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.

Instant reaction to Maria Sharapova's failed drug test

     On Monday, Maria Sharapova admitted at a press conference in Los Angeles that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open. The drug she tested positive for is Meldonium, a drug that can help improve an athlete's stamina and blood flow. While Maria Sharapova claims that she has been using the drug for the past 10 years for what is implied to be medical purposes, it turns out that a person given the drug as a prescription is typically prescribed to use it for 4-6 weeks. So, it sounds like her story of using it for 10 years for medical purposes is a lie.

     The big question that we must ask in light of all of this is how should we view Maria Sharapova? Should we view her as a cheater who has gained an unfair advantage over opponents to win grand slams? Should we view her as a human being who made a mistake? Or something in the middle? Certainly some of her biggest sponsors, one of which is Nike, have made their opinions known by no longer affiliating themselves with the Russian tennis star.

     But, just because it makes sense for a business to cut ties from Maria Sharapova doesn't mean that tennis fans, analysts, and players should also proceed to throw her under the bus. Those who are directly involved in the game of tennis shouldn't be quick to declare her a cheater and shun her from a sport that she has done a lot to grow. The bottom line is that while tennis has done a lot of good for Maria Sharapova, Maria Sharapova in turn has a done a lot of good for the game of tennis. She has inspired thousands of young girls to learn the sport, she has been a classy player for her entire career, and she has also proudly represented her native country of Russia at the Olympics.

     Until Monday, Maria Sharapova has maintained a clean image and hasn't made any major mistakes. However, we live in a world that now knows about her failed drug test and with that information now being known, we have to decide for ourselves what we think her legacy should be. She will be suspended effective March 12, but the duration of the suspension is not yet known. It is certainly possible that the length of the suspension may have a huge effect on how we perceive her. If she is given a six-month suspension, odds are good this all blows over in time. If on the other hand she is given a multi-year suspension, her legacy and image could be tarnished for good.

     Ultimately, I ask people to be careful being overly critical of Maria Sharapova. For one thing, Meldonium wasn't added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances until January 1, 2016. To say that she's been cheating all these years when she actually wasn't is absurd to say. Secondly, it is entirely possible that she was unaware of it being added to the banned list, which while making her negligent and irresponsible, it doesn't necessarily make her a cheater. Third, she has overall been a positive figure for the sport of tennis and to throw all of that away because of one failed drug test seems cruel and harsh.

     While it is certainly fair to criticize her and hold her responsible for her actions, it is not necessarily fair to suddenly treat her like a cheater. She made a mistake and to her credit, she owned up to that mistake in front of the entire world. We need to not forget that and also remember that if we made a similar mistake, we too would hope for some forgiveness and compassion.

10 things to takeaway from the 2016 Australian Open

           

    It’s been a little over two weeks since the 2016 Australian Open ended and I’m long overdue to share my 10 takeaways from the first grand slam of the year. It was an exciting two weeks of tennis and a lot to unpack, so here I go!

#1. Who can stop Novak Djokovic? Novak Djokovic won the men's singles title, dominating Andy Murray 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 in the final. Djokovic collected his 6th Australian Open title and his 11th grand slam title overall. Unless some other young phenom comes up in the next couple of years, it's hard to see Novak Djokovic not breaking Roger Federer's grand slam title record of 17. He is locked in and extremely focused right now. The only thing he is yet to accomplish is win the title at Roland Garros, but with the way he's playing, I really like his chances to do it this year. 

#2. Angelique Kerber's moment finally came: Angelique Kerber defeated Serena Williams 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the women's final to capture her first career grand slam title. While many of us wanted to see Serena Williams give herself another shot at the calendar grand slam, it was really heart warming to see Angelique Kerber finally breakthrough and win her first grand slam. She's been knocking on the door for a while and she finally got it done. 

     There was a look of relief, excitement, and child-like joy on her face. It was really neat to see how much winning a grand slam meant to her. It'll be interesting to see whether or not Kerber can win another grand slam or not, but regardless of what the future holds for her, she will forever be in a very elite club of grand slam champions. 

     Tennis is a sport where winning one championship doesn't seem like much since there are four grand slam championships every year, but in truth, winning one is a big deal and Angelique Kerber should really enjoy this one. So few players ever get the satisfaction of winning one, let alone multiple, grand slams. 

#3. Is the end finally coming for Roger Federer? Roger Federer lost in the semifinals to Novak Djokovic and shortly after, it was revealed that he needed to undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee. While he will be back on the courts competing by hopefully March, one does have to wonder whether or not we will ever see Roger Federer win another grand slam title. He is still one of the top-5 players in the world without question, but the gap between Federer and Djokovic is widening and not closing.

     If Roger Federer doesn't win Wimbledon this year, I'm not sure we'll ever see him win another grand slam. Also, Roger Federer has never won an Olympic gold medal and the 2016 Olympic games in Rio will certainly be his last opportunity to do that. This is a big year for Roger Federer and I hope he'll be able to win another slam and get that Olympic gold. 

#4. Serena Williams is still the player to go through to win a grand slam: Even though she didn't win the title, Serena Williams showed us that she is still the best player in the world and the player who every woman on tour must go through in order to win a grand slam. In addition, Serena displayed great sportsmanship and appeared to be genuinely happy for Angelique Kerber. 

     I think that while Serena Williams still wants to win more slams, she knows that she has solidified her place as the greatest female tennis player ever. So at this point, every time she gets to compete in a grand slam, I think she's just grateful to be out there and still able to be the best at what she does. She isn't done winning grand slams by any means, but she is a human being and can't win them all. Look for her to make serious noise in Paris. 

#5. Hello, Johanna Konta: Until the 2016 Australian Open, the furthest that the 24 years old British/Australian had gone in a grand slam was the 4th round of the 2015 US Open. In the 2016 Australian Open, Konta had a breakthrough tournament, reaching the semifinals before losing to Angelique Kerber. What's crazy is that after her run to the semifinals, her ranking shot up to 95 in the world! Yeah, she was so low in the rankings that a semifinal run to a grand slam made her barely crack the top 100! 

     Anyways, considering her 4th round run at the US Open and her semifinal run at the Australian Open, I would say that Johanna Konta is certainly trending upward at the moment. It'll be interesting to see how she does on the clay at Roland Garros and the grass at Wimbledon before returning to the hard courts in New York. 

#6. Serena Williams seriously owns Maria Sharapova: Maria Sharapova was on a roll until she met Serena Williams in the quarterfinals. Serena won easily by a score of 6-4, 6-1. It's kind of crazy how much Serena Williams just owns Maria Sharapova. It's almost like Serena Williams has a personal vendetta against Maria Sharapova ever since she lost to her in the 2004 Wimbledon final. 

#7. Maybe Milos Raonic is on the verge of breaking through: Milos Raonic had a great two weeks in Melbourne, reaching the semifinals before losing to Andy Murray. It was just the second time he had reached a grand slam seminal (2014 Wimbledon) and what was even better was that he took Andy Murray to a 5th set. Perhaps Milos Raonic is finally scratching the surface of what he can do and we'll see him in grand slam final later this year. 

Note: For your amusement, click here to watch Milos Raonic dunk a basketball at the 2016 NBA All-Star Celebrity game in Toronto. 

#8. Victoria Azarenka is on her way back: Victoria Azarenka lost in the quarterfinals to Angelique Kerber, but the fact that she got to the quarterfinals is a huge step in the right direction for Vika. She has been successful at the Australian Open, winning the title back-to-back years in 2012 and 2013. For her to get off to a strong start in 2016 is definitely encouraging. Hopefully she can build on this and make an even deeper run at Wimbledon and the US Open. She isn't really a clay player, so an early exit at Roland Garros wouldn't be a setback for her at all. 

#9. Eugenie Bouchard has work to do: A second round exit to the 4th overall seed Agnieszka Radwanska was expected but all the same discouraging for a player who very recently appeared to be on the verge of winning a grand slam. Eugenie Bouchard has the talent to win a grand slam in future seasons, but right now, she has to get her mind right and put herself back in a position where she can compete for grand slams. She was ranked as high as #5 in the world in October of 2014, so she definitely can get back, but it will require her to buckle down and really focus. 

#10. Andy Murray can't get it done down under: Andy Murray has a lot of good things happening in his life. He's a husband and now a father in addition to a two-time grand slam champion and an Olympic gold medal winner. However, winning the Australian Open title is not one of the good things to happen in Andy Murray's life. He has now reached the Australian Open final 5 times only to lose in the final 5 times. No player in the history of tennis has been to the final of a particular grand slam more times without winning it. He's sort of the Buffalo Bills of the Australian Open. Anyways, look for Andy Murray to contend at grand slams this year, but it's possible that so long as Novak Djokovic is around, an Australian Open title will always elude the Scotsman.   

Conclusion: The 2016 Australian Open had a lot of exciting moments and interesting results. We saw Novak Djokovic continue his dominance and Angelique Kerber win her first grand slam title. In addition, we saw Johanna Konta breakthrough and Milos Raonic have a possible breakthrough of his own. It'll be interesting to see what the future grand slams hold for us this year. Look for my preview of Roland Garros to come the Friday before the tournament starts, which will be May 13. 

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.

10 things we learned from the 2015 US Open

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2015 US Open preview: 10 things to look for

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10 things we learned from Wimbledon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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