For early predictions of the eventual winners, I’ll be sticking yet again to the current #1 players, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic.  Each was also the winner of the most recent grand-slam that is also played on hard court, the Australian Open back in January.  They have also done relatively well with other hard-court Masters/Premier tournaments played earlier this year in Indian Wells, Miami, Montreal, Toronto, and Cincinnati.

My conviction in these predictions ranges from overwhelming (Williams) to hesitant (Djokovic).

What more can be said about Williams?  She has won the past four grand slams including last year’s U.S. Open.  She has also won the past three U.S. Opens and has a total six trophies overall for that tournament.  If there is any possible trouble, it would come from Simona Halep (Indian Wells winner) and rising star Belinda Bencic who shocked all by defeating Williams in the Toronto semi-final, then…