Why Mardy Fish Is a Legitimate Contender at the 2011 US Open

Around this time last year, American Mardy Fish was reaching a pivotal point in his career. He was 28 years old and ranked No. 36 in the world.

Fish was once before a top-20 player, but a wrist injury in 2005 dropped him out of the top 300.

For much of his career, he was overweight, addicted to fast food, and not caring about his physical condition.

While he always had a great backhand, his weight paralyzed his movement, and he was only able to win three tournaments heading into 2010.

Finally, in 2010, Fish decided that he had to cut down the junk food and become a serious player.

He came into the Cincinnati Masters fit and ready.

In 2003 he made the final match of this tournament. Back seven years later, he somehow did the same.

Fish showed athleticism unseen from him in the past as he brushed past Gilles Simon, Richard Gasquet, Fernando Verdasco, and the Andys for a birth in the final, in which he lost to Roger Federer it an inspired three-setter.

Approximately a year later, Fish has grown on that success. He enters the last Sunday of the Montreal Masters (Cincinnati tourney begins Monday) in the final, taking on world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

For Fish, who has climbed to a career-best world No. 8, it is a third-successive final in these summer hard courts after Atlanta (def. Isner) and LA (l. to Gulbis), making him a force to be reckoned with entering the year's final major.

Fish will more than likely enter the US Open in Flushing Meadows, New York, as the second-hottest player on tour (behind only Djokovic).

With the likes of Nadal, Federer, and Murray all suffering early losses in Canada, the American might be a borderline first-tier contender for the Open.

Fish has shown tremendous improvement over the course of the year, hitting bigger serves and developing a much more consistent forehand to pair with his always-dangerous backhand.

Many people fear that Fish might not be able to piece it together for an entire Slam, but I am here to prove them wrong.

For three weeks running, Fish has played exceptional tennis. Here he is, going into his favorite Slam, on his favorite surface, with most top players a notch below their usual games and another with a ton of pressure playing as the heavy chalk.

It is almost a perfect situation.

Yes, I do fear that his forehand is not good enough to win a Slam, but he has held it together for this week in Montreal, so I would not be surprised if he can get it good enough for two.

For now Fish is concentrating on Montreal, but he has his eyes on a much bigger prize.

Given the right draw, the top American will surely make a lot of noise.