Each day during the 2011 U.S. Open, coach Nick Bollettieri will discuss three of the most intriguing matches on the schedule and offer his predictions.
Sabine Lisicki [22] vs. Vera Zvonareva [2] (Arthur Ashe Stadium, second night match)
Zvonareva is 3-0 against Lisicki and has beaten her twice this year, including at Roland Garros. It was very dramatic and Lisicki certainly had some chances to take that match. Zvonareva also beat Lisicki at last year’s U.S. Open. Both of these girls spend time training at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy and I know both very well. Coming into the match, you would think Zvonareva is the favorite as she has the higher ranking and she has won all of their previous meetings. Not so fast! Lisicki is playing some of the best tennis out of anyone right now, and it is going to take a mighty effort to stop her.
Lisicki’s groundstrokes and serve are as big as anyone’s on tour, but what Zvonareva does best is move and track down balls. She is going to force Lisicki to hit an extra shot or two and be a little more patient. Can Lisicki stand up to this challenge and handle the pressure of the New York crowds and the bright lights? We will have to wait and see. If she gets on a roll early and is able to move inside the court, take the ball on the rise and force Zvonareva to hit defensive returns, I like her chances. This match is really too close to call and because I know each player so well, I think I will just take the fifth on this one!
Nick’s Pick: Could go either way, but I think this one is going three sets!
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Rafael Nadal [2] vs. David Nalbandian (Arthur Ashe Stadium, first match)
This is the fifth career meeting between these two and they have split their previous four. Their last battle came in Miami in 2010, which Nadal won in three sets. Nalbandian certainly isn’t the player he was a few years ago. He’s ranked No. 76 in the world and injuries have slowed him down. He has all the talent in the world, but his physical conditioning has never been where it should be. There is no way that I think he has enough in the tank to stand in and take the constant pounding of Nadal’s groundstrokes. Nadal is going to make Nalbandian hit difficult winners and that is not a recipe for success for the Argentine. Could Nalbadian win a set? Sure! But I just don’t see any way he wins this match.
Nick’s Pick: Nadal in three sets.
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Shuai Peng [13] vs. Flavia Pennetta [26] (Louis Armstrong Stadium, first match)
Don’t sleep on Peng. She comes in seeded 13th and has yet to drop a set in her three matches. She has beaten a couple of tough opponents in Tsvetana Pironkova and Julia Goerges to reach the third round, and a win here would put her into the quarters of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career (on the singles side).
Pennetta is 4-0 against Peng and has beaten her twice at the U.S. Open (in 2007 and 2008). This is going to be a completely different match than the one she had against Sharapova. Peng isn’t going to make the unforced errors that Sharapova did (60, and she was broken seven times) and she isn’t going to double fault 12 times. Peng is extremely consistent from the baseline, has a solid serve and moves very well. Pennetta is going to have to be a bit more patient than she was against Sharapova and pick her points to attack. Can she come back and win another tough match on the heels of that very emotional win? I am not sure, but I do have to give her the edge because when push comes to shove, she does have a tad more firepower than Peng.
Nick’s Pick: Pennetta in three tough sets.
P.S. GOOOOOO ITALIANS!!!!
Nick Bollettieri of the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy has trained many collegiate and professional players, including 10 who reached the world No. 1 ranking.