10 things to look for at the 2024 Australian Open

 The 2024 Australian Open fires up on Sunday, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for. Let's dive in! If you want to check out the draws, click here. 

#1. Can Novak Djokovic defend his title? Novak Djokovic is the defending Australian Open champion on the men's side and the number one ranked player in the world. He has won the Australian Open 10 times and will be gunning for a 25th grand slam title, which would add to his already record total. Given that he is the best player in the world and also has had more success at the Australian Open than any other grand slam, he's the heavy favorite here. It's just a matter of him backing it up. 

#2. Can Aryna Sabalenka defend her title? Aryna Sabalenka is the defending Australian Open champion on the women's side and is the number two ranked player in the world. Last year's Australian Open title is her lone grand slam title. She is coming into this tournament having reached the 2023 US Open final, so in the past two hard court slams, she has reached the final. That bodes well for her chances. I would be very surprised if we don't at least see her reach the semifinals. 

#3. Can Carlos Alcaraz make a run? Carlos Alcaraz is the number two player in the world so on paper he should be favored to at least reach the final against Djokovic. That said, the furthest he has gone at the Australian Open is the 3rd round in 2022. He missed the event last year and so in many ways, this is his first Australian Open being ranked as high as he is. He won his first grand slam at the 2022 US Open and aside from missing the 2023 Australian Open has reached the semis of every grand slam since including winning it all at Wimbledon last year. Still, he hasn't done anything of real significance at the Australian Open yet.

#4. Can Coco Gauff make a run? Coco Gauff comes in ranked #4 in the world, fresh off her US Open title in 2023. She's a major contender to win the Australian Open in 2024. However, the furthest she has gone in the Australian Open is the 4th round in 2023 and 2020. It's been a bit of a challenge for her to make a run in this event. Will this year be different? 

#5. Can Daniil Medvedev get back to his old form? Daniil Medvedev is ranked #3 in the world, but he's coming off a 2023 that was a mixed bag: A 3rd round exit at the Australian Open, a 1st round exit at the French Open, a run to the semifinals at Wimbledon, and a run to the final at the US Open. He's getting back to what he's been when you look at the last two grand slams. This year's Australian Open is huge for him in terms of continuing that momentum.

#6. Can Iga Świątek get one step closer to a career slam? It's about time I bring up the number one ranked player on the women's side: Iga Świątek. She has won three French Opens and also one US Open in 2022. As for the Australian Open, the furthest she has gone is the semifinals in 2022. Coming in as the number ranked player in the world, a lot of people will be putting down money on her to win it all. The question is can she win this event. She's shown she can win grand slams, especially French Opens. Now it's a matter of her showing she's a threat at every slam. 

#7. Can Jannik Sinner back up his ranking? Jannik Sinner is ranked #4 in the world despite only having one grand slam semifinal appearance in his career at Wimbledon last year. Last year, he lost in the 4th round at the Australian Open and US Open while falling in the 2nd round at the French Open. It's time he starts to back up his ranking. If you are a top four player in the world, especially in this hard court dominant era, you can't be flaming out before the quarterfinals. 

#8. Can Victoria Azarenka go the distance? Victoria Azarenka comes in as the #18 seed in the tournament. Of all the grand slams, the Australian Open has by far been her best event. She won back-to-back Aussie Open titles in 2012 & 2013 and reached the semifinals in 2023 when everyone thought she was past her prime. It would be fun to see her make another deep run this year. 

#9. Will Alex de Minaur make Australia proud? Alex de Minaur is the top ranked Aussie on the men's side ranked #10 in the world. The furthest he's gone at a grand slam is the quarterfinals at the US Open in 2020. As for the Australian Open, he's reached the 4th round twice in 2022 & 2023, so he's had some success at his home country's slam. However, as the highest ranking Aussie man, he's gotta go deeper than that. If he can at least reach the quarterfinals, that'll be a successful run for him. 

#10. How far will Caroline Wozniacki go? Caroline Wozniacki is back on tour, reaching the 4th round of the US Open in 2023. She had to get a wild card for this year's Australian Open, but now that she's gotten that wild card, she's looking to do some damage. In women's tennis anything can happen. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see her reach the 4th round or better. It'll be fun to see how she does. 

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10 things to take away from the 2023 Australian Open

 

                                             (Credit: Wiliam West/AFP)

Before I shift gears to write about the French Open, I need to share my 10 things to take away from the 2023 Australian Open. Here we go! 

#1. Novak Djokovic is the GOAT Down Under: Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 in the men's final. It was Djokovic's 22nd grand slam title (tied for #1 all-time with Rafael Nadal) and his 10th Australian Open title, which is #1 all-time. While the overall GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate will rage on for years, Djokovic is indisputably the GOAT at the Australian Open. He owns this event having won the last four times he entered: 2019, 2020, 2021, & 2023. 

#2. Aryna Sabalenka is a grand slam champion: Aryna Sabalenka won her first career grand slam singles title, defeating Elena Rybakina 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 in the women's final. She had been to three grand slam semifinals before at Wimbledon (2021) and the US Open (2021 & 2022), so she has been knocking on the door. Once a player wins a grand slam, there's more pressure on them in future slams. It'll be interesting to see if she'll be able to build on this title and snag another grand slam this year or if the pressures that come with being a grand slam champion will get to her a bit. The US Open will be particularly big since that too is a hard court event. 

#3. Stefanos Tsitsipas is knocking on the door: Speaking of knocking on the door, Stefanos Tsitsipas has now been to two grand slam finals, the first one being the 2021 French Open. He's also been to five grand slam semifinals including this year's Australian Open, so he's a guy who keeps on putting himself in position. It does feel like his time will come and if it does, Australia is a very likely place for it to happen. 

#4. Elena Rybakina is a serious contender: While she fell in the final, Elena Rybakina showed she is a real threat at grand slams by getting back to her second career grand slam final after winning Wimbledon in 2022. I think it's safe to say that we're going to be seeing her compete deep into slams rather frequently. She's turning 24 in June and is just starting to enter her prime. 

#5. Tommy Paul had a breakthrough tournament: Tommy Paul turns 26 in May and is now ranked #17 in the world as a result of his run to the semifinals before falling to Djokovic in straight sets. The previous best outing he had at a grand slam was a trip to the 4th round of Wimbledon in 2022. So, he really had an outstanding and breakthrough event in Australia. It'll be fun to see if he can build on this and get back to another grand slam semifinal or better. 

#6. Victoria Azarenka is back (for now): I don't know if she'll be able to sustain this or not, but Victoria Azarenka reached her first grand slam semifinal since the 2013 French Open. The two grand slams she has won were at the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013, so if there's an event for her to return to form, it's this one. She is turning 34 over the summer and is definitely on the older side, but she does seem to have found a new groove. How long will this new groove last remains to be seen, but it certainly is fun to have her back in the conversation. 

#7. Rafael Nadal had a rough outing: Rafael Nadal fell in the second round and clearly did not have his best stuff. He had a 1st round exit at the 2016 Australian Open, so by no means does this spell the end of him. Still, any time you see a player of his magnitude fall so early in a grand slam, one can't help but wonder if it's a sign of age. Obviously the French Open is going to be huge for him. 

#8. CoCo Gauff needs to find her groove Down Under: CoCo Gauff had a 4th round exit and while that doesn't sound too bad, she's yet to go beyond the 4th round in the Australian Open. She's reached the final of the French Open and the quarterfinals of the US Open, but at the Australian Open she has not found that same kind of success. At just 19 years of age, Gauff has plenty of time to figure it out, but nonetheless, making deeper runs Down Under have to be a priority for her. 

#9. Casper Ruud went out way too early: Casper Ruud came in as the number two seed and is currently ranked #3 in the world. Going out in the 2nd round is not how he wanted this tournament to go. Ruud does have a couple grand slam finals under his belt at the French Open and US Open in 2022, but he needs to find more consistency. How he responds the rest of this year is going to be very telling. 

#10. Magda Linette found a new gear: After never getting past the 3rd round at any grand slam, Magda Linette made a run to the semifinals before falling to Sabalenka in straight sets. Whether or not this was a one hit wonder kind of run is the big question, but at 31 years of age, her best tennis very well may be ahead of her. Linette is now ranked #19 in the world. If she can make another deep run at a slam this year, she should finish the year ranked inside the top-20. 

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10 things to look for at the 2023 Australian Open

 The 2023 Australian Open is underway, which means it is time for me to write my 10 things to look for at the first grand slam of the year. Let's go! 

Note: To check out the draws for all events, click here. 

#1. Can Rafael Nadal defend his title? Rafael Nadal comes in as the top seed in the men's draw, eager to defend his title from last year. With Novak Djokovic back in the field after missing last year due to not getting vaccinated, things are going to be tougher for Nadal. Fortunately, Djokovic is on the other half of the draw for Nadal, so if he were to see Djokovic, it won't be until the final. It'll be fun to see how far Nadal goes and whether or not he'll be able to defend his crown. 

#2. Can Iga Świątek go the distance down under? Iga Świątek is the top seed in the women's draw and is establishing herself as the top player in the women's game. She won the US Open last year and will look to win her second straight grand slam, both on the hard courts. She reached the semifinals last year in the Australian Open and should be primed to make an even deeper run this year. If you're talking contenders on the women's side, she might be the one to pick. 

#3. Can Novak Djokovic re-establish his dominance? Novak Djokovic owns the Australian Open. Nine of his 21 grand slam titles have come in this event. He's had more success at this event than any other grand slam. However, he didn't play in this event last year and it's never easy to win an event after missing it the year before. Plus, he's likely to encounter mixed reactions from the fans for how he handled things last year. How he deals with the early rounds will be really key to his success. He needs to set a good tone and pick up right where he left off. If he does, he's going to be really tough to stop. 

#4. Can Ons Jabeur break through? Ons Jabeur is the number two seed in the women's draw after reaching back-to-back finals at Wimbledon and the US Open. She's knocking on the door and is eager to break through to win her first grand slam. She reached the quarterfinals in 2020, so she's had some success at this event, but after not playing it last year, she's gonna have to adjust to being back in this environment. I think it's going to be really interesting to see if her past couple slams propel her forward and how she does if she finds herself in a third straight grand slam final. 

#5. Can Frances Tiafoe bring his US Open success with him? Frances Tiafoe is the 16th seed and is coming off a run to the US Open semifinals. This will be a real test for him as he won't have the home court advantage he had in New York. If he's able to reach the semifinals of this event, that'll be a really strong indicator that he is here to stay for the foreseeable future. 

#6. Does Victoria Azarenka have another run in her? Victoria Azarenka is seeded 24th and had a decent outing at the Australian Open last year, reaching the 4th round. She won the event back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013. It's been a while, but she knows how to win this event. It would be really cool for her to win a third grand slam and if there's any place she'd do it, it would be in Australia. Also, she did reach the US Open final in 2020, so she's recently shown she can contend at grand slams. 

#7. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas reach the final? Stefanos Tsitsipas is the number three seed on the men's side and is eying a third consecutive trip to the semifinals. The big question with him is can he get over the hump and into the final. He's reached the final at Roland Garros (2021), so it's not totally uncharted territory for him. Still, he hasn't yet figured out how to get to the final at this event. Getting past Nadal is not going to be easy, but I like his chances of sneaking past Nadal in the semifinals better than I do against Djokovic. So, he's got a shot. 

#8. Can Jessica Pegula reach the semifinals? Jessica Pegula is the third seed in the women's draw, but she's never gotten past the quarterfinals at any grand slam. She reached the quarters at three of the four grand slams last year, only failing to do so at Wimbledon. How she does at the Australian Open will be a really strong indicator of whether or not she's made progress from last season. 

#9. Can Casper Ruud make a deep run? Casper Ruud is the number two seed on the men's side and reached the final at both the US Open and French Open last year. As for the Australian Open, the furthest he's gone is the 4th round in 2021. He didn't play in it last year. How he does this year after a strong 2022 season is something to watch for. Definitely a strong candidate to at least reach the semifinals if not the final. 

#10. Will Coco Gauff finally breakthrough down under? Coco Gauff is seeded 7th and is coming off a strong 2022 in which she reached the French Open final and US Open quarterfinals. However, she has not had that same kind of success at the Aussie Open, with her best finish being the 4th round in 2020 followed by a 2nd round exit in 2021 and a 1st round exit in 2022. She's regressing at this event and needs to put together a strong run in 2023. Will it happen? Time will tell. 

Predictions: On the men's side, I gotta roll with Novak Djokovic. He owns this event and will be hungry to reclaim his rightful crown. On the women's side, I'm going to pick Iga Świątek. She's the top player in the world right now and is bound to win the Australian Open at some point. Why not this year? 

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10 things to look for at the 2021 US Open

 

           

With the 2021 US Open starting on Monday, it is time for me to write my list of 10 things to look for at the final grand slam event of the year. If you want to take a look at the draws, click here. If you want to check out my 10 things to take away from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, click here. 

#1. Can Novak Djokovic bounce back from his disappointing Olympics? In my takeaways from the Olympics, I mentioned that Djokovic had a disappointing outing. Not just because he didn't get the gold, but because of the way he exited in a less than graceful manner. While he won't get the golden slam, a calendar slam is still on the table for him to get. It'll be interesting to see how Djokovic does and whether or not the pressure of a calendar slam will get to him. Personally, I do expect Djokovic to win it all. He's my pick. But it's not going to be easy. 

#2. Can Naomi Osaka get back on track? Naomi Osaka has had a weird summer. She pulled out of the French Open and skipped Wimbledon all together due to emotional reasons and then came back for the Olympics where she had an early exit. If there's an event where Osaka would get back on track, it's the US Open. She's won the event twice and her other two grand slam titles have come on the hardcourt at Australia. Osaka is trying to distance herself from what happened this summer, saying she didn't handle things well. The best way for her to fully put this all behind her is to win the US Open or at least make a deep run. We'll see if she can. 

#3. Can Daniil Medvedev go the distance? Daniil Medvedev showed promise by reaching the 2019 US Open final and he reached the 2021 Australian Open final earlier this year. He's definitely knocking on the door and hard court is his best surface. If there's a guy who you'd pick to upset Djokovic, Medvedev on paper would be the guy. He's #2 in the world and has the pieces to get it done. It's just a matter of him mentally having the belief that he can do it. 

#4. Can Ashleigh Barty contend? On paper, this seems like a dumb question. Ashleigh Barty is #1 in the world right now and she's coming off a Wimbledon title. Of course she can contend, right? What makes this a not so stupid question is the fact that she's never reached the quarterfinals at the US Open. It's always been a 4th round or earlier exit for her in New York. If Barty could breakthrough to win the US Open, she really would be cooking with gas and on her way to being the next dominant player in women's tennis. 

#5. Is Alexander Zverev ready to win a grand slam? After winning the gold medal in Tokyo, Alexander Zverev is gaining more momentum towards winning his first grand slam title. He's got the physical tools to do it and much like Medvedev, it's really all about the mental side and having that belief. If he can win the US Open, Zverev will be on the verge of being the next breakout star in men's tennis. 

#6. Can the American women make any noise with Serena Williams and Sofia Kenin out? Earlier this week, Serena Williams pulled out of the US Open due a torn hamstring while Sofia Kenin pulled out due to a positive COVID-19 test despite being fully vaccinated. Had they been healthy, they would have been among the favorites to win on the women's side. 

With Serena and Sofia out, it's going to be up to other American women to carry the torch and bring home the title. The most likely women to do it are (23) Jessica Pegula, (21) Coco Gauff, (26) Danielle Collins, (13) Jennifer Brady, Madison Keys, and Sloane Stephens. It'll be interesting to see if any of them can deliver the goods. One interesting thing to note is that Keys and Stephens face off in the first round. Not sure if that's good or bad for fans of American tennis. 

#7. Can Stefanos Tsitsipas make a deep run? Stefanos Tsitsipas is another rising star in tennis looking to move up. He's reached the semis of the Australian Open twice and reached the French Open final this year. However, he lost in the first round at Wimbledon and the third round at the Olympics, so it appears as though that run to the French Open final wore him out. It should also be noted that Tsitsipas' deepest run in the US Open has been to the third round in 2020. So a run to the quarterfinals or deeper would be a big deal for him. 

#8. Look for Jennifer Brady to win the women's title: With Serena Williams out and Naomi Osaka still finding her footing again, it's hard to pick a champion on the women's side, but I'm going to go out on a bit of a limb and pick Jennifer Brady to bring it home for the USA. She's the #13 seed and reached the semifinals of the 2020 US Open, where she lost to Naomi Osaka in three sets. I think she's got a great chance to go the distance and being the top ranked American should give her a little extra motivation. 

#9. Can Denis Shapovalov make Canada proud? Seeded #7, Denis Shapovalov is the highest rated Canadian player and more broadly speaking the highest rated North American on the men's side. He reached the quarterfinals of the 2020 US Open and the semifinals at Wimbledon, so he too is trending up. He doesn't get as much recognition as some of the other "next gen" guys, but he deserves to be in the same conversation as the rest of them. Maybe the 2021 US Open will be his big breakthrough. 

#10. Does Victoria Azarenka have another magical run in her? When Victoria Azarenka reached the US Open final last year, it was her first trip to a grand slam final since the 2013 US Open. She showed that she still has game and can still compete for grand slam titles. She's won the Australian Open twice (2012 and 2013) and has reached the US Open final three times (2012, 2013, and 2020). Maybe she has another run in her? It'll be fun to see! 

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10 things to look for at the 2020 French Open

 

Usually I get a bit of a break between these previews and recaps, but due to COVID-19, the 2020 French Open is happening right after the US Open, a departure from its usual May/June slot in the tennis calendar. But whether it's happening in the spring or in the fall, there will always be my list of 10 things to look for in the French Open. Without further ado, let's get into it. 

Note: Click here for the draws. Action starts Sunday. 

#1. Will the early exit from the US Open actually help Novak Djokovic? Novak Djokovic's bizarre 4th round exit at the US Open was no doubt frustrating for him as it robbed him of his 18th grand slam title. At the same time, it gave Djokovic more time to rest and recuperate before the French Open. Djokovic comes into this year's French Open having won the ATP 1000 Masters event in Rome, so he's got some momentum now. This was his 5th title in Rome and his record 36th Masters title. Winning the US Open and then running it back at the French Open wouldn't have been easy, so perhaps getting some extra time off will help him as he heads into this event. Not that he's glad he exited New York the way that he did. 

#2. Will Simona Halep benefit from skipping the US Open? Simona Halep made the decision to not play in the US Open and now comes into the French Open as the top seed in the event, making her the de facto favorite. Halep won the French Open back in 2018, so she knows what it takes to win this event. If she does indeed go on to win, there will be many who'll say it was smart for her to skip the US Open and focus her energies on the French. Especially since her best run at the US Open was a run to the semis in 2015. 

#3. Will Rafael Nadal benefit from skipping the US Open? Rafael Nadal is the King of Clay and no doubt made a strategic decision to skip the US Open this year so as to get ready for the French Open and stay more rested. Winning the US Open and then French Open would not be easy for anyone, even Nadal, who won both events last year. I think he probably made the right call since the French Open is his bread and butter event. If Nadal does win the French Open as he is expected to do, he'll tie Roger Federer with most grand slam titles ever (20).

#4. Can Victoria Azarenka make another deep run at a grand slam? After her run to the US Open final, it'll be interesting to see if Victoria Azarenka can back that up with a deep run in Paris. The furthest she's gone at the French Open is the semifinals back in 2013, so I think for her, if she could duplicate that success in 2020, she'd be very happy. One thing that will help her a bit is she comes into the French Open seeded 10th whereas at the US Open, she was unseeded. My prediction is she'll have a good tournament, but bow out either in the 4th round or quarterfinals. I hope I'm wrong. It would be awesome if she reached the semifinals or even went so far as to win the whole thing. 

#5. Will Dominic Thiem benefit from his US Open title? Dominic Thiem comes in as the #3 seed and as the 2020 US Open champion, so he does have some momentum on his side for sure. At the same time, he's on Rafael Nadal's half of the draw, making a run to the final a tough hill to climb. It will be interesting to see how Thiem plays early on and if he can build on his grand slam title in New York to knock off Nadal in the semis and win his second career grand slam. 

#6. Will Serena Williams make a deep run? Serena Williams hasn't won the French Open since 2015 and is really more of a hard court/grass player than a clay player. She comes in as the #6 seed and certainly is expected to go deep on those grounds alone. However, an early exit could happen if she's not careful. The first couple of rounds will be critical as she'll look to establish her footing and get into a good groove on the dirt. 

#7. Will Alexander Zverev build on his strong US Open performance? Alexander Zverev made a real breakthrough by reaching the final of the US Open, showing that he truly deserves the top ten ranking that he has. Now that he's made a grand slam final, there will be some pressure for him to reach the semis...aside from the fact that Nadal stands in his way as a possible quarterfinals opponent. If Zverev can at least reach the quarterfinals and give Nadal a good fight, he should feel good about his tournament and eye an even deeper run at the Australian Open come January. 

#8. Can Coco Gauff make any noise? After reaching the 4th round at Wimbledon and the 3rd round of the US Open in 2019, a lot of people expected even bigger things for Coco Gauff in 2020. Gauff appeared to pick things up right where she left off in 2020 with a run to the 4th round at the Australian Open, but at the US Open last month, she went out in the 1st round. Personally, I think it would be huge if Gauff could at least win a pair of matches and reach the 3rd round at the French Open, an event that she's never won a 1st round match in. If it's another 1st round exit for Gauff, there will be some chatter about whether or not she's worthy of the hype. 

#9. Look for Rafael Nadal to win the men's title: At the end of the day, is there anyone else worth picking to win it on the men's side? Rafael Nadal has won 12 of his 19 grand slam titles at the French Open and is the undisputed greatest player to ever play on clay. It's not even close. Until he retires, he'll always be my pick to win it all at Roland Garros. 

#10. Look for Garbiñe Muguruza to win the women's title: This is coming a bit out of left field, but Garbiñe Muguruza comes in as the 11th seed in the women's draw and has won the French Open before in 2016. On top of that, she reached the Australian Open final earlier this year, so she's still more than capable of being a threat to win grand slams. It's kind of an odd pick I know, but I got a feeling Muguruza is going to leave Paris with her second French Open title and her third grand slam title (2017 Wimbledon is her second). 

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10 things to take away from the 2020 US Open

 

                                              (Credit: Reuters/USA Today Sports) 

The 2020 US Open resulted in Naomi Osaka winning her third grand slam title and Dominic Thiem winning his first. Osaka defeated Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the women's singles final while Thiem defeated Alexander Zverev 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 in the men's singles final. Below is my list of 10 things to take away from the two weeks that were in New York. 

#1. Dominic Thiem is the real deal: After losing his first three grand slam finals, Dominic Thiem finally broke through at the 2020 US Open. Thiem played an incredibly gritty match against Zverev and showed that he is worthy of winning a grand slam title. What made this all the more impressive is the fact that Thiem came back from two sets down and did it on a surface that hasn't always been his best. Originally better on clay, Thiem is now arguably even better on the hard courts. A true testament to his work ethic and dedication. As for how many more grand slams Thiem will win, I think he'll get at least a couple more. He's not going away any time soon. 

#2. Naomi Osaka is the best women's tennis player in the world: Serena Williams is the GOAT, but she is no longer the best women's tennis player in the world. That title belongs to Naomi Osaka, who now has three grand slam titles under her belt. I think there were some who wondered if Osaka's first US Open title was a fluke, but now, I think it's clear that she is no fluke and is a force to be reckoned with. The only area that Osaka needs to improve in is winning away from the hard courts. She's not reached the 4th Round at the French Open or Wimbledon. Once she figures out how to win on the clay and grass, there'll be no stopping her. 

Note: Osaka will be skipping the 2020 French Open due to a hamstring injury. 

#3. Alexander Zverev has arrived: Despite his lofty, top five ranking, Alexander Zverev had not been to a grand slam final until this year's US Open and he had just one semifinal under his belt (2020 Australian Open). A lot of people including myself wanted to see him back up his ranking and make deeper runs in majors and he certainly did that this time by reaching the final and getting within one set of winning his first grand slam. It's disappointing that he didn't finish the job, but on the flip side, I think he made a lot of progress in reaching the final and getting as close as he did. Zverev has finally arrived for real and he's only going to get better. 

#4. Victoria Azarenka is back: Victoria Azarenka reached her first major final since the 2013 US Open. It's been a while! She's been dealing with a lot of off court issues like custody battles for her son and a romantic relationship gone sour. With that all finally resolved and somewhat in the rear view mirror, Azarenka is back focusing on what she loves, which is playing elite level tennis. This was the first time in years that she looked like the old Vika and it was really exciting to see. If she keeps this up, she could be in for a renaissance of sorts and a couple more grand slam titles. 

#5. Novak Djokovic blew a HUGE opportunity: The big story of the first week of the US Open was the way that Novak Djokovic exited the tournament, having to default his fourth round match against Pablo Carreño Busta due to accidentally hitting a line official in the throat with a tennis ball that he whacked in frustration. It was an accident, but still, according to the rules he had to default the match. With Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer both sitting this one out, Djokovic came in as the heavy favorite and probably would have won the event had he not defaulted. To not win this tournament really hurts Djokovic. Especially when you consider that a win would have given Djokovic 18 grand slam titles, one shy of Nadal (19) and two shy of Federer (20). 

#6. Serena Williams also blew it: Time is running out for Serena Williams (23) to tie Margaret Court's record (24) for most grand slam titles ever. I still think Williams will get it done, but to not win this event stings. She lost in three sets to Azarenka in the semifinals and had an opportunity to show she's still the best in the world. Instead, she looked like she was kinda running out of steam a bit. With each passing year, it's going to get harder for Serena to tie that record and pass Court, so this is definitely a tournament she would like to have back. 

#7. Men's tennis will be fine after the big three retire: Don't get me wrong. I don't want to see Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer retire any time soon. They're legends of the sport and the longer they play, the better. That said, I think the 2020 US Open showed that when those guys do decide to hang it up, the men's game will still be exciting. Thiem and Zverev played a fabulous final and showed that they too can put on a show. 

#8. Karolina Pliskova is another player who "blew it": You should be sensing a theme from the 2020 US Open. Key players "blowing it." Another one who "blew it" is Karolina Pliskova, who came in as the #1 seed. Rather than making a deep run and taking advantage of her top seed, Pliskova lost in the second round to Caroline Garcia. Pliskova has never won a grand slam and hasn't reached a grand slam final since her lone grand slam finals appearance at the 2016 US Open. When you consider the fact that some key names like Simona Halep sat this one out, Pliskova truly had a golden opportunity to win her first grand slam and she didn't even come close to getting it done. Major disappointment for her. 

#9. Daniil Medvedev had a bit of a setback: After the way he battled against Rafael Nadal in last year's final, I think everyone expected Daniil Medvedev to win this tournament once Djokovic defaulted. Instead, he bowed out in straight sets to the eventual champion Thiem in the semis. He still had a solid tournament, but not going as deep as he did last year and not taking advantage of Djokovic's folly is a bit of a disappointment and setback for him. He'll bounce back, though. 

#10. Sofia Kenin needs to regroup: After winning the 2020 Australian Open and coming in as the #2 seed, I think there were a lot of people who thought Sofia Kenin, an American, could back up her title in Australia with a US Open title. Kinda like what Naomi Osaka did when she won the Austrian Open right after she won her first US Open. Instead of picking up her second grand slam title, Kenin lost in the 4th Round to #16 Elise Mertens in straight sets. Kenin needs to regroup a bit after this disappointing US Open and see if she can recapture the magic she had in Australia. 

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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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2016 French Open Preview: 10 things to look for at Roland Garros

     The French Open is upon us! As a matter of fact, as I'm typing this, the second grand slam of the year is already underway, so I'm really getting this under the gun! Haha. Anyways, if you have been following my tennis blog over the years, you know that before each grand slam I make a list of 10 things to look for going into the event and then I recap the event with 10 things to take away. Note: I am doing a Novak Djokovic feature article right after this so make sure you read that as well. Anyways, without further ado, here is my list of 10 things to look for at the 2016 French Open at Roland Garros. Enjoy!

#1. Will Andy Murray carry momentum from Rome into Paris? Andy Murray won the title in Rome, defeating Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-3 in the final. Probably the number one thing to look for on the men's side is whether or not Andy Murray can use his title at the Rome Masters as a springboard to winning Roland Garros. Andy Murray is yet to win a grand slam on the dirt despite spending a good chunk of his formative years training on it in Spain. Many feel that winning in Rome could be the breakthrough that Andy Murray needs to win in Paris. How he does over these two weeks will be very interesting to follow and could be career defining.

#2. Will Serena Williams make a deep run? Serena Williams won the women's title in Rome, which is very encouraging for her. However, she has gone down early in past French Opens, which means it will be interesting to see how she plays early on in this tournament. The fact that Serena is the defending champion makes it tricky to gauge how well she'll do. She has never won the French Open in back-to-back seasons, but at the same time, one has to like her chances considering that she won it last year and also won in Rome this year. If Serena can get to the second week, she'll be the favorite to win it all. But, during the first week she has historically shown some vulnerability, so it will be crucial to monitor her play in the first couple of rounds.

#3. How much will the absence of Roger Federer cloud this tournament? Roger Federer is a no-go for Roland Garros and a no-go at a grand slam for the first time since the 1999 US Open. Sometimes a grand slam can be defined by who isn't present and the absence of Roger Federer looms large at this year's French Open. Even though nobody saw Roger Federer winning this tournament, we are still so accustomed to seeing him in the second week of a grand slam and for him to not be out there at all will feel very weird. Hopefully his absence won't hurt the ratings too much since these next two weeks promise to bring about great tennis.

#4. How much will the absence of Maria Sharapova cloud this tournament? The biggest absence on the women's side is Maria Sharapova, who is absent due to her failed drug test in which she tested positive for meldonium. Sharapova is a two-time champion at Roland Garros (2012 & 2014) and has found more success at this grand slam than any other. If she was playing, there's little doubt that she would be a contender, which makes her absence even more significant. Once again, hopefully her absence won't detract people from what should be a great two weeks of tennis.

#5. Does Rafael Nadal have one more French Open title in him? Rafael Nadal fell to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals in the 2015 French Open and looks to prove he still has what it takes to win a grand slam on clay. Given Rafael Nadal's historical DOMINANCE on clay, it would be foolish to not give him significant odds at winning the title again this year. But, father time is catching up with the king of clay and there are a lot of other players who are serious contenders as well (Murray, Wawrinka, and Djokovic). I still believe Rafael Nadal has what it takes to win at Roland Garros, but it won't be easy.

#6. How dangerous is Victoria Azarenka? Victoria Azarenka is definitely back in the mix of things at grand slams. She is #5 in the world and won her first title on tour in nearly three years at the 2016 Brisbane International in Australia. She built off of that to win the titles at Indiana Wells and Miami, making her the third WTA player to ever win both events in the same season (Steffi Graf and Kim Clijsters are the other two). However, Vika hasn't had much success at Roland Garros, making the semifinals only once and that was in 2013. It'll be interesting to see whether or not Victoria Azarenka is able to be a factor in the second week at Roland Garros or if she'll flame out early.

#7. Is this Novak Djokovic's time? As I mentioned earlier, I will be doing a feature article on Novak Djokovic right after this preview that will go more in-depth, but in this article, I will give you a quick synopsis of Novak Djokovic's situation. He has won 11 grand slam titles and is ranked #1 in the world. The only grand slam title he is yet to win is the French Open. He defeated Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals last year only to lose to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final. What's on everyone's minds is whether or not this is the year Novak Djokovic finally breaks through at Roland Garros. I am going to say that it is. I think that this time Novak Djokovic will get it done and win the French Open. But, it won't be easy. Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and Stanislas Wawrinka all have what it takes to win it all as well. Novak Djokovic will have to play his very best tennis in order to win the career slam.

#8. Can Angelique Kerber win another grand slam in 2016? Angelique Kerber is very quietly going for a calendar grand slam as she enters Roland Garros. She is the 3rd seed overall, yet nobody is really talking about her as a serious threat. Part of the issue is that she didn't do well at Rome or Madrid and she has only reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros once (2012). Smart money says she isn't much of a factor, but if the WTA has taught us anything over the years, it is that anything can happen. I guess what I'm saying is don't be shocked if you are shocked by Angelique Kerber winning it all in Paris.

#9. Can Stanislas Wawrinka repeat? Stanislas Wawrinka is the defending champion and looks to once again shock the tennis world. Stanislas Wawrinka has a way of crashing the party and winning grand slams in ways that nobody would expect. I have a hard time seeing Stanislas Wawrinka winning at Roland Garros in back-to-back seasons, but he is a very good clay player that is certainly capable of winning the title. I feel weird calling the defending champion a "dark horse", but considering what Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have on the line as well as Andy Murray's recent success on clay, I really believe that at best, Stanislas Wawrinka has a 15% chance of winning this event. Don't get me wrong; he'll be in the quarterfinals and probably the semifinals. It's just that I don't see him repeating. He'll have to once again play his very best tennis in order to do so.

#10. Look for Serena Williams to win it all: Even though she's never won back-to-back titles in Paris, I'm going to say that Serena Williams does it this time. She is coming off a title at Rome and is playing excellent tennis on the dirt as of late. I expect Serena Williams to play like the best player in the world over these next two weeks and win her 22nd grand slam title.

2016 Australian Open Preview: 10 things to look for down under

     On Monday, January 18, the 2016 Australian Open will kick off the new tennis season. Over the coming two weeks, there will be lots of exciting moments, unexpected results, and drama that can only be found at a grand slam tennis event. With the tennis season effectively being year-round, it's nice to have a grand slam so early in the season. Anyways, what I will do in this post is list 10 key things to look for during the upcoming Australian Open. With so much tennis to be played, I think it helps to narrow things down and know what to really focus on.

#1. Lleyton Hewitt's farewell tour stops here: Lleyton Hewitt's final event on tour will be the Australian Open. In 1998, Lleyton Hewitt played in his first Australian Open. 18 years later, he is playing in his final Australian Open and will call it a career after the tournament. While he is no longer a contender to win a grand slam, he is still one of the most beloved players on tour.

     I have no doubt that when "Rusty" plays his final point of this tournament, there will tears both from himself and the crowd to go along with a very long standing ovation. That will be an emotional moment for all of us who have followed tennis and watched Hewitt play through the years. He always played with a tremendous fighting spirit that propelled him to a US Open singles title in 2001 and a Wimbledon singles title in 2002. Lleyton Hewitt, you will be missed.

#2. Look for Serena Williams to come out motivated: Serena Williams is not happy about falling short of her calendar grand slam aspirations. Serena Williams will be locked in and very focused during these next two weeks. She's gunning for a calendar slam again and knows she has to win the Australian Open in order for her to do so.

#3. Will Rafael Nadal make any noise? Rafael Nadal is seeded 5th and is projected to face the 4th seed Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals. Rafael Nadal hasn't won a hard court grand slam since the 2013 US Open and his lone Australian Open grand slam title came in 2009. It's hard to see Rafael Nadal winning the 2016 Australian Open considering his lack of success on the hard courts, but given his fighting spirit and perseverance, you never want to completely rule him out.

#4. Victoria Azarenka is dangerous: Victoria Azarenka appears to be finding her groove again considering her #14 seed in the tournament. Her only two grand slam titles came at the 2012 and 2013 Australian Open. While it's been a little while since she's won a grand slam, Australia has by far been Vika's best event and if there is any place for her to recapture her magic, it would be at the Australian Open.

#5. Will Andy Murray breakthrough down under? Andy Murray is coming into this Australian Open with lots of positive vibrations right now. He's the number two seed and has Amelie Mauresmo back in his camp. Andy Murray has come close to winning the Australian Open, reaching the final four times. Will the 5th final be the charm if he gets there?

#6. Don't sleep on Venus Williams: Venus Williams is the #8 seed and is playing really good tennis right now. Grand slams often reward the more savvy and veteran players. Especially the veterans that are ranked as high as Venus. If Venus Williams plays her game, gets to the net, and plays with poise, she could win her first Australian Open title and her eighth grand slam title overall.

#7. Roger Federer for whatever reason still feels he has something to prove and that's scary: Roger Federer is still playing tennis because he loves the game, is still a top-three player in the world, and he feels like there's more he can still do in terms of winning grand slams and proving doubters wrong. Roger Federer is on a mission to win one more grand slam and that should have every player on tour very worried. Don't get me wrong, Novak Djokovic is the best player in the world right now, but outside of him, Roger Federer is the guy who nobody wants to face right now.

#8. Eugenie Bouchard could really use a boost: No player in the ATP or WTA had a more disappointing 2015 than Eugenie Bouchard. She's no longer a seeded player and she withdrew from the US Open due a concussion, which in a way perfectly encapsulated her season as a whole. Eugenie Bouchard has gone from being one of tennis' brightest young stars to suddenly being a player who can't figure out how to get her mojo going at all. If Eugenie Bouchard found herself playing into the second week and at least reached the 4th round, that would be huge for her in terms of building confidence for the rest of the season.

#9. Look for Serena Williams to win the women's singles title: Serena Williams is the best women's player in the world by far. It really is a Serena vs. the field situation because it's unclear who best has a chance of upsetting her. The big name players can't get it done against her and it always winds up being a massive underdog that upsets her. Provided Serena Williams plays her style of tennis and does so consistently, she will win the 2016 Australian Open women's singles title. There's just nobody else out there to pick ahead of her without admitting that you are basically banking on Serena Williams to have an off day, which could happen, but isn't something you want to put money on.

#10. Novak Djokovic will deliver the goods and win the men's singles title: Novak Djokovic is the best men's player in the world right now, his favorite tournament is the Australian Open, and the number two seed Andy Murray has never won the event before. Novak Djokovic loves the hard courts of Australia and plays his best tennis in those fast conditions. The Australian Open is tailor made to suit Novak Djokovic's strengths, which are his speed, service return, and stamina. Novak Djokovic thrives down under and I expect 2016 to be no exception. He will be the men's singles champion.

2014 Wimbledon Preview

With the French Open now behind us, we have Wimbledon to look forward to, which starts on Monday. Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova both had amazing runs to win the French Open, but now they have to make a quick turn around from clay to grass and try to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles. It's a very difficult task to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back, but both players should be up to the challenge. Like all my Grand Slam previews, I will give you ten things to look for in this year's Wimbledon to help hone in your focus on some key things. Five things will be from the Men's draw and five will be from the Women's. Without further ado, I will begin my list.

1. How will Victoria Azarenka play after her layoff? 

Victoria Azarenka didn't play at the French Open due to a foot injury and has been off to a slow start this year, only reaching the Quarterfinals of the Australian Open back in January. Her ranking has fallen to #9 in the world and she is seeded 8th at Wimbledon. Normally, I would have her as one of my favorites to win this event, given the fact that she has been to the semifinals twice. But since she is recovering from a foot injury and hasn't played in a while, it's hard to figure where she ends up. The one good news for her is she avoided the sections of Serena Williams, Sabine Lisicki, Maria Sharapova, and Na Li. Her projected Round of 16 match is against Dominika Cibulkova and her projected Quarterfinal match is against Agnieszka Radwanska. I like her draw provided she is capable of playing at a high level.

2. How does Andy Murray handle the pressure of being a defending Wimbledon champion? How does the crowd treat him? 

This is probably the most interesting thing to watch for in this tournament. Andy Murray no longer has the pressure of being the first Brit to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry, but there is an added pressure of being the defending champion and being expected to defend the crown for the Motherland. How Murray responds to his new role as defending Wimbledon champion will be fascinating to see in addition to how the crowd responds to him. Will there be the same excitement and buzz around "Murray's Mound"? (Note: To me, it will always be "Henman Hill")

3. How will Serena Williams bounce back from her early French Open exit? 

Losing in the second round of the French Open does not sit well with Serena Williams after she came in as the overwhelming favorite. To see how she rebounds at Wimbledon will be something to watch for. I expect her to play well and make a very deep run.

4. Will Rafael Nadal play well on the grass? 

Rafael Nadal is the greatest player to ever play on clay, and in my opinion, he is the greatest tennis player of all time. But even with that being said, grass has never been his strong suit, and after losing his Wimbledon tune up match, questions immediately are raised about how far he will go in Wimbledon. I expect him to go far and contend, but the first couple of matches will be key for him to gain some confidence. If he does well in his first 2-3 matches, then I think we can be confident that he's going to go deep and at least make the semifinals. In essence, I'm saying he either gets bounced really early in rounds 1 or 2, or he goes to the semifinals or beyond. Given his overall track record for success, I think he goes to at least the semifinals.

5. Will Sabine Lisicki break through and win Wimbledon? 

Sabine Lisicki hasn't found much success at other Grand Slam events, but Wimbledon is where she comes alive. She reached the Final last year, and looks to make another deep run this year. Seeded 19th, she has her work cut out for her, but fortunately, her section looks pretty favorable with Simona Halep, Carla Suarez Navarro, Jelena Jankovic, and Ana Ivanovic being the players ranked ahead of her in her section. I like hr chances to come out of that quarter and make a run to the semifinals, but can she put it all together and win the whole thing? Therein lies the question.

6. Is this the Grand Slam Novak Djokovic gets back in the winner's circle? 

It seems like it was just yesterday that Novak Djokovic was at the peak of his tennis powers winning every Grand Slam except the French Open. But now his Grand Slam drought has gone on pretty long, not winning a slam since the 2013 Australian Open. I think he has a pretty good shot to end the drought here at Wimbledon, but do keep in mind that he has only won one Wimbledon, and that was in 2011.

7.  How does Maria Sharapova do coming off her French Open title? 

Maria Sharapova has always won her Grand Slams far apart from each other and never close to each other, so it's hard to predict she wins back-to-back Grand Slam titles. That being said, if something happens to Serena Williams before their projected Quarterfinals match, Sharapova has to be considered a favorite to win Wimbledon since nobody else ahead of her can be said to be any more likely to win it all.

8. Does Roger Federer have one more Wimbledon in him? 

Roger Federer won Wimbledon back in 2012, but when he did, it felt like he was winning it for the last time as part of the Roger Federer farewell tour. However, he was #1 in the world at the time and still has shown to have some gas left in the tank. Perhaps he gets another Wimbledon title before riding off into the sunset.

9. Look for Serena Williams to win. If she doesn't, then I have no idea who wins the Women's title

Serena Williams is the clear cut favorite to win the Women's Singles title at Wimbledon. But if she doesn't win it all, then it'll be a free for all. Maria Sharapova, Angelique Keber, Sabine Lisicki, and Na Li are some of the ladies who I think are most likely to win it if Serena goes down.

10. Look for Andy Murray to defend his title 

It's really hard for me to pick a winner for the Men's draw, and while I kind of hope it will be Novak Djokovic, I have a hard time picking against Andy Murray. He won Wimbledon last year, so the pressures on him last year are gone and he should be feeling more confident. He played well at Roland Garros and I expect him to play well at Wimbledon. He should have no problem getting past David Ferrer in the Quarterfinals to reach the Semifinals, and he has been successful against Novak Djokovic, his projected Semifinals opponent. Ultimately, I like Murray to win this title, but I wouldn't be shocked if Djokovic, Nadal, or Federer won it.

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

Indian Wells Preview

                                                     (image from: usta.com)

The BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, an ATP Masters 1000 event/WTA Premiere event kicks off this week, with Round 1 action already done. However, with none of the seeded players playing yet, there is still time for me to break down this tournament and give you some key things to look for over these next 10 days.

1. What Does Roger Federer's Win At Dubai Really Mean? 
Roger Federer is coming into Indian Wells having just won the title in Dubai, which included a win over Novak Djokovic. Naturally, Federer fans were ecstatic with his win over Djokovic, many saying "Fed's back!" and other over-the-top statements that any tried and true Federer fan would say. While I think the win over Djokovic is a good sign, I'm not at all convinced that it is an indicator that he will win another slam or something along those lines. However, what happens down in Indian Wells to Federer could give us a better sense of what that victory actually wins. If Federer were to win the event and beat Djokovic again, then we could maybe look back at the Dubai win over Djokovic as a spring board to launch Federer into a successful 2014 campaign. If Federer falters and either loses to Djokovic in the Final or loses in earlier rounds, then his success at Dubai will likely be interpreted as a nice week for Federer but nothing to use as a barometer for his future success.

2. Can Sabine Lisicki Get It Together On Hard Court? 

We all know Sabine Lisicki is a threat at Wimbledon, but she hasn't yet proven she is a threat to win a grand slam elsewhere. While winning this event isn't likely for her, I do think that Sabine Lisicki is a player who could take tremendous confidence with her for the rest of the season if she put forth a solid outing at Indian Wells. If she reaches the the Semis at this event, which is possible, she should like her odds at making a run at a slam not called Wimbledon later this year.

3. Will Stanislas Wawrinka Back Up His Australian Open Title? 

I don't mean to say this as any sort of implication that his title at the Australian Open wasn't legit, but I do think a win for Wawrinka at Indian Wells would give the rest of the ATP Tour a real scare going forward into the rest of the season. Winning at Indian Wells could do a lot for Stanislas Wawrinka to show that his title down under wasn't just the product of a great two weeks or Nadal's back, but rather the result of his fantastic play.

4. No Serena Williams Doesn't Mean There Isn't Anything To Be Learned On The Women's Draw

The Williams sisters once again boycott the event after being subject to racial prejudice at the event more than a decade ago. While the absence of the Williams sisters, specifically Serena is a letdown every year, don't think that this diminishes the achievements of whoever wins this event or that there isn't something to take away from these 10 days.

5. Watch For The Health Of Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal

With both Murray and Nadal battling back problems recently,  this event should give us a good sense of how both guys are feeling health wise. Hopefully both guys can feel healthy enough to contend and possibly win.

6. Maria Sharapova Needs To Win A Big Event And She Might As Well Start Here

Despite all her off the court success with Sugarpova and her love life with Grigor "Baby Fed" Dimitrov, Maria Sharapova has struggled against the likes of Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka on the hard courts. Serena isn't playing for reasons previously explained, but Azarenka is, and if Sharapova could beat her in the process of winning this whole event, that would be really good for Sharapova.

7. Will Any Men Take Inspiration From Wawrinka? 

After seeing Stanislas Wawrinka win the Australian Open, there has to be a greater sense of hope among guys not listed in the "Big Four" that winning a grand slam is possible. While Indian Wells isn't a grand slam, it is the next best thing. It'll be interesting to see if guys like Del Potro, Tsonga, and Berdych take inspiration from Wawrinka and run the table to win the whole thing.

8. Petra Kvitova Needs A Wake Up Call

Ever since winning Wimbledon, Petra Kvitova has slowly receded into the background of the WTA tour and hasn't proven that she isn't a one slam wonder. She can't get rid of that reputation at Indian Wells of course, but a win at this event could propel her to success at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

9. Novak Djokovic Can't Really Do Much To Improve His Stock 

Some guys could do a lot to improve their stock and status at this event, but others can't. I don't really see a win at this event giving Djokovic a huge boost, and nor do I see him failing to win a crisis either. Novak has his eyes on Roland Garros, which is really his next big test. The Masters events leading up to Roland Garros will matter to Djokovic way more than Indian Wells.

10. Winning At Indian Wells Would Be Nice For Na Li, But It Won't Be A Big Deal If She Has  A Rough Outing 

Don't expect Na Li to struggle, but if she does, don't freak out and think the end for her is near. She just won the Australian Open and seems prime for a great 2014 regardless of what happens at Indian Wells. She can't do much to improve her stock at this event and her stock won't really go down too much if she struggles or gets bounced early.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy 

2014 Australian Open Preview: Women's Draw

The Australian Open is less than 24 hours away and it is time for me to preview the Women's Draw of the Australian Open. I will list 10 things for tennis fans to look for as they watch the Women's Draw unfold.

1. Look For Chaos: 

While I think the very top players will be safe, there will be a ton of unexpected things happening to players ranked outside the top four. Nobody is safe from an upset in the WTA with how fluid and inconsistent it can be. There will likely be at least a couple of surprise players that get to at least the Quarterfinals if not further.

2. Serena Williams Will Easily Reach The Final: 

The #1 seed Serena Williams has such an easy draw to the Final it's not even funny. The only players that are a threat to her in her half of the draw aren't even really threats! Against #6 Petra Kvitova, Serena Williams is 5-0 all time; against #4 seeded Na Li, Serena Williams is 10-1 all time; and against #7 seeded Sara Errani, Serena Williams is 6-0 all time. That's a combined record of 21-1! If Serena Williams doesn't reach the Final, it will be due to a huge upset.

3. Keep An Eye On Sorana Cirstea: 

Sorana Cirstea started outside the top 60 in 2013 and finished in the top 25. She made tremendous strides in 2013 and fortunately for her, she has a really nice draw until she gets to the Quarterfinals to face the #3 seed Maria Sharapova. She's only faced Sharapova once, but the time they faced, Sharapova won handily, so I don't see Cirstea getting beyond the Quarterfinals if all goes according to form. With that being said, it is entirely possible that she doesn't even half to face Sharapova due to an upset, which would then really open the window for her to make a deep run.

4. Samantha Stosur Will Blow Up, But I Can't Predict When It Will Happen: 

On paper, Samantha Stosur should be able to reach the Round of 16 and maybe threaten Serena Williams, but if history tells us anything, she'll burn out way earlier than that. Stosur mentally hasn't been able to handle the pressures of the Australian Open, which is played in front of her home crowd. Typically Australians love to play in front of their home fans, but in Stosur's case it seems to be a bad thing. I wish her the best of luck and hope she can find a way to break free of her mental block down under.

5. Sloane Stephens Has A Chance To Go All The Way If She Gets Passed Victoria Azarenka: 

Sloane Stephens and Victoria Azarenka are scheduled to meet in the round of 16. Azarenka beat Stephens handily in their only meeting back in 2013, but Stephens continues to improve and will be tougher this season. She especially gets up for the grand slams. If she finds a way to squeak past Azarenka, I could easily see her getting past Agnieszka Radwanska and Maria Sharapova to reach the Final.

6. Will Na Li Be A Contender? 

I ask this as a question because she has made a deep run down under before and likes the Aussie crowd. But with Serena Williams in her half of the draw, I don't see her getting back to the Finals. That being said, if Serena Williams were to somehow lose early on, Na Li would be my pick to come out of that half of the draw.

7. Can Sabine Lisicki Make A Run On A Surface Other Than Grass? 

We all know Sabine Lisicki is a threat at Wimbledon, but she hasn't really seemed to make the next jump to becoming a threat at slam not called Wimbledon. I like Sabine's game a lot and she has a ton of confidence in her game on the grass. It'll be interesting if she carries that swagger into this hard court slam and makes a deep run. She has the game to definitely do it with her hard serve and overall aggression.

8. Petra Kvitova Will Disappoint: 

I've always felt like Petra Kvitova was a "one-slam wonder" in the sense that after winning Wimbledon back in 2011, I didn't think she'd win a slam again. She isn't the fastest moving player on the court, and while she has power and has the ability to be tricky due to her left handed play, I don't see enough aggression in her game to go out and win multiple slams. I expect Kvitova to have another disappointing grand slam relative to her expectations, and go out in the Quarterfinals.

9. Don't Write Off Agnieszka Radwanksa: 

Even though Radwanska plays conservative tennis and isn't one of the hard hitters on the WTA tour, her style of play could maybe win a grand slam if the seas parted for her. Should Serena Williams fail to reach the Final along with a Sloane Stephens upset of Victoria Azarenka, an Agnieszka Radwanska grand slam title down under suddenly would look very possible due to her consistent play.

10. Look For A Tough Final Between Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams With Serena Williams Winning: 

Just like the Men's draw, I expect the #1 and #2 seeds to make it to the Final. I think Azarenka is the only serious threat to Williams and vice versa. I expect their match to be long, intense, and dramatic with Serena Williams winning in three tight sets!

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @atp_guy