Yes, I Care…A Lot

I know I’m one of only 17 people in this country not named McEnroe who care about professional tennis, but it is certainly in my “Big Four” sports (MLB, NFL, NCAA basketball, and the ATP).  The Australian Open is always so incredibly interesting, being the first major of the year, usually played in extreme heat in front of raucous late-night crowds of sports-loving, beer-loving Aussies.  It is also the only major that does not closely precede or succeed another major on a different surface.  The players get revved up for the hardcourts in New York in September and then have the entire winter (barring any Davis Cup matches) to keep their “hardcourt legs” under them to play the Australian Open.  Plus, it is almost four months before the French Open, so no one is looking ahead to the clay court season.  It is all about the hardcourts and starting off one’s season on the right foot, so to speak.  Plus, you can throw in the fact that it takes place when only two NFL teams are still playing, spring training has yet to start, the NBA is still in the first half of its marathon season, and college hoops is good, but just beginning its crescendo to March.  For all these reasons, the Australian Open is my favorite major of the year.  And, it has NOT disappointed this year, in any way.

Check out these Round of 16 matchups, leading into the quarterfinals:

• #1 Rafael Nadal vs. #13 Fernando Gonzalez – The #1 player in the world has been absolutely phenomenal so far, and Gonzalez has struggled through two 5-setters so far.  But, Gonzo, a finalist here two years ago, is supremely talented and he is just learning the importance of “heart.”
• #6 Gilles Simon vs. #12 Gael Monfils – Two young, exciting, and extremely athletic Frenchmen will play for the right–probably–to play Nadal in the quarters.  These two are big parts of the “next wave” of great players
• #4 Andy Murray vs. #14 Fernando Verdasco – This might be the “Year of Murray,” but watch out, as Verdasco has been playing very well, and he has the experience to pull the upset if Murray isn’t careful
• #5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. #9 James Blake – Tsonga, last year’s surprise finalist, was hampered with injuries.  But, now he seems healthy and is ready to return to the forefront of men’s tennis.  But, Blake is always a tough out on hardcourts and is playing with a lot of confidence right now.
• #7 Andy Roddick vs. #21 Tommy Robredo – I took too long to post this, and now this side of the draw is complete, but this match was not that big of a surprise, as Roddick rolled over Robredo.  Roddick is now 10-0 against Robredo in his career and has only dropped one set to the talented Spaniard.  Roddick is looking strong, but the toughest is still to come.
• #3 Novak Djokovic vs. Marcos Baghdatis – Baghdatis, the only unseeded player to make the Round of 16, is hardly your typical “qualifier,” and he showed that in taking Djokovic to 4 sets–losing a tough tiebreaker in the second, before winning the third, but falling short in the fourth.  Djokovic and Roddick’s quarterfinal collision course is now set–it is going to be fantastic.
• #8 Juan-Martin Del Potro vs. #19 Marin Cilic – Two BIG-hitting 20-year olds that are the core of the “next wave.”  The 6’8″ Del Potro was just a little too tough for Cilic, but both players have a VERY bright future ahead of themselves.
• #2 Roger Federer vs. #20 Tomas Berdych – In, what looked to be the shocker of the men’s draw, Berdych took the first two sets–rather convincingly–from “The Federer,” but in majestic fashion, as always, Federer roared back and won in 5.  It could have been different had Berdych made one of two easy volleys that would have given him a 5-3 lead in the third set.  He would have forced Federer to hold and break to avoid losing in straights.  But, the Czech tightened up and dumped them both into the net, ended up being broken and lost the last three sets.  In the round before, Federer looked like the 2007 version as he dismantled a very game Marat Safin, in straights.

MY 4th ROUND PREDICTIONS: 

• Nadal beats an exhausted Gonzalez easily in straights
• Murray drops at least one set, but outlasts Verdasco
• Blake upsets Tsonga in 5 (now that he has gotten over the 5-set hurdle)
• Simon capitalizes on a lot of errors from a game Monfils to win in straights
• Federer, Djokovic, Roddick, and Del Potro have already won

MY QUARTERFINAL PREDICTIONS:

• Nadal overmatches Simon, wins in straight sets
• Murray beats a tired Blake in straight sets
• Rod Laver Arena is just too big for the 20-year old Del Potro, as he loses to Federer in straights
• Roddick upsets Djokovic in a 5-set thriller (I know it seems that I am too pro-American with the Roddick and Blake picks, but I really am not.  I actually usually pick against the “homeboys,” but I think that it actually looks good for Blake and Roddick in their next matches)

MY SEMIFINAL PREDICTIONS:

• Nadal, after dropping the first set, turns on the jets and cruises past Murray to win in 4
• Roddick throws everything he’s got, but it’s only good enough to take one set from The Federer

MY FINAL PREDICTION:

• Federer beats Nadal in yet another INCREDIBLE match.  A five-setter that puts Federer in the record books, as tying Pete Sampras’s 14 Grand Slam titles.  This is a tough one because I think that if Federer needs more than 7 sets to win in the quarters and semis, he might not have enough to outlast the Spaniard.