Happy Super Monday (both at Wimbledon and in the Northeast, where the sun has finally decided to shine). There are some intriguing matchups starting today at Wimbledon, with a large crop of world-class veterans looking to outlast the newcomers to hoist the trophy in one more week. But who will be smiling at the cameras, and who will be “waiting till next year”?
Here are the predictions of ESPN’s Ravi Ubha … followed by my comments (for the week).
Men
No. 1 Rafael Nadal versus No. 24 Juan Martin del Potro
Prediction: Nadal in four.
George: Agree … and Rafa goes to the finals
No. 2 Novak Djokovic versus No. 19 Michael Llodra
Prediction: Djokovic in three.
George: Agree… and Novak gets upset before the finals.
No. 3 Roger Federer versus No. 18 Mikhail Youzhny
Prediction: Federer in three.
George: agree… and Roger goes to the finals
No. 4 Andy Murray versus No. 17 Richard Gasquet
Prediction: Gasquet in four.
George: No… Andy survives to the semis
No. 10 Mardy Fish versus No. 6 Tomas Berdych
Prediction: Berdych in four.
George: No.. Mardy has ONE more victory left on the grass
No. 7 David Ferrer versus No. 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Prediction: Tsonga in four.
George: No … Ferrer is one of my favorite, hard-working pros
Feliciano Lopez versus Lukasz Kubot
Prediction: Lopez in four.
George: Agree
Xavier Malisse versus Bernard Tomic
Prediction: Malisse in three.
George: No … the 18-year old Australian will go one more.
Women
No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki versus No. 24 Dominika Cibulkova
Prediction: Wozniacki in two.
George: Agree … but the best match (which will determine the champion) will be the next round against Sharapova
No. 4 Victoria Azarenka versus Nadia Petrova
Prediction: Azarenka in three.
George: Agree… she will shriek her way to a victory
No. 5 Maria Sharapova versus No. 20 Peng Shuai
Prediction: Sharapova in two.
George: Agree… and Maria plays Caroline
No. 7 Serena Williams versus No. 9 Marion Bartoli
Prediction: Williams in three.
George: Agree … but doesn’t make it to the finals
No. 8 Petra Kvitova versus No. 19 Yanina Wickmayer
Prediction: Kvitova in three.
George: agree
No. 23 Venus Williams versus No. 32 Tsvetana Pironkova
Prediction: Williams in two.
George: agree… and goes to the finals against Woz/Maria winner
Sabine Lisicki versus Petra Cetkovska
Prediction: Lisicki in three.
George: Sabine’s big serve wins
Tamira Paszek versus Ksenia Pervak
Prediction: Pervak in two.
George: who knows (and who cares?)