena Williams is chasing history. She is looking to win the most grand slam titles of any woman in tennis history and she is looking to win a grand slam in a calendar year. She has a lot on the line historically and is playing the best tennis of her career. I expect her to deliver the goods and capture her 21st career grand slam title.

---Ben Parker: Follow me on twitter @atp_guy and like Facebook page ATP Guy Nation for tennis updates 

10 things we learned from the French Open

     The 2015 French Open has come to a close, but before I dive into my Wimbledon coverage, I want to take a look back on what we learned from the two weeks that were in Paris.

#1. Stanislas Wawrinka is a force to be reckoned with 
     Stanislas Wawrinka is now a two-time grand slam champion after his stunning four set victory over Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final. We have to treat him as a serious contender to win Wimbledon and the US Open after seeing the level of tennis that he is capable of playing.

#2. Serena Williams is the greatest female tennis player ever 
     If there were any doubts about where Serena Williams ranks among the greatest female tennis players, I think winning her 20th grand slam title on her least favorite surface proves she is the greatest female tennis player ever. Margaret Court has the most grand slam titles with 24, but she played in a much less competitive era. As for Steffi Graf's 22 grand slams, Michael Wilbon and others argue that her numbers are inflated because of Monica Seles getting stabbed.

     I don't want to go that far, but I will say that Serena Williams has dominated tennis in a much more competitive era and likely will pass Margaret Court just for good measure anyways. Once she surpasses Margaret Court, there will literally be no reason for Serena Williams haters to say she isn't the greatest.

#3. Novak Djokovic really let one slip away 
     I don't want to take anything away from Stanislas Wawrinka, but Novak Djokovic really blew an opportunity to capture a career slam. He defeated Rafael Nadal, the king of clay, and had the career slam right in front of him on a silver platter. If he doesn't end up winning the career slam, he will really look back on this tournament as a blown opportunity to join a very elite group of tennis players.

#4. Lucie Safarova has arrived 
     After turning pro in 2002, 28 year old Lucie Safarova finally reached a grand slam final at Roland Garros. In addition, she played Serena Williams really tough and had a 2-0 lead in the third set. Don't be surprised if Safarova makes a deep run at Wimbledon. She made the semis last year.

#5. Grigor Dimitrov was a major disappointment 
     If you read my preview for the French Open, you would know that I predicted that Grigor Dimitrov might have an early exit, but even I was surprised by his first round exit to Jack Sock. He was seeded 10th and certainly should have at least made it to the 4th round.

#6. American men's tennis looks promising 
     The American men had a nice showing at Roland Garros. Jack Sock made the 4th round before losing to Rafael Nadal and as for the Boys' singles, the final consisted of two Americans, Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz.

#7. Maria Sharapova's loss to Lucie Safarova wasn't so bad
     I picked Maria Sharapova to win the French Open, but she ended up losing in the 4th round to Lucie Safarova. Judging by how Safarova played after beating her, I think it's safe to say that Maria Sharapova shouldn't be all that discouraged by how things went for her. Safarova was clearly the #2 player in the entire tournament behind Serena Williams.

#8. Andy Murray should feel confident about his Roland Garros chances going forward 
     Andy Murray could be the next one to deny Novak Djokovic of a career slam at Roland Garros. Murray lost in four sets to Djokovic in the semifinals, but I think that his entire clay season should make him feel confident about next year. Andy Murray has to look at this as a process and things are definitely going in the right direction for him.

#9. Rafael Nadal is no longer invincible on clay 
     Did you really think I was not going to address Rafael Nadal, the king of clay? Rafael Nadal losing is without question the biggest story of the French Open. I don't think he is done winning grand slams or French Open titles, but it's safe to say his window is finally closing.

#10.  I don't know what to make of Roger Federer's performance 
     Roger Federer lost in straight sets to Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals. At the time, it looked like a bad loss, but in retrospect, maybe it wasn't such a bad loss. Federer may still have some grand slam titles left in him, but I don't see him winning another title at Roland Garros.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy for tennis news 




   

2015 French Open Men's Final Preview: Novak Djokovic vs. Stanislas Wawrinka

                                          (Credit: Frederic De Villamil. Click here for source)
   
     The 2015 French Open men's final between world #1 Novak Djokovic and world #9 Stanislas Wawrinka is on Sunday at 9:00 AM EST on NBC. Novak Djokovic comes into this match with impressive wins over Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, while Stanislas Wawrinka has wins over Roger Federer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Djokovic has had the harder path to the final while Wawrinka's half of the draw was relatively wide open.

     The fact that Djokovic has had the harder path isn't the reason to pick him to win this match. The reason to pick Djokovic to win has to do with his dominating 19-3 head-to-head record against Wawrinka (5-1 on clay). Looking at these stats makes one wonder whether or not Wawrinka even has a prayer of winning in a five set match against Djokovic in a grand slam, but history actually indicates that he does. The last four grand slam matches these guys have faced each other, they have gone to a fifth set and Wawrinka has won one of those matches 9-7 in the fifth set.

     As for the other three matches that Djokovic won, the final scores in the fifth set have been 6-0, 6-4, and 12-10. So, for the most part, these matches have gone down to the wire. The only thing to take note of is all four of these grand slam matches were either at the Australian Open or US Open, which are played on hard courts. It's hard to say what this indicates. Hard court is Djokovic's best surface, so it stands to reason that if Wawrinka can press Djokovic on his best surface at a grand slam, he can do it on clay as well. On the other hand, perhaps Wawrinka's best shot is on the hard court, which would mean that this match may not be nearly as close as their previous four grand slam encounters.

     What I can say for certain is that Djokovic should be favored to win this match, whether it is close or not. Even though Wawrinka has pressed Djokovic to a fifth set in their previous four grand slam encounters, his record in those matches is still 1-3, so at best we can say he has a 25% chance to win. Then, when you factor in the fact that Djokovic has beaten tougher players than Wawrinka to get to the final, it seems safe to say that Wawrinka has something closer to 15% odds of actually winning this match.

     What I really think makes this an uphill battle for Wawrinka is the fact that Novak Djokovic is playing for a career slam. The French Open has been the one grand slam that has eluded Novak Djokovic all these years and with the title practically on a silver platter for him to grab, it's hard to see Novak Djokovic letting this one go. The key for Wawrinka will be to win the first set. If Wawrinka can grab the opening set and put Djokovic in an 0-1 hole, odds are good the match goes to a fifth set, which means anything can happen. If on the other hand, Djokovic comes out and takes the first set, I don't really see any chance for Wawrinka unless Djokovic gets hurt.

     As for the fact that Djokovic played on Saturday to finish his match against Andy Murray, I don't really see that playing a factor in this match. Djokovic is in tip-top shape, so he won't be fatigued, and if anything it may help him to have played in the previous day. In essence, I don't really see anything going in Wawrinka's favor as we head into this match.

                                          (Credit: Tatiana. Click here for source) 
   
     In the women's final, I didn't give Lucie Safarova much of a chance against Serena Williams, but there were reasons to give her hope. Safarova played a competitive three set match and for a while looked like she could win before Serena Williams eventually pulled away. The same kind of result could happen in this match, but I don't see there being as much drama.

     If you were to ask me for a prediction of as to what happens tomorrow, I would say that Novak Djokovic wins in four sets rather easily. This isn't to take anything away from Wawrinka, but the fact of the matter is that Djokovic has dominated Wawrinka over the years and has a career slam on the line. Djokovic is going to come ready to win this match and the only thing Wawrinka can hope for is that he can play the match of his life and get some help from lady luck.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy for tennis news 

2015 French Open Women's Final Preview: Serena Williams vs. Lucie Safarova

                 (Credit: Kate. Click here for a link to the source)

     The 2015 French Open Women's final is Saturday at 9:00 AM ET on NBC and it features one player who many are familiar with and another who few would have expected to still be standing. The familiar player is Serena Williams, who is #1 in the world and seeking her 20th grand slam title, while the underdog is Lucie Safarova, who came into this tournament ranked #13 in the world. 

     If the head-to-head series between these two players gives us any indication of what will happen in this match, we can assume that Serena Williams will win going away. Serena Williams has won all eight of her matches against Lucie Safarova while only dropping three sets. As Brad Gilbert likes to say, it's been "one way traffic" for Serena Williams. 

     Despite Serena's dominance against her, Safarova does have reason to maintain some hope. The biggest thing going in Safarova's favor is health. Serena Williams has been battling the flu and isn't at full strength. If Serena gets off to a slow start and isn't feeling well, Safarova will have a chance to pounce and pull off the upset. 

     Secondly, Serena Williams has dropped the first set in four of her six matches in the tournament. Safarova definitely has to like her odds of winning the first set given this recent trend and further, she has to feel like if she does get the first set, the odds that Serena is able to come back from a one set hole  for a fifth time are remote given that historically, Serena only wins half of the grand slam matches in which she drops the first set. 

     Third, Safarova defeated #2 ranked Maria Sharapova 7-6, 6-4 in the 4th round after Maria had won the French Open in 2014 and 2012. Maria Sharapova has been the best clay court player in the women's game over the last few years. Safarova has to believe that if she can beat Maria Sharapova on clay, she can beat Serena Williams on clay, too. Especially since clay is the one surface that Serena Williams has historically struggled on. 

     That all being said, I'm still picking Serena Williams to win this match in straight sets and capture her 20th career grand slam title. She is by far the best women's tennis player in the world and in my opinion the greatest female player ever. She dominates in a way that we've never seen any other woman dominate and there isn't much anybody can do. In addition, Serena's 8-0 record against Lucie Safarova speaks for itself. If Safarova hasn't beaten Serena in eight tries, why should we think the ninth time will be the charm?

     Plus, while Serena Williams has only reached the final at Roland Garros twice, her record in the final at Roland Garros is 2-0. What this indicates is that if you are going to beat Serena at Roland Garros, you have to beat her early in the tournament. The more matches Serena Williams wins at Roland Garros, the more confident she becomes. If Safarova were facing Serena in the 4th round or even the Quarterfinals, she would have a much better chance of winning. But because she is facing Serena in the final, her chances drop significantly. 

      

     

(Credit: Kate. Click here for a link)

     I don't want to diminish the things that Safarova has in her favor. She has plenty of reasons to feel confident in her ability to win this championship. It's just that when you are picking sides between a 19-time grand slam champion and a player who has never played in a grand slam final, you pick the 19-time grand slam champion every time. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy for tennis news 

2015 French Open Preview

The 2015 French Open at Roland Garros begins Sunday, May 24. With the draw being out, I can now give you my list of ten things to look for going into the second grand slam event of the year.

#1. How will Andy Murray's recent clay success translate to Roland Garros? 
     Andy Murray hadn't won any clay titles in his career going into this clay season, but he has caught fire as of late, winning two clay titles going into Roland Garros. He won the BMW Open in Munich (ATP 250) and the Mutua Madrid Open in Madrid (ATP 1000 Masters).

     Winning two clay titles in such as short period of time is very impressive. What's even more impressive is that one of those clay titles (Madrid) includes a 6-3, 6-2 win over Rafael Nadal in the final. What will be interesting to see is if Andy Murray can build off of this momentum and come away with the title.

#2. Should Serena Williams really be trusted to win the title? 
     Serena Williams is the greatest women's tennis player ever with very little debate. But if there is anything that has proven to give her trouble, it has been the dirt. She has only won the French Open twice with more than a decade in between those two titles (2002 and 2013). On paper she is the favorite to win, but history indicates otherwise.

#3. Despite getting the #1 seed, Novak Djokovic has a tough draw 
     Novak Djokovic probably isn't too happy to have Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and David Ferrer all on his half of the draw. Nadal is projected to face him in the quarterfinals with Andy Murray or David Ferrer waiting for him in the semifinals. If Novak Djokovic is going to win his first title at Roland Garros, he'll have to play his very best. The draw he has received is nothing short of brutal.

#4. Will Ana Ivanovic make a run? 
     Ana Ivanovic won the French Open back in 2008 but hasn't won it since. She is currently seeded #7 and is projected to face Simona Halep in the quarterfinals and Maria Sharapova in the semifinals. It's a tough but very winnable draw. If there is any dark horse to put some money on at Roland Garros it's Ana Ivanovic.

#5. Are we certain to see either Kei Nishikori or Roger Federer in the final? 
     With one side of the men's draw totally stacked, the other half is much weaker. The top two players in the weaker half of the men's draw are Kei Nishikori and Roger Federer. Conventional wisdom says we will see Nishikori or Federer in the final, but Stanislas Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych, Gilles Simon, and Gael Monfils have the potential to crash the party.

#6. Can Caroline Wozniacki breakthrough to win her first grand slam? 
     Caroline Wozniacki has never won a grand slam before and quite frankly has never seemed like a viable threat to ever win one. But I have a feeling she might pull it off at Roland Garros. If she can get past Serena Williams in the quarterfinals or have somebody else upset Serena along the way, she will have a great shot of getting to the final.

#7. Can Grigor Dimitrov make it to the second week? 
     Grigor Dimitrov is seeded #10, so it stands to reason that he'll at least reach the 4th round. But historically he hasn't had much success at Roland Garros, only getting to the 3rd round once in 2013. Of all the top ten seeds in the men's draw, the most vulnerable and likely to go down early is Grigor Dimitrov. It'll be interesting to see how far he goes.

#8. Can Petra Kvitova threaten to win a slam not named Wimbledon? 
     Petra Kvitova's two grand slam titles at Wimbledon show she is a threat on the grass, but everywhere else she always comes short of winning the title. Her best performance at Roland Garros was in 2012 when she reached the semifinals, but she hasn't gotten that far at Roland Garros before or since then. She is seeded #4 and is projected to face Eugenie Bouchard in the quarterfinals and either Serena Williams or Caroline Wozniacki in the semifinals. It's a very winnable draw for Kvitova but can she capitalize is the question.

#9. Rafael Nadal deserves to be the favorite to win the Men's title
     Even though he is seeded #6 and has struggled on the clay as of late, he is still the greatest clay court tennis player ever, winning 9 of the last 10 French Opens. Until somebody else not named Robin Soderling can upset him, I got my money on Rafael Nadal to win his 10th French Open title. He deserves to be respected as the favorite when you look at his entire body of work.

#10. Maria Sharapova is my pick to win the Women's title 
     If I can be honest, it's always a crap shoot when it comes to making any prediction in women's tennis. Especially at Roland Garros. Just look at the history of winners and you'll see there is no rhyme or reason to who wins. But if I'm going to pick any lady to win it, I'm going to pick Maria Sharapova. She has won two French Open titles (2012 and 2014) and has been as consistent as anybody on the clay in recent history.

(Note: If you want to see the draws, click here)

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy for tennis news 

10 things we learned from the Australian Open

   
     The Australian Open is now over and we wait until May for the next Grand Slam to start. I would like to take a quick look back on what we learned from the Australian Open and what we should expect going forward in the tennis season.

#1. Novak Djokovic is still the best on the hard court: Novak Djokovic defeated Andy Murray 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-0 to win the 2015 Australian Open Men's title. After a year in which there were two surprising Grand Slam champions on the hard court with Marin Cilic winning the US Open and Stanislas Wawrinka winning the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic re-established himself as the best player in the world on the hard courts.

#2.  Serena Williams is the best player in the women's game: Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova 6-3, 7-6 to win the 2015 Australian Open Women's title. Sharapova played her tough, but at the end of the day Serena Williams reminded us why she has now won 19 Grand Slam singles titles. What will be interesting to see is if Serena can carry that momentum into the French Open, but she certainly has to be the favorite to win Wimbledon and the US Open.

#3. Andy Murray is back: Andy Murray didn't defeat Novak Djokovic to win the title, but he did get back to a Grand Slam final after having not reached one at all in 2014. It also appears as though Amelie Mauresmo is a good fit on his team.

#4. Maria Sharapova still can't beat Serena Williams: Serena improved to 17-2 all-time against Maria, having won their last 16 matches against each other.

#5.  Tomas Berdych is getting there: It was tough for Tomas Berdych to go out in the semifinals, but overall he should feel very good about his performance at the Australian Open. Look for him to be a serious threat at Wimbledon and the US Open.

#6. Stanislas Wawrinka is still a contender: Stanislas Wawrinka came up short against Novak Djokovic in the semis, but he did push him to a fifth set. Wawrinka should feel very confident about his abilities to win another Grand Slam in 2015.

#7. Madison Keys is the best young American: Madison Keys, now a Top 20 player, played Serena Williams really tough in her semifinal match, losing 6-7, 2-6. If there is any young American player who we can have hope in to carry the torch for American tennis once the Williams sisters are gone, it's the 20 year old Madison Keys.

#8. Venus Williams is still a threat: In case you thought Venus Williams is only playing tennis because she loves the game, you are wrong. She's still playing tennis because she thinks she can win another Grand Slam. I don't see why she can't. She reached the Quarterfinals and it took Madison Keys three tough sets to take her out. Venus Williams might be my pick to win Wimbledon.

#9. Eugenie Bouchard still has work to do: Eugenie Bouchard had a solid outing, reaching the Quarterfinals, but she lost 3-6, 2-6 to Maria Sharapova. Bouchard might be the future of women's tennis, but she isn't there yet.

#10. Rafael Nadal should be the favorite to win the French: After reaching the Quarterfinals in Australia on his least favorite surface, Rafael Nadal has to feel really good about his ability to win the French Open come May.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy for tennis news 

2015 Australian Open Men's Final Preview: Novak Djokovic vs. Andy Murray

     At 3:30 AM EST on Sunday, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will square off in the Men's Singles Final of the Australian Open. Novak Djokovic will be going for his 8th career grand slam title while Andy Murray will be going for his 3rd.

     Novak Djokovic is 15-8 all-time against Andy Murray, but it should be noted that in both of Andy Murray's grand slam titles at Wimbledon and at the US Open, he defeated Novak Djokovic in the Final.  More importantly, Andy Murray appears to be back to the form he was in when he won both of those grand slam titles. So while it is also true that Novak Djokovic has defeated Andy Murray four straight times, I think that Andy Murray has a much better chance of defeating Djokovic than he did in their previous four meetings.

     The key for Andy Murray will be to keep his cool out there and not let his emotions get the best of him. Before he won grand slam titles, Andy Murray always let his emotions get the best of him, and that cost him. In both of his grand slam championships, Andy Murray didn't let his emotions distract him. He stayed much more focused and in the moment. If he wants to win his third grand slam title, he'll have to do the same.

     Andy Murray will also need to hold his serve and really take advantage of every break point opportunity he gets. Break points and second serve points are always the most important points in tennis, and Andy Murray will have to out perform Novak Djokovic in both of those areas if he is to win Sunday's match. In addition, Murray will also want to be making a good percentage of his first serves given that Novak Djokovic has such a good service return. If Murray is taking too many second serves, that will definitely work to the advantage of Djokovic.

     As for Novak Djokovic, he too will want to win his second serve points and capitalize on break point opportunities. Specifically against Andy Murray, Djokovic will really want to win the points he has at the net. In matches against Andy Murray in which he came to the net a lot more, Djokovic didn't usually find success in terms of winning the match. If he's going to come up to the net a lot, Djokovic better win those points.

     Given his head-to-head record against Andy Murray as well as the fact that this is the grand slam where has had the most success, I have to pick Novak Djokovic to win this match. Andy Murray is playing really good tennis right now and I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see him win, but all the same, everything points to a Novak Djokovic victory in five sets. I hope it will be a great match!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy for tennis news

2015 Australian Open Women's Final Preview: Serena Williams vs. Maria Sharapova

     On Saturday at 3:30 AM EST, World #1 Serena Williams and World #2 Maria Sharapova will face off in the Women's Singles Final of the Australian Open, the first grand slam of the year. Serena Williams comes into this match having beaten Maria Sharapova 15 straight times, making her the odds on favorite to win this match. However, this is still a very interesting and intriguing match given how both players have played over the course of this tournament as well as the past calendar year.

     The main point I want to get across is that Maria Sharapova absolutely has a chance of winning this match. She just needs to adjust her game and more importantly believe that she can win. I used to think that Maria Sharapova just didn't have the game to beat Serena Williams, but upon watching her play over the past 18 months, I realize that she does have the game to beat Serena Williams, she just hasn't had the belief.

      I cannot really break down the "belief" aspect of all this, but I can break down some of the things that Sharapova needs to do to win this match. The first thing she needs to do is extend the rallies and not try to out-muscle Serena Williams. Part of Maria's issue has been that like Serena Williams, she is a power player who is used to dictating the points. Maria needs to understand that she can't win short rallies with Serena, but instead needs to extend the rallies and force Serena into making some unforced errors.

     Secondly, Maria Sharapova needs to be making her first serves and winning her service games. She has just as good of a serve as anybody else on the WTA tour and needs to use that to her advantage. If Maria is on point with her serves and gets those easy points, her odds of winning this match go up a ton. If on the other hand she takes a lot of second serves and double-faults, she'll be doomed.

     Lastly, Maria Sharapova needs to capitalize on her break point chances, especially when Serena Williams gives her a second serve. The most important points in tennis are opportunities to break your opponent's serve. If Maria can break Serena's serve when she gets the chance, odds are very good she'll win this match.

     As for Serena Williams, she needs to come out guns blazing with a ton of aggression. Serena knows that she has been in Maria Sharapova's head for a long time and that she can psyche out Maria Sharapova with her power and aggression. The longer the match goes, the more Maria Sharapova will believe she has a chance. Serena needs to keep the points short and try to pounce on Maria Sharapova for a quick 3-0 lead. If Serena Williams can take the first set 6-2, 6-1, or 6-0, the match will essentially be over.

     There really isn't much else Serena Williams needs to do. She just needs to take away any belief that Maria Sharapova has in herself. This match in many ways is as much of a mental war as it is a physical war on the tennis court. If Sharapova believes she can win and maintains that belief throughout the match, it will be a very close match. If Sharapova on the other hand loses all hope, then Serena Williams will steamroll her as usual.

     What is my prediction for this match? I predict that Maria Sharapova will win. I picked her to win the Australian Open in my preview and I'll stick with it. Now, that being stated, I did say that Serena Williams wouldn't reach the Final, but all the same, I'll stick with my pick and say that Maria Sharapova will end her drought against Serena Williams and capture her 6th career grand slam title.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy for tennis news 

2015 Australian Open Preview

Welcome to my preview for the 2015 Australian Open! As I do with all my Grand Slam previews, I list ten things to look for in the tournament. Enjoy!

#1. Victoria Azarenka is the wild card in this event: Azarenka is unseeded in the Australian Open which makes things very interesting since her talent level is that of a top-five player. [1] Serena Williams and [8] Caroline Wozniacki are in her quarter, but she definitely has the game to crash the party and be the one to reach the semifinals. Note: When I say Azarenka is a wild card, I mean she's a wild card in the sense that she's the unknown variable in the event. She is not a "Wild Card" in the literal meaning of the term as it applies to tennis tournaments.

#2. Novak Djokovic has to win it all: Novak Djokovic is usually at his best on the hard courts of Australia. I know he won Wimbledon in 2014, but all the same, if he doesn't win down under, he could be looking ahead at a year in which he doesn't win a Grand Slam.

#3. Maria Sharapova is as far away from Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka as possible: The only two players who Maria Sharapova should fear in this event are Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka. Thankfully for Sharapova, she can only face Serena or Vika in the Final, which means that the draw is very kind to her. This is what she gets rewarded with for earning the #2 seed in the tournament.

#4. We have no idea what to expect from Rafael Nadal: Nadal's health is always a concern on the hard courts which makes it very hard to predict how he will do at the Australian Open. All the same, Nadal was in the Final last year and he is seeded 3rd overall. Nadal will either go out very early or he'll go very deep in the tournament. I expect him to go very deep.

#5. How will Eugenie Bouchard handle the pressure? Eugenie Bouchard has morphed from the pretty darling of the tennis world to a viable threat to win a Grand Slam. Bouchard appears to be focused and driven to handle the pressure, but we will have to wait and see if she delivers.

#6. Does Roger Federer have one more in him? We ask this at every Grand Slam and it appears as though Roger Federer has enough gas in the tank to win one more Grand Slam. This might be a good time for him to get another one given that his main rivals Djokovic, Nadal, and Murray have clouds of doubt hanging over their heads.

#7. Can Sabine Lisicki threaten to win a Grand Slam that isn't on grass? We all know Sabine Lisicki is a threat to win Wimbledon every year. She loves the grass. However, the hard courts haven't exactly been her friend. She's seeded #28 but has to be viewed as a dark horse coming into this event. Maybe this is the non-grass Grand Slam she breaks through on.

#8. Can we really predict the Men's draw? It used to be that we could book some combination of Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, or Federer to be in the Final. But after seeing Marin Cilic and Stanislas Wawrinka win slams last year, we have no reason to be sure that things will return to their normal order. Perhaps there really is a changing of the guard happening.

#9. Look for Maria Sharapova to win the Australian Open: Normally I would pick Serena Williams to win since she is the best player on the planet, but something tells me Serena won't reach the Final this year. In addition, it feels as though Sharapova is due for another title at the Australian Open. Unless she has to face Serena Williams in the Final, I think Sharapova is going to get it done down under.

#10. Look for Novak Djokovic to win the Australian Open: On the men's side, I expect Novak Djokovic to come out on top. Even though there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding men's tennis, Novak Djokovic is still the #1 ranked player in the world for a reason. He loves the Australian Open and is most comfortable on its hard courts. I see Novak Djokovic restoring order in the tennis world and winning his 8th Grand Slam title.

Projected Men's Quarterfinals: [2] Roger Federer vs. [6] Andy Murray. [3] Rafael Nadal vs. [7] Tomas Berdych. [5] Kei Nishkori vs. [4] Stanislas Wawrinka. [1] Novak Djokovic vs. [8] Milos Raonic.

Projected Women's Quarterfinals: [1] Serena Williams vs. [8] Caroline Wozniacki. [4] Petra Kvitova vs. [6] Agnieszka Radwanska. [5] Ana Ivanovic vs. [3] Simona Halep. [7] Eugenie Bouchard vs. [2] Maria Sharapova.

Interesting 1st Round Matchups:  Nicolas Almagro vs. [5] Kei Nishikori. [3] Rafael Nadal vs. Mikhail Youzhny. Sloane Stephens vs. Victoria Azarenka.

---Ben Parker: follow me  on twitter @atp_guy for tennis news