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

Schiavone made history on Tuesday as she became the first Italian woman in the Open Era to reach the semis of a Grand Slam! She beat third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 6-3 and is now one win away from reaching her first Grand Slam final. She had been to the quarters of the French Open back in 2001 as well as the quarters of Wimbledon in 2009 and the US Open in 2003.

Dementieva eliminated Nadia Petrova 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 in the quarters to reach the semis of a Grand Slam for the ninth time in her career. She was a finalist at the French Open back in 2004, which also was the same year she reached the finals of the US Open. Many consider Dementieva the best woman to have never won a Grand Sla, so now would be a great opportunity to change that!

Match-Up:

Dementieva is 6-4 against Schiavone and did beat her earlier this year at Sydney in straight sets. Their one meeting on clay came back in 2005 at the Fed Cup and Dementieva won that in three sets. Being an Italian, I couldn’t be prouder to see Schiavone get this far. She could definitely teach the Italian men on the tour a thing or two! Schiavone is a fighter to the bitter end, she never gives up and she’s a stone face out on the court. She is a good clay-courter and full capable of taking out Dementieva. The longer this match goes on, the more it favors Dementieva. She makes her opponents hit so many extra balls that it wears them down (especially on the clay) and because of this she is extremely tough to beat. Her serve is a weakness, but I don’t think it’s weak enough to hurt her in this match. This will be one heck of a match, but I give a slight advantage to Dementieva.

Nick’s Pick – Dementieva in 3 sets

Robin Soderling (SWE) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE)

Soderling ended Roger Federer’s streak of reaching Grand Slam semifinals at 23! The big Sweed took down Federer in four sets to revenge his loss from last year’s French Open final. He is now one win away from reaching the finals of his second consecutive French Open final.

Berdych advanced to the semis of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career with a rather easy win over Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-1, 6-2. Berdych’s previous best result at the French Open came back in 2006 when he reached the fourth round, before falling to Federer. There has always been a lot of talk about Berdych and now he will get his chance to live up to it!

Match-up:

Soderling is 4-3 against Berdych and lost to him earlier this year in the semis at Miami. They’ve played once on clay which was back in 2007 at Monte Carlo and Berdych won in three sets. This is going to be one heck of a match between two guys who can really pound the groundies. No one has ever questioned Berdych’s skill, but his mental toughness has never been strong. It seems like he is finally starting to come into his own and that’s great news for the sport of tennis. Soderling has to get the Federer match out of his mind and focus on Berdych now. That was a great win for him, but he cannot dwell on it. This is tough to call because both are playing great, however, Soderling has a track record of winning at Roland Garros and if he plays like he did today I give him a slight edge.

Nick’s Pick – Soderling in 4 or 5 sets

I’ll keep this brief because I’m halfway through packing my bags to catch my flight tomorrow from here in the USA to London, where I land on Friday.

I’m so excited about this year’s event because, no bulls**t, it’s the most wide open Wimbledon I have ever, ever known.

I think there are 10 men at least who could say they have a realistic shot at winning simply because the sheer and utter dominance of Roger Federer appears to be waning, even slightly, which blows the whole thing open. Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, Roddick, Soderling, Tsonga, Cilic, Berdych, Hewitt. Why shouldn’t each and every one of those believe it can be their year? Them and plenty of others.

On the women’s side, you only have to look at what happened in the French Open to see there are no guarantees that one of the so-called “big names” will win. It’s so wide open, it’s untrue.

Now if you pinned me to a wall and said ‘Nick, you have to make a decision or else’, then I’d say never rule out Roger, and the same goes for Venus and Serena. But I’m telling you I wouldn’t say it with anything like the confidence of years gone by.

When the draw is made and we see who might play who, we’ll have a better idea of the shake-up; and I’ll be detailing my thoughts on the tournament every day in my Wimbledon dossier for The Independent newspaper, as I’ve done for years now.

One other thing struck me as I pondered the men’s entry list today.

For the first time in Wimbledon’s storied 133-year history, there will not be a single English man involved in the men’s singles.

That is staggering. Jaw-dropping. Sad.

And a challenge.

Yes, there will be two British men, and we wish Scotland’s Andy Murray and Jamie Baker the best of luck.

But to have no English men in the most quintessentially English sporting event on the planet is unbelievable.

As I wrote back in March, there’s a lot of hasty conclusions that could be reached that aren’t actually helpful. What we need – what British tennis and English tennis needs – is constructive ideas, a positive way forward, and an open mind on how to bring about change.

I believe Roger Draper, head of the LTA, is a man who listens to new ideas and welcomes them. I’m honoured that on Sunday I will be the guest speaker making the keynote speech at a special LTA coaches conference in London. The day-long conference will consider the way in which players are developed from under 10 to fully developed juniors.

As someone who has had a role in developing some of the best tennis players the world has seen – from kids to world No1s and Grand Slam champions – I believe I might be able to help British tennis. The offer has been there for years and it’s still there.

Can we bring about change? Yes, we can.

Now I gotta dash. I got a bag to pack. I got a plane to catch. Wimbledon, here I come.

I don’t say this with anything but sympathy because Murray is a huge talent. But at this stage in 2009, he’d played almost 40 matches and won four titles. In 2010, he’s gone out early in events so often that he’s only played half that number of matches – and won nothing.

And yet I still put Andy in a group of at least eight who enter the men’s singles event at Wimbledon this fortnight with a realistic chance of going all the way. Because this is the most wide open championships I have known.

Roger Federer’s years of invincibility are over. A lot of players thus come into contention. I’ll run through the main contenders as I see them.

If I were forced to put some cash on one player, it would be on Roger Federer, but not with the same conviction as before many recent Wimbledons. The Swiss genius has slipped, by his own ethereal standards. He lost a final, on grass, to Lleyton Hewitt in Germany recently.

Before that, his game fell to pieces at the French Open, where his astonishing consecutive Grand Slam semis sequence ended. But Wimbledon is Federer’s domain – the draw has been kind, and let’s not forget, he remains, for now, the greatest.

Rafael Nadal may have a thing or two to say about that in the years to come. He’s still only 24, yet firmly established already as the best clay-courter the game has ever seen. Nadal’s draw is much tougher, but clearly the Spaniard is a contender.

Andy Roddick, three times a beaten finalist at Wimbledon, is in good shape and loves this arena. He has an excellent chance of making the semi-finals, at least. If he gets there, he might have had to beat two of the other other guys I consider ‘live shots’ for title.

Lleyton Hewitt is always going to fight to his last breath as long as he’s fit, while Novak Djokovic is a danger. The draw means Hewitt and Novak Djokovic could meet in the fourth round, with the winner facing Roddick in the quarters.

If there’s one player I think could cause Federer problems in the top quarter, it’s Tomas Berdych. He’s played some wonderful tennis this season, on his way to a Masters final in Miami and then the semis at the French Open.

The penultimate player in my eight is Andy Murray. His draw couldn’t have been kinder, with winnable matches all the way to the semis, where he might meet Nadal. The eighth player is John Isner, the 6ft 9in giant from North Carolina. The surface is going to suit his massive serving game in the first week at least and he could trouble Nadal if they met in the fourth round.

On top of those eight, we must add that Robin Soderling has proved himself a constant threat, Marin Cilic can damage opponents on grass and Murray’s quarter of the draw is so navigable that if he doesn’t get to the semis, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or several others might well ghost to the last four and then, who knows?

The women’s singles is open too but with Serena and Venus Williams seeded No 1 and No 2, and with their amazing records at Wimbledon, it wouldn’t surprise me if they ended up contesting a fifth all-Williams Wimbledon final. I’d be truly surprised if we don’t have at least one of the sisters in the final.

If Robson comes out swinging she can knock confidence of Jankovic

Holy mackerel! What at opportunity for your British heroine Laura Robson, getting to play on the greatest court in the world on the opening day of the most prestigious tournament in the world. That’s why this is my match of the day, at least as far as British interest is concerned, because the 16-year-old upstart, who shoots from the lip, also has a game that can take her places.

Let’s cut to the quick; she’s an outsider today for a reason and I don’t, frankly, expect an upset. But that’s not to say she has no chance of winning because anything can happen, especially in the early rounds and when the pressure is on the higher-ranked, more experienced player.

In this case, that player is Jelena Jankovic, someone I know very well because she spent years living and training at my academy, and she’s been training with us this year.

The match will be interesting because Robson has earned her day in the limelight with precocious, feisty tennis. She’s a leftie, thus tricky, but Jelena is going to move her around that court and try to shake her up that way.

Robson has to serve well, and she has to pounce on any tentative second serves by Jankovic. She also has to come out relaxed rather than awed. She needs to be loose as a goose and come out swinging, because if she gets off to a storming start, she can knock Jankovic’s confidence, not vice versa.

Robson doesn’t want to be thinking about the result of this match before it starts. She doesn’t want to be thinking she can win it, in my humble opinion, because if the early stages go against her then mentally she’s in a difficult place. Equally, she doesn’t want to be assuming she’ll lose. She just needs to play it a point at a time, play her best, play offensively, and see where the cards fall.

Jankovic is beatable despite being back to No3 in the world. She’s never got beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon, but then she has been working recently with my director of tennis, Chip Brooks, so she’s made positive changes.

Look for Jankovic to use her improved serve, superb movement, two-handed backhand (and down the line) to control the court and attempt control of the match from the start. Her experience is a massive boost, as is crowd support for Robson.

Today’s big match: Laura Robson v Jelena Jankovic

HOW THEY MATCH UP

……… British ……… Nationality ……… Serbian

……… 16 ……… Age ……… 25

……… London ……… Residence ……… Dubai

……… Left-handed ……… Plays ……… Right-handed

……… 5ft 10in ……… Height ……… 5ft 9in

……… No234 ……… World ranking ……… No3

……… 0 ……… Career titles ……… 12

……… $83,000 ……… Career prize money ……… $10.9m

……… W0 L1 ……… Wimbledon record ……… W13 L6

……… 1R (2009) ……… Wimbledon best ……… 4R (three times)

……… None ……… Head-to-head ……… None

……… 7-1 ……… Odds ……… 1-7

Bollettieri’s prediction: Jankovic in two

World Cup of Tennis

Now I’m not the biggest soccer expert in the world, but I am of Italian heritage and I do know there’s a tournament in South Africa that some of you English sports fans have been keeping an eye on. I believe you’ve even had the good taste to hire an Italian coach, although perhaps less said about that, the better – for a few more days, until you get into the next phase!

The World Cup got me thinking about some of the great players I’ve worked with and watched in my 50-plus years in coaching, so each day I’ll be having a bit of fun trying to predict World Cup match scores (about which I have little, verging on no, expertise) through imaginary tennis match-ups. Confused? Great. Let’s begin.

Chile v Switzerland

Chile play Switzerland today in the football, so what would have happened if Chile’s Marcelo Rios, in his prime, had played Switzerland’s Roger Federer?

I worked with Rios and he was a leftie (and therefore a bit nuts!), but also the single most talented tennis player – in terms of natural gifts – that I have ever coached. He was strong and quick and creative on the court and reached No 1 in the world – on his day could beat anyone. Off the court, he could be surly, rude, selfish and objectionable.

Federer is the greatest player of all-time, the man who, at his peak (not so long ago), had it all and was unbeatable. At Rios’s peak, it would’ve been close. I predict a draw in today’s football.

But Kei Nishikori, who is Nadal’s first-round opponent, is making a return of his own and he is a talent with the potential to win big matches. He is based at my academy and had just started to attract some serious attention, winning the 2008 ATP Newcomer of the Year award as a teenager, before a serious elbow injury took him out of the game for a year.

In Japan, Kei, 20, is a superstar. On the court he is as quick as a cat, and superbly balanced. He is a shot maker with great footwork, able to jump off both feet to hammer his backhands. His strokes are so good because of his foundations. He has unorthodox grips and hits his forehand with spin. His serve is fine, he has got a solid basic volley, and he likes to hit the ball early, on the rise, from the baseline. Being out for a year at his age is a big deal, but his confidence is back.

Nadal we know all about. He is the best clay-courter of all time, a private guy away from the court who still lives a quiet life with his family in Majorca.

Some people argue that he has trained so hard through his career that he has given himself the injury difficulties that have dogged him, like the knee problem that kept him from last year’s Wimbledon. But if Nadal hadn’t trained as hard, he would not have that physique or be the same player. It goes hand-in-hand and he is back strong now, pumped, keen and healthy.

He is a stamina monster and that is where Kei faces a tough day at work. Kei cannot win this match by keeping the ball in play because Nadal will outlast him in any battle of that kind, even with the lower, skiddy bounces of week one. Nishikori’s prayer lies in taking the ball early and hard, and in moving in from the baseline whenever he gets the opportunity. The longer he stays back and lets Nadal dictate, the quicker he will go down.

Nadal will do what he does best: he’ll brutalise the ball and try to get on top early on, then hammer home that advantage. Even if Kei comes in, Nadal is capable of pouncing and counter-punching.

Kei has nothing to lose in as much as he’s expected to lose. I would advise him to go out and play without nerves. Go and beat the heck out the ball, son. Play hard, play fast, stay focused. And don’t even think about the guy on the other side of the net.

Today’s big match Kei Nishikori v Rafael Nadal

HOW THEY MATCH UP

Japanese ……… Nationality ……… Spanish

20 ……… Age ……… 24

Bradenton, Fla ……… Residence ……… Majorca

Right-handed ……… Plays ……… Left-handed

5ft 10in ……… Height ……… 6ft 1in

No189 ……… World ranking ……… No1

1 ……… Career titles ……… 40

$475,000 ……… Career prize money ……… $31.2m

W0 L1 ……… Wimbledon record ……… W22 L4

1R (2008) ……… Wimbledon best ……… Winner (2008)

Head-to-head ……… Nadal leads 1-0

18-1 ……… Odds ……… 1-20

Bollettieri’s prediction Nadal in four, at most

Coaching report: Roger Federer v Alejandro Falla: Magnitude of moment grips Falla and his chance to shock the world is gone.

Roger Federer versus Alejandro Falla, fourth set, Falla serving for the match at 5-4. There’s the whole match right there. The Colombian had played himself to the brink of the biggest single shock in the history of Wimbledon, and then he let that thought into his mind. And the weight of what he was about to achieve crushed him. I was out on Centre Court and I watched the whole match from start to finish and I believe in his head that Falla starting over-thinking, along the lines, “I just need to keep the ball in play.” And of course at that stage, he’s thinking too much. And before he knows it the game has gone, then the set. And Federer’s not going to lose a tie-break in the fourth, and bye bye baby.

This was all about coping with the pressure, and while Falla played great (Federer really wasn’t so bad), at the moment of truth, the nerves and experience of a timeless champion held, while Falla’s didn’t.

FEDERER FALLA-BLE – BUT NEVER IN DOUBT

Falla and his team spent a month at my academy in Florida earlier this year. The Colombian party came over to use our facilities and get a bit of input, and if we helped in any way, then great. I was impressed with the sheer power of Falla yesterday and he targeted Federer’s backhand and smashed it to pieces in those opening two sets to the extent that Federer started slicing out of what seemed – for Federer – almost like panic. (That is, he almost looked like he was going to break sweat). But for all the trouble Federer found himself in, within points of defeat, I don’t believe Federer felt at any stage of that match that he was going to lose. Because champions of his calibre don’t have that mindset. They leave the battle field as victors, or on a stretcher. Was this evidence of Federer’s fallibility? Look at the result. He won. Job done. That’s not evidence of anything but a winner.

ROBSON WILL BE A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE FUTURE

After watching Federer escape to victory, I stayed on Centre to watch Laura Robson play Jelena Jankovic. It went pretty much as I expected with Jankovic’s experience telling, eventually but Robson, 16, impressed me hugely. Her serve is excellent, first and second. She has very solid ground strokes; her swings may be a little big but they’re excellent. I think she needs to work on her lateral movement, and develop a quicker first step, which may come more naturally as her reading of play matures. She plays a very aggressive game, which is a plus; she reminds me of Lindsay Davenport a little. But Laura could do with adding some subtlety to mix up her play, maybe a drop shot or two and a bit more coming in. Changes of pace are something else she needs to work on. But overall, I was massively impressed. This kid is heading to the top 20 at least.

World Cup of Tennis

As some of you may have heard, there’s another sports event attracting some attention down in Africa during Wimbledon, and I thought it might be interesting to take a World Cup match each day and view it through “tennis eyes”.

France v South Africa

Hell! What a crazy situation the French team are in, with the chaos of a coach having lost all control, and players picking and choosing when they train and play, like so many grown-up babies. Ridiculous.

France is a nation where sporting eccentricity is the norm, and I’ve known some fairly wacky French tennis players in my time. There is a big difference between them and the soccer team, though: Yannick Noah was off the wall at times, but on court he knew when to get serious, and that’s what led him to the French Open in 1983. His son, Joakim, applies himself just as diligently these days to his own sport (basketball), as a player with the Chicago Bulls.

If the French soccer squad had someone of Yannick’s personality and stature, I can tell you now they wouldn’t have a problem, because there’s a difference between play time and business, and he knew it. In the same mould, you had Henri Leconte, Guy Forget and even Mary Pierce, with flaky off-court reputations but focus when it was needed.

Today’s match in Bloemfontein will be determined by petulance against pride, and I think the hosts will be in possession of the latter, which will settle it in their favour.

Win a Week at my Academy

Want a week’s tennis holiday at my academy in Florida? Included in the prize is five days’ top-class tuition. The prize can be for an adult wanting to shape up your game, or for a child who wants to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Andre Agassi, Monica Seles and Maria Sharapova, among other players who went from being kids under my tuition to No1 in the world.

All you have to do is email to tell me who will win today’s big match. I want a specific score line, and as a tie-breaker, a one-sentence summary of the manner in which your pick will win. All winners go into a hat, with one overall winner picked from there. Email: n.bollettieri@independent.co.uk

Yesterday’s winner was: Emmanuel Gautrot.

If the prize is for a child, parent(s) or guardian(s) must accompany at your own expense. The winner arranges the travel.

Venus Williams (USA) vs. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS)

It took Venus only 64 minutes to beat Rossana De Los Rios in the first round. The elder Williams is looking for her sixth career Wimbledon title and her third in the last four years. Is there anyone out there that can beat her? Maybe Serena? Only time will tell.

Makarova is playing in her third Wimbledon and is looking to get past the second round for the first time. She’s been to the quarterfinals twice in doubles, but never past this point in singles. Despite that, she just won the title, on grass at Eastbourne, as a qualifier, beating Pennetta, Petrova, Kuznetsova, Stosur and Azarenka!! Talk about the run of a lifetime!

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between the 22-year old Makarova in the 30-year old Williams. Makarova comes into the tournament riding a massive hot streak and with that confidence she will be ready to fight. Having said that, beating Venus on grass is next to impossible. She takes the ball early, controls the points with her serve and forehand and her wingspan at the net is extremely intimidating. I know that Makarova is playing well and may test Venus, but I cannot pick against her.

Nick’s Pick – V. Williams in 2 sets

Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) vs. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL)

Flipkens beat Stephanie Dubois in the first round and is looking to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the third time in her career. She played at ‘s-Hertogenbosch last week on grass and reached the semis before falling to Andrea Petkovic in three sets.

Wickmayer comes into the tournament ranked #18 in the world and fresh off of a first-round loss at Eastbourne to fellow Belgian, Kim Clijsters. This is actually the first time that Wickmayer has been past the opening round at Wimbledon, but she has the goods to make a deep run.

Match-Up:

Wickmayer is 1-0 against Flipkens with that win coming last year on the hard court of Luxembourg. These two know each other extremely well. Not only are they both from Belgium, but they are playing doubles together in this tournament! Flipkens is only 5’5”, but she moves extremely well making her opponents hit an extra shot or two. Wickmayer will go for her shots more than Flipkens. She plays extremely offensive, has big groundstrokes and should fare well on the grass. Look for a competitive match, but for Wickmayer to advance.

Nick’s Pick – Wickmayer in 2 sets

Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)

Rodionova downed British hope Anne Keothavong in three sets in the first round to advance to the second round of Wimbledon for the second time in her career. She is a good doubles player, having reached the quarters here before, but has never been past the third round of any Grand Slam.

Kuznetsova dropped like a rock in the rankings after she failed to defend her French Open title and is down to #19 in the world. She hasn’t been this low in years! She’s a three-time quarterfinalist at Wimbledon, and it will be interesting to see if she can replicate those results.

Match-Up:

Kuznetsova is 4-0 against Rodionova, including a win over her earlier this year at the Australian Open. I am interested in this match to see how Kuznetsova plays. She made an early exit at the French Open and has definitely had a disappointing year, posting a 12-11 record. We all know what she is capable of doing, but is she ready mentally and physically. Rodionova certainly doesn’t have the weapons to beat Kuznetsova when both are playing at their best, but Kuznetsova is vulnerable right now and if she shows any negative signs she could be in trouble. I look for Kuznetsova to advance, but keep an eye on her emotions.

Nick’s Pick – Kuznetsova in 2 sets

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)

Serena looked fantastic in her opening round win over Larcher de Brito and served notice that she is here to win! She was disappointed with her quarterfinal loss at the French Open and she is on a mission to avenge that defeat. Right now, she is the favorite in my mind.

Chakvetadze is a former top-ten player but comes into the tournament now ranked #118 in the world. She played at Birmingham and Eastbourne on grass before Wimbledon, reaching the third round at Birmingham and failing to qualify at Eastbourne.

Match-Up:

Chakvetadze is 1-0 against Serena, but the two haven’t played since the end of 2007. I was very impressed by Serena in her opening match, and I am keen on watching to see if she can repeat a performance of that quality. Chakvetadze has solid groundies but can’t do anything to hurt Williams. If this match were a couple of years ago it would have been in the fourth round, but Chakvetadze isn’t that player anymore and Serena has just gotten better. Look for Serena to advance.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 2 sets

WTA
Tour	RD	Player 1	Player 2	Nick’s Pick	Result	Correct
WTA	1	Jelena Jankovic	Laura Robson	Jankovic in 2 sets	Jankovic	Yes
WTA	1	Serena Williams	Michelle Larcher de Brito	S. Williams in 2 sets	S. Williams	Yes
WTA	1	Shahar Peer	Ana Ivanovic	Peer in 3 sets	Peer	Yes
WTA	1	Maria Sharapova	Kateryna Bondarenko	Sharapova in 2, could go 3	Sharapova	Yes
WTA	2	Venus Williams	Ekaterina Makarova	V. Williams in 2 sets	N/A	N/A
WTA	2	Yanina Wickmayer	Kirsten Flipkens	Wickmayer in 2 sets	N/A	N/A
WTA	2	Serena Williams	Anna Chakvetadze	S. Williams in 2 sets	N/A	N/A
WTA	2	Anastasia Rodionova	Svetlana Kuznetsova	Kuznetsova in 2 sets	N/A	N/A
WTA	4
WTA	Quarters
WTA	Quarters
WTA	Quarters
WTA	Quarters
WTA	Semis
WTA	Semis
WTA	Finals

ATP
Tour	RD	Player 1	Player 2	Nick’s Pick	Result	Correct
ATP	1	Roger Federer	Alejandro Falla	Federer in 3 sets	Federer	Yes
ATP	1	Mardy Fish	Bernard Tomic	Fish in 4 sets	Fish	Yes
ATP	1	Robin Soderling	Robby Ginepri	Soderling in 4 sets	Soderling	Yes
ATP	1	Rafael Nadal	Kei Nishikori	Nadal in 3 sets	Nadal	Yes
ATP	2	Andy Roddick	Michael Llodra	Roddick in 4 sets	N/A	N/A
ATP	2	Novak Djokovic	Taylor Dent	Djokovic in 4 or 5 sets	N/A	N/A
ATP	2	Andy Murray	Jarkko Nieminen	Murray in 3 sets	N/A	N/A
ATP	2	Mikhail Youzhny	Paul-Henri Mathieu	Youzhny in 4 sets	N/A	N/A
ATP	4
ATP	Quarters
ATP	Quarters
ATP	Quarters
ATP	Quarters
ATP	Semis
ATP	Semis
ATP	Finals

Andy Roddick (USA) vs. Michael Llodra (FRA)

Roddick eased past Rajeev Ram in the opening round, taking down his fellow American 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 and will certainly face a tougher test in the second. Roddick is in a nice section of the draw and with Cilic losing in the first round it really opens things up for him. A possible battle with Djokovic looms in the quarters, but that’s a long ways away.

Llodra took down American Jesse Witten in the first round in four sets. He comes in ranked #37 in the world and he just won a grass-court title at Eastbourne last week. If he wins here, it will be the first time that Llodra will ever get past the second round at Wimbledon in 10 tries.

Match-Up:

Roddick is 2-0 against Llodra with their last meeting coming back in 2008 at the Fed Cup. Llodra is a hard-serving lefty who will come into the net, serve and volley, and will constantly attack. Roddick has always been comfortable on the grass and that shouldn’t change this year. I don’t see many breaks of serve in this match, and I can certainly see Llodra taking a set and putting the pressure on the American. Once the ball gets into play and they are rallying, Roddick definitely has the advantage and the longer the rallies the more it favors him. I look for Roddick to advance, but this will be a test.

Nick’s Pick – Roddick in 4 sets

Taylor Dent (USA) vs. Novak Djokovic (SRB)

Dent, who trains at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, defeated Juan Ignacio Chela in four sets in the opening round after coming through qualifying to get into the tournament. His best result at Wimbledon came back in 2005 when he reached the fourth round (beat Berdych) before falling to Lleyton Hewitt who at the time was the #2 ranked player in the world.

Djokovic needed five sets to dismiss the pesky Olivier Rochus in the first round and that match didn’t end until around 11pm at night making it the latest finish ever at Wimbledon! Djokovic lost to Xavier Malisse in a warm-up tournament at Queen’s Club in the Round of 16, but he has been to the semis and the quarters of Wimbledon two out of the last three years.

Match-Up:

This is the first career meeting between Dent and Djokovic and promises to be an exciting match. I am really looking forward to this match because both men have the goods to win this one. Dent has a big serve, will come to the net every chance he gets, and understands what it takes to win this match. Djokovic’s fitness always comes into play, especially after a long five-set match in the first round. We will have to see if that affects him at all. Dent needs to quick points and short rallies, and he needs to serve really well to keep Djokovic pinned back behind the baseline. If Djokovic is able to move Dent around the court and keep him off balance, then the edge goes to him. You have to give the advantage to Djokovic because of his all-around game, but don’t be surprised if Dent makes him work extremely hard or even pulls off the upset.

Nick’s Pick – Djokovic in 4 or 5 sets

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)

Murray beat Jan Hajek in straight sets in the first round and looked good out there in front of his fans! Every year Murray has gone one round further at Wimbledon than the year before. In 2005 he lost in the third round, in 2006 it was the fourth round, 2007 the quarters and last year it was the semis. Will he continue this trend and make it the finals in 2010?

Nieminem needed four sets to take down Stefan Koubek in the opening round and is a former quarterfinalist at Wimbledon (2006). He’s played in a couple of grass court tournaments leading up to Wimbledon and lost in the first round at Halle and s-Hertogenbosch.

Match-Up:

Murray is 2-0 against Nieminen, but the two haven’t played since 2007. Nieminem played a solid match in the first round against Koubek, but I don’t think he has enough weapons to beat Murray. The Scot returns the serve too well, will play a little more offensive and he knows how to step it up when the time comes. Nieminen is a lefty, and that is always tricky, but I don’t think he has the game to take down Murray on grass.

Nick’s Pick – Murray in 3 sets

Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)

Youzhny fought off a tough competitor in Dudi Sela in the opening round, taking down the Israeli in four sets. He comes into the tournament ranked #14 in the world and he did lose in the opening round at Halle on grass a couple of weeks ago. He’s been to the fourth round of Wimbledon five times, but he has never been past that point.

Mathieu needed four sets to dispense of fellow Frenchman, Marc Gicquel, in the first round. He has only played 11 ATP level matches this year and has a paltry 2-9 record. His best result at Wimbledon came back in 2007 when he reached the fourth round before falling to Andy Roddick.

Match-Up:

Youzhny is 5-1 against Mathieu, which includes a win over him in four sets at last year’s US Open. They met on grass at Halle back in 2003 and Youzhny won after Mathieu retired in the third set. Mathieu has not had a great year and hasn’t played many matches due to injury. On the other hand, Youzhny has played well thus far in 2010, posting a 25-9 record and having won a title. Both men have solid groundstrokes and good serves. Youzhny is an excellent counter-puncher and as long as he keeps his composure I pick him to win. The lack of matches and court time will hurt Mathieu when playing against somebody of Youzhny’s level.

Nick’s Pick – Youzhny in 4 sets

Louisiana is not known as the mecca of the tennis world by any means, but it has produced one of the finest coaches the tennis world has ever seen. David Ayme, known as Coach “Red” around the IMG Academies in Bradenton, FL, has coached some of the games best players ranging from Boris Becker to Tommy Haas. Although Coach Ayme is now world renowned for his coaching expertise of upper echelon players, Nick Bollettieri’s right hand man for the past 23 years wants his legacy written in a different light.

The tennis career of “Red” started out much differently than most. He was not a top 50 ATP Tour player like Brad Gilbert who made the transition from player to coach with ease. Coach Red started out like any other high school athlete torn between the love for two sports- tennis and baseball. He had no aspirations of turning pro or making millions in either sport, but similar to coaching, it was the pure drive for improvement that pushed him to play. When he was entering his senior year in high school, he chose tennis as the sport he would focus on and wanted to improve as much as he could to, “walk on to a college team.” Being a Louisiana native, he had dreams of walking on to Louisiana State University and continuing his tennis career. LSU did not pan out for Coach Red but he walked on to Nicholls State University located in Thibodaux, Louisiana where he played singles and doubles for four years. When I asked him about his playing days, he said, “my goal of improving as a player was to help make me a great coach.” Throughout college, he would spend his summers coaching at Steve Carter’s Tennis Camp. Talking about his days at the summer camp, he said, “I just loved helping people become the best tennis players they can be.” That desire for coaching and helping others brought him to the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy 23 years ago.

“I was only supposed to come for one year, and now its been 23.” It has been a good 23 years for Coach Red to say the least. After proving himself as a knowledgeable coach, Nick picked him to travel with some players competing in lower level professional tournaments. Coach Red spoke about his travels, “I loved it. I mean I was a young guy so traveling was fun. Seeing new places while helping these young players succeed was great for me.” It was so great that Nick trusted him to travel with top players like Boris Becker and Marcelo Rios. The 6 month gig with Becker was interesting for Coach Red. “Every player is unique, and you have to learn how to deal with their uniqueness.” Whether it was staying at the perfect hotel away from the competition, or eating at the right restaurants, Coach Red had plenty to tell about his adventures on the road. These relatively short traveling trips eventually led to a more stable job coaching Tommy Haas.

Coach Red coached Tommy Haas for eight solid years. Traveling to Grand Slams and Masters Series Events on a regular basis, he became a familiar face in the tennis world. Being interviewed during matches and highlighted in magazines, Coach Red had finally made it. For Coach Red though, “it has never been about the fame or recognition.” That’s what makes him such a class act. He explained to me that coaching for him is all about developing the complete player. That means mentally, physically, and a well-rounded person off the court.

Well-rounded is an adjective that perfectly describes Coach Red. As we were watching some young players at the IMG Academies, I asked him if he misses being in the limelight watching the likes of Becker, Rios, and Haas. With no hesitation, he said, “it doesn’t matter if you are coaching young kids to put 3 balls back in row, or if you’re coaching a top professional to win 3 points in a row to win a championship. Helping players reach their full potential is what it’s all about.”

An avid cyclist, Red suffered a near-fatal incident this year when he was struck by a vehicle. Professionally, it means that he can’t travel with the pros who he coaches. Personally, though, it gave him a new outlook.

“You just have to truly live every day of your life,” he said.

Coach David “Red” Ayme truly incorporates all the key characteristics that make up a great coach. He values both the player and the person and wants to build both. When I asked Red about the greats he coached, of course a couple top ten tour players came up, but more names were mentioned of people who succeeded as attorneys, doctors, etc. His passion for the game has led players from around the world into the top tier of tennis and life. “When I get a student coming back to me years later telling me how successful he has become in life, that is just as satisfying as sitting in any players box out there.” This mind set is the reason The IMG Academies are lucky to have a guy like Coach Red!

Gael Monfils (FRA) vs. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)

Monfils comes into the tournament ranked #20 in the world and had a disappointing French Open, where he lost in the second round to Fabio Fognini in five sets. He’s reached the 3rd round of Wimbledon twice, but he actually hasn’t played here since 2007.

Hewitt comes in playing some very good tennis, having won the title at Halle on grass where he beat Federer in the finals. He won this title back in 2002 and reached the quarters last year. Hewitt has always played well on grass and he is definitely a threat to take out a higher seed on this surface.

Match-Up:

Monfils is 2-1 against Hewitt and has won the last two times they have played. Monfils is one of, if not, the greatest pure athlete to ever play the sport. He reminds me of Yannick Noah, but Noah was a much more intelligent player than Monfils. He knew what he did well and he did that over and over again. Monfils’ mental ability has never caught up with his physical abilities and that has really hurt him. On the other hand, Hewitt has become a much smarter player as he has gotten older. He isn’t standing as far behind the baseline, he’s taking the ball early, has an improved serve and is a warrior on the court. If this match goes five sets, Monfils may have a slight edge because of his fitness, but I think Hewitt takes this in four.

Nick’s Pick – Hewitt in 4 sets

Andy Roddick (USA) vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)

Roddick needed four sets to take out the tricky lefty, Michael Llodra, in the second round. He’s been a runner up here three times, but nothing compares to last year’s final against Federer. Will this be the year that Roddick finally breaks through? I definitely think he has a good chance!

It took Kohlschreiber five sets and then some to beat Teimuraz Gabashvili in the second round to reach the third round for the third time in his career. He’s been to the fourth round of a Grand Slam three times before, but never further.

Match-Up:

Roddick is 2-1 against Kohlschreiber, but lost to him the last time they played which was at the Australian Open a couple of years ago. Kohlschreiber has a monster forehand and big-time serve, and when he beat Roddick at the Aussie Open he was hitting winners from all over the court. Since then, Roddick has improved his backhand, he is serving smarter and is moving better. We all know what Roddick’s serve and forehand can do, but it is his backhand that has become a major weapon. I look for a test from Kohlschreiber, but Roddick will advance.

Nick’s Pick – Roddick in 4 sets

Andy Murray (GBR) vs. Gilles Simon (FRA)

In front of the Queen, Murray didn’t disappoint. He took down Jarkko Nieminen in straight sets and has that same look about him that he had last year when he reached the semis. This hasn’t been the greatest of years for Murray, but a nice run here could change all of that (especially in front of these fans!).

Simon didn’t have to play in the second round, as his opponent, Illya Marchenko, withdrew from the tournament. He’s been struggling with a knee injury that forced him to miss both the Australian Open and French Open, but when he is healthy and playing well he is very dangerous.

Match-Up:

Murray is 3-1 again Simon, but the two haven’t played since the Masters Cup at the end of 2008. Simon has been in the top ten, but he has never really lived up to all the hype that has surrounded him. He’s only been to one Grand Slam quarterfinal and for a player of his level you would think this would be more. He has lots of power from both sides, but his backhand is his big weapon. I just think Murray can neutralize his game and he is the best returner of the serve on the tour. He appears to be calm, cool and collected and I think he is hitting a little bigger than normal. I see Murray moving on in four sets.

Nick’s Pick – Murray in 4 sets

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE)

After a tough opening two rounds, Federer has looked like the Federer of old in the last two rounds and hasn’t dropped a set. He beat 16th-seeded Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 and was dominant from the outset. Many people have question if he is still the best, and I think until he loses on grass he is!

Berdych needed four sets to beat Daniel Brands of Germany in the fourth round and that is after a five-setter in the third round so be sure to keep an eye on his fitness heading into this match. This is his second appearance in the quarters of Wimbledon, and his first since 2007.

Match-Up:

Federer is 8-2 against Berdych, but lost to him earlier this year at Miami in three sets. They last met on grass in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2006 and Federer won that in straight sets. It seems like Berdych is finally starting to put it all together. He reached the semis of the French Open and is playing very consistent tennis right now. We all know how talented he is, it has just been a question of his mental strength and that seems to equal his physical abilities now. However, Federer has taken his game to the next level. He can do a little bit of everything, his serve is fantastic and his movement is simply incredible. His ability to change gears and hit any shot at any time will give him the edge.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 sets

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs. Andy Murray (GBR)

Tsonga almost lost in the second round to Alexandr Dolgopolov, but was able to win the match 10-8 in the fifth set. He took care of Tobias Kamke in straight sets in third round and then needed four sets to beat Julien Benneteau in the fourth round. This is his first appearance in the quarters of Wimbledon and it’s the first time he’s reached the quarters of a Grand Slam since the 2009 Australian Open.

Murray has played some of the best tennis throughout Wimbledon and has yet to drop a set. He beat American Sam Querrey in straights to reach the quarters and has now advanced to at least the quarterfinals at Wimbledon the last three years. The English fans could certainly use a boost and will not focus all their attention on Murray after their soccer team was ousted by Germany the other day!

Match-Up:

Murray is 2-1 against Tsonga and this is their first career meeting on grass and their first this year. Tsonga looked like Muhammad Ali and he plays like the great boxer as well. He is always throwing big punches with his groundstrokes and he will come after you from the outset of the match. The crowd loves his energy and enthusiasm, but against Murray he will not have the support he is used too. What Murray will do is play great defense and neutralizes pretty much all of Tsonga’s offense. He is returning the serve like Agassi used to and that gives him the edge in this match. I look for Murray’s run to continue, but it will not be easy.

Nick’s Pick – Murray in 4 sets

Vera Zvonareva (RUS) vs. Kim Clijsters (BEL)

Zvonareva came into the tournament ranked #21 in the world, but she is certain to move up because she is only defending 3rd round points. She was beating Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 3-0 in the fourth round when Jankovic retired due to an injury. This is her first appearance in the quarters of Wimbledon and it’s only the third time she has ever been to the quarters of any Grand Slam.

After dropping the opening set to Henin, Clijsters battled back and beat her fellow Belgian in three sets. This is the fourth time she has reached the quarters of Wimbledon and she is looking to reach the semis for the third time in her career, and the first since 2006. She is looking for her first career appearance in the finals of Wimbledon.

Match-Up:

Clijsters is 5-0 against Zvonareva but three of those matches have gone the distance and they haven’t played since 2006. They did meet at Wimbledon back in the first round in 2006 and Clijsters won that in straight sets. Zvonareva is on a roll right now and is playing excellent tennis. She can move, she has a solid serve, she takes the ball on the rise and her groundstrokes are excellent. The one thing about her, is that she is very emotional and she sometimes lets her emotions get the best of her. I don’t think you will see Clijsters stand on the baseline and slug it out with Zvonareva. She will try and mix it up, keeping Zvonareva off-balance throughout the match. Clijsters’ movement is some of the best on the tour and her serve is excellent. This will be a back-and-forth match and in the end, I give a slight edge to Clijsters because of her mental strength and her footwork.

Nick’s Pick – Clijsters in 3 sets

Serena Williams (USA) vs. Na Li (CHN)

Serena won an emotional match over Maria Sharapova in the fourth round and that will give her a ton of confidence heading into this heavyweight clash. Serena is extremely comfortable right now on the grass and it is going to take a near-Herculean effort to beat her at Wimbledon.

Li beat Aggie Radwanska to reach the quarters of Wimbledon for the second time in her career. She is having a very good year, reaching a career high of #10 in the world and winning a title on grass at Birmingham a couple of weeks ago.

Match-Up:

Serena is 4-1 against Li and beat her earlier this year in the semis of the Australian Open in two tiebreak sets. It’s really amazing how some players don’t get much acknowledgement for their play and that is what is happening to Na Li. She has quietly moved through the draw, but she isn’t someone to take lightly. She likes to dictate play with her solid serve and her excellent side-to-side movement. She stands right on the baseline and will take the ball early which helps to catch her opponent out of position. Her only weakness right now will be her mental game. Does she think she can actually beat Serena on grass? That is what you really have to watch. We know that Serena loves to play on grass and she is at home there. This will be a slugfest, but you have to give the edge to Serena until someone proves they can beat her.

Nick’s Pick – S. Williams in 2 sets

Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE)

After a tough opening two rounds, Federer has looked like the Federer of old in the last two rounds and hasn’t dropped a set. He beat 16th-seeded Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 and was dominant from the outset. Many people have question if he is still the best, and I think until he loses on grass he is!

Berdych needed four sets to beat Daniel Brands of Germany in the fourth round and that is after a five-setter in the third round so be sure to keep an eye on his fitness heading into this match. This is his second appearance in the quarters of Wimbledon, and his first since 2007.

Match-Up:

Federer is 8-2 against Berdych, but lost to him earlier this year at Miami in three sets. They last met on grass in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2006 and Federer won that in straight sets. It seems like Berdych is finally starting to put it all together. He reached the semis of the French Open and is playing very consistent tennis right now. We all know how talented he is, it has just been a question of his mental strength and that seems to equal his physical abilities now. However, Federer has taken his game to the next level. He can do a little bit of everything, his serve is fantastic and his movement is simply incredible. His ability to change gears and hit any shot at any time will give him the edge.

Nick’s Pick – Federer in 4 sets

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs. Andy Murray (GBR)

Tsonga almost lost in the second round to Alexandr Dolgopolov, but was able to win the match 10-8 in the fifth set. He took care of Tobias Kamke in straight sets in third round and then needed four sets to beat Julien Benneteau in the fourth round. This is his first appearance in the quarters of Wimbledon and it’s the first time he’s reached the quarters of a Grand Slam since the 2009 Australian Open.

Murray has played some of the best tennis throughout Wimbledon and has yet to drop a set. He beat American Sam Querrey in straights to reach the quarters and has now advanced to at least the quarterfinals at Wimbledon the last three years. The English fans could certainly use a boost and will not focus all their attention on Murray after their soccer team was ousted by Germany the other day!

Match-Up:

Murray is 2-1 against Tsonga and this is their first career meeting on grass and their first this year. Tsonga looked like Muhammad Ali and he plays like the great boxer as well. He is always throwing big punches with his groundstrokes and he will come after you from the outset of the match. The crowd loves his energy and enthusiasm, but against Murray he will not have the support he is used too. What Murray will do is play great defense and neutralizes pretty much all of Tsonga’s offense. He is returning the serve like Agassi used to and that gives him the edge in this match. I look for Murray’s run to continue, but it will not be easy.

Nick’s Pick – Murray in 4 sets