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Yahoo! Contributor NetworkFan’s preview: Top active men who haven’t won a Grand Slam in tennis
While Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer seem to be the favorites going into the 2011 U.S. Open, the men's field is full of talented players who have yet to win that first slam.
The Scottish player has been in three Grand Slam finals, losing to Federer and Djokovic. Murray has arguably the greatest return game in tennis. However, his passive defensive style has kept him from crossing that crucial hurdle of winning that first major.
Murray showed glimpses of brilliance against Nadal in the first set of this year's Wimbledon semifinal, stepping out of his comfort zone with some aggressive tennis. If he can sustain that level of play for three sets, this could be the key to his ultimate success at the Grand Slams.
In 2009, the Swede rose to prominence by reaching the finals at the Roland Garros, taking out four-time defending champion Nadal at Roland Garros in the process. Soderling consolidated his performance by reaching the finals the following year.
Soderling is a power hitter with a devastating forehand. Although he can be a streaky player who folds under pressure, he has improved the mental aspect of his game. His best chances at a slam will likely be on the clay courts at Roland Garros, but one can never count him out of any major tournament.
This hard-hitting Czech player finally found his groove in 2010, taking out Federer at the Sony Ericsson Open and again at Wimbledon, reaching the finals of both tournaments.
Like Soderling, Berdych can be inconsistent. Although he made it to the quarterfinals of this year's Australian Open, he crashed out of the first round at Roland Garros. Will he be able to hold it together for the U.S. Open?
Given Andy Roddick's troubles, Fish might be America's best hope at the U.S. Open. This month, Fish reached a career-high ranking of No. 7. His dramatic weight loss in 2010 has given him increased speed and stamina.
This 18-year-old may be the "future" of tennis. This year, he became the youngest man to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinal since Boris Becker in 1986. He also gave the in-form Djokovic a run for his money in the semifinal, pushing him to four sets. Although I don't see him pulling a "Becker" this year, I do think he'll win a Grand Slam someday. Time is on his side.
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