US Open Tennis 2011: Predicting Winners for Quarterfinals and More

The US Open is the last grand slam of the calendar year, and so far we have seen great tennis. There have been a plethora of upsets on the women’s side and some close calls in the men’s bracket.

As the grand slam inches towards the finals, the quality of play goes up every round.

The quarterfinals make up arguably the best round in the tournament because there are still a decent number of matches to be played and watching the best eight players is entertaining.

At this point, most players know their opponents like the back of their hand. They have to rely on strategy and their mental game more than ever.

Here is a list of the quarterfinal winners at the US Open this year.

Note: Since not all of the round of 16 matches are completed for the men, I’m going on who I think will win.

Novak Djokovic vs. Janko Tipsarevic

Prediction: Djokovic wins 7-6, 6-4, 6-3

This is one of the easiest quarterfinals to predict.

It also will be one of the least interesting matches to watch because it will be over the second the first ball bounces.

Djokovic is 2-0 against Tipsarevic in his career.

If Tipsarevic has any chance of winning, he needs to have a bigger serve than usual, attack Djokovic’s second serve and be more aggressive.

If Djokovic doesn’t tighten up like he did in the first set against Dolgopolov, it will be smooth sailing.

Note: Djokovic will lose to Tsonga in the semi-finals. He has always struggled with Tsonga and this year is no different. It will be a good match, but too much pressure is on Djokovic.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Roger Federer

Prediction: Tsonga wins 7-6, 5-7, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6

This will be one of the best played quarterfinals this year. Tsonga benefits the most from the rain in this year’s open because he had to go through a grueling five-set match against Fish in the round of 16.

In that confrontation, Tsonga moved very well, and his serve was on the entire time.

Federer did destroy Monaco, but that’s not saying much. His best win of the tournament was against Marin Cilic, a match he played well in.

This matchup will be pretty even, but Tsonga has the better backhand and faster serve. If Tsonga can stay consistent and not get too wild, he will win.

Tsonga has won his last two matchups against Federer this year as well.

Note: Tsonga will lose to Andy Murray in the finals. Murray won’t be intimidated by Tsonga’s serve because he has one of the best return games in tennis.

Gilles Simon vs. Andy Murray

Prediction: Murray wins 6-4, 6-3, 6-2

Before the quarterfinals, Murray will have to beat Donald Young. That won’t be much of a feat. Young hasn’t been challenged this whole tournament. Although he beat Stanislas Wawrinka, it wasn’t really an upset because Wawrinka, in the past, has gone out early in grand slams.

Murray is a better player than Young and will attack his weak serve and backhand. Expect Murray to handle Young with ease.

Although Isner has a huge serve, that’s about all he has. Simon is a very good counter puncher and returns serve very well. Del Potro is a better version of Isner, and Simon won against him last round.

Switching to the projected quarterfinal match between Murray and Simon, there won’t be too much of a competition. Murray is almost the exact same player as Simon except better in every aspect. Simon is going to have to pray he doesn’t have to play Murray. He has a 1-7 record against him.

Prediction: Murray will win the US Open final. He'll be up against Nadal in the semis. At Wimbledon, Murray was in control of the first set, but he got nervous. That won’t happen again. In the finals, Murray will have the momentum and the better return of serve to beat Tsonga.

David Ferrer vs. Rafael Nadal

Prediction: Nadal wins 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3

Ferrer will beat Roddick in the round of 16 because his groundstrokes are way better and Roddick can’t return a serve. If Roddick has any chance of winning, he must come to the net because he can’t get into long rallies with Ferrer.

Nadal and Muller is a good matchup and if Nadal played any other person in the round of 16 besides Young, Ferrer, or Isner, I would probably pick him. He is injury prone and he hits the ball too softly for a hard surface. Nadal’s game may work against Ferrer and Muller, but it won’t work in the semis even if he plays Simon instead of Murray.

Nadal won’t have trouble with Ferrer. As both are baseline players, Nadal has the advantage because he is simply a better player. His 13-4 record against Ferrer speaks for itself.

Prediction: Nadal loses in the semis to Murray. If Nadal wants to beat Murray he has to be more aggressive and go for broke on his returns.

Serena Williams vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

Prediction: Williams wins 4-6, 7-5, 6-1

Serena has been dominating this whole tournament, but don’t count on this match being a cakewalk.

Pavlyuchenkova is a young up-and-comer, who will be going further in grand slams than the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, she got stuck playing one of the players favored to win the Open.

If Pavlyuchenkova can improve her second serve and keep hitting her powerful groundstroke shots, especially her forehand, she has a chance of winning. Serena can be very inconsistent at times, spraying her shots everywhere.

This will be one of the best quarterfinals on the women’s side.

Note: Serena will lose to Petkovic in the semi-finals. Petkovic’s youth and improved game will beat Serena. Three sets will be necessary to accomplish this.

Caroline Wozniacki vs. Andrea Petkovic

Prediction: Petkovic wins 6-3, 6-4

For some reason Petkovic is flying under the radar this tournament. She had one of the best hard court seasons. She keeps on improving her game almost daily, and she matches up well against Wozniacki.

They are tied 1-1 head to head. The only time they played on hard courts, Petkovic won.

Petkovic is more athletic, and hits the ball harder than Wozniacki. In order for Wozniacki to win, she must come to the net. When Wozniacki played Svetlana Kuznetsova, she could have ended points quicker, but she was very tentative coming to the net.

Note: Petkovic will win the US Open final. Her toughest test will come against Serena in the semi-finals. In order to win Petkovic needs to end points quicker and hope Serena makes mistakes. After the semis, she has the advantage over Vera Zvonareva.

Flavia Pennetta vs. Angelique Kerber

Prediction: Pennetta wins 6-4, 6-2

No one saw these two in the quarterfinals. Kerber hasn’t been past the third round in any major grand slam and Pennetta had to beat Sharapova and Shuai Peng in order to be in this position.

It has been a good run for Kerber, but Pennetta is the superior player. She has experience and a better all around game. The rain delay helped Pennetta because she was cramping a lot in her previous round against Peng. Pennetta will win straight sets.

Note: Pennetta will lose in the semi-finals to Vera Zvonareva. Zvonareva is one of the quickest and most consistent players on tour.

Vera Zvonareva vs. Samantha Stosur

Prediction: Zvonareva wins 4-6, 7-6, 7-6

Stosur has the forehand and the serve, but Zvonareva has the return game and the speed. Stosur’s backhand is very spotty at times and she overhits her forehand a lot.

Head-to-head Stosur leads 7-2, but sometimes you have to go with your gut. Zvonareva is playing very well. If Zvonareva can get into a rally with Stosur, she will win.

Note: Zvonareva will lose in the finals to Petkovic. Petkovic and Zvonareva have similar games, but Petkovic is more consistent and hits a little harder. In order to beat Petkovic, Zvonareva must add variety to her game and not hit the same flat shot she usually does.