And Then There Were Eight...

Things are getting serious now.

The first Wimbledon in two years has given us plenty of storylines, from the emergence of young, sharp talents, to a couple guys chasing history at the All England Club. But the trophies are now within reach -- just two wins away for the players still standing -- and there's a lot on the line for every one of them.

The Men

2021 #Wimbledon semi-finals

🇷🇸 Djokovic v. Shapovalov 🇨🇦
🇮🇹 Berrettini v. Hurkacz 🇵🇱

Who's going all the way? 🏆

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 7, 2021

Novak Djokovic hasn't seemed at all fazed by the high stakes that are following him into this tournament. With wins already at the Australian and French Opens this year, he's the heavy favorite to win the Grand Slam -- all four Majors in a calendar year -- something no man has done since 1969. And with the Olympics later this month, he could even match Steffi Graf's ultra-rare feat of the Golden Slam. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, he's also just two match wins away from equalling Roger Federer's and Rafael Nadal's record twenty Major titles -- (getting ahead of myself again) a record he could very well claim all by himself by year-end. And with all that on his shoulders, he's still been super dominant, winning his last fifteen sets and extending his streak at the All England Club to 21 straight match wins. With far more experience at this stage of play than any of the other men remaining, it's hard to see anyone stopping him before the week is up.

The first man who gets to try is Denis Shapovalov, who reached his first Major semifinal with a five-set win today over Karen Khachanov. The Canadian, whose previous best run at Wimbledon was the second round back in 2018, had to skip Roland Garros with a shoulder injury, but came back fighting strong, making the semis at Queen's Club and here beating two-time champion Andy Murray and eighth seeded Roberto Bautista Agut, both in straight sets. Does he stand a chance against the world #1 and #GOAT🐐 contender? Well, with a 0-6 record against Djokovic, it's going to be hard. But here's hoping we at least get to see him put up a fight.

But the real opportunity may lie in the bottom half of the draw, where Matteo Berrettini is currently riding an impressive 10-0 record on grass -- he's 21-2 since 2019. The Queen's Club champion has had a pretty nice run to his second Slam semi, dropping sets only to Guido Pella -- who, you might have forgotten, made the final eight at Wimbledon in 2019 -- in his opener and to Felix Auger-Aliassime -- who, you probably remember, stunned Roger Federer last month in Halle -- in Wednesday's quarter. I've admitted I had doubts about his sustainability after that stellar 2019 season, but he has more than proven me wrong, and with more wins than all but four men so far this season, he may be in good position to make his first Major final.

But he still has to get past Hubert Hurkacz, who's turned his season around in a big way over the last ten days. After a breakthrough run in Miami, where he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev -- not to mention Shapovalov -- on his way to the title, he went radio silent, losing five straight matches between Monte Carlo and Halle. I thought for sure he was heading for an early exit when he drew Lorenzo Musetti in the first round, but not only did he win, he went his first three matches without dropping a set. That streak finally ended against second seed and Mallorca titleist Daniil Medvedev, but he survived that challenge and then rallied for a stunning straight-set win over eight-time champion Roger Federer earlier today. This semi run is by far his best showing at a Slam -- his previous high bar was the third round here in 2019 -- but so far he's shown no signs of nerves. Could he keep his run going even further? Well, he does have a win in his only match against Berrettini, and something tells me these two are going to leave it all out there.

The Women

The final 4⃣!

🇦🇺 Barty vs. Kerber 🇩🇪
🇨🇿 Ka. Pliskova vs. Sabalenka 🇧🇾#Wimbledon

— wta (@WTA) July 6, 2021

The ladies' draw has had its own share of surprises, but one thing has gone according to plan -- #1 seed Ashleigh Barty continues to prove her ability on any court. Though her French Open defense was cut short due to injury, she rebounded well when she hit the grass. Dropping just one set in her first five matches to sentimental favorite Carla Suárez Navarro in the first round, she's made it to her third Major semifinal, and first here, in top form. But while she did face off against the newest Major champion in the fourth round, for the most part, she hasn't been truly tested -- the average rank of her opponents has been #76, #91 if you don't count Barbora Krejcikova, who was playing her first Wimbledon singles main draw. She's going to have to up her game now that we're really down to the wire.

After all, her next match is against 2018 Wimbledon champ Angelique Kerber who, after a title in Bad Homburg, is running a ten-match win streak on grass. At #28 in the world, she may be the lowest seed remaining, but she's by far the most accomplished on these courts, having made at least the semis three times before. She's had a couple close calls already this event, enduring a three-plus hour battle against a surprisingly spry Sara Sorribes Tormo in the second round and battling back from losing the first set to Aliaksandra Sasnovich, the woman who benefited from Serena's retirement. But she's been on point in her latest matches, beating both Coco Gauff and Karolina Muchova in straight sets. She's split her last four meetings with Barty, the most recent of which was nearly three years ago, but she might just be able to get the advantage in this one.

Meanwhile in the bottom half of the draw, second seed Aryna Sabalenka has ended her Major curse in resounding form with a ticket to her first Major semifinal. The 23-year-old, one of my favorites to win the French, had only won one main draw match here before this year, and that was back when she was a qualifier in 2017. I didn't give her much chance at changing that after a weak lead-up season, but she's been able to overcome a few challenges at the All England Club. Down a set early to wildcard Katie Boulter and pushed to a third by Paris Cinderella Elena Rybakina, she's been able to persevere, and against Ons Jabeur -- who, by the way, beat three Major champions in a row on her way to the quarters -- she was able to come out on top. You have to like her chances at making that maiden final, as long as she's able to keep keeping her cool.

But the big surprise in the women's draw has to be Karolina Pliskova, whose #8 seed -- and #13 ranking -- feels a lot higher than what she's been delivering. Though she did make the final in Rome -- which she lost in a double bagel -- she'd been otherwise pretty lackluster this year, losing more matches than she'd won on the season. I thought for sure she'd get a run for her money in the first round against surprise French semifinalist Tamara Zidansek and had my money on Berlin champ Liudmila Samsonova in the fourth. But she's gotten through her first five matches without dropping a set -- the only player left who's done that -- and is in the Wimbledon semis for the first time in her career. Like Barty, she hasn't faced the highest-ranked opponents, so playing Sabalenka could be a shock, especially as she's lost both their previous matches. But perhaps her familiarity with play on this stage will be an advantage, and maybe she'll be the one to prove us all wrong.

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We shouldn't be surprised that after such a long absence (absense?) from these courts we should get such big play from every corner of the draw. We might not have picked all these guys and gals as the last ones contending for the title, but there's no doubt that each of them deserves to come away with one more win.

And with so much history on the line, it's going to be exciting to see which ones are able to pull it off.

Home Turf

The grass court season is such a short part of the overall tennis calendar that it's easy to forget who really thrives on it. And while, of course, the favorites at Wimbledon certainly can dominate the headlines, there are some more under-the-radar players who've had their best results on the surface. And they're doing their best to remind us of that in the final days before the next Grand Slam.

No seeds remain in Eastbourne 👀

Camila Giorgi knocked out the No.1 seed Sabalenka in three sets at the #VikingInternational ⬇️

— wta (@WTA) June 24, 2021

Camila Giorgi is one of those players. The 29-year-old first caught my attention back in 2012, when as a qualifier she stunned Flavia Pennetta in her first round. Ranked #145 at the time, she made it all the way to the fourth round, but had even better results several years later when she reached the quarters, even taking a set off Serena Williams, in 2018. She's stuggled to stay consistent though and currently sits at #75 in the world. But this week in Eastbourne she's getting her groove back -- after an opening round upset of Karolina Pliskova she stunned top seed Aryna Sabalenka earlier today, eliminating the last seed standing and setting up a semi with Anett Kontaveit. She's still got a ways to go if she wants to pick up her third title, but she's looking fresher than she has in a while and could keep her run going.

Angelique Kerber has, of course, had even more success on grass. The former world #1 won the most recent of her three Major titles on these courts in 2018 and had reached the semis and final before that. But she's been a little more quiet recently, losing the opening round in each of her last three Slam showings and falling slowly out of the top 25. Still, she's bringing her A-game this week -- as the fourth seed at the inaugural Bad Homburg Open, she dropped just two games in each of her first two matches here. With most of play cancelled for today, she might have to endure a double-header on Friday, but first she'll have to get through former French Open semifinalist Amanda Anisimova, whose own recent struggles have dropped her out of the top eighty. If Kerber plays like she has been, though, she might be able to make quick work of her coming opponents.

Meanwhile in Mallorca we may be seeing the resurgence of one recently left-for-dead. One-time top-ranked American Sam Querrey, who's more known these days for breaking COVID protocols than for notching big wins on the court, has fallen well below his top ranking, spending much of the last few years in the low double digits. Still, he's one of few active players from the U.S. -- male ones, anyway -- with a title on the lawn, and his semi showing at Wimbledon in 2017 -- where he beat then-#1 Andy Murray in his third-straight five-setter that tournament -- was by far his best shot at taking home a Major title. He'd won just two matches this year before the grass season, but made the semis in Stuttgart and this week beat third seed Roberto Bautista Agut earlier today. Up next he's got also unseeded Adrian Mannarino, who's been strong himself this season, but I, somewhat surprisingly, like his chances to get to the final.

So what does this recent strength mean for these guys when they head to the big stage next week? Well it's certainly too soon to call for them to make a play for the titles, but at the very least they could be primed for an upset or two. And if they can make the most of the short time on grass, it might just give them all a shot at a second life.

2020 Vision: Serena Eyes #24...But There Are Roadblocks

Welcome back to my look at what's to come for tennis in the new year. In my last post I talked about the Big Three's dominance in the sport for the past decade-plus and a couple of the guys who might be ready to take the mantle when they're ready to cede it.

And speaking of passing the torch, it's coming up on Serena Williams' time to do that too, though some might argue she's further along in the process than the guys. While still the perennial favorite at any tournament she enters -- she was, after all, just named AP's Female Athlete of the Decade -- the elder statesman of the WTA has fallen short of that record-tying 24^th Major title in her last seven appearances. Four times she's gotten within one match from the Promised Land but has been foiled in turn by Angelique Kerber, Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep, and most recently Bianca Andreescu -- who, you'll remember, was ranked in the triple digits at the start of the year. It's now been nearly three years since Williams has won a Major, the longest dry spell she's ever had at those events. She actually hasn't won a single title -- singles or doubles -- since returning from maternity leave.

I do believe, eventually, she'll have that breakthrough though, and maybe even do better than "just" tying Margaret Court's lead. After all, she's reaching finals, not flaming out in early rounds. And as Osaka so astutely points out, the fact that she ended the year in the top ten while playing as few tournaments as she did shows she's more than holding her own out there. Still, she is running out of time. I'm not willing to say 2020 is Serena's last chance to close the deal, but you have to think it's gotta happen quick if it's gonna happen at all. I mean, look at all the talent waiting in the wings.

There is, of course, the crop of players who've gotten the best of Williams as she went for #24 -- Kerber has actually won two of their last three Major championship showdowns, though has struggled with injuries this year and fallen to #20 in the world -- as well as a couple who knocked her out earlier in the rounds -- Sofia Kenin, impressively backed up her French Open stunner with titles in Mallorca and Guangzhou. There are also a slew of youngsters who shocked the world this year with their deep runs at the Slams -- Amanda Anisimova (a semifinalist in Paris) and Marketa Vondrousova (the runner-up!), Danielle Collins (final four in Melbourne), Karolina Muchova (quarters at Wimbledon).

But there are some other names looking to break the seal for themselves that might be able to take advantage of any holes in the draw, whether or not they have to go through Serena to do it.

Top of my list is Elina Svitolina, who came just short of her second WTA Final crown this fall, but pulled off wins over Halep, Kenin, and Karolina Pliskova to make the final match. She also got to the semis at the U.S. Open and Wimbledon and the quarters in Melbourne. She is a bit off her career high ranking and didn't win a title in 2019, but this workhorse seems to have solidly broken into the top tiers and seems ready to make something of it.

More of a long shot, but someone I've been watching for a while, is American Alison Riske. Long a mid to low double-digits player, she won her first title since 2014 in Den Bosch and stunned Ashleigh Barty and Belinda Bencic at Wimbledon. Ranked 18^th in the world now and closing in on her 30^th birthday, she seems to be playing the best tennis of her career. There may be no better opportunity for her to show the world what she's really got.

Remember to check out the rest of my 2020 Vision and keep coming back for more Tennis Spin all year long! Coming up tomorrow: There are a couple players who made big splashes in 2019, but will they keep it going in the New Year?

Opening Salvos

This year's WTA Finals could be one of the most interesting year-end championships we've seen in years -- with the most dominant player on Tour sitting out the postseason, nearly half the qualifiers making just their first appearance at this event, and each and every entrant showing a little vulnerability since the U.S. Open, it really is anybody's game. And with the first round robin matches in the books, we've gotten a glimpse of who might be most willing to take advantage of the opportunity.

Play kicked off Sunday with a rematch of the first shocking semi in New York this year -- eventual champion Flavia Pennetta, who at thirty-three has said this would be the last professional event of her career, hoped to repeat against top seed Simona Halep. Both have been below their best recently -- the Italian was upset by a qualifier in Tianjin and withdrew from the Moscow quarters with a foot injury, just after clinching her entry to Singapore, while the world #2 retired from the draw in Beijing after early losses in both Guangzhou and Wuhan. That could have presented an opportunity for Pennetta to pounce, but this time the Romanian was able to take charge, dropping just three games in the barely hour-long match. It was an important start for the favorite, who in her debut last year reached the final with a victory over Serena Williams in the early rounds. If she wants to go one better this time, she'll need to show her recent struggles were just a fluke and such a decisive win to start off may have done just that.

The second match in Singapore was just a little more challenging -- Maria Sharapova, by far the most experienced of the field, took on Aga Radwanska, who'd made a solid late-season push to qualify for her seventh appearance here. MaSha, who won this event an entire eleven years ago, started the year off strong, but a leg injury sustained during her Wimbledon semifinal lost forced her out of summer events and the U.S. Open -- when she finally did return to play in Wuhan, she retired in the third set of her opener with an arm ailment. The Pole meanwhile, who'd fallen as low as #15 in the world after a weak start to 2015, made a nice jump higher with a semi showing at the All England Club and titles in Tokyo and Tianjin. While she pulled out of Moscow last week, she seemed to have the momentum that could take her far at the Finals, but Sharapova may have stopped that. After dropping the first set the Russian roared back in the second and fought off a late surge from her opponent in the decider and, in the nearly three-hour match, Sharapova was the one left somewhat unexpectedly standing. But she'll have to regroup quick if she's going to keep up her streak -- with a match against a decidedly more rested Halep on Tuesday, she'll need every ounce of energy she's got.

Things were just as interesting in Monday's contests, where the first match-up in the White Group pitted two newbies against each other. Wimbledon finalist Garbiñe Muguruza faced off against Roland Garros runner-up Lucie Safarova, both of whom scored their best Major results this year, and both of whom are also playing the doubles event in Singapore. Here too though, there were some questions hanging above the players -- the Spaniard retired from the final in Wuhan, seemed to recover for a title in Beijing a week later, and then pulled out of Hong Kong. Safarova, meanwhile, has struggled a bit more -- the last woman to qualify for this event lost openers in Linz and Moscow, not to mention at the U.S. Open and now hasn't won a match since New Haven. And that gave Muguruza the opening she needed -- the twenty-two year old fired off ten aces and forced fifteen break opportunities -- and even though the Czech was able to keep things tight at the end, the second seed may have shaken off her debut nerves a bit better and be in the prime spot to power through from here.

The last round robin might have resulted in the only real surprise we've seen at the tournament so far. Relative veterans Petra Kvitova, the only one in this group to beat Serena Williams this year, and Angelique Kerber, who's very quietly picked up four titles in 2015, might have been two of the most closely matched opponents to open against each other -- all but one of their six previous meetings have gone three sets. Still Kvitova lost early in both Wuhan and Beijing and Kerber, after reaching the final in Hong Kong skipped out on Moscow, leaving her fate in qualifying for Singapore in other players' hands. But the sixth seed came out swinging in her opener, grabbing the first set without allowing a break opportunity. Though things were closer in the second, Kerber was able to stay more focused in the tiebreak, able to score her first win over the Czech in more than three years. The only player to have notched an upset, the German is actually at the top of her round robin group and if she keeps hitting the way she did Monday, she might just stay that way.

Of course there is still plenty more ball left before this year's final trophy is awarded. And while the ladies who opened their campaigns with a win are certainly at an early advantage, anything can still happen from here. And in just about a week one of these players might have just established herself as the one to beat in the new year.

On the Bubble

We've gotten to that time of year when players are looking to put in their last arguments to qualify for the year-end championships. And with Serena Williams withdrawing from the event in Singapore, perhaps the field is more wide open than its been in ages, so it's no surprise everyone still in contention -- even a couple new faces -- is fighting for those last available spots.

Lucie Safarova didn't do too much to strengthen her case this week, but she still might be in good shape to qualify for her first ever season-ender. Long among the second tier players in the sport, the veteran Czech had a breakthrough last year when she reached the Wimbledon semis. And in 2015 she scored her biggest title to date in Doha, scoring wins over Ekaterina Makarova and Victoria Azarenka in the process. Her real crowning achievement, though, came in Paris where she stunned two former titleists in Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic on the way to her first Major final and even took a set off Serena in the championship match. She's slowed down a bit since then -- after a first round loss at the U.S. Open, she only got back on court this week in Linz and lost her opener to fellow Roland Garros standout Andreea Mitu. Still, at #7 on the year-end leaderboard with just a week of play left, she's in a solid spot -- after all she's already qualified for the doubles draw, winning crowns in Melbourne and France with Bethanie-Mattek Sands, so why not make the most out of her trip?

Angelique Kerber has a little more experience in postseason play, and is trying to wrap up her case for a third appearance at the WTA Finals this week. After a shocking first round loss in Melbourne and more than a few tough draws early in the year -- Victoria Azarenka in her Doha opener, Sam Stosur in Madrid -- she got herself back on track with some top-notch wins. She beat Maria Sharapova on her way to the Stuttgart title, and Aga Radwanska in Stanford. She's currently ranked #9 in the world, but with four Premier-level titles this year she leads the pack of bubble contenders, and her performance this week could seal her spot. The second seed in Hong Kong, she was tested early by former Grand Slam champion Francesca Schiavone in her first round, but scored an easy win over Kurumi Nara earlier today. Next up she'll face always tricky Caroline Garcia, but if she lives up to her potential she could not only walk away with this trophy but also make a return to the season finale. She missed the cut last year and has only won one match in her previous two appearances, but she's shown she's got the ability to cause a stir among the highest ranks and might just be able to turn around her luck this time.

There are actually more than a few ladies trying to make the Singapore cut in Tianjin this week, and their experience runs the gamut. Veteran Flavia Pennetta, who unexpectedly picked up her first and likely only Grand Slam trophy in New York last month, is on the verge of qualifying for her first year-end championships at the very twilight of her career. She lost her first round in China, but at #8 on the Road to Singapore, there's a chance she hasn't yet played her last match on Tour. Trying to usurp her position, though, is 2015 breakout star Karolina Pliskova, also looking for her WTA Finals debut. The young Czech rose to a career high #7 in the world just ahead of the U.S. Open, with wins over formerly top-ranked players like Victoria Azarenka and Ana Ivanovic and trips to five finals this year -- she picked up her fourth career title in Prague. She lost a little ground last week, dropping points she won in Linz last year, but she's alive and kicking in Tianjin and could make them up quickly. Aga Radwanska certainly rebounded herself -- after falling to a recent low #15 in the world over the summer, a title in Tokyo brought her back up into the top eight, and she's well in the running to make her seventh postseason appearance. She's lost just three games this week, and if she keep her play at this level, it might not be long before she seals the deal.

There's a lot at stake, after all, for the four ladies who have yet to make the year-end final -- of the four already there, three have been struggling with injuries and form in the last few months, and any one of these women could certainly pounce on that opening. And who knows when they'll get another opportunity to close out the year with a bang.

Stealing the Spotlight

As the summer hardcourt season kicks into full gear, it's no surprise we saw so many of the sport's top women in action last week -- even with Serena Williams still recovering from an elbow injury and unable to defend her title in Stanford, nearly half of the players in the top twenty hit the courts. But ultimately it wasn't the top favorites who walked away with the titles -- and in one case, a first-timer make have just scored the breakthrough we've been waiting for.

The upsets at the Bank of the West Classic started pretty early. Top seeded Caroline Wozniacki, struggling a bit to keep the momentum from a successful 2014 season, lost her opening round to Varvara Lepchenko. And Carla Suarez Navarro, who broke into the top ten after an unexpected final run in Miami, lost her fourth match in a row in Stanford, this time dropping to world #59 Alison Riske. By the time we got to Sunday's final it was this year's breakout Karolina Pliskova facing off against under-the-radar Angelique Kerber. The more experienced German was the on-paper underdog in this fight, seeded fifth to her opponent's #4 spot -- but she had the advantage of a 3-2 record head-to-head, and after already beating two seeds during the week, was arguably more battle tested. In a break-filled match, Kerber eventually got the edge in the opening set, and even after the Czech pushed her to a third, stayed strong enough to score the win. It was, you may be surprised to hear, Angie's fourth trophy this year, making this her most prolific season despite the fact that she's still off her best ranking at #11. But with what's traditionally been her strongest stretch still ahead of her, she might make a play to climb even higher.

Over in Washington a couple ladies even further off the grid were able to shine. But even with defending champ Svetlana Kuznetsova pulling out with injury early, the eventual finalists had to stage some big wins during their runs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, out of the top thirty for most of this year, was looking to end a slump which saw her lose to world #154 Patricia Maria Tig a week earlier in Baku and win only one Major match in 2015. In the second round she scored a solid win over Belinda Bencic, who'd won their only previous meeting, and came back after losing the opening set to Ekaterina Makarova before the top seed retired in the semis. The win earned the Russian her first final of the year, and a shot at picking up her eighth career title -- but she'd be foiled by an unlikely foe. American Sloane Stephens, once just a hair outside the top ten, with high-profile wins over the likes of Maria Sharapova, Venus, and of course Serena Williams, had a tough time keeping up her performance last year and for a couple weeks in 2015 had fallen out of the top forty. She did score some big wins -- over Kerber in Indian Wells, Jelena Jankovic in Strasbourg -- but nevertheless came to DC without a seed. She's working to change that though -- after getting the walkover from Kuznetsova she stunned Sam Stosur in the semis and dropped just three games to Pavlyuchenkova in Sunday's final. The win gave her a nice boost in the rankings, but more importantly awarded her that long-awaited maiden trophy. And perhaps it's just the first of many.

Neither of this weekend's champions were expected to walk away with the titles, but with both scoring some big wins during the week, they each reminded us all of the damage they can do. And as we get closer to the final Grand Slam of the year, it might be time we see them up their games even more. After all now that they're back in our sights, pressure will be really on for them to deliver.

On Firmer Ground

It's no big surprise that the clay court season can wreak havoc among tennis's top palyers, but this year's French Open took a toll even on those who had been going strong on the dirt this year. So maybe the change of surface was especially welcome to the ladies taking the court in Birmingham this week -- as early results show a couple making big strides to erase the memories from Paris.

Angelique Kerber was one of my dark horse picks at Roland Garros, but after a couple easy rounds, she was knocked out by twentieth seed Garbiñe Muguruza in her third match. But the one-time Wimbledon semifinalist seems to have her game back at the Aegon Classic, ousting another All England Cinderella Tsvetana Pironkova in her opener and then dealing a straight set defeat to former world #1 Jelena Jankovic earlier today. If she can get through unseeded Katerina Siniakova in the next round, she'll likely get a rematch with 2013's finalist in London, Sabine Lisicki. Her fellow German has struggled a bit more in 2015, making what could be called significant runs only in Miami and Indian Wells. Now ranked just #19 in the world, she could be poised to regain ground in Birmingham -- she's taken out Den Bosch runner-up Belinda Bencic, firing off an astounding twenty-seven aces, and grass specialist Magdalena Rybarikova. While her next opponent, veteran Daniela Hantuchova, can be tricky, you have to give Lisicki the odds to make at least the semifinals.

There's just as much at stake on the top half of the draw. Simona Halep isn't exactly having a bad season -- she's picked up titles in Shenzhen, Dubai and, most impressively, Indian Wells, and even reached the semis in Stuttgart and Rome. But the world #3 is still looking to redeem herself after a tough second round exit in Paris -- a far cry from her final run from 2014. She's been on point again in Birmingham, but faces her biggest test next against Kristina Mladenovic, one of those players you have to keep an eye on. And even if she passes that test, she could be in for an even tougher one down the road. Karolina Pliskova won the Juniors championship at the all England Club in 2010 and at a #12 ranking, is at her career high. A runner-up in Sydney and Dubai, she picked up a title in Prague, but was stunned in her French Open second round by then-#100 Andreea Mitu. After dropping her first set to Johanna Konta, she's had little trouble this week, and though she's the on-paper underdog against third seed Carla Suarez Navarro in Friday's quarterfinal she might be the favorite on grass. And that could give her a lot of confidence for the possible rematch against Halep in a couple days.

Of course only one woman can walk away the ultimate champion in Birmingham this weekend. But their performances so far have put them back on course to show everyone else just what they're capable of. And with a little more than a week before the start of the year's next Major, there's no better time to do it.

2015 French Open: Ten to Watch

Well things sure got interesting this clay court season, didn't they?

With the 2015 French Open just around the corner, we've seen some stunning runs from a couple unexpected sources, a few real comebacks from one-time superstars, and of course, a stumble or two along the way. And even though the heaviest favorites always find a way to bring their best on the Slam stages, we've seen even them struggle a bit in recent weeks.

And that could opens the door for plenty others -- whether they're underdogs who've been able to shine on their own the last few events, or once high-profile players looking to redeem themselves for recent missteps, I wouldn't be surprised to see a couple unfamiliar faces hanging around the later parts of this tournament.

And a few might just be worth keeping an extra close eye on this time around.

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The Women

Angelique Kerber

The German has been staging something of a comeback the last few months. Despite some decent results in 2014 -- her Wimbledon showdown against Maria Sharapova was one of the best matches of the year -- she also notched some surprising losses throughout the season -- to Flavia Pennetta in Australia, to then-#47 Madison Keys in the Eastbourne final, to Genie Bouchard at both the French Open and Wimbledon. In 2015 she was upset at every tournament she played through March and fell out of the top ten by the time the clay court season really kicked in. But she seemed to get her groove back on the dirt -- a low seed in Charleston, she took out defending champion Andrea Petkovic in the semis and then avenged her loss to Keys in the final, picking up her first title in over a year. Then, unseeded in Stuttgart, she knocked out three top-ten players, including Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki, to clinch her biggest crown in years. She lost a little early in both Madrid and Rome, but seemed to get back on course this past week in Nürnberg. Though she withdrew from the semis, she might just have bought herself recovery time before hitting the bigger courts.

Svetlana Kuznetsova

Svetlana Kuznetsova has already tasted success on Tour -- the 2009 champion at Roland Garros has been as high as #2 in the world, but a series of injuries and hiccups has put her on a bit of a roller coaster over the years. Since falling dangerously close to a triple digit ranking early in 2013, she ended a four year long title-less streak last year in Washington, but has also lost in the first round of four of the last five Majors she's played. But the scrappy veteran always seems to fight her way back. Unseeded in Madrid at the start of the month, she faced a tough draw of one top-thirty player after another, and upset each one in turn, starting with Ekaterina Makarova in her opener and then shocking Maria Sharapova in the semis -- her first win over her compatriot since 2008. She ultimately lost to Petra Kvitova in the final, but must have given herself a nice little confidence boost during her run. Sure it's been a long time since she's been at the very top of her game, but she seems to do her best when she's most overlooked -- and with her only Slam wins in over a year coming on these courts there's no reason she won't be able to do some damage again.

Carina Witthoeft

Of course, it's sometimes more fun to watch new talent emerge at the Slams, and that might just happen here. This would be just the fourth appearance at a Major for the young German, but since jumping from the triple digit rankings at the start of the year to #61 in the world now, she could make a real run at this one. She's already shown she isn't fazed on the big stages -- Witthoeft rode an easy win over Carla Suarez Navarro in her Melbourne opener to the third round, and a few months later made it to the Kuala Lumpur quarters with a win over former top-twenty player Klara Koukalova. She also picked up her ninth and tenth ITF titles this year, making good on her top seed on the Cagnes-sur-Mer clay to start the month. She made a nice run to the quarterfinals this week in Nürnberg, ultimately losing to relative veteran Lara Arruabarrena, but should be able to recover by the time she heads to France. She opens against a rough Katerina Siniakova and would likely face 2012 finalist Sara Errani right after that -- but she's had worse draws in the past and still powered through. This time, I wouldn't count her out either.

Daria Gavrilova

Like Witthoeft, the twenty-one year old Russian really has been coming into her own this year -- a top-ranked Juniors player not so long ago, she's been putting up a nice fight against some of the sport's best. The Girls' champ in New York in 2010, this year she's already taken Angelique Kerber to three long sets in Sydney, picked up a couple ITF titles after the Australian Open and then stunned Maria Sharapova in the Miami second round. She made some progress on the clay too -- unseeded even in qualifying rounds in Rome, she made it to the main draw where she beat both red-hot Timea Bacsinszky and one-time French Open champion Ana Ivanovic during a Cinderella run to the semis. She wasn't able to repeat her upset over Sharapova this time, though, but did pick up enough points to move to #45 in the WTA rankings heading to Paris. Her first big test at the French is likely second round opponent Sabine Lisicki, but I wouldn't be surprised if she far outplayed her opponents for a few matches even after that.

Kristina Mladenovic

The Frenchwoman has become something of a giant-killer in recent months -- since one of her most notable successes on these courts just last year, she's gone on to beat the likes of Sabine Lisicki, Lucie Safarova, and most recently Garbiñe Muguruza, on her way to the semis in Marrakech a few weeks back. That last one was one of the few times she's been able to back up one solid win with another though, which probably explains why her ranking is still languishing outside the top fifty -- but she has seemed a little more consistent of late, taking a set of Ekaterina Makarova in Rome and reaching the final in Strasbourg this week, so she may be about to turn things around. The former French Open Juniors champion -- she beat Gavrilova in the 2009 final -- also has some impressive doubles results under her belt, including two mixed Major titles and a women's final at Wimbledon in 2014. That kind of match play could give her the experience she needs to finally find her game on the singles circuit too. She'll face off against 2014 breakout Genie Bouchard in her opening round -- kind of a tough blow -- but last year's semifinalist has been struggling in recent months and if Mladenovic can power through that she might really be able to make a push into the top tiers of the sport.

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The Men

Ernests Gulbis

It's not just about players looking to make their first real mark at a Major, though -- and those who've done well in Paris in the past could come under pressure to prove that one deep run was not a fluke. High on that list is the twenty-six year old Latvian, who rose to a career high ranking after his performance here last year -- Gulbis made the semis with stunning wins over Tomas Berdych and Roger Federer, only the second time he'd even made it past the first week of a Major. He struggled with injury at the end of the season, though, and had to decline an alternate's spot at the year-end championships. And when he got back on court in 2015 he had even more trouble gaining traction -- he's lost pretty much every opening round he's played this year. He seemed like he might be turning things around -- out to defend a title this past week in Nice, he opened with a three-set victory over former world #13 Alexandr Dolgopolov, just his second match win of the year -- but after a third round loss to young Dominic Thiem on Thursday, he might have lost that momentum. His weak performance over the last several months has dropped his ranking back down to #25 in the world -- certainly not something to be ashamed of, but if he doesn't get his act together in Paris, he's in danger of seeing an even more precipitous drop.

Fabio Fognini

The feisty Italian hasn't yet made it that far at a Major, but the 2011 quarterfinalist in Paris has had some of his best results on these courts -- in fact five years ago he stunned then-#15 Gael Monfils in a four-hour slugfest that practically lasted until the sun went down. But after picking up a couple titles at smaller clay events ahead of the 2014 French Open, he's had a little trouble keeping his momentum. This season alone he's lost five opening round matches and seen his ranking nearly double to #29 in the world. Strangely, though, despite a slew of losses to what should have been easy opponents he has found a way to succeed against a most unlikely foe -- he's beaten King of Clay Rafael Nadal both in Rio and Barcelona, his only two top-ten wins of the year. And while he might not quite be a contender for the title he might just be able to cause some trouble for the favorites.

Guillermo Garcia Lopez

Veteran Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, on the other hand, seems to be squarely back on the upswing. The thirty-one year old made his best Slam showing here last year, reaching the fourth round after stunning Stan Wawrinka in his opener. Since then he's climbed back into the top thirty and picked up a couple titles to boot -- on the Bucharest clay last month, he notched upsets over Lukas Rosol and Gael Monfils, before outlasting young Jiri Vesely in the final. He's also defeated top-twenty players like Marin Cilic and Kevin Anderson on the surface this season, and has almost reclaimed his highest career ranking. He's disappointed me in the past -- five years ago I picked him as a dark horse semifinalist at Roland Garros, and he lost in the second round -- but it feels like he has gotten a little more consistent in recent months and might just surprise me, this time for the better.

Pablo Andujar

Garcia Lopez's fellow Spaniard is a little more under the radar. Andujar has spent much of the last several years with a middle-of-the-road ranking, never climbing high enough to score a seed at a Major, but always pulling off just enough wins to stay relevant. And if he's ever going to make a statement at a Slam, this could be his best shot -- he's picked up a trio of titles on the surface and this year scored wins over Felicano Lopez and David Ferrer on his way to the Barcelona final. And this past week in Geneva he put up a nice fight against Portugal's Joao Sousa before losing in the quarters. But despite his strength on clay, Andujar has only made it as far as the second round in Paris, and the last two years he lost his opener. Still, maybe low expectations are exactly what he needs to get something done -- he has a couple relatively easy early rounds, with the first seeds he's slated to face Phillipp Kohlschreiber and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, neither of whom have had stellar results recently. The barely unseeded Spaniard could give any one of them a run for the money.

Victor Estrella Burgos

The thirty-four year old veteran made history in February when he became the oldest first-time titleist on Tour -- and after his victory on clay in Quito, he picked up a Challengers' crown in Mexico. He didn't let up once the season kicked into full gear in -- he beat U.S. Open champ Marin Cilic in Barcelona and took out both Viktor Troicki and on-the-rebound Janko Tipsarevic, before falling in three to 2014 breakout star Roberto Bautista Agut in Munich. He dropped a tight match to young Dominic Thiem in Nice this week, but that could give him some much-needed time to recover before heading to Paris. This will be just his second appearance at the French Open of his long career -- he lost last year's opener to Jerzy Janowicz -- and a shade off his highest career ranking now, he could just be biding his time before pouncing.

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All these players come to the French Open with different expectations -- some are looking for a breakout, others for redemption, and maybe a few have a real shot at taking home the title. But there are plenty out there who could spoil the fun -- we saw deep runs this week from the likes of Federico Delbonis and John Isner, and one-time standouts like Andrea Petkovic and Sabine Lisicki might be poised for a comeback.

Whatever the case, it sure seems like the favorites will have their work cut out for them at Roland Garros, and no one's road to the titles will be easy.

Back from the Brink

Okay, I realize I'm late in posting again, but that shouldn't suggest that the results from this weekend are any less important than others. And for the couple winners who'd seemed to have been long missing from the podiums, in fact, their performances may herald something even more notable.

The favorites seemed totally in charge during the early rounds in Bucharest, with only one seed falling before the quarterfinals. But things got pretty interesting pretty quickly after that -- three-time champion Gilles Simon was stunned by a surging Daniel Gimeno Traver, while big-serving Ivo Karlovic was taken out by young Jiri Vesely in the semis. And red-hot Gael Monfils, fresh off a huge win over Roger Federer in Monte Carlo, fell in a squeaker that same round to veteran Guillermo Garcia Lopez. The thirty-one year old Spaniard, who's scored wins over the likes of Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka in the past, had fallen a bit off his game the past few years, only ending a four-year trophy-less streak last April in Casablanca. But even with a trophy this year in Zagreb he was flying well under the radar in Romania, and against Vesely in the final he was pushed to the limit. The pair went two very long sets, each going to a long tiebreak, before the elder Garcia-Lopez was able to finish off the match. It was only his fifth career title, but coming so late in his career, it might just suggest there are a few more to come.

Angelique Kerber hadn't fallen quite so far down the rankings, but the two-time Major semifinalist seemed to have a few cobwebs on her at the start of the year -- with four first round losses in the first three months of the year, she'd dropped well out of the top ten by the start of the month. She's turned it around since then, though, picking up a title in Charleston and drubbing former world #13 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova during the Fed Cup semis. This past week in Stuttgart -- where favorites like Petra Kvitova, Ana Ivanovic, and Aga Radwanska all lost early -- the still unseeded German started off with an impressive win over top seeded Maria Sharapova and followed up with another upset of eighth-ranked Ekaterina Makarova. In the final against U.S. Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki she started off a little slow, dropping the first set, but rebounded quickly to force a decider and closing out her third top-ten win of the week. It was Kerber's second title of the year, but arguably the most significant of her career. And with a win streak now eleven matches long, you have to think she's making a pretty good case for herself to be a real force at the year's next Major.

This weekend's champions may have been clawing their way back into the spotlight for some time, but their titles on Sunday may have finally cemented their returns. And as the clay court season really gets into full swing over the next couple weeks, there may never have been a better time for them to make such strong statements.

A Couple Different Breakthroughs

Breakout performances can come in many forms -- sometimes it's the first big win a player scores, other times it's capturing their maiden crown, and occasionally it's a comeback after months of struggles. And this weekend, on the ladies Tour, we saw a little bit of all those things.

There's was lots of talent on the courts of Charleston this week -- at a tournament which has claimed champions from Justine Henin to Martina Hingis to Serena Williams, that shouldn't come as a surprise. But the favorites this year didn't fare quite as well -- top seed Genie Bouchard notched another early loss, falling quickly to Lauren Davis in her opener, and Ekaterina Makarova pulled out of her third round with a sickness. Instead it was two low-ish seeds playing for the crown -- world #16 Angelique Kerber who, despite a couple final appearances last year, hasn't won a title since 2013, and Australia's surprise semifinalist Madison Keys, who'd gotten through the draw without facing a single seed all week. Kerber, who'd beaten defending champion Andrea Petkovic in the semis, started off strong by taking the first set, but the young Keys was able to push her to a decider. The German seemed to lose all her momentum too -- she got down 1-4 in the decider, and with a middling 8-9 record on the year before this event, it seemed unlikely she'd be able to rally this time. Still Kerber was able to dig deep when it mattered, leveled the set at five-all and got another break to serve out the match. The win brought the twenty-seven year old her fourth career title, but after the somewhat disappointing season she's had so far, it might just be her most important.

Over in Poland, though, there were even more surprises, and maybe an even bigger breakthrough. Hometown hero Aga Radwanska looked unstoppable early, losing just a handful of games through her first three matches in Katowice, but the former world #2 has also struggled recently and fell in straight sets to third seed Camila Giorgi in the semis. The bottom half of the draw was opened up even earlier -- defending champion Alizé Cornet endured a long opening round, going three sets against Polona Hercog, and then won just two games against twenty-year-old Anna Schmiedlova in the quarters. The young Slovak, a runner-up in the 2012 French Open Girls' championship, didn't stop there -- coming off a win over Venus Williams last year in Paris and a run to the final in Rio, she finally made her biggest statement on these hard courts. After dropping sets in her early rounds, she raised her game the deeper she got in the draw and in the final pulled off a quick upset of Giorgi -- also going for her first title this week -- in straight sets. It bumped her more than twenty spots up the rankings, helping her crack the top fifty for the first time in her career. And with the clay court season just around the corner I imagine we'll see her continue her ascent over the weeks and months to come.

The Clinchers: Fed Cup First Round

It's not just the men who had something to atone for in the days after the Australian Open. This weekend a couple ladies who may have fallen a little short of expectations in Melbourne -- either their own or others' -- stormed back onto the courts for the first round of Fed Cup action. And a few of their wins may have gone a long way to make up for their recent losses.

Germany vs. Australia

There was plenty of talent on display at the tie between Germany and Australia, but most these players got off to a slow start in 2015 -- together the four singles entrants had combined for just two wins Down Under. But they were all hungry for redemption this weekend -- Jarmila Gajdosova, who scored her first ever win at her homeland's Major last month, opened by stunning heavy favorite Angelique Kerber in three sets, but Andrea Petkovic, winless since taking the trophy in Sofia late last year, endured a marathon third set against former U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur, closing out the win after more than three hours of play. She proved the more resilient on Sunday, too -- after Kerber gave the Germans a slight lead in the first reverse singles match, beating Stosur in straight sets, Petkovic went the distance again, edging Jarkka 8-6 in the third, and securing her country a return to the semis. Last year's runners-up haven't won a Fed Cup trophy since 1992, and while there's a lot more play left before a champion is decided, this group of ladies has certainly shown they have the will to put up some big numbers for their team.

Czech Republic vs. Canada

The Czechs, on the other hand, have had a little more success of late, winning the title three of the last four years. But without some of their biggest stars -- both defending Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova and underappreciated Lucie Safarova sat out this contest -- there was no certainty in this rubber. But the Canadians were missing their biggest star too, and without Genie Bouchard, their top player was world #185 Gabriela Dabrowski. But the twenty year old proved no match for Karolina Pliskova on Sunday -- the rising star, one of my dark horses for Melbourne, fell surprisingly quickly to eventual Aussie semifinalist Ekaterina Makarova in the third round. But she made up for it this weekend, first trumping eighteen-year-old Francoise Abanda on Saturday and then clinching the win for her country with a straight set win over Dabrowski. The Czechs may not have brought their A-team to this rubber, but with a field as deep as theirs it doesn't seem to matter.

Italy vs. France

Things were a little closer between the 2013 champion Italians and the upstart French team, who made the World Group this year after a playoff win over the U.S. last spring. The favorites got off to a good start on Day One with former Roland Garros finalist Sara Errani bouncing back from a third round upset at the Open to Yanina Wickmayer for a win in the first tie and Camila Giorgi, who fell just short of a monstrous win over Venus Williams, pulled off her own victory over world #19 Alizé Cornet. But the 2-0 lead did not prove insurmountable -- on Sunday, doubles specialist Kristina Mladenovic, who's had some huge wins at the Majors herself, kept the Frenchwomen alive with a win over Errani and young gun Caroline Garcia drew her country even with a three-set win over Giorgi. The two then paired up against the top-ranked doubles team of Errani and long-time partner Roberta Vinci, stunning the Italians for the come-from-behind win. Neither had been able to follow up defeats of low seeds in Melbourne, but their wins this weekend may have shown they still have a lot more to give.

Russia vs. Poland

But perhaps the one player who was most anxious to get back on the court was the one who fell just short of taking the title Down Under. Maria Sharapova made it all the way back to the final at the Australian Open, but despite her best efforts just couldn't get the upper hand against Serena Williams during their nearly two-hour match. But she got right back out there this weekend, playing on the Fed Cup team for only the third time in her decorated career. She kicked off win a quick and easy win over Urszula Radwanska, but even with a 2-0 lead over the Poles, the pressure was on Sunday. Maria faced off against long-time rival Aga Radwanska, a woman who had notched her first ever victory over Serena already this year, and should have been eager to add another high-profile win to her resumé. But Sharapova was undaunted, rolling through the first set and staying the more focused in a tight second. The victory clinched a return to the World Group semis, where the Russians will face off against Germany in April. But more importantly, it erases the bad taste of Maria's loss just a week ago and may have replaced it with a hunger for even bigger wins down the road.

Czech Mate: Fed Cup Final Round-Up

There was plenty of room for drama at this weekend's Fed Cup final, with two recent powerhouse teams going head-to-head for the trophy. But, even with a solid slate of top-twenty players and recent titleists on the German team, the Czechs barreled through their opponents, picking up their third championship in four years, and asserting themselves as a real force in tennis.

Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova opened the final tie against Sofia champion Andrea Petkovic on Saturday, but even with her higher ranking, this promised to be a close match. Petko had climbed back to her highest ranking in three years, picked up a trio of trophies on the season, and, with a 4-3 career record against the Czech, certainly knew how to get the better of her. But Kvitova came out swinging, keeping the German on the baseline while she rushed the net -- she broke serve five times and fired off twenty-five winners during the match, pushing her team to an early lead. Germany had a good shot at evening the score, though, as they pitted their top player Angelique Kerber, an alternate for the year-end final in Singapore, against Lucie Safarova, whose biggest accomplishment to date was a semifinal showing at the All England Club. But the world #16 was able to surprise again -- she took advantage of some weak serving by the four-time runner-up this season to notch her third top-ten win of the year.

With the Czechs taking a dominant 2-0 lead into Day Two, it was up to Kerber again to keep her team -- playing in their first Fed Cup final since 1992 -- alive, and she very nearly did it. Her first set against Kvitova lasted well over an hour and eventually went to a tiebreak, and though she did ultimately succumb, Kerber roared back in the second to give the Germans their first set win of the tie. It was too little, too late, though, as Kvitova stayed tougher in the dramatic decider, but with just four points separating the two women, this rubber really could have gone either way. The Germans did finally get on the board, with Sabine Lisicki and Julia Goerges teaming up to score a surprising win over long-time doubles champs Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka, but the 3-1 score was just enough to give the Czechs the win and rise back to the winners' circle they occupied just two years ago.

With so many of the tennis headlines this year dominated by the likes of Serena Williams, Simona Halep and Maria Sharapova, it's easy to have lost sight of the lower-profile Czechs. But with three of the five Fed Cup titles this decade going to the same country, it's hard to ignore their consistency and strength of their team. And I wouldn't be surprised if they make an even bigger name for themselves in the months to come.

Back in the Saddle

We saw a lot of players last week reassert themselves in the tennis world, and while many of them were encouragingly able to keep up their performances most of the week, when it came down to the wire it was the tried-and-true who came away the winners. But for some, it had been a long time since they tasted that kind of victory.

Milos Raonic had been putting together his most successful season to-date, but despite his first Grand Slam semi at Wimbledon and breaking into the top ten for the first time, he hadn't won a title all year. The big-serving Canadian came to the Citi Open in DC as the second seed, but faced some tough competition during his run. Despite fifty-four aces, the first five sets he played all went to tiebreaks, and it wasn't until the quarterfinals against Steve Johnson that he finally held onto a break lead. In Sunday's final versus compatriot Vasek Pospisil, who'd already come back from sets down in his previous two matches, he broke early in the match and never looked back -- after just over an hour he'd secured the win, the first 500-level title of his career. It was Raonic's first trophy since Bangkok last September, but after so many close calls this year, it might mean a little more.

Svetlana Kuznetsova has been away from the winner's circle a little longer -- the two-time Major winner claimed her last title almost four years ago and lost the only two championships she's played since then. She has remained relevant, though, reaching the quarterfinals at the last two French Opens and climbing back up the rankings from #85 in the world last January to #26 before making the trip to DC. The sixth seeded Russian was blessed with a fairly open draw, with red-hot Lucie Safarova losing her opener and two-time defending champion Magdalena Rybarikova falling quickly in her first round. But she didn't lose a set in her first three matches, beating compatriot Ekaterina Makarova in less than ninety minutes in their semi. Sunday she faced off against unseeded upstart Kurumi Nara, who'd won her first career trophy in Rio to start the year and was clearly going to put up a fight for title #2. After taking the first set, Sveta fell behind in the second to the young Japanese and was forced to a decider. And both ladies raised their games in that set, with the first and only break conversion coming at match point after more than two hours of play. The win not only ended Kuznetsova's long drought, but more importantly reminded us all of how relevant she still is as we draw closer to the last Grand Slam of the year.

Serena Williams also made a big statement this week. While the world #1 had already picked up three crowns this season, she'd been getting more attention lately for her early Slam exits and a weird Wimbledon meltdown. Though she'll still be the favorite to defend her U.S Open title later in the summer, plenty of pundits wondered whether she'd be mentally and physically fit enough to play against the top stars in the sport. She may have silenced those critics at the Bank of the West Classic, where she'd won the trophy on her last two outings. She kept that win streak going last week, coming back from a set down to Ana Ivanovic in the quarters and winning eight straight games to close out her semifinal against Andrea Petkovic. In yesterday's final she got down an early break to Angelique Kerber -- a woman who'd delivered her only loss in the in back half of 2012 -- but rebounded quickly, taking the first set in a tiebreak and allowing just two points on serve in the second. The win puts her squarely on top of the U.S. Open Series rankings, a place she's used to occupying, but more importantly proves she can't be counted out. And while there might be a few more openings for her opponents, she's not going anywhere any time soon.

With the summer hardcourt season now in full swing, it was the perfect time for this weekend's winners to get back on a winning track. Whether it'd been months or years since they last tasted victory, their recent results show us just how much in control of their games they are. And with just a few weeks left before action kicks off in New York, everyone else should stand up and take notice.

Blogcast: 2014 Wimbledon Preview

We may have just crowned the French Open king and queen, but the top stars in tennis get right back to work at Wimbledon, and after all the action we've seen this season, things are bound to get interesting at the All England Club.

For more of Tennis Spin's video content, please click the "Blogcasts" tab above.

Fed Cup Semifinal Preview: Stealing the Spotlight

The two teams that will ultimately contest this year's Fed Cup championship will be decided this weekend, and though the four countries in the semis have some long and storied histories, there sure seems to be some new blood in the mix. And the way this year's gone so far, the stand-out performances may not come from the players you'd expect.

Germany vs. Australia

There'll be a lot of high-ranking power on the court in Brisbane, with world #7 Angelique Kerber leading the charge for the Germans and former U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur talking the helm for the Aussies. But neither has had a particularly good year -- Stosur, now barely in the top twenty, hasn't won more than two matches at an event since Melbourne, while Kerber, a quarterfinalist in Miami, has nevertheless lost to then-#107 Tsvetana Pironkova and little-known Maria-Teresa Torro Flor. It doesn't mean, of course, that they won't be favorites this weekend, or that they won't come through when buoyed by their country's support -- still, a couple others might put a new spin on things.

Doubles stars Casey Dellacqua and Ashleigh Barty have had their share of success when paired up -- together they reached the final of three Slams last year -- but they're even starting to thrive on their own. Young Barty -- she's only seventeen -- still has to qualify for most singles events, but she did beat Kiki Bertens and Daniela Hantuchova in Brisbane. Meanwhile veteran Dellacqua reached the fourth round of her hometown Major in January and followed it up by taking out Kirsten Flipkens and Roberta Vinci on her way to the Indian Wells quarters. For the Germans look for Andrea Petkovic to solidify her comeback -- the one-time top ten player is back at #28 in the world, and is fresh off a title in Charleston, where she knocked off three higher seeds. And Julia Goerges, who had briefly fallen into triple digits at the start of the year, has managed wins over Elena Vesnina and Sara Errani this year. If either one plays to her potential, there are few on the Australians' side that could stop them.

Italy vs. Czech Republic

We could potentially see more fireworks in the tie being contested in the Czech Republic, where the top-ranked teams face off. Here again the higher ranked players have some of the less impressive records on the year. The Czech's Petra Kvitova did make the quarters in Miami, but with six three-set matches already this year, her wins haven't come easy. And the Italians, missing their most successful player this season, are instead lead by Sara Errani, who's lost mostly to players outside the top ten this year, and Roberta Vinci, who's somehow only won two singles matches this year.

Instead it may be time for others to shine. Lucie Safarova, who won her first title in over five years last fall in Quebec City, was the only woman to take a set off Na Li on her way to the Australian Open title and came through for her compatriots in a big way during the first round of Fed Cup. She also reached the quarters in Charleston with her ninth career win over on-paper favorite Sam Stosur. And Klara Koukalova has reached three finals this year, even winning a title in Florianopolis. Both seem to be having career-making years and this weekend might just be the next big step for either. But no one should ignore Italy's Camila Giorgi, a surprise finalist in Katowice this past weekend. Now a stone's throw from the top fifty, she's pulled off six upsets this year, the biggest over Maria Sharapova in Indian Wells. She might not get top billing this weekend, but she could be a clincher if things get tough.

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It always gets interesting when we come down to the wire at Fed Cup -- the team spirit so often brings out another level of play that a simple trophy just can't always elicit. Perhaps that's why this weekend's dark horses have so much potential to deliver big wins for their homelands. And whoever comes out on top will know they've earned it.