Is this the year Nadal finally loses it to Djokovic? Is this Federer's last kick at the can on the clay? Or does Nadal, as always, Rule At Roland?
My emotion feeling is Novak Djokovic finally pulls it of. My gut feeling is it's Rafael Nadal again. Nowhere do I feel that Federer, despite his fine play so far this year, pulls it off. At least he doesn't have to worry about Stan Wawrinka, but that applies to the other two, as well.
Nadal has an interesting draw. The ageless Tommy Haas, who's been around forever, is a possible opponent in the round of 16. I'd like to see that. But even more interesting is a possible quarter-finals match against David Ferrer, who is seeded 5th. Ferrer was beaten by Nadal last year in the finals and reached the final four back in 2012. More on him, later. Beyond that, I'm intrigued by a possible semi-finals match between Nadal and Andy Murray (seventh seed), with Wawrinka out of the equation. For Wawrinka, he has finally come down to earth. Murray got to the semi-finals back in 2011, where he lost to Nadal. Same old, same old for Nadal in the French Open. I wouldn't have it any other way. Makes for a good story.
Djokovic, who is in the other half of the draw and seeded second to someone obvious, also has an interesting draw. The match I'm looking forward to is his possible fourth round match against the thirteenth seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga, such a fighter, has an interesting history with Djokovic. They met in the 2008 Australian Open finals (their very first meeting), with Djokovic prevailing. They've had several good matches since, including the semi-finals of the 2011 Wimbledon (after Tsonga beat Federer in the quarters) and two years ago here in the French quarters. Tsonga last beat Djokovic in a slam back at the 2010 Australian Open. Beyond Tsonga, I can see a possible match in the quarter-finals this year with Canadian Milos Raonic, seeded 8th. Then, perhaps a rematch of the 2011 and 2012 semis with Roger Federer. That is, if Federer can make it.
Federer has a tough draw. It's Dmitry Tursunov in the third round round, in all likelyhood. Should Fed beat him, he would then probably face Mikhail Youzhny, who is seeded fifteenth. Right after that, just Federer's luck, his old pal Tomas Berdych. That matchup is with someone who has beaten Roger at Wimbledon in the fourth round in 2010 and the US Open fourth round back in 2012. A win here by Berdych, the 2010 semi-finalist, is very probable, given his knack for beating Fed when he shouldn't.
As for the year so far by The Big Three, certainly not what I expected. Nadal won his first title earlier this at Doha on hard court. But Tobias Kamke got a set off him in an early match and Gael Monfils got one in the finals. Nadal beat Federer at the Australian Open, only to lose to Stan Wawrinka. Nadal then won on clay in Rio de Janeiro, but almost lost in the semis. Pablo Andujar took him to 10-8 in the third set tie-breaker.
An early loss in Indian Wells was a setback, but Nadal got to the finals in Miami, only to lose to Novak. Raonic got a set off him in the quarter-finals. Then came a stunning loss on clay in Monte Carlo to David Ferrer in the quarters. He would then lose at Barcelona to Nicolas Almagro at the same stage, same surface. Raf managed to win in Madrid, but exciting newcomer Kei Nishikori got a set off him before he was forced to default in the third. In Rome, he dropped a set in three straight matches (including one to Murray, 6-1), before bowing out to Djokovic in a great finals.
Nadal has now lost three matches on clay this year, something that hasn't happened since 2004. Despite that, he's my pick to win.
Novak is my second, but the way he's playing you'd think he'd finally pull it off. Following his quarter-final loss at Australia, he lost in the semis of Dubai to a suddenly resurgent Federer. He got his revenge at the Indian Wells finals, but almost blew a 5-3 third set lead. Novak had to pull it out in the tie-breaker.
Djokovic then swept through Miami, beating Murray, Nishikori and finally Nadal without the loss of a set. He looked almost too good there! How would he fair on clay? Setback time!
He faced his old pal Federer in the semi-finals of Monte Carlo, and lost in straight sets as he sustained an injury.
But he'd be back! When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Like conquer. But in this tournament, it was Djokovic that was almost conquered. Kolschreiber got a set off him in the round of sixteen. Then Ferrer got one off him the next round. Raonic almost beat him in the semis. Finally, we had a three set classic with Novak and Rafa in the finals, with The Joker coming out on top. You wouldn't have bet the farm on who was walking out of there with the gold, however. One of those matches where it was hard to choose.
I'm choosing Djokovic to finish second this year to Nadal in Paris. But next year, watch out! Here comes the career grand slam!
How about the old man? Federer is now 32. Seems like only yesterday that he came, saw and conquered. Paris was the only Slam he hadn't won, until 2009.
A bad 2013, in particular from June to September, seemed to spell the end for him. Fed showed some signs of life in the fall, but could not capture a title. He started this year by getting to the finals in Brisbane. But a loss to Lleyton Hewitt there and a loss to Nadal in the semis at Australia served as a reminder: We can't count on Fed to win in the finals against anybody, anymore!
But a win at Dubai, beating Djokovic and Berdych, brough him his first since June of 2013.
Roger followed that by almost beating Djokovic in the finals of the Indian Wells. Looking good.
But a loss to Nishikori at Miami brought him to Earth with a thud. Federer regrouped in Monte Carlo and beat Tsonga and Djokovic, before narrowly losing to the red-hot Stan Wawrinka.
But a loss to Jeremy Chardy in the second round (after getting a bye) at Rome puts a big question mark on Roger Federer coming in to the French Open. He's a longshot. Seems so odd to say that, but such are the times in tennis.
My emotion feeling is Novak Djokovic finally pulls it of. My gut feeling is it's Rafael Nadal again. Nowhere do I feel that Federer, despite his fine play so far this year, pulls it off. At least he doesn't have to worry about Stan Wawrinka, but that applies to the other two, as well.
Nadal has an interesting draw. The ageless Tommy Haas, who's been around forever, is a possible opponent in the round of 16. I'd like to see that. But even more interesting is a possible quarter-finals match against David Ferrer, who is seeded 5th. Ferrer was beaten by Nadal last year in the finals and reached the final four back in 2012. More on him, later. Beyond that, I'm intrigued by a possible semi-finals match between Nadal and Andy Murray (seventh seed), with Wawrinka out of the equation. For Wawrinka, he has finally come down to earth. Murray got to the semi-finals back in 2011, where he lost to Nadal. Same old, same old for Nadal in the French Open. I wouldn't have it any other way. Makes for a good story.
Djokovic, who is in the other half of the draw and seeded second to someone obvious, also has an interesting draw. The match I'm looking forward to is his possible fourth round match against the thirteenth seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga, such a fighter, has an interesting history with Djokovic. They met in the 2008 Australian Open finals (their very first meeting), with Djokovic prevailing. They've had several good matches since, including the semi-finals of the 2011 Wimbledon (after Tsonga beat Federer in the quarters) and two years ago here in the French quarters. Tsonga last beat Djokovic in a slam back at the 2010 Australian Open. Beyond Tsonga, I can see a possible match in the quarter-finals this year with Canadian Milos Raonic, seeded 8th. Then, perhaps a rematch of the 2011 and 2012 semis with Roger Federer. That is, if Federer can make it.
Federer has a tough draw. It's Dmitry Tursunov in the third round round, in all likelyhood. Should Fed beat him, he would then probably face Mikhail Youzhny, who is seeded fifteenth. Right after that, just Federer's luck, his old pal Tomas Berdych. That matchup is with someone who has beaten Roger at Wimbledon in the fourth round in 2010 and the US Open fourth round back in 2012. A win here by Berdych, the 2010 semi-finalist, is very probable, given his knack for beating Fed when he shouldn't.
As for the year so far by The Big Three, certainly not what I expected. Nadal won his first title earlier this at Doha on hard court. But Tobias Kamke got a set off him in an early match and Gael Monfils got one in the finals. Nadal beat Federer at the Australian Open, only to lose to Stan Wawrinka. Nadal then won on clay in Rio de Janeiro, but almost lost in the semis. Pablo Andujar took him to 10-8 in the third set tie-breaker.
An early loss in Indian Wells was a setback, but Nadal got to the finals in Miami, only to lose to Novak. Raonic got a set off him in the quarter-finals. Then came a stunning loss on clay in Monte Carlo to David Ferrer in the quarters. He would then lose at Barcelona to Nicolas Almagro at the same stage, same surface. Raf managed to win in Madrid, but exciting newcomer Kei Nishikori got a set off him before he was forced to default in the third. In Rome, he dropped a set in three straight matches (including one to Murray, 6-1), before bowing out to Djokovic in a great finals.
Nadal has now lost three matches on clay this year, something that hasn't happened since 2004. Despite that, he's my pick to win.
Novak is my second, but the way he's playing you'd think he'd finally pull it off. Following his quarter-final loss at Australia, he lost in the semis of Dubai to a suddenly resurgent Federer. He got his revenge at the Indian Wells finals, but almost blew a 5-3 third set lead. Novak had to pull it out in the tie-breaker.
Djokovic then swept through Miami, beating Murray, Nishikori and finally Nadal without the loss of a set. He looked almost too good there! How would he fair on clay? Setback time!
He faced his old pal Federer in the semi-finals of Monte Carlo, and lost in straight sets as he sustained an injury.
But he'd be back! When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Like conquer. But in this tournament, it was Djokovic that was almost conquered. Kolschreiber got a set off him in the round of sixteen. Then Ferrer got one off him the next round. Raonic almost beat him in the semis. Finally, we had a three set classic with Novak and Rafa in the finals, with The Joker coming out on top. You wouldn't have bet the farm on who was walking out of there with the gold, however. One of those matches where it was hard to choose.
I'm choosing Djokovic to finish second this year to Nadal in Paris. But next year, watch out! Here comes the career grand slam!
A bad 2013, in particular from June to September, seemed to spell the end for him. Fed showed some signs of life in the fall, but could not capture a title. He started this year by getting to the finals in Brisbane. But a loss to Lleyton Hewitt there and a loss to Nadal in the semis at Australia served as a reminder: We can't count on Fed to win in the finals against anybody, anymore!
But a win at Dubai, beating Djokovic and Berdych, brough him his first since June of 2013.
Roger followed that by almost beating Djokovic in the finals of the Indian Wells. Looking good.
But a loss to Nishikori at Miami brought him to Earth with a thud. Federer regrouped in Monte Carlo and beat Tsonga and Djokovic, before narrowly losing to the red-hot Stan Wawrinka.
But a loss to Jeremy Chardy in the second round (after getting a bye) at Rome puts a big question mark on Roger Federer coming in to the French Open. He's a longshot. Seems so odd to say that, but such are the times in tennis.
Fed's loss at Rome to Chardy was not totally expected since Merka has just delivered twin sons. Only player on Nadal's side with any chance against the Spanish southpaw is Ferrer but he would more likely beat Rafa in a best 2 of 3 since Nadal's stamina is more likely to wear the 33 year old down in a best of 5 clay court encounter.
ReplyDeleteAgree that this year is Fed's last kick at the Roland Garros can but unfortunately I see the Joker as too strong for him if they meet in the semis.
Finals will be a gruelling match that could go either way; if 4 sets or fewer the Serb;
if 5 the Spainard