Roddick v. Nalbandian; Monfils v. Soderling Friday

by Sean Randall | November 4th, 2010, 9:55 pm
  • 59 Comments

We have some really good quarterfinal matches from both events on Friday. In Basel, Andy Roddick and David Nalbandian renew their rivalry. ADHEREL

Roddick holds the edge 3-2 including a memorable 2003 US Open semifinal win in which the American saved a matchpoint. Nalbandian, however, has won the last two but this is their first clash since 2006.

Roddick looked good today in a 6-3, 6-4 win over Andrei Golubev while Nalbandian needed three sets to beat the downward-spiraling Marin Cilic.


“I played well,” said Roddick. “I would like to have not got broken in the second set, but through my first two matches the level’s been real good for me and that’s a relief coming off an injury, kind of not been practicing a lot at home just because I was hurt. It’s a nice surprise. It’s nice to be in good form.”

Roger Federer will also be in action in his birth town of Basel. The Swiss favorite meets the quirky Radek Stepanek for an 11th time. Federer has won eight straight and 12 consecutive sets against the Czech.

If Roddick and Federer both win they would meet in the semifinals!

No. 2 seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic will – I think – be tested by qualifier Robin Haase of The Netherlands. And in the first quarterfinal of the day, Richard Gasquet meets Viktor Troicki for the first time.

Over in Valencia, the streaking Gael Monfils goes up against Robin Soderling. The Frenchman impressively blew out Stan Wawrinka today 6-2, 6-4. Soderling picked up his 50th match win of the season thanks to an easy victory of Daniel Gimeno-Traver. The Swede beat Monfils in their only meeting back in 2005.

Also tomorrow, local favorite David Ferrer faces Potito Starache, Nikolay Davydenko gets Gilles Simon and Juan Monaco tests lucky loser Marcel Gronollers.

So a pretty good day of tennis is in store for Friday. Tennis Channel in the US is schedule to have full live TV coverage of Basel starting at 9am ET.

FRIDAY BASEL SCHEDULE

CENTRE COURT start 2:00 pm
V Troicki (SRB) vs R Gasquet (FRA)
Not Before 4:00 PM
[Q] R Haase (NED) vs [2] N Djokovic (SRB)
Not Before 6:00 PM
[4] A Roddick (USA) vs D Nalbandian (ARG)
Not Before 8:00 PM
[1] R Federer (SUI) vs [WC] R Stepanek (CZE)
A Golubev (KAZ) / D Istomin (UZB) vs [2] D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB)

FRIDAY VALENCIA SCHEDULE

AGORA start 1:00 pm
J Monaco (ARG) vs [LL] M Granollers (ESP)
Not Before 3:00 PM
G Simon (FRA) vs [6] N Davydenko (RUS)
[8] G Monfils (FRA) vs [2] R Soderling (SWE)
Not Before 8:00 PM
P Starace (ITA) vs [4] D Ferrer (ESP)
M Lopez (ESP) / D Marrero (ESP) vs [4] R Bopanna (IND) / A Qureshi (PAK)


You Might Like:
Australian Open Draw: Federer Looks Good, But Will He Come Through?
Murray Lands in Nadal’s Half, Djokovic With Federer at US Open
Nalbandian Wins in Return
Federer, Djokovic, Roddick in Loaded Basel Field; ATP Previews
Federer, Murray, Roddick Headline Paris Wednesday

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59 Comments for Roddick v. Nalbandian; Monfils v. Soderling Friday

jane Says:

Yummy match ups!! Can’t wait.


Ben Pronin Says:

Federer’s won 4 straight, 8 overall. Interestingly though, based on a sorta-but-not-really-established pattern in the h2h, it’s Stepanek’s turn for the upset.

But yeah, with matches like these you almost forget it’s the fall season.


margot Says:

Novak, Andy, Gilles and Gael- come on! U c could NEVER do any good in those challenges- go with heart every time!


Thomas Says:

Simon will definitely beat davydenko.(unless davys form improves davys) ferrer and Monaco should advance easily. As for the soderling/monfils match,its a toss up. I think it comes down to the soderling first serve percentage. If soderling is serving well,he will blow monfils off the court. In Basel,Federer and Djokovic should progress. As for the Roddick/Nalbandian quarterfinal,the match is on nalbandians racquet. He is simply a cleaner ball striker than roddick,and his excellent return of serve neutralises the Roddick serve. However,david is notoriously inconsistent,and Roddick can take advantage. Simply put,if nalbandian plays his very best tennis and stays the course mentally,he wins. But I am not convinced that he is at his best atm,so Roddick should win in 2/3 tight sets.


i am it Says:

Troicki does it in style, straight set win over Gasquet. Impressed. Hopefully, he is for real. One of my sexiest guys, bodily, along with Monfils, FeLo, Monaco.
Way to go, champ.

Monaco falls to M. Granollers. Sad to see my distant homeboy go like that.Good luck for next time.


jane Says:

Congrats to Victor; he’s really hitting his stride. Didn’t see the match but happy for him and also sad for Gasquet, although quarters is not bad for Reeshard.


jane Says:

Simon vs. Davy are on but Nole vs. Haase starting too – will have to filp flop. The announcers said Vadja is back with Nole, as his family problems are resolved. Haase played Rafa so close at Wimbledon, he makes me nervous. : )

Simon has an early break point.


i am it Says:

J., Vajda was in the box yesterday. How could you miss him?


jane Says:

Not sure i am it, but I truly didn’t notice him. I was concentrating on the game maybe doing other stuff in the breaks. A few bad errors from Nole in his service game to give back the break. He seems slightly impatient to me today. He’d better calm down and focus. Davy is also fighting to get back the break but Simon has held him off thus far.


i am it Says:

Already Djoko and Hasse exchanged breaks. This match looks intense from the beginning. I like that.


i am it Says:

Vajda is in the box. They’ve already shown him a couple of times.


i am it Says:

I am loving it the way Djoko is playing. I am liking the way Hasse is striking from behind the baseline.
I see Djoko winning in straight.


jane Says:

I did see Vadja today in the box; Nole better consolidate this break. Yes, intense; I like it.


jane Says:

Nole stayed well focused considering Haase did not let up until Nole consolidated the second break. And then Haase lost concentration. It’s so important to stay steady, Nole has done a better job of that lately on the court, staying calmer and more positive, even when having to fight, struggle, etc.


i am it Says:

1st set in 42 min. Quality match so far; the scoreline is unexceptionally deceptive.


i am it Says:

J., I have noticed that growth, particularly since last year’s Beijing, and I am happy for him. Agree with your description. Thanks for bringing it up in a relevant context.


i am it Says:

I wish Djoko were as good as Murray on on-the-run shots, and I wish Murray had at least Djoko’s NEW level of calmness that Jane describes above.


jane Says:

Haase has buckets of potential, a lot of natural talent, imo, but he could pull back the reins at times; play more controlled and less “all out”. Maybe he can be a little hot-headed too? In any case, two great overhead smashes from Nole today, neither of them easy. Liking what I am seeing on the second serve too – he’s not getting a lot of first serves in (55%) but he’s been putting more on the second serve and so is still able to control his service games. Haase is no slouch as a returner either. Haase is going for too much in the serve department, maybe because he knows it may come back so he’s trying for aces.

i am it, have you looked at Simon vs Davy at all? I am following scores and they are presently on serve in the second.


skeezerweezer Says:

congrats to Novak……looking good.


jane Says:

Yay Nole.

Davy and Simon in a second set tiebreak.


i am it Says:

Phenomenal tennis from Djoko. I think I may have wished Hasse won the second set so I could watch more tennis. Should I feel guilty about wanting that, even if it was hardhearted?


i am it Says:

J., I did not but am watching Simon-Davy now.


i am it Says:

Simon-Davy looks a good match, but soon I will be switching to Roddick-Nalby match, obviously.


jane Says:

Davy has leveled it but I still get the sense that Simon will win.


i am it Says:

Skeeze and Jane,
Has Conty responded to the love we’ve shown for her yet? Why is she so mean? I cannot imagine she could be like that:-) read between the lines; the burden is yours to get it right, Skeeze. I think you can.


i am it Says:

Beautiful to watch Davy creating those angles with a smooth flip of his writs. Always admire his agility, which surpasses or rivals the best of the best in this dept. Once he gets his FH back, he will be a factor everywhere he plays, at least for another year.


margot Says:

jane: hi! Did not see Novak’s match but the scoreline sure looked good :) I too am puzzled by Haase, only 23, bags of talent..but..but….perhaps his game is just a bit one dimensional? Also, I suspect Novak was able to somewhat neutralise his serve, which must’ve been offputting.
i am it: yes, please calm wishes 4 Andy, all together now ..om..om..om…
Am watching Davy and Simon, honestly it’s enough to make a grown woman weep…one brilliant shot from the Davy of old…then 27 unforced errors from the new Davy..:(


i am it Says:

One quick point before Roddick/ Nalby kick off: Nalby is expected to have the edge in an Indoor setting.


jane Says:

As I had thought, Simon wins; Davy just hasn’t fully recovered his form of yore. I am very curious about Roddick vs. Nalby. Edge to Andy I think.

margot, yep I think Djoko did well at neutralizing that Haase serve; sometimes it’s tough to know whether the opponent had an off serving day or whether it was due to the returner. I mean Haase was serving bombs, but by game 3 Nole was reading them and sending them back. Must be frustrating.


jane Says:

Roddick with the break already!


margot Says:

jane: to do well you’ve got to return serve well. You see so many guys with huge serves who cannot for the life of them get the ball back, Isner/Gulubev being good examples.
I really love the way Nalby can play but he is sooo irritating, he’s like those awful brats who do no swotting but always seem to come top in exams! Now Andy does plenty of revision, so come on Andy!


i am it Says:

Yep, A-Rod draws the first blood that should give him the 1st set. All he has to do is hold his service games. Should not be difficult.


i am it Says:

A-Roddick has been a better returner in this match, winning more points under the return category, 11-4.


jane Says:

Agreed i am it. Shouldn’t be hard for Andy to take this set with his serve. Nalby not able to return it. Roddick coming in whenever he gets the chance. Announcers calling this match a “slow burner” thus far.


margot Says:

Oh dear I’m going to have to duck and dive now because I sooo want Monfils to beat Soderling!! Doesn’t look as if Andy needs my support though and yes i am it, he’s really going for Nalby’s second serve and making big inroads :)


jane Says:

margot, I’m switching over to Monfils versus Soda too. I’ll keep my eyes on the score of this one, but it looks to me like Roddick will win.


jane Says:

Monfils not doing too well so far.


margot Says:

ooh jane, Monfils in a grump about the court surface :( And, in spite of returning Sod’s first serve, he’s now way behind :(


Zeus in Pigtails Says:

There is only Roger! All others are superfluous to requirements. There is Mirka as well but why confuse the issue. In other news Radek Stepanek is impossibly pretty. No truth to the rumor however that Andy Roddick is planning to get divorced and move to California so he can marry Stepanek. The joke here being Radek Roddick! I thank you and good night!


margot Says:

Andy looking rock solid and Gael looking plain rocky!


jane Says:

Soda is playing more aggressively than Monfils. But Gael is trying to get the break back now – deuce.


i am it Says:

Now it can be safely said A-Rod will win in straight. It’s always nice to see him outplaying his opponent with rallies, his side-to-side movement appears to me as a slower version smooth slide, returning the ball from both ends so well.


jane Says:

Nalby fading; Roddick pouncing! Can’t wait to see Roddick versus Fed. Their matches are always exciting and tense.

Soda with set one, but Monfils seemed to be playing better at the end of set one.


margot Says:

Fed always makes Sod look slow by moving him forwards and backwards but Monfils is taking him on at the baseline. A mistake at the mo. because Sod’s painting the lines :(


i am it Says:

Sadly Monfils’s chances are slipping away by every passing minute. Can he turn it around?


margot Says:

Who on earth just dropped i to tennisx ???????


jane Says:

Durrr, just when I thought Monfils would come back roaring in the second set, he meekly surrenders serve.


jane Says:

Twice! But have to hand it to Soda; he is playing well.


margot Says:

Well played Andy! Gr8 stuff :)
jane: as usual Monfils has no plan B :(


jane Says:

Congrats to all the winners; unfortunately I have an appointment so can’t watch Fed & Steps. But I am expecting Roger to pull though. Also expecting Ferrer will come through the other match; it’ll be interesting to see a Soda vs. Ferrer semi.


i am it Says:

A-Rod does it. Spectacular performance. As usual, Naldy failed to deliver his side of the bargain and live up to the hype.


jane Says:

margot, yep, sad for Gael; not a thinker on the court, that one. : /


margot Says:

Just heard commentators say Rafa’s withdrawn from Paris ??


Ela Says:

Unfortunately he did:( he probably does not have time to train cause picking up all those awards and partying too much. damn this news killed my mood.he better have a good reason…


NELTA Says:

Nadal withdrew from Paris. The draw has been posted on the tournament web site, but is not yet showing on the ATP site.


Ela Says:

It shows on ATP but the reason undisclosed. Unless you want to call it medical reason…


i am it Says:

Easy win for Fed in little over an hour (yet to be over). Exquisite tennis from the Swiss. He will rejoice the chance to face one more time his favorite player in Roddick.


jane Says:

I see Fed won easily; just got in so missed it. Roddick and Fed are both in form so it should be a great semifinal. Also, the last two times Nole and Troicki have played it’s been very tight, so that one should be interesting too.

In Valencia I am thinking a Soda vs Simon final is likely. But we’ll see. Ferrer might have something to say about that.


skeezerweezer Says:

i am it says;

“Exquisite tennis from the Swiss”

Yes!

Should be a good match against the Rod man.

Go Fed!

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