It will be an all-Swiss final on Sunday in Monte-Carlo, with Stanislas Wawrinka going up against Roger Federer. Both men are looking for their first title at the event.
Stanislas Wawrinka and Roger Federer will be squaring off for the 15th time in their careers when they battle for the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters title on Sunday afternoon.
Federer is dominating the head-to-head series 13-1, with a 3-1 mark on clay. Interestingly, however, Wawrinka’s lone victory over his fellow Swiss came at this same Monte-Carlo event (via a 6-4, 7-5 decision in the 2009 third round). They have faced each other only once since 2012 and on no occasions since last year’s Indian Wells Masters, where Federer prevailed in three sets.
The 2014 campaign has been kind to both men, with Wawrinka posting the most impressive results of his career and Federer enjoying a resurgence following a disappointing 2012. Wawrinka is 19-3 for the season with his first Grand Slam triumph at the Australian Open in addition to a winner’s trophy in Chennai. Federer’s 28-4 mark includes a title in Dubai and a runner-up showing in Indian Wells.
Wawrinka did not drop a set en route to the Monte-Carlo final, taking out Marin Cilic, Milos Raonic, and David Ferrer–who had upset Rafael Nadal in Friday’s quarterfinals. The world No. 3 also got a walkover past Nicolas Almagro in the third round. Federer survived one stumbling block against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, whom the No. 4 seed defeated 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-1 after being two points from defeat in the second set. That came in between straight-set scalps of Radek Stepanek, Lukas Rosol, and defending champion Novak Djokovic–who was struggling with a wrist injury.
This may not be a rout because Wawrinka is in great form, is well-rested, and clay gives him his best chance against Federer. Given his past futility, however, Wawrinka has to have a mental block against his favored countryman and that should help Federer regain the status of being Switzerland’s No. 1 player. That, too, is on the line in this one.
Pick: Federer in 3
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Fed is taking longer between points, why no time violation warning for him?
Stan doing the shankings now.
Imitation is the best form of flattery!
Here comes Feddy! He will break now.
Shame on all of you who dare doubt Fedaura.
If Stan wins, we can hypothesise that Fed would have been beaten by Rafa since we know Rafa would have beaten Stan if not for that “accident” against Ferru…….
So hypothetically, Rafa won,
Technically, he did not.
No ifs in tennis.
Roger wants the line moved.
RT @alex_willis: “Crushing for Federer, this.”
Stan showing his killer-side……….
#NoCountryForOldMen
3rd set tiebreak.
#NID
Stanford starting to crumble now. Fed holds at love. May not even need the tiebreak after all.
C’mon Fed, defend the honour of the Big 4! No interlopers in Masters 1000 wins……..
Roger said when he lost to Stan in MC last time it was because he’d just come back from his honeymoon. What would be his excuse this time?
^^He is expecting………
Lol
Wow! So against all expectation, Stan really can.
Well played!
Wawa wins his first Masters Shield.
Chapeau, Beefy!
Quite a journey. Has beaten Rafa, Novak and Fed this year…….not bad.
I cringe everytime someone praises Stan for ‘beating’ Rafa.
Rafa is always getting the most attention from Tennis commentators – no matter who is playing on the court. Rafa is a STAR!
I tweeted them and asked them to talk about the match instead of talking about Rafa.
nadline10@April 20, 2014 at 4:45 pm
Matches without Rafa are obviously boring for them.
Fed remained trophyless in MC.
Calendar slam for Stanimal?
He couldn’t even celebrate his first Masters?
Sorry for all of the antijinxings. I just simply cannot get behind Federer.
Well done Stanford!
^^@skeezer must be going nuts………….
All of my posts are being deleted now no matter how benign.
Sean couldn’t take it anymore. Haha.
According to Sky, StAnimal is the latest favourite for RG.
^^^In their dreams:
http://www.oddschecker.com/tennis/french-open/mens
Rafael Nadal 1
Novak Djokovic 11/5
Stan Wawrinka 10
And
https://twitter.com/augustazeight/status/457906706110894080/photo/1
The second attempt:
https://twitter.com/augustazeight/status/457907569026031616/photo/1
Odd that the betting odds still have Delpo in 4th behind Stan at RG 2014, higher than Fed. Do they know something we don’t? I thought Delpo was out for the year?
Lol nadline, commentators and their band wagons! B4 match bigging up Fed.
#Yawn
Very very happy Stan won. Well deserved. He is the Swiss No 1 after all. Am quiet shocked though that Fed folded instead of Stan.
I def was not rooting for Fed to win this because he simply cannot win a Masters that has eluded him by not facing Rafa and beating an injured Novak. He should win it fair and square beating the best . He already had his RG trophy not beating Rafa.
On other hand Rafa had to beat Novak or Fed for every major trophy of his and he has beaten the best on the court to win his slams and Masters.
And if Rafa had to play 4 Miami finals and not win it still, maybe its poetic justice that Roger too has 4 MC finals and no title
And all of a sudden the entire pain of Rafa losing has disappeared as neither Novak or Fed won this 🙂
“On other hand Rafa had to beat Novak or Fed for every major trophy of his and he has beaten the best on the court to win his slams and Masters.”
Sanju, no.
Why No? He beat Roger for 1st Wimby, Roger for 1st AO, Nole for both AO
On clay I believe he has beaten Roger, Novak on all 3 clay masters right.
IW need to check but I am sure he has beaten Roger/Novak for atleast 1 of his 3 IW
Same goes for Toronto/Montreal
Cincy too, he beat Roger on the way in QF
Keep looking!
Hint: It’s a biggy.
Olympics Gold too he beat Novak in semi
Wimby 2010. 🙂
Oh come on, @hawkeye63, finicky much? What @Sanju obviously meant to say was most of Rafa’s major titles have been won beating the top 4. In this regard, the Wimby win over Berdy was an outlier.
Give up?
Anyone? Anyone?
Bueller? Bueller?
RT @SteveTignor : “Which means it’s time for this stat again: The last man to win the Aussie-French double was Jim Courier in 1992.”
Chinese Year of the Unknown…………..
I didn’t realize Djoker also has been to 4 Cincy finals and yet to snag one, just like Rafa in Miami and MC for Fed?
RT @acestroke78: “@bgtennisnation @hbryant42 @darren_cahill MC for Fed (0-4 in finals) just like Miami for Rafa (0-4) or Cincy for Djoker: Mission Impossible!”
#Serendipity
Chapeau to Mona who went against the tide and picked Stan for the win.
I have to admit when the match started I was just so unimpressed, Stan was just utterly useless and I just could not understand why he was playing like that when he has the tools! It’s a good thing I left for church so I would not have to suffer through this, as I really thought Stan would have donated the match to Roger!
It’s so amazing how this all turned out, but I insist that this will bode well for Rafa! He needs time to heal mentally and physically and now that he reAlises that he is not alone in the funk, it will help him fix what needs fixing s lot faster and come out playing with a lot more ‘colm’ next tourney.
The clay court season is just never the same without Rafa, playing well or not!! Just hope that the top four get their acts together, improve thier health, and provide us with a great tennis season. Can’t wait to see Rafa back to his old self, Vamos!!
Happy Easter to All!!
wow, just wow, did not see this coming…I expected Fed would be motivated enough to beat this Stan but I was obviously wrong…however, deep inside me I felt the danger if Fed was to go to the third set and in that I was right…that’s why I thought Fed should win this in straights…
Congrats to Wawa! Great win for him indeed. With w/o by Almagro, and tired Ferrer he got Fed in the finals who was already mentally spent after that match with Novak…No, I will never be convinced that Wawa could be anything near the favorite for the RG…