The two-Masters lead-up to the U.S. Open begins in Montreal with the Rogers Cup. Roger Federer is out, but Chris Skelton previews a still-loaded field that features Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Rafael Nadal.
The Rogers Cup marks the first significant tournament of the U.S. Open Series and of the second half. Together with Cincinnati, Canada will offer the best guide for summer hard-court form ahead of the season’s final Grand Slam. Most of the men’s title contenders in New York have traveled to Montreal, with one notable exception, while Toronto will feature most of the women’s title contenders in New York, also with one notable exception. Read about the Montreal men’s draw here, and return in a day or so for an analysis of the Toronto women’s draw.
First quarter: World No. 1 Novak Djokovic returns to the Rogers Cup as the two-time defending champion, but he will face sterner competition than he did in 2012. Last year, most of Djokovic’s rivals skipped this event the week after the Olympics, but this year almost all except Roger Federer have entered the field. The top seed will want to dispatch his early challenges efficiently to conserve energy for those later challenges. Djokovic’s draw should help him meet that goal, for he never has lost a set (outside exhibitions) to potential second-round opponents Bernard Tomic and Florian Mayer. Slumping compatriot Janko Tipsarevic will lack the confidence to stop the superior Serb, while seventh seed Richard Gasquet remains winless against Djokovic on hard courts. They could meet in a quarterfinal rematch of last year’s final, if Gasquet avoids upset threats such as Lukas Rosol. On the fast court of Montreal, Rosol may fancy his chances in a first-round contrast of styles against Andreas Seppi. Near those two, Kei Nishikori looks to rebound from disappointment last week in Washington.
Semifinalist: Djokovic
Second quarter: At both Masters 1000 hard-court tournaments this year, the draws have projected a Swiss quarterfinal opponent for Rafael Nadal. But, whereas Indian Wells pitted him against Federer, Montreal has assigned him Stanislas Wawrinka. Like Djokovic, Nadal should fancy his chances of a smooth pre-semifinal progress. Two Canadian wildcards and no fewer than four qualifiers comprise six of the fourteen men in the second quarter. And Nadal has not lost a set in his ten meetings with Wawrinka, although the Swiss No. 2 has held set points against him at the Rogers Cup before. A similar statistic defines Nadal’s encounters with Tommy Haas, as likely as Wawrinka to reach a quarterfinal against the Spaniard. The ageless 35-year-old has lost all 12 of his sets against Nadal, who has broken down his one-handed backhand and punished his net approaches with passing shots. If healthy, Jerzy Janowicz might pose the greatest test for Rafa. Scheduled to meet him in the round of 16, the 6’8” Wimbledon semifinalist can rain down massive serves on this fast court if his arm has healed.
Semifinalist: Nadal
Third quarter: Another Spaniard returns to action for the first time since Wimbledon. While Nadal nursed his knees for much of July, David Ferrer focused on healing his injured ankle. The world No. 3 may need matches to brush off the rust and regain his rhythm on hard courts, where he has not played since finishing runner-up in Miami. A true test of Ferrer’s stamina could await in the round of 16 against fellow grinder Gilles Simon. Not at his best for much of 2013, Simon often produces more convincing tennis in the second half than the first. But Ferrer may meet his match against fifth seed Tomas Berdych despite his strong record against him. The Czech eyes an ideal slate of opponents in the early rounds, including a 10th meeting with Kevin Anderson since the start of the 2012. Undefeated in the previous nine, Berdych can anticipate renewing his bitter rivalry with Nicolas Almagro. On the other hand, top-ranked American John Isner could upset Almagro if he extends his momentum from Atlanta and Washington. No man is safe from Isner when his serve strikes its targets on a fast court.
Semifinalist: Berdych
Fourth quarter: Between the U.S. Open champions who bookend this section stands some notable young talent. Canadian fans will look forward to watching home hope Milos Raonic try to regain his form from earlier this season after a summer lull. For all of his explosiveness, Raonic may find his playing style too dimensional against the more balanced Juan Martin Del Potro, who rebounded from a leg injury in Washington. Australian Open quarterfinalist Jeremy Chardy also would turn back time several months if he could. His opening meeting with Raonic intrigues less than two first-round matches elsewhere in this section, though. Blazing through a 13-match winning streak this spring, Ernests Gulbis squares off against resurgent fast-court specialist Feliciano Lopez. In his first event after the cathartic Wimbledon breakthrough, Andy Murray can expect plenty of resistance from Grigor Dimitrov. When they met in Miami, Dimitrov served for the first set before his inexperience undid him. Should Murray and Del Potro survive the young guns to reach the quarterfinals, Del Potro will look to repeat his victory when they met at Indian Wells.
Semifinalist: Del Potro
Final: Djokovic vs. Del Potro
Champion: Djokovic
[polldaddy poll=7293117]
I just heard that Pospisil beat Berdy! Yikes! What is going on with that part of the draw? Now I am also hearing that Delpo has a back injury and may not be able to play Raonic!
Sorry to deucy and all Murray fans. I watched as much of the match as ESPN showed. They keep going back and forth with the women’s matches. So nice to see Serena winning 6-0! NOT! From what I did see, Murray’s serve wasn’t working and he seemed just lethargic out there. Gulbis is not the guy you want to play when you have been off for a while.
Murray will move on to Cincy and make a better showing there. This has been one crazy tournament so far!
NNY: I predicted earlier today Popsi was going to cause an upset. I had watched both his earlier matches and been mightily impressed at the quality of his game and how well he stood up under pressure.
#EdPatsHerselfOnTheBack:-)
del potro is being stupid , simple…I posted here some time ago that I cant understand why delpo plays washington esp now when he is a geniune contender for slams…planning 3 tournaments in a row before US open, thats stupid for some one who has a history of injuries and is not among the fittest
poor form by Raonic.
Hey Guys!!!! Good to see you on here!!! Happy as well that Rafa won his match!!! VAMOS!!!
🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 what a sad day 🙁 🙁 🙁 All my hopes lost.. 🙁 🙁
no murray no del no dimi 🙁 🙁
thats a pity sana ! delpo had some back issues i heard? murray was just typical murray ! lol..gulbis played a great match though…so gulbis has beaten all of roger, novak and andy …rafa has survived him every time…
Istomin is playing supremely well ! 58% of his shots have been down the line shots so far :O thats quite a stat..
So what happened to Delpo who was supposed to be a finalist here? Maybe, he is saving himself for the USO! Anyway, till he proves he can match the consistency of the fab four and wins at least 1 more slam, I will continue to feel sorry for the poor Fed fans who had pinned their hopes on Delpo!
hurt back and couldn’t serve. I have no idea why the match was so close.
i think only an epic Nole-Rafa SF can save this tourney.
holdserve, Delpo wasnt even match fit to play. Dont know why he even bothered to play. It’s good that he lost early. He needed some break.
Btw, you dont feel sorry for some Rafa or Andy fans who too have pinned their hopes on him. 😉
Rafa and Andy fans had high hopes for Delpo because they like Delpo. Fed fans have been pinning their hopes on Delpo since 2009 because they fear Rafa’s impact on Fed’s legacy. Obviously more is at stake for Fed fans though with the rise of Djoko and now Muzza they probably feel more secure!
That’s the most rubbish and weird theory.
Delpo is loved by people because of his game and persona, not coz of fear of someones legacy. Be it Fed fans or Rafa fans or anybody else fans.
That’s the most rubbish and weird theory.
Delpo is loved by people because of his game and persona, not coz of fear of someones legacy. Be it Fed fans or Rafa fans or anybody else fans.
abhirf, just repeating that a theory is rubbish doesn’t make it less true. I saw how in 2009 Fed fans rushed to crown Delpo after he beat Fed just once in a slam! What was the rationale for announcing he was the next no. 1? Of course I can count on you to come up with, in your own words, “weird and rubbish ” explanations and even concocted facts ( like you did in the Fed mono myth!)
Holdserve, Sorry, I wasnt there around 2009 to see who said what. If probably they did said it, nobody knew he was going to be out for a year just after his bigeest season. I dont think anyone saw the future that time.
And, I have been more in touch with the Fed fans on different portals and many amongst them prefer a Rafa victory than Nole’s or Muzzard. And Delpo is loved for his game and persona.
and you still seem to be at your own delusional and hypothetical best, disapproving facts (Mono facts were true, you believe them or not it doesn’t matters)
And btw, whats with you not able to resist mentioning Fed in any post. :p
How do you know the Fed mono facts are true? You supported them with blatant fiction claiming you had seen a few cases of mono in India during your clinical postings!!! A few cases of mono in India in one teaching hospital in one or two years???? My friend from India has told me to ask you : which teaching hospital in India has a lab attached which has diagnostic facilities for mononucleosis and regularly tests for mono?
You did not even know why mono cases are not seen in India!!! You quoted something from a medical text without understanding that it did not apply to India!!!!
Anyway, I do not want to carry on this conversation about mono because no point in talking logic or facts to somebody like you who thinks it is ok to support his arguments with fiction and you compound your sin by making false accusations !!!
How do you know the Fed mono facts were not true?
Yeah, clearly no point in talking to someone like you who has the tendency to support your argument based on fiction and making false accusations to disgrace someone.
It is clear you don’t think Fed mono facts are true otherwise you would not have supported them with fiction! I notice you did not come out with the names of teaching hospitals in India with diagnostic facilities for mono to provide you with a few mono cases during your clinical postings! Ha ha.
One advice for you abhirf. If you have to support your arguments with fiction, at least research them, my dear, lest you be exposed in this embarrassing fashion.