ATP Masters Series-Miami Preview: Fearing Federer

Safin remains the last player to beat Federer, in January at the Australian Open, but the Swiss says the big Russian does not necessarily head the challengers.

"I don't quite agree it's only Marat, you know, he's got a chance just because he beat me last time," Federer said.

With confidence bordering on arrogance, the Swiss is of late taking a page out of Serena Williams' book, quick to remind that he has beaten Safin in six of their eight meetings.

"I have a great record against him, as well," Federer says with a smile. "Don't forget that, please."

You almost expect the Swiss to launch into an explanation of what a great actor and fashion designer he is.

But back to the tennis, Federer has been dominant with four titles already through mid-March.

Need more? After last year's record season with three slam titles, in 2005 Federer is off to a personal-best 26-1 start, and is 42-1 since the 2004 Olympics.

More? Federer has won three of the past four ATP Masters Series tournaments he has contested, and an Open Era-record 17 consecutive tournament finals.

"No mas!" as they would say in Miami.

"All the finals in a row, that's fantastic," Federer said. "I didn't have a great record in the beginning of my career in finals. I lost more than winning them. I remember I had a good record in juniors, as well. I was very disappointed to have a bad one in the beginning of my pro career. Somehow I turned it around. Of course, now more and more I start thinking about it. It puts pressure on yourself."

This week in Miami the world No. 1 will feel the pressure as has been granted a draw that is by no means easy, with potential land mines in his two opening matches before facing either Tommy Haas, Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic or Mardy Fish in the round of 16, not to mention Tim Henman (who handed Club Fed one of his few losses in 2004) or Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson in the quarterfinals.

Here is the quarter-by-quarter breakdown for version 2005 of the Masters Series-Miami:

Top Quarter
Seeds: (1) Roger Federer, (6) Tim Henman, (10) Joachim Johansson, (16) Tommy Haas, (18) Mario Ancic, (23) Radek Stepanek, (28) Juan Ignacio Chela, (30) Paradorn Srichaphan
Floaters: Ivo Karlovic, Mardy Fish, Julien Benneteau, Juan Monaco

A few potential challenges for Federer as mentioned above, with huge-serving "Dr." Ivo Karlovic likely in his opener (all the seeds receive first-round byes) and then No. 30 seed Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan before meeting the big boys in either Haas or Ancic (or Fish, who as they say, is "due"). Henman, the second-highest seed in the quarter, could be up against it from the start in an opener against Argentine Army member Juan "The Principality" Monaco, who last year in Miami upset Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson and Guga Kuerten. Other opening-round matches of note in the section are Fish vs. a qualifier (winner to face (16) Haas), French comer Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau vs. Sargis "Sarge" Sargsian (winner to get a gift vs. (23) Stepanek), and undercooked American wildcard "The" Donald Young vs. a qualifier (winner to face (28) Juan Ignacio "The Spitting Snake" Chela). If "The Jackhammer" Johansson has healed from his shoulder problems of late, the big-serving Swede would be a tester for Club Fed in the quarters.

Second Quarter
Seeds: (4) Guillermo Coria, (7) Gaston Gaudio, (9) Andre Agassi, (15) Fernando Gonzalez, (19) Feliciano Lopez, (22) Nicolas Kiefer, (27) Sebastien Grosjean, (31) Taylor Dent
Floaters: Florian Mayer, Mark Philippoussis, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Tomas Berdych

Agassi, Gonzalez and Dent are salivating at their chances here, with the Argentines Gaudio and the recovering-from-injury Coria not scaring anyone. Dent and Coria should meet in the third round, with Gaudio granted a cake walk at least until a fourth-round confrontation with Agassi or Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez. Opening-round match-ups to watch for are (22) Kiefer vs. Florian "Oscar" Mayer in an all-German (if Mayer can bypass a qualifier in his opener), wildcard car-crash Mark Philippoussis vs. a qualifier (winner to face (15) Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez), (9) Agassi in a potential second-rounder vs. the confidence-riding Paul-Henri Mathieu who has tested the American in both their meetings, and (19) F-Lo vs. Tomas "I Beat Federer in '04" Berdych in a potential second-rounder. If Agassi's toe is truly healed, the American doesn't face a whole lot of resistance in reaching the quarterfinals versus likely opponents Dent or Gonzalez.

Third Quarter
Seeds: (3) Marat Safin, (8) David Nalbandian, (11) Guillermo Canas, (14) Nikolay Davydenko, (17) Mikhail Youzhny, (20) Andrei Pavel, (26) Dominik Hrbaty, (32) Xavier Malisse
Floaters: Jurgen Melzer, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Gael Monfils, Thomas Enqvist

Perhaps the weakest quarter, a couple players could go for the steal depending on which Marat Safin and which David Nalbandian show up. Safin won the Australian, then bombed out in the first round at Dubai and early at Indian Wells, claiming he played his "worst match ever." Nalbandian likewise did well at the Australian but then lost early at Marseille, Rotterdam and Indian Wells, where he was pasted by Nicolas Kiefer. Safin has a safe opener against the too-streaky Irakli "Freak Show" Labadze, who is apparently in the midst of passing a kidney stone (ouch) or the struggling-with-injury Younes El Aynaoui. Nalbandian on the other hand has a tricky opener against giant-killer Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer. Other openers to look for are the former No. 1 Ferrero vs. American wildcard Brendan Evans (winner to face (11) Canas), wildcard Gael "Force" Monfils vs. Michael Llodra in an all-French struggle (winner to face (14) Davydenko), and a big-hitting conflict when Swedish veteran Thomas Enqvist squares off against Korean net-rusher Hyung-Taik Lee (winner to face (17) Youzhny). Anything goes in this section, with Safin's draw a soft one against the off-kilter Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty in the third round, then Russian counterparts Davydenko or Youzhny in the fourth before a likely quarterfinal against Nalbandian or Canas.

Bottom Quarter
Seeds: (2) Andy Roddick, (5) Carlos Moya, (12) Tommy Robredo, (13) Ivan Ljubicic, (21) Vince Spadea, (24) Jiri Novak, (25) Thomas Johansson, (29) Rafael Nadal
Floaters: James Blake, Greg Rusedski, Max Mirnyi, Rainer Schuettler, Fernando Verdasco

As a player, this is the section of the draw you didn't want to land in. Two former No. 1s in Roddick and Moya, three former slam champs, five former slam finalists, and a big bald Croatian with a lot of confidence. Roddick's opener could be against Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco, who he barely edged in three sets last week in Indian Wells, if the Spaniard can get by Peter "Nuclear" Wessels in his opener. Moya's road is no easier with a likely opener against the hungry hard-hitting James Blake, and "Grinning" Greg Rusedski or (25) T.Johansson waiting in the next round. The hot-handed Ljubicic has a cushy draw, with (21) Spadea the first resistance in the third round, and a potential Davis Cup rematch with Roddick in the fourth round. Other openers to look for are Max "The Beast" Mirnyi vs. Jonas Bjorkman in a veteran battle (winner to face (12) Robredo), and potential seeded openers in (29) Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal vs. Rainer "He's So 2003" Schuettler, and (21) "Vincenzo" Spadea vs. Robby "Baby Courier" Ginepri in an all-American "C"-squad match-up. If Roddick can get by the firepower of Nadal and Ljubicic, a repeat of last week's Indian Wells stunner against Moya could be in the making in the quarterfinals.

In last year's final Roddick captured his third career Masters Series win after Argentina's Guillermo
Coria retired during the best-of-five-set final with a back injury with the American leading 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-1.

Returning champions this week in Miami are Roddick (2004) and the six-time champ Agassi (2003-01,'96-95,'90). Defending the doubles title will be Zimbabwe's Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett, who last year upset Jonas Bjorkman and Todd Woodbridge in the final.

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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
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