Federer Gets Dream French Open Draw, Could Meet Djokovic In SF; Nadal With Ferrer, Almagro

Yet another easy draw for Nadal!! This guy seems to be super lucky when it comes to draws!

May 23rd, 2014 at 7:25 am

6th seed Thomas Berdych got drawn in Federer’s quarter of the draw.
In other words, in 32 straight consecutive draws the 6th seed has been drawn in the second, third or 4th quarter of the draw (as the last time he has been drawn in the same quarter of the 1st seed goes all the way back to 1982 !)
Question : What’s the odds of such an outcome ?

May 23rd, 2014 at 7:48 am

I meant of course 32 consecutive Roland Garros draws.

May 23rd, 2014 at 7:53 am

From the look of it, it does appear that Novak’s draw is the toughest and is strewn with thorny patches while Rafa and Roger have relatively easy draw to navigate. It is not a good piece of news for Novak initially, but we have seen in the past tricky draws becoming ordinary with elimination of players in earlier rounds. So, Novak has some hope that things might turn his way. Nevertheless, he would still fancy himself to become the French Emperor soon.

May 23rd, 2014 at 8:18 am

Once again tennis proves itself to be the dumbest sport when placing seeds in the draw.

May 23rd, 2014 at 8:18 am

as much as i like djoker . if fed is hot he could spoil the Party big time only to lose to nadal in the final. kinda shizophrenic for us fed fans . nadal? the best draw he could possibly get. i wanted fed in his just to make sure djoker gets to the final .. it is as it is .

May 23rd, 2014 at 8:42 am

Don’t think Djoko’s deaw is that bad apart feom Federer i the semis.
He got Raonic which although improved is the seed with less chances to reach quarters in my view. He avoid Murray and Wawrinka whom beat him in reent Slams.
Nishikorin is in the same quarter of Raonic so he will have to deal with ony one of them.

Fed has an easy draw as Berdych is no garantee to be in quarters as well so he could e fresh for a clash with Djoko in the semis.

Nadal also will have to face eiter Murray or Wawa in his semis and this is the only potential risk match. I can’t believe Almagro in Round of 16 or Ferrer / Dimitrov in quarters could beat him best of 5. Will see.

So, all Fed, Nadal and Djoko got easier as ty will habe to beat only 2 of each other in order to win, if they all go that far. Murrya or Wawa will have to beat 3 of the “new big 5”: each other, Nadal and than Fed or Djoko in the final.

I think this RG we’ll see the seeds go deep. The potential tricky matches were kind of eliminated along the way.

May 23rd, 2014 at 9:24 am

Djokovic Nishikori – – what a match-up!

May 23rd, 2014 at 9:29 am

Fed’s draw looking easy? Have you seen Nadal’s?

Sure, Ferrer beat him on clay this year, but not happening here. And Thiem? Maaaaybe he’ll get 4 in a set, that’s it.

Fed better watch out for Gulbis, if they both meet. When on song, could hit him right off the court.

May 23rd, 2014 at 9:31 am

Quarter #7 is a bad neighborhood! Not sure who’s coming out of there.

May 23rd, 2014 at 9:34 am

Rafa has to go through the 4 last players to beat him!
Almagro round of 16
Ferrer quarters
Wawrinka semis
Novak finals.

Plus a test against Thiem early.

I would say, as far as Rafa CAN face a challenge at RG, this is it. Don’t see how it could have fallen any tougher frankly, unless you snuck Kei in there!

Murray has a dream draw- no one to challenge him before quarters, except possibly Gasquet 4th round, but by then he should be well into form. And even Wawrinka is one of the 2 “easy” quarterfinal seeds.

Wawrinka too seems to have an easier path to Murray, in fact, I think Wawrinka has an awesome chance to make the semis here, then Rafa! What a fun match that could be.

Yes, Fed has a cush draw too. Until Berdych, which I think is a great matchup for Fed on clay.

Novak gets Chardy, Cilic, Tsonga on the way to Raonic.

To me, Rafa has the hardest path, then Novak. Murray Fed and Wawrinka have easy draws.

Is this how UPSETS start?

May 23rd, 2014 at 10:07 am

Stan seems to have to have the easiest path to semi finals. Roger’s is easy too except if he meets Berdych who’s beaten him in their previous 2 Slam meetings iirc.

Nadal’s path is a bit tricky as well. Novak wouldn’t want to face Tsonga and Nishikori back to back. If Kei brings his Madrid-Barcelona form to Paris which he should, I think he’s in to cause a few upsets.

In the end, the two best players of the tournament will be in the finals.

May 23rd, 2014 at 10:15 am

If Djokovic-Nishikori happens, it would be a very good match. They’re two of the fastest and most balanced players on tour imo. And they’re both excellent against the 2nd serves of their opponents. I hope this match up happens regardless of how it turns out.

May 23rd, 2014 at 10:26 am

Nishikori is a big question mark. Tsonga is half the player he was even a year ago. Murray definitely lucked out but if Wawrinka is playing well I think he wins that one. However, Wawrinka is dealing with his own injury and poor form. Almagro is not going to challenge Nadal here, that’s an absolute joke. Ferrer could maybe steal a set for a change, but he’s not winning that, either. Berdych has been very up and down this year, but so has Federer. Just going to call that a toss-up until we see their form leading in. I think Djokovic will end up facing Raonic and that’ll be another tough one, possibly 4 sets. Berdych in the semis would probably be a huge delight but if Federer makes it then, again, it’ll depend on the form leading in. I’m just going to say right now I want Djokovic to win that match because Federer will not beat Nadal in the final. At least Djokovic has a legitimate chance.

May 23rd, 2014 at 10:38 am

I don’t get the hype of a Nishikori-Djokovic match. I like Nishikori a lot but he’s basically a lesser version of Djokovic. If he’s fit then I could see maybe 4 sets.

May 23rd, 2014 at 10:40 am

By H2H or ANY measure there is no possible tough road for Rafa to the finals.
But facing the last 4 players to beat him? That’s at least interesting, no?

May 23rd, 2014 at 10:42 am

Didnt take long for people to start whining about the draw,or should i say Rafas draw?the mans won the title 8 times,he could beat most players most years,with both arms tied behind his back,blind folded,stood on one leg,roller skating through treacle on clay,and yet he still gets crucified about the draw,he may win the title this year and he may not,but surely now he nothing left to prove anymore jeez????

May 23rd, 2014 at 10:50 am

Hipp, I got your back here!

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:04 am

http://www.globaltennisnetwork.com/tennis-tournaments/bracket-challenges/bracket-challenge-page/mainBracketPage/573-tennis-x-fans-unite

Hi guys, got a bracket site up, will enhance with photos later!

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:10 am

TV do you mean you got my back up?if thats what you meant,your posts never get my back up as they are always fair and balanced,i was by the one at the top of the thread,also read some on the other thread,before this one came up….

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:11 am

according to this quote no one is talking about the real contender:-

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BoUiperIYAAUfar.jpg

no shortage of confidence in swtizerland. they must add it tothe water with fluoride. the matches are always on their racquets o_o

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:12 am

Hippy, its an expression that means I’m on your side in the fight, protecting your back.

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:32 am

@volley
Just read that. Oh my goodness….ooof! did he really say that? Certainly throwing down the gauntlet.

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:34 am

Tennis Vagabond lol,sorry not always up on tennis-x lingo,many thanks though….

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:35 am

If not for Rafa here at RG, or Andy at Wimbledon,i would pull for Stan to do the CCGS,it would be a fantastic achievement for somebody to do it,and Stan has a head start,but i love Rafa and Andy too much,to want him to do that?

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:40 am

ben federer up and down ??? he reached only finals and semis except for Miami and his rhythm was interrupted when he had to miss Madrid because his twins were born so he lost to chardy having match Point. clearly one of the best Players this year

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:43 am

@Kimberly
Thank you for doing that :) Just had a peep. The first round is hard! And probably the second and….
@Hippy Chicky
It’s why some people like to sit facing the door, they are afraid of getting stabbed in the back!

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:49 am

What did he say? I can’t open the link.

Federer’s form has been iffy. He barely beat Tsonga in MC. He lost a from a winnable position to Wawrinka. He played an awful tiebreaker in IW. He still has that awful loss to Hewitt in Brisbane. And there was the no contest against Nadal in Australia. His results have picked up but I’m not convinced of his form being as steady as it needs to be to go all the way. And quite honestly, I just hope he wins Wimbledon this year. So long as he has a healthy French Open, it’s ok.

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:49 am

roger could surprise here, but he hasn’t had a lot of matches on clay. if he finds his rhythm in the early stages of RG (and based on his draw, he should – in theory – be able to).

the problem is, i don’t want him to make it all the way if nadal does as well. that match is pre destined for failure.

i’d love it if gulbis finally had a breakthrough and made it all the way, but that seems unlikely.

May 23rd, 2014 at 11:57 am

Ben, you have to believe brother!

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:07 pm

@Ben

he said: “i know that whoever i’m going to play against, i can defeat them all. it depends very much on me”

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:18 pm

Stan has backed up those words. Not an issue. Can he do it again though?

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:19 pm

The best thing that could’ve happened to Djokovic is to get Federer as his potential SF foe. Think about it from RF’s perspective for a minute. He’s 32, so he has to be judicious about where he expends energy now. If he reaches the SF, he knows there is no way he can take out both Djokovic AND Nadal to win RG, and then have any prayer of doing remotely well – let alone win – at Wimbledon 2 weeks later. And I’m guessing Federer will want to be at his very best at Wimbledon as opposed to RG. Roger would much rather have to face Djokovic at Wimbledon, where Federer’s vicious cross court Slice will severely hamper the Djokovic Backhand all day long. Federer is FAR more likely to take out Djokovic on grass than on clay. In fact Federer would even rather face Nadal on grass than anywhere else, since that’s the only surface where Federer has a leading H2H against Nadal. It would have been worse for Djokovic had he drawn someone like Wawrinka as a potential SF foe since Wawrinka beat him last time in Best of Five, also has a win in a Masters 1000 clay event this year, and would likely play Djokovic much more toe-to-toe. The fact Djokovic got Federer only helps him since Federer is likely to use RG to get some matches in him before what I’d guess is his real target: Wimbledon. And my guess is Djokovic fully understands that, and he’s happy that it’s Federer and not Stan, since Stan would play him much more heartily.

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:27 pm

Wawrinka said that?

VM1, I don’t think Federer thinks that way.

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:32 pm

@wilfried
Assuming that the putting the 6th seed in the 4 quarters is random, the probability of not landing in the same quarter as the top seed for 32 consecutive years is (3/4) raised to the power of 32 which works out to be 0.00010045242.

Looks like it’s not a random event.

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:35 pm

“VM1, I don’t think Federer thinks that way.”

Well, why does it matter what you think about how Federer thinks :). Go back to the Federer Djokovic RG SF 2012. Federer was up a break in all three sets they played that day. Federer had no intention of losing to Nadal in yet another RG Final – since he’d lost his 4th one to him the year before. And Federer manager to give back the breaks in each set to Djokovic, then proceed to give him one more in two of those sets for good measure. And as a side note to all this? Federer showed up at Wimbledon in 2012- and walked off with the title. Just sayin’ :)

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:42 pm

The Ferrer – Dimi R16 match looks for sure to happen, and then presumible QF against Rafa.
Last year Fed wasn’t a factor to win RG, in 2014?
it would be the goating goattitude’s goateness!

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:44 pm

I think he played like garbage in that semi. He had played like garbage throughout the event. And he was injured when Wimbledon started.

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:48 pm

Especially With an off colour Rafa and this looking like the year hes at his most vulnerable,i dont buy that Roger wont want to win RG when the chance of a second career GS is a possibility? he won it in 2009 err just saying….

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:51 pm

“I think he played like garbage in that semi. He had played like garbage throughout the event. And he was injured when Wimbledon started.”

_________________________________________________

Right. Right. Right. Djokovic losses are just to be ignored, excused, wiped away. Only when he wins is he to be exalted as the greatest player on earth. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Yawn.

If they meet in the RG SF, mark this down: Federer WILL lose to Djokovic. If these two meet at Wimbledon, mark this down too: Federer WILL Slice and Carve up the Djokovic Backhand into mincemeat, and send Djokovic packing. Over and out :).

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:53 pm

Several years later, I’m still looking to find Federer in the #2 slot (it also took me forever to remember that he wasn’t in that #1 slot). Old habits die hard…

May 23rd, 2014 at 12:57 pm

@ Hippy Chic:

” he won it in 2009 err just saying….”

Interesting theory. And sounds plausible. But again, Roger is 32. And regardless of message board fandom from any of us, 32 in tennis is limiting. It’s about recovery – you don’t bounce back from matches physically they way you can at 25, or ever 27, 28. For you assessment to be a goal of Federer’s means whatever he exerts to win any Rafa-less RG title will pile up in his body. He still has to play Halle the following week, and then Wimbledon a week later where his 2nd Round loss last year really hurt him. So while it’s plausible on the face of it, I still bet Federer wants to play any of these guys on grass – HIS best surface – than on clay where he doesn’t have that much advantage.

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:03 pm

@Etorque.
Thanks for your reply to my question. It doesn’t seem random to me either.

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:10 pm

Voicemale 1 fair enough,lets just say you have your opinion,and i have mine….

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:10 pm

I wasn’t praising Djokovic for that win. He played like garbage, too, just held a little more steady. How he won the second set, I still don’t really understand but it is what it is.

I also remember the Wimbledon semi and it was one of my favorite matches. I thought both guys played great with Federer being a little tougher in the big moments.

Pretty bold predictions, though. Can you share the crystal ball?

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:11 pm

He doesn’t HAVE to play Halle. I think if Nadal loses at any point before Federer plays, it’ll make Federer go all out. If he knows Nadal is waiting for him in the final, I can agree that he won’t go nuts to try to win, but that doesn’t mean he’ll just roll over for Djokovic or whoever. And what if it isn’t Djokovic? What if it’s Nishikori or something?

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:14 pm

H&M doesn’t seem to have much faith in Berydch doing well at RG. They’ve outfitted him for a tropical vacation: http://the-slice.com/2014/05/fashion-focus-berdych-summer-2014-hm-collection/

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:21 pm

ben u still set the bar very high for fed if a final loss is iffy an up and down. most top ten Players lose way before the quarters on a regular Basis

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:22 pm

“it depends very much on me”

Hmm…bold statement Stan.

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:34 pm

“He doesn’t HAVE to play Halle. I think if Nadal loses at any point before Federer plays, it’ll make Federer go all out. If he knows Nadal is waiting for him in the final, I can agree that he won’t go nuts to try to win, but that doesn’t mean he’ll just roll over for Djokovic or whoever. And what if it isn’t Djokovic? What if it’s Nishikori or something?”

————————————————-

I’ll say this once more: FEDERER IS 32! You just don’t have that many matches in your legs at 32 than you do when you’re 27. Period. Federer has long said – and did again in his press conference today, just for consistency’s sake – clay is a surface for the long matches because your Serve doesn’t save you. For him – a player who is NOT a grinder like Djokovic or Nadal – he can’t grind and grind all day like they can. He relies on his terrific Serve to get him out of trouble. That works FAR better on grass than clay. Suppose Nadal loses, so what? Federer will likely have to go through Djokovic in 4-5 sets IF he manages to do that (which is unlikely because the surface suits a grinder). But even still, if he has to face Stan – who already beat him in Monte Carlo – Federer would take whatever physical reserves he has and chase something he’s by no means guaranteed to win. He already has his Career Slam. And add this, if he wins another Wimbledon (his own personal favorite event), he breaks his tie with Sampras as holder of 7 Wimbledons. He’d stand alone with 8 Open Era titles there, a record for Wimbledon. When you add in that the players there are already saying the First Week’s weather at RG is looking hideous, so with no roof the schedule is likely to get crushed, well, I maintain my RF position on RG. Phoning it in.

You can believe what you like. Experience tells me that Federer knows he can’t pile up too many taxing matches in his 32 year old body and expect to do well in all of them. He could when he was dominant. He can’t anymore. Nadal has discovered this too. He won’t be able to empty out during the clay season like he has for 10 years and still have enough left to get through both RG and Wimbledon. And let’s remember about Wimbledon for Nadal too – he loves that place almost as much as Federer, having been to 5 Finals there and winning twice. His last two Wimbys were early losses. So his form having gotten better in both Madrid & Rome with each match might be designed to have him ready to once again to make a serious run at both events. Nadal will play better at this RG than he has at any of the clay run-ups. If he improves from match to match during RG, then it will take a super effort to beat him. My bottom line about RF is unchanged: RG is practice, Wimbledon the prize.

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:39 pm

Federer set the bar high for himself. And Djokovic and Nadal have matched/surpassed it. So for Federer to do well or win, he has to hit that bar.

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:45 pm

Then why not skip RG all together if he’s not going to try and win it and it’s too taxing?

“So his form having gotten better in both Madrid & Rome with each match might be designed to have him ready to once again to make a serious run at both events.”

This implies that he purposely played crappy.

May 23rd, 2014 at 1:49 pm

”From the look of it, it does appear that Novak’s draw is the toughest and is strewn with thorny patches while Rafa and Roger have relatively easy draw to navigate.”

so nadal has two of the TOP clay courters in ferrer and almagro before the SF, players who just BEAT HIM, and he’s got an easy draw compared to fed and djoker?

yes, it’s another one of those ‘easy’ nadal draws because he doesn’t play djoker in the third round or something.

May 23rd, 2014 at 2:23 pm

“yes, it’s another one of those ‘easy’ nadal draws because he doesn’t play djoker in the third round or something.”

LOL I was going to say this before, too, in that the only way Nadal could have a tough draw at the French is if he played Djokovic in at least 3 of the rounds. I mean after a decade’s worth of dominance, you couldn’t fix a tough draw for him no matter how hard you tried, on paper anyway. We have no idea how things will play out considering this crazy year.

But Almagro is not a TOP clay court player.

May 23rd, 2014 at 2:28 pm

“Then why not skip RG all together if he’s not going to try and win it and it’s too taxing?”

It’s like no one here can have their point of view if it disagrees with yours, and then you want to ankle bit everybody to death. You leave no one any option other than to say: “OK Tennis-x, everyone pull for Djokovic because he’s my guy and I want him to win”. Just shut up already. Sheesh.

May 23rd, 2014 at 2:58 pm

I think you get a lot more offended when someone disagrees with you than I do. My statement has nothing to do with Djokovic. If Federer reaches the semis playing well, I don’t see him rolling over. I don’t even disagree about the age being a huge factor in this. It certainly is and it has been for a while. But then why play at all if it’s too taxing? Like I said, I don’t think Federer thinks in terms of “let me reach the semis and save myself.” If he’s made it as far as the semis, why wouldn’t he push himself to win 2 more matches? There’s just no way he’d shy away from winning another slam, even if it’s not his favorite Wimbledon.

And I do think he’s gearing up for a big Wimbledon run. He always has, that’s his MO. But considering how tough recovering is for him, I feel like a semifinal showing would warrant a Halle withdrawal anyway.

Excuse me for not believing that a guy who’s won 17 majors is going to go all the way to the semis of one then say “screw it, I’m out!”

May 23rd, 2014 at 3:09 pm

What a moronic article!!!! NADAL is in Fed’s half of the draw, Bozo, NOT Djoker!

May 23rd, 2014 at 3:18 pm

Agree with Voicemale1, for Fed RG is practice and not spent too much energy.

But also agree in part with Ben. If Nadal loses early, the open is there for Federer. He was the only player who won RG in the last 9 years not named Nadal and there is no guarantee Djoko will be in the semis or Stan in the final. The seeds can all go down and the tourney open for him.

But indeed, if they get to play the semis, Fed will lose in 3 or 4, specially if he knows Nadal would be in the final already. Similar mentality I think Murray will have to. By second week will know more about Fed’s future chances in this year RG.

May 23rd, 2014 at 3:18 pm

“Like I said, I don’t think Federer thinks in terms of “let me reach the semis and save myself.”

__________________________________________________

This statement from the guy who has no problem at all believing Djokovic tanked his match in Rome last year against Berdych, 4 points away from winning. Serious Eye Roll LOL.

May 23rd, 2014 at 3:26 pm

Tanking in a slam semi against a big rival vs tanking a qf Masters against Berdych…

May 23rd, 2014 at 3:29 pm

A Slam is a Slam, no one knows what will happened when in a Slam final. What if Nadal had another injury in a possible final versus Fed in RG?! I know…Fed won’t have this lucky. LOL!!

May 23rd, 2014 at 3:52 pm

“Tanking in a slam semi against a big rival vs tanking a qf Masters against Berdych…”

————————————————

Parsing like this makes you look even more ridiculous LOL.

May 23rd, 2014 at 6:32 pm

I feel like you’re just trolling me at this point.

May 23rd, 2014 at 6:37 pm

“I feel like you’re just trolling me at this point.”

_____________________________________________

No. You just make yourself such an easy target with the silliness you write here.

May 23rd, 2014 at 6:46 pm

@Kimberly!

Thanks for setting up the bracket challenge on GTN! I left you a message there. It’s about me not being able to make the picks. What am I doing wrong? Um…

Do you need to send me a confirmation email or does it just take some patience? lol…

_____________________

My man Gulbis is into the Nice Final! Go Ernests!

May 23rd, 2014 at 6:49 pm

I guess so but you’ve done a great job of matching me silly comment for silly comment. You just happen to have an elevated superiority complex compared to me.

May 23rd, 2014 at 6:55 pm

Candace – the link to the draw is here: http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/draws/ms/msdraw.pdf

Nadal and Wawrinka are in the top half; Djokovic and Federer are in the bottom half.

May 23rd, 2014 at 6:57 pm

“You just happen to have an elevated superiority complex compared to me.”

_________________________________________________

True. It’s because you disagree with what I say just for the sake of it, rather than back up your arguments with analyzable data. You just offer opinion vs. opinion. Such as: the 2012 RG tournament – to you – was Djokovic just playing terribly, so you claim that’s why he lost. Here’s another view on that 2012 Final. The NBC cameras were inside the area leading to Chartrier during one of the rain delays on the Sunday (the last one before they postponed the match to the next day). The camera was focused on Nadal – laying down flat on his back – with not a bag of ice but a HUGE BLOCK of ice strapped to his elevated left knee, watching highlights to that stage. The same knee that in 3 weeks time would send him to Majorca for 8 months of rehab. So, however poorly you think Djokovic played (which is seriously dubious at best), what can be said of Nadal is he basically beat Djokovic in the 2012 Final on 1 leg, since he only had 1 of them at 100%. This isn’t just conjecture, since the NBC camera basically showed him with an iceberg strapped to his knee. It was something like Sampras winning Wimbledon in 2000 on the inflamed shin. The very best just find a way to fight through it.

May 23rd, 2014 at 7:12 pm

Just my two cents in that exchange of posts.

Djokovic played an awful clay season in 2012. It is easy to check his stats in tennis abstract, compare his average stats against Rafa in the period 2011-2014 with those in MC and RG 2012.

And I also watched that match a few times. Novak started swinging freely in the third set, and Rafa got even more nervous that he probably was. The behaviour of both players was a disgrace — Novak breaking the bench, Rafa throwing a ball at the umpire. Uncle Toni almost walked on the court. The behaviour of the organizers was a disgrace too.

It was one of the ugliest GS final I have ever seen.

May 23rd, 2014 at 7:29 pm

Just picked my bracket. Hope everyone else does too. Its actually an intriguing draw. See Isner and Mahut will likely play!

http://www.globaltennisnetwork.com/tennis-tournaments/bracket-challenges/bracket-challenge-page/myBracketPage/573-tennis-x-fans-unite

Come on all, lets do it!

May 23rd, 2014 at 9:51 pm

Draws are made in Heaven. We don’t complain about them. We just do our best and leave the rest.

– Philosopher Humble

May 23rd, 2014 at 10:09 pm

When Nadal came back after the 6 month break last year, he was suddenly very fresh, had tons of energy, and upto the US Open 2013, produced remarkable tennis. Since then, he’s been 49-10. Not bad, but not great either, with losses to many lower ranked players. In recent months he really looks out of it.

Perhaps he needs another one of those “cooling off periods” – it is said that it takes 6 months or so for certain “meds” to fully get out of your system. He’s been taking those break quite periodically.

Neither you nor I can know the truth. We can only look at the information in front of us and see what explains it best. So don’t talk crap that you KNOW he doesn’t do it!

Time for another “injury” for him, followed by another prolonged break.

May 24th, 2014 at 1:35 am

Come on all Tennis-X’ers that like to pick. Kimberly’s bracket is the place to be right now; create your masterpiece bracket!

Mat4
Daniel
Gilles
Humble Rafa
Kimmi
Jane
Wog boy
Courbon
skeezer
michael
Ben Pronin
Voiscemale1
Sean Randall
Tom Gainey
Tennis Vagabond
roy
Dari
Andrea
Nadalista
Madmax
Okiegal
All posters (new or old), and their aliases, and lurkers are welcome

Test your picking skills against friend and foe alike :D
leave a message or some smack talk in the comment section.
everyone….

May 24th, 2014 at 2:43 am

I wrote a few times that Rafa can’t sustain for a long time the tension in connection with repeated losses, with a situation he can’t solve. He somatizes it somehow, makes it physical. All his injuries come after a period of crisis, when he faced with a challenge, mostly in the moment he managed to reverse the situation.

The challenge of his career is Djokovic. It is not only the results: but the way they play: Novak attacking, Rafa fighting for every ball. The quantity of adrenaline Rafa summons in those matches is exceptional.

The decompression after such periods, strangely, is always reflected in a physical way: in 2009, after that clay spring, in 2012 after a year and a half of searching for answers.

I feel that the Novak-Rafa rivalry is on the verge to destroy their career, such is the burden it puts on their mind. Rafa was twice injured since Novak started to Novak started beating him. Novak almost hasn’t won a slam since he started trying to win that elusive Roland Garros, playing subpar all his GS finals but one.

We often write about the Fedal rivalry, but no rivalry was so loaded as the Rafole one. I deeply hope that Novak will very soon definitely prevail and lose free, although I think that they are both already cursed by that never ending war, and they will get out both broken out of it.

May 24th, 2014 at 3:46 am

I found the Wawa interview in French. The link given by Volley yesterday takes his words out of context and misquotes them.

Stan basically says that he doesn’t walk in the court as an already beaten man, that he says to himself that a lot depends of himself, and that he feels that he has his chance in every match.

His main favourites are Rafa and Novak, by far, and after them, “Rod and himself”.

Here it is:

http://sport24.lefigaro.fr/tennis/roland-garros/actualites/wawrinka-nadal-et-djokovic-sont-les-favoris-695965

May 24th, 2014 at 4:00 am

Two big words that might just throw a spanner into the Wimbledon works: Andrew Murray.
I’m hoping Andy gets to the quarters, though I’m not relishing the prospect of Beefy Boy beating him, and gains some very useful points.
Then beetles back to blighty and gets some very useful pre tournament practise on the “green, green, grass of home.”
Go Andy!

May 24th, 2014 at 4:11 am

Margot, you may have seen on the BBC website today, that Andy has decided on his new coach. The official announcement will be made after Roland Garros (or at any rate after his participation there).

So I hope we don’t get the announcement too soon!

May 24th, 2014 at 4:29 am

@humble rafa. You are awesome.
Rafa Nation is standing still, it doesn’t.matter what ever happen.

And here coming number IX . VAMOS RAFA.

May 24th, 2014 at 4:37 am

Hi Colin, yes I did see that. Keeping us in suspense, isn’t he?
Still keeping my fingers crossed for Martina. Heard her on the radio talking very enthusiastically about coaching Andy.
She said it would be great to coach someone, “who can do virtually anything on a tennis court.” :)
Think she’d make him come off that damn baseline and use his excellent volleying skills a lot more.

May 24th, 2014 at 4:40 am

I agree, Margot; I’d like to see how Martina would do in the job. The thing is, would she commit to all the travelling? When she retired from the Tour, she said she wanted to spend more time with her partner. Are they still together? Martina’s private life has been as dramatic as that of her old friend Chris Evert.

Martina can’t be short of money, so I suppose her partner could travel with her, increasing the size of Andy’s entourage even further.

You could never imagine Andy talking back to Lendl, and somehow I don’t think he’d try it with Navratilova either!

May 24th, 2014 at 6:05 am

@ colin
One of the players, can’t remember who, has two coaches. They share the coaching and the travelling. It seems to work very well. Andy’s got his mainstay Dani anyway, perhaps Martina could be persuaded to travel part of the time?
Lol, a bit of wishful thinking going on my part here!

May 24th, 2014 at 6:15 am

Im not arrogant enough to expect Rafa to win the title every year,and i do believe he has a problen when it comes to Novak,whom has had his number recently,but that doesnt mean to say Rafa aint capable of beating him anymore,which everybody seems to think these days,Rafa beat Novak 3 times last year twice on HCs,and once in a HC GS too,OK that was last year,and the pendulum has swung Novaks way since,but whos to say it wont go back in Rafas favour?its not like the Serena and Maria rivalry where Maria beat Serena at Wimbledon a decade ago and hasnt done it since?IMO thats not even a rivalry?this one is much more evenly contested than that?

May 24th, 2014 at 6:25 am

mat4—-FYI, my husband said he saw one interview and he doesn’t remember by who that categorizes the rafole rivalry and the best in the history of the sport for a number of reasons
1. it is contested, you never know what will happen
2. the number of times they have met
3. the quality of tennis produced
4. the weight of several of the occasions
5. the mental aspect of the fight
6. the physical brutality of the fight.

However, this rivalry is sort of overlooked.

May 24th, 2014 at 9:02 am

@Kimberly – that is a toughtful analysis. Tell your hubby hello and get him in the Bracket game; Grandma too. Does your mom know who Grigor Dimitrov is?

May 24th, 2014 at 9:16 am

Left you a message on the bracket challenge HC and had a look at your smart draw. Looks like a winner!

I am very seriously wanting to win the pool prize, lol.

Ajde Nole!

May 24th, 2014 at 9:20 am

Contador thanks i just saw it,and left you a message too,i havent a clue on how to put up pictures on a computer though,i like the picture of you anyway,your much prettier than an overated ex premier league footballer,although you didnt have to take it down sorry,anyway im looking forward to the FO regardless of who wins,it was all pretty random not much thought behind it,but picked Rafa more out of hope rather than expectation,however we will see no?

May 24th, 2014 at 9:33 am

@Hippy Chic.

Thanks for saying I am pretty : ).

Left you a message. Would you want me to post instructions to upload a photo or avatar here or in the bracket chat?

Very nice to see a face behind the username after all this time ; )

May 24th, 2014 at 9:43 am

Gulbis and Delbo match is on now.

Go G-bus!

May 24th, 2014 at 9:55 am

wtf

4 drop shot winner in a row from gulbis. this guy is such a genius

May 24th, 2014 at 10:13 am

Ernests Gulbis took the first set easily 6-1.

But Delbo is the real deal, as newcomers go. The match will be even if the Argentine takes this set…

nail-biting 2nd set tie-break in progress :D

May 24th, 2014 at 10:14 am

@Kimberly:

I completely agree — and I am very afraid of the consequences of that endless fight on their psyche and their bodies. For now, they still managed to improve their tennis. But what is next?

And for me, yes, it is the greatest rivalry in tennis ever.

May 24th, 2014 at 10:15 am

Delbo ahead 3-2 with a mini break

Ernie looks too hot, as in temperature in Nice is not so nice for him.

May 24th, 2014 at 10:16 am

Contador yeah go for it thanks ….

May 24th, 2014 at 10:19 am

@Sallah Ahmed

5-5 in the tie break! Who will get more nervous, Gulbis or Delbo?

May 24th, 2014 at 10:21 am

Ernests Gulbis wins the title in Nice…

Love that Gulbinator.

Great second set from Frederico “Delbo” Delbonis!

May 24th, 2014 at 10:23 am

Good win for Gulbis. Let’s see how he does in RG.

May 24th, 2014 at 10:26 am

hahhahaah

gulbis has sixth titles already. he will have more than berdych i suppose

new highest ranking also

May 24th, 2014 at 10:28 am

Maybe I am overly excited, but I think the 6’3″ Delbo has what it – takes. Gulbis is not the only one in the trophy ceremony with charisma!

Aw, G-bus looks so handsome with his beard neatly trimmed. Good to see he cares about his tennis, image, ect…

Very Smart guy, that Gulbis.

May 24th, 2014 at 10:36 am

i wann see glubis to win a GS

May 24th, 2014 at 10:37 am

Me too, Salleh Ahmed!!!!!

Almost gave up on him but I am on cloud nine with him for winning another 250 tournament, for now!

May 24th, 2014 at 10:41 am

Okay down to business.

Hippy Chic. Not sure which place is more likely where you’d be reading. I am still working out my early round picks.

Here are instructions for uploading a photo or avatar on GTN.

Reminder for the social and sports prediction game types here::

http://www.globaltennisnetwork.com/tennis-tournaments/bracket-challenges/bracket-challenge-page/myBracketPage/573-tennis-x-fans-unite

Click on link. Register, and come out to play FO ATP Bracket challenge. You have until midnight. Sign up soon to cheer for your favorite and show off picking skills.

May 24th, 2014 at 10:58 am

oops. Error alert for…

@hippy chick. Will leave the instructions on GTN for uploading a profile picture/avatar.

May 24th, 2014 at 11:00 am

contador—-grandma joan is out in palo alto trying to figure out to join on her ipad and Christian is out diving as the weather is flawless here memorial day weekend. He has promised to do the bracket when he returns! Just got back from playing tennis myself and there is no wind, perfect conditions if you don’t mind the heat.

May 24th, 2014 at 11:05 am

Im nervous about Andys 1st round match,Golubev in the 1st round,the player who beat Stan in straight sets in the DC a few weeks ago hmm.

May 24th, 2014 at 11:31 am

@hippy

Golubev beat stan in fourth sets at the DC ;)

May 24th, 2014 at 11:32 am

@Kimberly

That is good news about Grandma Joan and Christian!

I got an idea: you post some bikini pictures and I will write-up the descriptions, advertising/recruiting on tennis-x

_____

Hippy Chic. I don’t think Andy will have a problem with the likes of Golubev at the FO. Andy has to play well and smart. I do have him losing to Beefy Boy, though.

May 24th, 2014 at 11:36 am

Alright Kimberly and Contador, I’m in.
Ferrer over Rafa!
Milos over Kei AND Novak!

All Swiss Final!
Double Career Slam!
EAT IT!

May 24th, 2014 at 11:51 am

“The link given by Volley yesterday takes his words out of context and misquotes them.”
Not surprized.

May 24th, 2014 at 11:55 am

TV,
Super bold prediction. But a fun one.

May 24th, 2014 at 11:56 am

SA yeah sorry,but never the less….
Contador i left my e.mail address on the GTN,many thanks,and BTW i hope your right about Andy too….

May 24th, 2014 at 11:58 am

Cannot wait for the French Open to start.

van orten Says:
as much as i like djoker . if fed is hot he could spoil the Party big time only to lose to nadal in the final. kinda shizophrenic for us fed fans . nadal? the best draw he could possibly get. i wanted fed in his just to make sure djoker gets to the final .. it is as it is .

May 23rd, 2014 at 8:42 am

Well, I read some comments earlier about Fed tanking! Seriously, when is that old chestnut going to die a death? Does anyone ever tank a match?

Federer is the last person to tank a match, always ready and eager to take on the challenge. Some people should just give up on that one.

I don’t think anyone has an easy draw to be fair. There is always someone lurking in the top half and the bottom half that could give any of the players a scare, on a good day. We all know that.

Hope the practice the Fed is having in Paris, will continue to make him strong enough to lift that trophy and that double career slam!

Vamos Federer!

May 24th, 2014 at 12:29 pm

Gulbis is the real Arrogant One

May 24th, 2014 at 12:36 pm

Federer is the worlds greatest ever player,so i find it sad when people say he doesnt want to make a final,as he has a so called fear of facing a hypothetical meeting with Rafa,as the saying goes theres a 1st time for everything?

May 24th, 2014 at 12:42 pm

Im wondering if theres any news on the ladies draw,who faces who,whos the favorite,who is in whos half etc etc??

May 24th, 2014 at 12:54 pm

Gonzalowski i couldnt agree more….

May 24th, 2014 at 12:56 pm

@Hippy Chicky
Quite a lot of analysis on here, of both the women and men:

http://tennis.si.com/2014/05/23/roger-federer-maria-sharapova-2014-french-open-draw-winners-losers/

May 24th, 2014 at 1:28 pm

Thanks Margot ;-))….

May 24th, 2014 at 1:42 pm

A little review of the expert picks:

On tennis.com, Tignor (a Rafan), picked Novak to win the FO.

On tennis-x, Sean also picked Novak.
On ESPN, 8 experts picked Novak, four picked Rafa. Among them, women picked Rafa (all but Kamakshi Tandon), while Gilbert, McEnroe and Cahill picked Novak.

At SI, Wertheim also picked Novak.

It seems that most of the betting sites see also Novak as the favourite.

Just to mention, of course.

May 24th, 2014 at 1:50 pm

Of course, the most accurate picks are at tennis abstract, based on clay performances of the players. Here, we have:

Rafa Nadal, 45.7% to win the title;
David Ferrer, 2.1%
Stan Wawrinka, 2.2%
Tomas Berdych, 3.9%
Roger Federer, 4.4%
Milos Raonic, 1.3%
Kei Nishikori, 0.5%
Novak Djokovic, 31.3%

May 24th, 2014 at 1:56 pm

Sorry, Andy Murray is at 3.9%.

May 24th, 2014 at 1:56 pm

Mat4 Rafa seen as the underdog for once,its the way he likes it anyway,im not complaining either,let Novak have the pressure for all i care,he also doesnt hold a GS either so will be desperate to win this one,Rafa with nothing to prove or Novak with everything to prove,ooh those mind games eh ;-P….

May 24th, 2014 at 2:03 pm

How can Rafa be seen as an underdog? He is in line to win his 9th title. LOL…

Rafa quietly and humbly winning a 9th RG title? Dark horse or underdog? I don’t think so.

People are picking Djokovic because the idea of the same result at FO over and over again is really a head-banging thought. Well, to me anyway.

So here we are. Opening rounds of joy ahead and I don’t have to watch Nadal bite another trophy. I have my limits. In cycling people dread Alberto Contador Velasco firing another mock pistol shot from the top step of the Tour de France podium. Being a true Berto fan, however, that is just what I want to see: el Pisotlero firing his imaginary gun!

May 24th, 2014 at 2:44 pm

Contador it was just a joke,please dont take it to heart….

May 24th, 2014 at 2:45 pm

@ TV
Yay, you are in! c’mon…

_____

Hippy Chic – I left steps for posting a photo to your account on your GTN profile.

May 24th, 2014 at 2:51 pm

@ Hippy Chic

There are so many good tennis matches coming up that I cannot calm down…

Time to go on a long bike ride. :D

May 24th, 2014 at 2:56 pm

Allright call out to bracket challengers—skeezer, mat4 etc….lets do it! Rafa fans Fed fans Djoker fans Murray fans!

May 24th, 2014 at 3:00 pm

Contador enjoy the bike ride,and thanks for the info on GTN,unfortunatly i havent any pictures on my computer stored,but i did get the gist of what i have to do,i have a couple of friends who are computer savy so ill get one of them to help me post a photo of some discription….

May 24th, 2014 at 3:10 pm

@Kimberly:

OK, I joined the bracket challenge. But why didn’t we stay where we were the previous years? It is very complicated in this site, I don’t see a way to chat, and I made the mistake to use my name, not my nick. The quantity of data asked is a bit too much there.

May 24th, 2014 at 4:02 pm

Mat4 tell me about it,Contador gave me instuctions on how to put up a profile photo,i think i know how to do it now,the only thing i need to do now is get a decent photo on this laptop?

May 24th, 2014 at 4:22 pm

Mat4, is that freaking DOSTOEVSKY?

May 24th, 2014 at 9:51 pm

Kimberly, I agree with that analysis of the rivalry. The most attractive elements are the evenness of the matchup, and the brutality of it. Frankly, their hard court matches I could skip, but I really enjoy their clay ones.
Because I don’t enjoy it so much, I guess its hard for me to call it the greatest rivalry. But I don’t think its overlooked. Everyone who watches tennis knows its the biggest story on tour, and one of the most unique in tennis history.
But if you’re waiting for worldwide attention, as Rafa and Fed got, I think you’ll have to wait. Fed had a rare celebrity for a tennis player. Rafa is still far behind it, and Novak far behind that. It may not be fair, but it is what it is.
We know how big and special this rivalry is.

May 24th, 2014 at 10:00 pm

Rafa will win his 9th Roland Garros, equaling Martina Navratilova as the second tennis player to win the same major nine times in the Open Era.
Vam9s!

May 25th, 2014 at 12:44 am

@mat4
R u referring to the Masters 1000 challenge? That was a lot easier to manage, but has died. We looked at another slam site and it was actually a lot harder to manage than GTN.
Of course in a GS there are just so many matches, and I think you need all the data in front of you in order to get an idea of the whole tournament. Not that it helps me much LOL.
As for messaging, just look right at the top of the page, above all the pics of the contestants, you’ll see “messages” box there and just click on it.
Good luck.
@ Hippy Chicky
U don’t have to use your own pic, u can usually re-size one u like from the net and use that. Or one from a Rafa site?
@conty
Nice pic of Ernie….air brushed I assume…;)
@everyone else
Sorry for all this “challenge” talk. Will now stop!

May 25th, 2014 at 1:26 am

@TV:

Yes, it’s Dostoïevski. I have a dual boot system, but in the last few days I am stuck in windows preparing the new issue of the journal of my faculty, and, since I have only and old copy of Ventura installed in this system, I just found pictures of Russian writers prepared for a previous book. I guess I should have chosen Tchekhov.

Although it is not related to tennis in any way, a few words about graphic design. I noticed that in the last ten years, nobody develops software for long book creation. InDesign, Quark, all of this is OK for newspapers, and graphically intensive publications. But books… I finally opted for Lyx, then I learned TeX, and I get beautiful books with it. But since I am always under time pressure with the journal, I still use the true and proven Ventura (for 20 years now). That`s why I still use windows from time to time.

May 25th, 2014 at 3:29 am

Margot yeah i get that thanks,but i still havent a clue how you get a picture onto that site?

May 25th, 2014 at 3:33 am

@ Hippy
I’ll have a go at explaining on the site, rather than clogging up tx. But if I can do it, anyone can!

May 25th, 2014 at 4:14 am

I love Dostoevsky but I can’t even imagine a parallel with tennis. Could the Big Three be mapped to the Brothers Karamazov? What do you teach?

May 25th, 2014 at 12:51 pm