10 things to take away from the 2017 US Open

The 2017 US Open proved to be a very entertaining event. Rafael Nadal won his 16th grand slam title while Sloane Stephens won her first. Below is my list of 10 things to take away from the final grand slam of the season.

#1. Rafael Nadal put himself back in the conversation for greatest of all time: Rafael Nadal has already established himself as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, so it's not like he has anything more to prove. However, if we are talking about who the greatest of all time is, every grand slam title matters. With 16 now under his belt, Nadal is only three grand slam titles shy of Roger Federer's all-time record of 19. Federer still deserves the title of greatest of all-time, but Nadal is making a very compelling case for himself after winning the 2017 US Open.

#2. It's only the beginning for Sloane Stephens: At just 24 years of age, Sloane Stephens continues to get better, breaking through to win her first grad slam title at the 2017 US Open. After suffering a stress fracture in her right foot and falling outside of the top 100, nobody saw this coming. Sloane Stephens' comeback and ability to persevere through adversity speaks very highly of her determination and perspective. It would have been easy for her to give up or think this isn't the year she'll win a grand slam. Instead of listening to the odds, she listened to her heart and it paid off. I have a feeling that we'll see Sloane Stephens win at least a few more grand slams before her career is over.

#3. Kevin Anderson was the feel good story: After having never gone further than the 4th Round at any grand slam, Kevin Anderson had the run of his career all the way to the final before falling to Rafael Nadal. At 31 years of age, Anderson has been through a lot in his career, so it was nice to see him get rewarded with a trip to a grand slam final. I don't know if he'll ever break through to win a grand slam, but even if he never does, this run will be something he'll be able to proudly reflect on for the rest of his career.

#4. Madison Keys will be back: Madison Keys choked in the final against Sloane Stephens. As much as I hate to say it, it's the truth. As well as Stephens played, Keys shouldn't have gone down 3-6, 0-6. There's really no excuse for that. The good news is that at 22 years of age, Keys is still very young and can use this grand slam final as a great learning experience. I'm very confident that the next time she's in a grand slam final, she won't let the moment overwhelm her like it did against Sloane Stephens, who just happens to be one of her closest friends on tour.

#5. Juan Martin Del Potro had a fantastic run of his own: While he wasn't able to get past Rafael Nadal in the semifinals, Juan Martin Del Potro still had a fantastic two weeks at the US Open, taking out Roger Federer in the quarterfinals. As the #24 seed, a lot of people thought he was past his prime and not capable of making another run like this. Del Potro proved that he still has what it takes to do damage at a grand slam. He's definitely a guy to look out for in the 2018 season.

#6. Maria Sharapova had a pretty good comeback: Maria Sharapova did better than a lot of people thought she'd do, upsetting #2 ranked Simona Halep in the first round and making a run to the 4th round. Now that she has her first grand slam back from her suspension behind her, I expect Maria Sharapova to do big things in 2018.

#7. Roger Federer didn't have the tournament he was hoping to have: Falling to Juan Martin Del Potro in the quarterfinals isn't what Roger Federer was planning on when he began the tournament. However, I don't sense this as anything to worry about if you're a Fed fan. He came up short this time, but I expect him to contend for slams in 2018 and possibly beyond.

#8. Simona Halep has to do a lot of soul searching after this one: I don't want to take anything away from Maria Sharapova's tournament, but if you are Simona Halep, you cannot go down in the first round to anyone as the #2 seed. Halep is yet to win a grand slam despite two trips to the French Open final and trips to the semifinals at Wimbledon and the US Open. In the summer, I said Simona Halep needed to step up and break through at a slam in the near future. Right now, I'm not sure if we'll ever see her win one. She's starting to look like another Caroline Wozniacki.

#9. Is this the beginning of something great for Pablo Carreño Busta? Pablo Carreño Busta reached the semifinals and it looks like that may not have been a fluke. He put together his best season on tour, reaching the quarterfinals of the French Open earlier in the year. At 26 years old, he is just starting to enter his prime. Don't be shocked to see more deep runs from this guy in future grand slams. He just might be the real deal.

#10. Serena Williams' absence didn't loom large: Don't get me wrong, women's tennis needs Serena Williams. But with the way things unfolded, it really does look like the future of women's tennis, especially American women's tennis, is very bright. All four semifinalists (Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys, Venus Williams, and CoCo Vandeweghe) were Americans and generated plenty of buzz without Serena. I found this to be a very encouraging sign for women's tennis and where it's heading in a post Williams sisters world.

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10 things to look for at the 2017 US Open

With the US Open starting on Monday, it is time for me to give my list of 10 things to look for at the final grand slam of the season. It should be noted that Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori, Milos Raonic, Victoria Azarenka, Samantha Stosur, and Serena Williams will all miss the event due to either injury or personal reasons.

#1. Can Rafael Nadal ride the #1 wave to the title? Rafael Nadal is now the #1 ranked player in the world as he heads into the US Open thanks to Roger Federer withdrawing from Cincinnati. Nadal hasn't won the US Open since 2013, but with a lot of top names out and the #1 ranking in hand, it's hard to not see Nadal as the favorite right now.

#2. How will Maria Sharapova fair? Maria Sharapova is making her return to the grand slam scene after being granted a wild card to the US Open. Her opponent in the first round is #2 ranked Simona Halep, so it's not as if she was given an easy draw. While the odds are stacked against her, don't be shocked to see Sharapova pull off the first round upset. If Sharapova can find a way to play into the second week, the ratings for this tournament will get a nice boost.

#3. Is this Roger Federer's tournament to lose? Roger Federer has won at Australia and Wimbledon this year. While it is true that Rafael Nadal has the #1 ranking, Federer is right behind him at #3. Given that Federer defeated Nadal in the Australian Open final and is coming off a Wimbledon title, one can make a pretty compelling case for Federer to be the favorite as well.

#4. Can Simona Halep finally break through? Simona Halep is the #2 ranked player in the world, but is yet to win a grand slam. She came close at Roland Garros, falling in the final to Jelena Ostapenko. With Serena Williams, Samantha Stosur, and Victoria Azarenka all out of the tournament, Halep will get another golden opportunity to win her first grand slam. Will she be able to take advantage? That's the million dollar question.

#5. Don't forget about Andy Murray. I feel like Andy Murray is getting overlooked in this event and in many ways it's easy to understand why. He's dealing with a hip injury and hasn't won the event since 2012. All the same, he is the #2 player in the world and has a pretty favorable draw. If the hip isn't too much of a bother, there's no reason to doubt Murray's chances of making a very deep run.

#6. Karolina Pliskova needs to back up her #1 ranking.  Karolina Pliskova has the #1 ranking in the world, but with no grand slam titles, her ranking appears to be hollow. It would be huge for Pliskova to back up her ranking with a title at the US Open. What does have to give Pliskova some confidence is the fact that she reached the final last year. She knows she can win at this event. She just needs to go out and do it.

#7. It's time Grigor Dimitrov does something. Grigor Dimitrov comes in as the #7 seed and #8 ranked player in thew world. Despite his lofty ranking and fame, Dimitrov so far has proved to be all sizzle and no steak. He's never reached a grand slam final and has only reached the semifinals at a grand slam twice (2017 Australian Open and 2014 Wimbledon). At 26 years of age, now is the time that Dimitrov has to start being a more serious threat at grand slams.

#8. Can Angelique Kerber return to glory? Angelique Kerber is currently ranked #6 in the world and hasn't been able to find the same success she had last season in which she won both the Australian Open and US Open. With both Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep looking vulnerable as the top two seeds, there's no reason to doubt Kerber's chances of walking away with the title.

#9. Look for Roger Federer to win it all: I would love to see Rafael Nadal win this event, but given that he hasn't won the US Open since 2013, it is hard for me to pick him to win it all. Federer on the other hand is in quite a groove and already has a hard court grand slam title under his belt this year. I got my money on Federer to win his 20th grand slam in New York City.

#10. Look for Madison Keys to shock the world:  I picked Madison Keys to win it last year and I'm going to double down and say that this is the year Keys breaks through to win her first grand slam. The combination of surface and location make her my favorite right now. She loves the hard courts and should thrive with the American crowd cheering her on. I know she's the #15 seed, but in the WTA, rankings don't really matter when picking grand slams. Madison Keys will win the 2017 US Open. Book it.

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10 things to take away from the 2017 Wimbledon Championships

Before I preview the 2017 US Open, I need to give my list of 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were at Wimbledon.

#1. Roger Federer reminded us that he's the GOAT: Roger Federer defeated Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 to win his 19th grand slam title. By adding on to his record for most grand slam titles of all-time, Federer reminded the tennis world that he is the greatest to ever play the sport. I know there are those who will want to argue a case for Rafael Nadal or possibly Novak Djokovic, but make no mistake, Federer is the greatest of all-time and will be so long as he holds the record. I picked Roger to win the event and he delivered just as I thought he would.

#2. Garbiñe Muguruza is the real deal: Garbiñe Muguruza defeated Venus Williams 7-5, 6-0 to win her second grand slam title. With both a Wimbledon and French Open (2016) title under her belt, Muguruza is half way to a career slam, which is no small feat. In a sport that is very unpredictable, Muguruza is starting to maintain a fairly consistent presence at the grand slams.

#3. Marin Cilic is back to being a contender: After winning the 2014 US Open, many of us expected Marin Cilic to be a more consistent threat to win grand slams. Unfortunately for him, he has not been able to be the type of threat that we were all expecting. By getting back to a grand slam final, perhaps Cilic will finally find his groove and be able to make these kind of deep runs on a more regular basis.

#4. Venus Williams is still a threat: I've been saying for the last couple of years not to sleep on Venus Williams in a grand slam and especially at Wimbledon. Venus backed up my claims by reaching the final. While she came up short, she has to feel good about the tournament that she had. Especially when you consider that she is 37 years old.

#5. Sam Querrey was a pleasant surprise: Nobody would have predicted that Sam Querrey would have been a threat, but he proved the doubters wrong by making it to the semifinals. Whether or not Querrey has turned the corner or not remains to be seen, but it was nice to see him make such a deep run. He's a very beloved and well respected guy on the tour.

#6. Johanna Konta played well under the pressure: It's not easy to play at Wimbledon as a Brit when you consider all the pressure that they have to play under. This pressure didn't seem to faze Johanna Konta, who made a run to the semifinals. I picked her to win the whole thing, so I was disappointed to not see my prediction come to fruition. At the same time, it was also nice to see her make as deep of a run as she did.

#7. Rafael Nadal should feel good about he played: I know that a 4th round exit isn't what Rafael Nadal was hoping for, but when you consider all the early exits he's had at Wimbledon over the past few years, reaching the 4th round was much better than he had done in quite a while. Nadal is still playing elite tennis. It's just that grass isn't really his thing.

#8. Magdalena Rybarikova was the big surprise: Coming into the tournament as the #33 ranked player in the world, nobody saw Magdalena Rybarikova making a run to the semifinals. The WTA is where anything can happen and Rybarikova certainly proved that to be true. It will be interesting to see what kind of momentum Rybarikova can carry over to the US Open after such an impressive run.

#9. How much trouble is Novak Djokovic in? Novak Djokovic lost in the quarterfinals to Tomas Berdych and has since been ruled out for the rest of the season due to an elbow injury. Djokovic is not living up to his standards and expectations, making us wonder whether or not we'll ever see the best of him again. 2017 is the most disappointing season Djokovic has had to date, putting a lot of pressure on him to right the ship in his 2018 campaign.

#10. Angelique Kerber had a disappointing outing: Angelique Kerber came into Wimbledon as the #1 ranked player in the world, but lost that ranking after losing in the 4th round to the eventual champion Garbiñe Muguruza. After winning two grand slams in 2016, Kerber is yet to win one in 2017. It appears as though the #1 ranking got to her head and put a lot of pressure on her.  It will be interesting to see if she plays better without the top ranking hanging over her.

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2017 Wimbledon Preview: 10 things to look for

With Wimbledon beginning on Monday, now is the time for me to make my list of 10 things to look for at the third Grand Slam of the tennis season. Enjoy!

#1. Can Andy Murray repeat at Wimbledon? Andy Murray comes into Wimbledon having lost in the semifinals at Roland Garros. He is the #1 ranked player in the world and is the defending Wimbledon champion. Murray has three grand slam titles under his belt (2012 US Open, 2013 Wimbledon, and 2016 Wimbledon). He has never won the same grand slam in back-to-back years. If he accomplishes that at Wimbledon that will be another major achievement in what is already a hall of fame career.

#2. Can Angelique Kerber bounce back from a disappointing French Open? Angelique Kerber comes into Wimbledon as the #1 ranked player in the world, but her performance at Roland Garros was disappointing, losing in the first round. With Simona Halep right behind her in the rankings, Kerber cannot afford to go out early at Wimbledon. Especially since she has a lot of points to defend, reaching the final last year.

#3. Will the rest pay off for Roger Federer? After winning the Australian Open, Roger Federer decided to skip the French Open so as to be more prepared and rested for Wimbledon. Federer skipped Roland Garros in 2016 as well and went on to reach the semifinals of Wimbledon, so that gives us good reason to think it won’t negatively affect him this year.

#4. How will Jelena Ostapenko perform under the spotlight? After winning her first grand slam title last month at Roland Garros, Jelena Ostapenko is under the greatest spotlight she’s ever experienced. A lot of players have struggled in their next grand slam following their first grand slam title. If Ostapenko can make it to the second week, I’ll be very impressed.

#5. How deep will Novak Djokovic go? Currently ranked #4 in the world, Novak Djokovic is in a funk by his standards. He lost in the 2^nd round at the Australian Open and went down in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. It would be huge for Djokovic to find himself back in a grand slam final after his recent struggles. He really can’t afford to stay in this funk for much longer.

#6. What should we expect from Victoria Azarenka? After having a baby, Victoria Azarenka is back at a grand slam. Currently ranked #678 in the world, it’s hard to know what to expect from the former world #1. The good news for her is that Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are both absent, giving her an opportunity to make a deep run. If I had to place odds on it, I’d say it’s 50/50 odds we see her playing into the second week.

#7. Can Rafael Nadal shock the world and actually win this thing? I know it sounds weird to phrase a Rafael Nadal grand slam title as “shocking” when you consider that he’s won 15. But in truth, it would be rather shocking to see Nadal come out on top at Wimbledon. He hasn’t won the event since 2010 and has only advanced past the 2^nd round once since 2011, making a 4^th round appearance in 2014. It will be very impressive if Nadal finds a way to seriously contend.

#8. Can Venus Williams put aside the car accident? Venus Williams has been dealing with a lot off the court lately, being found responsible for the death of a 78 year old man via a car crash. While what Williams did was an honest mistake and not even technically “criminal”, it still must be hard for her to go out and play tennis with such a cloud hanging over her head. If it wasn’t for this, I would consider her my dark horse to win the event, but right now, I’m not sure if it’s smart to expect her to win more than a couple of matches.

#9. Look for Roger Federer to win it all on the men’s side: After winning the 2017 Australian Open, I’m a firm believer in Roger Federer’s ability to come out on top at this year’s Wimbledon. He’s well rested and appears dialed in to win this thing. He’s the greatest to ever play the sport and also the greatest grass court player of all time. I got my money on Fed.

#10. Look for Johanna Konta to win it all on the women’s side: It’s hard to know who to pick to win the women’s title with Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams both out. Nobody appears to be a clear frontrunner right now, so I’m going to go out on a limb and pick Johanna Konta to win it all. She’s the #6 seed and will have the backing of the Great Britain crowd behind her as the top ranked Brit in the women’s draw. You can call me crazy, but I have Konta winning this thing.

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10 things to take away from the 2017 French Open

With the 2017 French Open now in the books, it is time for me to write my list of 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were at Roland Garros. While there were concerns coming in about the absences of Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Roger Federer, it still proved to be an exciting event.

#1. Rafael Nadal is back: After having not won the title at Roland Garros since 2014, Rafael Nadal is once again the champion of the sole grand slam on clay, defeating Stan Wawrinka 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 in the final. Rafa has won 10 titles at Roland Garros and 15 grand slam titles overall. The King of Clay returned to excellence, dominating the event for two full weeks. Dominic Thiem, the man who everyone thought had a great chance at dethroning Nadal, fell in straight sets 3-6, 4-6, 0-6 when the two faced off. Regardless of what happens to Nadal the rest of the year, all appears to be right in the tennis world with him back on top at his favorite event.

#2. Jelena Ostapenko has arrived: At just 20 years of age, Jelena Ostapenko captured her first career grand slam title, defeating Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the final. With the title, she has now elevated herself to #12 in the world after coming into the event outside the Top 32. Ostapenko made some strides at the Australian Open, reaching the third round, but nobody saw this coming. The big question now is how will she respond at Wimbledon, which is only a couple of weeks away? I'll address that more in my Wimbledon preview, but for now I want to simply acknowledge that a new star may have been born in Jelena Ostapenko.

#3. Stan Wawrinka doesn't need to thrive at Roland Garros tune-up events: Stan Wawrinka failed to reach the quarterfinals at all three masters events on clay. However, that didn't stop him from reaching the final. I found Wawrinka's run to the final to be very impressive considering his lack of success on the dirt coming into the event. Wawrinka reminded us that he's a three-time grand slam champion for a reason.

#4. Can Simona Halep get it done? I hate to bring up the topic of choking when it comes to any elite level athlete, but with Simona Halep it's time we start addressing this head on. She's #2 in the world and lost to an unseeded player in the final. She's come close to winning grand slams on multiple occasions, reaching the French Open final twice (2014 & 2017) and the semifinals at Wimbledon (2014) and the US Open (2015) once.  But for whatever reason she has failed to win a grand slam title. After failing to capitalize on such a golden opportunity, it's fair to wonder whether or not she's got what it takes to win one.

#5. Will a French Open title always elude Andy Murray? Andy Murray doesn't have to prove anything to anybody. He has two Wimbledon titles and one US Open title. He's also reached the Australian Open final five times, so there's good reason to think he'll breakthrough down under at some point. As far as the French Open is concerned, he has found the least success there. He's reached the final just once (2016) and lost in the semifinals this year to Stan Wawrinka. I think it's fair to wonder whether or not Murray will ever be able to get it done at Roland Garros considering that it is by far his weakest grand slam event.

#6. Caroline Wozniacki blew a golden opportunity to win her first grand slam. Caroline Wozniacki lost to the eventual champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 2-6, 2-6 in the quarterfinals, really blowing a golden opportunity to win her first grand slam title. The 11 seeded Wozniacki didn't have Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, or Victoria Azarenka to contend with. It was a wide open draw and a perfect opportunity for her to capture her first grand slam title. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to get the job done and truly does appear to be destined for a career without a grand slam title. She's becoming the modern day Tim Henman of women's tennis.

#7. Should we have expected more from Dominic Thiem? After defeating Rafael Nadal on clay earlier this season, many thought Dominic Thiem had good odds of giving Nadal a serious run for his money at Roland Garros. Unfortunately for Thiem, he fell to Nadal 3-6, 4-6, 0-6 in the semifinals, failing to put up much of a fight. While Thiem did have a good tournament overall, his inability to get one set off of Nadal is pretty disappointing considering all the hype he had coming into the event.

#8. Would Maria Sharapova be the champion had Roland Garros let her play? I don't want to take anything away from Jelena Ostapenko, who had a fantastic event and deservedly won her first grand slam title. All the same, I can't help but wonder whether or not Maria Sharapova would have won the event considering how weak the field was. I guess we'll never know.

#9. How much trouble is Novak Djokovic in? Going down in the quarterfinals is not how Novak Djokovic wanted the French Open to go. The addition of Andre Agassi to his team did not produce the desired results. After falling in the 2nd round at the Australian Open and the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, Djokovic finds himself as the #4 player in the world. With Wimbledon only a couple of weeks away, he better find some answers fast before he's looking back on early exits in the first three grand slams of the year.

#10.  Garbiñe Muguruza didn't do a good job defending her title. After winning the French Open last year, many expected another deep run from Garbiñe Muguruza. Unfortunately for the Spaniard, she got bounced in the 4th round by Kristina Mladenovic. While a 4th round exit isn't terrible, Muguruza didn't live up to her standards, either. She knows she should have done a better job defending her title. Especially considering the absences of so many top players.

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10 things to look for at the 2017 French Open

The French Open at Roland Garros begins on Sunday, May 28 and so it’s time for me to list my 10 things to look for at the second Grand Slam of the tennis season. Click here to view the seeds. Click here to view the draw.

#1. Can anyone stop Rafael Nadal? Rafael Nadal comes into Roland Garros having won clay titles at Monte Carlo (ATP 1000), Barcelona (ATP 500), and Madrid (ATP 1000) while also reaching the semifinals at Rome (ATP 1000) before falling to Dominic Thiem, who is the #6 seed at Roland Garros.

While he is seeded #4, Nadal comes into this event as the heavy favorite to win. Andy Murray has never won the French Open, Novak Djokovic has just one title all season at Doha, which is an Australian Open tune up, Stan Wawrinka failed to reach the quarterfinals at all three ATP 1000 Masters events on clay, and Roger Federer is skipping the event.

Given Nadal’s historical success at Roland Garros and the lack of anyone really emerging as a serious contender, it will be a major disappointment for Nadal and his camp if he doesn’t walk away with his 10^th French Open title.

#2. How much will the absence of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova hurt the women’s competition? Serena Williams will not play in the French Open due to her pregnancy and Maria Sharapova was denied a wild card because of her suspension for doping. Sharapova is eligible to play on the WTA Tour again, but the only way she could have gotten into the French Open this season was through a wild card since her ranking isn’t high enough to play in the qualifying rounds.

With Serena Williams unable to compete, Maria Sharapova’s presence could have given the women’s draw a real boost in terms of ratings and interest. While the French Tennis Federation did what was perhaps the morally right thing to do, they certainly weren’t thinking of their fans or ratings when they decided to not grant her a wild card. If the women’s tournament suffers from a lack of ratings and ticket sales, the decision to not give Sharapova a wild card may come back to haunt the event.

#3.  Is Dominic Thiem the best hope to knock off Rafael Nadal? With Murray, Djokovic, and Wawrinka all looking like long shots to upset Nadal, most people see Dominic Thiem as the guy with the best chances of taking out the King of Clay. Thiem took out Nadal in the quarterfinals at Rome, but lost to Nadal in the previous two clay events in Barcelona and Madrid. Since he has faced Nadal a lot recently and can say he’s beaten him on clay earlier this season, I give Thiem a puncher’s chance at taking out Nadal at Roland Garros, but nothing more than that.

Note: If Thiem were to face Nadal, it would be in the semifinals after a projected quarterfinal match against Djokovic.

#4. Can Angelique Kerber go the distance?  Angelique Kerber comes into this event as the #1 player in the world and with both Serena and Sharapova out, she is on paper the heavy favorite to win it all. The biggest hurdle she faces could be herself. The furthest she’s gone at Roland Garros is the quarterfinals and that was back in 2012. The only player who might be considered the favorite ahead of Kerber is Garbiñe Muguruza, who won the event last year. Unless it’s Muguruza who takes her out, it will be a major disappointment if Kerber doesn’t go all the way.

#5. Will Andre Agassi make the difference for Novak Djokovic? One of the major headlines coming into the French Open is defending champion Novak Djokovic’s decision to hire Andre Agassi as his coach. It’s unclear how long Agassi will work with Djokovic, but he will be his primary coach for the French Open at least. A lot of people see this move as an act of desperation on Djokovic’s end, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad decision. As a player who also most excelled on the hard courts, Agassi can relate well to Djokovic as he tries to go about finding more success on the dirt. Given their similarities, this could be a good pairing.

#6. Will Petra Kvitova make a run? After being sidelined for an extended period of time due to a robber stabbing her hand with a knife, the fact that Petra Kvitova can compete is a miracle and fantastic news. She’s currently the #15 seed and will be making her season debut. The furthest she’s gone at Roland Garros is the semifinals back in 2012, so if I can be honest, I have a hard time seeing her find that same level of success this year.

#7. Can Andy Murray get back to the Final? Andy Murray lost to Novak Djokovic in the final last year. As the #1 seed, Murray has a great shot of getting back for a second straight year. Nadal, Thiem, and Djokovic are all on the opposite side of his draw, which is obviously good news. The biggest threat on his side appears to be Stan Wawrinka and he hasn’t exactly lit the dirt on fire this clay season.

#8. Can Garbiñe Muguruza defend her title? As the defending champion, Garbiñe Muguruza is the biggest threat to Angelique Kerber in this event. She comes in as the #4 seed and would face Kerber in the semifinals should they meet. While I agree that Kerber should be the favorite considering her ranking and recent success, it’s pretty tough to pick against Muguruza at this event. She won it last year and seems to enjoy the clay as much as anyone in the women’s draw.

#9. Will anyone from France step up?  #31 Gilles Simon, #28 Caroline Garcia, #24 Richard Gasquet, #16 Lucas Pouille, #15 Gaël Monfils, #13 Kristina Mladenovic, and #12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are the seeded players from France in both the men’s and women’s draws. At every Grand Slam, players from the home country always have a bit more pressure on them to deliver the goods and represent their country with pride.

Sadly for France, they’ve not had a champion at Roland Garros in quite a while. Yannick Noah is the last Frenchman to win the event back in 1983 while Mary Pierce is the last Frenchwoman to win the event back in 2000. Odds look slim that either drought will end this year.

#10. Can Karolina Pliskova back up her ranking? Karolina Pliskova is ranked #3 in the world and with Serena Williams out, she’s the #2 seed at Roland Garros. She’s been playing some fantastic tennis as of late, reaching the final of the 2016 US Open and the quarterfinals of the 2017 Australian Open.

However, she’s not found success at Grand Slams away from the hard courts, failing to get past the second round at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. On the clay this season, her results haven’t given us any reason to think she’ll have much improvement. She lost in the quarterfinals at Stuttgart, the Round of 32 in Prague, the Round of 32 in Madrid, and quarterfinals in Rome. If I can be honest, I’ll be surprised to see her survive into the second week.

Predictions: As far as my predictions go, I have Rafael Nadal defeating Andy Murray in the men’s final 7-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 to win his 10^th French Open title. In the women’s draw, I have Garbiñe Muguruza defeating Simona Halep in the final 6-4, 6-3 to win her second French Open title.

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10 things to take away from the 2017 Australian Open

With the 2017 Australian Open now behind us, it is time for me to give my list of 10 things to take away from the first Grand Slam of the year. Enjoy! 

#1. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are back! While there could only be one Grand Slam winner, both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal showed the tennis world that they are back to elite level form after both reaching the men's singles final. Roger Federer won his 18th Grand Slam title after five sets and is now hunting for #19. At the moment, I would have to consider Federer the favorite to win Wimbledon after what we saw from him in Australia. As for Rafael Nadal, he's my pick to win the French Open. Expect both Federer and Nadal to have strong 2017 seasons and continue to put more pressure on Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. 

#2. The Williams Sisters rivalry has been rejuvenated: Serena Williams captured her 23rd Grand Slam title, defeating her older sister Venus Williams in the final. Seeing Venus and Serena battle for a Grand Slam title was just as much of a joy for tennis fans to watch as it was to watch Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal square off one more time. While the rivalry never went away, it received new life after the Australian Open. I've always felt Venus has one more Grand Slam title in her and after what we saw, I think Wimbledon is looking very attainable for her. As for Serena, she's the greatest to ever play the women's game and she once again reminded us of that. 

#3. Grigor Dimitrov has finally arrived: We've been waiting for Grigor Dimitrov, a.k.a. Baby Federer, to make an impact at a Grand Slam and he certainly did in Australia by reaching the semifinals before falling to Rafael Nadal in five sets.  This was his first semifinal appearance at a Grand Slam since the 2014 Wimbledon, so it's been a while since he's gone this far. Dimitrov appears to have turned a corner of sorts in his career, so I would expect him to make more deep runs in Grand Slams going forward.  

#4. Coco Vandeweghe has arrived, too: Coco Vandeweghe reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at the 2017 Australian Open, improving her ranking to #20 in the world. Vandeweghe has always been known for being one of the hardest hitting players on the WTA Tour, but nobody was quite sure how much damage she would ever do at a Grand Slam. I think reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open answered those questions and at just 25 years of age, we should expect her to make more semifinals in the future and possibly win a Grand Slam. 

#5. Novak Djokovic had a really disappointing event: Novak Djokovic lost in the 2nd round to Denis Istomin in five sets. To say the least, that is not how the #2 player in the world expected things to go. With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal experiencing a renaissance, Novak Djokovic has his work cut out for him this season if he is to win any Grand Slam. Djokovic fans shouldn't worry too much, though. Djokovic is still the #2 player in the world with plenty of years ahead of him. We are certainly not done seeing him win Grand Slams, but it is still disappointing for him to flame out so early. 

#6. Angelique Kerber didn't back up her #1 status: After going down in the 4th round to Coco Vandeweghe, Angelique Kerber ended up losing her #1 ranking to Serena Williams, who won the title. This was an opportunity for Kerber to show the world she's the top ranked player for a reason and she didn't deliver. Granted, she won the Australian Open and US Open in 2016, so it's not like she didn't earn that ranking, but when you come in as the top ranked player, you have to do more than go out in the 4th round. It'll be interesting to see how Kerber responds at Roland Garros. 

#7. Andy Murray likewise didn't back up his #1 status: The good news for Andy Murray is that he is still ranked #1 in the world after falling to Mischa Zverev in the 4th round. The bad news is that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal appear to be back in full force. Andy Murray absolutely earned that #1 ranking and still deserves to be recognized as such, but if you are looking to send a firm message to the rest of the ATP Tour that you are #1 in the world, going down in the 4th round at the first Grand Slam of the year doesn't accomplish that goal. 

#8. Stanislas Wawrinka quietly reminded us that he's still very dangerous: Stanislas Wawrinka has won three grand slam titles (2014 Australian Open, 2015 French Open, and 2016 US Open), but for whatever reason doesn't get treated as being in the same league as Andy Murray, who also has three Grand Slam titles (2012 US Open, 2013 Wimbledon, and 2016 Wimbledon).  By reaching the semifinals at the Australia Open, Wawrinka once again sent a message that we cannot forget about him at any Grand Slam. 

#9. Mirjana Lucic-Baroni is another player who has "arrived": If you hadn't heard of Mirjana Lucic-Baroni before the Australian Open, that's ok. But after reaching the semifinals, you better know who she is now. She improved her ranking from #79 to #30 and took out #5 Karolina Pliskova in the quarterfinals to get there. It will be interesting to see if Mirjana Lucic-Baroni can remain a fixture in the second week of Grand Slams or if these two weeks at Australia was simply the best she'll ever do. Only time will tell. 

#10. Milos Raonic missed an opportunity: With Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray both going down early, world #3 Milos Raonic missed an opportunity to win his first Grand Slam title. He should feel a little bit better knowing he fell to Rafael Nadal, but nonetheless, until he wins a Grand Slam title, he'll look back at the 2017 Australian Open as a missed opportunity. 

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10 things to look for at the 2017 Australian Open

The Australian Open starts on Monday and so it is time for me to share my list of 10 things to look for in the first grand slam of the 2017 tennis season. Enjoy!

1. How will Nick Kyrgios perform? Amid all of the controversy that he has created during these past few months, largely with Tennis Australia, Nick Kyrgios comes in as the #13 player in the world (#14 overall seed). There's no denying the talent that Nick Kyrgios has. He has phenomenal athleticism and is a multi-dimensional player on the court. What's getting in the way is his head and his inability to stay out of trouble. He's a lot like his fellow countryman Bernard Tomic in this way. Anyways, it will be interesting to see if Nick Kyrgios can put his suspension and other issues aside and deliver the goods in front of the home fans. Anything less than a 4th round appearance would be a major disappointment for the Aussie.

2. Will Johanna Konta make another deep run? Johanna Konta comes in as the 9th overall seed and is looking to make another deep run down under. The 25 year old Brit burst onto the tennis scene last year with a run all the way to the semifinals at the Australian Open and established herself as one of the top players in the world for the rest of the season. Now that she's no longer under the radar it will be interesting to see how she handles the pressure of being a top ranked player.

3. How will Roger Federer perform after all the time off? Roger Federer comes in as the #17 overall seed in the tournament, which is much lower than where we are used to seeing him. As a matter of fact I believe it's been well over a decade since he's been seeded at a grand slam outside of the top ten. The word out of Roger Federer's camp appears to be that of optimism. The thinking is that all of this time off and rest has helped Roger Federer rejuvenate himself and return to his elite self. Roger Federer doesn't need to win this event to show that he's elite, but he does need to get passed the 5th seeded Kei Nishikori so that he can face the top seed Andy Murray in the quarterfinals. If Federer plays Murray tough in the quarterfinals, there is reason to believe he'll have a strong season. If Federer flames out earlier than the quarterfinals, then that will indicate he has a lot more work to do.

4. How will Samantha Stosur play in front of the home fans? As the 18th seed, there really isn't too much pressure on Samantha Stosur to go deep, which knowing her might be a good thing. It will be interesting to see if Sam Stosur is able to make a bit of a run and benefit from the Aussie crowd for once.

5. Will Marin Cilic finally make a run down under? Marin Cilic might be the #7 overall seed in the Australian Open, but that doesn't automatically mean he's destined to go far. Cilic was knocked out in the 3rd round last year and has only reached the semifinals of the Australian Open once back in 2010. If you are looking for a dark horse to go all the way at a hard court grand slam, the 2014 US Open champion would be a pretty good guy to put money on. However, the fact that he's had such limited success at the Australian Open is good reason to doubt his chances of going far. Personally, I consider Cilic a dark horse and I am very curious of as to whether or not he goes far or crashes out early.

6. Are we destined for another Kerber-Williams final? Last season, #1 Angelique Kerber and #2 Serena Williams met in the Australian Open final with Kerber coming out on top. They combined for six grand slam finals appearances last season and once again appear to be the strong favorites to win their respective halves of the draw.  If I can be honest, I see no reason to not think they'll be back, but in the world of professional tennis, anything can happen in a grand slam. Should they meet in the final, it should prove to be a very exciting and interesting match.

7. Can Andy Murray finally breakthrough at the Australian Open? Andy Murray is now #1 in the world and has proven himself worthy of it. However, he has never won the Australian Open, which makes some people question whether or not to pick him to win. Personally, I have my money on Murray to finally breakthrough and win, but it will be no easy task. Especially if Novak Djokovic is waiting for him in the final.

8. How will the absence of big names affect the women's draw? There are a lot of big names that are missing from the women's draw. Petra Kvitova is out due to being attacked by some crazy person with a knife. Odds are good she misses half of the season.  Maria Sharapova is out until the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany in April due to her suspension and Victoria Azarenka is out due to being pregnant. With all of these big names out, it will be interesting to see how eventful this Australian Open will be. History suggests there will be some surprises but from whom is really difficult to figure out. As far as a larger picture is concerned, the absence of those three players seems to indicate that odds are very good we will see Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber in the final.

9.  Will Novak Djokovic once again reign supreme? Novak Djokovic is the #2 seed in this tournament, but the Australian Open is still the grand slam where he has been most successful due to the conditions of the courts and the environment. He thrives on the faster hard courts and has no problem playing in the heat. Whether or not Novak Djokovic once again establishes himself as the top player at the Australian Open will be a major story to follow.

#10. Will Agnieszka Radwanska break through? Agnieszka Radwanska is the #3 seed and has put herself in a good position to return to the semifinals. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to go further than that last year but with another year under her belt, maybe this is the year Radwanska finally wins her first slam. I'll say this: If either Angelique Kerber or Serena Williams goes down before the semifinals, Radwanska has to take full advantage. If they both go down before the semifinals, then she'll be the odds on favorite to win. I'm not saying Radwanska can't win so long as Serena and Angelique are in it. What I am saying is that Radwanska has put herself in a great position to win her first grand slam and she has to take full advantage and play her very best tennis. She won't get very many more opportunities like this. Especially with players like Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova, and Victoria Azarenka out.

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Looking back on the career of Ana Ivanovic

                                          Credit: NAPARAZZI. Click here for source

 In what came as surprising news to some, Ana Ivanovic called it a career on December 28, 2016, just days before the New Year.

Ivanovic announced the decision live on her Facebook page, saying:

"I've decided to retire from professional tennis. It has been a difficult decision, but there is so much to celebrate. I began dreaming about tennis when I was five and saw Monica Seles play live on TV. My dear parents backed me all the way, by the time I was ranked number one in the world and I won Roland Garros in 2008, I've seen the heights I've never dreamed of achieving, I won 15 WTA Tour titles, 3 Grand Slam finals, Fed Cup finals, and I played so many memorable matches. But seeing those heights in any professional sports dream requires top physical form and it's been well known that I've been hampered by injuries. So for myself, for all my fans, and all these young girls and boys who might be watching me, I can only play if I can perform up to my own high standards." 


After a 13 year career on the WTA Tour, Ana Ivanovic no longer feels like she has the ability to play up to the level that she wants to play at. She doesn't want to be somebody who is on the court well past her prime. At the moment, she is ranked #63 in the world and rather than trying to battle back into the top-25, she has instead decided to move on to the next chapter of her life. As hard of a decision as this is for any athlete, a lot of it boils down to what you want out of the sport that you are competing in and for Ana Ivanovic, playing professional tennis isn't worth doing if she can't stay healthy and play up to the standards that she expects to play at.

Ana Ivanovic doesn't want her fans to see her not play her best and that is something that I can respect. Too often, professional athletes are solely focused on collecting their next pay check and not thinking about the fact that they have fans that want them to play at their highest level. Ana Ivanovic doesn't want to go out there and not give the fans what they are hoping to see. She understands that professional sports is as much about the fans and entertainment as it is about competition.

When looking back on the career of Ana Ivanovic, it is clear that she accomplished a lot. She won the French Open at Roland Garros in 2008, reached #1 in the world, and for 11 straight seasons finished the season ranked inside the top-25. To compete on the WTA Tour for 13 seasons alone is incredible, but to have 11 straight seasons of being a top-25 player is truly remarkable due to the grueling nature of the tour. While she didn't win multiple Grand Slams like many expected her to, she still walks away from the sport of tennis as a hall of fame player and one of the best players of her generation.

As far as what is next for Ana Ivanovic, she says she is going to be an ambassador for the sport of tennis, get more involved with UNICEF, and spend more time pursuing other hobbies and interests. Ultimately, she hopes to stay involved in the game of tennis and give back. She has certainly been a classy player for her entire career and I wish her success in her future endeavors. The sport of tennis will miss watching her play, but it is comforting to know that she will do all she can to stay connected to the sport now that her playing career is over.

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Note: Look for my Australian Open preview to be published over the weekend. It starts Monday, January 16.