Rome Masters - Day 6 thread (SF)

[lydian]

So, Federer didnt hang about in giving Seppi his much earned nights rest.
Great matches tomorrow...arguably the best 4 men on clay this year in the semis.
The order of play tomorrow...

Court CENTRALE

Not Before 4:00 PM
[6] David Ferrer (ESP) v [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP)
Nadal is moving up the gears and Ferrer is already in overdrive. Some cracking shots today by Rafa shows his confidence is starting to rocket. I fully expect Ferrer to be overtaken 6-4, 6-3.

Not Before 8:00 PM
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) v [3] Roger Federer (SUI)
Their first meet up since that epic USO SF last year...will it come down to 1-2 shots again?
Well both men are showing great form...but I expect the Swiss to roll over Novak after the maestro sprints out of the blocks early on. Djokovic doesnt like the ball coming at him so early and I think more than Nadal is vulnerable to being rushed. I'm expecting Federer to tear through the first set catching Novak cold. Novak wakes up and stretches the 2nd to a TB which Federer edges...6-3, 7-6 (if Novak can sneak the 2nd then I think he'll win the 3rd fairly routinely 6-3 but I'm firmly of the view that Fed will win, probability 80%).

Cant wait!!!

[laverfan]

Goodluck to all the SFists.

[User 774433]

Can't wait!
It's gonna be an exciting day!

[Guest]

Welcome oh child it must be son of love,

I am the emancipator,

guardian of the tennis universe.

I occasionally reside on 606v2.

I am still searching for new potential disciples to be placed on the potential disciples list.



rotapicname

ps. I have disguised my name since it has not been but two weeks that a rumour has reached me upon the Eastern winds; the evil creature BOO is lurking. Beware oh minions!

[User 774433]

Emancipator!
I think i recognise you from 606v1, you were a great poster.
As a Nadal fan I didn't agree with everything you said, but some of your comments really made my day

Thanks for the welcome btw.

[lydian]

And hello from me too It Must Be Love
Welcome aboard

[Guest]

You are most welcome oh fan of the great young Bull.

Sadly, a dread has descended on my soul.

BOO is slowly gathering strength..

I must consult the Eastern Oracle for advice...

A darkness looms.. I see smoke and shadows; battle is at hand.



rotapicname

[User 774433]

Hello Lydian
Thankyou for the welcome.

[User 774433]

Emancipator, if I may ask, who is this BOO?

[Guest]

emancipator

This evil lurking and battle which is due will be as classical as young Obi One and young Skywalker. Do no fall into the darkside.

Consult with the Oracle as you have much to learn.

[Guest]

BOO is the evil that lurks in every shadow.

He is the darkness beyond the night sky.

Forever waiting, plotting and growing.. he does not rest.

For an eternity I, emancipator, have been battling him, keeping him at bay..

But he is wickedly cunning and resourceful.

He seeks to destroy all light and goodness...

But he too was once a carefree soul; a sapling in a field of pasture.

But greed and envy hath corrupted him and now his desire for vengeance will stop at nothing..

BOOOOOO0000000oooooooo......... coooooooooooome baaaaaaaaack

thouest isest forgiveneeeeeest



rotapicname

[Guest]

Welcome love and good luck to your boy in the Rome final (I hope you see what I have done there )

Federer vs Djokovic - what a match-up. With Roland Garros just a week away, this match could be very important for their respective psychologies. Last year Federer knocked out Djokovic in the SF of Roland Garros ... both players need to win this match. The funny thing is I think only Djokovic has a chance of beating Nadal at Roland Garros - but not on current clay court form.

[User 774433]

Thankyou Nore Staat

[invisiblecoolers]

Nice name Love love, welcome to the boards.

Should I go with my upset predictions

seriously don't know who is the favorite among the two, but I guess Fed is the better player than Nole in clay and leads him 3-1 as well.

So my prediction

Fed in straights or Nole in 3.

I go for the upset, Nole in 3.

Ferrer vs Rafa

I want Ferrer to win, he had such a close battle against Rafa In Barci finals and yet lost comfortably.

Rafa looking in prime form, dont think anybody has it in them to stop him here [including Nole].

Rafa in stratights 6-4 6-4, however I wish Ferrer to do it 6-4 6-4.

Nole- Rafa finals, and Rafa to win.

[User 774433]

Thanks IC

[invisiblecoolers]

love

[LuvSports!]

you guys get a room

[Jahu]

hahahah, are we in romantic mood or what

[User 774433]

Umm, no.

[Jahu]

Well, you should be then, it's weekend.

[reckoner]

woohooo wtg Fed!!! I am sooooo trollllied!

agree with lydian's pickes bring on the SFs! wahoooooooooo!

[LuvSports!]

haha are you also gazeboed? carparked? and even lawnmowered?

it must be love, ironic that you dont feel like sharing the around eh!

[summerblues]

Based on how Federer played yesterday I expect he fully intends to try to win tonight. If he were thinking of throwing in a softer performance tonight he could have taken longer last night, which would also have provided a good reason to be tired.

Could be quite interesting. Time for Nole to provide some indication where his real form is at.

[bogbrush]

Feds blowing red hot and lukewarm; remember the 2nd set v Ferrerro, games 6-10 v Seppi. He won't get away with that gainst better players.

I think Djokovic.

Nadal will win easy.

Nadl wins final.

[lydian]

Oh I don't know BB, I think the match against JCF was pretty routine but he just lost concentration towards end of 2nd set...plus JCF played well too, after all he can play a little on clay! But I don't think Fed will have lapses against Novak. The question is what does Novak have against Fed in this form...it's going to be intriguing viewing for sure. Fed is timing his FH and BH-DTL just about as well as I've ever seen it, he 's going to take a lot of the away from Nole to create those big swings he needs (this is where Novak is technically different to Nadal who isn't as bothered about being rushed as he can hit with very short and quick take backs when needed).

Let's worry about the final once we know who's gets there! Can't wait for the matches today....this is what us tennis fans live for hey?

[bogbrush]

Agree, it's perhaps about concentration. That really should not be an issue today, or ese!

[reckoner]

I am spectacularly hungover, so please tread lightly...

Win or lose, today's match is all good for the Fed.

It allows him to gauge where his game is at against Djoker 2012, who's a bit off the boil compared to last year.

He's gained points from last year so as discussed he maintains momentum in his charge for no 1.

My hope is that recent victories have given the old man heart and allow him to play his game without inhibition. If he manages to do that I'm sure he'll beat Nole quite convincingly. Allez!

[Haddie-nuff]

HI IMBL from me too sorry if the smiley dont work lol

[reckoner]

Oh great...

[Guest]

Federer for me needs to ensure that he controls his focus. Seppi nearly got back into the match in the 2nd set after a scruffy few games from TMF.

I think Federer may even do it in 2, but I think it will be in 3.

Nadal and Ferrer is going to be another un-tidy affair. More because Ferrer will scrap and turn it into an ugly match. Nadal won't mind that at all. It is more than routine match for Nadal. I wonder why Ferrer has never tried or considered other tactics when he faces Nadal.

Nadal in 2.

[bogbrush]

What other tactics is Ferrer capable of?

[Guest]

I think he can try vary his shot selection. He plays too precise for my liking. Never see him hit the tram lines.

He is like the highest ranked hitting partner. Just be good if he could play aggressive.

[reckoner]

What other tactics is Ferrer capable of?

ermmmmm nope I got nothing.

[reckoner]

It's just not in his DNA lkv2 - I can't say I have ever seen Ferrer vary his game...

[bogbrush]

I think he can try vary his shot selection. He plays too precise for my liking. Never see him hit the tram lines.

He is like the highest ranked hitting partner. Just be good if he could play aggressive.

It would be good if Federer could switch to a DHBH on high bouncy balls (well, it wouldn't really, it'd be a crime against humanity). It would be good if Andy Murray had a 2nd serve.

This is Ferrer. This is his game, with it's limits. If he aims for the lines he'll get smashed by everyone.

[Guest]

Well as much as I would like to see Murray make changes, Ferrer needs to follow suit.

I am asking a lot I know, but come on Daveed. Give me something different.

[reckoner]

I'm afraid there is no hope with Daveeeeed!

[luciusmann]

I certainly see this first match of the year between Federer and Djokovic as more important for Federer, just like Nadal's win over Djokovic @ Monte Carlo was more important for Nadal (after all, Djokovic has made beating Nadal a bit of a specialty of his). Federer needs this win to keep his confidence high as well as keep the momentum up (which clearly helps him play better) and even when his confidence is high, as we saw yesterday, he still has lapses. It's these lapses in recent times that have cost him (the French Open last year comes to mind and it's something Nadal has even mentioned in his autobiography).

There are some reasons to suppose Fed can take this match. Firstly it's on clay and Federer's only win against Djokovic last year was on clay. Secondly, @ RG last year and the USO, Fed won both the first sets in those matches, so he is capable of winning this match in straight sets, we'll just have to see if Fed does it...

I agree, Nadal will win the final, even if it was Djokovic in it, I think Nadal would probably still win.

[Guest]

I disagree Lucius.

I think it's more important for Novak.

Fed only decided to play this tournament at the eleventh hour.

He's already got enough clay court practice under his belt heading into RG.

A victory here would be a bonus. He's probably not feeling 100% after his exploits last week so a defeat to Novak on clay could be brushed off quite easily. He has also closed the gap on Novak points wise regardless of what happens today.

For Novak he needs the confidence of a victory against his two major rivals. The wheels are slowly starting to fall off. There will be questions and doubts creeping in. Was last year a fluke? Can I stay abreast of these two? etc.

Novak was considered mentally fragile up until last year. Unless he can stamp down his authority once again that fragility will start to creep in again. He hasn't been at the top, faced adversity, and then bounced back like the other two have, yet. He needs to show that he can do this, not least to himself.



emancipator

[Guest]

I agree with Emancipator, it's more important for Djokovic to win, as he has yet to win a clay tournament this season, and his form seems a touch suspect.

However, although I earlier predicted Djokovic to reach the final, I would be happy to see Federer continue his fine first half of the season form. I think it would make a great story if Federer could win Wimbledon, but I think his best chances are on the hard courts.

[lags72]

Well-reasoned post emancipator

[Guest]

...Novak was considered mentally fragile up until last year. Unless he can stamp down his authority once again that fragility will start to creep in again. He hasn't been at the top, faced adversity, and then bounced back like the other two have, yet. He needs to show that he can do this, not least to himself. ...

Nadal helped to create the monster that is Novak Djokovic. By not preparing properly for AO 2011, he managed to get himself injured. Instead of facing Nadal in the final, Djokovic faced the spoons and maracas man that is Murray. The ease with which he was allowed to take his victory and the AO title, enhanced Djokovic's confidence and self-belief - and he became a monster afterwards, devouring everyone that crossed his path.

[LuvSports!]

do you mean ao 2011?

[Guest]

yep ...

[Guest]

I think that's stretching it a bit Nore.

Nadal had a fever in Doha (not bad enough to stop him playing both singles and doubles). He was physicallt fine at the start of the AUS open.

The injury against Ferrer was something that could happen to anyone.

[reckoner]

...Novak was considered mentally fragile up until last year. Unless he can stamp down his authority once again that fragility will start to creep in again. He hasn't been at the top, faced adversity, and then bounced back like the other two have, yet. He needs to show that he can do this, not least to himself. ...

Nadal helped to create the monster that is Novak Djokovic. By not preparing properly for AO 2011, he managed to get himself injured. Instead of facing Nadal in the final, Djokovic faced the spoons and maracas man that is Murray. The ease with which he was allowed to take his victory and the AO title, enhanced Djokovic's confidence and self-belief - and he became a monster afterwards, devouring everyone that crossed his path.

I'd say Dr Igor and his "gluten allergy" had a little something to do with it too! http://docigor.org/

[Guest]

... I'd say Dr Igor and his "gluten allergy" had a little something to do with it too! http://docigor.org/

Dr Igor is clearly not of this planet. The egg chamber in which Djokovic enters is in fact a portal to another dimension. A dimension in which they have the latest pharmaceuticals.

[reckoner]

... I'd say Dr Igor and his "gluten allergy" had a little something to do with it too! http://docigor.org/

Dr Igor is clearly not of this planet. The egg chamber in which Djokovic enters is in fact a portal to another dimension. A dimension in which they have the latest pharmaceuticals.

Ah if only it was so... but sadly he is of this planet and the pharmaceuticals are very much in this dimension... Still at least we get 6 hour long finals on hard court - that's good right? Because more = better!

[luciusmann]

That is true Emancipator, he has closed the points gap so there is a lot of good coming out of this tournament for Fed without even winning it. Fed may not be feeling 100%, however, whether that's a niggle or something serious we don't know, and it's odd, because he had over a month off! Being able to play two back to back tournaments isn't much of an achievement, it's something Fed should be able to do easily (even @ 30).

I agree a win for Djokovic would be good for him, however, given that Djokovic has shown he can up his game in grand slams, would a win in Rome change that? I still think that Fed needs a win to keep the great momentum he's built up over the last 9 months.

[lags72]

emancipator : Things do indeed drag on somewhat when the marathon men meet.

Who knows .... their next HC 5-setter might stretch to eight hours. With perhaps a break for afternoon tea mid-way through....? (in the style of a Test Match at Lords)

At least you get to sit in your seat much longer. Unlike when the Swiss one is on court.

3 hrs 46 mins total so far this week for seven Federer sets.

On clay

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