Official Sony Ericsson Open Thread:

The Men's and Women's draws are now out for the Sony Ericsson Open. 

Some interesting things just from a glance. 

Ana Ivanovic and Lindsey Davenport will have a 3rd round match.

Novak Djokovic is in Canas's quarter. 

John Isner has a potential second round shot at Roger Federer.  If you remember he took a set off Federer at the US Open where those courts are just a hair slower than Miami. 

If Isner's serve is really cooking that day, this could be a great match. 

Youzhny got the pleasure of being in the same half of the draw as unseeded Marat Safin and unseeded Tommy Haas.  (Bad luck my friend)

This should be the best first round match for all the men.  Things get started this morning and this match is scheduled for tomorrow. 

Should be the start of a great tournament.

Opening Day of the Sony Ericsson Open is upon us. 

After feeling out my brackets I will share my thoughts with you. 

Interesting matchup of Round 1:

John Isner .vs Gael Monfils:  While the winner gets the honor of playing Federer, there is plenty to look forward to in this match.  Both are promising young players.  Isner has been on the tour for a shorter period of time, but already has a finals appears in last season's US Open Series.  This will be a great match to watch, especially if you are lucky enough to be there live.  Winner:  Isner

Interesting Matchups of Round 2:

Roger Federer .vs John Isner:  I don't know what to make of this matchup.  Odds are heavy for Federer if I were guessing and Federer is going to have alot of eyes on him in this match to prove that he is still the top player in the World.  Isner's big serve gave Federer trouble at the US Open as Isner took a set off the World's #1, but I just don't think Isner has what it takes to beat Federer just yet.  There are elements in his movement and return game that prevent him from being elite.  Winner:  Federer, but in 3 sets

Hyung-Taik Lee .vs Tommy Robredo:  It's been two years since they last met and both players have had alot of changes.  Lee is coming back after a dropoff and has played very well the last few months.  Robredo seems to be stuck in the 13-18 ranking range and can't go up or down. Robredo has won 3 of the 4 meetings, but I think Lee takes this one.  Winner:  Lee

Michael Llodra .vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga:  Why is this a tough match?  Because Llodra has climbed in the rankings this year just as many spots as Tsonga.  Tsonga may possibly be overlooking this match a little bit with Andy Roddick looming in his quarter.  Tsonga is the better baseliner of the two and Llodra is the better net player.  This one should come down to the serve on the fast courts of Miami.  Winner:  Tsonga, but don't bet in Vegas on this one

Mikhail Youzhny .vs Marat Safin:  As part of some weird ritual these two meet every two years at a various and odd location.  Youzhny started the year red hot while Marat Safin has fallen from the 40's to #90 in the world.  I've been following Safin and the game is still there.  He's just not getting the breaks in the draws or the chances to beat players he should beat.  Maybe Safin's career is coming to an end, but he is 3-0 against Youzhny and Youzhny's never taken a set off him yet.  The courts play in Safin's favor, but I just don't see Safin sneaking this one out.  Winner:  Youzhny

Kei Nishikori .vs Juan Carlos Ferrero:  You seen this Japanese kid play yet?  He's taken out Roddick, Blake, Haas and Hewitt to date this year.  Still not in the top 100 he's floating in as an unknown.  He's got the draw to get to the Quarter Finals here, but he has alot of work to do.  They've never met and after this one Juan Carlos hopes they never do again.  Winner:  Lee (Gamble alert!!)

Interesting Matchups of Round 3: 

Kei Nishikori .vs Tomas Berdych:  At some point Berdych either has to prove he play or go home.  I think with the fact that he knows (Berdych) that Richard Gasquet is awaiting in the 4th round and Berdych can get to the quarters that this will be where we see a version of Berdych we've not yet seen:  They've never played, so I would say Berdych could get surprised like others this year, but I think he will have someone watch Nishikori's match with Ferrero.  Winner:  Berdych

Fernando Gonzalez .vs Guillermo Canas:  Wow, what a tennis match for the opening week at the Sony Ericsson Open.  Both players play a style that is very fun to watch.  Gonzo will pound the ball while Canas will chase it down all night long.  I was amazed to find out that these two clay courters have only played one time in their careers with Canas taking the cake.  Canas has the ability to go deep in this tournament (finals last year), I don't think Gonzo will beat him, but this will be the match of the first week.  Winner:  Canas

How the brackets play out from there: 

In the #1 seed Roger Federer's Bracket:   

(Winner in Bold)

4th round: 

Roger Federer .vs Leyton Hewitt

In the #2 Seed Rafa Nadal's Bracket:

Rafa Nadal .vs Carlos Moya

In the #3 seed Novak Djokovic's Bracket:

Novak Djokovic .vs Guillermo Canas\

In the #4 Seed Nikolay Davydenko's Bracket:

Nikolay Davydenko  .vs Mario Ancic (Watch out for Ancic on this surface, he should be Andy Murray in round 1 for all you Gamblers)

In the #5 seed David Ferrer's Bracket:

Mardy Fish .vs David Ferrer

In the #6 seed Andy Roddick's Bracket:

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga .vs Andy Roddick

In the #7 seed David Nalbandian's Bracket:

David Nalbandian .vs James Blake

In the #8 seed Richard Gasquet's Bracket: 

Richard Gasquet .vs Tomas Berdych

Disregard the very last line with Federer & tsonga:

Looks like I missed one on Kei Nishikori. 

Let's like any challenge of Isner beating Federer went out the window today. 

Marat Safin also got beat up pretty bad early on, losing in three sets. 

On the women's side the Alize Cornet and Tamira Paszek match proved to be the best 1st round match in quite sometime on the women's side. 

first kei has never beaten roddick. he got owned 2 and 4 when they played. second, isner is not that good. third, safin no longer cares about tennis and is washed up.

also, i dont see Fish beating Ferrer or even getting that far in the first place. he has a once in a career tournament at indian wells, he really isnt that good.

watch out for Gonzalez in this tourney! he got there early and played a challenger, he has had bad results so far this year and is due for a break through

also, i wasnt sure about Kei and it looks like he has never beaten Haas or Hewitt, just Blake.

Get your facts straight! he won one tournament and his only good win was over Blake

Review the charity/exhibition tournaments from prior to the Aussie Open, Kei beat both Haas (who was in his first match back from the shoulder problems) and Hewitt. 

I do stand corrected on Roddick, I had my facts messed up.  As Hillary Clinton would say "I speak a million words a day, Im bound to mess up a few"

SO far this tournament has turned into the Tennis equivalant of March Madness.  There are upsets everywhere. 

Fish losing wasn't a big upset, neither was Isner....Although I had Fish making another run here after playing so well last week. 

Nishikori was an upset, this guy is very good.  I thought that Hyubg-Taik Lee losing to Dudi Sela was the upset of the first day.

Marat Safin appears to have lost all interest in the sport of tennis.  He is now taking up Raquet Bashing 101. 

I won't argue with Gonzo making it to the 4th round, but he has a tough test in Canas waiting for him on this surface.  Currently Novak Djokovic is in a 3rd set with Kevin Anderson, so perhaps Gonzo's quarter will be a little easier. 

Other Notable Upsets:

• Nicholas Keifer D. Jarko Neiminen 6-3, 6-3
• Ashley Harkleroad D. Virginie Razzano 6-4, 6-4
• Marina Erakovic D. Michaella Krajicek 6-2, 3-6, 6-2

Upsets in progress:

• Kevin Anderson .vs Novak Djokovic (1 set each)
• Caroline Wozniacki .vs Marion Bartoli 5-2 (1st set) This upset will happen.  Wozniacki's game is built for this surface and Bartoli may be the most overrated Women's player in the World.
• Sara Errani vs. Maria Kirilenko 6-4, 4-6, 6-6 (about done)

I obviously go with Cuevas because I’m a his countryman and count him out, because if Gonzalez plays on and off, Pablo can take him out, although I don’t see Cuevas beating Cañas in the next round.

Go CUEVAS!

Roddick has looked pretty unimpressive so far.  His groundstrokes look average at best.  He struggled with Troicki, but Troicki was playing some great tennis in that match.  Tsonga has already beaten Roddick in a great doubles match on Saturday (granted that has no impact on singles.)

Losing that doubles match to Tsonga may be the boost that Roddick needs to beat Tsonga in their singles match.  Either way, it looks to be a great battle.  I pick Tsonga to win that one, but three sets with tiebreakers deciding at least one would be no surprise.

Side Note: Lindsay Davenport may win the whole thing on the women's side.  She handled Ivanovic pretty easily in their 3rd round match up.  I figured it would be a close match, but Davenport had sent the young star on her way home within the hour.  Davenport is in great shape and Sharapova isn't in the draw.