Rafael Nadal is likely to face a tough test in the form of John Isner during third-round action in Rome on Thursday. Andy Murray and David Goffin are also hoping to reach the quarterfinals.
(16) John Isner vs. (4) Rafael Nadal
Rarely is making it past the third round of a tournament anything special for Nadal, but a win on Thursday at the the Internazionali BNL d’Italia would be one of his best of the season. Not only is that because big victories have been few and far between for the Spaniard in 2015, but it is also due to the fact that Isner is in stellar form. The 6’10” American has not been broken in his last six matches and he had little trouble getting past Joao Sousa and Leonardo Mayer in the first two rounds this week. Isner is 11-3 in his last 14 Masters 1000 matches, with a semifinal showing in Miami and a quarterfinal performance in Madrid to his credit.
Nadal is sweeping the head-to-head series 5-0, but only one meeting has ended in straight sets without a tiebreaker. Isner pushed the former world No. 1 to five sets at the 2011 French Open, lost in a pair of tiebreakers in the 2013 Cincinnati final, and most recently succumbed to Nadal 7-6(6), 4-6, 6-3 last month in Monte-Carlo. Nadal reached the Madrid final last week but suffered a disconcerting 6-3, 6-2 blowout loss to Andy Murray. The world No. 7, who destroyed Marsel Ilhan 6-2, 6-0 in his Rome opener, is just 24-8 on the year and has lost four times on clay. Given the way Isner is serving–and, for that matter, the way Nadal is returning–an upset would not come as a major surprise.
Pick: Isner in a 3rd-set tiebreaker
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(3) Andy Murray vs. David Goffin
Murray brings a 10-match winning streak with him into third-round action at the Rome Masters. The third-ranked Scot triumphed at back-to-back clay events in Munich and Madrid before making routine 6-4, 6-3 work of Jeremy Chardy on Wednesday. Murray is an impressive 31-5 on the season with two titles and a pair of runner-up finishes (Australian Open, Miami).
The No. 3 seed almost opted out of this week to get some rest, but he decided to play and it is now Goffin who may rue that decision. Their only previous encounter came last summer on the grass of Wimbledon, where Murray cruised 6-1, 6-4, 7-5. Goffin, who went on a 25-match surge immediately thereafter, has advanced in Rome with victories over Andrea Arnaboldi and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. This is a bad matchup for the 20th-ranked Belgian, because Murray is also consistent and plays great defense but also has far more offensive weapons. It will not help Goffin that he spent two hours and 31 minutes on the court (and saved three match points) with Tsonga on Wednesday night.
Pick: Murray in 2
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Bellucci’s FH is awesome. Lefty too……..
Jeezus, if Rafa is a head-case, I don’t know what Bellucci is…………
The organisers want to give Fed a semis leg-up with tomorrow’s scheduling:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Scores/Schedule.aspx?EventId=416
The schedule ensures that Rafa goes to bed late and Fed has an early match and rests well if he gets past Berdy, which I expect him to.
Yes I thought so too. Scheduling is terribly unfair. Rafa plays 7 hours after Fed. How unfair is that?
Ricky, please pick Wawa tomorrow!
too late!
Could be the TD is trying to prevent a blow-out in the semis should both Fed and Rafa get through……………
If I’m not mistaken, most off Rafa’s recent losses have been late day or evening matches.
This is why I said the scheduling is not a coincidence, they want Rafa out so he can have a drop in ranking and have a nightmare draw in Paris. Yesterday they put him first in the hot midday sun against Izzy hoping the conditions will suit the ace-machine. Too bad they did not reckon with the flip-side, how the hot conditions would wear the big man out quickly.
agree…
Please, no jinxing!