[EaglesPhan36]

Looking over the draw, this tournament looks wide open. Might be able to work some longer odds on dogs to make some nice profit next week.

Monfils Quarter
Monfils is rarely a threat during the US swing prior to the US Open, so you have to think a deep run here in his first-up on the hard stuff after playing some clay isn't likely. Still, his draw is not overwhelming. Llodra. Tipsarevic. Tursunov. Llodra is in the same mold as Monfils, rarely threatening during this swing. Not quite sure on Tipsarevic since his form is shit coming in, but he's got the game for this surface and the ability to take this quarter. I think it comes down to Tipsarevic or Tursunov. Don't trust either Frenchie to get through here.

Troicki Quarter
Troicki is the highest seed in this quarter, but Nalbandian is the defending champion down bottom. Very interesting quarter with big servers in Anderson and Isner here. Troicki doesn't look to be done much in the way of a favorable draw as he could get Harrison in the 2nd and Anderson in the 3rd. An Isner-Nalbandian clash in the 3rd could be for this quarter. James Blake might also be worth watching, although he'd have to work through Nalbandian to do anything. Nalbandian really is an X-factor here. Much like last year, he comes in without anything under his belt on hard courts. He's certainly game enough to run through this quarter, but I might take Isner here.

Melzer Quarter
Very weak seeds in this quarter with Melzer, Baghdatis, Belluci & Malisse. Some interesting floaters like Fernando Gonzalez, Devvarman and Karlovic. Malisse had a good run here in 2010 and would be the guy I watch in this quarter. He has to go through Karlovic or Russell first-up, but then would have Melzer or someone lesser. The draw looks nice for him especially with Karlovic not looking good this year. Baghdatis is another guy who is looking to hitch onto something here to kick start a horrible year. He made the final last year, could he repeat here? Nothing points to him figuring his game out though. Pretty big crapshoot here with a lot of guys who have had poor results in 2010 and are not in good form. Malisse looks best, but this could set up for someone unseeded with a big serve - Karlovic or Gonzalez maybe - to get hot on-serve.

Fish Quarter
Fish is in tremendous form, but I'm not so sure he even plays a match in DC. He's in the LA final on Sunday and will have played back-to-back championship matches in tournaments and could be exhausted. Would not be shocked to see him pull out of making a cross-country trip and get some rest for the next tournament. If he does stay in, fatigue is probably his biggest opponent. Stepanek or Petzschner would be his first match and then his old buddy Gilles Muller could loom for the third straight week if he gets past Kunitsyn and Nieminen. If Fish stays in this tournament, I cannot discount his chances of at least getting to the QFs - his draw is not that difficult given his current form. Up top, Verdasco and Davydenko lead the headcase underachiever brigade. Throw in Berankis and a bunch of qualifiers - none of whom rank very big in my opinion and Fish really could run the table again here. Verdasco wouldn't be expected to do a lot with an overseas trip looming from a final in Switzerland on Sunday, but he could be the best of the rest.
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Have not seen any futures prices yet, but I think Isner, Fish & Tipsarevic are guys I am looking at here. Maybe Malisse although he might make more sense to piggy back after his first match against either Karlovic or Russell. If he wins that one, he could be at least a semifinalist in the making.

Who ya got?

[beefcake]

I would take Isner, I think the intangibles all set up nicely for him with other good players in shit form and him is good form.Or with possible travel fatigue for other players. Key is to get Johhny early on in the futures list before fish would drop. Late tonight we should see 5 dimes put em up, anything over +500 IMO would be a good bet. If he gets by Fat Dave he is going at least till the semis.

[Demonata]

I pick Isner.