Grass Tennis Won’t Wait as Nadal, Djokovic Finish; Previews

by Staff | June 10th, 2012, 9:19 pm
  • 35 Comments

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will complete the rain-delayed French Open final on Monday morning, but the grasscourt season won’t wait.
ADHEREL
Nadal after Paris will be the top seed in Halle, Germany, along with No. 2 seed Roger Federer this week. Andy Murray is atop the seedings at Queen’s Club, along with headliners Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Andy Roddick among others.

Here is a look at the ATP and WTA grasscourt events this week:

Gerry Weber Open
Halle, Germany; Surface: grass


Seeds: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Tomas Berdych, Alexandr Dolgopolov, Milos Raonic, Marcel Granollers, Andreas Seppi, Philipp Kohlschreiber

Floaters: (WC) Dustin Brown, (WC) Tommy Haas, Bernard Tomic, Radek “The Worm” Stepanek

Notes: Rafa is 0-1 career in Halle, while Federer has won five titles; openers of interest are (8) Kohlschreiber vs. the upset-maker Brown, (WC) Haas vs. Tomic, and (7) Seppi vs. The Worm; The Top 4 seeds get byes, Nadal starts against the Lukas Lacko/qualifier winner, and Federer against the Florian Mayer/qualifier winner; Raonic lurking for Federer in the QF; past champs in the field are Kohlschreiber (2011), Haas (2009), and Federer (2008,’06-03).

AEGON Championships (Queen’s Club)
London, England; Surface: grass

Seeds: Andy Murray, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Janko Tipsarevic, Gilles Simon, Feliciano Lopez, Marin Cilic, Andy Roddick, Julien Benneteau, Kevin Anderson, David Nalbandian, Marcos Baghdatis, Denis Istomin, Alex Bogomolov Jr., Gilles Muller, Go Soeda, Ivo Karlovic

Floaters: Nicolas Mahut, (WC) Lleyton Hewitt, Sam Querrey

Notes: Few openers of interest besides (16) Karlovic vs. (WC) Hewitt, and potential second round (1) Murray vs. Mahut; Queen’s Club used to be THE EVENT before Wimbledon, but now the ATP Halle tourney has locked-up Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to cash contracts, leaving Queen’s with the rest, not including Novak Djokovic; Roddick says this could be his last grasscourt season/Wimbledon year; not a sterling field as seven seeds have career losing records at Queen’s Club; returning singles champs in the field are Murray (2011,’09), Querrey (2010), Roddick (2007,’05-03), and Hewitt (2006,’02-00); the Bryan brother are the defending doubles champions, but are the No. 2 seeds behind nemesis’ Max “The Beast” Mirnyi/Daniel Nestor.

AEGON Classic
Birmingham. England; Surface: grass

Seeds: Francesca Schiavone, Sabine Lisicki, Daniela Hantuchova, Roberta Vinci, Jelena Jankovic, Mona Barthel, Christina McHale, Ekaterina Makarova, Marina Erakovic, Sorana C�rstea, Iveta Benesova, Tamira Paszek, Hsieh Su-wei, T�mea Babos, Elena Baltacha, Eleni Daniilidou

Floaters: Mirjana Lucic

Notes: No Top 10 players among the seeds as the WTA top players mostly eschew the warm-ups and sit out until Wimbledon; the Top 8 seeds receive first-round byes, with very little to get excited about in early meetings; four Americans qualified in Grace Min, Melanie Oudin, Alison Riske, and Abigail Spears; returning champs in the field are Lisicki (2011) and Jankovic (2007).


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35 Comments for Grass Tennis Won’t Wait as Nadal, Djokovic Finish; Previews

RZ Says:

I’m curious to see if Nadal will actually play Halle. I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t, considering the Monday F.O. final, though I’d LOVE to see a Federer-Nadal final at Halle (assuming that Berdych or anyone else doesn’t mess that up)


Alex Says:

I’m sure Nadal will manage to improve the 0-1 record at Halle. I would love to see a Federer Nadal showdown, that would be awesome. It’s been entirely too long since Wimbledon 2008.


Tennis Vagabond Says:

I would imagine Rafa will pull out of Halle.

I think Milos stands a very good chance of upsetting Federer.


jane Says:

They meet early. But Milos has Petz right away, and isn’t he good on grass?


Basil Says:

I think Nadal has to play at Halle because he has a 3-year contract with the tournament. So he might have wanted to pull out, but his contract does not oblige such decision.


Mark Says:

Nadal will play in Halle on Thursday so he has a few days rest.


RZ Says:

I really wish there was one more week (or better yet, two) between the French and Wimbledon.


Steve 27 Says:

Jamie the questions are Who will be the winners of the tournaments of grass season?
Queens
Halle
Wimbledon The Champiosnhips
Olympics Gold Medal

what percentage of these predictions?
Wimbledon is as safe, for example, Australia to Djokovic or Roland Garros for Nadal?


WTF Says:

Steve, Djokovic will win Wimbledon and Olympics.

I don’t think even Federer can beat Djokovic on grass anymore. Last year he didn’t even get up to the stage they were expected to meet. He’s been throwing away matches that were in the bag lately.


Eric Says:

Rafa affirmed in his post-final interview he is still playing Halle. So, should be interesting. (I still wonder why he decided to jump ship from Queens to Halle, anyway – we must have discussed this in the past…)


Eric Says:

WTF, sure, but Roger and Novak have literally never played a match on grass so I am not sure how you can predict the outcome so confidently! Of course, Roger is the underdog in every encounter with Novak now. I hope Roger can rediscover his grass ‘touch’ this season.


Steve 27 Says:

Eric, because of $ and the possibility of reverse his bad presentation seven years ago.


Steve 27 Says:

Federer has a posibillity in the Olympics only because is the best of three sets (final is best of five) but in SW 19 his chances are less than Murray!


madmax Says:

Eric Says:
Rafa affirmed in his post-final interview he is still playing Halle. So, should be interesting. (I still wonder why he decided to jump ship from Queens to Halle, anyway – we must have discussed this in the past…)

June 11th, 2012 at 2:12 pm

Tax reasons Eric.


RZ Says:

Madmax, Rafa switched to Halle because the U.K. has some tax rule that takes $ from a player’s international endorsements in addition to prize $ they win while competing in the U.K. So Rafa chose to play at Halle instead of Queens. Apparently the U.K. has since relaxed the rule somewhat because other athletes were complaining too, especially with the Olympics coming up. This article has some info: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/17469453


RZ Says:

Oops sorry, meant that last post for Eric, not Madmax.


tennis fan Says:

Hi Jamie

Who do you predict to win Wimbledon and US Open 2012? I have been reading your post. What did the psychic say?


Green900 Says:

tennis fan, dont listen to jamie. Psychics are not true. It all goes down to probabilty. Ofcourse nadal was gonna win french open 2012! it didnt recquire anything special to predict. Everyone knew. Dont waste your time with jamie.


jamie Says:

@tennis fan

According to Chinese astrology Fedal will be the winners.

=====================

@Green900

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.


jamie Says:

@Steve 27

The psychic only predicts slams.


Steve 27 Says:

What a pity Jamie, but Olympics Golds Medal is so special like a GS, is there any other psychic who predict that one?


tennis fan Says:

@Jamie

Thank you. Could you please tell me about that Argentian Psychic you found. Could you please provide the link?

I really would love Roger Federer to win Wimbledon because it would be great to tire with Pete Sampras. Nadal got his FO. It is Roger turn.

I hope that Nadal getting booted out early at Wimbledon. I am hoping that Nadal doesn’t get too greedy.


Mark Says:

@ tennis fan. You have too many hopes. It can only lead to disappointment. Fed has too much already – time for the old man to have a rest!!!


tennis fan Says:

@Mark, I am a believer of hope. Don’t call Roger old man. Roger has done well for his age compare to some.


skeezer Says:

Don’t understand why there was doubt that Rafa would play Halle or not? Its not like he should have been tired from the FO……??


Kimberly Says:

Mark my words, you will not have a fedal at Halle. rafa will lose to someone Unexpected as he usually does. He plays the tournament with the idea of a getting a little match play on grass he will not knock himself out to win. I believe he lost to lopez one year at Queens. Not to so if he is given the match he won’t take it but you won’t see more than his “b-” game


jane Says:

Kimberly that’s true. Rafa has won Queens only once, in 2008 (over Nole. : /). Interestingly he also won Wimbledon that year for the first time, but he probably expended the least amount of energy winning RG that year?

At Queens, in 2006, he lost to Hewitt QF; 2007 lost to Mahut QF; 2009 DNP; 2010 lost to Lopez QF; 2011 lost to Tsonga QF.

All QFs results except 2008.

As far as I can tell he played Halle only once before (2005) and lost in the first round.


Steve 27 Says:

Kimberly, the third set with Tsonga last year on Queens reflects what you say. His attitude changes a lot when it comes to a major


Kimberly Says:

I’m not saying he is tanking. If he can win comfortably he will. But this tournament appears to be the one event a year that rafa seems like he won’t go all out for the win and that is such a big component of his game. Almost every other tournament he seems more focused on winning. He always goes deep on the French and always plays except 2009 where he didn’t do either but as Jane said he is usually a quarter finalist.


jane Says:

Kimberly, you’re probably right that he just lifts his game enough so he reachers his “B” game, which makes sense, considering he’s usually coming off a very intense clay season that generally includes a FO title – and Wimbledon is right around the corner.


jamie Says:

^ 43 pages of predictions. Beginning with RG 2011.


jamie Says:

When a tournament begins go there and check out who they predict.


jane Says:

SPEAKING OF GRASS TENNIS! Roddick lost in the first round at Queens to Roger-Vasselin. Cilic, Dimitrov and F-Lo won. Actually, I wonder if Cilic might be good at Wimbledon; he’s had some nice matches on grass.

Murray’s playing Mahut now – lost the first set.

At Halle, Berydch, Youz and Raonic all won. Raonic won his match 6-1,6-1. I think he meets Fed next round.

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