*Official* Tennis Thread

[Pup Clarke]

Anyone else feel that Ferrero has a decent chance of beating Federer.?Or maybe it's just me....However it is difficult to back against Federer when you are in the semis of a masters series tournament.

 

[Pup Clarke]

I seriously feel the top 10 players in the men's game could change quite rapidly.The likes of Murray,Berdych,Hewitt and Safin when on form are potentially much better than Davydenko,Robredo,Gonzalez and Ljubicic however good they might be.

My predicted top 10 at the end of 2007

Federer
Nadal
Roddick
Murray
Djokovic
Davydenko
Hewitt
Ljubicic
Ancic
Safin

Players to make breakthrough this year

Soderling (top 15)
Kohlscreiber (top 40)
Del Potro (top 30)
Korolev (top 40)

 

[Simon]

Federer isnt playing great, his first set against Ferrer was one of the worst ive seen, yet he still won it, thats probably the most worry thing...

 

[Simon]

I seriously feel the top 10 players in the men's game could change quite rapidly.The likes of Murray,Berdych,Hewitt and Safin when on form are potentially much better than Davydenko,Robredo,Gonzalez and Ljubicic however good they might be.

My predicted top 10 at the end of 2007

Federer
Nadal
Roddick
Murray
Djokovic
Davydenko
Hewitt
Ljubicic
Ancic
Safin

top 5 of those yes, bottom 5 no...
Davydenko may scrape in, but hes struggling...
Ancic and Hewitt have too many injury problems...
Safin just cant be consistent enough...
Ljubicic is showing now he's a joke of a top 10 player, he was ranked in the 20's for years, overachieved for 18 months and how he's going backwards...

Haas and Robredo will be in there, possibly Blake too...

 

[Magrat Garlick]

top 5 of those yes, bottom 5 no...
Davydenko may scrape in, but hes struggling...
Ancic and Hewitt have too many injury problems...
Safin just cant be consistent enough...
Ljubicic is showing now he's a joke of a top 10 player, he was ranked in the 20's for years, overachieved for 18 months and how he's going backwards...

Haas and Robredo will be in there, possibly Blake too...

Söderling IMO.

 

[Simon]

Söderling IMO.

im glad you are joking...

 

[Pup Clarke]

im glad you are joking...

It's hardly unrealistic.Possible top 15 by the end of the year and top 10 in 2-3 years.

 

[Jono]

Monte Carlo Final, Federer vs. Nadal on right now. Expecting a repeat of last year's result. Nadal in 4 sets.

 

[Jono]

Federer paying $9 at the moment, a set and a break down. Pretty sure I've never ever seen him paying that much in a second set of a match ever.

Hang on, since when is the Monte Carlo final a best of 3 sets? Could have sworn Nadal won in 4 sets against Federer last year, both the French Open and Monte Carlo.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Federer paying $9 at the moment, a set and a break down. Pretty sure I've never ever seen him paying that much in a second set of a match ever.

Hang on, since when is the Monte Carlo final a best of 3 sets? Could have sworn Nadal won in 4 sets against Federer last year, both the French Open and Monte Carlo.

It changes a bit. It was a 3-setter in 2003 and 1993, for example.

 

[Simon]

Nadal clearly back to his best on the red dirt, looks pretty much unstopable...

 

[Simon]

It's hardly unrealistic.Possible top 15 by the end of the year and top 10 in 2-3 years.

Soderling? hmm hes an ok player, but top 10, just cant see it happening...

 

[Jono]

Haas belted by Grosejean, and Gonzales belted by Mathieu... both in first rounds.

Had a feeling Mathieu would get up, but couldn't bring myself to bet on it until he shortened too much.

 

[Mister Wright]

Did anyone hear about the match that Federer and Nadal played on a half grass/half clay court?

Saw a picture in yesterday's paper. Looked strange indeed.

Nadal won btw.

 

[Jono]

Haha yeah sounds like they had heaps of fun. Good tight tie-breaker to decide it. They were so happy with it that they're keen to do it again some time.

Anyway, some yummy semi-finals tonight. In the Estoril Open Richard Gasquet v Paul-Henri Mathieu and Novak Djokovic v Tommy Robredo. And then Tomas Berdych v Mikhail Youzhny in the BMW Open.

I wouldn't put it past Mathieu to take down Gasquet. Even though Gasquet is a favourite of mine I think I'll put apunt on Mathieu since he's paying 2.75.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Rome Masters, third round: Volandri has three game points to go 5-1 up in the first set against Federer.

 

[Simon]

Feds is getting done by Volandri big time here, pretty woeful stuff from him, Rafa should be $1.03 to win the french, no competition at all

 

[Jono]

Volandri should have never even got past Gasquet, and now he beats Federer?

Djokovic is so awesome, had money on him to beat Baghdatis in straight sets. Only started watching when he won 6-2 in the first, but was 2-5 down in the 2nd with Baghdatis serving for the set. Said "oh well, maybe he can still do it." Djokovic then wins the next 5 games and wins the match. What a legend.

 

[Jono]

**** me dead Volandri is playing good tennis. I put a bit on him to beat Berdych, and also to do so in straight sets. Thought he'd have a good chance considering the form he's in and the crowd behind him (they love him to bits) but never thought he'd annihilate Berdych like that. Mind you Berdych did his patented "fall to pieces routine" late in a tournament. Pretty stock standard on his part.

Volandri vs. Chela/Gonzalez should be a good match. I expect a Volandri vs. Nadal final. Personally I reckon its worse for Volandri that he is on the opposite side of Nadal's draw. He'd be better off facing Nadal in the semis while Volandri is red hot. By the time the final comes, and Nadal's there (unless Djokovic upsets him, because Davydenko won't) it may be too much pressure. I still think Volandri was lucky to get past Gasquet, considering Gasquet was clearly not 100% yet he only just beat him, but now that his confidence his high who knows what he can do.

The Italian crowd are pretty awesome when Volandri is playing. There's a few dickheads obviously, but when Volandri beat Gasquet in that 3 set match, and they chanted to The White Stripes Seven Nation Army in the background it was an awesome atmosphere.

 

[Simon]

Nadal only has to turn up to win this title, i actually hope volandri gets past gonzo in the other semi at least then rafa will have to feel the pressure of having the crowd against him...