Out On A Limb With Andy Murray And Venus Williams

Lawn Tennis, Paris Open, Lawn Tennis Magazine

Out On A Limb With Andy Murray And Venus Williams

By Tripp Mateschitz, Lawn Tennis Analyst, Posted: Sunday, June 21, 2009 8:37pm PST USA

Out On A Limb With Andy Murray And Venus Williams, Wimbledon, Lawn Tennis Magazine

London--(lawntennis.org) If you've followed my picks before, you know I like to go out on a limb.

This year at Wimbledon is no different as I'm picking Venus Williams of the USA and Andy Murray of England and Scotland to win.

You might say picking Williams is not really a stretch since she's won at London five times already and is the two time ladies' defending champion.

However maintaining the consistency and good health necessary for victory over the course of three years in a row is not an easy feat by any means in tennis.

Gentlemen's Picks

The world number two and five time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer of Switzerland has won his last twelve matches and scored a breakthrough win even by his standards earlier this month at the French Open.

Andy Murray and Venus Williams

Lawn Tennis Magazine, Wimbledon, Lawn Tennis

Andy Murray has never defeated Roger Federer in a grand slam match or on a grasscourt.

However Federer trails Murray 2-6 head to head and has lost their last four matches. But Murray will need to step up his game as he has never defeated Federer in a grand slam match or on a grasscourt.

I think Murray will be up for the challenge if he can mix up his game and attack the net to push past the American Andy Roddick in the semifinals and Federer in the final.

With the defending champion and world number one Rafael Nadal of Spain sidelined due to a knee injury, this could be England's best chance in years to crown a home grown Wimbledon champion.

Quarterfinals
Juan Martin del Potro ARG (5) vs Andy Roddick USA (6)
Andy Murray GBR (3) vs vs Mikhail Youzhny RUS
James Blake USA (17) vs Novak Djokovic SRB (4)
Ivo Karlovic CRO (22) vs Roger Federer SUI (2)

Semifinals
Andy Roddick USA (6) vs Andy Murray GBR (3)
Novak Djokovic SRB (4) vs Roger Federer SUI (2)

Final
Andy Murray GBR (3) def. Roger Federer SUI (2)

Ladies' Picks

Venus Williams' first serve is faster and more overwhelming than any other WTA Tour player, and she uses this greatly to her advantage every year on the super fast grasscourts at Wimbledon.

I think Maria Sharapova of Russia could trouble Venus' sister Serena Williams in the quarterfinals, but since the Williams sisters landed on opposite sides of the ladies' draw, they most likely will both reach the final since they are for the most part are their only main rivals on this surface.

A Williams sister has taken the Wimbledon singles title seven of the last nine years.

But Venus has been shaky at times this year and committed error after error last month at the French Open to crash out in another early defeat in Paris.

Venus prefers short points, and the points won't be any shorter anywhere than at Wimbledon.

If Venus can serve up enough aces and service winners, she will more or less take most players out of her Wimbledon matches. The world number one Dinara Safina of Russia or Serena could prolong points enough to draw a number of errors or to themselves hit winners, but it's mighty tough to hit winners off 120 miles per hour serves.

Quarterfinals
Dinara Safina RUS (1) vs Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS (5)
Venus Williams USA (3) vs Na Li CHN (19)
Marion Bartoli FRA (12) vs Elena Dementieva RUS (4)
Maria Sharapova RUS (24) vs Serena Williams USA (2)

Semifinals
Dinara Safina RUS (1) vs Venus Williams USA (3)
Elena Dementieva RUS (4) vs Serena Williams USA (2)

Final
Venus Williams USA (3) def. Serena Williams USA (2)

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