Federer Back to Form; Jankovic Avoids Upset at US Open

In my last pick, I had 6 out of 7 right (was uncertain on 1, but leaning toward it). Actually, only Verdasco turned out to be wrong pick. So, I was above 80% right, 30% more than I had aimed for.
Here are my picks for tomorrow (aiming for 50% again, so I just have to get 2 out of 4 right):
1. Fish vs. Monfils: Monfils
2. Rafa vs. Querrey: Rafa
3. Wawrinka vs. Murray: Murray (upset possible)
4. Nishikori vs. del Potro: del Potro

September 1st, 2008 at 1:22 am

S,

Good calls today; I got 5 out of 7 right (not bad for me actually); I didn’t make a pick for Roger/Step because I was unsure, so I guess 5 out of 8 really.

On my drawsheet I have the same picks as you for tomorrow.

I agree Stan could beat Murray; their H2H is 3-3, but 2 of Wawrinka’s wins were on clay. I wonder if Fish could win against Monfils; they are ranked very closely and have never met before, and Fish, on hardcourts earlier this year, has beaten Nalbandian too. I think 5 sets favors Monfils but the crowd will favor Fish. So who knows? Maybe this one could go either way too.

BTW –
The TMP website: is it the cafe one or the magazine and forum one?

September 1st, 2008 at 1:54 am

1. Fish vs. Monfils: Monfils
2. Rafa vs. Querrey: Rafa
3. Wawrinka vs. Murray: Murray (upset possible)
4. Nishikori vs. del Potro: del Potro

1.I give Fish a slight homeground advantage edge (close but am going for Fish).
2.Rafa (but upset possible if he Querrey serves like crazy and takes the 1st 2 sets)
3.Murray
4.Del Potro but I hope it goes to a close 4/5set match

September 1st, 2008 at 2:23 am

Awesome, Federer!…I still dont think his forehand is as powerful as it used to be… I was watching the other day a match against Agassi and he could produce incredible speed when running towards his right… now, he barely gets the ball across the net….. anyway, does any one have a link to the video of the after-match press conference?

September 1st, 2008 at 4:20 am

On a lighter note, is Radek Stepanek the only tennis professional to still play with his shirt tucked into his pants? It really looks weird in this day and age.

Is there a tennis advantage to doing this? I cannot think of one. Personally I like to let it all hang out and enable the air to circulate.

September 1st, 2008 at 6:19 am

My pick would be like this:
1. Fish
2. Querrey
3. Wawrinka
4. del Potro

I can’t wait to see how far off I am. :)

September 1st, 2008 at 7:59 am

From Steve Tignor at tennis.com – an apt description Federer’s amazing and unique abilities

“There’s a curious quiet in the stadium as Federer does his work. I’ve heard it before when he plays, and it may be because his method of victory is often not obvious. Nadal grinds his opponents down; Federer kills them with a thousand subtle and surprising cuts (or slices). In the second set, he comes back from 40-15 down to break Stepanek. On one point, he anticipates a serve, comes over his backhand return, and forces a volley error. Then, at break point, he comes under his backhand return and chips it low and crosscourt. Stepanek has to stretch. His volley hits the tape and he’s broken. Federer hasn’t done this with raw power or anything spectacular. He’s done it with intelligent—or perhaps instinctive—shot selection, something that’s not easy for an audience to get revved up about.”

For the technically deficient in tennis, he has atleast a couple of showman shots a match like the video I posted yesterday!

Grapple in the Apple seeming more of a certainty with every match Federer and Nadal are playing. It looks more and more likely Roddick will take out jerkovich and promptly loose to Federer in the semis. If Andreev/davydenko dont take Federer out, no freaking way any one else other than Nadal is going to stop him during the championship sunday at Flushing Meadows. Andreev/davydenko will really get Federer’s baseline game in the groove.

Jerkovich played a really stupid match, yesterday. Admittedly Cilic was playing great ball, but he was so inconsistent and still made it a tough fight. It will be a minor miracle if he even gets by roddick.

September 1st, 2008 at 9:46 am

i’m such retard i make an arse of myself every time i open my octopus mouth
Para su información, y yo nací en un burdel.

in ireland, pogue muh ho-in to all fedobitch trolls.

September 1st, 2008 at 12:01 pm

Leftykick,

That’s a funny question about Stepanek. Maybe he’s working the geek look? Whatever he’s doing it seems to be working in the girlfriend department.

I like his stubborness about sticking to serve and volley too.

September 1st, 2008 at 1:34 pm

Latent Talent said, “Jerkovich played a really stupid match, yesterday. Admittedly Cilic was playing great ball, but he was so inconsistent and still made it a tough fight. It will be a minor miracle if he even gets by roddick.”

This is the stupidest comment I have seen in days. Djokovic played superb tennis to beat the Croatian prodigy Cilic. Cilic is a great talent- potential GS champion in the making. To beat him, requires a champion’s mind-set and the game. That is exactly what Djokovic did. In contrast, Roddick was completely outplayed by Gulbis in every poissble way. The first set speaks for itself. The only reason why Roddick is still there is because Gulbis- as he usually does, let down his guard and started to lose all his first serves after winning the first serve. Not only that Gulbis started to make mistakes in his usually impecaable ground strokes as well.
In essence, Roddick will go down to Djokovic in 3 o4 4 sets. There is nothing about Roddick except his serve.

September 2nd, 2008 at 12:47 pm