Roger Federer SUI (1)Robin Soderling SWE (5) vs. Tomas Berdych CZE (15). Soderling loves Court Phillippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros. Last year he beat defending champion Rafael Nadalin the fourth round before losing to Roger Federer in the final. This year he beat defending champion Roger Federer in the quarterfinal and seems destined to reach his second consecutive Roland Garros final on the biggest clay court in the world. But there's someone who is even taller and serves bigger in the way of Soderling's dream: Tomas Berdych. Berdych has cut through the men's draw like the 6'5", 200 pound Czech scythe that he is, eliminating Andy Murray and John Isner along the way without dropping a set. Berdych recently had a career milestone when he finally beat Roger Federer for the first time in 9 matches(second time overall) in Miami in March. Soderling beat Federer for the first time of his career on Tuesday. The two have played 8 times overall, with Soderling holding a slim 5-3 lead in their career head-to-head match up. They have split the two matches they played this year, and they have split the two matches they have played on clay. In my mind, either Berdych will continue his rout of the field and win easily in straight sets (a low probability event) or he will start off hot and not be able to sustain his high level against someone like the powerful Swede who can match him toe-to-toe. Also, although this is Berdych's very first major semifinal, it is only Soderling's second, but this is also where Soderling outlasted Fernando Gonzalezin a very thrilling semifinal last year. I believe he will make it to the final for the second year in a row.
MadProfessah's pick: Berdych in 3 sets or Soderling in 4 or 5.
Novak Djokovic SRB (3)Jurgen Melzer AUT (22) vs. Rafael Nadal ESP (2). Although Nadal survived his toughest test of the tournament in countryman Nicolas Almagro by having to play three very tight sets (7-6(2) 7-6(3) 6-4), there is almost no doubt that the Spaniard will reach his 5th Roland Garros final in six years by dismissing the surprising Austrian veteran relatively quickly. Many people (myself included) were salivating at the chance of seeing another showdown between Nadal and Novak Djokovic in an important clay court match which could possibly reprise their now-legendary 2009 Madrid semifinal where Nadal won a 3-set match in 4 hours. However, it is significant that the Serb let slip a double set and a break advantage to lose another Roland Garros semifinal, this time to the relatively unheralded Melzer. Could he possibly have blanched at the thought of having to face Nadal for the third time in four years in the semifinal round? Nadal and Melzer have only met twice before, once on clay, with Nadal winning easily both times and this time will be no different.
Here are my predictions for the men's quarterfinals at Roland Garros in 2010.
Roger Federer SUI (1) vs. Robin Soderling SWE (5).This quarterfinal is a repeat of last year's final, which Federer won relatively easily in straight sets. Although Soderling has not beaten Federer in an official ATP Tour match in 12 tries, he did beat the World #1 at an exhibition earlier this year in Abu Dhabi and having beaten Rafael Nadal in what some people call the greatest upset ever, the tall, powerful Swede knows he has the game to end Federer's jawdropping streak of 23 consecutive major semifinals. In fact, this match is very important to Federer, not only due to the semifinals streak, but also because he needs to win it in order to be certain that he will break Pete Sampras' record of 286 weeks at #1 before Wimbledon. Federer has yet to drop a set in Paris this year, but I am sure that he will take the challenge posed by Soderling seriously, even though the 6'4", 195-pound ballcrusher has only ever won two tie-break sets against him. After all, it is very possible to never lose your serve and still lose the match! Some say that Federer is losing his edge now that he is a husband, father and broken the major singles title record. I disagree, even though the fact is that Federer has already lost 6 matches this year (to Nadal, Tomas Berdych, Ernests Gulbis, Marcos Baghdatis, Albert Montanes, and Nikolay Davydenko). Regardless, I think that there is an inexorable march towards another Nadal-Federer final.PREDICTION: Federer in 4 sets. Tomas Berdych CZE (15) vs. Mikhail Youzhny RUS (11).Berdych has been playing really well this year, and made a huge mental breakthrough by finally ending his losing streak against Roger Federer earlier this year in Miami. He has been demolishing his way through the draw, not dropping a set despite playing good clay court players like John Isner and Andy Murray. Youzhny got lucky in the previous round since an injured Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was forced to retire after losing the first set. Although head-to-head Youzhny leads Berdych 6-4 in career ATP matches, I believe the in-form Czech will take out the (un)lucky Russian.PREDICTION: Berdych in 4 sets.
Jurgen Melzer AUT (22) Teimuraz Gabashvili RUS vs. Novak Djokovic SRB (3).Gabashvili blew Andy Roddick off the court in the 3rd round in straight sets, blasting forehands into the corners of the court and defly handing the American's deflated serve easily. However, he was unable to repeat this performance on the clay against the wily lefty veteran Melzer, who like Samantha Stosur on the women's side, had previously experienced success and fame on the doubles court and used that to build confidence on the singles court. Melzer was one of the few Top 30 players never to reach the fourth round of a major, and now he finds himself in a quarter playing Djokovic. The World #3 has had mental lapses in the second set in three of the four matches he has played at Roland Garros this year. If that happens again, perhaps Melzer can find a way to win the resulting best-of-3 match. All the pressure will be on the higher ranked player to reach a 3rd semifinal against Nadal, who took out the Serb in that round in 2007 and 2008. Roland Garros 2010 is looking like a replay of those years, with another Nadal-Federer final. PREDICTION:Djokovic in 4 sets.
Nicolas Almagro ESP (19) Fernando Verdasco ESP (7)vs.Rafael Nadal ESP (2). The Verdasco and Nadal played one of the best matches of the year (probably of the decade) in the semifinals of the 2009 Australian Open, a five-hour, thrilling slugfest that both competitors were ennobled simply by their participation, although of course there was only one winner (Nadal). Almagro dashed hopes for a reprise of that thrilling Melbourne showdown by taking out Verdasco in four sets. Although Almagro has never beaten Nadal on any surface in 6 attempts, he did start off the match very strong when they played the Madrid Masters semifinal. It i beyond belief that Almagro could maintain that level of play over 5 sets in Paris when he could not do it for 2 sets in Madrid.PREDICTION: Nadal in 4 sets.
He is a professional Serbian tennis player who first won a Grand slam Single title for Serbia. His nick name is “Nole”. Also he is the youngest player who reaches to semi finals in all 4 Grand slam tournaments. 2008 Australian open is his first Grand slams singles title he won; in that final match he beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Also in 2008 Olympics he won a bronze medal for Serbia.
His name is Novak Djokovic` and the birth date is May 22 1987 in BelgradeYugoslavia (Current Serbia). He has 2 younger brothers also tennis players. Current residence of him is Monte Carlo. He started play tennis in year 4, Former US Tennis player Todd Martin is the current coach of Novak.
Novak is very good for all courts (Grass, Clay, and Hard). Novak is very friendly player in the court and off the court. Novak’s memorable tournament is 2007 Master Series Rogers cup in Montreal. In that tournament he beat world Rank 3 Andy Roddick in quarter finals, World Rank 2 Rafael Nadal in Semi final and World Rank 1 Roger Federer in Final. In 2009 “Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open” he played semi final with Nadal but lost 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-6(9), that match took 4 hrs and 2 minutes, it was the longest three set singles match on ATP world Tour ever. Also in 2009 season he played 97 matches, the most matches played any player on the world tour, with 78-19 wins. In 2010 this year he won the Dubai Tennis championship, it is the first time Novak Defended a title after winning on 2009.
In All Davis cups Novak has done a great job and play key role for his country. Novak is an offensive baseline player. His serve ground stroke and defense is the major weapons of him. He is using Head Youtek racket.
In his personal life, His father and mother own a Restaurant on mountain in Serbia. His father is a soccer player, he wanted to put Novak also for soccer but he is excellent on tennis from early ages. He can speak Serbian, English, German and Italian. Also his favorite surface is hard, and his best shot is Back hand down the line shot. He nominated as best improved player in 2006-07 by ATP.
I think his strength is all-ground game, wicked two handed up-the-line, Also his weaknesses are double faults, and breathing problem.
