Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will continue their Beijing campaigns on Friday. They are set for respective quarterfinal encounters with Grigor Dimitrov and Martin Klizan.
(1) Novak Djokovic vs. Grigor Dimitrov
Djokovic and Dimitrov will be squaring off for the sixth time in their careers when they collide in the quarterfinals of the China Open on Friday afternoon. The head-to-head series stands at 4-1 in Djokovic’s favor, including 2-0 on hard courts. Dimitrov’s lone win came at the 2013 Madrid Masters, where he pulled off a thrilling 7-6(6), 6-7(8), 6-3 upset. They most recently faced each other in the Wimbledon semifinals a few months ago, when Djokovic survived 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(7) en route to the title.
A disappointing hard-court summer does not seem to be impacting what is arguably Djokovic’s best tournament. The top-ranked Serb is now 21-0 lifetime in Beijing and on course for a fifth title. He opened by easing past Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-1 before defeating Vasek Pospisil 6-3, 7-5. Dimitrov booked his place in the quarters with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Fernando Verdasco and a 6-4, 6-4 win at the expense of Pablo Andujar. The 10th-ranked Bulgarian is an awesome 43-13 for the season. At this event, however, Djokovic is simply too good.
Pick: Djokovic in 2
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(Q) Martin Klizan vs. (2) Rafael Nadal
Nadal and Klizan will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers and for the second time this season. Interestingly, their two previous meetings have resulted in the exact same scoreline. The Spaniard prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 at last season’s French Open and 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 this summer in the Wimbledon first round. This is Nadal’s first appearance since his fourth-round exit at the All-England Club, and it is off to a strong start. The world No. 2 returned from a wrist injury with a 6-4, 6-0 rout of Richard Gasquet before cruising past Peter Gojowyczk 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday.
Klizan has been on a roll since coming within one game of a straight-set defeat in the first round of Beijing qualifying. At that point he lost only five games in more than three sets of qualifying then survived a tough three-setter against Leonardo Mayer. The 56th-ranked Slovak was dominating his second-rounder against Ernests Gulbis on Thursday when the Latvian retired during the second set. Nadal is only gaining confidence with two matches under his belt and he will be focused on starting hot in the wake of his two prior struggles versus Klizan.
Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 7 games or fewer
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When’s the Shanghai draw out?
now
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2014/5014/mds.pdf
Come on, Rickster, shower us with your intrepid analysis…………….
Here’s mine: Rafa will be in the final.
I don’t see any meltdowns here at all. I think Rafa fans are taking this loss as well as can be expected.
certainly a loss during the Asian swing is nothing they haven’t seen before!!!
^^ This.
HOWEVER………!
My money’s on Rafa bucking the trend this year: he will win a tournament this Fall.
The Shanghai draw looks quite good for Rafa. Mr Klizan is in the top half but I’m sure he only saves his fire power for Rafa.
Djoker and Muzz always play defensive against each other.
^^Their matches are pretty intense though, they really hate losing to the other. That’s what makes the rivalry interesting for me.
These matches between Nole and Andy are snooze fests, just waiting for the first one to make a mistake. I got up at 5.30 am to watch this. 🙁
http://cdn.graphicsfactory.com/clip-art/image_files/image/5/699045-sleeping203.gif
Watching Djoray
Rafa and Djoker hate losing to each other as do Fed/Rafa or even Fed/Muzz and Fed/Djoker but it’s never this boring.
I am watching F1 qualifying on my laptop at the same time and I thought that was my #1 on the list for watching paint dry.
http://www.soccergames10.com/thumbs/watch-paint-dry.jpg
Murray play the Djoker ‘I’m defending the baseline’ game which he is so good at; simply farming the ball to his opponent. Th beat Djoker he needs to take him away from the baseline.
http://i.imgur.com/XkW90cy.gif
Delicious animations Nadline!
I missed the above ‘drama’ today. My alarm clock, otherwise known as Henri my elderly dog who wakes me up at 5am every day needing to go outside, failed this morning. Cracked up at the thought of you watching F1 simultaneously.
Rafa stop whining ..just go and play
Balls..courts..schedule..number of hard court tourneys..injuries ..I am myself getting tired being ur big fan hearing you whining all the time, its frustrating ..I am okay with you losing but not with you being a crybaby and whiner..just play and do your best and get us 17-18 slams 🙂
Okay Djoko and Fed in same half in Shanghai..thats good..only 1 can make the final 🙂
Rafa has got a good draw in Shanghai..
The problem for Rafa fans is he set the bar so high in 2013 it is difficult to adjust the expectations.
When has Rafa backed up a good year
Look at 2008..2010 and now 2013..all stellar years were followed by average 1 slam years with < 5-6 overall titles
the draw suddenly does not matter for Rafa that much…you never know if he will end up losing to nobody…I am inclined to think that Rafa is better off when playing some top & quality players than facing those low ranked that are supposed to be easy to deal with but rejuvenated by Rafa they suddenly become beasts…and as I said: Berdy should thank Rafa for his easy opponent today…Klizan is no danger to top 10 players and it’s gonna stay that way…but Rafa has made him a hero…that’s sick…
I feel the same, nats, but Rafa said in his interview that his movement, shots and rhythm have got some way to go. Rafa doesn’t play chance tennis his game is precise, his shots are very well thought out and measured which is devastating when all the pieces are there but if one bit is missing he is vulnerable. He lost to Zeballos in Vina del Mar then proceeded to dominate most of 2013 once he got his game going.
I’m not down hearted though I’m disappointed. This is what he had to say in his presser:
Q. When we were watching the match, we thought you had a lot of errors on your forehand, that your forehand condition is worse than your opponent’s. Do you think the forehand was a major cause to the result today or any other reasons to explain the loss today?
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, forehand is an important part of my game, is obvious. If I am not playing well with my forehand, is obvious that I have a problem. It’s obvious that today I had the problem. That’s it.
It’s not all about the forehand. The forehand is an important part. But the movements, the way that I am recovering from a not very bad position, but normal positions, I think he was able to find winners too easy. When I was defending, I was not able to play the ball long. Normal things that somebody does when one plays bad and I don’t do when I’m feeling well physically, when I’m feeling quick on court, feeling that the opponent needs to hit a very good shot to create a winner. Today was not the case. When that happens, like I said before, that’s it.
Just as I thought, Berdy manhandles The Kliz……………..
Earlier today I read Klizan said in a post match interview that he felt he could beat any of the top players now. Don’t know where I read this and cant find it again.
It is beyond aggravating to hear this kind of boasting particularly bearing in mind he was playing Nadal in only the third match after a three month layoff. Pleased Berdy put him back in his place and I trust Rafa will not allow a repeat performance next time they meet.
Come on Gussie the Sleuth. I’m relying on you to trace the source of that comment!
http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=103273
^^^ thanks ?
De nada,
Fantastic site for the transcripts from the most important tournaments of the tennis, for sure, no?