Familiar foes David Ferrer and Philipp Kohlschreiber will meet again on Friday in the Barcelona quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Fabio Fognini is back in action one day after upsetting Rafael Nadal.
(12) Philipp Kohlschreiber vs. (3) David Ferrer
Ferrer and Kohlschreiber will be colliding for the 13th time in their careers when they battle for a semifinal spot at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell on Friday. The head-to-head series stands at 9-3 in favor of Ferrer, who has won all three of their previous clay-court meetings without dropping a set. They faced each other twice in 2014, with both showdowns ending in third-set tiebreakers. Ferrer survived 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 7-6(4) in Cincinnati and 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(3) on the indoor hard courts of Vienna.
It has already been a productive week for Kohlschreiber, who has won back-to-back matches at a tournament for the first time this year. The 25th-ranked German reached the quarters without surrendering a set to either Andrey Kuznetsov or Benoit Paire. Ferrer also got a first-round bye before beating Albert Montanes and Elias Ymer. The world No. 8 trailed Ymer 4-0 in the second set on Thursday only to take the last six games for a 6-3, 6-4 victory. With a 26-4 record on the season, Ferrer is supremely confident and should maintain his master of Kohlschreiber on this surface.
Pick: Ferrer in 2
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Pablo Andujar vs. (13) Fabio Fognini
Fognini will be back in action approximately 24 hours after stunning Rafael Nadal 6-4, 7-6(6) in the Barcelona third round. It was the Italian’s second win over Nadal this season–and second on clay. Aside from those upsets, however, Fognini has been a borderline disaster. He was 6-9 prior to this week with a whopping six opening-match exits.
Up next for the world No. 30 is Andujar, whom he has positively owned in the past. Fognini is dominating the head-to-head series 5-0 (two Futures matches included) and 10-0 in total sets with not a single set more competitive than 6-4. Andujar has taken out Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Leonardo Mayer, and Feliciano Lopez while coughing up only one set to Mayer in the process. Fognini obviously should win this one, but he could lose interest against a less heralded opponent so soon after toppling Nadal.
Pick: Andujar in 2
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Ferrer in Straight sets. But if Fognini loses to Andujar in straight sets what do we make of his win over Nadal yesterday? Fognini for the upset over Andujar
you do realize Fabio has beaten Andujar 5 out of 5 times they have played, three on the ATP level, right?
Maybe Andujar in three sets, but two sets is asking too much. Fabio is obviously mercurial, but you have to think he is licking his chops at the thought of seeing someone he has dismissed so easily in every previous matchup.
I will eat these words, and a hat, promptly. Forgive me for ever thinking Fabio could win a match following Nadal. I thought he may build energy off of the crowd being completely against him, especially following yesterday’s performance and, boy, am I playing the fool well this afternoon.
I will eat these words, and a hat, promptly. Forgive me for ever thinking Fabio could win a match following Nadal. I thought he may build energy off of the crowd being completely against him, especially following yesterday’s performance and, boy, am I playing the fool well this afternoon.
I will eat these words, and a hat, promptly. Forgive me for ever thinking Fabio could win a match following Nadal. I thought he may build energy off of the crowd being completely against him, especially following yesterday’s performance and, boy, am I playing the fool quite well this afternoon.
bow to my greatness
taking humility lessons from the master
I also think Fog will lose this easily…except for his precious wins over Nadal he is done nothing this year…unless Flavia is watching and he does his best to impress her once again…
Hopefully Ferrer wins the title
As expected, The Fog couldn’t care less, he won his trophy yesterday!
Andujar leading 4-1 in the 1st set.
Andujar takes the 1st set 6-1, in 27 minutes
Agree, Ferru wants to win Barcelona. It is a career goal of his. He’s a four time runner up to Rafa. He deserves this.
I hope Ferru beats Nishi, do Rafa a favour in the rankings department.
I. Hate. The. Fog.
Officially.
Congratulations to Ricky!
as I said…Fog lost his very next match in an easy manner…this makes Rafa’s defeat even more pathetic…
The only way the Fog was gonna win today was if Andujar had generalized anxiety disorder and was putting too much pressure on himself.
So true…when will the Team Nadal get it? Rafa will sink further and further…he needs psychological treatment…he needs a sport therapist…it breaks my heart to see someone of his greatness fearing of mediocre players and beating himself over and over again…
It really burns to know that Fog lost his next match. But it’s not surprising. It just makes Rafa’s loss to him even worse. I remember a match where the crowd turned on Fog because they felt he was tanking and not really making an effort. I can’t remember when it happened and where, but I do remember the crowd booing him loudly.
I wish that Rafa would consider some kind of sports psychologist or just someone with some insight into this. He needs some help. I can’t bear to see him struggling like this.
I really want Ferrer to win this. He deserves to have this moment if Rafa can’t be the one to do it. For selfish reasons, I would be only too happy to see Nishi lose and give Rafa some help in the rankings. Goodness knows he needs it now!
I am so over Rafa’s blip against the Fog. Rafa will get through this.
I know.
Ferrer was 6-2 up in the tiebreak and ended up losing it 8-6
What. Is. Andujar. On?
How on earth is it possible for Andujar to be challenging Ferrer? What’s he done recently to make anyone think he could make a match of this?
Chapeau Pablo………
This just goes to show what a brutal draw Rafa had. Had he beaten the Fog, he would have played Andujar and then Ferru. Brutal. Just the right kind of prep he needed for RG.
Andujar clearly loves playing at home. He played Rafa deep either last year or the year before in Madrid.
Not deep ..it was 6-1, 6-4
But Andujar should not be in Rafas section anywer as he has clearly matured now in 2 years
I meant deep in the tournament @sanju i.e. semis or thereabouts. Not deep as in scoreline.
rafaisthebest (at 4:01 pm),
In 2014, Rafa and Andujar met in Rio de Janeiro
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CDcynMqWAAEQvIc.png
Thanks Gussie. Like I suspected, Rafa played Andujar in Madrid semis in 2013 and won 60, 64.
Ferrer just gave up after losing the first set tiebreak. He should have won that tiebreak easily.
Since when does Ferrer give up? That’s not his style at all. I will have to try and catch a replay on the tennis channel to see what happened.