2013 US OPEN: Men's Quarterfinal's Preview

Last  year I correctly predicted 3 of 4 women's quarterfinals and correctly predicted 3 of 4 men's quarterfinals. This year I also have made predictions for the women's quarterfinals. Below are my predictions for the men's quarterfinals at the 2013 US Open.

Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1] vs Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) [21]. The World #1 has been devastating so far through the first four rounds, serving up three bagel sets (including two in his 4th round demolition of Marcello Granollers) and losing on 22 games and no sets. Youzhny is coming off one of the greatest comebacks in US Open history, having beaten 2001 US Open champion Lleyton Hewitt despite being down 1-4 in the 4th set and 2-5 in the 5th set, eventually winning the match 6-3 3-6 6-7(3) 6-4 7-5 in four hours of play to reach his 3rd US Open quarterfinal. Even though he'll have two days to recover and has won his two previous quarterfinal appearance (against Rafael Nadal in 2006 and Stanislas Wawrinka in 2010). Mad Professah's pick: Djokovic.

Andy Murray (GBR) [3] vs Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) [9] Tomas Berdych (CZE) [5]. For the second major tournament, Wawrinka has reached deeper into the tournament than his more celebrated countryman. Although the defending champion Andy Murray has an 8-5 head-to-head record against Wawrinka, he has lost to him before at the US Open, just three years ago. However that was before Murray had won his two major titles. The Swiss is now a legitimate Top 10 player with his 4-set upset of World #5 Tomas Berdych in the round before so he has already had a very good tournament. Wawrinka is playing in only his 4th major quarterfinal while Murray has reached the final of the last four major tournament he entered. Murray is also one of the top 2 or 3 hard court players in the world and sports a 6-2 lead on Wawrinka on this surface. Mad Professah's pick: Murray.

Richard Gasquet (FRA) [8] vs David Ferrer (ESP) [4]. This should be the popcorn match of the four quarterfinal round. Both Ferrer and Gasquet had to get through stern tests to reach this point. Gasquet survived the serving barrage (39 aces!) of Milos Raonic in the 4th round, escaping with a win despite hitting fewer winners (45 to Raonic's 102) by playing well on the important points: 6-7(4) 7-6(4) 2-6 7-6(11) 7-5. Ferrer ground down the talented Janko Tipsarevich  in four sets despite trying to choke away his win repeatedly. However the history between these two players indicates that Ferrer has Gasquet's number. The Spaniard has an 8-1 head-to-head record over the Frenchman and despite his prodigious talents Gasquet has only reached a major semifinal once in hs career and this is his second quarterfinal appearance despite reaching the 4th round 16 times before. Mad Professah's pick: Ferrer.

Roger Federer (SUI) [7] Tommy Robredo (ESP) [19] vs Rafael Nadal (ESP) [2].  Robredo is coming off the greatest win of his long career, a straight sets upset of 17-time major champion Roger Federer, while Nadal is undefeated on hard courts this year. Let me say that again. Nadal has won 19 consecutive matches on his worst surface and is having one of the best seasons of his life. Robredo has never beaten Nadal in 6 meetings (he had never beaten Federer in 10 meetings) but Nadal is near his peak while it is becoming painfully clear Federer is playing nowhere near his best tennis. This match should be the least interesting of the four quarterfinals and Nadal has to be considered the favorite to reach his second US Open final and cement his position as the best player of 2013 by winning his second major title of the year. Mad Professah's pick: Nadal.