So, Wimbledon is underway and their are four players to watch on the men's side. Four, or more? But The Big Four are on the top of everyone's head. Tennis is just like that these days, I guess!
Roger Federer, having lost early last year and going out early in Paris this year, is an interesting player to start on. He won in Halle, on grass, after losing in the fourth round in the French Open. But how about last year's debacle? Well, I think Federer is playing better this year. But last year, it was the same deal. Fed won in Halle. But then he lost in the second round at Wimbledon.
Roger faces Gilles Muller in the second round. Should he win that, he's looking at an interesting draw filled with old friends an foes from his past. In the fourth round, a potential opponent is the very man who win this thing twelve years ago, which was ancient history. Lleyton Hewitt. But Hewitt must get by Jerzy Janowicz first. JJ happens to be the 15th seed. From there, it could be Stan Warwinka or John Isner in the quarter-finals. After that, a potential Roger-Raf semi-finals. Who wouldn't want to see that?
As for Nadal, how's this for a second round opponent? Lukas Rosol (!). The two have a very interesting history at Wimbledon. Should Nadal take that one to the bank, his third round opponent would probably be either Richard Gasquet (semi-finalist here back in 2007) or Gael Monfils. A quarter-final spot would see Nadal face either Canadian Milos Raonic (eigth seed) or Kei Nishikori, who's been having a (surprisingly) fine year so far.
Novak Djokovic, who seems stuck in "Grand Slam Finals Losing" mode for about a year now (Wimbledon finals lost, US Open finals lost, French Open finals lost), has no seeds left on his draw until the fourth round. I expect him to win his next two matches. From there, it's going to be either Mikhail Youzhny or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (twelve seed and semi-finalist to Djokovic after beating Federer in the quarter-finals in 2011). And then, a potential rematch of last years final's with Andy Murray looms! Only this time, a round earlier!
Ahhh, Murray. Stuck without a title this year, but with a new coach. Hey, notice they have the same initials? Well, first and last name! But Slam-wise, it hasn't been too bad. A quarter-finals appearance in Australia, then a surprising semi-finals appearance in France. I thought his run to the semis there back in 2011 was a fluke, but now I don't. I also think that result can give him the confidence of a repeat. Or at the very least, a third straight Wimbledon finals appearance.
First, though, Murray has to get to the third round. I don't see him losing his second round match. From there, it gets a little tough. I think he will face Kevin Anderson in the round of 16. Anderson has to probably beat Febio Fognini, who has had an interesting year, especially with umpires, right? Andy's quarter-finals opponent will probably be either Grigor Dimitrov or David Ferrer. I think Murray can beat both of those guys.
As for the others. The new top ten player, Ernests Gulbis (but only the twelfth seed) faces someone that has something very much in common with him. That opponent has beaten Roger Federer prior to a quarter-finals in a grand slam. I'm referring to Sergiy Stakhovsky, who beat Federer here last year. In the fourth round, it's a potential rematch of Gulbis and Tomas Berdych, who is seeded sixth. Gulbis won their match in the quarters of the French Open, but here, Berdych has reached a finals (back in 2010). He, too, has also beaten Roger Federer at Wimbledon, back in 2010. He also beat Djokovic in the semi-finals before falling to Nadal in the finals. Tomas always seems stuck in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, or finals of a slam!
Wawrinka, the fifth seed (no use in saying who the first four seeds are, right?) could face Denis Istomin in the third round, but he is not seeded. From there, Stan would probably have to face big-serving John Isner (ninth seed) in the round of sixteen. Then, assuming Fed wins his matches (and that might be assuming a lot), it's an all-Swiss affair in the quarter-finals!
Roger Federer, having lost early last year and going out early in Paris this year, is an interesting player to start on. He won in Halle, on grass, after losing in the fourth round in the French Open. But how about last year's debacle? Well, I think Federer is playing better this year. But last year, it was the same deal. Fed won in Halle. But then he lost in the second round at Wimbledon.
Roger faces Gilles Muller in the second round. Should he win that, he's looking at an interesting draw filled with old friends an foes from his past. In the fourth round, a potential opponent is the very man who win this thing twelve years ago, which was ancient history. Lleyton Hewitt. But Hewitt must get by Jerzy Janowicz first. JJ happens to be the 15th seed. From there, it could be Stan Warwinka or John Isner in the quarter-finals. After that, a potential Roger-Raf semi-finals. Who wouldn't want to see that?
As for Nadal, how's this for a second round opponent? Lukas Rosol (!). The two have a very interesting history at Wimbledon. Should Nadal take that one to the bank, his third round opponent would probably be either Richard Gasquet (semi-finalist here back in 2007) or Gael Monfils. A quarter-final spot would see Nadal face either Canadian Milos Raonic (eigth seed) or Kei Nishikori, who's been having a (surprisingly) fine year so far.
Novak Djokovic, who seems stuck in "Grand Slam Finals Losing" mode for about a year now (Wimbledon finals lost, US Open finals lost, French Open finals lost), has no seeds left on his draw until the fourth round. I expect him to win his next two matches. From there, it's going to be either Mikhail Youzhny or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (twelve seed and semi-finalist to Djokovic after beating Federer in the quarter-finals in 2011). And then, a potential rematch of last years final's with Andy Murray looms! Only this time, a round earlier!
Ahhh, Murray. Stuck without a title this year, but with a new coach. Hey, notice they have the same initials? Well, first and last name! But Slam-wise, it hasn't been too bad. A quarter-finals appearance in Australia, then a surprising semi-finals appearance in France. I thought his run to the semis there back in 2011 was a fluke, but now I don't. I also think that result can give him the confidence of a repeat. Or at the very least, a third straight Wimbledon finals appearance.
First, though, Murray has to get to the third round. I don't see him losing his second round match. From there, it gets a little tough. I think he will face Kevin Anderson in the round of 16. Anderson has to probably beat Febio Fognini, who has had an interesting year, especially with umpires, right? Andy's quarter-finals opponent will probably be either Grigor Dimitrov or David Ferrer. I think Murray can beat both of those guys.
As for the others. The new top ten player, Ernests Gulbis (but only the twelfth seed) faces someone that has something very much in common with him. That opponent has beaten Roger Federer prior to a quarter-finals in a grand slam. I'm referring to Sergiy Stakhovsky, who beat Federer here last year. In the fourth round, it's a potential rematch of Gulbis and Tomas Berdych, who is seeded sixth. Gulbis won their match in the quarters of the French Open, but here, Berdych has reached a finals (back in 2010). He, too, has also beaten Roger Federer at Wimbledon, back in 2010. He also beat Djokovic in the semi-finals before falling to Nadal in the finals. Tomas always seems stuck in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, or finals of a slam!
Wawrinka, the fifth seed (no use in saying who the first four seeds are, right?) could face Denis Istomin in the third round, but he is not seeded. From there, Stan would probably have to face big-serving John Isner (ninth seed) in the round of sixteen. Then, assuming Fed wins his matches (and that might be assuming a lot), it's an all-Swiss affair in the quarter-finals!
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