Prediction Time: St. Petersburg, Vienna and Montpellier

The Montpellier final should be the most closely fought among the three.  Gael Monfils (#15) will have to defeat wily veteran Ivan Ljubicic (#17).  Both are playing really well, and Ljubicic has a good chance of wresting this title from Gael.  But I'm going for Gael because the home crowd should be rooting for him!

It's going to be an all-Austrian final in Vienna - I think the first time this year where both finalists came from the same country of the host tournament.  I could be mistaken though.  I remember Isner and Querrey fighting in an earlier final but I don't know if it was an American tournament.  Both, I'm sure, are very hungry to win in their home court. So even if Maurer ranks #157, that should not stop him from winning the title.  The home court cheers should be very loud!! However, Jurgen should win this easily.  A championship win here should help him edge ever so closely at the Top 10!!

Finally, in St. Petersburg, it's a battle between two Mikhails - Youzhny and Kukushkin.  Mikhail Youzhny should win, especially that he has the home crowd cheering for him.  Kukushkin from Kazakhstan, is an unknown entity, even for me, and he's just ranked #88, so I place all my bets at Youzhny. 

If all three guys win - this would be the first time I've seen all tournament winners of a given week have winners comng from the host country.  Let's see if it happens!