Sony Ericsson Open Thread (MIAMI TMS)

[Geddy Lee]

Draw PDF is here:

http://www.atptennis.com/1/posting/2007/403/mds.pdf

Text version for people without pdf capabilities:

[1] Federer vs BYE
Andreev vs [WC] Querrey
[WC] Kuznetsov vs Starace
BYE vs [29] Almagro

[19] Ferrero vs BYE
Henman vs [Q]
Verkerk vs Grosjean
BYE vs [15] Gasquet

[9] Haas vs BYE
Roitman vs Kohlschreiber
Ramirez Hidalgo vs Gaudio
BYE vs [24] Stepanek

[28] Verdasco vs BYE
Kunitsyn vs Mayer
[Q] vs Becker
BYE vs [6] Robredo


[4] Davydenko vs BYE
Udomchoke vs Greul
[Q] vs Benneteau
BYE vs [31] Acasuso

[23] Chela vs BYE
Tipsarevic vs [Q]
Montanes vs Clement
BYE vs [14] Berdych

[11] Nalbandian vs BYE
Ginepri vs Spadea
[Q] vs Gicquel
BYE vs [20] Nieminen

[27] Moya vs BYE
C Rochus vs Santoro
Mahut vs Volandri
BYE vs [7] Ljubicic

----------------------------------------

[5] Gonzalez vs BYE
[WC] Johansson vs Martin
Vliegen vs Mathieu
BYE vs [26] Melzer

[18] Hewitt vs BYE
[WC] Kuerten vs [Q]
Goldstein vs [WC] Sweeting
BYE vs [12] Murray

[13] Ferrer vs BYE
Monaco vs [Q]
[Q] vs Monfils
BYE vs [21] Tursunov

[32] Simon vs BYE
Srichaphan vs Horna
Vassallo Arguello vs Lee
BYE vs [3] Roddick


[8] Blake vs BYE
[Q] vs Serra
Massu vs Simon
BYE vs [25] Safin

[22] Hrbaty vs BYE
Koubek vs Llodra
Mirnyi vs Bracciali
BYE vs [10] Djokovic

[16] Youzhny vs BYE
Hajek vs [Q]
Del Potro vs Bjorkman
BYE vs [17] Baghdatis

[30] Rochus vs BYE
[Q] vs Garcia-Lopez
Hernych vs [Q]
BYE vs [2] Nadal

 

[Geddy Lee]

Play starts on 22nd March I believe.

Blake, Youzhny, Safin, Djokovic, and Baghdatis all in Nadals QUARTER! Not to mention Gonzalez, Hewitt, Murray, and Roddick in his half. As you will know, Blake and Youzhny are Rafa busters, if Berdych was in there too it would have looked completely rigged!!! Gonzalez is also a Rafa buster (3-1 H2H, including a win against him here at Miami).

It will be much, much harder for Rafa here but he is good enough.

Extremely hard draws for Gasquet and Hewitt (Kuerton than Murray) as well.

The real loser here of course is Igor Andreev, who will face a seething Roger Federer and probably win about 3 games (if he can beat Querrey).

 

[red+black]

Extremely hard draw for Hewitt (Kuerton than Murray).

Please explain how the 2nd round will be a tough match for Hewitt. Just curious.

 

[Geddy Lee]

Please explain how the 2nd round will be a tough match for Hewitt. Just curious.

Because Hewitt is in poor form and is playing a dynamic player who has won 20 singles titles and 2 GS, has been a finalist at Miami, is on the way back from injury and is one of the biggest fan favourites of the Open Era.

 

[matty p]

3 hard quarters:
Federer
Gasquet
Haas
Robredo

Gonzalez
Murray
Ferrer
Roddick

Blake
Safin
Djokovic
Youzhny
Baghdatis
Nadal

But then 1 really easy quarter which is annoying:

Davydenko
Berdych
Nalbandian
Ljubicic

All 4 are in bad form. Chela would have a good chance of making it into the semis from this quarter.

My tips for the Quarter Finals onwards:
Federer def Haas
Chela def Ljubicic
Murray def Roddick
Nadal def Djokovic

Federer def Chela
Nadal def Murray

Federer def Nadal

 

[Geddy Lee]

I think you're being mighty nice to JI Chela there. I'd be stunned if he could beat Berdych, let alone Ljubo.

Your final prediction is the most popular and the most realistic. I'd love to see Murray def Federer but I don't really expect anyone to get near Fed this week.

 

[stmookeyj]

From memory Guccione was playing Healey in Quallies 1st round.

 

[matty p]

Guccione beat Healey and then won his 2nd round match to get through into the main draw.

 

[stmookeyj]

So I guess he'll be in the top 100 by the end of this tournament (he's 103 ATM) and just about punch his ticket to the French and Wimbledon then.

 

[Geddy Lee]

Chris Guccione lost 6-7 7-6 6-4 to Serra after having two match points in the 2nd set.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Gooch loses. Arrh things back to normal.

 

[red+black]

Extremely hard draw for Hewitt (Kuerton than Murray).

Please explain how the 2nd round will be a tough match for Hewitt. Just curious.

Because Hewitt is in poor form and is playing a dynamic player who has won 20 singles titles and 2 GS, has been a finalist at Miami, is on the way back from injury and is one of the biggest fan favourites of the Open Era.

Yeah good call.

(Q)-R Sluiter (#147) d (WC)-G Kuerten (#670) 6-2 6-2

In other news:

(WC)-Michelle Larcher de Brito d. Meghann Shaughnessy (#43) 3-6 6-2 7-6(3)

She just turned 14, is the #64 junior in the world, and doesn't even have an Open ranking as this was her very first seniors match! Plays Hantuchova next.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Is Michelle hot?

 

[Drummond]

Yeah good call.

(Q)-R Sluiter (#147) d (WC)-G Kuerten (#670) 6-2 6-2

Safe to say you won that round.

14 year old Michelle eh? Far out that's impressive. I still don't rate Hantuchova even though she just won her second Indian Wells title, so she has a chance to cause an upset IMO.

And surprise, surprise, the Gooch lost. What a dud.

 

[red+black]

Is Michelle hot?

Well you know what they say. If there's grass on the wicket ...

 

[Geddy Lee]

Yeah good call.

It was my heart talking, I simply love the man.

I'd like to see some of your predictions so I can attack you retrospectively for them.

 

[red+black]

I'd like to see some of your predictions so I can attack you retrospectively for them.

Hewitt to not finish top 10 this year.

or even

Hewitt to never reach top 10 again.

 

[Geddy Lee]

Tim Henman gets to a set and a break up, and then loses to his master Willy Canas 3-6 6-2 6-1. H2H now 6-1.

Fedkilla now plays JC Ferrero [19], who he beat about a month ago in straight sets in Costa do Sauipe.

 

[PHX]

Geez Blake's been hopeless lately.

 

[Total Power]

Blake beaten.Thats good news for Rafa. lol

Rafa through to the 3rd round after beating Mello in straight sets.

I hope its Rafa vs Fed in the finals this time

 

[Geddy Lee]

The impressive rise and fall continues for JMDP and Marcos Baghdatis respectively; JMDP pulls out a bagel 6-2 5-7 6-0 and now plays the saluting Russian. Rafa will hope he wins.

Congratulations to the jokers who said the salivating 3rd round matchup Safin - Blake would probably be Serra - Feli Lopez. It is. LOL.

 

[Total Power]

That means Rafa will go through from this quarter for sure ..I am not complaining

 

[Vince Spadea]

That means Rafa will go through from this quarter for sure ..I am not complaining

Youzhny's still going.

Federer back on the winners list with a straight sets win over Querrey. Once step closer to a rematch with Canas after Willy won a long three setter against Ferrero.

 

[ShearMagic9]

Murray plays Hendrick in the 3rd round

 

[Ricketts]

Hewitt to not finish top 10 this year.

or even

Hewitt to never reach top 10 again.

Gee lets not make too outrageous a comment!