Tennis Channel:: Ace McClay - Dissecting the Men's Draw

DISSECTING THE 2008 FRENCH OPEN DRAW - MEN

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Wow ... what a fun French Open we have in front of us. So many questions will be answered in the next two weeks ... Will Roger finally win? Does Nadal 4- peat? Can Djokovic get half of the calendar year Grand Slam? Where are my pants? History will be made, and we all get to witness it. What exactly will we witness? Well the way I see it:

First Quarter

Federer was gifted a pretty soft quarter ... his Round of 16 run in with Juan Monaco is a little sticky, and his potential quarterfinal matchup with Richard Gasquet is a lot sticky - I remember watching Gasquet absolutely tree against Federer a few years ago in Monte Carlo. But Fed is fit and healthy and all in all he should be fine. This does not bode well for American Sam Querrey, his first round opponent.

Pick: Roger Federer
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Second Quarter

Nikolay Davydenko just keeps winning. He's not the quickest or the strongest. His serve isn't special. Yet he is one fit dude. And he can run like a deer. And the way he opens up the court ... his opponents run twice as much as he does. He is one rough customer, and reminds a lot of the guy he will run into in the quarterfinals - Spain's David Ferrer. I like Ferrer's chances ... he's been playing great of late, and has the confidence and the game to go toe to toe with Davydenko.

Pick: David Ferrer
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Third Quarter

James Blake has a great draw ... he has a real opportunity to roll up some wins until he runs into janko tisarevic in the third round. That's a tricky one - Tipsarevic is the guy that gave Federer fits at this year's Australian Open. While I like Janko's chances against Blake, I don't see him getting through the three seed, Novak Djokovic. Djokovic could have some trouble with Guillermo Canas in the round of 16, but he's still the guy to beat here.

Pick: Novak Djokovic
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Nadal Quarter

Rafael Nadal is a clay court beast. He is, in a word, "The Man". I know that's two words, but he's so much of a man he couldn't be contained in just one word. Who's gonna beat him in this quarter? Nieminin? Andy Murray? OK maybe David Nalbandian can give him a hard time ... but I don't see Nadal losing a set in this quarter.

Pick: Rafael Nadal
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In the semis we will have Federer vs. Ferrer, and Djokovic vs. Nadal. Federer gets to his third straight final - and beats a tired Nadal after the spaniard battles to a five set win over Djokovic in the semifinals.

Ace McClay is a tennis savant, according to himself. Like his picks? Hate them? Email Me
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Comments

arbiter (6/2/2008 3:20:13 PM)
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Federer is my pick for the trophy. For all those who say that Nadal has won x-number of times, they forget to take Federer's abilities into account. In my view, he is developing his clay court game, consolidating it, much the same way he had when he first "consolidated" his many faceted game to become a world #1 way back when... No former win is ever a guarantee, as it wasn't for Federer in Australia, (ilness playing apart) and it is the same for Nadal. It doesn't have to be tirednesss at all. Ican be simply that Fed has found a way to gbring all the elements of his game together and make that Quantum Leap that only he is capable of.
Grafight (5/28/2008 12:01:12 PM)
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I'm a big Federer fan, and I would love to see him win a Grand Slam, but Rafa is not tired...He was last year in Hamburg, but this year, "thanks" to the blisters he left Rome early, and now "thanks" to the rain, he's had ten days to rest.
Finally Grand-Slam Champ (5/26/2008 4:07:48 AM)
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I'm beginning to beleive that Federer will win..the French this time. I think that Nadal will..be too tired to be on top of his game in the final and that Federer will use this to finally win the xxxle that he has being aiming for the last five years. I think that Federer has had this on his mind all year and that that has been..the reason for his lack of consentration with the masters along with his illness. With his new..coach by his side, I think we will see a whole different Federer in the French Open final. Cliff Drysdale predicted yesterday that Federer will win this time. He is so sick and tired of people beleiving that he is on his way out. I think that this will be the only time that he will have a chance. Let's see!!!
Rith (5/26/2008 1:52:59 AM)
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Hee-hee-Ace McClay, I think you have just been Fed's fan for a long time and you still support him even if you know that he is the 2nd best clay court player right now behind the Greatest of all times-Nadal. I think Nadal will have more chance beating Federer on grass before he beats Nadal at the French. Nadal is a bull that cannot be stopped right now. Don't forget that.....You just cannot accept the facts that Federer could not beat Nadal. Look back at Humburg when he could not even close out the first set when he was 5-2 lead. I would still pick Nadal all the way. And he will make history in two weeks.
grafight (5/26/2008 1:22:58 AM)
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Mr Ace, Federer beats Nadal in the final? I think your personal preference is getting in the way of what's really most likely to happen. Nole MAYBE takes a set off Rafa and Roger PROBABLY will take a set from Rafa. But Nadal is not only the greatest of all time on clay, but he's getting better! Roger is at his peak and Nole has a long way to beat Nadal on clay. Rafa just won Hamburg, the least "clay-like" clay tournament, and traditionally, Roger's home. Paris suits him a lot better than Hamburg. Rafa will win again, and with more ease than ever!

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