Who will win US Open 2011? – Part One: Mardy Fish
With the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open, just round the corner; we here at bettor.com analyze the top ten male professionals to perhaps predict the 2011 US Open champion. First up is the rising local, Mardy Fish.
Matching the great Roger Federer in age, the 29-year-old American started playing professional tennis in 2000. Although he has been playing on tour for the past decade, Fish only broke in the top ten this year after making a somewhat more successful run at Wimbledon achieving the career high ranking of world number eight.
A debutant at the Flushing Meadows in 2000, Fish crashed out in the very first round in his first attempt here losing to compatriot Jan-Michael Gambill. In attendance every year since then, Fish failed to make it past the first or second round for the next seven years recording two first round and five second round exits.
However, the American eventually did have his day in the sun. Three years ago Fish achieved his career best at the event as he made it all the way to the quarterfinals before losing to former world number one, Rafael Nadal. Absent the following year, Fish put in a fourth round showing at the 2010 edition of the event before losing to eventual finalist, Novak Djokovic.
Although Fish has never made it big at the prestigious Flushing Meadows, lately the American has started putting in a few flags and making his presence known; all the makings of the next big thing. It will not come by much as a shock if Fish actually makes it all the way to the final to clinch the title win.
A driving force in the 2011 season, especially on hard court, Fish enjoys a 29-16 win loss mark for the season. Not so well around the world, the American shone at home events. Starting the year at Brisbane, Fish failed to impress Down Under, however, he put in his back-to-back semi-final showings back home as he made it that far at Memphis (losing to Milos Raonic) and Delray Beach (Juan Martin Del Potro). Although Fish crashed out in the second round at Indian Wells, he put in another semi-final showing at Miami losing to eventual champion, Novak Djokovic.
Next came the clay season where Fish’s form took a dump. His performance curve took a good three months before it started rising again. Playing in the third and only grass Grand Slam of the season, the Wimbledon Championships, Fish made it all the way to the quarterfinals before losing to eventual runner up, Nadal. Riding this form, the reigning world number nine put in back-to-back appearances at Atlanta and Los Angeles, competing in the US Open Olympus Series. A successful final at Atlanta, gave Fish his first title of the season while a resilient Ernests Gulbis denied him a successful title defence at Los Angeles. Sad an injury put him out of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic at Washington, since Roddick's absence in the draw had increased his chances of a title win considerably.
Appearing at the twin Masters event at Montreal and Cincinnati, Fish put in a final and semi-final showing at the two events losing to Djokovic and Andy Murray respectively. Although he failed to clinch the title at the Masters event, Fish was still able to lead and win the US Open Olympus Series.
With a form as high as his, Fish is sure to make it far at Flushing Meadows and upset quite a few big names along the way to his maiden Grand Slam win.
The series continues as we take a look at Frenchman Gael Monfils in http://www.senore.com/Who-will-win-US-Open-2011-Part-Two-Gael-Monfils-a94929.
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