Those wacky Brits sure have a sick sense of humor, don't they? One year after their epic three-day, 11-hour first round match, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut are scheduled to meet in the first round again. Last year's match will forever define both of their careers, but neither player has been the same since. I know the draw is done at random, but the Isner-Mahut rematch is simply a cruel twist of fate. I wonder if they'll put it on Court 18, the scene of the crime, or if they'll go with one of the show courts? The only thing I know is that it's not possible for this year's match to take on the same epic qualities as last year's. Can it?
But that's not the only potential rematch on tap for Wimbledon 2011. Last year's final between Rafael Nadal and Tomas Berdych is a potential quarterfinal, as is the "Battle of the Andys," Murray vs. Roddick. It was two years ago that the Andys played each other in the semis, with Roddick winning before losing a classic final to Roger Federer. Third-seeded Federer also ended up on the opposite side of the draw as top-seeded Nadal, which creates another opportunity for those two great rivals to end up meeting in a Wimbledon final.
Looking at the men's draw, it certainly looks like there's no reason why the guys who've dominated Wimbledon in the past won't do so again this year. At the French Open, the top four seeds all made the semifinals. I wouldn't be surprised to see that happen again in London. But there are potential pitfalls for each of them. Nadal shouldn't have any issues in the first week, but he could face 2009 U.S. Open champ Juan Martin Del Potro in the round of 16 before taking on Berdych or Mardy Fish in the quarters. Then he'd get an Andy in the semis. The Andys are in a brutal section, though. Murray would have to beat Ivan Ljubicic, while Roddick might have to face Rainer Schuettler, then either Gael Monfils or the big-serving Ivo Karlovic, who's always tough at Wimbledon. Federer might have the easiest road to the semifinals. Other than former finalist David Nalbandian and Isner, there isn't really anybody who can challenge him in that section of the draw. I can't say the same about Novak Djokovic, who might have to get by fifth-seeded Robin Soderling, who's always tough against other top players in Slams, before a semifinal against Roger.
They've all got potentially tough matchups, but, again, the top men always find a way to get it done at Wimbledon. Nadal's won each of the last two times he's played (and made the final in each of his last four Wimbledon appearances). Federer's won six times. Roddick would've won Wimbledon by now if he didn't get stuck playing Federer in the final every time he's gotten there (2004, 2005, 2009). Murray has the extra pressure as the British hope, but he actually has the talent to become the first native son to win Wimbledon since 1936. In my opinion, the only one who's chances are somewhat questionable is Djokovic. He's made it as far as the semifinals, but he's also lost in the second round at Wimbledon before.
As for my men's predicition? Last year was the first time since 2003 that the final was something other than Federer-Roddick (2004-05, 2009) or Federer-Nadal (2006-08). I think we'll make it Roger vs. one of those guys for the seventh time in eight years. I've got Nadal over Roddick in one semifinal and Federer over Soderling in the other. So, once again, it's Federer vs. Nadal in a Grand Slam final. Rafa's certainly had Roger's number lately, but I think the French Open final actually served to give Roger confidence. Problem is, he played that well and still lost. But grass is his best surface. If we get that final and Roger plays as well as he did against Nadal in Paris, he'll finally get that monkey off his back and win a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2009 Wimbledon. (It seems hard to believe that we've gone seven straight without him winning one, doesn't it?)
On the women's side, it could be as wide open as the French Open ended up. The Williams sisters are back, and they could end up being the wild cards in this whole equation. At Wimbledon, they aren't required to seed players according to their world ranking. As a result, Serena is seeded seventh and Venus is No. 23. Between them, they've won nine of the last 11 Wimbledon titles (Venus five, Serena four), and they've played each other in the final four times. But they've both been out so long I don't even remember the last time either one played. Serena's been out almost an entire year since cutting her foot on a glass table after winning Wimbledon last year. The health of the Williams sisters is the big question mark going into the tournament. If they're both healthy, beating them will be tough.
But the Williams sisters aren't the only ones capable of winning Wimbledon. Maria Sharapova's the only other former champ in the field (she beat Serena in 2004), and she might be playing the best tennis of her career right now, reaching the semis of the French Open on her worst surface. The same can be said for surprise French Open champion Li Na, who's seeded third here. Then there's No. 2 seed Vera Zvonareva, last year's finalist, and No. 9 Marion Bartoli, the finalist in 2007. And don't forget about Agnieszka Radwaska, Daniela Hantuchova, Victoria Azarenka and Svetlana Kuznetsova. (I said it's wide open, didn't I?) Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki is still in search of her first Grand Slam title, but I don't think it happens here. I'm officially going to say that's also the case for Jelena Jankovic, who I've now officially given up on as a potential Grand Slam champion.
With Kim Clijsters missing Wimbledon due to injury, I'd have to install Serena as the favorite, followed by Venus and Sharapova. However, I'm taking Maria over Serena in the semis. I think 25th-seeded Hantuchova continues her solid run from Paris and reaches the other semifinal, where she'll lose to Venus. And in the final, I'll take Sharapova to win her second Wimbledon title.
No comments:
Post a Comment