As has been the case for most of 2009, the women’s field is once again wide open.

This draw seems top-heavy to me. On the top you have a very strong contingent of Russian women which includes: Dinara Safina, Alisa Kleybanova, Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova, Nadia Petrova, and Svetalana Kuznetsova. You’ve also got Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, Sabine Lisicki, Caroline Wozniacki and Jie Zheng. This is an extremely tough half of the draw and whoever comes out is going to be battle-tested.

The top seed on the women’s side is Safina, and she is still looking for her first Grand Slam title. She has not been able to put together a strong showing in the final of a Grand Slam yet, and some people question whether or not she should be the top seed. She could face fellow Russian Kleybanova (a big hitter) in the third round and possibly Jankovic, Ivanovic, or Lisicki in the quarters.

The semis on the top half of the draw are tough to predict. You’ve got Dementieva (who I think has the best groundstrokes on tour), and two former champions here: Sharapova and Kuznetsova. Dementieva and Sharapova could meet in an epic third-round bout with the winner having to move on and face maybe Kuznetsova or even Wozniacki in the quarters. Should be interesting to follow.

On the bottom half of the draw the story revolves around two names: Williams and Clijsters. Both Serena and Venus find themselves in the bottom half with wild-card Kim Clijsters (2005 champion) also lurking. Serena, the defending champion, opens up with American Alexa Glatch, and could face Daniela Hantuchova in the fourth round and possibly the uber-talented Vera Zvonareva in the quarters. 

Venus and Clijsters could face in the fourth round, which would be one heck of a match. The winner of that match could be looking at Victoria Azarenka in the quarters, and beating her is never an easy task. 

Don’t forget about the young Michelle Larcher de Brito. The 16-year old Portuguese sensation, who trains at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, opens up with Mathilde Johansson and is looking for her first career win at the US Open.

My prediction for the women’s draw has to start with Serena. Until someone knocks her off, I just can’t predict her to lose. She is so good when she is focused and fit and playing in New York always seems to bring out the best in her. Don’t be surprised if there are numerous upsets in the draw, because when the field is this wide open, who knows what will happen!!

To view Nick Bollettieri’s video interview and tennis tips please visit this $VIDEOLINK$

Tennis Week is teaming with legendary coach Nick Bollettieri to provide previews and in-depth analysis of the US Open. Nick Bollettieri, who is New York City for the Open, previews the men’s field today. Look for Nick’s Picks of the most exciting US Open matches on a round-by-round basis in the coming days.  

It’s US Open time again and we are thrilled to be back in New York for the entire tournament. Be sure to stay with Nick’s Picks throughout the tournament for live coverage of the year’s final Grand Slam. We begin today with our breakdown of the men’s draw.

The big story about the men’s draw is the change at the top. For the first time in a long while, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal could have faced off before the final. Nadal has slipped to No. 3 in the rankings because of injuries and Federer and Andy Murray have taken over the top two spots. Alas, it was not to be, as Nadal was placed in Murray’s half of the draw and can still face Federer in the finals.

Speaking of Federer, he starts off with an interesting match against young American, Devin Britton. Britton spent many years training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and then as a freshman in college he won the NCAA singles championship this year at Ole Miss. Britton is a serve-and-volleyer and this will be a great experience for him.

Assuming Federer plays like he has, he should be able to move through the draw with not many issues. He could face Lleyton Hewitt in the third round and possibly James Blake in the fourth, but I don’t see either of those guys stopping FedEx. A potential Nikolay Davydenko quarter could be tricky, but the match we all want to see is a Federer vs. Andy Roddick semifinal. After a fantastic Wimbledon final, a rematch in the semis here would be must-see TV.

Roddick’s path could be tough though as he could run into some trouble in the fourth round against either Tommy Haas or Fernando Verdasco. He would also have to get by Novak Djokovic in the quarters, whom he lost to in last year’s quarterfinals. Since then though, Roddick has beaten Djokovic three consecutive times — all this year.

On the bottom half of the draw, all the talk is about Murray and Nadal. Murray, last year’s runner-up, begins his quest for a first Grand Slam title with a tough opponent in Ernests Gulbis. He could also face a big-serving third round opponent as Ivo Karlovic and Taylor Dent both loom in that section of the draw.

Those guys aren’t the only big guys who can serve in the bottom half, as they are joined by Jo-Willy Tsonga, Tomas Berdych, Juan Martin Del Potro, Marin Cilic, and Stan Wawrinka. All of those guys are talented enough to beat anyone. You’ve also got a couple of sly Frenchmen in Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon in the draw; watch out for those guys as well! 

The match everyone is going to be looking at early on is Nadal vs. Richard Gasquet. We all know that Nadal has been dealing with injuries, but Gasquet is playing in his first ATP Tour level match since April after missing most of 2009 because of a drug suspension. He comes in ranked No. 46 in the world, but has been as high as No. 7.  This will be a very interesting match for both players.

Overall, I think the bottom half of the draw is a bit stronger than the top half just because of the quantity of men who are more than capable of taking down the top guys. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any one of those guys playing well into the second week.  

To view Nick Bollettieri’s video interview and tennis tips please visit this $VIDEOLINK$

(2) Roger Federer (SUI) vs. (6) Andy Roddick (USA)

Haas pushed Federer in the semis, but it was Federer that was able to take his game to the next level and reach the final of Wimbledon for the seventh consecutive time. Federer didn’t face a single break point on his serve and committed just 15 unforced errors (compared to 31 from Haas). He also won close to 90 percent of the points on his first serve and came to the net 43 times (converting 88 percent of the time). Federer demonstrated why he is the most versatile player in the game.

Roddick continued his fantastic play with a dramatic four-set victory over Andy Murray in the semis. He served exceptionally well (getting in 75 percent of his first serves) and his movement was superb. Roddick also came into the net much more than Murray (75 times to 20 times) and this really put pressure on his opponent. This is Roddick’s third Wimbledon final and first since 2005. He is also looking for his second career Grand Slam title having not won one since the 2003 US Open. 

Match-Up:

Federer is 18-2 against Roddick and has beaten him three times already this year. This is their fourth meeting at Wimbledon and their third in the final. Federer has won all of those matches, while dropping only one set. There would be no better place for Federer to break Pete Sampras’ Grand Slam title record than at Wimbledon. When you combine Federer’s history there with the ambiance of Wimbledon, you couldn’t ask for a better situation if you are a sports fan.

This will not be an easy match for Federer with the way Roddick is playing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Roddick serve so well over a period of this many matches and he is forcing the issue as well. He’s played two very difficult matches (Hewitt and Murray) and is in the best shape of his life. There is no doubt that his coach, Larry Stefanki, will have him ready for Federer both mentally and physically. The question is, how will he handle Federer’s variety?

Watching Federer is like watching a magician. He hits shots that leave you scratching your head trying to figure out how he just did that. You saw that look from Tommy Haas a couple of times during the semis. He has only dropped one set in the entire tournament (to Kohlschreiber in the third round) and has looked very comfortable on the court. It is just amazing to watch how easy the game comes to Federer and it is simply beautiful.

I definitely feel that Roddick can put pressure on Federer enough to make this interesting. He needs to continue serving well and coming in when he can (and when Federer doesn’t expect it). There is no doubt that you have to give the edge to Federer, but don’t count Roddick totally out until the match is over!

Nick’s Pick — Federer in 4 sets

(2) Serena Williams (USA) vs. (3) Venus Williams (USA)

Serena had to fight her butt off to get by Elena Dementieva in the semifinals, but she hung tough and demonstrated what a great competitor she is. Dementieva played fantastic tennis and if it was anybody else across the net from her, she probably would have won. Serena is looking for her third Wimbledon title and her first since 2003. If she wins the title she will have won three out of the last four Grand Slams!

Venus blasted Dinara Safina off the court in 51 minutes, beating the top-ranked Russian 6-1, 6-0. Venus broke Safina five times in five chances and only made one unforced error in the match! She hasn’t dropped a set at Wimbledon since the third round back in 2007 when she needed three sets to beat Akiko Morigami. If she wins it will be her third consecutive Wimbledon title and the sixth of her illustrious career.

Match-Up:

Serena and Venus are 10-10 against each other and have split the two matches they have played this year. This is the second straight year they have faced in the finals of Wimbledon, and last year Venus won 7-5, 6-4. This will also be their eighth meeting in the finals of a Grand Slam and Serena is 5-2 in their previous seven.

It is great to see two Americans facing off in the finals. It is fantastic for the sport, especially in the USA. We don’t have too many players ranked in the top 100 (currently there are 4) and without Venus and Serena we wouldn’t have any women ranked inside the top 50! They are certainly carrying the load for America right now and doing a superb job of it!

Based on the history of the last couple of years, you have to give the edge to Venus. She has played unbelievable on the grass and has won the title the last two years. On the other hand, you can never count out Serena in the finals of a Grand Slam. Both girls have big serves, great groundstrokes and are excellent movers. Both are comfortable at the net and both will fight to the bitter end. I don’t think the match Serena played against Dementieva will have any bearing on this one because when the sisters play it is different than anything else in the sport.

Having traveled with the girls and worked with them both since they were little, I just cannot choose one over the other. The one thing I can guarantee is that this is going to be an excellent match. Send in your pick and let’s see who can get closest to the actual result!

Nick’s Pick  — You pick the match!

Three of the players left in the semis of the Boys’ Singles at Junior Wimbledon all make their home at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. Jordan Cox, Devin Britton, and Bernard Tomic all train at the NBTA and all three have a chance to win the title in London.

Britton, who just won the NCAA Men’s Singles championship, will face Cox, while Tomic will take on Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia in the other semi. There is a real possibility that the finals of Junior Wimbledon will pit two NBTA students against each other.

Cox, 17, is currently ranked No. 80 in the world in the juniors and is playing in his first Junior Grand Slam semi. Britton, 18, is currently the world’s 23rd ranked junior and just completed his first semester at Ole Miss. He reached the finals of last year’s Junior US Open and he just won the junior tournament at Roehampton on grass right before Wimbledon. Finally, Tomic is the third seed in the tournament made his mark on the tennis world earlier this year by winning a round at the Australian Open. He is only 16 years old and is already ranked No. 354 in the ATP rankings.

Good luck to all three of them in the semifinals!

(1) Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. Sabine Lisicki (GER)

Safina needed everything she had to beat the former Wimbledon champ, Amelie Mauresmo, in the fourth round. She is now into the quarterfinals of Wimbledon for the first time in her career, and she has advanced to at least the quarters of the last four Grand Slams.

Everyone at the Academy couldn’t be happier for Sabine. She is a great girl with a fantastic attitude and has really worked hard to get to where she is today. She has been training at the Academy for the last four or five years and during that time she has become a top professional. This is her first appearance in the quarterfinals of any Grand Slam, but trust me, she has the talent to keep moving on!

Match-Up:

Lisicki is 1-0 against Safina, with that win coming in the opening round of the 2008 Australian Open. At that time, Safina was No. 16 in the world and Lisick was No. 194. Plenty has changed since then, and both have really improved their games. You are going to see a lot of hard-hitting action in this match. Both girls have big-time forehands and backhands and really play aggressively. I think for Lisicki to win she is going to have to hit get her monster first serve in and then put the ball away quickly. The longer the rallies and the match goes, the more it favors Safina. The Russian has been on this stage before and that experience should help her. This match could go either way depending on who is getting their first serve in and who is able to control the points. I like Lisicki early and then Safina if it goes long.

Nick’s Pick — Lisicki in 2, Safina in 3 sets

(3) Venus Williams (USA) vs. (11) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)

Venus advanced to the quarterfinals for the third straight year and for the 10th time in her illustrious career when Ana Ivanovic retired in the second set. There is no question that Venus is the favorite to win this tournament, but the one thing that must hold up is her knee which seems to be giving her a little trouble.

Radwanska ended the dream run of American Melanie Oudin 6-4, 7-5 to reach the quarters for the second consecutive year. Radwanska has never been to the semifinals of any Grand Slam and beating Venus here would clearly be one of the biggest victories of her career.

Match-Up:

Venus is 3-1 against Radwanska and has beaten her twice already this year (once on clay and once on the hard court). What makes Radwanska so good is her ability to cover the court and make very few unforced errors. She keeps the ball in play and is like a brick wall on the baseline. Her biggest vulnerability is her second serve. It clocks in around 65 mph and can and will be attacked by Venus. Look for Ms. Williams to pounce on the weak serve and keep Radwanska on the defensive throughout the match. Venus is always comfy on the grass, she is confident she can win, and right now she isn’t making many forehand errors. That is a recipe for great success!

Nick’s Pick — Venus Williams in 2 sets

(4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) vs. Francesca Schiavone (ITA)

Dementieva has yet to drop a set in any of her matches this year and she has gone relatively quietly through the draw. She beat fellow Russian Elena Vesnina 6-1, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals and is looking to get back into the semis for the second straight year.

Schiavone is in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for only the third time in her career. In fact, at Wimbledon she had never even been past the third round previous to this year. She has played well though, taking out Aleksandra Wozniak, Michelle de Brito, Marion Bartoli and Virginie Razzano en route to this match.

Match-Up:

Dementieva and Schiavone are 4-4 against each other, but they haven’t grass and haven’t played since last year. Schiavone is tricky because she isn’t a big girl, but she certainly has the ability to take it to her opponent. She is crafty with the ball and knows how to keep you off-guard. Against Dementieva that might not be enough though, especially with the improved Dementieva serve. I look for the Russian to pound the groundies from both sides and use her excellent movement to keep Schiavone pinned behind the baseline.

Nick’s Pick — Dementieva in 3 sets

(8) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) vs. (2) Serena Williams (USA)

Azarenka toughed out a three-set battle over Nadia Petrova in the fourth round to reach the quarterfinals for the first time at Wimbledon. This is her second consecutive Grand Slam quarter, and she is looking for her first Grand Slam semi. Right now she is the odds-makers third choice after each of the Williams’ sisters. She could become the second option with a win here.

Serena has stated numerous times that she thinks she should have won more than two Wimbledon titles at this point in her career. She looks more determined than ever and is playing some of the best tennis I have ever seen from her. She hasn’t lost a set in this year’s tournament, but Azarenka might have something to say about that.

Match-Up:
Serena is 2-1 against Azarenka and they have split two matches thus far in 2009. I know one thing is for sure, Serena will not forget the loss she incurred to Azarenka in the finals at Miami earlier this year. I know I wouldn’t want to be on the other side of the net when Serena comes out on court! Serena is playing more intelligent tennis right now than she has been in the past. She isn’t trying to win the point right away, rather she is building points while constantly attacking. This philosophy will pay handsome dividends as she continues to progress through the tournament. Azarenka knows she can beat Serena and with that knowledge and experience she should be confident heading into this match. I can’t say I would be surprised if Azarenka won, but I have to give the edge to Serena.

Nick’s Pick — Serena Williams in 3 sets

(1) Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. (17) Mauresmo (FRA)

Safina has reached the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time in her career and she has done so without dropping a set. Despite being the No. 1 player in the world, Safina is still looking for her first Grand Slam victory and she would love to get it on the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon.

Mauresmo, a former Wimbledon champion, beat 15th-seeded Flavia Pennetta 7-5, 6-3 to reach the fourth round. This is the first time she has been to the fourth round of a Grand Slam since the 2008 US Open, and she hasn’t been past this point in any Grand Slam since the 2006 US Open when she advanced to the semifinals!

Match-Up:

Mauresmo is 4-2 against Safina, but the Russian did win their last match at Moscow in 2008. There has been absolutely no talk about Mauresmo and that is what makes this match interesting, because we all know she can win it if her nerves hold up. She definitely plays with more versatility than Safina, but what will hurt her is Safina’s strength. Safina has to control her emotions and not let Mauresmo get into her head. If she does that and plays too her strengths I have to give the Russian the edge.

Nick’s Pick  —  Safina in 3 sets

(3) Venus Williams (USA) vs. (13) Ana Ivanovic (SRB)

What can I say? When Venus gets on grass she is a different player. Like Federer, she is looking for her sixth title here and she is also the two-time defending champion. Beating Venus on grass is similar to taking down Nadal on clay —  it is extremely difficult to do!

Since winning the 2008 French Open, Ivanovic hasn’t looked like the same player. She hasn’t been past the fourth round in any Grand Slam since last year’s Roland Garros and has seen her ranking fall from No. 1 to No. 12. Winning this match would be the biggest thing for her since that title.

Match-Up:

Venus is 5-1 against Ivanovic and beat her in the semis of Wimbledon in straight sets back in 2007. I definitely believe that Ivanovic is playing a bit better than she has been for much of the last year. She seems more confident and more determined. However, Venus will keep her on the defensive throughout the match and will move her around the court. Ivanovic will have to gamble and take chances, because that is the only way to beat Venus on grass. The one thing Venus has to watch out for is errors from the forehand side. If she keeps those down and serves well, she will win.

Nick’s Pick  — Venus Williams in 3 sets

(4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) vs. Elena Vesnina (RUS)

Dementieva is a player that is flying under the radar a bit, and she is more than capable of winning this tournament. She hasn’t lost a set in her three matches and has been to the semifinals here before. In her last four Grand Slams she has been to the semis three times.

Vesnina picked up a good win over French Open semifinalist Dominika Cibulkova in the third round and is into the fourth round of a Grand Slam for only the second time in her career. She has never been to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam in singles, but in doubles she did reach the finals of the 2009 French Open.

Match-Up:

Dementieva is 2-0 against her fellow Russian and she beat her earlier this year at Auckland in straight sets. In the battle of Russian Elena’s, it is Dementieva who has had much more experience on the bigger stage. She is very steady, has fantastic groundstrokes, moves exceptionally well, and the serve is improved. When you add up all that with her experience, she definitely has the edge in this match.

Nick’s Pick  — Dementieva in 2 sets

(8) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) vs. (10) Nadia Petrova (RUS)

Petrova knocked out Gisela Dulko in the third round and is looking to reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon for the third time in her career. She has dealt with injuries for some of her career, which has held her back, but when she is healthy and playing well she is very tough to beat.

Azarenka has had her best year on the tour to date and comes in ranked No. 8 in the world. She’s already won three titles, including a big-time win over Serena Williams in the finals at Miami. She is still looking for her first Grand Slam title, but if she continues to play like she has been she is definitely a contender in every tournament she enters.

Match-Up:

Petrova is 2-1 against Azarenka and did beat her last year at Wimbledon in two tiebreak sets. This is going to be a battle. Both of these women are strong, fight like dogs, and refuse to lose. Both are big girls with powerful groundies and good serves. This match could really go either way; it really depends on the unforced errors of Azarenka. She has a tendency now and then to lose her focus and make too many errors. If she does this, then Petrova will pounce. On the other hand, I feel Azarenka also has the ability to keep Petrova backed up and on the defensive if she is playing well. I give a slight edge to Azarenka, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Petrova came out as the victor.

Nick’s Pick  —  Azarenka in 3 sets

(6) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) vs. Melanie Oudin (USA)

Jankovic hasn’t dropped a set in her two matches yet and I’m hoping that is a good sign for things to come in the next week. She is working with a former student of mine, Chip Hooper, and he has a very mellow personality which is a good thing for Jelena. Don’t count her out, especially if she finds the groove that she has been missing throughout 2009.

Oudin is a young American with plenty of potential. She is a former top junior who is just now breaking into the pro ranks. This is her third Grand Slam appearance and it is the first time she has made it out of the opening round. The future is bright for Oudin and be sure to keep an eye on her.

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between Oudin and Jankovic. Oudin is not a big girl —  she’s only 5-foot-6 — but she covers the court extremely well and gets a lot of power out of her small frame. As you know, Jankovic is one of the best movers on the WTA Tour, she has a fantastic two-handed backhand, and she knows how to win. Jankovic doesn’t want this match to go three sets, because any confidence that she gives to Oudin will not help. Look for Jankovic to take control of the points early and never let up. This is a big stage for Oudin and that might also catch up to her.

Nick’s Pick —  Jankovic in 2 sets

(3) Venus Williams (USA) vs. Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)

The five-time Wimbledon champion, Williams, has looked nothing short of spectacular in her first two matches. She loves playing on the grass and is without a doubt one of the favorites to win this tournament.

This is Suarez Navarro’s first appearance in the third round of Wimbledon and she has a knack for winning big matches. She has been to two Grand Slam quarterfinals in her career, but this would be a big, big win for her!

Match-Up:

Suarez Navarro is 1-0 against Venus and that win came back at the beginning of the year in the Australian Open. Suarez Navarro has an excellent one-handed backhand and also tremendous footwork. The problem I see is that with the relentless groundstrokes of Venus her one-handed backhand might break down under the pressure. Also, with Venus’ ability to gracefully cover the court and with her wingspan she is incredibly difficult to beat on grass.

Nick’s Pick —  Venus Williams in 2 sets

(6) Andy Roddick (USA) vs. (26) Jurgen Melzer (AUT)

Roddick has flown under the radar a bit in the first two rounds, but the American is playing excellent tennis. The two-time finalist is definitely a contender for the title and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him playing on the last weekend.

Melzer has never been past the third round of any of the four Grand Slams. He has yet to drop a set in the first two rounds, but there was some talk in the British papers about a betting scandal surrounding his first round win over Wayne Odesnik. He cannot let that bother him otherwise he will be in trouble.

Match-Up:

Roddick is 8-0 against Melzer, but the two have never met on grass. In those eight matches, Roddick has lost a combined two sets to Melzer and those both came in a five-set battle they had in last year’s Davis Cup. Melzer has excellent groundstrokes and a very solid serve. He covers the court well and is a dangerous opponent. Roddick seems to be playing some of the best tennis of his life. Working with Larry Stefanki has been a big plus for him as Roddick seems very cool, calm and collected. The big thing with Roddick is that he is hitting the backhand much better and isn’t running around hitting low-percentage forehand shots. This match will be determined by the serve and if Roddick continues to serve well, the edge goes to him.

Nick’s Pick  — Roddick in 4 sets

(3) Andy Murray (GBR) vs. (30) Viktor Troicki (SRB)

Murray played close to a perfect match in his second round win over Ernests Gulbis. He had only five unforced errors, didn’t get broken once, got 73 percent of his first serves in, and won over 40 percent of the points on Gulbis’ serve. All in all, the British fans couldn’t have asked for a better match from their great hope!

Troicki has worked his way diligently up the rankings and comes in at a career high of No. 31 in the world. He is still looking for his first appearance in the second week of a Grand Slam and beating Murray would sure put a damper on things if you are British!!

Match-Up:

Murray is 2-0 against Troicki, with one of those wins coming earlier this year in Miami. Every aspect of Troicki’s game is big. He has a sonic serve, killer forehand, and a good backhand. Having said that, one of Murray’s best assets is his ability to neutralize the power of his opponents. You saw him do this against Gulbis and you will see him do it against Troicki. I definitely think Troicki is talented enough to win a set and push Murray, but in the end Murray just has too much game for the Serb. Murray can play with so much variety that it makes it difficult for his opponents to get comfortable and this works to his advantage very well.

Nick’s Pick  —  Murray in 4 sets

(1) Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. Rossana De Los Rios (PAR)

Safina moved through the first round, but it wasn’t as easy as I am sure she would have liked. Nonetheless, winning your first round match is sometimes one of the most difficult things to do. Now that she has that out of the way, she can focus on the task at hand which is winning her maiden Grand Slam title.

De Los Rios defeated NBTA student Nicole Vaidisova in three sets in the first round. She has never been past the second round of Wimbledon, but did reach the fourth round of the French Open previously. She comes in ranked No. 100 in the world, but was as high as No. 51.

Match-Up:

Safina is 1-0 against De Los Rios, but that match came all the way back in 2003 when Safina was only 17 years old. Six years later, Safina is the No. 1 player in the world and is still looking for her first Grand Slam title. There may be no one on the WTA tour who is in better shape than Safina physically. She needs to believe in her head that she is the No. 1 player in the world and that will really help her. She is as strong as anybody, hits her groundstrokes as well as anybody and moves as well as anybody. Once she believes in herself 100 percent, watch out! De Los Rios moves great around the court and has solid groundstrokes from both sides, but nothing spectacular. I look for Safina to advance and hopefully she will also demonstrate what it takes to win a Grand Slam title!

Nick’s Pick — Safina in 2 sets

Sabine Lisicki (GER) vs. Patricia Mayr (AUT)

Sabine Lisicki picked up a big win in the first round over 32nd-seeded Anna Chakvetadze. Lisicki won 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 and is into the second round of Wimbledon for the first time in her young career. The 19-year old Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy student is one of the bright up-and-coming stars on the tour and you should definitely get out and watch her!

Mayr took down the top British woman, Anne Keothavong, in straight sets in the first round. She is making her inaugural appearance at Wimbledon and comes in ranked No. 80 in the world. A win here would put her in the second round of a Grand Slam for only the second time in her career.

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between Mayr and Lisicki. Mayr has solid groundstrokes from both sides and hits the backhand quite flat. She has a very good forehand, but overall she lacks consistency. Lisicki plays a very big game. She has a huge serve and killer forehand. Sometimes, when she gets excited, she tends to over-hit her shots on both sides and commits to many errors. If her first serve is on, she will win without a doubt. If she struggles serving and starts feeling the pressure with her groundies she could be in trouble. I love working with Sabine at the Academy because she has a great attitude every day and her father/coach is such a great guy who is very open to advice and working with us. I look for Sabine to advance, but this could go three.

Nick’s Pick — Lisicki in 3 sets