amazing. the mighty federer has not reached the final of any masters event this year
since winning the australian open in grand style (not dropping a set at all along the way).when asked what positives he could take from the match, federer said, "at least this gives me time to prepare more for the french open." after winning the year end event in shanghai last december, he announced that his main goal for 2007 was to win the elusive french open crown at roland garros... (read more about the match and what TMF said in his post-match presser HERE)i'm actually glad he's lost again, great as he is. it opens up the field and gives other players in his half of the draw a chance to put their own self belief on the line and go for the "almost slam" at the impressive foro italico in rome (the event is also known as the italian open).
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tonight, rafa takes on mikhail youzhny, a man who has beaten him three consecutive times, one of three men who owns a superior head-to-head record against him (2-0); the other two players whom rafa has never beaten --- on hard court --- are james blake and tomas berdych (although he DID beat berdych in monte carlo, handing the czech the dreaded bagel in their first set mwahahaha). this will be a match to watch. i will be very nervous, no doubt... as this will be following rafa's dizzy spell from his match yesterday against italian daniele bracciali and subsequent visit to the hospital. youzhny is a passionate player with clean strokes and a sweet backhand who salutes like a fascist soldier and who honestly freaks me out. if it isn't rafa across the net, i like his game. but tonight, i will be on tenterhooks.
since winning the australian open in grand style (not dropping a set at all along the way).when asked what positives he could take from the match, federer said, "at least this gives me time to prepare more for the french open." after winning the year end event in shanghai last december, he announced that his main goal for 2007 was to win the elusive french open crown at roland garros... (read more about the match and what TMF said in his post-match presser HERE)i'm actually glad he's lost again, great as he is. it opens up the field and gives other players in his half of the draw a chance to put their own self belief on the line and go for the "almost slam" at the impressive foro italico in rome (the event is also known as the italian open).----------------
tonight, rafa takes on mikhail youzhny, a man who has beaten him three consecutive times, one of three men who owns a superior head-to-head record against him (2-0); the other two players whom rafa has never beaten --- on hard court --- are james blake and tomas berdych (although he DID beat berdych in monte carlo, handing the czech the dreaded bagel in their first set mwahahaha). this will be a match to watch. i will be very nervous, no doubt... as this will be following rafa's dizzy spell from his match yesterday against italian daniele bracciali and subsequent visit to the hospital. youzhny is a passionate player with clean strokes and a sweet backhand who salutes like a fascist soldier and who honestly freaks me out. if it isn't rafa across the net, i like his game. but tonight, i will be on tenterhooks.
