Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will kick off their Monte-Carlo campaigns on Wednesday. They are set for respective meetings against Frenchmen Jeremy Chardy and Lucas Pouille.
Jeremy Chardy vs. (2) Roger Federer
Federer and Chardy will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers and for the fourth time in less than a year and a half when they clash again in round two of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Wednesday. They also faced each other at this stage in one of last season’s clay-court Masters, with Chardy pulling off a 1-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) upset in Rome. Federer had previously prevailed 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3 on the hard courts of Brisbane and he later got the job done 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 6-4 on the indoor hard courts of Paris Bercy.
Chardy booked his spot in the last 32 by disposing of Diego Schwartzman 7-5, 6-2 on Tuesday. The 35th-ranked Frenchman is on the brink of French Open seeding with a solid but unspectacular 10-9 record for his 2015 campaign. Federer may have to shake off some rust after skipping Miami on the heels of runner-up finish in Indian Wells. But that also means the 33-year-old Swiss will be well-rested as he looks to go one step further in Monte-Carlo (lost to Stan Wawrinka in last year’s final).
Chardy booked his spot in the last 32 by disposing of Diego Schwartzman 7-5, 6-2 on Tuesday. The 35th-ranked Frenchman is on the brink of French Open seeding with a solid but unspectacular 10-9 record for his 2015 campaign. Federer may have to shake off some rust after skipping Miami on the heels of runner-up finish in Indian Wells. But that also means the 33-year-old Swiss will be well-rested as he looks to go one step further in Monte-Carlo (lost to Stan Wawrinka in last year’s final).
Pick: Federer in 2
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(3) Rafael Nadal vs. (WC) Lucas Pouille
Nadal has no history with Pouille, which should come as no surprise given that Pouille is only 21 years old and just now starting to make a real name for himself on the ATP Tour. What did come as a surprise was Pouille’s first-round result, as the French wild card beat an in-form Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-4. Four of Pouille’s seven career ATP-level match victories have now come in 2015.
As for Nadal, he is looking to bounce back from a disappointing Indian Wells-Miami swing (quarterfinal loss to Milos Raonic in Indian Wells, third-round setback against Fernando Verdasco in Miami). Clay, though, is just what the doctor ordered for the fifth-ranked Spaniard right now. Monte-Carlo, especially, has been a place of absolute dominance. Nadal is 50-3 lifetime at the event with three titles. The third see is by no means at his very best these days, but this is when he should start to get back on track.
Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 5-7 games [polldaddy poll=8801701]
Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 5-7 games [polldaddy poll=8801701]
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Golly, augusta, you’re quick off the mark. Rafa is lucky to have such devoted fans.
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Vamos, Rafa!
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Hahaha…I was one of the rare (of three) who voted for Poullie to win 3-4 games…I am glad Rafa proved me right…can’t believe so many people expected Rafa to lose…
Rafa is improving significantly and what is more important Rafa is clearly enjoying on the court…
Vamos Rafa!
Match point
http://clips.tennistv.com/g/v/KCO3XhNOeSI
good to see our man dispatching one without too much effort (without having seen the match), thx augusta for the stats
Reblogged this on Tennis Abides.
Pouille – 21 winners… you’re hardly going to beat anyone with those stats….
I thought the kid played pretty well and executed some good shots…I know nothing about him but he sure has the promising future…Rafa played some amazing shots himself…I missed those extraordinary points from Rafa…they are such a treat to my eyes…
Vamos Rafa;
Thx for your comments natashao2013 , I’m just talking out of my * since I didn’t see the match but with so many UEs he needs to work on his consistency or maybe strategy but easier said than done when you have Nadal on clay in front of you.
I set my recording and just watched the match. It was nice to see Rafa winning the way he should against a much lower ranked player. There were some shots that were vintage Rafa, some great dtl, I/o forehands and a dtl backhand here and there.
I think this kid came out with ideas of pulling off the upset, but Rafa took control and then was in command in the second set. I am not going to get crazy because this is what Rafa should be doing. It’s a win. Now on to the next match.
Well done, Rafa!
Rafael Nadal vs Lucas Pouille MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS 2015 Highlights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn04jsFsOCU
¤¤ RAFA RACES THROUGH OPENER
MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS 2015, 15.04.2015
(An excerpt)
“I was practicing well before the tournament started,” said Nadal. “I had a good five days of practice here in Monte Carlo that I felt well. Always the competition is more important. [Today] was a good test for me. The result was easy, but the match was not easy and the opponent was not easy. I was able to win with a very positive score.
“I don’t know how many unforced errors I did during the whole match, but for sure almost none. I played with the right mentality, the right concentration. I did not have mistakes in a row. I play aggressive when I have to play aggressive. I hit some better passing shots than the last couple of months.
“Today I go back to the hotel with a fantastic feeling because I played probably the best match of the year for me.” ¤¤
http://montecarlotennismasters.com/en/rafa-races-through-opener/
Just read that Rafa has changed his racquet
New racquet gives more spin n power but less control
Why would he choose a racquet make that gives less control? Unless it is an article mistake of translation
It seems to me that everything new takes time to adjust hence less control…It’s I believe an old news that Rafa changed his racquet…he did it prior to AO I read…by now he should have it more under control…
Please read” Rafael Nadal” page.
No he changed it just now not prior to AO
No, it’s a trade off. More power/spin at the cost of less control. Similar trade off in string tension and racquet stiffness for example.
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/04/rafael-nadal-new-racket-racquet-monte-carlo-babolat-spin-control-power
All i know is when Fed replaced his racquet it took him a fair amount of time to adjust…it must be that Rafa will need some time to get accustomed to a new racquet too…I am not sure the transition to clay was the right time to do it though…
Federer’s racquet change was more significant. He went to a much larger frame.
New racket or no new racket, the problem is still in Rafa’s mind. He has to get that sorted out and no new racket is going to fix it. A new racket can’t give him confidence and calm in the key moments of a match, things that Rafa has said he is lacking.
Whatever the reason for the change, Rafa still has to get himself together. I very much hope that it happens.