THE U.S. OPEN

There have been brutal heat and high winds at the U.S. Open tennis tournament, which started this week. As Mats Wilander says in his always perceptive analysis on Game, Set and Match, this doesn't help the big guys. With the result that a surprising number of the men's seeds have gone out in the early rounds, notably Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych, who was unceremoniously stuffed in his first round match by unseeded Michael Llodra.

However, the big four (Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray) are still there, and it is looking increasingly likely that they will be the four semi-finalists. My tip? Nadal is world number 1, winner of the French Open and Wimbledon this year, and looking very good. But I have a sneaking suspicion that the Fedster will produce a rabbit out of the hat, and win his 17th grand slam title at the age of 29.

On the women's side, the absence of both current world number 1 and clear favourite Serena Williams and former world number 1 Justine Henin makes things much more of a lottery. In their absence, the whole of Denmark is rooting for last year's losing finalist Caroline Wozniacki, the number 1 seed. However, although she moves well and is very solid in her groundstrokes, I just don't think she has the variety of shot to win. I am going for last year's winner Kim Clijsters to do a repeat performance.

Walter Blotscher