Big fish - FOXSports.com
Updated Aug 27, 2011 5:59 PM ET
No American man has won the US Open since 2003, and it is time for the nation to turn its lonely eyes to the latest hope.
No pressure, Mardy Fish.
"It's different from what I'm used to, certainly, but I don't know," Fish said. "I would assume that there is a little bit more (pressure)."
Fish's transformation into the USA's great Grand Slam tennis hope was, literally, metamorphosis — after undergoing a knee operation in 2009, he came back to tennis a stunning 30 pounds lighter, giving him better mobility and stamina. Before surgery, he was an inconsistent player with streaks of brilliance.
"No one beside himself made that decision to change his lifestyle," said his coach, David Nainkin. "It gives him options. If he wants to play defense and a long match, he can do that. He doesn't get tired, which gives him a lot of confidence and sends a message."
That confidence also is mental. Aside from his newfound fitness, he married Stacey Gardner, a former "Deal or No Deal" model, in 2008. He even has a group of ardent fans who follow him to tournaments. They are known as (what else?) the Fishheads.
"So many parts of the pie have to be in place for everything to be clicking, from your personal life to your nutrition to your training," Nainkin said. "There's a lot of parts of the pie that are filling up and making him feel good and obviously play better."
Fish, a 29-year-old Minnesota native, relies mostly on his serve. He is ranked eighth in aces and first-serve points won. He's also seeded eighth at the Open, and is No. 8 in the ATP rankings.
But with his enhanced conditioning, he has improved his game from the baseline. He now uses a two-handed backhand or a one-handed slice and has a stronger forehand.
"He's serving great," said fellow American player James Blake. "His backhand is one of the best in the world. His forehand was very attackable, but it's not now."
In recent tournaments, Fish has turned some heads. He won a set off Novak Djokovic in Montreal at the Rogers Cup finals and defeated Rafael Nadal at the Western & Southern Open before losing to Andy Murray.
"He moves much better on the court nowadays," Djokovic said. "I think mentally he just believes it more against top players."
Former No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam winner Mats Wilander said Fish has a bit more work to do if he wants to move to elite status.
"I don't think he needs to do much except make a few clearer, better decisions on big points," Wilander said.
"Sometimes, I thought he went for drop shots. You're signaling to the other guy, 'I'm really panicking and I'm hitting a low-percentage shot.' You have to play your best tennis when it's close, not your riskiest."
Perhaps the ability to take that risk stems from his newfound confidence. That, plus some home-court advantage, gives him as good a chance in the Open as he's ever had.
"It's much harder to play when you're supposed to win. But there is also a reason why I'm (eighth) in the world now," Fish said. "It's because I've transformed. I figured out a way to be a really good player."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal the headliners again, the big names in this year's U.S. Open are a familiar bunch. While some fans might find that lineup a little repetitive, there's a twist: Neither one is the top-seeded male.
This time, they're chasing Novak Djokovic, who went from also-ran to nearly unstoppable this year after plugging the holes in his all-around game. However, he still has a flaw or two. In fact, the same could be said for all five of the potential champions who will battle at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center this week.
That's why we listed reasons each of the five players in the running could win — and why they may meet defeat in the men's draw.
Here's a quintet of contenders who will play for the title in the year's last Grand Slam.
Seed: 1
The Daily's odds: 5-2
Why he'll win: With an improved serve and forehand, he's been the best men's player all year, losing just two matches in 2011.
Why he won't: One of those losses was in the recent Western & Southern Open, where he retired against Murray because of a shoulder injury. If he's not 100 percent, he'll be vulnerable.
Seed: 2
The Daily's odds: 6-1
Why he'll win: He won last year's Open and continues to thrive in Grand Slams — he won the French Open earlier this season to add to his already-impressive trophy case.
Why he won't: His burnt fingers could still be on the mend, and he could be distracted from the buzz surrounding his new book. Plus, if he meets Djokovic, he's in trouble — he's lost all five of his matches against the Serbian star in 2011.
Seed: 3
The Daily's odds: 8-1
Why he'll win: He's won five singles titles at the U.S. Open and still strikes fear in his opponents despite claiming victory at just one tournament this year.
Why he won't: He turned 30 this year, and some think he's on the decline. While he's still a threat in every match he plays, his run may end against a younger competitor in the quarter- or semifinals.
Seed: 4
The Daily's odds: 12-1
Why he'll win: After years of falling short at Grand Slams, he'll finally put together a run and use the "bad memories" to motivate him.
Why he won't: He always seems to come up short in Grand Slams. So far, no reason to think this year will be different.
Seed: 8 (top American seed)
The Daily's odds: 16-1
Why he'll win: Behind rabid U.S. fans and his strong play in 2011, he'll take advantage of hobbled foreign rivals and win one for his country.
Why he won't: Despite having a career year and taking over the top American spot from Andy Roddick, he won't be able to keep up with his higher-ranked rivals.
28 Aug, 2011--
Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNFGzL-M22k98dRRpCXeCNZm8403AQ&url=http://msn.foxsports.com/tennis/story/The-Daily-US-Open-Mardy-Fish-fit-focused-could-beat-Novak-Djokovic-Rafael-Nadal-Roger-Federer-082711
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