Roger Federer is in desperate need of a win on Thursday in London after his losing his opener to Novak Djokovic. Richard Gasquet is also hoping to find the win column.
Roger Federer and Richard Gasquet will be facing each other for the 13th time in their careers when they do battle in Group B round-robin action at the World Tour Finals on Thursday afternoon.
Federer is dominating the head-to-head series 10-2, including 5-0 on hard courts. He has won 10 of their last 11 meetings since Gasquet took the first one on the clay courts of Monte-Carlo in 2005. They last squared off at the 2012 Madrid Masters, where Federer scored a 6-3, 6-2 victory on blue clay.
The 32-year-old Swiss kicked off his week in London by losing to Novak Djokovic in three sets for the second time in four days. Djokovic prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday in the Paris semifinals and 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-2 on Tuesday. Still, Federer is clearly playing better now than he was this summer. Prior to his semifinal showing at last week’s Masters event, the world No. 7 finished runner-up to Juan Martin Del Potro in Basel.
Gasquet, a Paris quarterfinalist, opened on Monday with a 6-7(4), 6-3, 7-5 loss to Del Potro. Thus the Frenchman’s first appearance in the year-end championship since 2007 started in inauspicious fashion, although one set to his credit certainly keeps his hopes–however faint–of qualifying for the semifinals alive. Gasquet is 50-21 for the season, which includes two indoor hard-court titles and three overall.
The key shot for Federer on Thursday will be his backhand down the line to his opponent’s forehand, which is Gasquet’s weaker stroke. Expect this one to feature brilliant shot-making interspersed with too-frequent errors, but Federer’s improved level and his superior experience at this event should help him achieve a hard-fought win.
Pick: Federer in 3
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Gasquet won the first six points of the match. But it’s Federer who’s up a break.
Sorry Reeshie, I want Fed to win this one. I want a Fedal semi so Rafa can rub Fed’s nose right up there: indoors.
that ain’t gonna happen 😉
^^Don’t count your goats (pun fully intended) yet, @abhirf! If ever Rafa was gonna get one over Fed indoors, this is it………….
Don’t worry, you’ve still got Desiree (the cow), no? Cause the goat’s on it’s way to Mallorca!
Rafa needs to play better. I think he was rushing against Wawa because he didn’t want to miss the footie. Djoko didn’t play well either considering how much it took for him to beat ExFed who was abysmal.
I think Federer has wrapped up the first set and will take the match in 2.
I don’t know if being more emotive on the court is helping Fed charge up. Personally, I dont like it much and also feel that it is hampering his game too.
^Hah. Btw, what I meant earlier was that probability of Fed making the semis is very low. If he does reaches the Sf, then I dont think he will lose (IMO). Moreover, this is probably the place where he is at his most confident self against Rafa. Maybe that extra bit of confidence will do it for him. Though would discuss it later.
For the time being keep the speculations aside.
First things first, let him get over Gasquet.
Fed will beat Reeshie. I had forgotten about Delpo but I think Fed will beat him too to finish 2nd in the Group. Novak will be unbeaten in the Group.
Fed copying a Rafa cockscrew jump-smash…………
Actually, I’m going to change my projections: Fed will beat Reeshie because Reeshie’s playing crap. Fed is not going to beat Delpo playing like this. Delpo to finish #2 in the Group.
Richard has been dreadful
What kind of cheese do they make with Desiree’s milk. The kind with the large holes? Sorry, couldn’t resist the imagery 🙂
Fed won
well foreseen this one…I don’t know about Delpo though….he may exhaust himself tonight making possible for Fed to roll over him…I still expect to see Novak and Fed in the semis…