Originally posted on 07/15/2012:

ATP Atlanta

America, **** yeah! The US Open Hard Court series gets underway in Atlanta and it is laden with Americans. Isner is the top seed and a two time finalist. The two seed is Mardy Fish, the two time defending Champion. Rounding out the top four seeds are Kei Nishikori at three and Andy Roddick at four. The Americans also have a couple of intriguing wildcard entries with the much talked about Brian Baker and youngster Jack Sock. This is just the third year for this tournament. Qualifiers have done okay in the 1st round in this tournament. They have scored a couple of scalps in this tournament, but don't count on them to do too much. The top two seeds have done well in both trips to ATL, making the semis or better both years. That means mark Isner and Fish as legit shots to win this week. An unseeded player has made the semifinals both years.

Isner Quarter
The Big Tie Break comes to the ATL in good form with a tournament win @ Newport. Given that this is his stomping grounds from his college days and he has a good track record here, don't expect the surface switch to hard courts to be anything but smooth for him. He'll get the extra rest with a bye before taking on Rajeev Ram or a qualifier in his 1st match. His quarter looks very simple for a semifinal run. Steve Johnson is up against Donald "O-fer-my last 12" Young in the 1st round along with Sock against Bogomolov. That is a lot of young American talent, but none even close to Isner's level. Could Young finally break his 12 match losing streak against Johnson? I wouldn't bank on it, but it should be his best shot and maybe one of his last shots for a while to pick up a win. Sock against Bogomolov should be a good first rounder. Bogo has totally fallen off the reservation after his unexpected rise in 2011. This is a match that Sock can take.

Roddick Quarter
Roddick will look to carry over his resurgent form on grass to the hard courts of Atlanta. Being his preferred surface, Roddick will look to ignite his summer this week. He gets a bye and then faces either Mahut or Capdeville. Don't overlook those two. Mahut and his serve obviously can stay in any match and Capdeville likes this surface with a Challenger finals appearance on hard courts this year and a great run in the summer of 2011 where he won two titles on hard courts at the lower level. Also in the mix in this quarter are Michael Russell and a qualifier + Kevin Anderson and Paolo Lorenzi. Anderson and Roddick look to be the two key threats in this quarter. Anderson has played well both years @ this tournament and made the semis in 2010. A Roddick-Anderson QF looks likely unless Roddick falls victim to an early upset. Anderson and Roddick have played a handful of times in their careers with Anderson winning the last two on hard courts.

Nishikori Quarter
This should be the quarter of intrigue as Nishikori continues to try and work his way back into form after the long injury layoff. With the likes of Soeda, Malisse, Baker & Tursunov in this quarter - he is the best talent, but will be prone to an upset if he's not at his best. Nishikori will open after a bye against Tursunov or a qualifier. Soeda against Malisse should be one of the more competitive 1st rounders. Soeda has been in bad form since the switch from hard courts to clay in the Spring and then to grass. He started hot on this surface though, so his chances will be enhanced. Malisse is going to be given more of a shot than his hard court form shows due to his resurgence on grass. He was terrible during this swing in 2011, so it will be interesting to see if that form can hold onto the surface. His game gives him the opportunity and the winner of this first rounder could be a sleeper. I like Baker to overwhelm Kunitsyn in the 1st round, which will set up a good match with Soeda or Malisse. The winner of that one could have a legit shot to upset their way into the semis.

Fish Quarter
Fish showed well @ Wimbledon, so his fitness should no longer be a concern going forward. He won't have an easy path to defending his title as his 1st match will run through Muller or Matosevic. He should have too match for both, but he'll need to show strong. In the other portion of the bracket, Ryan Harrison takes on James Blake. Harrison has played good tennis lately and with Blake not showing much in his comeback, Harrison should expect to advance. That should set him up against Ebden or a qualifier. Either way, I think Harrison will do well again. He made the quarters in ATL in 2011 and is likely to have a shot for the same finish or better. A Harrison-Fish quarterfinal encounter should be enticing to see how much Harrison has improved in a year. Last year, Fish humbled him 6-2, 6-4 in Atlanta.

1st Round Upset Watch

Sock over Bogomolov
Johnson over Young

Semifinalists
Isner, Anderson, Baker, Fish

Finals
Fish over Isner

Futures Investments [1 unit each]
Isner +300
Fish +350