10 things to take away from the 2019 Australian Open

                                                   (Credit: Julian Finney-Getty Images) 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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10 things to look for at the 2019 Australian Open

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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10 things to take away from the 2018 US Open

                                         (Credit: sportingnews.com) 

With the 2018 US Open now behind us, it is time for me to write my list of 10 things to take away from the fourth and final grand slam of the year. While there's always a lot to say about every grand slam, those that followed this year's US Open know it was more eventful than usual.

#1. Naomi Osaka is a champion: 

The most overshadowed story of this year's US Open is the amazing performance of Naomi Osaka, who defeated Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4 to win her first grand slam title. Due to the controversial events that transpired in the final, everyone spent far more time talking about Serena Williams and chair umpire Carlos Ramos after the match. I'll share my thoughts on that later in this piece, but I wanted to lead with Naomi Osaka since nobody else will do it. She dominated Serena and everyone needs to acknowledge that. She played the better match, better tournament, and is 100 percent deserving of this title. The way Osaka has conducted herself is truly admirable. She's a champion both on and off the court.

#2. Novak Djokovic is back: At the beginning of the 2018 tennis season, there were legitimate concerns about whether or not Novak Djokovic would ever return to form due to injuries that have slowed him down. Now that he has won both Wimbledon and the US Open this year, I think it's safe to say that he is back. The big question now is whether or not he can complete another "Djokovic Slam". I like his chances at the Australian Open, but the French Open will be tough assuming Rafael Nadal is a full go.

With this win, Djokovic now has tied the great Pete Sampras for third on the all-time grand slam titles list with 14, trailing only Rafael Nadal (17) and Roger Federer (20). It's not too soon to put Djokovic in the discussion for greatest of all-time. He's put himself back in the mix after the summer that he's had.

#3. Serena Williams got this wrong: Before I explain why Serena Williams messed up in the women's final, let me first say that I admire everything she has done for the game of tennis. She's done a lot of good for women, the African-American community, and the sport of tennis as a whole. The same goes for her sister Venus, who doesn't get enough love for all that she's accomplished.

With that now out of the way, let me explain why Serena is in the wrong for what happened in the final. For those that did not watch or ever get a full picture of the events that transpired, let me explain what actually happened:

With a 1-0 lead in the second set, Serena's coach Patrick Mouratoglou was signaling her to rush the net and/or bring Naomi Osaka to the net since she was losing the battle on the baseline (ESPN flashed a stat around the end of the first set/beginning of the second set that stated Osaka had taken just 2% of her shots inside the baseline). Mouratoglou's analysis of the match was spot on, but that doesn't make it okay for him to relay it to Serena. Chair umpire Carlos Ramos correctly ruled that Mouratoglou was coaching from the box and gave Serena a code violation as a result. Since it was Serena's first code violation of the match, she was given a warning.

Serena instantly questioned the call, insisting that she hadn't received any coaching. "If he gives me a thumbs up, he's telling me to come on," Serena explained to Ramos. "We don't have any code and I know that you don't know that, and I understand why you may have thought that was coaching, but I'm telling you it's not. I don't cheat to win. I'd rather lose. I'm just letting you know."

During the changeover, Serena continued to have an exchange with Ramos. "It's not something I do," she added. "But I can understand why you may have thought that. But just know I've never cheated...Okay, thank you. Because I'm like, I don't cheat. Yeah, so thank you so much."

After this initial exchange, things appeared to be fine. Ramos had issued her a warning, he seemed to understand what she was saying to him and all appeared to be fine between the two. Serena was keeping her cool and there was certainly no indication that things would take a turn for the worse.

Later on in that set, Serena failed to hold serve with a 3-1 lead, allowing Osaka to get right back in the second set. After blowing that game, Serena smashed her racket in frustration, resulting in a second code violation from Ramos. Because her first code violation was a warning, Serena's second code violation by rule resulted in a one point penalty. Osaka started the next game with a 15-0 lead.

It was at this point that things started to really come off the rails. At the beginning of that game, Serena seemed befuddled by the one point penalty, thinking that her warning for coaching wasn't a code violation even though Ramos stated that it was. Serena once again approached Ramos, expressing frustration and confusion.

"This is unbelievable," Serena said to Ramos. "Every time I play here I have problems, why? Yeah, that's a warning (about the racket)...I didn't get coaching! I didn't get coaching! I didn't get coaching. You need to make an announcement that I didn't get coaching. I don't cheat. I didn't get coaching. How can you say that? You need to, you owe me an apology. You owe me an apology. I have NEVER cheated in my life! I have a daughter and I stand what's right for her and I've never cheated! And you owe me an apology! You will never do another one of my matches!"

The problem with Serena's argument is the fact that she did in fact get coaching. Mouratoglou admitted so after the match. Whether or not that coaching rule should be in place is another matter, but she did in fact get coaching and as a result, Ramos was within the rules to issue that warning. Further, with that warning already given, he had no choice but to give her a point penalty after issuing her a second code violation for smashing her racket. Serena wasn't going to win this argument. Ramos was operating completely within the rules and she should have just taken the one point penalty and moved on.

After that exchange, Osaka would go on to hold serve and then hit a blistering forehand down the line to go up 4-3. Osaka was going to serve with a 4-3 lead, possessing all of the momentum at that point. Serena was very upset that Osaka hit such a good shot, causing her to continue her heated discussion with Ramos.

"And I explained that to you," Serena said to Ramos during the changeover. "For you to attack my character? That's something is wrong. It's wrong. You're attacking my character...Yes you are. You owe me an apology. You will never ever ever be on another court of mine as long as you live. You are the liar."

At this point, Serena paused for a drink of water. It looked like for a moment that she might finally let this go and carry on with the match. Instead, she continued to address Ramos.

"When are you going to give me my apology?" Serena continued. "You owe me an apology. Say it. Say you're sorry...Well then you're, then don't talk to me. Don't talk to me."

Serena paused once again for a drink of water. It once again looked like maybe her rant was over and she would go back to the match. Instead, she continued her same dialogue: "How dare you insinuate that I was cheating."

Once again, Serena paused to eat some gels. It once again looked like she might finally let this go. But once again, she continued.

"You stole a point from me," Serena then said to Ramos. "You're a thief, too!"

After this final exchange, Ramos then announced that Serena had received a third code violation, which by rule results in a game penalty: "Code violation. Verbal abuse. Game penalty Mrs. Williams."

With the game penalty enforced, that meant Serena Williams would serve down 3-5. It was as if Osaka had automatically won her service game. Serena approached Ramos again, confused by what was going on.

"Are you kidding me?" Williams said in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? Because I said you're a thief. Because you stole a point from me. But I'm not a cheater. Well why would you, I told you to apologize to me. This is out-excuse me I need a referee. I don't agree with that."

Serena Williams then pleaded her case to the tournament officials to no avail.

"This is not right," Serena said while holding back tears. "This is not right...I've never cheated. He said I was getting coached and I wasn't getting coached. That's not right. That is not right...You know my character and that's not right. That's not fair. This has happened to me too many times. This is not fair. This is not fair. But to give me a point, to lose a game for saying that is not fair. I mean it's really not."

"She called him a thief," the referee explained to another tournament official after talking to Ramos.

"You know how many other men, you know how many other men do things that are, I didn't do much worse than that," Serena continued. "This is not fair. There's a lot of men out here that have said a lot of things that because they are men, it doesn't happen to them...This is unbelievable. This is unbelievable... No, I don't know there is because if I say a simple thing like 'thief' because he stole a point from me, that does not make,  there are men out here who do a lot worse but because I'm a woman.

"Because I'm a woman you're going to take this away from me? That is not right. And you know it and I know you can't admit it, but I know you know it's not right. I know you can't change it, but I'm just saying that's not right. I get the rules. I get, I just, I get the rules. But I'm just saying it's not right. It happened to me at this tournament every single year that I play. It's just not fair. That's all I have to say. That's not fair."

Serving down 3-5, Serena would go on to hold serve, before complaining again to tournament officials. After more complaining from Serena, Osaka would hold right back, winning by a final score of 6-2, 6-4. Due to all the drama and controversy that ensued, Osaka clearly did not know how to react to her victory. The crowd rained down a chorus of boos and Osaka reacted as if the crowd was booing her.

In the championship ceremony, Serena tried to make things better, telling the crowd to not boo and let Osaka enjoy her moment, but the damage had already been done. Serena became completely unglued on the game's biggest stage, costing herself a grand slam title and Osaka of her championship moment.

The bottom line here is that Serena was completely in the wrong here. After smashing her racket and getting that point penalty, she should have just moved on and not let things spiral out of control like they did. Had she done that, she would have still had a chance to win this match. Instead, she chose to continue to berate Carlos Ramos, giving him little choice but to issue a third conduct violation.

One thing I want to quickly address with this whole mess are the claims that Carlos Ramos is sexist and that there is this double standard between men's tennis and women's tennis. In regards to Ramos being sexist, this claim falls flat both because Ramos has been equally harsh towards men and Serena has had similar fall outs with female umpires. Ramos is known to be one of the strictest chair umpires in the game and she should have known not to mess with him after getting docked that point penalty. Serena also had a similar meltdown at the 2009 US Open semifinals against Kim Clijsters, which also resulted in her losing the match. Her anger was directed at a female lines judge and a female chair umpire. She's been equally unruly towards women and has received the same treatment from them.

As for this double standard in which men can do far worse things, all I can say is I've never seen Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, or Novak Djokovic behave like she did in a grand slam final. For Serena to throw the competitors on the ATP World Tour under the bus like that was really uncalled for. It was reverse sexism and she owes the men an apology for insinuating that they all have such bad behavior. I'm not saying the men are perfect or that they don't get upset. They do. But to say that they get a hall pass while women don't paints things far too simply.

Serena Williams let her emotions get the best of her and that is what really cost her the match. As an athlete you are always taught to never let your emotions get the best of you. Unfortunately, Serena did not heed this council. To read anything more into this than that is letting her off the hook. She's a 23-time grand slam champion who knows better. She should act like she's been on this big of a stage before instead of acting like it was her first time.

#4. Juan Martin Del Potro has found some life: Another story overshadowed by the Serena Williams-Carlos Ramos controversy is the incredible run that Juan Martin Del Potro had to reach the final. Even though he lost in straight sets to Novak Djokovic (3-6, 6-7, 3-6), Del Potro should feel really proud of all he accomplished over these two weeks.

There was a point when we all thought Del Potro's career might be over due to all the wrist surgeries that he had. Instead of giving up, Del Potro continued to grind and never get up. Hopefully he'll once again taste the sweet victory of a grand slam championship. I know the tennis world is rooting for him.

#5. Madison Keys is not there yet: Madison Keys made an impressive run to the semifinals before losing to Osaka in straight sets. I still believe in Keys, but she clearly has more work to do in order to get over the hump to win her first grand slam. I'm optimistic that it'll happen, but it's hard to know when. I'm tempted to pick her to win it all next year, but I'll have to reserve judgment to see how she does in the next three grand slams. Her time will come, but it could take longer than we all expected.

#6. Rafael Nadal needs to take some time off (from hard courts at least): Rafael Nadal had a phenomenal quarterfinal match victory over Dominic Thiem, but ran out of gas in the semifinals against Juan Martin Del Potro, ultimately needing to retire from the match. Nadal will contend at future grand slams, but he needs to make sure he gets his body back to full strength. It might not be a bad idea for him to skip the Australian Open and really gear up for the French Open. The hard courts really wear down Nadal, who plays a very physical, grind it out style. It might be a good idea for him to take a break from them for a little while.

#7. Can Anastasija Sevastova make more deep runs at grand slams? Nobody is talking about the run that Anastasija Sevastova made to the semifinals, so I'll quickly address it. Sevastova defeated #7 Elina Svitolina and #3 Sloane Stephens to reach the semifinals, two top ten players. At 28 years of age, this was Sevastova's deepest run at a grand slam by far. Her previous best result at a grand slam was reaching the 4th round at the Australian Open in 2011. Whether or not this run was an aberration or not remains to be seen, but even if it was, Sevastova has something to be really proud of. Personally, I don't see why it would be. We've seen a lot of players find their groove in their late 20s and early 30s. Who's to say Sevastova can't continue this trend?

#8. Kei Nishikori thrives at the US Open: Kei Nishikori lost in the semifinals to Novak Djokovic, making it the second best run he's ever had at a grand slam. His best run at a grand slam also came at the US Open back in 2014 when he lost in the final to Marin Cilic. Outside of it being a hard court slam, I don't know what it is about the US Open that Nishikori likes so much. Whatever it is, Nishikori has proven himself to be a legit contender at this event. If you're picking a dark horse to win the US Open next year, Nishikori might be your guy.

#9. Sloane Stephens did not have the run she would have wanted: After winning the whole thing last year, Sloane Stephens did not want to get ousted in the quarterfinals. She had big hopes to defend her title and fell short. The future is very bright for Stephens, but when she looks back at the draw she had at this tournament, she'll definitely remember it as a missed opportunity. Look for her to have a strong campaign in 2019. She's definitely not done winning slams.

#10. Is Roger Federer a serious threat at the US Open? Roger Federer has recently won titles at the Australian Open (2017 & 2018) and Wimbledon (2017), but he has not won a US Open title since 2008. Given the drought he's had at the US Open, it's hard to consider him a serious contender at this event. He's won the US Open five times, but those titles feel like ancient history. My theory is he gets worn down by this point of the season, but that doesn't seem to fully account for this drought. Maybe he's due for one in 2019, but right now, I don't see Federer winning another US Open. I still think he has more grand slams left in him, but as far as the US Open is concerned, something about this event is causing him to come up short.

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10 things to look for at the 2018 US Open

The 2018 US Open begins on Monday, which means it is time for me to write my list of 10 things to look for at the final grand slam of the year. If you want to check out the draw for both men's and women's singles as well as schedules and any other information pertaining to the US Open, click here.

#1. Can Novak Djokovic replicate his success at Wimbledon? After looking like he might be past the prime of his career, Novak Djokovic bounced back in England, winning his fourth Wimbledon title. Djokovic comes into the US Open as the #6 seed and hopes to build on his success at Wimbledon with a title at the US Open. While he is known for being a killer hard court player, Djokovic has only two US Open titles under his belt (2011 and 2015) in contrast with his six titles at the Australian Open. His relative lack of success in New York is reason to be cautious about picking him to go all the way, but given what we saw from him earlier in the summer, it would be foolish to rule him out.

#2. Will Angelique Kerber build on her success at Wimbledon? Angelique Kerber comes into the US Open as the #4 seed after winning the ladies' singles title at Wimbledon. She has won the US Open before in 2016, so she knows what it takes to win in New York. On top of that she has won two grand slams in the same season before, taking the Australian Open title in 2016. If you're making a list of serious contenders on the women's side, Kerber absolutely makes the list. The only reason to be a little skeptical of her chances is the simple fact that she's never won back-to-back grand slam titles before. It's hard for anyone to do. Especially if they are trying to do it for the first time.

#3. Can Rafael Nadal defend his crown? Rafael Nadal comes into the US Open as the #1 ranked player in the world and on top of that, he's the defending champion. There's a lot of pressure on him to deliver the goods. While it would be easy to pick Nadal to go all the way, the only reason to doubt him is the fact that he's never won the same grand slam back-to-back years aside from the French Open, which he has utterly dominated. Those facts aside, I actually like Nadal's chances to repeat at the US Open. He's the top seed, is comfortable on the hard courts, and is playing some sensational tennis right now. If I had to put my money on any player in the men's draw to win this event, it would be him.

#4. Can Sloane Stephens defend her crown? Sloane Stephens comes in as the defending champion on the women's side and she's also ranked #3 in the world. She's playing the best tennis of her career and looks to cap off her summer with a second title at the US Open. Unlike last year, there's more pressure on Stephens as she is now viewed as a player who has arrived as opposed to being on the way up. It'll be interesting to see how Stephens handles the pressure at this event, especially in the early rounds.

#5. How dangerous is Roger Federer? Roger Federer comes in as the #2 seed right behind his lifelong rival Rafael Nadal. On top of that, he's found some success as of late, winning the Australian Open in 2017 and 2018 along with Wimbledon in 2017. Federer is still capable of winning grand slams. However, he hasn't won the US Open since 2008, which indicates he tends to wear down once we get to the final grand slam of the year. Given all of this data, I could see this going either way for Mr. Federer. I do expect him to be playing into the second week and making a real run. Will it be enough for him to bring home the title? That's the million-dollar question.

#6. How dangerous is Serena Williams? Serena Williams comes in as the #17 seed despite being ranked outside of the top 100 due to her absence. Let me first say I think it's actually smart to give her a seeding regardless of what her ranking is. By seeding her, you prevent some seeded player from having to face her in the earlier rounds, which is really unfair if you actually think about it. In regards to her chances of going all the way, I think she's got good odds of doing so despite early exits at the Silicon Valley Open and Cincinnati Masters earlier this summer. The key will be for her to get past the first couple of rounds, where she'll be most vulnerable. If she can avoid an early round hiccup, I actually like her odds of going deep in this tournament. The experience is there and I think she's eager to prove that she can still compete at an elite level.

#7. Should we expect anything from Andy Murray? Andy Murray comes into the US Open as unseeded (#378 in the world) and rusty due to his prolonged absence as he recovered from hip surgery. While I do think Serena Williams has a chance to make a deep run, I really don't see Murray doing much damage. He has championship experience, but his last grand slam title was at Wimbledon in 2016 and his lone US Open title came in 2012. If he's still hanging around in the second week, that will be a huge achievement for him.

#8. Will the US Open be Simona Halep's second grand slam title? Simona Halep comes in as the #1 ranked player in the world and she finally has a grand slam title under her belt, winning the French Open earlier this year. I personally think Halep will win multiple slams before her career is over and I don't see why the US Open can't be her next. She's shown she can play on the hard court, reaching the Australian Open finals earlier this year and I think for the first time in her career, she really believes she can win any grand slam she enters. She's my pick to win it all.

#9. Can Madison Keys finish the job? Madison Keys had a heartbreaking ending to the US Open last year, choking against Sloane Stephens in the final. That said, she comes into the US Open this year as a dark horse to win it all and certainly has some experience under her belt, something she didn't have as much of last year. I do think Madison Keys will win a grand slam and I expect the US Open to be where she breaks through since the conditions really mesh with her hard-hitting style of play. It'll be interesting to see how far she goes and if she can shake the demons that came from her collapse in last year's final.

#10. Will someone other than the usual suspects make a serious move? If you're a betting man, odds say the men's champion will be one of the "Big Four" (Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, or Murray). Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic certainly look like the guys to beat, while Murray as mentioned previously looks like a long shot. The rest of the ATP World Tour has struggled to give these guys a serious run at grand slams, falling short far more often than not. If I had to pick one guy to maybe crash the party, it would be Juan Martin Del Potro. He comes in as the #3 overall seed and has won the US Open before, back in 2009. Even though that was a long time ago, he still knows what it takes to win this event. If he isn't the one lifting the trophy at the end, odds are good it'll be Nadal, Federer, or Djokovic. I really don't see anyone else making a serious push.

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10 things to look for at 2018 Wimbledon

Wimbledon is upon us, which means it is time for me to write my list of 10 things to look for at the lone grass grand slam. There were a few upsets on the first day such as Tatjana Maria upsetting #5 Elina Svitolina, Stan Wawrinka over #6 Grigor Dimitrov, and Donna Vekic over #4 Sloane Stephens, so I won't be addressing any of those players who went down.

#1. Will skipping the clay season pay off for Roger Federer? Roger Federer skipped the clay court season to get himself ready for Wimbledon and so far that's looking like a smart decision as he comes in ranked #2 in the world and seeded #1. If Federer goes on to win this tournament for the second consecutive year, skipping the clay season will really look like a smart decision. As a quick side note, Federer is no longer wearing Nike gear. In his first round victory over Dusan Lajovic, Fed was rocking Uniqlo gear instead. It'll be interesting to see if that move pays off for him as well.

#2. Can Simona Halep win back-to-back slams? Simona Halep is coming off of her first grand slam title at Roland Garros and is now attempting to follow that up with a title at Wimbledon. Winning on the clay and then on the grass is no easy feat given the contrast in surfaces as well as the quick turnaround. I could see Halep flame out early or make another deep run. It'll be interesting to see which one it is.

#3. Can Rafael Nadal still contend at Wimbledon? While he continues to have a stronghold over Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal has not won a Wimbledon title since 2010. Grass is clearly not his best surface, but his two career Wimbledon titles do suggest he knows what it takes to win on it. The big question right now is whether or not he still has what it takes to win another Wimbledon. I personally believe he does, but he's going to have his work cut out for him with Federer playing so well.

#4. Is Venus Williams still a contender? Despite not having won Wimbledon since 2008, Venus Williams has five Wimbledon titles and comes in as the #9 seed. If there's any dark horse to pick to win on the women's side, it's Venus. It's just a matter of her recapturing the magic one more time.

#5. Don't sleep on Novak Djokovic: Novak Djokovic comes in as the #12 seed after reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. He's won Wimbledon three times and still has plenty of time to win more slams. While Venus Williams is the dark horse on the women's side, Djokovic is undoubtedly the dark horse on the men's side.

#6. Can Serena Williams make a run? Serena Williams lost in the 4th round at Roland Garros despite coming off of her pregnancy and being unseeded. At Wimbledon she's seeded #25 and is playing on a surface she is much more comfortable on. I don't expect Serena Williams to win the whole thing, but it wouldn't shock me in the least to see her playing into the second week.

#7. Don't sleep on Marin Cilic: Marin Cilic comes in as the #3 seed and is looking to reach the Wimbledon final for the second consecutive season. Cilic really should get talked about a lot more than he does. He's a big guy whose game is well suited for the grass. I expect him to reach the semifinals and be a legit threat to win the gentlemen's singles title. He's got all the tools to do so.

#8. Can Garbiñe Muguruza defend her Wimbledon crown? Garbiñe Muguruza comes in as the #3 seed and is hoping to defend her crown. So far Muguruza has two grand slam titles under her belt (2016 French Open and 2017 Wimbledon), so she's no joke. The big question with her is can she repeat at any of the grand slams that she's already won. 2018 Wimbledon will be a chance to prove that she can.

#9. Can Kyle Edmund carry the torch for Great Britain? With Andy Murray deciding to pull out of Wimbledon, #21 seeded Kyle Edmund has the responsibility to carry Great Britain on his back. While I don't think he's got much of a chance to win it all, Edmund does have the potential to make things interesting and possibly reach the 4th round. If he does, the British fans will be delighted as he's pretty much all they got right now on the gentlemen's side.

#10. Can Petra Kvitova win it all again? Petra Kvitova is a two-time Wimbledon champion who comes in as the #8 seed in the tournament. The big question with her is whether or not she's still got it. She hasn't won Wimbledon since 2014, which is a long time ago in tennis years. Kvitova certainly should be treated as a dark horse to win it all, but I can't give her any higher status than that. She's going to have to prove to us one more time that she can make a deep run before we once again consider her to be a serious contender.

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10 things to take away from the 2018 French Open

                                         (Getty Images) 

Before I dive into my Wimbledon preview, I want to quickly look back on the two weeks that were at Roland Garros earlier in the month. Rafael Nadal won his 11th French Open title and 17th grand slam title overall while Simona Halep won her first grand slam title.

#1. Rafael Nadal is arguably the GOAT: While it is probably wise to shelve GOAT (Greatest Of All-Time) discussions until careers are over, that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun while two of the games' greatest players are still playing. Roger Federer gets the nod from many for the title of GOAT due to having 20 grand slam titles, but Rafael Nadal is making a compelling case for himself racking up French Open titles and staying right atop the world rankings. I know some like to hold it against Nadal for winning the vast bulk of his slams at one event, but the name of the game is to win slams, is it not? So long as Nadal continues to win in Paris, we might someday be looking back on him as the greatest ever.

#2. Simona Halep is the real deal: Simona Halep backed up her world number one ranking by winning her first grand slam title at Roland Garros. After knocking on the door for quite a while, she finally broke through and what's scary is that she probably isn't done winning grand slams. Look for to win a few more before it's all said and done.

#3. Dominic Thiem backed up his status as the #2 player in the world on clay: In my French Open preview, I picked Dominic Thiem to reach the final, citing him as the #2 player in the world on clay behind Rafael Nadal. Thiem proved me and many others to be right by reaching the final, where he lost in straight sets to the King of Clay. If there's anyone who we can peg as the next player to win a few slams in Paris, Dominic Thiem would be the guy. The big question is whether or not he'll miss his window due to Nadal's continued dominance.

#4. Sloane Stephens is no joke on the dirt: Sloane Stephens had an impressive run all the way to the final before falling to Simona Halep. While many Americans struggle on clay, Sloane Stephens appears to be quite comfortable on it. She's reached the 4th round a few times and now has a trip to the final under her belt. Do not be surprised to see her win in Paris in the next few years.

#5. Marco Cecchinato has arrived: Going into Roland Garros, few knew who Marco Cecchinato was as a 25 year old player ranked #72 in the world. After the event, he's made quite a name for himself, reaching the semifinals before losing to Dominic Thiem. It's too early to say whether or not the Italian can sustain this type of success, but given the type of season he's had overall, there's little reason to doubt his ability to get back to this point again in the future. He won his first career title in Budapest earlier this year and appears to be picking up some steam. He's definitely a guy to keep an eye on in the future.

#6. Maria Sharapova is still dangerous: Maria Sharapova benefited from Serena Williams' withdrawal in the 4th round, advancing to the quarterfinals as a result. Even with this fortunate break in mind, Sharapova still has to be applauded for the way she played at Roland Garros. She's won the event twice and showed that she's still a threat despite her suspension and layoff. I never thought the day would come when we'd say clay is Maria Sharapova's best surface, but it's safe to say that at this point, that's the surface she is most deadly on.

#7. Novak Djokovic should feel cautiously optimistic: Novak Djokovic's weakest grand slam has been Roland Garros, so he has to take some confidence knowing he reached the quarterfinals. While it remains unclear whether or not we'll see Novak Djokovic ever return to form, his performance at Roland Garros has to give him some confidence to make some noise at future grand slams.

#8. Serena Williams isn't going anywhere: Coming off childbirth, Serena Williams was unseeded and still found a way to reach the 4th round before having to withdraw due to injury (overuse). Once she gets back into game shape, she should be a threat at future grand slams to come. In a way, seeing her go as far as she did given her circumstances just shows us how good she really is.

#9. Alexander Zverev needs to get it together in the slams: Alexander Zverev is the latest highly ranked player who struggles in slams. Once one guy breaks through, there's always someone else to carry this unfortunate torch and right now it's Zverev carrying it in the men's game. Despite being seeded #2 and ranked #3 in the world, Zverev lost in the quarterfinals and once again flamed out much earlier than expected. The good news for him is that progress is being made as he had previously never reached the quarterfinals at a grand slam before. Still, when you are ranked as high as he is, you need to be going deeper in slams. Hopefully for him, he'll be able to make an even deeper run at Wimbledon.

#10. Madison Keys is still knocking on the door: Madison Keys lost in the semifinals to her close friend Sloane Stephens and is still trying to crack the code to win her first grand slam. The good news for her is she keeps knocking at the door. It just hasn't opened yet. Once it does, expect her to win several. She's the real deal.

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10 things to look for at the 2018 French Open

With the French Open starting on Sunday, it is time for me to write my list of 10 things to look for in the lone clay grand slam. Enjoy!

#1. Can Novak Djokovic make any noise? Novak Djokovic isn't having the type of season he was hoping to have. He's been battling injuries and comes into Roland Garros as the #20 seed as a result. While he's won 12 grand slam titles, he's only won the French Open once in 2016. It's hard to see him getting past the 4th round, but if he's able to make a run to the quarterfinals or beyond, that will be a really encouraging sign of things to come for the former world number one.

#2. Can Jelena Ostapenko defend her crown? Last year, Jelena Ostapenko shocked the tennis world by winning the French Open at just 20 years of age. She comes in as the #5 seed and has a pretty good draw, so she should be able to make a run. The major difference between last year and this year is that this time she has the expectations to make a deep run and possibly defend her crown. It'll be interesting to see how she handles the additional pressure that comes with being the defending champion.

#3. Will anyone seriously challenge Rafael Nadal? Rafael Nadal comes in as the #1 ranked player in the world and is in peak form, having won his 8th Italian Open just a couple weeks ago. Nadal has won the French Open 10 times and comes in as the defending champion once again. Given that he's so heavily favored, it'll be interesting to see if anyone gives him a serious scare. Especially with Roger Federer and Andy Murray both out.

#4. How dangerous is Serena Williams? Despite not being seeded, Serena Williams is still a dark horse to win the whole thing. She's won the French Open three times and knows how to win on the dirt. My feeling on Serena is the longer she stays in the tournament, the more dangerous she becomes. If she's going to go out, she's much more likely to go out early, within the first three rounds. If she's still alive in the 4th round, it'll be really tough to pick against her given her pedigree. For those who've lost count, this would be Serena's 24th grand slam title if she were to win.

#5. Should we take Alexander Zverev seriously? On the surface, this seems like a stupid question. Alexander Zverev is the #2 seed in the tournament and ranked #3 in the world. Of course we should take him seriously, right? What prevents this from being an obvious question is Zverev's lack of grand slam success. The furthest he's gone at grand slam is the 4th round (Wimbledon 2017). Until we see him competing in the second week of a grand slam, it will be hard to have much faith in him making a serious run. He really needs to back up his ranking during this event. Especially given the absences of Federer and Murray.

#6. Can Simona Halep breakthrough? Simona Halep comes in as the #1 ranked player in the world and is eagerly seeking her first grand slam title. She's been to three grand slam finals, two of which have been at Roland Garros (2014 & 2017). Given her historical success at Roland Garros, there's no reason to doubt her chances of winning it all this year. If she's going to breakthrough to win her first grand slam, Roland Garros seems like the most likely place she'll do it. While she'll have to beat a lot of good players, she's my favorite to win it all.

#7. Is Dominic Thiem the biggest threat to Rafael Nadal? If one were to identify the biggest threat to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros, it would probably be Dominic Thiem. He's the #7 seed and has made back-to-back runs to the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2016 and 2017. He's done far better at Roland Garros than any other grand slam and seems to be building momentum towards a finals run. While Nadal is the guy to beat overall, Thiem is definitely the guy to beat on his half of the draw.

#8. Does Maria Sharapova have a deep run in her? Maria Sharapova comes in as the #28 seed and has won the French Open twice (2012 and 2014). She's shown that she can win on the dirt. While her seed indicates that she's a long shot, she did make a run to the semifinals at the Italian Open a couple of weeks ago. That's definitely something that should give her confidence going into this event.

#9. Grigor Dimitrov needs to back up his ranking. Despite being the #4 seed and ranked #5 in the world, there's still a ton of questions surrounding Grigor Dimitrov's abilities to make a deep run at a grand slam. He's reached the semifinals a couple of times, but that's been at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He's never gotten past the 3rd round at Roland Garros and really needs to do a better job of performing in this event. If he doesn't at least reach the quarterfinals, I'll be really disappointed in him.

#10. Don't forget about Garbiñe Muguruza. Garbiñe Muguruza comes in as the #3 seed and also as a two-time grand slam champion, winning at Roland Garros in 2016 and at Wimbledon in 2017. Muguruza knows how to win grand slams and with a vulnerable women's field, you could argue a really good case that she should be favored to win it all. If there's anyone who Simona Halep should be worried about getting in her way, it's definitely Muguruza. She has both the ranking and pedigree to back it up.

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