For more information on Heather Watson visit www.imgacademies.com/heather-watson/.

IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy student Heather Watson

By now, you probably know Heather Watson as the U.S. Open Junior girls’ champion.

But how much do you really know about the 17-year-old IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy student originally from the tiny island of Guernsey, just south of the United Kingdom?

IMG Academies reporter, Dan Tierney, got Watson to shine a little more light on herself in her own words.

Heather Watson on…

…her native island: Guernsey is only 9-by-12 mile, but it’s densely populated with about 60,000 people. Everyone knows each other. Everyone knows the gossip. People have been so supportive of me. My dad’s there and we still have a house. It’s most known for the Guernsey cow and milk. It produces a special kind of milk that’s quite rare and everyone likes the taste of it. I love it. I drink milk all the time. I can’t get that milk here, so I just get some regular 2% milk from the grocery store.

…her pre-tournament confidence level: I knew I had the ability to win, but I wasn’t reaching my potential. I didn’t have that much confidence going into it. After the first match, it just got me going. The two indoor matches were the best for me. I felt like I was just breaking down my opponents.

…her championship celebration: When she missed the last ball, I didn’t realize right away that I had won the tournament. I went up shook her hand, put my racket down and did the waving thing around the court. Before my match, I was thinking about what I would do if I won. Should I kiss the court? Fall to my knees and start crying? But I was just in the moment.

…how her life has changed since the U.S. Open: There’s just been so much attention all at once. I’ve done media for about three days straight. As soon as my match finished, I did three interviews on the court, then did a photo shoot for about an hour. I’ve had so many friend requests and about 200 or 300 wall posts on Facebook. I had about 20 text messages. I got my first piece of fan mail. Someone from America sent me two photos of myself with a pen in the envelope and asked me to sign. Of course, I signed it.

…making Rafael Nadal wait to do a post-match interview: It was after my championship match. I had no idea he was waiting behind me. I went on a bit too long, I guess. It was after his Del Potro match. While I was doing an interview, he walked past me, and I’m like, “There’s Rafael Nadal!” After I was done, their media guy told me that Rafa’s interview was delayed because of me. That made me feel special. I got to watch him play foosball earlier in the tournament in the player’s lounge. I didn’t say hello. I was too shy.

…spending five years at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy: I think I’ve really developed and matured, but most of all I’ve learned how to play specific points. And my fitness level is always high for tournaments. I’ve even learned lots of words from other languages. One of my best friends is from Korea and another is from California. There’s so much competition, and everyone here is an athlete, so we know what we’re all going through and help each other out.

…Nick Bollettieri: He’s got a voice that you’ll never forget. His speeches are very inspirational. He’s very good at spotting what you’re doing wrong and understands the tennis game really well.

…her dream doubles match: I’d like to play with one of the Bryan brothers. Maybe the left-handed one. I’d like to play against, umm, probably not Serena. I’d be too scared. Maybe play against Venus and the other Bryan brother.

…her New York City experience and dream celebrity meetings: I saw Gwen Stefani. She even talked to me. Well, she said, “Excuse me.”  It was after my match. I was going to get my bags, and she was standing right there. I really want to meet Chris Brown. I think he’s so hot, and I love his music. Oh, and Pink. I think Pink is the coolest person ever, and she’s got one of the best voices in the world. I’ve got to add Usain Bolt. He’s a legend. He makes it look so easy. I know his whole race routine by heart.

…what she’d be doing right now if she never played tennis: I’d be playing some sort of sport, or I’d be making something, because I love art. At 12, I decided tennis is what I love. Before that, I’d sing in the shower, but I knew that would never happen. I used to be a ballerina and a tap dancer when I was 5 or 6. I really enjoyed it. It’s probably helped my tennis a little bit, too.

…comparisons to Martina Hingis: I think in the female game, I am most like her. My footwork and how I move is definitely my strength. I’m very fast and get to a lot of balls. I use my opponent’s power, but I can play offensive and attack more, like I did indoors at the U.S. Open.

For more information on Heather Watson visit www.imgacademies.com/heather-watson/.

Jordan Cox training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy

For Jordan Cox, the question wasn’t much of one at all.

Retain amateur status and experience everything that college has to offer – the education, the friends, the parties, the team camaraderie, the lasting memories. Or end all of the recruiting hoopla once and for all by announcing his professional intentions.

When his parents’ blessing came, so did the decision.

“From the day I started, I always wanted to become a professional tennis player,” the 17-year-old Cox said. “I’ve never had aspirations of playing in college. It’s not that one is right and one is wrong. For me, turning pro was the best decision.”

Long known as one of the country’s top juniors, Cox has experienced a dream year, from reaching the finals of Wimbledon Juniors to signing a professional contract with IMG not long after his success in England.

Of course, more than a few of his opponents in this year’s junior Grand Slams are the same guys he trains with and against on daily basis at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla. In the semifinals of Wimbledon, Cox defeated fellow Academy student Devin Britton (who also won the 2009 NCAA men’s singles title as a freshman at Ole Miss) before losing a three-setter to Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

In the first round of the U.S. Open Juniors Cox lost to another IMG Bollettieri Academy student in Yuki Bhambri – also known as the current No. 1 ranked junior in the world. He routinely goes against some of the world’s other top teenagers like Filip Krajinovich and Ryan Harris.

“We all want to win, but we’re all pretty good friends off the court,” Cox said. “We’re not so much worried about the other guy, but trying to improve ourselves.”

Like many kids, Jordan picked up the game as a youngster in Georgia after watching his older brother, Brad, take some lessons. It didn’t take long for Jordan to catch the bug.

“The taste of winning, even at a young age, I just loved,” he said.

IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy student Jordan Cox

His older brother eventually attended the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy before taking his game to the University of Kentucky, and Jordan did the same. Since then, he’s not only worked on his on-court game, but has also spent hours upon hours doing physical conditioning in the IMG Performance Institute and worked with some of the Academy’s top mental conditioning specialists.

The latter, Jordan feels, is quite possibly what kept him from winning a Wimbledon Juniors title.

“I was up a set and held the first couple service games of the second, and I was already thinking, ‘Hey, I could win this,’” Jordan said. “Maybe that was the wrong thought process, because when I starting thinking like that, my game started going downwards.

“Still, I felt like I not only showed myself, but showed the tennis world who I am and what I can do. And that feeling of walking onto the court in front of 4,000 or 5,000 fans? It was the most unbelievable thing for my career so far.”

For years, Jordan had received recruiting letters from around the country. After Wimbledon, though, professional agents also started making themselves known to the Cox family. After years on the junior circuit, they took mental notes on what to look for, what to ask and other details vital for the right representation.

“I think it was important that we included Jordan in all of the meetings,” said Julie Cox, Jordan’s mom. “He often came away with questions of his own. It was harder for me, I think, to make the decision than it was for him.”

Julie made her son promise that he’d finish high school. She hopes that he’ll find time for a college degree in the future. Already, she’s heard from questioners asking if the tennis life has caused Jordan to miss a piece of his childhood.

Julie thinks that the naysayers have a skewed perception of the situation.

“(Brad and Jordan) have traveled the world,” she said. “They’ve made friends everywhere. Their social network is international.

“Maybe the biggest thing is that we never forced this on them. We’re not coaching parents. We’ve always said to them that even after all of the money we’ve invested, if you don’t want to do this, that’s absolutely fine. Go out there because you want to, and you enjoy it and it’s where you want to be. It’s not for every kid out there, but the rewards can be great. My sons are healthy. They’re out of trouble. They’re motivated. Having to make decisions a lot of time on their own, has been huge for their maturity.”

For Jordan, the work continues to become a better tennis player. He plans on playing some Futures and Challenger tour events for the rest of the year to raise his ranking. He has no qualms about stating his goal to win a men’s Wimbledon or U.S. Open “at least once, if not more than once.”

And he’s definitely not looking back on his decision to go pro. His advice would work for any junior looking to achieve any accomplishment.

“Just go for it,” he says. “You only live once. If you have a goal, work hard and go get it.”

Bernard Tomic

Two international teens made the winner’s circle at the U.S. Open Juniors tournament an all-IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy occasion.

IMG Bollettieri students Bernard Tomic and Heather Watson took the 2009 U.S. Open Juniors boys’ and girls’ title, respectively.

Tomic defeated Chase Buchanan in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 in the final to capture his second Grand Slam Juniors title this year. The 16-year-old from Australia also won the Australian Open Juniors title, becoming the first player since Andy Roddick in 2000 to win the U.S. Open and Australian juniors titles in the same year.

Already a signed professional, Tomic said after the win that he’ll no longer play any junior tournaments and concentrate on his ATP ranking. As of Aug. 31, Tomic was ranked No. 324 in the world.

Heather Watson

Watson, 17, defeated Yana Buchina 6-4, 6-1 in the girls’ final to win her first Grand Slam Juniors title. The England native, seeded No. 11 in the tournament, dropped only one set in six matches during her impressive run at the U.S. Open.

It was Watson’s first appearance in a Juniors Grand Slam final.

Nick’s Picks is back for the US Open and we are in New York City for the entire tournament to provide live coverage! Once again, we’ve partnered with Tennis Week for even more coverage and you can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr!

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs. Kim Clijsters (BEL)

Wozniacki, who is only 19 years old, ended the dream run of Yanina Wickmayer, beating her in straight sets to reach her first career Grand Slam final. She came into the tournament ranked a career high of #8 in the world, but this will certainly help propel her even higher. She is also the only Danish player ranked inside the top 300, so her entire country is going to watching their young phenom in this match!

Clijsters beat Serena Williams in the semis and it was one of the most bizarre endings I have ever seen. Williams was docked a point on match point for yelling at the line judge, giving Clijsters the victory. It’s amazing that Clijsters is playing in only her third tournament in almost two and a half years and she is already in the finals of a Grand Slam. This just goes to show what an amazing athlete Kimmy is, and why it is great to have her back on the tour!

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between Wozniacki and Clijsters and this is a really exciting final. To have some new blood in the finals of a Grand Slam is a great thing for the WTA tour, and both of these ladies are crowd favorites and feel they can win. Wozniacki has had a great run to the finals and she won’t fear Clijsters at all. She has an excellent two-handed backhand, moves extremely well, has a solid serve and forehand, and is very competitive. On the other side, Clijsters is playing so incredibly well right now. She will put aside what happened last night with Serena and she handled the whole experience well. Her movement, serve, aggressive groundstrokes and fighting spirit have been unmatched throughout this tournament. This is going to be a great match for the fans and I just don’t see Clijsters going down.

Nick’s Pick – Clijsters in 2 sets

Nick’s Picks is back for the US Open and we are in New York City for the entire tournament to provide live coverage! Once again, we’ve partnered with Tennis Week for even more coverage and you can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr!

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Novak Djokovic (SRB)

Federer looked great in the first two sets against Robin Soderling, then the Swede stepped up his game forcing a fourth set. Federer won that in a tiebreaker before things got extremely interesting. This is his 22^nd straight appearance in the semis of a Grand Slam, which is simply unthinkable. That stat more than any other exemplifies just how dominant Federer has been over the last five or six years.

Djokovic earned a four-set win over Fernando Verdasco in the quarters and is in the semis for the third straight year at the US Open. Amazingly, this is the first time in 2009 that Djokovic has reached the semis of a Grand Slam. Djokovic hasn’t played his best tennis at this year’s US Open, but he has played well enough to win and that is all that counts. He will definitely have to play his best to take down Federer.

Match-Up:

Federer and Djokovic have met 12 times previously with Federer holding an 8-4 advantage. Three of those matches have come this year, and Djokovic is 2-1 in those, but Federer hasn’t beaten him in the last two US Opens. I was very impressed by the stamina of Djokovic in his last match against Verdasco. The knock on Djokovic has always been his conditioning, and against Verdasco that didn’t affect him at all. Djokovic has every shot in his repertoire, he is playing with less frustration, and with Todd Martin in his corner he seems extremely confident. Having said all that, how can I pick against Federer? He comes up with all the big points when he needs them, he is attacking more, and he is in full control of himself. I see Djokovic winning a set and making this interesting, but I have to go with Federer.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 sets

Nick’s Picks is back for the US Open and we are in New York City for the entire tournament to provide live coverage! Once again, we’ve partnered with Tennis Week for even more coverage and you can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr!

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Kim Clijsters (BEL)

Serena eliminated Flavia Pennetta in straight sets in the quarterfinals and is into the semis of a Grand Slam for the third time this year. She has already won the Australian Open and Wimbledon and is looking for her fourth US Open title. While Serena didn’t have the best summer by her standards, she has said numerous times that she focuses on the majors. There is no doubt that she has had the best season of any player at the Grand Slams, and that is what it is all about.

Clijsters’ magical run continued with a straight-set win over Na Li in the quarterfinals. Her one and only Grand Slam title came at the US Open back in 2005 and the New York fans really love her. It’s amazing that she just came back to the tour less than a month ago and she is already in the semis of a Grand Slam. It just goes to show you how great of an athlete Clijsters is and it is great to have her back on the tour!

Match-Up:

Serena is 7-1 against Clijsters, but the two haven’t faced in over six years. This will be the must-see match of the tournament because both ladies are playing so well right now. Clijsters is just beautiful to watch on the court. She has a great fighting spirit, she’s moving and serving well, and against Li she was dynamite. She has been able to keep the pressure on her opponents at all times and is running down the extra ball or two which will frustrate anyone.

Serena is playing about as well as Serena can play. Her level of intensity is amazing, and just watching her you can see it in her face. What I really like is that she is standing right on that baseline and whenever she has to back up she recovers right back to the baseline immediately. This is fantastic, because when she gets pinned behind the line she is trouble. She is also constantly attacking her opponents, never giving them a chance to breath. She has kept her unforced errors down and her serve and groundstrokes are excellent.

This will be a spectacular match, but in the end I have to give the edge to Serena. She has more match experience as of late and is just so solid. Clijsters will get a set and put the pressure on, but in the end Serena will come out ahead.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 3 sets

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL)

Wozniacki ended American Melanie Oudin’s magical run, but she is on quite a run herself. She is only 19-years old and this is her first career Grand Slam semifinal appearance. She is someone that we have looked at for the last couple of years as a player that could compete for a major title, and now here she is, one win away from the finals. Her infectious smile and bubbly personality make her a crowd favorite, so don’t be surprised to find those New York fans cheering her on!

Wickmayer has had an incredible run to the semis of a Grand Slam and her story is one of the best of the tournament. Before this tournament she had never even been past the second round of a Grand Slam, and now she is right on the cusp of the finals. She beat Kateryna Bondarenko in straight sets in the quarters, but it wasn’t easy. She won the first set and then went down 1-4 in the second, but battled back to win it 7-5, 6-4.

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between these two teenage tennis sensations and promises to be a very fun match! While this is the first time either of these girls have gotten this far in a Grand Slam, Wozniacki definitely has more experience in bigger matches. She displayed great variety against Oudin, and that is what makes her so difficult to beat. She has the power, is an excellent counter-puncher, and also moves well. Her two-handed backhand is superb and her forehand isn’t bad either. Wickmayer plays with more power than Wozniacki, but she is also prone to more mistakes. She is a tall girl who has fantastic movement, a solid serve, and can really pound it from both sides. She won’t go down without a fight and I expect this match to go three sets, but in the end it will be Wozniacki still standing.

Nick’s Pick – Wozniacki in 3 sets

Nick’s Picks is back for the US Open and we are in New York City for the entire tournament to provide live coverage! Once again, we’ve partnered with Tennis Week for even more coverage and you can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr!

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Robin Soderling (SWE)

Federer once again cruised into the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam and has now reached at least the quarters of the last 22 Grand Slam tournaments he has played in. That is simply remarkable and I’m not sure if we will see anything like this ever happen again. If you watch Federer closely, you can see him make adjustments at the beginning of each match depending on the weather, his opponent, and the court. That is one of the ways Federer differentiates himself from everybody else, he is able to change on the fly and adapt to anything.

Soderling was up two sets to one, when Nikolay Davydenko retired due to an injury. This is only the second time he has been to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, with the first coming earlier this year when he reached the finals of the French Open. He came into the tournament ranked #12 in the world, and he is looking to break into the top ten for the first time in his career.

Match-Up:

Federer is 11-0 against Soderling and beat him at both Wimbledon and the French Open earlier in 2009. Soderling is playing excellent tennis right now. He has tremendous groundstrokes from both sides, a good serve, and he moves well. When his forehand and backhand are on, he is able to hit winners from anywhere on the court. The question for him is what will the psychological effect of playing Federer be? He hasn’t beaten him in 11 tries and that definitely will make you question what you do against somebody. Federer, as you know, can do everything and really has no weaknesses. He is playing with so much confidence right now that the only person that can stop him is himself. Soderling could take a set, but Federer will prevail.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 sets

Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Fernando Verdasco (ESP)

Djokovic played fantastic on Monday night, beating Radek Stepanek in three sets. He even got the crowd back on his side afterwards by inviting John McEnroe down to play a couple of points with him. That is the Djokovic we all know and love watching, and it is time he gets back to his roots. He reached the finals here in 2007 and then lost in the semis last year to Federer. I know that Djokovic only has one thing on his mind: win this tournament!

Verdasco knocked out the last remaining American male, John Isner, in the fourth round. This is only the second time he has been to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, with the first coming earlier this year at the Australian Open (when he got to the semis). Verdasco is currently ranked #10 in the world and is trying to get into the top five for the first time in his career.

Match-Up:

Djokovic is 3-2 against Verdasco and has beaten him the last three times they have played, including once earlier this year. Right now, Djokovic is all business on the court. He is keeping his focus, and isn’t letting things bother him. He also is healthy and is starting to get the fans back on his side after they turned on him last year. He really doesn’t have a glaring weakness on the court and can do a bit of everything. Verdasco, a lefty, has a sonic serve and a monster forehand. He hits heavy balls, but I don’t think those will bother Djokovic all that much. The weather may play a part in this match, because if it is hot and sticky then that would help Verdasco due to the great physical shape he is in. Verdasco must have a huge serving day, because Djokovic can pretty much negate the rest of his game with great defense. I have to give the edge to Djokovic, but the weather could have an impact.

Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 4 sets

Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Gonzalez beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round, but it wasn’t easy. He lost the opening set and it looked like Tsonga might roll over him, but he bounced back and won the match in four sets. He hadn’t been to the quarterfinals of the US Open since 2002 and he has never been past this point.

Nadal dropped the first set to Gael Monfils in the fourth round in a tiebreaker, but then only lost seven games the rest of the match. That was the first real test for Nadal at this year’s tournament and I was impressed by his play. He looked like the old Nadal and that is great for the sport. This is the only Grand Slam that Nadal hasn’t won, and he would like nothing more to quiet all the doubters and add his name to the trophy.

Match-Up:

Nadal is 6-3 against Gonzalez and has won the last five times they have played. Gonzalez’s weapons are his killer forehand and excellent serve. He also covers the court well, and is doing a better job of controlling his emotions. He has beaten Nadal in the past, so that should give him some confidence and he knows that when his forehand is on and he isn’t making silly errors he is close to unstoppable. The problem is, Nadal’s ability to cover the court and return the serve well will negate much of what Gonzalez does. Everyone wanted to see Nadal run and move around against Monfils, and he passed that test with flying colors. Gonzalez needs a big serving day and he must gamble whenever possible, including coming in towards the net more than he is used to. The longer the rallies are, the more it favors Nadal. Gonzalez has to play short points and keep Nadal pinned back otherwise he has no chance. Gonzalez will win a set, but it will be Nadal in the end.

Nick’s Pick – Nadal in 4 sets

Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) vs. Marin Cilic (CRO)

Del Potro looked like a man on a mission, blowing by Juan Carlos Ferrero in three easy sets. He seems as comfortable as ever right now and has had a great summer (won Washington and reached the finals in Montreal). A win here would put him in the semis of a Grand Slam for only the second time in his career, and the first at the US Open. Could Del Potro break through and reach his first Grand Slam final? I think he has an excellent chance!

Since going down two sets to none against Jesse Levine in the second round, Cilic has been on a tear winning nine straight sets. He beat one of the favorites, Andy Murray, in the fourth round was dominant in doing so. He is now into the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career, and this is exactly the tournament he needed as he had seen his ranking slip over the last month.

Match-Up:

Del Potro is 1-0 against Cilic, with that win coming in the fourth round of the 2009 Australian Open. It is great to see Del Potro come into his own and become a man out on the court. He has worked so hard over the last couple of years to get to where he is today, and I applaud his effort. This will be an interesting match because both boys are tall, have huge serves, and hit the tar out of the ball from both sides. I believe Del Potro is striking the ball as well as anyone right now and plays better defense than Cilic. I just think he has a more complete game than his Croatian counterpart and that will be the difference in this match. Cilic will without a doubt take it to Del Potro and won’t quit. I expect this match to be at least four sets, and I look for Del Potro to advance.

Nick’s Pick – Del Potro in 4 sets

Nick’s Picks is back for the US Open and we are in New York City for the entire tournament to provide live coverage! Once again, we’ve partnered with Tennis Week for even more coverage and you can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr!

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Flavia Pennetta (ITA)

From the outset, Serena dominated Daniela Hantuchova, overpowering her with relentless groundstrokes. Serena has still yet to drop a set in this tournament and is definitely the clear favorite to repeat as champion. There is only one person who can stop Serena, and that is herself!

Pennetta faced six match points against Vera Zvonareva in the fourth round, but she was able to fight off each one and take the match in three hard-fought sets. Pennetta has been playing some of the best tennis on the WTA Tour over the last couple of months and is full of confidence. This is the second consecutive year she has reached the quarters of the US Open and she is looking to reach the semis of a Grand Slam for the first time.

Match-Up:

Serena is 1-0 against Pennetta, with that win coming last year in Miami. Pennetta is fun to watch, very competitive (what a contrast to the Italian men!), and has excellent groundstrokes. She has great footwork and can turn a defensive shot into an offensive one very quickly. She isn’t afraid to come in and will not roll over in this match just because she is playing on a big stage. Serena has to continue serving well, she must remain on the baseline and come in whenever she can to hit that big swinging volley. Serena will not take Pennetta lightly as she understands how well the Italian has been playing. Don’t be surprised to see this match go three sets, but in the end I have to give the edge to Serena.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 3 sets

Na Li (CHN) vs. Kim Clijsters (BEL)

Li beat Francesca Schiavone and is really on a roll right now. She has demonstrated in the past that she is capable of competing with anyone when she is playing well, she just hasn’t been able to do it consistently. This is her first appearance in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam since the 2006 US Open.

Clijsters knocked out Venus Williams in three sets in the fourth round and her great story continues. After taking the last two and a half years off it is amazing to see her comeback and jump right into the action immediately! She is the first wild card entrant to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open and it is absolutely fantastic to watch her play again.

Match-Up:

Clijsters is 3-1 against Li, so these two know each other’s games extremely well. Li has excellent groundstrokes, good footwork, and a solid serve. She plays with a lot of passion and will not give anything away easily. Clijsters displayed some of her greatness against Venus, but can she keep it up now that we are into the second week of the US Open? Remember, Clijsters hasn’t done this in a long time and it will be interesting to see if her intensity and her fitness can hold up. Can she continue to play as offensively as she did against Venus? Well, she better, otherwise Li will jump all over her. Clijsters must control play and keep Li on the move, like she did against Venus, to win this match. I really think the longer this match goes the more it favors Li. I look for Clijsters to win this in two, but if it goes three, watch out!

Nick’s Pick – Clijsters in 2 sets

Melanie Oudin (USA) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)

Oudin continues to be the biggest story in the US Open. The American fans are entranced every time she plays and her spunk on the court is contagious. She has beaten three seeded Russian women in this tournament and each time she has lost the opening set. She is the youngest American to reach the quarters since Serena Williams in 1999.

Wozniacki hung tough against Svetlana Kuznetsova in the fourth round and was able to win the last two sets in tiebreakers. This is the first time she has reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, and something tells me this won’t be her last. At the age of 19, she is one of the top young players on the tour and she has demonstrated that she is capable of hanging with anyone.

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between these two youngsters and it promises to be very exciting. Oudin has had a magical run, and having to comeback three times against higher ranked players may eventually take a toll on her. Wozniacki, like Oudin, plays with no fear, has powerful groundstrokes, and covers the court extremely well. Both girls are fiery and bring plenty of competitiveness to the court. Now that Oudin has beaten three higher-ranked players, the pressure is going to be on her to continue to do so. How will she handle that in front of the New York fans? That will be one of the story lines to follow throughout this match. As much as I would love to see Oudin win and continue her great run, you have to be realistic here. Wozniacki is a little older, has more experience, and her game is top-notch. I have to give the edge to Wozniacki, but if Oudin wins I will be thrilled!

Nick’s Pick – Wozniacki in 3 sets

Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) vs. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL)

Bondarenko did something you hardly ever see in the fourth round of a Grand Slam: she double-bageled her opponent Gisela Dulko. Perhaps it was a bit of revenge as Dulko beat her older sister, Alona, earlier in the tournament. This is her first appearance in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, and in fact she had never been past the third round of any Grand Slam before this one.

It took Wickmayer three sets to beat Petra Kvitova in the fourth round and she is into the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career. Wickmayer came into the tournament ranked #50 in the world and at the age of 19 she is a budding young star. This is the first time she has ever been past the second round of any Grand Slam tournament!

Match-Up:

Bondarenko is 2-1 against Wickmayer and just beat her a couple of weeks ago in Toronto. Both girls are big hitters and move well. Bondarenko is very quick out there and hits the ball really excellent from both sides. Wickmayer is a little taller than Bondarenko and probably hits with more power than her opponent. This match could really go either way, and it is going to come down to who makes fewer unforced errors and takes advantage of their opportunities. If Wickmayer wants to win this match she needs to get it over quickly, because the longer it goes the more it favors Bondarenko.

Nick’s Pick – Wickmayer in 2 sets, Bondarenko in 3