Total Domination

We've seen a lot of amazing things on Tour this tennis season -- some late bloomers finally breaking through, a couple long-standing champions show their human side, a one-time one hit wonder prove his worth and maybe a comeback or two. But when you get down to it, there's only one man on the ATP who's come through when it counts the most -- and this week he reminded us why.

That's not to say there weren't other story lines worth following in Shanghai this year -- defending champion Roger Federer was stunned in his first match since the U.S. Open final, losing to qualifier Albert Ramos in the opening round. And Rafael Nadal, fresh off a runner-up showing in Beijing, scored arguably his best two wins of the year, taking out Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka back-to-back on his way to the semis. And even Jo-Wilfried Tsonga made up for a largely quiet year, rebounding after losing a bagel set to take out Rafa and make his first Masters final of the year.

But in spite of the hugely talented field, it was Novak Djokovic who came out on top -- the two time champion here has been unquestionably the strongest force on Tour in 2015, winning three of the four Majors, four more Masters crowns, and reaching at least the final of all but one tournament he's played. This week in Shanghai he picked up right where he left off last week, tested only once when Bernard Tomic pushed him to a tiebreak in the first set. But he wasn't fazed at all, trouncing newly-minted world #2 Andy Murray in the semis and taking out Tsonga with little more effort in Sunday's championship.

Sunday's win earned Nole his ninth trophy of the year, and puts him just one shy of that breakthrough 2011 season that really put him on the map. He's also spitting distance from Nadal's record twenty-seven Masters titles, and the way he's been playing all year it doesn't seem like we'll have to wait much longer before he hits either goal.

And when he does, he might just set himself apart in an era dominated by some of the greatest athletes the sport has ever seen -- and notch himself a place in history in his own right.

Time to Get Crackin'

The 2015 Grand Slam season may be in the books, but that doesn't mean there isn't more ball to be played. And a couple ATP stars that came up a little short at the U.S. Open seem to be taking the opportunity this week to turn things around.

Not everyone was successful of course -- in St. Petersburg top seed Tomas Berdych, who fell in the fourth round in New York, didn't make it even that far and dropped in straight sets to Simone Bolelli -- but others may fare a bit better. Milos Raonic, who's had some trouble coming back from foot surgery earlier in the year, opened with an easy win over Evgeny Donskoy. And Dominic Thiem, winner of back-to-back titles to start the summer but was dismissed quickly by Kevin Anderson at the Open. He seems back on track in Russia though, scoring his fourth straight win over compatriot Andreas Haider-Maurer to start his run. But perhaps the player under the most pressure to rebound is last year's standout Roberto Bautista Agut, who in 2014 boasted wins over the likes of Berdych and Juan Martin Del Potro but this season only has one win over a top-twenty player, and that by retirement. Earlier today against hugely talented Teymuraz Gabashvili he saved match points before closing out the win in an over two-and-a-half hour match. Next up he faces young Lucas Pouille, who's had some big wins himself over the past several months -- but if the Spaniard recovers in time, he might just be able to end this year on a higher note.

Over in Metz a couple more heavy hitters are looking to make up ground. Some didn't have terrible showings at the U.S. Open -- surprise French Open titleist Stan Wawrinka made it all the way to the semis but ultimately lost in a quick three sets to countryman Roger Federer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a semifinalist in Paris, took defending champ Marin Cilic to five sets in the quarters. But both have been tested this week though -- top-seeded Wawrinka came back after dropping his first set to Dustin Brown and Tsonga needed two tiebreaks and a decider to take out qualifier Mischa Zverev -- and will want to show they haven't lost any steam. But the player really looking to recoup is Gilles Simon who, despite climbing back into the top ten, has been on a bit of a lull this summer. He'd won just two matches since Wimbledon and was stunned in his New York first round by a resurgent Donald Young. But he finally stopped his losing streak in his homeland, taking out Edouard Roger-Vasselin in straight sets earlier today. He's slated next to face off against Gilles Muller, who had a promising start to the year and already took out seventh seed Fernando Verdasco -- he's won the pair's only previous meeting about a year ago, and there's no reason he can't do it again and perhaps put himself on course to ultimately claim the title.

After all there are still a couple more months left in the 2015 season, and plenty of big titles still up for grabs. And while these guys may have been a little quiet of late, there's plenty of time to turn up the volume now.

Some Strong Statements: Davis Cup Quarterfinal Recap

I was admittedly a little behind the eight ball last week and almost entirely missed the action as a couple countries vied for the semifinal spots in this year's Davis Cup World Group. But despite my lack of attention, there was a ton to talk about this weekend -- from stunning comebacks to one-sided drubbings we saw heavy favorites be shown the exit and some long counted out emerge as real forces. And the teams left standing at the end may not have been the ones you expected.

France vs. Great Britain

Despite its long history and legendary athletes, Great Britain hasn't been much of a force in the World Group for a while -- they'd been relegated to regional play for years, and after finally winning a playoff tie in 2013, they lost in the quarterfinals to Italy last season. And while they faced an intimidating opponent over the weekend -- three top fifteen players, including Wimbledon semifinalist Richard Gasquet, helmed the French squad -- they brought some firepower of their own. After Gilles Simon gave France an early lead, world #3 Andy Murray came out swinging against an always-tough Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, narrowly winning the first two sets before running away with the third. Murray then teamed with his older brother Jamie in the doubles rubber to give the Brits a 2-1 lead going into the final day of play. And while Simon put up a fight in the first reverse singles match, the two-time Grand Slam champion proved the stronger, rebounding after dropping the opening set and clinching the win in four. It sends the team to their first World Group semi since 1981, and maybe makes them a real favorite to take home the Cup.

Australia vs. Kazakhstan

Of course there are a couple ties left before the trophy is handed out, and if this weekend's performance is any indication, the ever-persistent Aussies continue to be a force. But somewhat surprisingly, despite a host of hot young stars, it was the veterans who ultimately delivered. Nineteen year old Thanasi Kokkinakis, who made his way to the Roland Garros third round, and 2014 upstart Nick Kyrgios, who stunned Milos Raonic this year at the All England Club, both lost their singles matches, putting the boys from Down Under at a 0-2 deficit to the Kazakhs by the end of Friday. But then the older guys stepped up to the plate -- big-serving Sam Groth and Lleyton Hewitt, likely playing his last few matches in Davis Cup, teamed up to get Australia on the board. And each dominated their singles turns, cementing an unlikely comeback late on Sunday. Whether they'll be able to repeat against Britain in the semis -- or whether the young guns will be able to step up to the plate this time -- remains to be seen. But it sure serves notice that the team can never be counted out.

Argentina vs. Serbia

Argentina, three times a runner-up for the Davis Cup crown in the last decade, was never in quite so precarious a situation this weekend, despite facing off against a tough Serbian team, themselves champions a few years ago. A couple of under-the-radar players -- Leonardo Mayer, barely in the top forty, and Federico Delbonis, ranked sixty-sixth in the world -- took advantage of an absent Novak Djokovic to give their country a 2-0 advantage heading into the weekend. And, maybe more impressively, Mayer teamed with Carlos Berlocq -- ranked now well in the triple digits -- to pull off a stunning defeat of 2014 comeback kid Viktor Troicki and doubles specialist Nenad Zimonjic and clinch the win on Saturday. Young Dusan Lajovic was able to get the Serbs on the board, avoiding a total shut-out, but it was too little, too late, and the South Americans were able to earn a trip back to the semifinals. And with decidedly more experience than their next opponents, they have a solid shot at continuing their run.

Canada vs. Belgium

But maybe the hugely underrated Belgians will put up a bigger fight than we expect. Playing in their first World Group quarterfinal in eight years, the team, which had dethroned the reigning champion Swiss in the first round, pulled no punches against the Canadians this weekend either. Giant-killer Steve Darcis came back after dropping the first set to give his country an early lead, while 2014 standout David Goffin easily handled Filip Peliwo in three sets. Without their top player Milos Raonic, Canada was certainly at a disadvantage, but even with the help of their own star veteran Daniel Nestor, a doubles titleist in Dubai and Sydney so far this year, they weren't able to make an impact and the Belgians swept over them with an astounding 5-0 score. Interestingly the Europeans do hold an edge over the Argentines in Davis Cup play -- they won the only tie the pair's ever contested way back in 1948 -- but with homefield advantage for September's semifinal tie, they might be able to ride their underdog status to a win again.

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With a couple new faces getting themselves in the mix this year at Davis Cup, things really could get shaken up a bit as we come down to the wire. Whether highly-decorated stars add a long-missing honor to their resumé, or emerging talent makes a big statement for their country, it seems like we're in for a little more excitement than usual.

And whoever takes the opportunity to shine now could reap some big rewards.

2015 Wimbledon: Ten to Watch

Even with that extra week between the end of the French Open and the start of Wimbledon, it still doesn't quite feel like enough time to really prep for another Major. But here we are on the verge of perhaps the biggest fortnight in tennis and you know all the stars will be out swinging.

But as always, it's not just about the players who ultimately walk away with the trophies -- some who seem far removed from their career bests and even those who haven't yet come close to their peaks also have a lot on the line at the All England Club. And whether they're out to recapture former glory or shake up the draws with some of their first big wins, all of these guys and gals might deserve a little extra notice over the next few weeks.

And maybe a couple will defy expectations in London and surprise us all.

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The Women

Eugenie Bouchard

Oh, Genie, Genie, Genie. How high our hopes were for you! Last year's breakthrough runner-up at the All England Club was riding a massive wave of success on the way to her first Grand Slam final, but has slowed down significantly since. Already this season she's lost her opening match at seven events, including a stunning defeat by Kristina Mladenovic in her Roland Garros first round. On grass where she should be more comfortable -- the young Canadian won the Juniors championship here in 2012 -- she hasn't fared much better. As the top seed in Den Bosch, she couldn't win a match, dropping to an admittedly tough Yaroslava Shvedova in three sets and lost her opener again to giant-killer Kristina Mladenovic in Birmingham. She did win her opener in Eastbourne this week, but if she manages to keep going, it'll mean a lot of match play before she makes a similar run in London. Now ranked #12 in the world, ironically not far from where she was at this time last year, she has a decidedly different momentum profile than she had in 2014. While an even further fall after this event might be her most measurable problem, it seems even more important she gets her game back together soon and proves her meteoric rise last year was no fluke.

Agnieszka Radwanska

The former world #2 has been struggling herself the last few months. Also a finalist at the All England Club, what seems like ages ago now, the long-time fan favorite is at her lowest ranking in years. Though she started off the year with a huge win over Serena Williams in Hobart -- her only one in nine meetings -- she's really struggled since, dropping points from Indian Wells and falling in the first round of the French Open, notching her earliest Slam exit since 2009. Aga started to get her game back together on grass though, riding her top seed to the semis in Nottingham, losing to a strong Monica Niculescu, and dropping just two games in her Eastbourne opener. She's under slightly less pressure than Genie this fortnight in London, having been ousted relatively early in the fourth round last year. But at the Major where she's seen by far her biggest success, this could be the best opportunity she has to put herself back on the map.

Dominika Cibulkova

The former top ten player has fallen a bit since reaching her only Grand Slam final to date, falling early in Brisbane and Sydney and just reaching the quarters this time in Melbourne. She missed a lot of action in the spring, undergoing foot surgery in March, and skipped the French Open which pushed her ranking well out of seeding territory. But she made a winning start in Eastbourne, dropping just four games in her opening round and then stunning French Open finalist Lucie Safarova on Tuesday. Domi's had success at Wimbledon in the past, too -- in 2011 she beat then top seed Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth round -- and though at her (hopefully temporarily) depressed ranking she could face a big favorite earlier during her run at the All England Club, she's more than capable of holding her own against the sport's elite and, if she gets a good draw, could end up dealing out more than a few on-paper upsets.

Ana Konjuh

It's not just about those looking for redemption, of course, and the much more interesting stories at any Major are of those players who're able to outshine expectations. Perhaps this year, it's Konjuh's turn. The seventeen-year-old Croat hasn't had a lot of experience on Tour, but has had some of her best results on these grounds -- she made it all the way to the Girls' final a few years back before losing to Bouchard and, as a qualifier in 2014, managed two tough wins en route to the Ladies' third round. Now ranked #55 in the world, she's playing just her second Slam without having to qualify but is coming off her first WTA title on the grass of Nottingham, where she beat two seeds -- Casey Dellacqua and lawn specialist Alison Riske. One of my players to watch this year, young Konjuh may have the best opportunity to make a statement here than she has on any other big stage, and with the momentum she's got now, she could just do it.

Katerina Siniakova

The nineteen-year-old Czech hasn't had as much experience on the big stages -- after all this will only be her fourth Major main draw, and she's only won one match so far. But the nineteen year old has scored some impressive wins over the last year, reaching the semis in Moscow last year as a qualifier, and beating 2014 Wimbledon Cinderella Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in Prague and always tough Kristina Maldenovic in Rome. Most recently she pulled off a solid win over recent Roland Garros semifinalist Andrea Petkovic in Birmingham, losing to eventual champion Angelique Kerber in the quarters. Just off a career high ranking at #67, she's still got plenty of room -- and time -- to grow, but everyone has to have that first breakthrough and there's no reason this can't be hers.

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The Men

Milos Raonic

Bouchard isn't the only Canadian with a lot on the line at the All England Club. The world #8, who arguably got a slightly earlier start in his rise to the sport's elite, made his only Grand Slam semifinal to-date here last year and earned his first non-alternate ticket to the ATP World Tour Finals. He started this year off strong too, barely losing to Roger Federer in the Brisbane final and then putting up a fight against eventual Melbourne champ Novak Djokovic Down Under. Raonic had to take a little break in the late spring, though -- foot surgery kept him out of the French Open -- but he got back on court last week and, though he dropped sets in early rounds, did manage to make the quarterfinals at Queen's Club. It might not be quite the result he wanted heading back to the Major where he's had the most success, but we know better than to count him out. Last year, after all, he lost the only match he played on grass before heading to London and got right back to work at the All England Club. It might be a little tougher this time, on the recovery trail and all, but he could still pull off a few surprises.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

It's been a few more years since the fiery Frenchman reached the semis at Wimbledon, but it might not be that big an ask to see him get back. He is, after all, coming off a surprise final four showing at Roland Garros where, at #15 in the world, he beat two top five players and managed to take a set off eventual champion Stan Wawrinka in the process. That's quite impressive for a man who'd only played five events so far this year -- sidelined with an arm injury, he'd skipped the Australian Open and didn't get started on the season until late March. He's scored some big wins here, too, notching an upset over David Ferrer and stunning Roger Federer in five sets in 2011. Of course, he'll have some challenges -- an abdominal strain he suffered in Paris forced him out of Nottingham this week -- but he seems to do his best when little is expected of him. Ranked just inside the top twenty during that miracle year, and at #12 now, if he is recovered he could certainly catch a couple of the favorites off guard again.

Nicolas Mahut

Tsonga's compatriot hasn't had quite as much success during his long history at the All England Club, but despite a losing record at this event he's probably spent more time on court than many others out there. And even though he's only made it out of the second round in London once in his last nine appearance, he's actually done better on this surface than he has anywhere else -- all three of his titles, each won after his thirtieth birthday, have come on grass and he has an impressive sixty-three percent win rate overall. Just a few weeks ago as a qualifier in 's-Hertogenbosch, he scored wins over 2014 breakout Roberto Bautista Agut and comeback star David Goffin to pick up his latest trophy. He's now back at a respectable #65 in the world, significantly better than the triple digit ranking he had at the start of the year, but could be in a position to outperform his position. And maybe, even at this late stage of his career, he could finally make his first big run at a Slam.

Alexander Zverev

The eighteen-year-old German, on the other hand, is making his first ever appearance in a Major main draw, having lost during qualifying rounds in his last three attempts. He did reach the Boys' final at the French Open in 2013 back and he took the Juniors' title in Melbourne last year, though, and at his best ever ranking, he'll finally get his shot to play with the big guys. While he's mostly clocked time on the Challengers' circuit in his short career, he has been able to get in a few punches on the main Tour over the last few weeks -- he took sets off Viktor Troicki and Ivo Karlovic at warm-up events and finally scored a true upset this week with a win over veteran Thomaz Bellucci in the Nottingham second round. Still ranked well outside the top fifty, he could very well get dealt an unlucky draw from the get-go, but like with any young buck looking for his first big break, he'll have to start somewhere. And, as they say, there's no time like the present to do exactly that.

Lleyton Hewitt

On the very other end of the spectrum is a man who, far from playing his first Wimbledon, is actually playing his last. The veteran Australian, who will retire next year in Melbourne, received a wildcard entry into the main draw as part of his farewell tour. With just one win on the year and a drop out of the double-digit rankings, it's hard to expect him to do too much damage this year. Still he carries quite a legacy at the All England Club -- the 2002 champion is the only man in the field outside the Big Four who's ever made a dent at the All England Club. And, even though he hasn't made it past a Major fourth round since 2009, you can never count him out -- on his third shot in the Newport final, last year he finally walked away with the title, and earlier in the season defeated Roger Federer for the Brisbane crown. Besides, champions like Hewitt seem to get a second wind at the end of their careers -- Andy Roddick, you may remember, put up a more than admirable performance when he announced his retirement at the 2012 U.S. Open. And I expect the former world #1 will make a similarly valiant attempt to savor his last moments on these courts.

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Of course the top seeds will be out in full force at the All England Club over the next two weeks looking to squash any potential these guys have. Be sure to check back in a few days for my full preview of what to expect in London this year -- something tells me that it could be even more exciting than usual!

Slideshow: 2015 French Open Men's Semifinalists

Nose to the Grindstone

With just about a week left to go at this year's French Open, we're getting to the point where the stakes are at their highest. Favorites have been tested and many have gotten through, young upstarts have kept their streaks going despite the odds -- but with just a few more matches for each remaining contender, this is exactly when they need to dig deep and bring their best.

The ladies' top seed Serena Williams has certainly been pushed during her first few matches in Paris -- she dropped the opening set to young Anna-Lena Friedsam and got down a set and a couple breaks to rival Victoria Azarenka in the third round. And while she so often finds a way to turn up the juice in the back half of the Majors, there are nevertheless a few wildcards in her half of the draw that could cause some trouble. Sloane Stephens, of course, who stunned her a few years ago in Australia and took out her sister here, is the most immediate threat, and Petra Kvitova who gave Serena her only loss of the year so far in Madrid seems to have recovered well after an early struggle. Even Timea Bacsinszky, who's had a pretty nice run this year could pose some trouble to the elite. But the bigger stories in this half may be the lesser-knowns -- young Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck who'd only won one match at a Slam in her short career had a solid win over my dark horse Kristina Mladenovic in her last match, and completely unheralded Andreea Mitu, barely in the top hundred, stunned both red-hot Karolina Pliskova and former champion Francesca Schiavone already. The two meet for a spot in the quarters today, easily the biggest moment of either of their careers so far -- and an amazing opportunity to really make a statement.

The bottom half of the women's draw has also seen its share of upsets, starting with the shocking loss of last year's finalist Simona Halep in the second round. But it didn't stop there, of course. Earlier today defending champion Maria Sharapova, fresh off her third title in Rome took out thirteenth seeded Lucie Safarova, whose best performance on clay this season was a quarterfinal showing in Madrid, where she didn't beat anyone in the top forty. But the #2 Czech brought her A-game against Sharapova, and in just under two hours pulled off one of the biggest wins of her career. And she's far from the only surprise quarterfinalist in this section -- Garbiñe Muguruza, who pulled off the upset of this tournament last year, and former Junior champion Elina Svitolina have both outplayed their rankings. And maybe, encouragingly, the even bigger surprise is the performance of long-ago titleist Ana Ivanovic, who'd lost early in most of her warm-up events this year. Despite some tests, she's survived even a challenge from a strong Ekaterina Makarova, and with a 6-0 record against Svitolina has a good shot at her first Major semi since 2008.

The men's draw, expectedly, has seen fewer big upsets, but with four Grand Slam champions in the mix, it sure seems like things are about to get combative. Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal may not be the on-paper favorite this year, but even as a low-for-him sixth seed, the rest of the field has to be nervous. He hasn't dropped a set yet during his first three matches, even taking out fellow clay specialist Nicolas Almagro in just over two hours. Later today he'll face doubles star Jack Sock, who's playing his first Major singles fourth round ever -- and while the young American has already pulled off quite an impressive upset this event, you have to give Rafa the edge here. That could set up a surprising quarterfinal showdown between the Spaniard and world #1 Novak Djokovic, who's lost to Nadal in his last three outings at Roland Garros. It would be the earliest meeting between the two rivals since 2007 and given their recent history, might just change the entire course of this tournament. Nole isn't the only one who could take advantage of that, though -- former finalist David Ferrer and even Andy Murray, riding a nice two-title streak on clay himself, have both been impressive in their early matches. Both are leading their opponents so far today and could very well give even the heavy favorites trouble down the road.

And with so much in-fighting going on in the top half of the men's bracket, it could be the relatively less intimidating bottom group that thrives most. That's not to say there are no threats in this part of the draw, of course -- U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori has been pretty surgical in his wins so far in Paris, not dropping a set yet, albeit without having faced a seed either, and Stan Wawrinka last year's winner in Melbourne has had a similarly easy time, yesterday dismantling a talented Gilles Simon in straight sets. But you can't help but feel it's the rest of the players in this section who have the bigger opportunity -- Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who missed the early part of this season with injury, cemented his return with a dismantling win over fourth seeded Tomas Berdych and now faces Nishikori for a chance to return to the semis. And Roger Federer, currently trying to survive what could turn out to be another massive battle with Gael Monfils, seems well motivated in his quest for a second title here. He is the only other man in the field with a French Open trophy, after all, and is hungry to end a long -- again, for him -- Major-less streak. But the feisty Frenchman is certainly putting up a fight, and with wins in their last two meetings certainly has what it takes to come back from his current two-sets-to-one down. And any of these guys could stand a real opportunity at putting up a fight when they reach the final.

As we come down to the wire over the next few days, each shot these guys and girls hit becomes so much more important. And with so much on the line in Paris, they better make sure they're focused on the goal. After all, even the underdogs have the chance to make history here. And this year, maybe more than ever before, could be their best chance to do it.

Net Non-Neutrality

Historically the Swiss have not taken sides in most world conflicts. But this year on the tennis courts the entire country was out to make a statement -- not only do they have some of the best individual soldiers in the world, but their whole team is capable of winning the war.

It had been a while since Switzerland and France have had a ton of success at Davis Cup -- though the latter got to the final in 2010, they haven't come away with the trophy since 2001. And the former, who've largely been left out of the World Group enitrely, had only made the last round once, losing pretty handily to the U.S. way back in 1992. But with two players in the top five, the long-time also-ran finally breaking through on the big stage, and the even-longer time Head of State storming back to the top of the game, the Swiss came to this weekend's championship tie on a mission.

In what started out as a predictably close showdown, Stan Wawrinka opened against an always-tough Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a man whose career has been remarkably similar to his own. The Australian Open champ slightly lagged in their head-to-head, but was just coming off his second semifinal run in London, reclaiming the momentum he'd had to start the year. For the first time in the pair's head-to-head, a decider wasn't needed to determine the winner -- Wawrinka lost serve just once in the two-and-a-half, four-set match and gave his country the early lead.

But in a rematch of one of the most exciting matches of the year, France's Gael Monfils was able to pull his homeland even -- against Roger Federer, taking the court again after pulling out of the year-end final a week ago, this time he didn't let a two-set lead slide from his grasp. The world #19 scored just his third win over the great Fed in a surprisingly quick, decidedly one-sided second rubber, giving the French a lot of hope going into the weekend.

Unfortunately for them, though, the Swiss turned the tables back in their favor on Saturday and never looked back. The 2008 Olympic Gold Medal team of Federer and Wawrinka subbed in for the doubles rubber against Richard Gasquet and London semifinalist Julien Benneteau and chugged through a tight three sets to retake the lead. Roger took the court again on Sunday, seemingly no longer affected at all by his back problems, and this time demolished Gasquet and clinched the win for the Swiss, putting their names in one of the only record books they hadn't occupied before.

For the stars on the Swiss team -- who delivered not just this weekend, but at ties all year long -- it was a historic victory that appropriately capped off an amazing season for not just individual players, but for each of then together. And with their momentum going so strong for so long, you can bet they'll be back in the new year, firing on all cylinders again.

Davis Cup Final Preview: Tensions Running High

A lot has been said about the little spat between Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka after their semifinal battle in London last weekend. But even as both players have put to rest rumors of any hard feelings that may have existed, there's plenty of pressure on everyone as we head into this weekend's Davis Cup championship tie. The Swiss are going for their first ever trophy while the homecourt-advantage French are looking for title #10, but their first since 2001. And we'll be treated to some banner match-ups from the start.

Wawrinka opens play Friday against former world #5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who declined an alternate spot to the World Tour Finals to focus on exactly this match. The Frenchman has a slight edge in their head-to-head, but every one of the pair's five meetings have gone the distance, including their two Roland Garros encounters which combined for ten sets, three tiebreaks and more than eight hours of play. Tsonga's been a little quiet since the U.S. Open and Wawrinka did somewhat redeem his late-season slump at the O2, but with these guys' history, I'd expect this to a be a battle too.

But the rubber everyone will be watching Friday will certainly be the rematch between Roger and Gael Monfils. Federer, you're remember, narrowly eked out a win over the big-time showman in New York, coming back from two sets and a break down in the quarterfinals before powering through for the win. LeMonf has only played a couple events since then, but he has conquered threats like Jerzy Janowicz and John Isner, so seems more than match ready. And Roger, despite a run to the final at the year-end championships, is still contending with the back injury that forced him out of the title match in London. It took a couple days before he was able to get back on court and, if he's not a hundred percent, Monfils is more than capable of exploiting any weakness.

Of course everything could get wrapped up by Saturday in the doubles rubber. Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet, both accomplished on the singles circuit themselves, will take on the much lesser-known Swiss team of Marco Chiudinelli and Michael Lammer. But something tells me the matches on Day Two will both be crucial to this weekend's outcome. In the early rubber we'll get a rematch of the Toronto final in which Tsonga stunned Fed after already beating not one, not two, but three top ten players in a row. The pair have put on some classic displays in the past, and the Frenchman has walked away the winner on a couple big stages. He might still trail Roger in their overall history, but expect him to step up to the plate again when so much is on the line.

And the potential final rubber between Wawrinka and Monfils could be just as exciting. The two don't have a long history -- they've met every couple years, but not since 2011 and have split their four previous meetings. The Swiss might be the on-paper favorite in this one, but again he's notched some surprising losses in the final weeks of the regular season -- to Mikhael Kukushkin in Basel, Tatsumo Ito in Tokyo -- and could find himself a little vulnerable at the hands of his opponent. Gael may not have won a title since very early in the season, but he's got three top-ten wins on his résumé this year and might just be primed to add number four to that list.

The last couple Davis Cup championships have all gone down to the wire, and I wouldn't expect any less this weekend. With history on the line and so much talent on the courts, you know everyone's going to power through any obstacle they face. And whoever comes out the winner will have certainly earned their spoils.

The Comeback Kid

It wasn't very long ago that I, and probably a lot of the tennis world, was ready to totally write off David Goffin.

The 2012 French Open standout had reached the fourth round as a qualifier and went on to beat Bernard Tomic in his Wimbledon opener and reach the quarters at Winston-Salem. He rose as high as #42 in the world that season, and at just twenty-one years of age looked primed to take the tennis world by storm.

But the young Belgian fell victim to quite the sophomore slump in 2013. He lost the first round of every Major he played and had to qualify for most of the summer hardcourt events. By the end of the year he'd fallen into the triple digit rankings, and kicked off this season with a similarly unimpressive start. After losing in three quick sets to Andy Murray in his All England Club opener, it seemed he'd lost all the pep in his step.

Something changed in Goffin after that loss, though -- very quietly he went on a twenty-five match win streak, picking up three straight Challengers titles and then stunning up-and-coming star Dominic Thiem in Kitzbühel for his first Tour-level trophy. He successfully transitioned off the dirt too -- he made the third round in New York, even bagelling Grigor Dimitrov in the first set, and won both his Davis Cup rubbers to get Belgium into the World Group next year.

And he kept his streak going this past week at the Moselle Open. Still just barely seeded in Metz, he won his first few matches easily but really shone in his third round against world #12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, rebounding after losing the first set 1-6 to take out the two-time champion in a two-hour slugfest. He was the on-paper underdog in the final too -- Joao Sousa, who'd taken out U.S. Open almost-spoiler Gael Monfils in the semis, had also made the final in Hamburg, but only won two matches since. But Goffin had momentum on his side -- he fired off ten aces, losing just six points on first serve, and wasn't broken in four attempts by the man from Portugal. After just seventy-four minutes, Goffin was hoisting the trophy, becoming the fourteenth multi-title player of the year.

But Goffin's victory is about more than the prize money and ranking points -- now at #32 in the world, he's at his career high. It's about his resurgence at a time when he could easily have fallen by the wayside. It's still too early to know whether he'll eventually crack the top ten, win a Grand Slam trophy or go down in the record books -- but he's certainly made sure even the greats take notice of him in the months ahead. And with a brand new season just around the corner, there's no better time for him to stand up and make his statement.

A Sign of the Times

Davis Cup always seems a little strange to me -- so often top stars skip ties due to scheduling conflicts or training needs, leaving lower-ranked players to carry the mantle for their countries, or nations with just a few athletes in the elite ranks can't fill out the rest of their roster to guarantee reliable rubber wins. But more recently the tide has shifted to recognize both the strongest players and their homelands -- either Spain or Serbia, who've claimed the year-end #1 ranking in five of the last six seasons, has made the Davis Cup final every year since 2008. And while the Czechs beat them out the last two times, it was with a team led by top ten players like Tomas Berdych and doubles specialist Radek Stepanek.

And this year, maybe more than others in recent memory, the highest-flying players of the season have successfully shown they come from places where it's not just about one star player, but a deep cadre of top-notch talent.

The French had actually been flying a bit under the radar in 2014, picking up just two titles on the year. But they've really stepped up their game in recent months -- Jo-Wilfried Tsonga made his return to the top ten with a title in Toronto, while Gael Monfils, who picked up his first trophy in three years in February, very nearly defeated Roger Federer in New York, what would have been the biggest win of his career. And against the two-time defending Czech champions, even recently struggling Richard Gasquet, who couldn't defend semifinal points from his 2013 U.S. Open run, stepped up to the plate. The 2010 runners-up got off to an early lead and clinched the win with a doubles victory Saturday, adding some fresh blood to the finals -- but the real test is still to come.

The Swiss may have been playing in their first Davis Cup semifinal since 2003, but with a couple of individually dominant players leading the way, it's a little surprising it took so long to get there. Roger Federer picked up his twenty-second Masters crown in Cincinnati last month and fell just short of his eighteenth Major at Wimbledon earlier in the summer. And compatriot Stan Wawrinka stormed onto the scene with his first Slam in Melbourne, climbing to a career high #3 in the world after his win. While both fell short of expectations in New York, they rallied big time to create an early 2-0 lead over a strong Italian team this weekend and, though Wawrinka fell just short of securing the tie in a nearly four-hour doubles loss, Federer pulled off an east win over world #17 Fabio Fognini, granting his team entry to its first final since 1992.

From a ranking perspective the Swiss will certainly be at an advantage in November's tie, but this could be a tougher battle than we expect -- Federer, after all, lost to Tsonga in Canada and nearly, too, to Monfils in Flushing Meadows, while Wawrinka hasn't beaten a top ten player since April. But that's just the kind of drama we've come to expect on the tennis courts this year -- the world's best players being pushed to the limit from every angle imaginable. And whoever eventually goes home with this year's Davis Cup trophy will have cemented themselves -- and their entire team -- as the true force in this sport for the season.

Feels Like Forever

In truth, it hasn't been that long since this weekend's champions last hoisted a trophy, but it sure feels like it's been a while. Whether dealing with injury, being overshadowed by rising stars, or falling in early rounds to players ranked far below them, both Aga Radwanska and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had been pushed from the headlines the last few months. But their performances this week in Canada might have turned the tide back in their favor, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

Agnieszka Radwanska had put up a couple solid performances this season, reaching the semis in Melbourne and the final in Indian Wells, but she hadn't won a title since Seoul last fall and was upset in the first week at both the French Open and Wimbledon. She still held onto the third seed in Montreal this past week, but she faced a tough draw from the start -- she opened against All England Club Cinderella Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, followed up with a win over record-breaking server Sabine Lisicki and then scored her second straight win over long-time rival Victoria Azarenka. In her semifinal against Ekaterina Makarova she avenged her loss in the Wimbledon fourth round and set up a clash with veteran champion Venus Williams for the title. Sure, Aga was the on-paper favorite against the unseeded Williams, but Venus had already notched wins over Stanford runner-up Angelique Kerber and recent foil Carla Suarez Navarro before stunning younger sister Serena in a three-set semi, her first win over the world #1 since 2009 -- she certainly was more than capable of getting another win on Sunday. But Radwanska got the upper hand this time, pouncing on Venus's second serve and breaking her opponent five times. In under an hour and a half, the Pole had picked up trophy number fourteen, her biggest since 2012, and put herself squarely back in the conversation as the summer hardcourt season really heats up.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga seemed to have fallen even further out of that conversation -- the one-time world #5 failed to defend his Marseille title in February and hadn't made it to the second week of a Major since Roland Garros last year. He'd posted losses this season to players like #46 Santiago Giraldo in Madrid, #60 Marinko Matosevic at Queen's Club, and #119 Peter Gojowczyk at Davis Cup and went 0-7 against opponents ranked in the top ten. That was, of course, before he got to Toronto. A low thirteenth seed at the Rogers Cup, he stunned two-time champion Novak Djokovic in the third round and followed up with wins over Andy Murray and Grigor Dimitrov to make his first Masters final since 2011. There he faced off against legend Roger Federer, who'd reached his fifth final at this event, albeit by facing a couple challenges on the way -- he'd played late into the night in two-and-a-half hour-plus third round battle against Marin Cilic and needed another three sets to get past David Ferrer in the quarters. Tsonga, though, who'd notched a couple big wins over Federer in the past, proved the cooler of the two in the final -- on serve through the first eleven games of the match, he converted the only break opportunity of the opening set and created six more chances in the second while winning more than ninety percent of his first serves. Though he squandered one match point on Roger's serve, he ultimately took the championship in a tiebreak, capping off what might have been the most successful week of his career.

With their wins this week, both Radwanska and Tsonga have not only ended a long dry spell, but put themselves back in the mix as we head to the final Grand Slam of the year. While the stakes are only getting higher in the weeks to come, their performances in Canada show they know how to perform under pressure. And if they can keep it up, there's no telling how much more they can do.

Back From the Brink

It sure came down to the wire this weekend at Davis Cup, with three of the four quarterfinal ties undecided until the last minute. It took some clutch performances when it counted most and featured some big upsets from unlikely stars, and in the end we're left with a talented group of teams that could very well make history.

It wasn't all edge-of-your-seat drama, of course. The two-time defending champion Czechs were the first to clinch their spot in the semis against an upstart Japanese team. Even without their star Tomas Berdych, a wily team helmed by -- go figure -- Lukas Rosol and veteran Radek Stepanek put together a 2-0 lead going into the weekend, and the two paired in the doubles rubber to give the Czechs an insurmountable lead. Rising star Jiri Vesely's win Sunday wasn't necessary, but sealing the victory with a 5-0 sure put an exclamation point on the dominating performance -- when the whole team shows up in the next tie, it'll be hard to beat them.

The French had a little tougher task after their Day One. Against an underdog German team -- they're top four players were missing this weekend -- Julien Benneteau dropped his opener to world #96 Tobias Kamke and headliner Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was pushed in a long fifth set, ultimately losing to Peter Gojowczyk, who hadn't won a match since his stellar run in January. It was their doubles team that finally turned the tide in their favor -- Benneteau and Michael Llodra finally got the French on the board Saturday and Tsonga rallied Sunday to even the score with a win over Kamke. And in the final match for the weekend, Gael Monfils took the court against Gojowcyzk, built himself an early lead and never looked back. The French face off against the Czechs next -- their head-to-head record stands dead even at 7-7 -- so they'll need to up their game. But they've certainly shown they can never be counted out, and in a setting like Davis Cup, there's no reason they can't keep their streak going.

The Italians had slightly more breathing room going into the weekend, but not much. While recently strong Fabio Fognini scored the tie's first point against Britain's James Ward, formerly formidable Andreas Seppi wasn't able to keep the momentum going against two-time Grand Slam titleist Andy Murray. The Brits took the lead on Saturday too, with Murray teaming with doubles specialist Colin Flemings to grab a 2-1 lead in the tie. With Murray taking the court again against Fognini in the first reverse singles match, it seemed likely the Italians would be sent packing -- the pair had split their previous two meetings, but the last came almost five years ago, and while Andy had slipped slightly to #8 in the world, he was still the clear favorite. But Murray wasn't at his best on Sunday and Fognini scored the upset in straight sets. And Seppi regrouped for his final rubber, closing out Ward and sending Italy to the semis for the first time in over fifteen years.

Also reaching new ground this weekend -- somewhat surprising considering the individual success of their top star over the past decade -- were the Swiss, who reached their first semi since 2003, but not in the way you'd expect. Stanislas Wawrinka, the breakout star of this season, may have supplanted long-time top-five fixtures like Andy Murray and David Ferrer as the Next Big Thing with his 11-0 start to the year, but he hadn't reached even a quarterfinal since and he opened his campaign against the Kazakhs with a four-set loss to world #64 Andrey Golubev. Stalwart Roger Federer sent the Swiss into the weekend even, but they got behind again when Golubev teamed with even lesser-known Aleksandr Nedovyesov to take the doubles rubber. Like with the Italians, it all came down to Wawrinka in the first reverse singles match Sunday, and this time the favorite made it count. After losing the first set in a tiebreak to Mikhail Kukushkin, Stan pulled himself together and closed out the match. Roger did his part too, downing Golubev in straight sets and keeping the Swiss hopes for their first ever Davis Cup still alive. They get homecourt advantage against Italy too, and if they continue to play to their ability, they could just ride their streak all the way to the end.

The excitement and drama around Davis Cup is only going to intensify from here, but this weekend's winners sure proved they can deliver when times are toughest. There's still a lot of ball left to be played, of course, but it sure looks like we could be in for something completely different this year. And I can think of no better way to stir things up.

So Far, So Good...

Things have gone a little smoother for the seeds this week in Miami than they did at Indian Wells, with just a couple of the top ten on the women's side making earlier-than-expected exits at the Sony Open. But there's a lot of play left before the trophies are awarded, and at a tournament like this, certainly anything can still happen. And the way things have gone recently, nothing should take us by surprise.

Serena Williams wasn't in the draw in the desert, so the six-time former champion doesn't have to rebound, per sé. Still she's survived a couple tough matches, even dropping a set to rising star Caroline Garcia on Saturday before regrouping in the decider. And Maria Sharapova, having failed in her Indian Wells defense, eked out a win over always feisty Kirsten Flipkens earlier today, her second straight three-setter. Perhaps the biggest opportunity in the top half of the women's bracket lies with twelfth seeded Ana Ivanovic -- the one-time French Open champion managed what's nevertheless the biggest win of her career in Melbourne, and while she still has to get past the likes of Petra Kvitova today and then Sharapova -- who she hasn't beaten since 2007 -- she might just be playing the kind of ball to get her there.

The bottom half of the ladies' draw could also see the resurgence of a couple former #1's. Yes, the highest seeds have been progressing with little drama -- Na Li benefited from a walkover in her opener, and after being pushed to a tiebreak against Madison Keys, ultimately closed out that match in just over ninety minutes. And Aga Radwanska, so clearly struggling with injury during the Indian Wells final has so far seemed in good shape -- she delivered a bagel set to Romina Oprandi on Friday and after taking out Elena Vesnina in the third round, she's rewarded with another non-seeded opponent for a spot in the quarter. Even Dominika Cibulkova, a stone's throw from the top ten after a semi run in California, has been uncharacteristically consistent, dominating Yvonne Meusburger and then fighting back against spunky Alize Cornet. But her next opponent Venus Williams, champion here at the turn of the century, has been strong too, and Caroline Wozniacki, who slaughtered Sloane Stephens in last night's late match looks poised for a comeback. If they keep their games in tact, either could be a spoiler in this half.

The men have a little less play in the books so far, but Rafael Nadal, Stanislas Wawrinka and even Tomas Berdych have passed early tests. The problem in the top half of their draw, though, is that Alexandr Dolgopolov, the Cinderella story of Indian Wells, is still alive and kicking, having just scraped out a win over world #89, lucky loser Dusan Lajovic. But in a field that might have been made tentative by recent losses, perhaps the confident Roberto Bautista-Agut will come out on top. Already a winner over Berdych and Juan Martin Del Potro this season, he knocked off big-serving Jerzy Janowicz to start this week off. He's got a pretty tough road forward, of course, facing Fabio Fognini later today and likely Rafa down the road, and making a real play for the title might be asking too much. But this seems to be the Spaniard's year, and I wouldn't put a couple more big wins past him.

There are quite a bit fewer holes in the bottom half of the men's draw. Only three seeds failed to win their opening rounds, and Kei Nishikori caused the only on-paper upset in the third taking out fifteenth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets. Meanwhile, all the favorites have done just fine -- Richard Gasquet bounced back from his early Indian Wells loss and David Ferrer, who skipped the trip to the desert, dropped just a handful of games in his two matches to date. Even defending champion Andy Murray, coachless in Miami since splitting with Ivan Lendl, took out Feliciano Lopez yesterday in just his second straight-set win in nine matches. But the player to watch here might just be Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who battled back after losing his first set to veteran Marcos Baghdatis yesterday. The eleventh seed has had an up-and-down season so far, reaching the final in Marseille, but also getting ousted in the second rounds of Rotterdam and Indian Wells. He'll square off against Murray next, a man he's only beaten once, way back in 2008, but if he can take advantage of the Scot's spotty play, he could make a move to change that history.

Of course, odds lie with the favorites, and they'll all certainly do their part to make sure they stay at the top of their game. But there are more than a few opportunities for some upsets to sneak through, and any of these guys has the opportunity to really shake things up when things get most interesting.

A Slightly Different Story

It's easy to assume that the Sony Open, the second American hardcourt Masters event in March which, like Indian Wells before it, lasts nearly a Slam-like fortnight and attracts the best players in the sport, should play out along the same lines. But with more humid weather and arguably quicker courts at night, this is a vastly different tournament. Huge stars like Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova have never been able to lift the trophy, and only seven men and two women have won both in the same year.

That doesn't necessarily bode well for last weekend's champions in the Califonia desert, but it could mean those who were disappointed in the first half of the month have a shot at redeeming themselves this time. And there are plenty in the field who'll be looking to improve.

Those two Major champions certainly lead that list. Both titleists in Indian Wells last year, Rafa's loss in his third round to Cinderella Alexandr Dolgopolov was surpassed in shock value only by MaSha's earlier exit at the hands of qualifier Camila Giorgi. They've each reached the final in Miami in the past, many times, in fact, so they know how to win here -- the problem has been, of course, closing it out. Sharapova begins her campaign with the late-night match today against rising star Kurumi Nara, while Nadal will take on either Lleyton Hewitt or Robin Haase in his opener -- both matches the favorites should win. But we've seen surprises in the past of course, so if either is going to redeem themselves, they'll need to bring it from the start.

There are other ladies, though, also out to prove themselves over the next two weeks. Ana Ivanovic, Sam Stosur and Angelique Kerber have all fallen from the heights of their careers and are looking to erase memories from earlier than anticipated exits last week. They each won their openers in Miami already today, so may be on good ground to do so. Meanwhile Sara Errani, who failed to defend quarterfinal points in Indian Wells when she lost in the third round this year, and has at much at stake at the Sony Open -- she's facing off against Patricia Mayr-Achleitner right now and will want to make quick work of that challenge. But the real one to watch in the women's bracket is Sabine Lisicki, one of the biggest talent's in the sport who's nevertheless only won three first round matches this year. She's so far split sets with veteran Nadia Petrova, a woman she beat here three years ago, but she'll need to up her game if she wants to finally realize her full potential.

The men's seeds will begin their opening round matches tomorrow, but the pressure will be on them too. Jerzy Janowicz was the breakout star of 2013, somehow reaching the Wimbledon semis as the twenty-fourth seed. He lost his BNP opener to Alejandro Falla, though, and has yet to beat a top ten player at all this year. And Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has been rather quiet this year despite a run to the Marseille final. He's made the quarters here three times before and might have the kind of section that allows him to do that yet again. Tomas Berdych, on the other hand, who had his breakthrough here four years ago, suffered one of the biggest early upsets at Indian Wells. He opens against another Melbourne Cinderella, though, so he'll be tested again right from the start.

But while all these guys are looking to turn around their luck, last weekend's winners can't be counted out just yet. Flavia Pennetta continued her run today with a straight set win over Olga Govortsova and Novak Djokovic, the last man to complete the Indian Wells-Miami sweep, will begin his quest for another title against Jeremy Chardy tomorrow. They way they're both playing, either could prove the transition isn't as tough as so many believe. And with the momentum they're carrying so far, it certainly will be tough to derail them.

Whether Miami becomes an opportunity for redemption or another tough slog for all these athletes of course remains to be seen. But it sure looks like a lot of the top players are well on their way to writing a plot twist to their seasons. And if they can keep it up, we might be in for a surprise ending no one saw coming.

Not Just the Same Old

It can be so refreshing when we're treated to a couple surprises on championship weekend. As great as it is to see the favorites show off the stuff that makes them great, it's just as inspiring to watch a few underdogs pull off a quality upset. And yesterday's finals, during which more than a couple low seeds pulled off exciting wins, certainly made fans sit up and take notice.

Of course, some things went as expected, but even those results were far from certain. Venus Williams did capitalize on her experience in the Dubai final, but as the lower-ranked player, her victory over Alize Cornet was far from in the bag. And King of Clay Rafael Nadal made his return in Rio as the overwhelming favorite but was tested big time on his way to the title. In the semis against Pablo Andujar, he lost the first set and was pushed in a long tiebreak in the decider. He had relatively little trouble against Alexandr Dolgopolov in the final, though, and ultimately scored his forty-third title on the dirt.

Things didn't go as smoothly for the top ladies in Rio, though. Second seeded Franesca Schiavone lost her opening match and rising star Paula Ormaechea suffered a small setback when she fell in the quarters. Eventually Klara Zakopalova, looking for her first trophy since 2005, and Japan's Kurumi Nara, playing in her first Tour final, were left playing for the title. The two had never played before, but the top-seeded Czech, who'd beaten Ana Ivanovic in Doha and was runner-up in Hobart already this year, should have had the upper hand. Still the young Nara, who'd just about halved her ranking in 2013, was not intimidated -- after taking out year-end doubles champ Su-Wei Hsieh in her opener, she had a clear path to the final. In a fairly sloppy final -- neither woman won more than sixty percent of their serves -- she dropped the middle set to Zakopalova, but dominated the third, closing out the match after two hours and claiming her maiden trophy. Now ranked #48 in the world, she's still not quite top tier, but with the confidence she's built the last twelve months, she soon might be.

The men in Delray weren't breaking any seals this weekend, but that didn't make their performances any less noteworthy. Top seed Tommy Haas bowed out early to qualifier Steve Johnson while John Isner, struggling with injury early in the year, fought through a string of long three-set matches before eventually losing in the semis. A couple lower seeds were able to make their way to the final, though -- big-serving Kevin Anderson also playing his first event since Melbourne, came back from losing the first set in two of his matches, and red-hot Marin Cilic continued his comeback without losing a set. He was finally tested in Sunday's final, splitting the first two breakers, but he finally took charge in the decider, keeping the break lead to close out the match in just over three hours. It's the Croat's second title of the year and pushes him to his highest ranking since his suspension. And heading into the next round of big tournaments, there's no better time for him to rise.

Two-time Delray champ Ernests Gulbis didn't make the trip down to Florida this year, but instead tried his luck in the arguably tougher fields of Marseille. The third seed in France, himself having come back from years of injury and middling rankings, he took out Melbourne spoiler Roberto Bautista-Agut in his opener and top seeded Richard Gasquet in the semis. For the crown he faced off against world #10 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a man who'd won three of their four meetings and who'd retired from their only other one last year at Wimbledon. But Gulbis was on a roll this Sunday, firing off fourteen aces -- bringing his total for the tournament to sixty-one -- and winning eighty-five percent of his first serves. He's now beaten three top ten players this year and, maybe more importantly, notched his fifth win in as many final appearances. With his run at the Open 13, Gulbis also climbed to #18 in the world, his highest ranking to date, and now that he's healthy again, I wouldn't be surprised to see him go even further.

The triumph of this weekend's winners highlights just how deep the fields have become in this sport, and while there will surely be favorites at every tournament, nothing can be taken for granted. And with players showing that an upset is possible every time they take the court, it certainly looks like we're in for a lot more excitement the rest of this season.