Roland Garros Day 15 Picks.

After the Ladies singles final I have to say anything can happen in a Final.Today Paris Time Rafael Nadal and Robin Soderling have more than a tennis match to play.



This rivalry goes back to Wimbledon 2007 when Soderling tried to use some of Nadal’s own stalling tactics , even going as far as mimicking the way Nadal pulls his shorts from his backside before service.Below is the encounter you may find interesting.



On losing to Soderling last year Nadal had this to say in reference to the swede “I have said hello to him seven times to his face, and he has never said hello to me. I asked around the locker room; almost nobody had anything nice to say about him.” And then this incident last year , I have embedded the you tube video.




Most thought then that Last year's win by Soderling was due to Nadals injury.I think by results this year it was not ,so today you see both players have a point to prove and that makes the Final a lot more interesting.Tennis players have long memory's and you wont find Nadal and Soderling going for drinks after the match today. Soderling will try to out hit Nadal ,Soderling if he serves like he did against Federer will make life difficult for Rafa.Its going to be important that Nadal serves well he wont get many aces but its vital that he has a chance for control of the rally from the Soderling return.Soderling is not as strong mentally as Nadal and he could "snap" if the pressure from Nadal becomes too great.Nadal will have to move like the old Nadal and keep grooving his forehand and taking Soderling wide on the cross court to the backhand.If its Hot conditions Nadal will be favorite however if its overcast and some rain making the court heavy this will suit Soderling.

For me I am going for Nadal I can be sure that Nadal will give 110% and will not give up till the last point is over.This is more than just a final ,,,its become a rivalry and in tennis we need these.Nadal in four.

Whilst on the subject of altercations have a look at this ....Stefan Koubek has been disqualified from an Austrian league match after grabbing Daniel Koellerer by the throat during a changeover. Koubek said Koellerer, infamous for past incidents of gamesmanship, insulted him during the match. "I'm man enough not to let myself be insulted, esepcially not by him," Koubek was reported as saying by the Austrian Times.



And finally Picture of the day ,prize ceremony of the Ladies Final.

Roland Garros Day 11 - picks

Nicolas Almagro(ESP)[19] vs. Rafael Nadal(ESP)[2]
Nadal will work over Almagro's backhand big time. Rafa will do what Federer could not do WIN.

Jelena Jankovic(SRB)[4] vs. Yaroslava Shvedova(KAZ)
This match excites me as much as watching sheep graze in a paddock of grass.
Jankovic should win but stranger things have happened.

Jurgen Melzer(AUT)[22] vs. Novak Djokovic(SRB)[3]

Talk of a resurgence of Djokovic and some are saying a title contender , I still think pretender but will probably win this match.

MATCH OF THE DAY


I guess I will be rooting for Stotsur being Australian an all, she made a comment after she defeated Henin that people might now start taking her recent tennis serious.Ok well i have been burnt watching her matches before ...you know the commentators start talking up her serve as being the best in the women's game and guess what sure enough as soon as they start straight away Stotsur gets broken.Serena is not going to let Stotsur dictate play as much as Henin did.For a start Stotsur wont be able to push Williams back behing the baseline as much with her topspin.The high Kick serve to Henin's one hander payed dividend.Serena wont be pushed around the court and Stotsur is going to have to execute like she has never done before.Stotsur was also able to attack the Henin second serve and this wont happen as much with Serena, she was able to get a round on her forehand side a lot also but with Serena's power this will not be as easy and in trying will lead to errors.

As much as I would like to see an Aussie victory I have my doubts and lean towards Serena.

In hearing Federer's press conference and watching his defeat it appeared to me he just rolled with the loss ....to the outside world it really looked like he had moved on from the match very quickly.In fact the picture belows shows a very relaxed Federer( its a tongue in cheek picture and of course photoshoped :))



Finally I said yesterday that Soderling had something in his eyes a look of determination showing how much he wants it. It sort of was a little scary at times.Some of his looks reminded me of Jack Nicholson in the shining so I did a little work and the below picture shows how Soderling would of just fitted the part well.Have a look closely and there is a special appearance also by his next opponent.

Day 7 Roland Garros Picks

Well yesterday 8 out of 10 in the men's, my long shots failed namely Baghdatis and Bakker!Below are my picks for today.

Victor Hanescu(ROU)[31] vs. Novak Djokovic(SRB)[3]
Is it not time Djokovic takes a dizzy spell or something or is that next round so Ill go for Novak today.

Lleyton Hewitt(AUS)[28] vs. Rafael Nadal(ESP)[2]
By the time Sky NZ switches to the tennis Hewitt will be done and dusted ,Nadal was injured last year and beat him so what will he do to the Aussie Battler this year.!

Andy Roddick(USA)[6] vs. Teimuraz Gabashvili(RUS)
Roddick trying for his best French Open ever! Surely he must run into a name soon and send him off across the channel.

Fernando Verdasco(ESP) vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber(GER)
This is a tricky match up cant under estimate the German and Vedasco has been just scrapping through.Will go with the lefty from Spain.

Jurgen Melzer(AUT)[22] vs. David Ferrer(ESP)[9]
Ferrer is in good form and should be to tough for Jurgen

Juan Carlos Ferrero(ESP)[16] vs. Robby Ginepri(USA)
Ginepri still around! Time for him to go via Juan Carlos

Ivan Ljubicic(CRO)[14] vs. Thomaz Bellucci(BRA)[24]
Ivan seems to have been around for yonks! Cant see him backing up after the Fish match.

Nicolas Almagro(ESP) vs. Oleksandr Dolgopolov Jr(UKR)

This is going to be close I think but Almagro to get there just.

Women

The Chinese where sent packing yesterday along with defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.Picks most correct, and happy I finally backed the South African Chanelle Scheepers.

Serena Williams(USA)[1] vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova(RUS)[29]
The Willams machine will keep moving .

Maria Sharapova(RUS)[12] vs. Justine Henin(BEL)[22]
MATCH OF THE DAY FOR SURE. THIS WILL BE AN INETERSTING MATCH FOR SURE.I have to go with consistency so Henin for me.

Shahar Peer(ISR)[18] vs. Marion Bartoli(FRA)[13]
Not many players like coming up against Marion.....not too many friends against peers! sorry for the pun.

Jelena Jankovic(SRB)[4] vs. Alona Bondarenko(UKR)[27]
I guess its going to be Jankovic............BUT !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jarmila Groth(AUS) vs. Anastasia Rodionova(AUS)
How ironic a match up with "true blue Aussie's" NOT .No doubt Tennis Australia will jump on the fact that an Aussie will be in the 4th round........what development program did the come through again?

Anastasia Pivovarova(RUS) vs. Samantha Stosur(AUS)[7]

Stotsur has looked shaky! I have a gut feeling she is going out this round or next.



Above Maria Kirilenko who put out the Defending Ladies Champ

The Roland Garros Diaries

Just a post with a few behind the scenes goings on at the French Open. I have too much time on my hands lately with the wet weather in South Canterbury and hence the above picture is a spoof on the American Hit TV Series the Vampire Diaries.Can you guess the above tennis players all no doubt will be playing a major role in the Finale of Roland Garros( Rafa,Fed ,Justine).

Serena when asked about Fed Cup and her country

Q. And your thinking on Fed Cup? Is that a matter of scheduling? Do you feel that you have any responsibility to the country in terms of getting into the championships? What are your thoughts on that?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, my only responsibility is my two dogs. So I have to make sure they're okay and that I can afford to take care of them. That's the only real responsibility I have.

Interesting response but not surprising.

What is Andy Murray's Favorite Surface

Q. Although you've said consistently that you think the French is the Grand Slam where you've got the least chance of winning, are you sort of actually quietly enjoying this championship and the ups and downs of how you've got this far and relishing the prospect of the second week here?

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, I enjoy it as a tournament. I always loved to play on clay when I was younger. I've said it many times it's my favorite surface to play on, even though my results haven't been as good.
You know, I feel like I can play well on clay, play very well on clay. It just takes me a bit more time to get used to the surface again. You know, I love the tournament. It's probably the hardest physically to win, you know, because obviously a lot of long rallies, long points, and long matches.
Yeah, I enjoy coming here, and it's very different to me than at the other Slams where, you know, I'm a lot more sure of myself there just because I know how to move well and how to play properly on those courts.

Early in the week talk was that the Roland Garros courts where playing as fast as they have for 20 years.John Isner and then Todd Woodbridge telling the Tennis Channel yesterday that this was the fastest the surface has played in 20 years of his experience.Didn't help Isner!

Federer makes an appearance in the Nike football world cup commercial.Here is the commercial.



You may have picked up Nadal is wearing a watch for the first time whilst playing. Its a Richard Mille watch designed specifically for Nadal, with materials used in space exploration. Mille says there are 50 for sale—at a price of about $425,000.Nadal never before has worn a watch while competing.Wonder what the sponsorship deal is ,,,,,I will order 4 :)