Rome moves "slowly" into the 3rd round with almost all seeds making through. The biggest names to fall were Isner and Tipsarvic. Fed was experimenting lots of things yesterday.
1. 1] Novak Djokovic (SRB)
v
[14] Juan Monaco (ARG)
Monaco can grind this to some degree, but Djo is the master in that regard. Plus the superior game. Djo in 2, but it can get interesting for a while.
2. Marcel Granollers (ESP)
v
[2] Rafael Nadal (ESP)
virtual walkover for Nadal. Or better a good practice.
3. [3] Roger Federer (SUI)
v
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
Will be interesting to see this one. Fed in 2 though.
4. [6] David Ferrer (ESP)
v
[11] Gilles Simon (FRA)
Another interesting one. Simon is Murray kind of player with less stamina. Ferru is good to handle them. Ferru in 2, but won't be surprised if it gets to 3rd set.
5. 16] Richard Gasquet (FRA)
v
[4] Andy Murray (GBR)
I wish this time Gasquet does something to win. Its frustrating to see him lose on the last 2 times these 2 have met.
6. [10] Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)
v
[5] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)
Big hitters. Tsonga showed some form in the loss to Dolgo in Madrid. But that surface was different from what is in "Roma". Tsonga has lost their last 2 meetings. I'm expecting Delpo to make it 3 in a row.
7. [7] Tomas Berdych (CZE)
v
[12] Nicolas Almagro (ESP)
Berdych is in good form. Hence I expect a st. sets win for him.
8. Andreas Seppi (ITA)
v
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI)
Wawrinka needs to beat Seppi and the crowd. Will he? I think so.
ATP Matches Of The Day: Rome 2012, Day 5
posted on 17/5/12
"But we aren't here to prove we are fans, are we?"
yes, but you leave yourselves wide open, good jobe these Nadull fans are like the player they support
posted on 17/5/12
Nadal*
posted on 17/5/12
Anyway, I want to see another great Nole Fed match. they are by far my favourite match-up.
That RG semi last year could go as a match of the decade in my books.
posted on 17/5/12
NITB - Federer was there in Basel, WTF, Dubai and Madrid to meet Djoko. None of us wanted him to default then. It was Djoko who did though. I just don;t think it's wise for Federer to enter a gruelling fight when not 100%, a week before RG.
posted on 17/5/12
Interesting
posted on 17/5/12
Anway, thanks for another MOT thread rotla, and buona notte to my dear tennis friends
posted on 17/5/12
Look, nitb, I also think Nole is the best, but just not the best ever yet and I still think that Fed is still better than him when at his best, even now. I also think that as Fed is older and clearly in physical pain, he needs the rest so it is purely a pragmatic decision. And I think he should do the same. Plus it is clear that both Nole and he had rather Nole beat Nadal as they'd be both happy to avoid each other before the potential final.
posted on 18/5/12
"Plus it is clear that both Nole and he had rather Nole beat Nadal as they'd be both happy to avoid each other before the potential final."
I'm not with you here, what do you mean by "both Nole and he had rather Nole beat..."
it appears there's two Nole's from this sentence.
posted on 18/5/12
Hello nitb, I just thought using Nole a second time made it clearer than using "he", what I meant is that both Fed and Nole want Nole to beat Nadal in the final as it guarantees that they won't meet each other before the final (+ Fed is happier # 2 as it's closer to # 1 than # 3 - even though he wouldn't acknowledge it in public, + Fed is happier with a lower probability meeting Nadal at FO, even though ditto )
posted on 18/5/12
I think Nole would also like Fed to beat Nadal in the semi and than turn up drained in the final. How does that sound?