(6) Tomas Berdych vs. (18) Ernests Gulbis
Ricky: Gulbis has been serving out of a tree this week; in nine sets after dropping his tournament opener to Lukasz Kubot, the Latvian dropped serve only once (in the second set to Kubot) while facing just seven break points (two combined against Facundo Bagnis and Radek Stepanek). He had some predictable hiccups against Roger Federer, but Gulbis’ first and third sets were near flawless. The world No. 18 is also coming off a title in Nice, whereas Berdych’s clay-court swing prior to Roland Garros was lackluster. The Czech was great against Isner (as usual) on Sunday, but he had at least some trouble with Aleksandr Nedovyesov and Roberto Bautista Agut. I think an especially competitive match, such as something deep into a fifth set, would favor Berdych based on his past experience with Grand Slam quarters, semis, and even a final (Wimbledon 2010). A supremely confident Gulbis, however, may be able to finish the job before it reaches that point. Gulbis 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
Joey: Gulbis made a lot of Federer fans hate him on Sunday, but he probably couldn’t care any less. The Latvian took a MTO late in the fourth set and lost just four games from that point on. However, I will defend Gulbis and say that if he needed to take the MTO, that he took it at the right time. Either way, no matter; he’s in the quarterfinals of the French Open for the second time after scoring what he called the best win of his career over Federer. He now faces Berydch, who has been typically solid through the first week, dropping only two sets in the process. Berdych leads the head-to-head series 4-2, including a dominant 6-3 6-2 victory earlier this season in Rotterdam. Gulbis moves better on clay, but Berdych holds the advantage on the forehand side. Although the Latvian’s forehand gets talked about a lot for his awkward use of his left hand, he has managed that shot well throughout this tournament. I think Gulbis has the confidence right now to beat just about anybody, and his serve will get him through enough easy games to pull it off. I’m also predicting only one racket smash. Gulbis 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-4.[polldaddy poll=8096000]
Ricky: Encouragingly for Raonic, he tested Djokovic in a 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-3 battle in Rome last month. Unfortunately for the underdog, conditions in Paris should be more favorable for Djokovic and the world No. 2 is looking dominant right now. Djokovic was especially ruthless in a 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 beatdown of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Nobody has any real chance of beating him this fortnight other than, of course, Rafael Nadal. Philippe Chatrier also appears to be playing considerably slower than Lenglen, so it’s bad news for Raonic that they are playing this one on the main show court. Even if the No. 8 serves incredibly well, Djokovic’s defense will be too good. Djokovic 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-3.Joey: Djokovic has played unbelievably well thus far in Paris, aside from one sub-par set against Marin Cilic. He made a highly-anticipated round of 16 match against home favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga look like first-rounder. Djokovic’s ability to turn defense into attack is second to none on the tour right now. Meanwhile, Raonic became the first Canadian man to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam when he routined Marcel Granollers, dropping only games to the crafty Spaniard. These two played less than three weeks ago in and Raonic pushed Djokovic to the limit, with the Serb eventually prevailing 6-3 in the third. Djokovic was on the defense for much of that match, so he’ll need to be more offensive this time around to keep the match on his terms. Raonic has to serve huge and even go for some second serves as if he is hitting first deliveries. The No. 8 seed’s movement on clay is very strong for his size, but look for Djokovic to expose him on the backhand side. It should be close for a set or two, but the favorite is too focused on winning this tournament to lose this early. Djokovic 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-2.[polldaddy poll=8096004]
Roddick on Gulbis: funny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLCc53gOh5I
@abhirf, you have to laugh at this! Who is this Alix Ramsey, a bloody comedian??
http://www.tennishorts.com/gulbis-flushes-federers-french-open-dreams-away/
“It was clear as soon as he went to the lav that there was something wrong. Roger Federer, like the Queen, does not go to the lav (he probably doesn’t carry cash, either, just like Her Maj); perfect in every way, his bladder control is the stuff of legend and no matter how long the match or how difficult the conditions, he can hold it.
But as Ernests Gulbis took a two-sets-to-one lead over the Mighty One in the fourth round on Sunday, Fed headed straight for the gents. This was not good. This really was not good.”
“As the third set ran away from him, he needed to find his majestic superpowers, his inner oneness – perhaps he had left them in the little boys’ room? Best go and look. Alas, all he found there was a line judge watching his every move (and that must put a chap off as he goes to perform) and a rumpled roller towel.”
Oh my, Ernie. For the first time in my life I will be rooting for you in your semi:
http://www.tennishorts.com/gulbis-batters-berdych-to-reach-roland-garros-semifinal/
“I think just for me it’s 0‑0 with him in matches,” Ernie said. “The way I’m playing now, I never played like this. I never felt like this. It’s just 0‑0. What was in the past, I don’t even consider. I beat him once, also in a bad match. He was changing racquet and he was playing really bad. So it’s 0‑0 for me.”
I then must say that I also belong to this group of FANATICS as I really, truly do not enjoy anyone else wining but Rafa…as long as Rafa is on tour I will cheer for him and I will pray that he wins trophies and beats everyone…I would never call it fanatic, I would simply call it TRUE FAN!
I know why Federazzi enjoy someone else wining majors. There are several reasons for it:
1. Fed can no longer win masters, let alone majors
2. if Rafa continues wining majors he will surpass Fed’s record on slams and that will destroy his ego and the ego of his fans, and it will put the story of the GOAT to rest
I think Fed fans are not being honest in saying how they appreciate someone else winning majors…I recall when Fed was wining everything, I bet if someone asked you then if you would appreciate Rafa beating Fed in Wimby you would react the same way as Rafans today…you can’t deceive Rafans…we know what is behind it…
And now it seems that if we wish Rafa to win it all we don’t come from this planet, we are not being fair, we are not objective, we are bad, etc….that’s ridiculous…doble standards…for me the weirdest thing is to claim you are a Rafan and then wish for or even be pleased to see Novak/Gulbis/Monfils win the trophy…I really think those fans need to check their loyalty…
I personally will be SAD, very SAD if Rafa fails to defend his title…and I am not ashamed of it and it certainly does not make me disrespectful of other players…I love Rafa so much that I truly believe he deserves to break the record and achieve the No 9…seeing Rafa the eight-time champion playing on Lenglen today and hearing stupid Fed-adicted commentators (who are only afraid of Rafa breaking Fed’s slam record!) saying that Nole is the future King of Clay really makes me mad…if Nole wins this thing 8 times I will consider him deserving…for now and most likely forever he will only be the one
desperately trying to win RG…he will probably get one at the end but that only makes him equal to what poor Fed managed at RG…Rafa is way out of their league…
natashao2013 (at 9:37 am)
— hearing stupid Fed-adicted commentators (who are only afraid of Rafa breaking Fed’s slam record!) saying that Nole is the future King of Clay really makes me mad—
I have always had a feeling that money in their bank account talks.
It’s quite funny, reading through the general press lately it’s not so much talk about Djokovic finally lifting his 1st RG trophy but about him beating Rafa at RG. James Blake does not think Djokovic is ready yet to de-throne the King of Clay:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=11027587
Vamos Blake!
rafaisthebest (at 10:26 am);
—reading through the general press lately it’s not so much talk about Djokovic finally lifting his 1st RG trophy but about him beating Rafa at RG—
That’s what it means to be a Fed fan (= “a REAL tennis fan”).
I also will be sad if Rafa doen’t win RG.
But I could still enjoy seeing Muzza or Ferrer winning.
For that matter, as long as it wasn’t Rafa in the final, I (think that I) could even take some enjoyment out of seeing Nole finally reach a goal he has strived to achieve for so long. He is a truly great player.
I’ve been a tennis fan a looooooong time before Rafa came along. I never thought I could enjoy tennis as much after Sampras left the game (I know I know I’m boring) until Rafa came along.
It’s getting quite ridiculous because this year I don’t think I actually enjoy watching his matches live because I’m so nervous!!!
#ToEachThereOwn
hawkeye63 (June 4, 2014 at 1:33 pm)
If Rafa doesn’t win (whatever), I show strong support to HIM !!!
That’s great augusta08. You are a fantastic rafan!!!
Respect.
hawkeye63 (at 2:23 pm)
I am very happy to be unREAL tennis fan!!! 😆
Yes!
My comment @ 3:37 pm was for Hawkeye. For saying that he can also enjoy watching other players win.
I am almost 100% sure (maybe 99.9% :-)) if Rafa does not make it to the finals Nole is the one who will lift the trophy…even if Rafa is in the finals, Nole still has HUGE chance to win…so, maybe it makes me “inappropriate” fan, but for me no one else stands a chance to lift the trophy except Rafa/Nole…there is no way either Ferrer or Murray (Monfils IMO is no danger to anyone, sorry Monf just being realistic here 🙂 ) can beat Nole…and Gulbi is a joker, he will not be able to put up with the pressure of the semis…
Yes, Novak can win and maybe he will win, but I will not run around my living room doing a victory jig if he does! Ditto for Gulbis, Ferru, LaMonf. Now, if Muzza wins…….I will be happy for him, because I actually like him, but not as happy as if Rafa had won. That is just me.
Now, according to @abhirf, that means I am not a real tennis fan but an extreme fanatic; couldn’t care less! That’s HIS label and HIS opinion, of which he is perfectly entitled. I quite respect @abhirf so I am not going to read malice in what he said. However, I am not going to pretend I will be happy to see Novak win just so I can be part of the “enlightened” real tennis fan set! I am quite happy to be a Rafan Neanderthal, thanks. Honest.
And guess what, there will be people out there who will be doing victory jigs if Novak or anyone but Rafa wins and I couldn’t care less. They could be Novak fans, Rafa fans, whoever fans…….
Just don’t, for one minute, think I am going to feel any less of a REAL tennis fan because I want Rafa, most of all, to win.
As @hawkeye63 says, to each their own.
Well, at least you cared about that comment, hey ritb? 😉
I can’t win’em all! (Nor would I ever try.)
spot on! I am in full agreement with everything you said! I happen to feel the same including the part on Murray to win as I also happen to like him a lot!
However, Rafa is part of my being and there is no one who can take his place… 🙂
and @abhirf, I also find him a very nice and down to earth poster, so I hope we can just agree to disagree…
Vamos Rafa!
^^My 2:48 pm rant was not aimed at you @nats, but the world in general! We have Federazzi out there, today I want to claim my own label, aimed at me: Rafarazzi!
hawkeye63 says: June 4, 2014 at 2:59 pm
Bring back @Conspirator, and I will care!
As I’ve said many times ritb, like you, I’m not here to please anyone, just to exchange thoughts and opinions with knowledgeable and passionate people in the clouds who care for the game of tennis as passionately as I do.
@Conspirator only shows up when there are delusional (shhh…) federazzi at work 🙂
^^Amen! That is why, like me, you are persona non grata on Roger-x blog!
#ThankGodForTheTolerantRickster
hawkeye63@June 4, 2014 at 3:11 pm
As for me, I am here to show my support to Rafa.
Gulbis is the only one other than Rafa who CAN beat Djoker
But he won’t
What is different in the last ten or so years from before, and we write about it here every once in a while is the internet, zillions of channels on tv and online to watch more than one match at more than one tournament simultaneously, and more global trade and travel and as a result of all that players playing more tournaments and traveling more, prizes and marketing deals for the top players now reaching ridiculous levels (many times the lifesavings of most people in a single year). (And with technology changes and more tournaments, more injuries all around. It’s an insane time for tennis players. And fans. 25 years ago it was quite different as far as all of this goes. Yes, people would still idolize their favorite player. But not to the same extent. The difference: we see them play more often. We see pictures, videos, transcripts of everything they do and say in public. Everything is scrutinized. We read endless comments by thousands of posters world wide analyzing every last bit of information that becomes public.And this only increases the fever pitch of any delusions / distortions we the fans and they the professional commentators and writers have. Let’s not forget the perception that is reinforced by most common culture today (via the media, people’s attitudes and more): the (irrational) perception that anyone who is highly successful and through their success has made an enormous income is as a result automatically more than human, a little bit of a deity, more wise, more to be emulated, etc, etc. The super starts from sports and from elsewhere are in many real senses _some_ of our current ‘gods’. Objectivity does not rule, much. And thus… we see Rafa as larger than life. And thus … Roger, especially in the first years of his enormous success, or rather the public and professional _perception_ of Roger migrated quickly and deeply into the mythological domain. Few, truly, few, who write about him are anywhere nearly as objective as they might believe they are. This level of mythologizing and bias was simply not possible twenty five years ago, for the reasons I mentioned above.
So if anyone wants to talk about objectivity, realism etc in tennis fandom, esp regarding the male players, bear this in mind.
Very well said chloro.
I’ll never forget the first time I found a live stream to a Sampras match around 2000. Barely watchable. Other than the majors (which were tape delayed as often as not). coverage of tennis was very spotty.
Just wondering chloro who thinks that they are being purely objective as a tennis fan (or commentator)? I can’t think of anyone.
Kudos to Ricky though. He’s as objective as they come. I have him pegged as a Rafan but props to him that I’m never completely positive.
So true, hawkeye, about tennis fans. Although some would have you believe that they are the exception, the one who really is nearly entirely subjective :-).
Even more true; what you said regarding our beloved rickster.
It may be sheer coincidence but two posters who articulate what I am so often thinking both live in Canada.
ed,
Perhaps it is not entirely a coincidence, perhaps it is in part due to the fact that conspirator, I mean hawkeye, and I live in that little country (population and GDP wise) bordering the still largest economical player.
As is the case elsewhere in the world with this kind of situation, it is very common for the people in the huge country to think that their way in the world is the best and their view almost unassailable. (I used to travel all over the USA for work and met thousands of professionals there.)… while many fewer people in the smaller countries tend to think this way.
Just to make clear: I don’t for a second suggest, that nny or ricky are among those USA citizens that have that kind of narrow and self-satisfied view of things.
Ricky plays his cards close to his chest but as an objective sports journalist he doesn’t allow his head to rule his heart. Deep down though I suspect he is usually rooting for Rafa.
He did (does?) have Rafa listed among his one or two favorite tennis player in his public profile. I forgot where.
https://twitter.com/RobKoenigTennis/status/474229990180265984