10 things to take away from the 2019 US Open

                                         (AP Photo) 

I'm long overdue to write this, but never fear, my grand slam recaps and previews always come! Below is my list of 10 things to take away from the 2019 US Open. Enjoy!

#1. Rafael Nadal is a serious contender for GOAT: By defeating Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 to win his 19th grand slam title, Rafael Nadal is now just one grand slam title shy of Roger Federer's all-time mark of 20. I know the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate is a fluid one and it changes with every grand slam, but one thing that has to remain permanent is Rafael Nadal's presence in that conversation. He's won every grand slam at least once and in an era featuring Federer and Novak Djokovic, he very well may walk out with the most grand slam titles. To me, what matters is how many grand slams you get. The fact that most of his grand slams (12) have come at Roland Garros doesn't diminish his record at all. If anything, it enhances it. He's the undisputed GOAT on clay and when you look at how he's done at the Australian Open (1), Wimbledon (2), and US Open (4), it's hard to say he's not deserving of the overall GOAT title as well.

#2. Bianca Andreescu is for real: At just 19 years of age, Bianca Andreescu won her first grand slam title at the 2019 US Open, defeating Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5 in the final. Andreescu showed that she's not afraid of the big moments and eager to have a dominant career on the WTA Tour. If she can stay healthy and keep at the rate she's going, there's no reason to doubt her ability to win a few more grand slams before it's all said and done.

#3. Daniil Medvedev is going to win his share of grand slams: While he didn't win it all this time around, when you look at the way he's been cleaning up on tour this summer and fall, it's clear to all of us that Daniil Medvedev is going to be a force on the men's tour for a long time. What also helps him out is the fact that Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic are entering the back end of their careers, so he should have some time to dominate once they leave.

#4. Serena Williams is still knocking on the door: Serena Williams is still knocking on the door when it comes to catching Margaret Court's mark of 24 grand slam titles. She's stuck at 23 and while I still think she'll pass Court, each grand slam that she doesn't win is a missed opportunity. If she doesn't pass Court by the end of next season, one will have to start wondering if she ever will.

#5. Maybe Grigor Dimitrov has some life: Grigor Dimitrov had a great tournament, defeating Roger Federer in the quarterfinals before falling to Medvedev in the semifinals. He's had a bit of an up and down career, going from being one of the top up and coming players on tour to having everyone give up on him. Hopefully for him, the 2019 US Open will be a catalyst to a strong 2020 season.

#6. Naomi Osaka needs to wake up: After having a dream run to win the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open, Naomi Osaka hasn't won a grand slam title since and had a disappointing outing in the 2019 US Open, losing to Belinda Bencic 7-5, 6-4 in the 4th round. Currently ranked #3 in the world, Osaka still has a lot to feel good about, but she's gotta find a way to recapture the magic. This will absolutely be one of my things to look for when I do my 2020 Australian Open preview.

#7. Roger Federer needs to win another slam if he wants any hope of keeping his record safe: It's a harsh world Roger Federer lives in. He goes from being the most dominant tennis player of all-time and appearing to be a lock to have the most grand slam titles to being in serious jeopardy of seeing his record surpassed by Nadal and Djokovic. I guess he has a little taste for what Pete Sampras went through when he saw his mark of 14 not stand for too long.

The one good news for Federer is he's still playing and thus still has time to extend his record. If he wants to walk away with the most grand slams, I think he has to win at least one more and probably more than that. Nadal is hot on his heels and Djokovic isn't far behind. It's truly a crazy and exciting era of tennis that we are witnessing!

#8. CoCo Gauff is still a work in progress: CoCo Gauff's third round exit reminds us that she's still a work in progress and has a ways to go before she becomes a serious contender at grand slams. The good news for her is she's only 15 years old and has plenty of years to be a force on tour. I don't doubt that she'll one day get there, but I'm of the opinion that it may take her at least a couple more years to reach her first grand slam final. It'll be interesting to see what 2020 brings her.

#9. The US Open isn't as friendly to Novak Djokovic as we think: We've seen Djokovic struggle to stay healthy towards the end of the season and the 2019 US Open was just another data point as he lost to Stan Wawrinka in the 4th round via retirement. When we think of what surface Djokovic is best on, we think of hard court, which is why you would expect him to have more than three US Open titles. Ironically, he has more Wimbledon titles (5) and has only really found consistent success at the Australian Open (7 titles). I'm not saying Djokovic is done winning US Opens, but if there's anything that history tells us, it's that he is not a lock by any means to win it.

#10. Will Madison Keys ever win a grand slam? I hate to ask this question because I like her a lot, but after losing in the 4th round to Elina Svitolina, one has to wonder whether or not Madison Keys will ever win a grand slam title. Her trip to the 2017 US Open final is starting to feel like a while ago and with other talented players coming up who are winning grand slams, it's not going to get any easier for Keys in the coming years. I'm rooting for her as much as anyone, but I would be lying to you if I said I didn't have my doubts. 2020 is going to be a big year for her.

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10 things to look for at the 2019 US Open

The 2019 US Open begins on Monday in Flushing, New York. Below is my list of 10 things to look for. Click here to check out the draws. Enjoy!

#1. Can Naomi Osaka get back on track? After back-to-back grand slam titles at the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open, Naomi Osaka struggled at the French Open (3rd Round exit) and Wimbledon (1st Round exit). Despite her shaky outings in Paris and London, Osaka is still ranked #1 in the world and expected to make a deep run at the US Open now that she's back on the hard courts. One of the major things to look for at this year's US Open is whether or not Osaka can get back on track and make a deep run or if she'll once again stumble early on. There's a ton of pressure on her at this event. It'll be interesting to see how she handles it.

#2. Can Rafael Nadal win his fourth US Open? Rafael Nadal has struggled to win grand slams away from the clay at Roland Garros (12 titles), winning the Australian Open once, Wimbledon twice, and the US Open three times. If it were any other player, you would say those are really good numbers, but when you're talking about a guy in the GOAT discussion, not so much.

If there's reason to give Nadal some hope at this year's US Open, it's the fact that he won it all in 2017 and reached the semifinals last year. There's no reason to doubt his chances if you look at the recent history. It'll be interesting to see if he can build on that momentum and make another deep run this year.

#3. Will this be the time Serena Williams ties Margaret Court? Serena Williams (23) is one grand slam title shy of Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 and if there's an event for her to tie it at, the US Open should be the place. Serena is seeded #8 overall and appears to be building momentum towards another grand slam title, judging by her run to the final at Wimbledon. While I think she still has plenty of time left to catch Court, it would be nice for her to get this over sooner than later. I expect her to come out hungry and focused as a result.

#4. Will someone other than the big three win the men's title? Over the years, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have dominated the men's tour, leaving few opportunities for others to win a grand slam. If there's one event where the door has been left open at least a little bit, it's been the US Open. If you look back at the past 10 US Opens, you'll find that four players outside of that elite group (Juan Martin Del Potro, Andy Murray, Marin Cilic, and Stan Wawrinka) have won the men's singles title.  During that same stretch no one outside of the big three has won the French Open, just one has won the Australian Open (Wawrinka) and just one has won Wimbledon (Murray twice).

For whatever reason (I think health is a big factor this time of year), the US Open has been that one slam where someone aside from the big three has been able to win the title with at least some regularity. I don't know if it'll happen this year, but history tells us it's certainly possible. #7 Kei Nishikori and #8 Stefanos Tsitsipas come to mind as guys who could possibly break through.

#5. Can Simona Halep make a deep run? On the surface, this seems like a dumb question considering the beat down Simona Halep delivered to Serena Williams at this year's Wimbledon final. But, when you consider that she has lost in the first round at the past two US Opens, you suddenly realize this isn't such a dumb question. The US Open has not been kind to Halep these past couple of years, but perhaps her success at Wimbledon will give her a new sense of confidence that she's been lacking at this event.

#6. Can Roger Federer end his dry spell at the US Open? Roger Federer won the US Open five years in a row between 2004 and 2008. He hasn't won it before or since, which is kind of odd considering his longevity and consistency. Part of that speaks to the random nature of the US Open that I was addressing earlier. Regardless, Federer is playing too well to ignore.

#7. Will American women make a deep run? Right behind #8 Serena Williams is a pair of talented Americans in #10 Madison Keys and #11 Sloane Stephens. Both faced off in the 2017 women's final with Stephens coming out victorious in a very emotional match. They've proven they can succeed at this event and should not be counted out. In addition to them, there are other American women like Sofia Kenin, Amanda Anisimova, Danielle Collins, and Alison Riske that could make a run as well. The US Open typically is a good event for American women and this year should be no exception.

#8. Will any American man do something? The bar is much lower for American men. If one of them could even reach the 4th round, that would be a big deal. The only two Americans on the men's side who might be able to get into the second week are #14 John Isner and #26 Taylor Fritz. Unless those guys really step up, American men's tennis once again projects to be a dud.

#9. Look for Serena Williams to win it all: I don't think it's a slam dunk, but at the end of the day, I got Serena Williams winning it all on the women's side. She seems motivated and hungry to tie Margaret Court's record. Wimbledon was close and this time I think she finishes the job.

#10. Look for Novak Djokovic to win it all: On the men's side, it's really tough to pick against Novak Djokovic, who has won three of the last four grand slam titles. He's killer on the hard courts and is coming in with a ton of confidence. He is without question the heavy favorite.

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10 things to take away from 2019 Wimbledon

                                               (Credit: Thomas Lovelock/AELTC VIA GETTY) 


With Wimbledon now behind us, it is time for me to recap the two weeks that were at the All England  Club. Enjoy!

#1. The GOAT discussion is very much a debate on the men's side: Novak Djokovic defeated Roger Federer 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 in an epic final that had huge ramifications on the all-time grand slam singles title race. Instead of having a six title cushion on Djokovic, Federer now only has a four title lead, raising serious questions about who will walk away with the most grand slam titles.

At the moment, Federer is #1 all-time with 20 grand slam singles titles, Rafael Nadal is #2 with 18, and Djokovic is #3 with 16. Personally, I think it is still too early to say who the greatest of all-time is and that we'll probably have to wait until all three of these guys are retired before we can weigh in with a final judgment. Even then it will probably still be a hotly contested debate.

Regardless of how things shake out in the future, I think we can all agree that Djokovic is making a very strong case to be the greatest ever. In an era with Federer and Nadal dominating the sport, he has found a way to gain ground on both of them in the race for most grand slam titles. It's insane.

#2. Simona Halep has arrived: After going through a period where she couldn't get over the hump, Simona Halep now has two grand slam titles under her belt, dominating Serena Williams 6-2, 6-2 in the ladies' final. Even more impressively, Halep has won a grand slam both on the clay courts of Roland Garros and the grass courts of Wimbledon. That just goes to show how versatile her game is.

Given how wide open the women's game is, there's no reason to doubt Halep's ability to win several more grand slams before all of this is over. She's only 27 years old and appears to have finally "figured it out" so to speak. In a post-Serena Williams world, it could be Halep that reigns supreme over women's tennis.

#3. Roger Federer still has a lot of tennis left in him: As disappointing as it was to see Roger Federer blow two match points on his serve, the silver lining for Fed fans in all of this is that their man still has plenty of high level tennis left in him despite turning 38 next month. So long as he wants to keep playing at a high level and put himself in positions to extend his grand slam record, Federer will be able to do so.

What a lot of people wonder is how Fed is able to keep playing at such a high level. The answer seems to lie in his conditioning and playing style. He takes really good care of himself and his strokes are so fluid that they don't take much of a toll on his body. He's sort of like Tom Brady that way. While it's hard to predict how much longer Fed will be playing, I think it's safe to say that he'll play for as long as he wants to. I don't see any reason to doubt his ability to play when he's 40 and possibly beyond that. It's truly remarkable what he's doing.

#4. Serena Williams needs to play more tournaments: So far this year, Serena Williams has only played the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami, Rome, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon. Indian Wells, Miami, and Rome were all early exits, so it's really just been the grand slams where she's made any sort of push.

It's no secret that Serena is dealing with a lot of different things at once. She's a mom, newly married, and also trying to be a voice for social change. This is why Billie Jean King suggested she just focus on the tennis for now. Personally, I don't think those other things are a problem for Serena so long as they don't keep her away from playing more tournaments.

Right now, Serena Williams is still chasing Margaret Court's all-time grand slam singles titles record of 24 and time is not on her side. If she wants to pass catch Court's record and pass it by the end of 2020, she'll have to start playing more tournaments. Prior to this year's US Open, she will be playing Toronto, so hopefully that will help her get more comfortable playing in finals against some of the top players on tour. Not having played a seeded player until the final against Halep seemed to really hurt her.

#5. The rest of the men's tour has a lot of catching up to do: We are truly living in a golden age of tennis as we watch Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal all duke it out for all-time great supremacy. The only downside of this era is that the rest of the ATP World Tour isn't giving them much of a challenge. Alexander Zverev doesn't seem close to winning a grand slam, Kei Nishikori doesn't seem to have enough weapons, and world #8 Karen Khachanov along with #9 Daniil Medvedev and #10 Fabio Fognini seem to be pretty irrelevant despite their lofty rankings.

If there were two guys on tour who give me any sort of hope it's #4 Dominic Thiem and #6 Stefanos Tsitsipas. Both aren't afraid of the big moments and seem to have the right mentality. I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them break through relatively soon, but the rest of the tour really needs to wake up.


#6. Naomi Osaka needs to figure out how to do well away from the hard courts: Naomi Osaka's struggles away from the hard court have been well documented on here as of late. After a 3rd Round exit at Roland Garros, Osaka followed that up with an even bigger dud at Wimbledon, losing in the 1st Round. Even though she is ranked #2 in the world, it's clear that Osaka needs to figure out how to be better on both clay and grass. She has a lot of points to defend as the defending US Open and Australian Open champion and with better results at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, she wouldn't have so much pressure to deliver at those two events.

#7. Novak Djokovic is the best in the world right now: While the GOAT debate is very fluid and ever changing, one thing that is certain is that Novak Djokovic is the top men's tennis player in the world right now. He's won two grand slams this year and has effectively been the top player since his dominating season in 2011 in which he won three out of the four grand slams. If he keeps at the pace he's on, it's hard to not see him winning the most grand slam titles when it's all said and done.

#8. Coco Gauff could be the next star of American women's tennis: American women's tennis has a lot of up and coming talent to get excited about and Coco Gauff is one of them. At just 15 years of age, Gauff reached the 4th Round of Wimbledon, knocking off Venus Williams in her opening round match. Gauff had a fantastic breakthrough tournament and looks to make even more noise at the US Open.

Personally, I think the hype is a bit premature and that she needs more seasoning before she can become a consistent presence in the second week of grand slams. That said, I don't see any reason to doubt that that seasoning will come. It's going to be fun to follow her in the coming years.

#9. Rafael Nadal can still hold his own on the grass: Given that he hasn't won Wimbledon since 2010, it's fair to question how big of a threat Rafael Nadal is at this event. He's dominant on the clay and has found better success on the hard courts. Especially at the US Open, which he has won three times. After his run to the semis at Wimbledon this year, I think he proved himself to still be a threat. I don't know if he'll win another Wimbledon or not, but given the right breaks and opportunities, I don't see why not.

#10. Women's tennis is wide open: I've always said predicting women's tennis results is as easy as throwing a dart on a board and seeing which name you randomly hit. So far, no one has been able to prove me wrong. The only real consistent force on the women's side has been Serena Williams, though as I mentioned above, Simona Halep is starting to establish herself as well. Everyone else has been very up and down. It's tempting to pick the most recent non-Serena grand slam winner to catch fire and start to dominate, but every time someone else comes out of nowhere to take their place.

 E.g. I thought Victoria Azarenka would go on to dominate the tour after she won her second Australian Open, but she instead fell off the map. Her whole situation is kinda weird, though. LOL

This isn't all bad as it makes for some very interesting tournaments. Especially since the men's game is so top heavy with very few instances of someone breaking through to take out Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic. Personally, I would like to see the men's game become a bit more like the women's game in terms of having more upsets and the women's game become more like the men's and have more consistency at the top, but this is the world we live in, so we might as well enjoy it.

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10 things to look for at 2019 Wimbledon

Wimbledon begins on Monday, which means it is time for me to write my list of 10 things to look for at the lone grass court grand slam. If you haven't yet checked out the draws, click here. If you missed my recent recap of the French Open, click here.

#1. Can Rafael Nadal prove the seeding committee wrong? When it comes to seeding players, Wimbledon marches to the beat of their own drum, not always following the ATP rankings. A prime example of this is seeding world #3 Roger Federer #2 over world #2 Rafael Nadal. Nadal expressed some frustration about this earlier in the week, saying that Wimbledon needs to reward players who have the higher ranking. As for Federer, he is saying players need to "deal with it." Click here for more on this controversy.

Personally, I don't have an issue with grand slams seeding players as they see fit. I think Nadal should be seeded #1 at Roland Garros regardless of what his ranking is. His dominance on clay speaks for itself. Similarly, Federer has done a better job on grass than Nadal and thus deserves a nod in the seedings. Of course Nadal plans to use this for motivation. It'll be interesting to see if this will fuel him to make a deep run or if the Lawn Tennis Association will be proven right in their seedings.

#2. Will Ashleigh Barty defend her #1 ranking? After winning the French Open, Ashleigh Barty is now ranked #1 in the world and eager to prove that she belongs atop the women's game. There's no better way for her to prove that she belongs atop the rankings than for her to have a strong outing at Wimbledon, an event where she's never gotten past the third round.

#3. Should Novak Djokovic be favored to repeat as Wimbledon champion? On the surface, Novak Djokovic seems like the logical favorite to win Wimbledon. He's #1 in the world and is the defending champion. That said, his success at Wimbledon has been mixed over the years (four titles in 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2018). He's not as automatic on the grass as he is on the hard courts. While I do think Djokovic should be the favorite and he is my pick, it'll be interesting to see if anyone is able to give him a scare early and make things tougher than expected.

#4. Can Naomi Osaka make a deep run? World #2 Naomi Osaka has won the last two hard court grand slams (Australian Open and US Open), but has struggled to find similar success on clay and on grass. She's never gotten past the 3rd round at either the French Open or Wimbledon, so it's far from a guarantee that we'll see her in the second week. If Osaka wants to truly establish herself as an all-time great, she'll have to start winning away from the hard courts.

#5. Can Roger Federer go the distance? As mentioned earlier, Roger Federer is seeded #2 ahead of Rafael Nadal for his superior play on the grass, making everyone think we'll see a Djokovic/Fed final. After not having won Wimbledon since 2012, Federer won Wimbledon again in 2017, showing that he's still capable of winning on the grass. I don't think two years makes that much of a difference considering how well Fed has been playing, but given that he's 37 years old, it's fair to wonder whether he should really be considered the favorite given his age and mileage.

#6. Will Serena Williams overcome her seed? Serena Williams is seeded #11, giving her a tougher road than she is used to having. Given how wide open women's tennis is, it's tempting to pick Williams, but it should be noted that she is 37 years old and hasn't won Wimbledon since 2016. The key for her will be to make sure she can survive the first few rounds and get herself into the second week. If she can avoid an early upset, one has to really like her chances.

#7. Alexander Zverev needs to take advantage of his draw: At Roland Garros, Alexander Zverev ran into Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals, getting a tough break in the draw. This time, the #6 seeded Zverev is projected to face #4 seeded Kevin Anderson in the quarterfinals. Anderson made the final last year, so it's not like he's an easy opponent. That said, you can bet Zverev would rather face Anderson than Djokovic in the quarterfinals. In my French Open recap, I said Zverev has to take advantage of future opportunities with a better draw and this is one of those opportunities.

#8. Can Johanna Konta take advantage of home court? It's time for me to add a little British flavor to my preview, so let me address Johanna Konta, who is seeded #19 in the women's draw. If there's any Brit to make a run at Wimbledon, it's definitely Konta. She's been to the semifinals before and could be in for another run this year. If there's any dark horse on the women's side, it's definitely her.

#9. Can Kevin Anderson get back to the final? Kevin Anderson's run to the final last year has earned him the #4 seed in the tournament, positioning him well to make another deep run. At 6'8", he brings a powerful serve and a style that suits that grass well. While he's not my pick to win it all, I do think Anderson is a legit threat to go the distance. Even after what I said about Zverev.

#10. Look for Petra Kvitova to win it all: I picked Novak Djokovic to win it all on the gentlemen's side and now I'm picking Petra Kvitova to win it all on the ladies' side. She's back from her hand injury and now ranked #6 in the world. It would truly be the feel good story of the year to see Kvitova win her third Wimbledon title and I really think it could happen. Her left-handed serve throws people off and she has great timing up at the net, which is a must for grass court tennis. Given how wide open the field is, I really think Kvitova has as good of a chance as anyone else.

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10 things to take away from the 2019 French Open

                                         (Corinne Dubreuil/FFT)


Before I preview Wimbledon, I need to write my 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were at the 2019 French Open. In the words of Rafael Nadal: "Vamos!"

#1. Rafael Nadal is unstoppable on clay: I picked Rafael Nadal to win it all at Roland Garros and he did not disappoint me, defeating Dominic Thiem 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 in the final. This is Nadal's 12th French Open title and 18th grand slam title overall. At 33 years of age, there's no reason to doubt his ability to win at least a couple of more French Opens before he hangs up his tennis shoes. Nobody else on tour seems to have the goods to dethrone him any time soon.

#2. Ashleigh Barty is the real deal: Ashleigh Barty navigated the crazy maze that is women's tennis to win her first grand slam title at Roland Garros, defeating Marketa Vondrousova 6-1, 6-3 in the final. While it was a wide open field, Barty deserves a lot of credit for getting across the finish line. Her 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 win over Amanda Anisimova in the semifinals was incredibly gutty. She's now ranked #1 in the world, so she's going to have to get used to playing with a bigger target on her back. I'm confident she can handle it.

#3. Dominic Thiem isn't ready to win Roland Garros: While he is the #2 clay player in the world, Dominic Thiem did nothing to convince me that he's going to be the one to knock Nadal off his perch as the king of clay. While clay is his best surface, Thiem sadly might have better odds winning a grand slam on a non-clay surface. At least for the next little while.

#4. Is Marketa Vondrousova a one hit wonder? If you are an artist that has one track peak at #2 on the charts you are deemed a one hit wonder, so it's fair to say that if you reach one grand slam final your whole career you too are a one hit wonder of tennis. Outside of her run to the final at this year's French Open, Marketa hasn't done much at grand slams (2nd round at Australian Open, 1st round at Wimbledon, and 4th round at US Open). It'll be interesting to see if she'll start to be a consistent presence in the second week of grand slams or if she'll fade.

#5. Roger Federer should play on clay more often: While he didn't win the title like he hoped, Roger Federer had a really good run to the semifinals before falling to Nadal 3-6, 4-6, 2-6. That straight set beatdown shouldn't discourage him from playing future French Opens. If anything, it gives him a little bit of momentum going into Wimbledon and the fans certainly like to watch him play. It'll be interesting to see if Federer will return to Roland Garros next year.

#6. American women's tennis has a bright future, even on clay: Despite Serena Williams going down in the third round, American women's tennis did really well at Roland Garros. For starters, it was an American Sofia Kenin that took her out. Secondly, there were four Americans (Madison Keys, Sofia Kenin, Amanda Anisimova, and Sloane Stephens) in the fourth round, three in the quarterfinals (Keys, Anisimova, and Stephens), and one in the semifinals (Anisimova). That's pretty good for a country that favors the hard courts.

#7. Novak Djokovic should be disappointed: If you are Novak Djokovic, the only acceptable outcome at Roland Garros outside of winning the whole tournament would be to lose a hard fought battle to Rafael Nadal in the final. That did not happen to Djokovic as he instead lost to Dominic Thiem in the semifinals 2-6, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 5-7. Luckily for Djokovic, he has Wimbledon coming up soon.

#8. Naomi Osaka needs to pick it up on the clay: Despite having won the US Open and Australian Open, Naomi Osaka flamed out in the third round at Roland Garros, which is consistent with 2018 and 2016. Osaka has similarly never gotten past the third round at Wimbledon (2017 and 2018), so we can talk about that more in a few days, but it is suffice to say that if Osaka wants to be ranked #1 in the world more consistently, she's going to have to pick it up on the non-hard court surfaces.

#9. Alexander Zverev did what he needed to do: Alexander Zverev lost in the quarterfinals to Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-2, 6-2, which while disappointing is exactly what he needed to do at an absolute minimum. He got a bad draw as the #5 seed having to face the #1 seed in the quarterfinals, so all things considered, he should feel ok about how Roland Garros turned out. For now anyways. He'll have to pick it up in future years and at future grand slams later this year.

#10. Simona Halep should be disappointed as well: Another player that should be disappointed with how they played at Roland Garros is Simona Halep, who fell to Amanda Anisimova 2-6, 4-6 in the quarterfinals. Halep came in as the #3 seed and defending champion, so to fall in the quarterfinals to an unseeded player is really a bummer.

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10 things to look for at the 2019 French Open

The first round of the 2019 French Open (Roland Garros) begins on Sunday, which means it is time for me to list my 10 things to look for. If you have not yet taken a peek at the draw, click here to check it out.

#1. Can Alexander Zverev make a deep run? One of the things I'll be curious to see is if Alexander Zverev can build on his run to the quarterfinals last year (the furthest he's gone in a grand slam). Ranked #5 in the world, Zverev is a guy that should have made at least one grand slam semifinal by now, so it does seem like he's due for one anytime now. If you're going to pick a place for him to finally break through, what better place than Roland Garros? I don't like to put the heat on guys, but Zverev should be feeling a lot of pressure going into this tournament.

#2. Can Naomi Osaka win her third straight grand slam? Naomi Osaka has turned a new leaf since her last time out at Roland Garros (3rd round exit in 2018). She's won the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australian Open, which means she's gunning for an "Osaka Slam" right now. The big question mark going into this event and the rest of the season is how she'll do now that she's split with her coach Sascha Bajin, with whom she won both of her grand slam titles. Personally, I don't expect Osaka to win the tournament just because clay hasn't been her best surface. If she can prove me wrong and win it all, she'll be on one of the greatest runs in modern tennis history.

#3. Roger Federer is back! The last time Roger Federer played at Roland Garros was 2015, where he made a run to the quarterfinals. He skipped the event in 2016, 2017, and 2018 to rest and get himself ready for Wimbledon. This time, he's deciding to return to the dirt and see if he can perhaps win a second title in Paris. He played his first clay tournament in three years at the Madrid Open earlier this year, where he fell in the quarterfinals to Dominic Thiem. He had a similar result at the Italian Open in Rome, falling to Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals due to a right leg injury. These recent results don't suggest he'll be much of a contender, but all the same it's fun to have him back. It makes things more interesting at the very least.

#4. Can Serena Williams get back in the winner's circle? I'm confident that Serena Williams has more grand slams to win, but whether or not she'll win another one at Roland Garros is a big question mark. Relative to the other grand slams, Roland Garros has proven to be a tough event for Serena. She's won it three times (2002, 2013, and 2015) and plays an aggressive style that the dirt doesn't always reward. Seeded 10th, I think Serena has to be considered a contender, but I don't expect her to come out victorious.

#5. Can Novak Djokovic take down Rafael Nadal? Novak Djokovic comes in as the #1 ranked player in the world and viewed by many as the biggest threat to Rafael Nadal's quest for a 12th Roland Garros title. He's beaten Nadal at Roland Garros before (2015) and has one Roland Garros title under his belt (2016), so the hype is definitely warranted. I got my money on Nadal to win it all, but if there's anyone that he should be concerned about it's definitely "The Joker."

#6. Can Simona Halep defend her title? Simona Halep finds herself in a position she's never been in before: Defending champion at a grand slam. After years of seeking her first grand slam title, she finally broke through at the 2018 French Open. Now, the question is can she defend her crown and start to establish some dominance in Paris.

#7. Can Dominic Thiem go the distance? In last year's French Open final, Dominic Thiem fell to Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 in the final. He's been eying this tournament all year long and is eager to prove he can win it all in Paris. While Djokovic is the biggest threat to Nadal in my eyes, Thiem is right there behind him. His run to the final last year was impressive and with more experience under his belt, it's not crazy to think this could be the year Thiem wins his first of what is expected to be several Roland Garros titles.

#8. Does Jelena Ostapenko have any magic left? Jelena Ostapenko has had a very interesting tennis career thus far. In 2017, she won her first grand slam title at the French Open right before her 20th birthday. Since then, she has fallen off the map relative to her expectations. She hasn't won a grand slam title since and lost in the first round of the 2018 French Open, doing a terrible job at defending her title. Currently ranked #40 in the world, it'll be interesting if she can make a deep run this year and get herself back in the Top 25. When discussing contenders at this year's French Open, it would be foolish to rule her out given her success just two years ago.

#9. Look for Rafael Nadal to win his 12th Roland Garros title: So long as Rafael Nadal continues to breath air and play on tour, I will pick him to win the French Open every time. His dominance at this event is simply ridiculous. The only thing that can stand in his way is health. If he's able to stay healthy and not get worn down by the event, he'll win it all again. He is without question the greatest clay court tennis player of all-time and deserves to be the heavy favorite.

#10. Look for Karolina Pliskova to win her first grand slam title: Picking the winner of the women's singles tournament at Roland Garros is a really difficult task. In the last five years, we've seen five different champions (Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Garbiñe Muguruza, Jelena Ostapenko, and Simona Halep). So it really is anybody's guess of as to who will in it. If there's one thing that we can bank on, it's probably going to be someone who has never won it before, which is why I'm rolling with Karolina Pliskova. She's the #2 ranked player in the world and has found some success on the dirt, reaching the semifinals at Roland Garros back in 2017. If there's a player that fits the profile of what type of winner we should expect on the women's side, Pliskova fits as much as anyone.

#11. David Ferrer will be missed: David Ferrer retired at the Madrid Open earlier this year as opposed to playing one more Roland Garros. While he never won a grand slam title, Ferrer had an amazing career, reaching the 2013 French Open final and the semifinals at five additional grand slams (Australian Open in 2011 and 2013, French Open in 2012, and the US Open in 2007 and 2012).

Ferrer should be not be defined by what he didn't accomplish, but rather by what he did accomplish. Listed at 5'9", Ferrer overcame his lack of physical tools to get ranked as high as #3 in the world and embodied a fighting spirit that every athlete should strive to have. I certainly hope he gets inducted into the tennis hall of fame. He deserves it.

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10 things to take away from the 2019 Australian Open

                                                   (Credit: Julian Finney-Getty Images) 

With the 2019 Australian Open in the books, it is time for me to write my 10 things to take away from the first grand slam of the year. Enjoy!

#1. Novak Djokovic just might enter the GOAT conversation: I know it’s just one match, but man did Novak Djokovic dominate Rafael Nadal in the final. 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 was the score. It was arguably the best match of Djokovic’s life and certainly the best tennis that I’ve ever seen him play.

In case you’ve lost count, Roger Federer is #1 all-time with 20 grand slam titles, Rafael Nadal is #2 all-time with 17 grand slam titles and Novak Djokovic is #3 all-time with 15 grand slam titles. After what we saw in Australia, it would be foolish to rule out the possibility of Djokovic walking away with the most grand slam titles when it’s all said and done. He’s back to playing all-time great tennis and is once again putting himself in the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) discussion.

#2. Naomi Osaka is for real: With two straight grand slam titles at the US Open and now Australian Open, Naomi Osaka has established herself as the best player in the world with the #1 ranking. As well as Serena Williams has been playing, Osaka is playing better tennis at the moment. The big question coming into the Australian Open was whether or not Osaka would succumb to the pressures that come with winning your first slam and she answered those questions loud and clear. Roland Garros will pose unique challenges given that it's played on clay, but that notwithstanding, it’s safe to say that Osaka has arrived and that she’s not going anywhere.

#3. Rafael Nadal still has plenty of gas in the tank: Despite getting thrashed by Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal had a fabulous two weeks in Australia. He was a buzz saw all the way until the final and sent a very strong message that he’s not going anywhere any time soon. He looks healthy and free from injury, which is always the key with him. I expect Nadal to win at Roland Garros and have a very successful 2019 campaign.

#4. Petra Kvitova is back: After thinking her career might be over due to a serious hand injury caused by an attacker that broke into her home, Petra Kvitova is back to playing the type of tennis she was playing when she won two Wimbledons. She was actually the favorite in the final against Osaka and had a great chance to win before Osaka pulled away late. If Kvitova can keep this up, there’s no reason to question her abilities to win a slam this year.

Regardless of what type of year she has in terms of grand slam championships, it’s great to see Kvitova back on the court doing what she loves. You never want to see players’ careers end prematurely. Especially when it’s due to a freak incident like the one Kvitova experienced.

#5. Stefanos Tsitsipas is a rising star: Ranked #12 in the world after his run to the Australian Open semifinals, Stefanos Tsitsipas is truly a star on the rise. His win over Roger Federer was epic and at the end of the day, he learned from Rafael Nadal that he still has room for growth. I expect Tsitsipas to have a big year in 2019 and continue to establish himself as one of the best young players in the game. I really think he’s here to stay. He’s no fluke.

#6. Danielle Collins is showing that playing college tennis pays off: Danielle Collins was another feel good story from the Australian Open. The 25 year old graduate from the University of Virginia is showing that playing college tennis is a very attractive option. Rather than joining the tour out of high school, she paid her dues in the NCAA and won two national championships. Even though she came up a bit short in the semifinals, Collins has to feel like big things are in store for her in 2019. It will be really fun to see what she does in the US Open, but Roland Garros and Wimbledon will be interesting as well.

#7. Andy Murray is very beloved: Andy Murray recently underwent hip surgery and had a very tearful exit to the Australian Open, losing his opening round match. After the match, a bunch of players offered him well wishes in the next chapter of his life: Nadal, Djokovic, Wozniacki, Federer, and many others. Even though he never won the Australian Open, Murray reached the final five times and had a lot of success Down Under. He just never was able to quite get over the hump. Hopefully he’ll be able to make a final showing at Wimbledon. It would be fitting if he played his final match there.

#8. Serena Williams still has work to do: After looking like she would reach the semifinals and have a rematch with Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams suffered a sprained ankle against Karolina Pliskova up 5-1 in the third set of her quarterfinal match and ended up losing 4-6, 6-4, 5-7. Serena is still looking for that 24^th grand slam title to tie Margaret Court for #1 all-time and will get her next shot at tying the record at Roland Garros. While she is back to playing elite tennis, these past two grand slams have taught us that Serena still has some work to do. Knowing her, it won’t be too long until she finds that winning formula once again.

#9. Can Lucas Pouille build on his run to the semifinals? Lucas Pouille reached his first career semifinals and despite getting blown out by Novak Djokovic has to feel good about the tournament that he had. The big question is whether or not he can build on this. He’s only 24 years old, so odds are good he does. It’ll be interesting to see what the rest of 2019 has in store for him.

#10. Can Karolina Pliskova win a major? Karolina Pliskova has been knocking on the door to win a grand slam for the last couple of years, reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open this year, the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2017, and the final of the US Open in 2016. For whatever reason, she hasn’t been able to crack the code to win a grand slam. Hopefully for her, 2019 will be a year where she can finally break through. She’s playing great tennis. It’s just a matter of putting it all together. 

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10 things to look for at the 2019 Australian Open

With the 2019 Australian Open beginning on Monday, it is time for me to write my list of 10 things to look for in the first grand slam of the year. To check out the draws, click here.

#1. Andy Murray's last ride: Earlier in the week, Andy Murray gave a very tearful press conference stating that this year's Australian Open could be his last tournament, though he does hope to finish his career at Wimbledon. While he never won an Australian Open title, Murray did find a lot of success in this event, reaching the final five times (2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016). It would be awesome if Murray could win a match or two and find a second wind of sorts in his final season. You can bet that everyone will be cheering him on.

#2. How will Naomi Osaka handle the pressure? Seeded 4th overall, 21 year old Naomi Osaka comes into this year's Australian Open with more weight on her shoulders having won last year's US Open. It's not uncommon to see first time grand slam champions struggle in their next slam out, so it will be interesting to see how Osaka handles the pressures that come with being a grand slam champion. Typically, it's the early rounds that pose the biggest hurdle. If Osaka can win her first couple of matches and settle in, odds are good she's in for another deep run.

#3. Can Rafael Nadal contend? Rafael Nadal is seeded 2nd overall and comes in as one of the favorites as a result of his ranking. However, his lone Australian Open title came in 2009, so history tells us he won't be winning this tournament. His relative lack of success Down Under seems to be a combination of him performing better as the season goes on and also the fact that the Australian Open is played on hard court, his least favorite surface.

The key to Nadal having success is to win his early matches with little difficulty. If he's winning in straight sets early on, he's got good odds of making a deep run. If he's getting worn out early with some four or five set matches, we'll likely see him exit via another retirement like he did last year against Marin Cilic in the quarterfinals.

#4. Can Caroline Wozniacki defend her title? Caroline Wozniacki comes in as the #3 overall seed and defending champion, making her one of the contenders. Her second round exit at the ASB Classic in Auckland earlier this month raises questions about how she'll perform at the Australian Open, making it imperative that she gets out of the gates strong and puts that bad performance behind her. Personally, I don't see Wozniacki going the distance, but I wouldn't rule her out, either. She proved last year that she can win this event and if she gets into a nice groove early, we could see her hanging tough late into the second week.

#5. Can Roger Federer defend his title? Roger Federer was in this exact same spot a year ago, looking to defend his 2017 title. He delivered the goods and is now gunning for his third straight Australian Open title. Much like Tom Brady, Federer likes to keep playing just for the fun of it, so at this point he's just playing with house money. He's seeded 3rd and doesn't have to worry about Djokovic until the final. I like his chances to go the distance once again.

#6. Look for Simona Halep to make a deep run: Simona Halep backed up her world #1 ranking with her 2018 French Open title, entering 2019 with more confidence than ever before. She reached the Australian Open final in 2018 and will look to finish the job this year. If she gets back in the final, I like her chances to get it done.

#7. Can Alexander Zverev back up his ranking? Ranked #4 in the world, the furthest Alexander Zverev has gone at a grand slam is the quarterfinals at the 2018 French Open. Despite having a really high ranking, this guy hasn't been able to figure out how to go deep in grand slams. He's getting to the point where he needs to start making some deep runs in order for us to take him seriously. If it's another 3rd or 4th round exit for him, it'll be extremely disappointing. This guy needs to reach at least the quarterfinals in order to feel like he had a decent tournament.

#8. Look for Sloane Stephens to get back on track: Ranked #5 in the world, Sloane Stephens comes into the Australian Open off a mixed 2018. She reached the final at Roland Garros, but followed that up with a first round exit at Wimbledon and a quarterfinal exit at the US Open. Stephens should be motivated to have a strong outing in the Australian Open and get back to playing championship level tennis. Her lone grand slam title came at the 2017 US Open, so she's shown she can go the distance on the hard courts.

#9. Look for Novak Djokovic to win it all: Ranked #1 in the world, Novak Djokovic comes into the Australian Open with a ton of momentum, winning both Wimbledon and the US Open last year. While he has won all four of the grand slams, Djokovic's best event has been the Australian Open, which he has won six times. Given the roll that he's on and his success Down Under, I have to pick Nole to go all the way. He definitely should be the heavy favorite on the men's side.

#10. Look for Serena Williams to win it all: Coming in as the 16th seed, Serena Williams holds 23 grand slam titles, one title shy of Margaret Court's record of 24. Serena wants to break the record this year and move on from last year's US Open final as soon as possible. The combination of those two things is why I think she wins this event. When you give her any extra motivation to win something, you can almost guarantee that she'll get the job done.

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