Juan Martin Del Potro and Roger Federer will be facing each other for the second time in six days when they meet again on Friday in Paris. Novak Djokovic and Stanislas Wawrinka are also looking for a place in the semifinals.
(5) Roger Federer vs. (4) Juan Martin Del Potro
Del Potro and Federer will be squaring off for the 19th time in their careers and for the second time in six days when they collide again in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Masters on Friday afternoon. Federer leads the head-to-head series 13-5, but all five of Del Potro’s wins have come on hard courts compared to eight for Federer. The Argentine has won three in a row in the series after beating Federer 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-4 in the Basel title match on Sunday.
Both men have continued to win in Paris as they heard toward next week’s World Tour Finals. Del Potro, also a champion in Tokyo and the runner-up in Shanghai, booked his spot in the last eight by taking out Marin Cilic and Grigor Dimitrov. Federer advanced with straight-set dismissals of Kevin Anderson and Philipp Kohlschreiber. The fifth-seeded Swiss does not have home-court advantage this time around, but at some point fatigue has to catch up to Del Potro. If it happens sooner rather than later in Paris, it would not be such a bad thing because it would give the world No. 5 at least some rest before London.
Pick: Federer in 3
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(7) Stanislas Wawrinka vs. (2) Novak Djokovic
Wawrinka and Djokovic will be meeting for the 16th time in their careers and for the third time this season. Their two previous 2013 encounters were memorable, to say the least. Djokovic prevailed both times, but not without huge struggles. He scored a 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(5), 12-10 victory at the Australian Open before persevering for a 2-6, 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win in the U.S. Open semifinals. Overall, the head-to-head series is not exactly so competitive. The Serb has won 13 of their 15 matches, including 12 in a row and eight of nine on hard courts.
Since losing in New York two days later to Rafael Nadal, Djokovic is a perfect 14-0 with titles in Beijing and Shanghai. So far in Paris, the world No. 2 has dismissed Pierre-Hugues Herbert and John Isner–losing one set to Isner in the process. Wawrinka, who clinched a berth in London on Thursday, has defeated Feliciano Lopez and Nicolas Almagro. While his record against Djokovic is not encouraging, the eighth-ranked Swiss has to take heart from his showings in this year’s thrillers. Wawrinka is due for a win, and if he puts in first serves while also firing on point with his one-handed backhand, he can disrupt Djokovic’s timing on an indoor hard court. Don’t be shocked if the underdog finally gets over the hump and gives Djokovic a head start to London.
Pick: Wawrinka in 3
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