US OPEN 2014 PREDICTIONS. SERENA VS ANA VS STOSUR

Ana, Serena, Sam ?
The top players always say they have some jitters entering a first round match at a Slam, and given what's happened to Williams this year at the majors, she could be slightly more anxious than usual.

 That's a positive for her first round foe, for one. Also, 18-year-old Taylor Townsend is highly promising, and the big-hitting lefty has already beaten some good, established players in 2014, including Alizé Cornet at the French Open - and we all know who Cornet defeated at Wimbledon. Assuming Williams passes the initial test, a fourth round match against Sam Stosur - which would be a repeat of the 2011 US Open final the Aussie won - would be interesting. Why? Well, apart from their history at Flushing Meadows, Stosur took Williams to two tie-breaks in Cincinnati - after getting crushed a week earlier by the World No.1. Stosur, too, is having a positive week in New Haven. Note, though, that Stosur needs to be sharp from the outset. Lauren Davis is the type to get every ball back, so if Stosur is misfiring, the diminutive American will engineer the upset. Alison Riske upended Petra Kvitova last year at the US Open, so Ana Ivanovic better be alert in the first round. If Ivanovic progresses over the aggressive Riske, she should comfortably get to the quarterfinals.