TENNIS.com Thursday picks:

Fabrice Santoro (FRA) v. James Blake (USA)[6]Arthur Ashe Stadium – 5th match

Just when you think the Magician is finally out of tricks, he pulls another rabbit out of his hat. Every time Santoro has begun a slow and apparently irreversible slide down the rankings during the last few years, a sudden revival has returned him to the top 50.

The unorthodox game that earned Santoro his nickname is a cult classic within the sport – two-handed on both sides, frequent slices on the forehand, an almost comedic amount of touch, and a stubborn amount of footspeed.

Matched against Blake’s speed and powerful shot-making, it’s a sure recipe for some memorable points.

The contest itself, however, may not have quite as much potential. At 34, Santoro is not quite at the level he was five years ago, and has not given Blake much trouble in their two previous meetings. Blake, meanwhile, got nicely broken in by by Michael Russell in the first round and is feeding off the energy he’s been getting from his J-block support group. Unless Blake starts misfiring frequently, his ability to chase down Santoro’s crafty creations and take charge with his forehand should be too much for the Frenchman.

Nevertheless, the game’s most celebrated Grand Slam quarterfinalist (Australia 2006) is a player to savour while he remains on tour. Santoro last played on Arthur Ashe stadium two years ago, taking Federer to four sets with a skilful display that astonished and charmed the crowd. If he can do as well this time around, it’s all anyone can ask for.

Prediction: Blake

Donald Young (USA) v. Richard Gasquet (FRA)[13]Louis Armstrong Stadium – 2nd match

The two youngest men to ever reach No. 1 in the junior rankings, these talented strikers of the ball should come up with some skilful plays between them.

For Young, it’s an acid test. He won his first tour match last week, won his first Grand Slam match this week and now has a chance to get his first win against a top player. He did take Nikolay Davydenko to three sets last week, but for one reason and another Davydenko is no accurate measure of anything at the moment.

A victory in this match isn’t completely improbable. Gasquet has not won a match on hardcourts this summer, and is more vulnerable on this surface because he stands so far back during rallies. Young served well during his first-round match and will get a boost from the home crowds. But the Frenchman, three years older than the American, is ultimately more experienced and his weapons (especially that famous backhand) more potent.

Prediction: Gasquet

Andy Murray (GBR)[19] v. Jonas Bjorkman (SWE)Grandstand Court – 11:00 am

Murray answered many of the pre-tournament doubts surrounding him by blowing away his first-round opponent. It’s been an injury-plagued year for Murray, the latest problem a wrist injury from Hamburg that caused him to miss Wimbledon and prevented him from hitting his forehand at full strength. Now, after a stop-and-start recovery process and some sessions with a psychologist to help push away the fear of re-injury, he looks like he’s returning to his previous level.

As Federer noted, Murray began the year looking like he would be the next young gun to make a charge towards the top of the men’s game. Then injuries struck, and that spot has since gone to Djokovic. Now, Murray can regain some ground with a good showing here.

He’s in a relatively open section of the draw – that is, opponents like Canas, Davydenko and Blake rather than Federer, Nadal and Djokovic – and his encounter against the veteran Bjorkman should be a good indication of whether he’s playing well enough to contemplate such a run. One of the few attacking players in the draw, the 35-year-old Bjorkman reached the semifinals of Wimbledon last year and the fourth round at both the French Open and Wimbledon this year. He won’t give Murray the match, but if the Scot is playing close to his normal level, his varied repertoire of shots should put him in control of the match.

Prediction: Murray

Bethanie Mattek (USA) v. Shahar Peer (ISR)[18]Court 11 – 11:00 am

Peer began the year in very strong fashion, rarely losing to players ranked outside the top 20 (unless they were named Williams). This summer, however, she’s won consecutive matches only once and came into this event battling a chest infection.

Mattek should thus feel like she’s in with a chance, if only a small one. Known largely for her unusual on-court clothing – her first-round outfit sparked a debate on sports show Pardon the Interruption – she’s invested in improving her game over the last year and reached a career high of 95 earlier this month. But she doesn’t have the weapons needed  to get through the solid and steady Peer on her own terms, so she’ll need the Israeli to be sub-par to have a decent shot at winning.

Prediction: Peer