ATP Masters Series Rome

[Drummond]

The 4th Masters Series event of the year, the second on clay, gets underway tonight with coverage starting at 9:00pm on Fox Sports 3. Can anyone beat Nadal? He has won the Rome Masters for the past 3 years and owns a 17-0 record for this tournament. I can’t see anyone blemishing his perfect record. And I’m looking forward to Federer v Canas in the second round (assuming Canas wins first up) because he beat him twice last year. If they are to meet it will be a true test of where Federer is at.

Draw:

(1) FEDERER, Roger vs Bye
CANAS, Guillermo vs NASO, Gianluca
STARACE, Potito vs CILIC, Marin
KARLOVIC, Ivo vs MATHIEU, Paul-Henri(15)

(9)GASQUET, Richard vs QUALIFIER
TURSUNOV, Dmitry vs ACASUSO, Jose
STEPANEK, Radek vs NIEMINEN, Jarkko
(5)FERRER, David vs Bye

(3)DJOKOVIC, Novak vs Bye
DARCIS, Steve vs LJUBICIC, Ivan
LEE, Hyung-Taik vs ANDREEV, Igor
QUALIFIER vs MONACO, Juan (13)

GONZALEZ, Fernando vs TIPSAREVIC, Janko
QUALIFIER vs SODERLING, Robin
ALMAGRO, Nicolas vs CIPOLLA, Flavio
(7) NALBANDIAN, David vs Bye

(6)RODDICK, Andy vs Bye
LLODRA, Michael vs FISH, Mardy
BOLELLI, Simone vs QUALIFIER
SIMON, Gilles vs TSONGA, Jo-Wilfried (10)

(14)ROBREDO, Tommy vs CHELA, Juan Ignacio
MAHUT, Nicolas vs QUALIFIER
ANCIC, Mario vs LOPEZ, Feliciano
(4)DAVYDENKO, Nikolay vs Bye

(8)BLAKE, James vs Bye
SEPPI, Andreas vs SANTORO, Fabrice
VOLANDRI, Filippo vs QUALIFIER
VERDASCO, Fernando vs MOYA, Carlos (11)

MURRAY, Andy vs QUALIFIER
SAFIN, Marat vs WAWRINKA, Stanislas
FERRERO, Juan Carlos vs KIEFER, Nicolas
Bye vs NADAl, Rafael (2)

 

[Karbo]

(8)BLAKE, James vs Bye

Wouldn't surprise me to see Bye notch up a win here.

 

[Drummond]

Anyone catch Gasquet’s performance last night? He was thumped 6-4, 6-1 by none other than Luis Horna. Gasquet barely tried out there, in the latter stages of the match the crowd was starting to jeer him. The commentators labeled his game as shocking a few times as he looked completely disinterested and wanted to get off the court as quickly as possible.

Well Federer cruised past Canas 6-3, 6-3. He played very well but it must be said, he had all the luck on his side. Canas had lifted his game in the second set and with Federer serving at 3-2* down break point, they were involved in a long exchange that finished with one of Federer's shots hitting the tape and bouncing on the opposite side of the net. From then on it was all Federer as Canas had nothing left to give. It was one of the more comprehensive performances I’ve seen from Federer in quite some time and on that form it’ll once again be a Federer/Nadal final.

 

[pepsi]

Nadal goes down to Ferrero 7-5 6-1...

I personally feel that this is a good thing for Rafa. If he had gone al the way to the final this week, as well as in Hamburg next week, I think it would have hurt his chances of winning in Paris. A week off will do him good.

 

[Drummond]

Nadal goes down to Ferrero 7-5 6-1...

I personally feel that this is a good thing for Rafa. If he had gone al the way to the final this week, as well as in Hamburg next week, I think it would have hurt his chances of winning in Paris. A week off will do him good.

Agreed, and did you see his feet? They weren’t in the best of conditions so while he will be very disappointed at the loss, I think he'll realise this wasn't such a bad thing to happen when he looks back at it. I’m assuming he’s going to play Hamburg? If he had gone deep here I would’ve liked to see him skip Hamburg but knowing Rafa he likes to play as much as possible. The loss will give him time to rest and give him good preparation for the French Open.

 

[dylan101]

Federer lost 6-7 6-7 to Radek Stepanek in the quarters.

A Roddick v S Wawrinka

N Djokovic v R Stepanek

It'll be a Djokovic vs Wawrinka final I'm tipping.

 

[Sir Vlado]

I think Djokovic v Roddick with Djokovic winning.

 

[dylan101]

I think Djokovic v Roddick with Djokovic winning.

You posted that after the semis had been played

It's a Djokovic vs Wawrinka final.

Djokovic beat Stepanek 6-1 1-0 with Stepanek retiring.

Roddick retired after being 3-0 down to Wawrinka in the first set with a left sided back injury.

I'll tip a 6-3 7-5 win to Djokovic.

 

[Drummond]

Feel sorry for Roddick as he had a great week and was playing real well. Shame it had to end like that.

Did I hear correctly that Wawrinka will be in the top 10 when the new rankings are released? If not 10, then at the very least 12. Considering he was 22nd before this tournament, that's one heck of a leap! Good on him as he's got a great game, especially that backhand.

I'll predict a Djokovic win though, in 3 sets.

 

[Sir Vlado]

You posted that after the semis had been played

It's a Djokovic vs Wawrinka final.

Djokovic beat Stepanek 6-1 1-0 with Stepanek retiring.

Roddick retired after being 3-0 down to Wawrinka in the first set with a left sided back injury.

I'll tip a 6-3 7-5 win to Djokovic.

lol soz Honestly I didnt know the results to the matches!

 

[dylan101]

Feel sorry for Roddick as he had a great week and was playing real well. Shame it had to end like that.

Did I hear correctly that Wawrinka will be in the top 10 when the new rankings are released? If not 10, then at the very least 12. Considering he was 22nd before this tournament, that's one heck of a leap! Good on him as he's got a great game, especially that backhand.

I'll predict a Djokovic win though, in 3 sets.

In last years French Open he only made the 2nd round so he should jump a fair bit after that as well.

 

[Drummond]

In last years French Open he only made the 2nd round so he should jump a fair bit after that as well.

Yeh he's got barely any points to defend in the next month or so which means he's got a great oppertunity to go even higher.

Djokovic won yesterday, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, and in doing so has closed the gap on Nadal and is getting very close to overtaking him at #2. The race is heating up!