Let The (Real) Tennis Games Begin!
Many players, including some in the top ten, have been collecting ranking points and pocketing titles and prize money the past month. However, for the top stars in pro tennis, i.e., Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Serena Williams (who did
already win at Stanford), Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki et al, vacation is finally over! Well, actually it's been over for at least a few weeks as the players have been practicing and training hard off the court in preparation for the US Open Series leading up to the 2011 U.S. Open. You can feel the excitement building as tennis fans tune in even more, especially those who are "following" the US Open Series.
These next couple tournaments are more about getting rid of the "rust", getting in some matches and practicing some new things. Nonetheless, the results do shed some light on who is looking strong heading into the U.S. Open. The storylines on the women’s Tour will be more enlightening than the men’s since the top four men have been so solid for the past year or so. However, two past U.S. Open champions to watch during the lead-up are Juan Martin del Potro and Maria Sharapova. Is Juan Martin really back in the form he had when he won the title two years ago and can Maria serve well enough to win her second U.S. Open title?
These next couple tournaments are more about getting rid of the "rust", getting in some matches and practicing some new things. Nonetheless, the results do shed some light on who is looking strong heading into the U.S. Open. The storylines on the women’s Tour will be more enlightening than the men’s since the top four men have been so solid for the past year or so. However, two past U.S. Open champions to watch during the lead-up are Juan Martin del Potro and Maria Sharapova. Is Juan Martin really back in the form he had when he won the title two years ago and can Maria serve well enough to win her second U.S. Open title?
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