Where'd They Go?

If the top ranks of the tennis world have seen something of a resureection in recent weeks, the middle tiers seem to be stumbling a bit this time of year. Despite some impressive starts to the year, a couple players have faded the last couple months of the season. And they'll need to take the next few weeks to regroup if they're going to make a statement in 2013.

World #32 Christina McHale started off the year with real promise -- after her breakout in 2011 she made the quarterfinals in Doha and beat then-Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in Indian Wells a few weeks later. The young American climbed to a career high ranking in August, breaking the top twenty-five, but has struggled since then. She withdrew from New Haven with illness and wasn't well enough to win her first round match at the U.S. Open. After pulling out of two tournaments after New York, she lost her first match back in Beijing to Ana Ivanovic and this week in Osaka couldn't quiet get her game together. Against Kai-Chen Chang in her opener, she lost more than half her points on serve and in a break-filled match -- nine in total -- she was the weaker player on return. Hopefully once she's fully recovered she'll be able to get back on track -- it'd be nice to see her notch a couple more elite wins and cement herself as a force in this sport.

Frankly I'm a little more surprised at the performance we've seen out of Yaroslava Shvedova recently. The doubles star had lost singles ground last year when injury hampered play in the second half, but came back swinging in 2012. She beat defending champion Na Li at Roland Garros to make the quarters and famously dealt Sara Errani a Golden Set at Wimbledon a month later. Her climb up the rankings has been phenomenal -- the Kazakh is at #28 coming to Japan, having started the year out of the top two-hundred -- but her showing since the summer, less so. She hasn't made it past the second round of any event since, and this week in Japan was trounced by thirty-five year old Tamarine Tanasugarn in her first round. It's probably too soon to be overly concerned, but it would be great to see her turn her luck around before she loosens her grip on the top too much.

Mona Barthel was a little further under the radar when she broke onto the scene in January. Largely unknown when she qualified for Hobart, she stunned four seeds in a row to take the title and went on to notch wins over Jelena Jankovic and Marion Bartoli before the spring was over. She stumbled in the months that followed though, losing six matches in a row and losing her opening rounds in the last three Majors. She did manage a semifinal in Quebec City, but this week in Linz she seemed to revert immediately. In her first round against Kiki Bertens, she was able to force a deciding set, but couldn't convert a single point on return during it. After a relatively short hundred-minute match she was sent packing again, the eighth time this year the German wasn't able to win a match at an event. She still has enough points to hold on to a decent ranking, but she'll need to up her game if she wants to prove her early results this year were no fluke.

Tamira Paszek had made her breakthrough years ago, making the girls' final at both the Wimbledon and U.S. Open Juniors championships. She even made the fourth round in both events' main draws in 2007 and cracked the top forty at sixteen years of age. Her start to this season was less impressive -- she went 2-13 in the first five-and-a-half months -- but she quickly shut up any doubters with her performance in Eastbourne. Just a week before (successfully) defending a slew of quarterfinal points at the All England Club, she beat five higher ranked players to take her first title in almost two years. But she's struggled off the grass -- the Austrian managed to make the quarters in Montreal, but has only won a handful of matches elsewhere. In her homeland, the seventh seed, she should have been the aggressor, but committed too many errors against Bethanie Mattek-Sands in her first round. After losing her first set quickly, Paszek stayed close in the next, but couldn't defend her second serve and lost in another two-set match. Clearly a threat on the lawn, she's going to have to prove her power translates onto other surface if she wants to be a real threat to the top ranks.

And while all these ladies will need to execute a turn around, perhaps we'll be most closely watching the progression of Sabine Lisicki. My comeback story of 2011, she won two big titles and score a slew of upsets in her post-injury run. And while she seemed plagued with problems at the start of the year, she nevertheless worked to the #12 spot by May and made her way deep into the Wimbledon draw. Like Paszek, though, she didn't seem to find success off the grass -- Lisicki won just one match after the Olympics and earlier today fell in just over an hour to Linz wildcard Patricia Mayr-Achleitner, ranked #159 in the world. Injury has been a problem for the German for years, and she's intimated in the past that she might quit the game if her health doesn't hold up. Hopefully she'll make a turn for the better -- you can't deny that, when playing her best, she's one of the true stars of the game.

As the 2012 season winds down it may be too late for these ladies to turn things back in their favor this year, but that doesn't mean all hope is lost. A couple big wins here and there and they'll be back in the spotlight, back on the upswing. And if they are able to come out of hiding soon, play to their full potential, it could make for an interesting year to come.

Stopped Short

It's got to be a little disheartening for a tennis player, just putting together the momentum to launch a comeback, successfully pulling off a huge win at a tournament, and then having the wind sucked out of her a match or two later. Many of the ladies in Beijing this week have fallen victim to just that trend, and that's allowed some interesting names to make their way into the quarterfinals.

Ana Ivanovic isn't exactly an underdog at the China Open -- seeded eleventh here, she's coming off her first Major quarterfinal since 2008 and is at her highest ranking in three years. Still, she hasn't beaten a top ten player since Indian Wells, and was dealt a pretty tough draw from the start in Beijing. Ana opened against Christina McHale, a rematch of her Olympic first round, and got a challenge from new U.S. #2 Varvara Lepchenko a match later. Having survived these threats, she might have expected smooth sailing for a while, but world #69 Romina Oprandi had other plans.

The Swiss miss had lost three straight matches since the U.S. Open, but came to China with an agenda. She dispatched rising star Urszula Radwanska in her opener and avoided a second round against French Open finalist Sara Errani, who retired in her first match. She raised her game further against Ivanovic in today's match, taking advantage of weak serving from the Serb and actually winning more points on return than in her own game. After just over an hour, she'd notched her biggest win of the year and secured a spot in her first Tour-level quarter since last June. It'll only get tougher from here, of course -- she'll likely face world #1 Victoria Azarenka next -- but the veteran has proven she can still hit with the big girls and might just be able to make an even bigger statement this week.

Julia Goerges seemed to be in a bit of a sophomore slump after her breakout 2011 season. After reaching a career-high ranking at #15 this past March, she failed to defend clay court points during the spring and fell in the first round of the U.S. Open. She survived a scare against Vania King in her Beijing first round, but seemed to save face against rival Sam Stosur in the second. The German had won the pair's first two meetings, and though the fellow dirt specialist got revenge this year in Stuttgart, Goerges was able to turn the tide back in her favor in a two-and-a-half hour, three set win on Tuesday.

Her success would not last long, however. Ninth-seeded Marion Bartoli, who's play can be a little manic at times, had had a decent 2012 -- she was the first player of the season to beat Victoria Azarenka in Miami, made the final at two events, reached the quarters in New York, and very nearly ended a long losing streak to Maria Sharapova. Today she was relentless against Goerges, with eight aces and seven doubles, she was the aggressor and took down her opponent for the second straight week. She's certainly no stranger to the latter stages of an event, but her third round dominance may make her a bigger force than others realize.

Former world #1 Jelena Jankovic is striving to get back to that same level. Having fallen out of the top twenty in May, she's 1-9 against top-fifteen players this year and has racked up fourteen opening round losses -- I won't mention how many times she's squandered match points again. Well out of seeding territory these days, she also faced a tough draw in Beijing, but stayed tough against comeback story Andrea Petkovic to start and demolished a struggling Monica Niculescu on Tuesday to reach the third round. She seemed to be getting her act together again and, like compatriot Ana before her, should have bought herself a little breathing room.

But Carla Suarez Navarro was quick to put an end to the Serb's momentum. Dealing with her own set of injuries over the past two years, the teeny Spaniard had already scored wins over the likes of Sabine Lisicki and Sam Stosur this year and had made her way to the final in Estoril, her first since 2010. She'd already marked moral victory in Beijing, taking out Petra Kvitova in the second round, but kept her cool against JJ today. In a somewhat ugly display -- neither lady won even half of her service points and together they lost serve sixteen times -- Suarez Navarro was able to save just slightly more of the twenty-three break points she faced and eked out the win in just under two hours. She'll need to do better against Bartoli in her next round, but if she is able to clean up her game, she might just be able to catch the Frenchwoman by surprise.

It would have been nice to see the players looking to regroup this week really put an end to recent slumps, but with subsequent losses the roads to their revival seemed to take some unfortunate turns. Hopefully they'll be able to turn things around during the balance of the year -- after all, they've each proven they're still capable of pulling off some big wins.

Now they just needed to do it over and over.

Where's the Follow Through?

Here in the U.S., with veteran champions like the Williams sisters and Andy Roddick crossing, or about to cross, the thirty-year mark, and transition players like John Isner and Sam Querrey having their biggest successes so far at the mid-tier tournaments, we've been aching to identify our next generation of big tennis stars. We get some glimpses of hope here and there, but have yet to find the next athlete who promises to deliver again and again.

At last week's U.S. events, a couple American youngsters got a chance to shine. College stars like Nicole Gibbs and Mallory Brudette got their first Tour wins in Stanford and young Coco Vandeweghe chopped her ranking nearly in half by making the final. In Newport, 2009 champion Rajeev Ram put together his most successful singles run in a while on his way to the semis, and soon-to-be Olympian Ryan Harrison put up a solid fight himself in the final four. But all these guys fell in their first rounds this week, understandable given their efforts, but disheartening for those hoping to see them back up their recent success.

That's not to say all hope is lost. The draw in Carlsbad features plenty of Americans, many wildcards, and more than a couple have so far survived early rounds. Christina McHale, long touted as the premier talent in the generation has lived up to her seeding and Melanie Oudin, finally backing up her 2009 U.S. Open run with a title in Birmingham last month, pulled off a solid win over fellow(-ish) up-and-comer Sloane Stephens in her first round. But perhaps the most potential lies with twenty-six year old Varvara Lepchenko. The surprise fourth-rounder in Paris has only lost a handful of games so far this week. With a quarterfinal meeting against often-spotty Nadia Petrova next, she has the real potential to pull off another upset, and that could bode well for her even beyond this tournament -- a first-time Olympian in a few weeks, there might not be a better time for her to prove how well she can fight for her country.

There's no Olympic gold on the line for some of the standouts in Atlanta, but that's no excuse for them to not put up a fight. While veterans like Roddick and top seeded John Isner, twice a runner-up here, are getting in some good practice for London, those a little further down the rankings may be the ones to watch this week. Wildcard Steve Johnson had only played one Tour-level match this year, but he hung tough against one-time U.S. Open Cinderella Donald Young in his first round. He'll meet another young star in Jack Sock next -- the 2010 U.S. Open Juniors champ defeated seventh-seeded Alex Bogomolov in his opener and could put on an entertaining show for a spot in the semis. For the man who survives, it could be a great opportunity to make a real splash on a Tour-level stage.

It's going to be difficult for any of these guys to make a real and immediate impact at a Slam -- with the top players in the sport right now proving they're not going anywhere soon, they might have to slog it out for several more months or years. But it's important that they bring the momentum they capture from wins this week into their next few events -- if they can prove themselves to be constant threats in the draws, it might not be long until they're no longer considered the underdog.

Four Things that Need to Happen at Wimbledon

We've gotten almost one full round's worth of action in the books at the All England Club and, not surprisingly, not everything has gone according to plan. But there's a lot of play left to go before crowning Wimbledon's king and queen for the year, and with that comes a lot of opportunity for spoilers to emerge and favorites to further improve their game.

So while there's still a chance for "anything to happen", here are a couple of things I would love to see over the next two weeks or so -- some may be pipe dreams, others aren't such long shots, and a couple will necessarily preclude the rest. But this is a Slam, after all, and nothing is out of the question.

4. Someone needs to win their first Grand Slam

I detailed my picks to win their first Major at Wimbledon at the end of last year, and though my original thoughts may seem a little less likely these days, that doesn't mean it couldn't still happen.

It's probably slightly more likely for the ladies, who've crowned four first-time winners at the last five events and have failed to really establish a clear favorite at any Slam recently. Of course the favorites won't make it easy for them -- all but one of the last fifteen trophy winners are still alive -- but that doesn't mean someone else can't surprise us. Five women in the top ten have never won a Major, and most of them looked really good in their opening round. Players like Aggie Radwanska, Angelique Kerber and 2007 finalist Marion Bartoli have pulled off plenty wins against the sport's top names this year, so they don't even have to rely on their draws getting cleared for them. If they get confidence on their side, there's no reason they can't make a play for the title.

The men, on the other hand, have a slightly stronger claim to the trophy -- since early 2005, only one player has been able to sneak in between the troika of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. But should the powerhouses get eliminated early -- and, let's face it, that's not outside the realm of possibility -- a couple Slam virgins could pounce. David Ferrer is coming off a title in Den Bosch, the second time this year he's won a lead-up tournament to a Major, and though this isn't his best surface, he might be able to stun us all. And while I think Andy Murray is still not ready to make his breakthrough, his homecourt advantage and the strength he has buried under miles of attitude could make him "Man Most Likely" this time around.

3. An American not named "Serena" needs to make the semis

Nothing against the four-time champion, but with so much talk about the depth of next-generation tennis in the U.S., it would be nice to see one of them -- many of whom are several years older than either Williams, Jennifer Capriati, or even Andy Roddick when they first hoisted their trophies -- finally live up to the hype.

Several of our chances have been squandered, of course. After winning her first WTA title in Birmingham, Melanie Oudin dropped her opener to young Timea Babos. And marathon man John Isner has had a little trouble winning his recent races. And even Ryan Harrison who did manage a win in his first round may not last much longer with a meeting scheduled tomorrow against defending champion Novak Djokovic. None should consider their long-term prospects ended, of course, but I'd have loved to see them make a real play on a surface which has suited them so well in the past.

But there are still a couple good prospects out there. Twenty-eighth seed Christina McHale has started to make some strides at the Majors, so it was nice to see her battle through her two-day match and come out with a win. If she's properly regrouped -- and if she gets a little bit of luck going her way -- she might be in a good position the next few rounds. Sloane Stephens, also in her quarter, could similarly take advantage of some weak or injured seeds and make a deep run here. But maybe the best chances lie with Varvara Lepchenko, the Uzbekistan-born newly-named Olympian who put together her best-yet Slam run in Paris. She'll need to make it past Petra Kvitova in a few rounds, but there's no reason she shouldn't take advantage of what has been a spotty season for the defending champ and make another run here.

The American boys could also produce some surprises. Andy Roddick's been to -- and past -- the semis before, and after his "underdog" victory in Eastbourne, he's playing well above his seed again. He'll face an early test against David Ferrer, but the next few rounds are less intimidating. And Sam Querrey, who's been out of contention for some time, is finally looking like the player we wanted him to be a few years back. After making the semis in London and pulling off a solid win over Vasek Pospisil earlier today, he could have the confidence he needs to finally prove himself on a big stage.

2. A Cinderella needs to stay a princess (or prince)

There are a lot of reasons why players who break through at one Major fade away at the next: the pressure foisted on them eventually leads to a few cracks, they've exhausted all their energy and cannot recover, they shift to a surface they're not comfortable on. But wouldn't it be nice if the players who got a big career boost in Paris proved it was no fluke?

David Goffin took one step in the right direction today. After making the fourth round at Roland Garros as as qualifier, the Belgian was granted a wildcard to his first main draw at Wimbledon, but after his opening loss to Benoit Paire at 's-Hertogenbosch, it looked like he wouldn't be able to make a successful switch to grass. But against last year's underdog triumph Bernard Tomic today, he dismissed those fears. He lost the first set to the Aussie, but came back stronger for the rest of the match to keep his reputation for causing upset at the Majors in tact. He'll next meet Jesse Levine, a former college star who's had his own trouble capitalizing on long-ago wins here, so he might actually be the favorite this time.

With a little more at stake is French Open finalist Sara Errani, who arguably was the Cinderella of the Australian Open, comes to Wimbledon with a career-high #10 ranking and riding the best streak of her career. She lost early at Den Bosch, though, and really hasn't had a lot of success on the lawn, but just a game away from winning her rain-suspended opener, she could turn that around. After the success she'll already pulled together this season, it'd be nice to see her continue winning.

And hey, and while we're at it, let's hope the Cinderellas at the All England Club -- there are bound to be a few, after all -- take their momentum with them to the summer hardcourts. It'd be a shame to see their runs halted just as quickly as they start.

1. Someone needs to prove us wrong

It can't be easy dealing with the pressure put on a professional athlete -- players are derided as one-Slam wonders, top rankings are questioned, wins, when they don't come at the expense of the elite, are dismissed. And once these stars stumble a bit, pundits are quick to latch onto their falls from grace. What better way for them to respond than to take this opportunity to prove how well-deserved their spotlight is.

Juan Martin Del Potro was that only one to breach the fortress of men's Grand Slam winners, but after injury sidelined him for much of the subsequent season, it's been a long road back. He's won a handful of titles over the last eighteen months, but none carried nearly the same caché as that illustrious U.S. Open. And even though he's made the quarters of the last two Majors, "experts" have declared he doesn't have what it takes to get past the top guys again. But he was brutal in dismissing Robin Haase in his opener Tuesday, and with a couple of relatively easy challenges coming up, he might do even better than his fourth round showing last year. If he can make the final or even better, pull off a win, his detractors might have reason to silence themselves.

Poor Caroline Wozniacki has had an even tougher time of things. Long derided for her #1 ranking, achieved more than a year after she reached -- and lost -- her only Grand Slam final to date, she seems to have succumbed to the naysayers and has fallen well off the top spot. Even I questioned whether she'd make it past Eastbourne champ Tamira Paszek in her opener. But if she does she might have dismissed the toughest opponent she'll see for a while. And a deep run here, especially when she has no expectations on her, might be exactly what she needs.

Of course I don't expect all, or maybe any, of these things to happen, but it sure would be fun to see the players try to fulfill my wishes. In the beginning days of any Major, there really is this feeling that pretty much anything is possible, so why not take advantage of that? After all, it could make for one of the most exciting Slams in a while.

Fed Cup Semi Preview: Prepared to Dominate

There's a lot of star power in the field for this weekend's Fed Cup action -- and it's not just among the teams playing for a berth in November's final. And with something more important than a trophy on the line -- national pride! -- expect all these players to step up to the plate over the next few days, and make some statements that could last the rest of the year.

Belgium vs. Japan

It what will likely be the most under-the-radar tie in the World Group playoffs, little-heralded Japan will take on a Clijsters-less Belgium. With no player ranked in the top two hundred in singles, the visiting Europeans will have to dig deep to make a dent, and the Japanese will look to take advantage. Twenty-two year old Ayumi Morita hasn't scored many wins this year, but she did notch victories over the likes of Ana Ivanovic and Petra Kvitova in 2011. And uber-veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm, just one ranking spot below her countrywoman, has the experience to lead her team back to the big leagues. And this might be the perfect opportunity for them to really steal the spotlight.

Slovak Republic vs. Spain

There will be a few more heavy hitters in Marbella, where 2008 runners-up Spain take on the Slovaks, but they're not on the side you'd expect. Dominika Cibulkova, who very nearly destroyed world #1 Victoria Azarenka in Miami, is fresh off a second-place finish in Barcelona and looks ready to turn her year around. And Daniela Hantuchova, the winningest Fed Cup player on the team, already has a title to her name this year. Against a slate of Spaniards led by sub-sixty ranked Silvia Soler-Espinoza, admittedly a woman who has been climbing the ladder this year, you have to give the edge to the eastern Europeans.

U.S. vs. Ukraine

The U.S. looks to make its return to the World Group when it takes on recently-ousted Ukraine, and they're bringing out the big guns to do it. Serena Williams and #1 doubles player Liezel Huber lead the pack along with rising stars Christina McHale and Sloane Stephens. It's a relatively young team, but one packed with talent, and it could be a chance for the newbies on the squad to get some invaluable playing time. Their opponents haven't made a big dent in the rankings, so it shouldn't be too tough a weekend. But they shouldn't be too glib -- Lesia Tsurenko, yet to crack the top hundred, has nevertheless beaten Shahar Peer and Francesca Schiavone this year and might prove to be a challenge. Still, the U.S. looks poised to advance easily, which might set the entire team up for more success this year.

Australia vs. Germany

In what's quiet possibly the most talent-filled playoff tie, players accustomed to meeting late in tournaments will fight for the last spot in next year's World Group. Current U.S. Open champ Sam Stosur leads her team against four top-twenty German players. But injury may somewhat dampen the quality of play -- Andrea Petkovic returns to play after a low back stress fracture forced her out of the Australian Open and Sabine Lisicki, who left the Charleston court in tears with an ankle sprain, will sit the sidelines. But with players like Angelique Kerber and Julia Goerges pinch-hitting, the Germans should have what it takes to roll through the weekend.

Serbia vs. Russia

The stakes only go higher when we move onto the World Group. Four-time champions Russia have home field advantage against the upstart Serbs, but without their top two players, they might be at a disadvantage. Veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova is famously fickle and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova hasn't held her own much this year. That leaves world #21 Maria Kirilenko carrying the torch, and hopefully she'll be able to handle it. On the opposing side, the burden is on Ana Ivanovic's shoulders -- back at #15 she's passed compatriot Jelena Jankovic in the rankings and has had the most success on the team this year. And for the the player(s) who eventually emerge victorious this weekend, it could set the course for the rest of the season.

Italy vs. Czech Republic

The defending Fed Cup champion Czechs will try to follow up on their first-round success when they take on the Italians, who captured the crown the previous two years. Wimbledon titleist Petra Kvitova teams with Charleston finalist Lucie Safarova and a pair of Grand Slam doubles champions, so there's plenty of skill on the slate. But everyone on the Italian slate is ranked in the top thirty for singles -- and three of them are top twenty in doubles. Their secret weapon may in fact be Sara Errani, who won both titles just last week in Barcelona, and seems to be having her breakout season. While the Czechs are probably the on-paper favorites, this battle could go down to the wire, and I'm not sure I'd be surprised to see the upset.

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So as the ladies take to the courts this weekend, there's a lot on the line. Not everyone has a shot at the Fed Cup trophy this year, but that doesn't mean they can't all make a big difference in their seasons. And a good showing over the next few days could be just what they each need.

Separated at Birth -- American Masters Edition

It's been a while since I posted one of these, but after about a month of watching the sport's biggest -- and not so big -- stars slug it out on the U.S. hard courts, I was once again struck by some uncanny resemblances. Some players who've never spent a lot of time in the spotlight and others who've been largely overshadowed by some harder-hitting colleagues emerged in both Indian Wells and Miami during March. And if you were just a cursory spectator, you might have mistaken them from some much more familiar faces.

Over at the BNP Paribas Open, young Christina McHale continued her coming out party with a solid come-from-behind defeat of reigning Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova. It wasn't her first top-five victory, but at such a big tournament, seeded at a Premier event for the first time, it was a notable accomplishment. She should get herself for ready all sorts of attention to come her way -- similar to her doppelganger, who may be working her own way onto a tennis court someday.

Christina McHale (USA) vs. Bethenny Frankel

Thomaz Bellucci has had his time in the upper echelons of the sport, nearly cracking the top twenty just two years ago. But some disappointing results during subsequent clay court seasons knocked him down the rankings. He started to turn things around in the California desert, beating Jurgen Melzer, fresh off a title in Memphis, and taking Roger Federer to three sets before ultimately succumbing. Still, his star may be back on the rise, like his would-be twin, Smash star Raza Jaffrey.

Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) vs. Raza Jaffrey

Twenty-year old Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov had a similar run a few weeks later in Miami, notching wins over Juan Ignacio Chela and Tomas Berdych on his way to the fourth round. He's still far from reaching the top of the sport -- he's still several positions off his own career-best ranking. But if he keeps up his level of play, he could get back there. And hopefully this time he won't say "Bye, Bye, Bye" to it so quickly.*

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs. Justin Timberlake

Agnieszka Radwanska has become a staple during the latter rounds of tournaments recently, and with her rise to #4 in the world she promises to become an ever-growing presence on Tour. People may have only begun to take notice of her after that title run in Miami, her biggest trophy to date, but truth is Aggie's been a Grand Slam champion on the Juniors' circuit since 2005 -- not unlike her near-mirror image, who made her breakthrough at age six in the classic E.T.

Aggie Radwanska (POL) vs. Drew Barrymore

Sure, like the celebs, not all these athletes' stars will shine with the same brightness, or for the same length of time. But it certainly seems like we'll have to get more used to them hanging around the biggest events. And hopefully they'll continue to play like they have the past month -- no one wants to see these guys fall from grace.

If you want to share your favorite tennis look-alikes, send me a note, and be sure to check out my other "Separated at Birth" pairs here!

* Yes, I know that was bad. Sorry!

Holes in the Draws

With four days, two rounds and almost two hundred matches under our belts we've reached that point in a Grand Slam draw where, had everything gone according to plan, the longest shots for the title have been eliminated and we're left just with seeds playing seeds. But things seldom, if ever, work out that way -- and this year's action at the Australian Open has already cleared the path to opportunity. And not just for the favorites who've survived.

Somewhat surprisingly, the top section of the women's draw remains relatively unharmed -- Caroline Wozniacki battled through wrist injury to make the third round, and former #1 Jelena Jankovic has so far been solid. The only non-seed to battle through their immediate section of the bracket is American Chrstina McHale, currently ranked #42 in the world. She's certainly the underdog, but could very well take advantage of JJ's spottiness in their next match, and after her win over Wozniacki in Cincinnati last year, she should have the confidence to beat her again if that meeting comes to pass.

Galina Voskoboeva may have found herself a similar opportunity. The veteran Kazakh has never gotten past the third round of a Major, but after trouncing Hobart runner-up Yanina Wickmayer in her opener and edging out former #31 Tsvetana Pironkova a match later, she might be in the position to do that now. On Friday she'll meet Aggie Radwanska, a tough and improving player, but one that is certainly capable of being upset. And with either recently-quiet Julia Goerges or world #80 Romina Oprandi waiting for her in the round of sixteen, the door might be open for the twenty-seven year old to pull through.

Of course, upsets and breakthroughs have thinned out the draws for some ladies. Marion Bartoli is the only seed remaining in her section of the draw, and with U.S. Open champ Sam Stosur summarily ousted in the first round, she's the heavy on-paper favorite. But one-time world #15 Jie Zheng is playing well above her ranking and, coming off a title in Auckland, has shown she's capable of beating the top players. The twenty-eight year old beat Bartoli on her way to the semifinals here in 2010, so she has experience on her side. And with the potential of a fourth round meeting against Sorana Cirstea or Sara Errani, I wouldn't be surprised to see her go farther.

It's not all bad news for the favorites, though. My pick to win the title, Victoria Azarenka, may have the most thinned out draw of the bunch. Her fiercest competition could come in the third round from Mona Barthel, a twenty-one year old who had never been ranked in the top fifty before her surprise run to the Hobart title last week. But with Iveta Benesova and Nina Bratchikova taking out the other two seeds in her week-one path, you have to like her chances to keep her streak going at least a few rounds longer.

Things have opened up on the men's side too. Kei Nishikori, seeded for the first-time at a Major, should have met Gilles Simon in his third round, but after the twelfth seed lost a late-night battle on Thursday, he'll instead get a less formidable opponent in Julien Benneteau. The veteran Frenchman shouldn't be ignored, of course -- he beat four higher-ranked opponents on his way to the Sydney final last week -- but for a man still getting his bearings as part of the sport's elite, Nishikori might be breathing a little lighter.

After the loss of Mardy Fish on Wednesday took the last seed out of his section of the bracket, Juan Martin Del Potro also could benefit from a slightly depleted draw. The 2009 U.S. Open champion, who fell in the second round here last year, next faces world #79 Yen-Hsun Lu, who's never made it past the third round here. His biggest threat will likely come a round later from veteran Phillipp Kohlschreiber, but if the Argentine is playing at even close to his best, he has more than a good shot of getting back to the quarters.

But, like with the women, a couple underdogs are seeing less treacherous paths too. Bernard Tomic cleared much of the way himself, stunning Fernando Verdasco in a four-hour first round, then ousting former top-twenty player Sam Querrey two days later. He'll meet last year's Cinderella quarterfinalist Alexandr Dolgopolov on Friday, a man he's never beaten before. But the Australian will have the crowd on his side during this match and, playing better ball than he has in the past, might just cause the upset. His reward would most likely be a fourth-round match against Roger Federer, so Tomic shouldn't get his hopes up too high, but if he keeps improving his play, it won't be long before he's getting wins over these top guys.

Of course everything's far from certain -- even for the players who should win their next few rounds in Melbourne. But with opportunities opening up all over the place this year, there may never have been a better chance to make a real statement.

The 2011 Tennis Spin Awards: The Ladies

Welcome to the inaugural Tennis Spin awards!

This year I've decided to acknowledge some of the year's best -- and worst -- performances on both the men's and women's Tour and present them with the not-quite-yet esteemed honors.

There were both winners and losers in 2011. Clearly all the players endure hectic schedules, unparalleled physical demands and emotional strain I cannot begin to imagine, and not all can come out on top. Of course success and failure in this sport can be fleeting, so there's no telling how things will shake out in the future. And hopefully those on losing end of things this time around will be able to stage a comeback when the season starts again in just a few weeks. So let's not take this as some kind of indictment on the players who take home the less flattering awards -- let's just hope they come back stronger in 2012!

So, as always, I'll begin with the ladies.

Hottest Newcomer	Most Improved
One to Watch	Best Comeback
Least Follow-Through	Greatest Letdown
Biggest Surprise	Gutsiest Win
Doubles Team of the Year	Player of the Year

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Hottest Newcomer

"Newcomer" is a relative term. Some were accomplished Juniors players who're just making their first strides on the pro Tour, others have been journeywomen on the ITF circuit who only began getting any traction in WTA events. Some had bursts of greatness, others made runs deep into draws, and a few were able to pull off monstrous upsets. But not many were able to accomplish all those things.

Runner-Up
Irina-Camelia Begu was one exception to the rule. Outside the top two-hundred at the start of the year, she kicked off 2011 with her seventh ITF title in Cali. She immediately followed it up by making the final in Marbella, notching wins over Klara Zakopalova and Svetlana Kuznetsova on the way. She cracked the double digits a few weeks later, and then scored her second runner-up trophy in Budapest. Now firmly in the top fifty, she should be a more consistent fixture on Tour in 2011, and might even be able to capture that maiden crown.

The Winner
Christina McHale ended the year a little lower in the rankings, but arguably made a bigger impact. Officially pro since 2007, the nineteen-year-old has been touted as the "Next Great Thing" in American women's tennis for most of that time. But, maybe to her advantage, she was overshadowed early by Melanie Oudin on her homecourt, and so got to work her game without much pressure.

That all changed in 2011. Though she continues to plug away on the ITF circuit -- she won her first title of any kind in Rome -- she achieved greater success when playing with the big girls. It began with a second round victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova at Indian Wells, a win she repeated in New Haven, and manifested throughout the season with defeats of Marion Bartoli in New York and world #1 Caroline Wozniacki in Cincinnati. Having started the year out of the top hundred, she's now #43 in the world -- #2 in the U.S., behind only Serena Williams. Of course that alone will increase the focus on her in the coming months, but something tells me the Jersey girl will be able to handle it.

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Most Improved

Sure McHale's halving of her ranking is pretty impressive, but a couple other players made major strides in really establishing themselves among the elite -- seemingly from out of nowhere.

The Nominees
German Andrea Petkovic made herself as a fan favorite in 2010 thanks to her quirky alter-ego, her endearing post-victory dances, and her engaging tweets. But she spent this year proving she should be taken much more seriously on the tennis court. After a strong finish last season, she kicked off the new year with a run to the final in Brisbane, a quarterfinal showing in Melbourne and a title in Strasbourg, her first since 2009. Though she battled a knee injury toward the end of the year -- she was forced to withdraw from Luxembourg and Linz -- she made at least the quarters of every event since Wimbledon and put up a heck of a fight in the Beijing championship match. Now a top ten player -- she began the year #32 -- if she's healthy, she has the potential to make an even bigger statement in 2012.

Petkovic's move up the rankings, though, pales in comparison to that of current #17, China's Shuai Peng, who began the year at #72 in the world. She came out swinging in 2011, taking out Svetlana Kuznetsova in Auckland and Jelena Jankovic in Melbourne. And unlike many of her contemporaries, she never suffered any sustained stretches of weakness -- she rebounded from two first-round losses in the spring to make the final in Brussels and pulled off career-best runs at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Though she didn't win any titles, she received a wildcard to Bali where she sadly lost in the first round -- still, she got in some post-season match play that should help her in year to come.

The Winner
Despite these ladies' successes, you can't ignore the powerhouse that Roberta Vinci suddenly became. Her move as high as #18 is less impressive than her improved play -- after marking a stretch of five first-round losses in six tournaments during the early spring, she really turned things around in late April. She took titles in Barcelona, 's-Hertogenbosch and Budapest -- her most prolific year yet -- and notched wins over Yanina Wickmayer, Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki along the way. She ended the year slightly lower down the rankings, but by qualifying for a shot in Bali, the twenty-eight year old proved it's never too late to make a stand in this sport.

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One to Watch

With so much going on in the women's Tour this year -- a very fickle top ten, several bursts and flame-outs, a new crop of young stars -- it's no surprise that so many ladies took the opportunity to make a name for themselves. They may not have broken through the most elite ranks, but their performances could set them up for some promising results next year.

The Nominees
Galina Voskoboeva has been around for nearly a decade, but only barely cracked the top hundred a few years ago. She seemed to hit her stride in 2011, though, cutting her ranking from outside the top five hundred to #58 at year-end. She spent a lot of time on the ITF circuit, but also scored some big Tour wins -- Maria Kirilenko in Pattaya City, Marion Bartoli and Maria Sharapova in Toronto -- and even made the final in Seoul. She wasn't able to do any damage at the Majors, losing the only match she played in a main draw, but reaching her prime during her twenty-seventh year, she might just be able to change that next season.

Petra Cetkovska seemingly came out of nowhere early in the summer. The Czech started the year ranked well out of the top hundred -- nearly out of the top 150 -- but started racking up points quickly on the ITF circuit. She made the finals in Johannesburg and Nottingham and claimed a trophy in Monzon. It took a while for her to gain traction on the main Tour, but a fourth-round run at Wimbledon -- which included upsets of Aggie Radwanska and Andrea Petkovic -- a semi in Palermo and a shocking ride to the final in New Haven -- she beat Radwanska, Marion Bartoli and French Open champ Na Li to get there -- tell me her rise may have even further to go.

Romanian Simona Halep has been on my radar for a while -- an accomplished Juniors champion, she started making strides on Tour last year, reaching the final in Fes with wins over Lucie Hradecka and Patty Shnyder. She repeated that Morocco run in 2011, but also began making an impact in the Majors -- she reached the third round in Australia, grabbed a set off Serena Williams at Wimbledon, and took out Na Li in New York. She might still be waiting for that first title, but the twenty-year-old can't be that far away.

The Winner
And while these ladies were able to steal the spotlight at times during the year, Georgia's (the country, not the state) Anna Tatishvili flew a bit more under the radar. Ranked #90 in the world now, she had to qualify for most main draws on Tour -- her best result was the quarterfinals in Baku -- but the twenty-one year old dig manage an ITF title in Cuneo. A winner over Cetkovska in the Acapulco qualies, she also took sets from Marion Bartoli and Vera Zvonareva in 2011. She's only just getting her feet wet, but could be primed to make her biggest move in the year to come

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Best Comeback

Runner-Up
I know you want me to say Serena. Of course you do.

After almost a year off Tour, the younger Williams sister stormed to the fourth round at Wimbledon, her second tournament back. She didn't repeat, of course, and her lack of points sent her way out of the top hundred. But no one expected her recovery would take long, and with titles in Stanford and Toronto, she was the odds-on favorite to win the U.S. Open. We haven't seen her since that drama-filled final, but she racked up enough points to climb back to #12 now -- certainly not bad for a girl who played just six events all year.

Still, did anyone think Serena wouldn't be a dominant force within moments of her return? So I'm saving my accolades for someone just a bit lower down the rankings, but certainly way more under the radar.

The Winner
Sabine Lisicki barely had a chance to establish herself before an ankle injury put an abrupt stop to the momentum she'd gained in 2009. Coming off a title in Charleston that year and a run to the quarters at Wimbledon, she climbed to then-career high of #22. But she missed five months of 2010 and fell to #175 in the world to start this year. Spending some time on the ITF circuit, it took a little while to gain traction, but once she did she was quick to make big strides.

The young German got clay-court wins over Marion Bartoli and eventual French Open champion Na Li, then beat four seeded players to take the title in Birmingham. She made the semis at Wimbledon, picked up another trophy in Dallas and drew the third seed in Bali. Though a back injury forced her to withdraw from the semis, Lisicki not only pulled herself out of a triple-digit ranking, but ended the year ranked a career-best #15 -- she didn't just come back, she came forward.

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Least Follow-Through

Of course, while some players spent the year proving they were no flash in the pan, others couldn't quite keep up the momentum with which they began 2011. And sadly on the ladies' Tour, there was no shortage of contenders for this category.

The Nominees
Young Serb Bojana Jovanovski came out of the gate swinging in 2011. The nineteen year old played a handful of ITF finals at the end of last year and pounced on the main Tour in January with a run to the semis in Sydney -- she beat three top-thirty players to get there. But she couldn't win more than one match at any event from March through early June and only notched one Grand Slam match victory all year. She's young, of course, so it's premature to write off her prospects for the coming season. Still, I would've loved to see her make some bigger dents throughout the season.

I'm a little less blasé about Anastasija Sevastova. A winner in Estoril last year, she also notched wins over Nadia Petrova, Sam Stosur and Petra Kvitova during the season. She came into 2011 ranked #45 and improved on even that with a run to the fourth round at the Australian Open. But then she hit a wall -- from April to August she lost seven straight first round matches, and though she scored a big win over a resurgent Flavia Pennetta in her last tournament of the year, she failed to win more than two matches at any event after Melbourne. She could still turn things around, but it's going to be a tough ship to steer.

The Winner
Sadly though, the biggest disappointment on the scene might have been Bethanie Mattek-Sands. After kicking off 2011 by winning the Hopman Cup with John Isner and running to the final in Hobart and the semis in Paris, she rose to a career-high #30 in the world. She pulled off a couple more upsets in the spring and sported her first ever Grand Slam seeding at Wimbledon. But she lost her first round there and struggled with a shoulder injury the rest of the year. She only played a few matches after that, losing to Polona Hercog at the U.S. Open, but got in a few more rounds of doubles action. Now #55 in singles, she's still the third-best ranked American in the sport, so hopefully she'll be able to recover and turn around in the new year.

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Greatest Letdown

The Winner
I hate to say this, since I'm one in the minority who thinks Caroline Wozniacki deserves the #1 ranking. The twenty-one year old increased her trophy count to eighteen this year, adding six crowns from Charleston to Dubai. She notched her best ever performance at the Australian Open, defeated five seeds in a row at Indian Wells, and only lost before the third round in four events during the regular season -- impressive, considering she entered twenty-three.

But, of course, there is one trophy missing from her mantle -- one, actually, of any four we'd like to see.

Wozniacki has now held the #1 ranking for sixty-one weeks. That's more than '08 Roland Garros champ Ana Ivanovic, three-time Major winner Maria Sharapova, and even Kim Clijsters, with four Slams to her name -- combined. It's actually the ninth longest run of the twenty women who've claimed the top spot during the Open Era, and, of course, the longest without a Big One.

The young Dane was the top seed at all four Majors this year, and though she completely dominates her early round opponents, she always seems to struggle in the second week. She only scored one victory over top ten players -- against Francesca Schiavone in Australia -- and the number doesn't increase much when you count non-Majors. At some point you can't ignore the detractors who argue a top-ranked player has to consistently beat top-tier opponents at the top-level tournaments.

I don't think the situation is completely bleak -- Wozniacki is still perfecting her game and developing the weapons she needs. But it would've been nice if she'd gotten there this year. Instead we -- fans and critics alike -- will just have to wait it out.

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Biggest Surprise

On a women's Tour where so few things are consistent or reliable, there's always room for some kind of surprise, and this year was no exception. Some are good -- Petra Kvitova storming through the draw at Wimbledon -- some are tragic -- rising star Alisa Kleybanova's departure from the sport after she announced her battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma. And all threw us for a loop at some point during the year.

The Winner
But maybe the most unexpected achievement this year was Na Li's shocking run to a title at Roland Garros. The veteran had kicked off the year with a bang, taking a title in Sydney and nearly winning in Melbourne. But then she fell off a cliff, notching just one victory in her next six matches.

Things turned around on the clay when she made the semis in both Rome and Madrid, but still few expected her to make so big an impact in Paris. Seeded sixth, she was dealt a pretty tough draw and had to face four top-ten players in a row the second week. Kvitova was the only one who gave her any trouble, but by the time she met last year's champion Francesca Schiavone in the final -- a surprise, in and of itself -- she was running a six-set win streak. At twenty-nine, she was one of the oldest first-time winners of a Major, and maybe one of the least likely -- sure we've had five different champions here in as many years, but for someone who'd never made it past the fourth round at the French Open and had zero clay court titles to her name, you can't help but marvel at her accomplishment.

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Gutsiest Win

It's clearly not easy to win a Grand Slam. With seven matches in a fortnight, sometimes on consecutive days, and the need to beat three or four top players in a row, those up to the task have to have more than just talent -- they need to show real moxie. And, again, with four different women taking home Major titles in 2011 -- three of them for the first time -- there was no shortage of that on the court this year.

The Winner
But of the three maiden titleists over the last twelve months, none had to don quite so brave a face as U.S. Open winner Sam Stosur. Having failed to follow up on most of her successes from the previous year, the Australian had fallen a bit off the radar coming to New York. Though she'd made finals in both Rome and Toronto, she hadn't defended points from the French Open or captured a title since Charleston in 2010. So she was a few notches off a career high ranking and was just barely seeded in the top ten.

She had to put up some big fights in Flushing Meadows, too, starting with a three-plus hour slugfest against Nadia Petrova in the third round. Two days later she was back on court in a much-delayed match with Maria Kirilenko, one she should have dominated, but which instead produced the longest tiebreak in Grand Slam history and nearly took another three hours to complete. Stosur ironically had a bit of a breather against '10 runner-up Vera Zvonareva in the quarters, but endured yet another three-setter against surprise semifinalist Angelique Kerber in the the semis.

And while it took plenty of courage to get through all of that, none of it tops what it took Stosur to ultimately take the title. Facing thirteen-time Major winner Serena Williams, widely considered the favorite for the crown despite her #28 seeding, she was the much less experienced underdog that Sunday afternoon -- and playing on her opponent's home turf. Add to that the fact she had to witness and overcome another epic meltdown by Williams and still came out on top, you have to give her credit for one of the most heroic victories of the year.

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Doubles Team of the Year

It's tough to be a doubles players -- the prize money is relatively minimal, you're often relegated to the back courts at major tournaments, and you rarely get any television time. And there's the ever-present task of finding a partner with whom you play well -- some teams stay together forever, others are just a flash in the pan. But when two complement each other perfectly, they can do a lot of damage on Tour.

Runners-Up
It really is a close call that gives Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond the second place trophy. Having only teamed up this year after Huber split with long-time partner Cara Black, they struggled at the start, losing their first couple matches together. But the team finally started gaining traction mid-year, making the semis at Roland Garros. They came in second at both Eastbourne and Stanford, and finally earned their first Major together as the third seed at the U.S. Open. In total they won four titles together in 2011, including the year-end championship, but something tells me the veteran team players have a lot more left in them.

The Winners
Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik had a little more time to get used to each other, but made good quickly on their still-budding partnership. The pair came together in 2010 and lost early in their first event, but they stormed back in Dubai to make the final, beating the first and third seeds along the way. A month later they won the title in Indian Wells and made another trip to the top of the podium in New Haven.

But 2011 was when they really found their groove. The first year as exclusive teammates -- other than Peschke's Fed Cup rubbers -- they captured six titles including Wimbledon, and fell just short of taking the year-end championships. They finish the year tied for second in points, mostly because Huber racked up a couple independent of Raymond, but they scored some of the biggest wins of the season. It's too soon to tell just how fruitful the partnership will be, but so far it looks pretty promising.

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Player of the Year

A few months ago when considering the possibilities for this category, there was no shortage of contenders. With four different ladies each getting their chance to shine at the Majors -- only one made two different finals -- and none of whom ended the year at #1, the leader in this race changed month-to month. Ultimately, though, this was a contest of consistency and wherewithal versus power and headlines -- and the winner eventually became clear.

The Winner
Petra Kvitova was barely on the radar at the start of the year, but boy did she change that quickly. Unseeded at Brisbane, she powered through four higher-ranked players to claim just the second trophy of her career. She caused a couple more upsets on her way to the Australian Open quarters and then stunned Kim Clijsters to capture a title in Paris.

Her luck didn't stop there, of course. After a couple early round losses in the spring, she resumed her winning ways with a title in Madrid, a runner's-up trophy in Eastbourne, and -- of course -- a career-making trip to her first Grand Slam trophy at Wimbledon. She's currently riding a twelve-match win streak, one which included a year-end championship and Fed Cup gold.

Now ranked #2 in the world, she racked up a field-leading six WTA titles on the year -- the same number as Caroline Wozniacki, but more than a million dollars more in prize money. She has thirteen wins against top ten players, seven versus top five, a perfect indoor record and a near-84% win rate on all surfaces. Her play can be spotty at times, sure, but at just twenty-one she's still honing her game. And with all eyes sure to be on her from the get-go next season, she's set the bar high for what a successful year can be.

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So there you have it, the best and worst of women's tennis in 2011. Hopefully the biggest success stories will be able to keep their momentum going strong in the new year, and the rest are able to turn their luck around.

Be sure to check back next week when I bring you the winners of the men's Tennis Spin Awards. You might think you know what's coming, but trust me, there should be more than a few surprises in store for you!

Young Bloods and Old Hat

Watching coverage of the U.S. Open in the States, you'd think the only people playing here are upstart Americans.

It's a common yet understandable mistake we media makes, especially in an age where we're salivating for The Next Big Thing to emerge in our sport. But while some new faces are the ones grabbing headlines, other tried-and-true veterans -- from many countries of origin -- are quietly sneaking through the draws and could be ready to pounce in Week Two.

That's not to discount the achievements of my young countrymen and women. Donald Young, long touted as a member of the future elite, pulled off his biggest win at a Major when he beat world #14 Stanislas Wawrinka earlier today. And eighteen-year-old Sloane Stephens highlighted her first two Slam wins by defeating twenty-third seed Shahar Peer on Thursday, while Christina McHale took her rightful place in the spotlight when she played a night session on Arthur Ashe in her third round versus Maria Kirilenko.

The top seeds, of course, have mostly advanced without drama, the only exception being Maria Sharapova's surprising upset by a suddenly resurgent Flavia Pennetta this afternoon. And former champions -- Serena Williams, Juan Martin Del Potro -- have barely sweat in the past few days, and not just because the late August New York weather has been so beautifully mild. But these aren't necessarily the biggest stories of the fortnight either. So let's take a look at the players no one is watching.

Shuai Peng was the surprise stand-out in Melbourne where, while ranked #54 in the world, she stunned Jelena Jankovic in the second round and nearly took out Aggie Radwanska two matches later. She's since climbed into the top twenty and notched wins over players like Francesca Schiavone, Na Li and Vera Zvonareva. She hasn't lost a set yet in New York and earlier today stopped Julia Goerges's deepest USO run in under two hours. She next faces giant-killer Pennetta, a woman who's beaten her in their last four meetings, but that was when she was a much different player. And with the draws opened up so much now, there's no reason she can't keep it up.

To do so, though, she may eventually have to make it past 2010 French Open finalist Sam Stosur who, after a three-plus battle with Nadia Petrova Friday night, earned her way to her second straight fourth round in Flushing Meadows. Since climbing all the way to #4 in the world, the Australian's been pretty quiet this year, but has had strokes of brilliance, losing finals in Rome and Toronto to previous Grand Slam champions. She dominated both Sofia Arvidsson and Coco Vandeweghe in the early rounds, but really shone against the Russian, coming back from a break down in the third to finally secure the win. Hopefully she won't be too worn down when she takes on Kirilenko in the next match -- she could be the surprise contender for this title.

On the men's side David Ferrer leads the second tier of power players. A semifinalist here in 2007, he's already won two titles and three runner's-up trophies this year. He beat Milos Raonic and Rafael Nadal in Australia and climbed his way back to his highest ranking in almost three years. He lost his first set at the Open to Igor Andreev, but rebounded quickly and followed up with a straight-set win over my dear James Blake earlier today. Next up for the veteran Spaniard is Florian Meyer -- they have a fairly close history, but Ferrer's experience and comfort on a hardcourt should help him win in the end.

At the bottom of the draw, former world #3 David Nalbandian has been working his way back up the rankings. He's been battling injury for most of the year, winning just a handful of matches since making the finals in Auckland. He's probably well past his prime, but after beating fellow veteran and thirtieth seed Ivan Ljubicic in four sets Friday, he's shown he still has fight left in him. Of course his next battle will be against defending champion Rafael Nadal, who is looking in better form than he has all summer. But if the Argentine can catch Rafa a bit off his game, we could see a mighty big upset.

Sure it would be great if some of the young guns out there were able to keep up their win streaks -- they wouldn't be the first Cinderella's in New York. But there are some very real threats lurking in the shadows, and at any moment it could be their turn to shine.