Federer, Nadal Advance In Paris; Djokovic v Isner As All Top 7 Seeds In Action Thursday

by Staff | October 30th, 2013, 10:38 pm
  • 35 Comments

Tennis greats Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal both won comfortable opening round matches Wednesday at the final regular season ATP stop of the year, the Paris Masters.

“It feels great, I’m so happy,” said Federer. “It’s been a tough year so this is a little bit of a highlight. It was one of the goals I set myself at the start of the year and I’ve been able to achieve it. I’m looking forward to a good performance in Paris to gear myself up to hopefully play great tennis in London.”

Federer officially secured a berth in the London Finals with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Kevin Anderson. Federer, who’ll play in the Finals for a 12th time, squanderd a 5-2 second set lead but hung on for the win.


As part of a jammed packed Thursday schedule, Federer now meets German Philipp Kohlschreiber who ended his countryman Tommy Haas’s season.

In another all-countryman duel, Nadal got by Marcel Granollers 7-5, 7-5. Rafa, who’s trying to wrap up the year-end No. 1 ranking this week, moves on to face 2012 surprise Paris finalist Jerzy Janowicz.

“I am happy about the victory today,” said Nadal who has never won the indoor Paris event. “[It was my] first match indoors against not an easy opponent. So it is a good victory, a positive one for me. The victories on days when you are not playing well have much more value than the victories on days that you played well.

“He did a lot of things well. He played short points. He went to the net a lot of times. I have to improve a lot for tomorrow. I hope to be ready to do it. Tomorrow will be a tough match. I had a very tough one against him in Montreal this year. I’m going to try to play aggressively, play with more intensity than what I did today.”

Stanislas Wawrinka improved his London hopes with a 3-set win over Feliciano Lopez. Wawrinka, Milos Raonic, who also won today, and Richard Gasquet are bidding for the final two spots. Raonic will have to make the final to have a chance, but first must test Tomas Berdych in the third round.

Also on Wednesday, defending champion David Ferrer, Grigor Dimitrov, Nicolas Almagro, and Juan Martin Del Potro all were winners. Del Potro, a winner over Marin Cilic, will play Dimitrov.

“I’m confident with my game, and in the important moments I played solid,” said Del Potro who has won 14 of his last 15. “I was just trying to find a way to hit my forehand, and I think I did a good job today.

“I think I’m playing fantastic tennis. I have won four tournaments. I’m back in the Top 5 after three years and a half, and I made the semi-finals at Wimbledon. I’m playing really good at the moment, reaching three finals in a row, which is fantastic for me. My forehand is working really good. My serve has improved tournament by tournament, and I’m really glad with my level at this moment.”

Tomorrow Novak Djokovic returns to face John Isner. Djokovic has won his last 13 matches but has lost to the American the last two times in tournament play (2013 Cincinnai, 2012 Indian Wells).

THURSDAY PARIS SCHEDULE

COURT CENTRAL start 10:30 am
[7] S Wawrinka (SUI) vs [12] N Almagro (ESP)
[3] D Ferrer (ESP) vs [15] G Simon (FRA)
[13] J Isner (USA) vs [2] N Djokovic (SRB)
[5] R Federer (SUI) vs P Kohlschreiber (GER)
Not Before 7:30 pm
[9] R Gasquet (FRA) vs K Nishikori (JPN)
Not Before 8:30 pm
[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [14] J Janowicz (POL)


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35 Comments for Federer, Nadal Advance In Paris; Djokovic v Isner As All Top 7 Seeds In Action Thursday

metan Says:

Congrats Roger for secured his place at WTF. I am relief now.

Now time to look at my champion. VAMOS RAFA into the next round. Good luck.!


Nirmal Kumar Says:

It’s nice that Roger qualified on his terms rather than depending on other players win / loss.


I Love Tennis Says:

Nirmal Kumar, i agree .. it’s really nice Roger qualified. He did what he needs to do, win his match. Hoping he’ll have a great result in Paris.


Bad Knee Rules Says:

metan, I just have this feeling that your English is much better than you want us to know.


Tennis X Hippy Chic Says:

Rafa was pretty solid against Marcel,he didnt face a break point,he served pretty well,he got a reading on many of Granollers service games,not a bad performance given that he hasnt played indoors for two years,as for the weight thing i see nothing wrong with his weight,nothing wrong with having some meat on you,much better than been all skin and bone IMO.


Tennis X Hippy Chic Says:

From what i can gather Novak had a tough 1st round match too,having to fend off two set points against a journeyman,still the likes of Rafa and Novak find a way through,even when they dont play their best, i enjoy the matches where Novak is involved in a battle especially when it comes to his HC matches otherwise they are quite boring too clinical IMO.


Tennis X Hippy Chic Says:

Im actually really proud of Rafa and his achievements,hes beaten the majority of the players ranked in the top 20 this year,this year hes beaten Djokovic,Ferrer,Delpo,Federer,Berdych,Wawrinka,Almagro,Isner in finals,the only player in the top 10 he lost to was in the final at MC,actually the only top 10 player he lost to outside a final was Delpo,hes only lost 5 times this year in all to Zeballos on his 1st tourney back,Novak twice MC and Beijing,Delpo at Shanghai,Darcis at wimbledon,and to think a year ago certain people were saying he should only play on clay,he would win nothing off clay,would fall out of the top 10,couldnt cope with the elite anymore,one quote from a certain female poster was he has to try and hoover up as many CC titles as possible to try to maintain his ranking,stealing the food from Almagros mouth blahdy blah,needless to say this poster has not been seen since,question whats it like to have egg all over ones face?


Josh39485 Says:

@Hipp Chic – That’s the case with all haters/bashers. They make all these useless predictions and then when they’re proved wrong, they go back to the hole they emerged from initially. Other tennis players believed Nadal would come back stronger than ever; they are the voices of reason.

Being a hater seems like such a sad and pathetic pastime. I get annoyed whenever I see posts saying “Rafa’s 1-dimensional” or “Fed should retire” and other (worse) BS. They are such unhappy creatures when the player is experiencing great success, and on the few occasions the player fails (or when he/she retires) they finally jump up and appear to derive some form of satisfaction. At the same time, I don’t particularly like absolute die-hard fans either. Great, they love/support someone, but some go overboard and literally end up living their lives through their idol’s successes and failures. Better to have a mind and career of one’s own, which is why I try to stay neutral and “casually interested” as far as possible (although I can’t help admiring a few players in particular).


Giles Says:

http://alturl.com/penhi
Rafa hot shot.
#VamosRafa
#Magician


Josh39485 Says:

@Giles Damn, that’s a shot and a half. Did you see his rocket return in the 2nd set (I think)?


Giles Says:

@Josh. Yes, I think I know the one you mean. Even Uncle T approved.


Tennis X Hippy Chic Says:

Josh thankyou sometimes the posts on this forum go from the sublime to the ridiculous,i have never had a problem with people having an opinion about something,and there wouldnt be much point in been here if i did,but when posters try to pass them off as bona fide facts spouting such silly nonscence,i find it sad really more than anything else,it seems to have calmed down here for the moment,when Wimbledon was on it was hardly worth been here with all the lady forehand and Claydal comments coming from a certain poster,who was making life unbearable for Murray/Nadal fans especially Margot,and when Novak lost at Wimbledon he was also long gone.


Tennis X Hippy Chic Says:

Giles that was an amazing shot by Rafa,thanks for the video.


Perfect fan Says:

@courbon: I guess u must be pretty tensed up now….nole has jus lost d 1st set.

But I m sure nole will make a turn-around in the 2nd and will destroy izzny in the 3rd….chillax courbon.

I m really rooting for nole to pull this one.


Perfect fan Says:

Nole in control of the 3rd set with a break :)


Josh39485 Says:

Del Potro levels up at 1 set all vs Dimitrov. Winner of that match will face the winner of Federer vs Kohlschreiber in the Quarters.


courbon Says:

@ Perfect Fan:
Hi there, I was working and just came home to see Novak won!Pufff…I hate when he plays Isner.Butb there is no easy match from now on.wawrinka next-again,it will be tense.
I can see Federer is crusing-you must be happy.


courbon Says:

When is Rafa playing?


Josh39485 Says:

@courbon He’s not on for another 2 hours I think.


courbon Says:

Thanks Josh.I’ll go and trick or treat with kids now then…


Tennis X Hippy Chic Says:

Both Novak and Delpo came from sets down to win today against tricky oponents today.


courbon Says:

This year, with all WTF points drama and Rafa-Novak final push, Bercy is much more exciting then usual.


Tennis X Hippy Chic Says:

Courbon true,i thought you were off out with the kids trick or treating.


Perfect fan Says:

Congrats Richard and stan for qualifying for the WTF….I guess its a first timer for Wawa to WTF….what a year for all swiss fans as both their top players qualify for WTF.

So the stage for the FINAL SHOWDOWN is set….let the trumpets blare!!


Giles Says:

Wawa will probably take his foot off the pedal now that he has qualified and give joker a nice easy pass to the semis.


Perfect fan Says:

I feel that stan usually plays his best against nole…may be his game suits up well against novak….his BH works like a dream….and ultimately it all boils down to the mental game at last, in which stan succumbs to nole’s pressure.

I hope with his place in the FINALS all but set, he shud rather play more freely and aggressively against nole and give him a fight and us fans a treat….very improbable that he’ll win though.


Giles Says:

^^^ What do you mean “all but set”? He has qualified!


Perfect fan Says:

My bad giles….I mean as he is already qualified, he shud give his best shot against nole, as he has nothing to lose….isn’t it??


hawkeye Says:

Nole not losing this match regardless.

NID.


Rumble Says:

Delpo has been quite a pain in the butt for Federer – the USO 2009 fifth set – deprived Fed of 6 USO in a row (record) and 4 slams in a row (never happened in the open era). The 19-17 fifth set at the Olympics left Fed too drained to fight much for the gold medal in the final, otherwise he had it on his racquet with Murray the pigeon in front of him. Last year in the last RR match at the WTF, the match really drained Fed, so he was tired (remember, he is old) in the final against Djoke.

I hope DelPo is in Nadal’s half at the WTF. That’s the main luck factor – who draws Delpo – Djoke or Nadal. If Nadal can dodge that bullet, he has a good chance of reaching the semi. The dream draw for Nadal would be to draw Fed, Stan, Gasquet – all older than him, and all with a one-handed backhand. The worst draw for him would be Delpo, Ferrer, Berdych.

Lets see.


oggy Says:

Wow, Jerzy is my new favorite Delpo on the tour. The guy’s amazingly entertaining to watch. And has such an evil face. Pity he couldn’t stretch it to 3 sets. Poor choice those drop shots to lose the 1st.

I was really rooting for him, but he couldn’t pull it off today. Well done Rafa, consistently coming up with amazing shots.


Josh39485 Says:

@Rumble DelPo has not pained Federer all that much, although the 2009 US Open may still be on his mind.

Besides, the WTF draw is always 1, 3, 5 and 7 in Group 1 and 2, 4, 6 and 8 in Group 2 (seedings-wise). Hence, it should be as follows:

Group 1: Nadal, Ferrer, Berdych, Wawrinka (all Nadal’s pigeons)

Group 2: Djokovic, Del Potro, Federer, Gasquet (most likely Gasquet may become the punching bag).


hawkeye Says:

Seriously? The draw is set like that? Odd seeds n one half?

As a Rafan, I’d take Berdy or Ferru in Rafa’s half over Fed. Rafa’s h2h vs TMF is not so impressive (i.e., he’s never beaten him). Why else do you think I dis indoor tennis and WTF??? Keep TMF over with DelPo and Nole.

You cannot be SERIOUS!!!!


kjb Says:

I’m pretty sure seeds 1 and 2 are are put in group A and B and then (3&4) (5&6) (7&8) are all a draw.


hawkeye Says:

kjb, you are correct. That’s what I thought.

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