Apollo of the Week!: Anonymous Writer

We received an article in our e-mail box today from an avid tennis fan likely from the state of New York. Enjoy their preview of the US Open Tennis Tournament:

It's the end of the summer and that means it's US Open time in New York City. If you have never been to this event, you are missing out. The US Open is the most difficult of tennis' four Grand Slams. The venue isn't all that player friendly - it's big, loud, crowded and often blazing hot. "Night" matches can start shortly before midnight and last well into the early morning. LaGuardia Airport is right next door and some days the take off pattern is directly over Arthur Ashe Stadium. If the planes aren't roaring overhead you've still got the non-stop squealing of the LIRR and 7 line trains located immediately outside the grounds, while the smoke from the food court continuously drifts over the courts. But while many of the players view the Open as an ordeal to survive, each year some of the most epic and compelling matches in tennis happen at Flushing Meadows, and this is the tournament where the new names break through. The NYC mantra "If you can make it there, you'll make it anywhere" holds true at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The draws for the 2009 US Open were announced earlier today. To earn his sixth US Open title, #1 seed Roger Federer might have to get past either #4 seed Djokovic or #5 seed Roddick in his half of the draw - and both are tough hardcourt players. Rafael Nadal is seeded #3 and is in the opposite half of the draw with #2 Andy Murray. Given the way Murray has been playing, it's a good bet he'll get through to the finals, and he's got to be happy that Federer, Djokovic and Roddick will have to battle it out in the other half of the draw. While neither of the Williams sisters have played all that well in this summer's hardcourt events, they still are heavy favorites to vie for this year's title. A Venus (#3) and Serena (#2) meeting would be in semi finals, as both are located in the same side of the draw.

MEN

Federer doesn't look to be challenged until the semis - he's got a really easy draw and, other than one odd lapse against Tsonga, he's played well this summer. Lleyton Hewitt is a possible 3rd round opponent but no longer a real threat. James Blake is in the same bracket, but I don't see Blake advancing all that far in this tournament. Blake has an easy first round opponent in Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, but these days every match is an adventure for Jimmy Kid. When his forehand is on, Blake's game is as fun to watch as any on the tour - but tennis has looked like a chore for Blake of late. Don't be surprised to hear a retirement announcement soon.

Watch for a possible Sam Querrey - Soderling third round match - both have been playing well and their contrasting styles could make for very entertaining tennis.

Djokovic has drawn Ljubicic in the first round - now ranked #50, Ivan is past his prime (was it really only three years ago he was ranked as high as #3?), but still a tough and sometimes volatile opponent. Djokovic should advance - assuming he isn't bothered by hot weather or the hostile NY crowd.

Marat Safin is playing in his last tournament, having announced his retirement earlier this year. Don't look for any last gasp heroics from Marat though - he looks like he has run out of gas.

A Roddick-Isner match could be interesting in the third round, although Isner seems to be yet another American "phenom" who isn't all that phenomenal. Tommy Haas is likely to play Roddick in the 4th round - while Haas is thankfully injury free and playing well, I like Roddick's chances here. I think Andy is going to be highly motivated to pick up his second Grand Slam title - and other than Wimbledon, the US Open is probably his best chance.

Tsonga has an easy draw in his part of the bracket, probably facing Fernando Gonzalez in the 4th round. A potential Nadal-Monfils matchup in the fourth round is intriguing, but Nadal admitted last week he's not 100% for this tournament.

Best first round match in the mens draw: Juan Martin Del Potro and Juan Monaco. Monaco is a very tough opponent who hasn't really gotten the attention of the press - but he's very well respected on the tour. I'm sure Del Potro wasn't happy to see this first round matchup. Another intriguing first round match - Andy Murray vs. Ernests Gulbis - Murray will advance but it won't be a cake walk.

My semi final picks: Federer vs. Roddick, Tsonga vs. Murray.

WOMEN

Dinara Safina is the top seed and isn't likely to be challenged until the quarterfinals where she could face Jankovic, who beat her several weeks ago. I don't see Safina winning this tournament - she just isn't tough enough. Safina melted in both the Australian and French finals in truly ugly losses, and the US Open is a far more intimidating place. Watch for Sabine Lisicki to "upset" Ana Ivanovic, if Ivanovic manages to get by a tough first round matchup in Kateryna Bondarenko. Melanie Oudin, an American teenager who did well at Wimbledon, is likely to face Dementieva early on but doesn't yet have the game to push Elena. Maria Sharapova is lurking in this part of the draw as well - physically she still doesn't seem 100%, but she is as competitive as they come on the womens tour and you can never count her out - one key will be whether Maria can keep her new serve toss under control. Up and comer Wozniacki and veteran Kuznetsova could meet in an intriguing 4th round match.

In the other half of the draw, Azarenka and Radwanska could meet in a battle of young and talented but kinda boring baseliners in the 4th round, and wild card Kim Clijsters should advance easily to the 4th round where she's likely to find Venus Williams. Venus hasn't been playing well this summer, while Clijsters is striking the ball cleanly and moving as well as ever - look for Kim to pull the upset here.

Flavia Pennetta, now seeded #10 (highest ever for an Italian woman), has an easy draw and should advance ea sily to the quarterfinals. Amelie Mauresemo is in her bracket, but this is likely to be Amelie's last US Open. Samantha Stosur has had a terrific stretch over the last 6 months - and it's possible that she'll find Serena Williams waiting for her in the round of 16. Serena isn't likely to be all that friendly to Aussie Stosur, who beat Williams earlier this summer and when told that Serena had ungraciously (and typically) attributed Stosur's win to luck, replied: ''If you look at what Serena says after a lot of her matches she probably doesn't, you know, give all the glory to her opponent, no matter what the situation is". Stosur was spot on, but Serena isn't likely to be all the appreciative.”Serena has played poorly this summer, but she's got a real track record of lifting her game for the majors, and she's motivated to pick up another Slam. Which Serena will show up?

My semi final picks: Jankovic vs. Dementieva; Clijsters vs. Serena Williams

Check back soon for my picks for who will win both the Men's and Women's brackets.