Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will be looking for berths in the Paris quarterfinals when they take the court on Thursday. They are set for respective meetings with John Isner and Philipp Kohlschreiber.
John Isner vs. (2) Novak Djokovic
Isner and Djokovic will be squaring off for the sixth time in their careers when they do battle in the third round of the BNP Paribas Masters on Thursday afternoon. Djokovic leads the head-to-head series, but the overall margin is just 3-2 and they have split their four previous hard-court meetings at two wins apiece. They most recently clashed in the quarterfinals of this summer’s Cincinnati Masters, where Isner scored a stunning 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-5 upset en route to a runner-up finish.
Not surprisingly, both of Isner’s victories over Djokovic have come in the United States (the other in the 2012 Indian Wells semis). On foreign soil, though, the 6’10” American is a completely different player. He is 9-12 outside of the USA this season compared to 30-12 at home. Isner beat Michal Przysiezny 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3 on Wednesday while Djokovic advanced on Tuesday night with a 7-6(3), 6-3 defeat of French wild card Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Djokovic is 63-9 this year and a perfect 13-0 since the U.S. Open with titles in Beijing and Shanghai. The setting will not help Isner and neither will the fact that he played both a three-set singles match and doubles on Wednesday.
Pick: Djokovic in 2 with no tiebreakers
[polldaddy poll=7519663]
(5) Roger Federer vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber
Kohlschreiber will get his eighth career shot at Federer when they face each other again on Thursday. Like the Djokovic-Isner showdown, this is another rematch of a Cincinnati meeting this summer. Federer won that second-round tilt 6-3, 7-6(7) to improve to 7-0 lifetime versus Kohlschreiber–including 2-0 on hard courts. The sixth-ranked Swiss is 15-1 in total sets against the German.
Following an extended spring and summer slump, Federer is showing signs of life this fall with a runner-up finish in Basel (lost to Juan Martin Del Potro in three sets) and a straight-set dismissal of Kevin Anderson on Wednesday night. At the same time, Kohlschreiber is also playing relatively well. Before a series of bad early-round draws this fall, the world No. 23 reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open and extended Rafael Nadal to four sets. Kohlschreiber beat Tommy Haas last week in the Valencia first round and crushed Haas 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday after getting past Andreas Seppi in his Paris opener. The underdog may steal a set for the second time, but Federer is back in form and can play loose having officially secured a spot in the World Tour Finals.
Pick: Federer in 3
[polldaddy poll=7521097]
Nole and Fed in two no TB.
#First
Djoker and Fed in two.
#Second
I like Joker in 2, but at least one tb, and I feel pretty confident about Fed in straight as well. Glad that he is officially in London.
Fed most likely in 3…no way he is focused enough to win this in 2…Nole OTOH is wining this in 2…no TB I would say, unless Isner has some hidden agenda that we don’t know of…Isner does not strike me as someone who can trouble Nole to take him to a TB…in fact, this will be an easy match for Nole…
Isner took Rafa to a TB so why not Nole? Their h2h is 2:3. Isner has beaten Nole twice but never Rafa in 4 tries.
simply because Isner seems rather dropping in form and does not look as someone who could challenge Nole…it’s not that I would not like him to, but I doubt it…
because they aren’t playing in #Merica
I have a feeling that Nole will win anyway, even though I don’t want him to.
At first I read natashao’s entry as ‘Isner seems rather drooping in form…….’ and giggled because that is exactly how he looks at the moment. Do wish he would take some lessons in positive body language.
^^maybe Izzy needs a bra……….
#Support
#AntiDroopDevice
Don’t tell me Novak mangled another overhead smash:
RT @SI_BTBaseline: “Can someone (anyone?) explain the Novak Djokovic overhead?”
Izzy with two set points. If he wins, Rafa clinches No. 1.
#JuastaGoodOlBoy
set Isner
He may look droopy but it’s Djokovic who has dropped the set 🙂
seems like big john proves you all wrong 😀
I voted Djokovic in 3. I still think he will do it 🙁
he breaks
The Joker laughs as he breaks the Isner serve.
Nole awakes and breaks! Big John comes back down to earth.
Will the real John Izzy
please stand up
please stand up
please stand up
now Isner is self destructing 😀
sad but true 😀
no
he is just gearing up for a third set
It would help if he looked as though he believed he could do it.
Izzy just realized he’s not in Kansas anymore.
H2H tiebreak
isner 4
Djokovic 2
Both times Djokovic has won the TB he has gone on to win the matches.
Should have said
Both occasions when Djokovic has won a TB he has also won the match.
Above comment totally irrelevant! I didn’t think Isner was going to fold quite so quickly.
good boy, hawkeye ?
I guess Rafa’s coronation has to wait, Novak just broke Izzy……………
#AnticipationCarlySimon
So, Fed appears to have rediscovered his mojo.
#IndoorSeason
He’s back RITB!!!!
The commies must be excited again!
If I could turn back ti-ime.
Quite. They were practising it last week. Now they are in full cry.
JAW Dropping. I don’t BELEEEEIVE it. How GOOD was thaaaaat.
Incredible ABSOLUTELY Incredible.
Sounds like Robbie-K.
Phenominadal!!!!!
^^^^ ✌
Finally I can see Rafa’s match live. I moved my schedule around to get everything done in the morning. Now it’s lunch with Rafa!
I will be nervous for this one.
nny: don’t be, he’ll be ok 🙂
May I hold hands with all my chums in cyber space.
I’m trying so hard not to be nervous……………….
So nervous I left this message on the wrong thread. 🙂