Regulation Day

So on Thursday, Li Na wound up on the losing end of the hugest upset on the women's side, falling to Bethanie Mattek-Sands in a three-set match that had its ups, its downs and its runarounds. The Chinese former champ was up 4-0 at one point in the first set when she first faltered and lost the lead. And although she managed to win that set 7-5, Bethanie had all the momentum. The American charged through the second set, winning it 6-3 and then stunned everyone watching - and the other person playing (Li, in a post-match interview would say how "surprised" she was by the way Mattek-Sands was hitting) - by winning the decider 6-2. We're not sure if the "bullring", as Court 1 at Stade Roland Garros is called, has mystical upset powers or merely favors the more outrageously clad, but there's one thing for certain: it was Bethanie's lucky court on Thursday. Paula Ormaechea, her third round opponent, had better hope this is as far as Mattek-Sands can go.

Known for her wacky outfits and knee-high socks, Bethanie Mattek-Sands outplayed Li Na on Thursday

That, I'm afraid, was the only notable upset that has occurred since Thursday at the French Open. It has been mostly regulation on all courts, men's and women's singles alike.


The Lads

Gael Monfils's mesmerizing run has finally come to an end as he surrendered to the Spaniard Tommy Robredo in a tough five-setter that had even the French crowd celebrating with Robredo. It seemed like Monfils ran out of gas early in the third set and turned his two sets to one lead into a nightmare of epic proportions. In the fourth set, he even had a match point at 5-4, 40-30 on his own serve when Robredo produced an unreturnable inside-out forehand that ended the long rally and more than likely pounded the last bit of verve out of Monfils. Before long, Robredo would break for 5-even and win the ensuing tiebreak to force a fifth and deciding set. Disappointment leading to poor strategy and shot selection, Monfils quickly fell to a 2-5 deficit and, unable to retrieve a delicate dropshot from Robredo at triple match point, he had ended his French Open campaign just like that. Robredo dropped to the dirt in celebration, laughing in near disbelief at his victory. But will he still be laughing when he next steps onto court with compatriot Nicolas Almagro on the other side of the net? Maybe, maybe not.

Tsonga, Ferrer, Troicki and the impeccable Roger Federer all made it through their third round matches in straight sets.

Kevin Anderson got the best of Milos Raonic but a bit of inconsistency is expected from the newly-turned-pro Canadian.

Just three spots in the rankings separating them, Gilles Simon (ranked 15th in the world) would battle past US native Sam Querrey in five sets, 2-6, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6, 6-2. The number of Americans left in the draw is diminishing quickly, even as Tommy Haas is set to play John Isner tomorrow for a fourth round spot; whereas the number of Spaniards left, and indeed the likelihood of one particular Mallorcan making it at least to the semis, seems steady as a rock.

Do any more surprises lie in store? Or are we headed for the almost inevitable Nadal-Djokovic showdown? And will the triumphant man of that semifinal have enough left in the fuel tank to take on Roger Federer, the lower half favorite? One can only hope.

Nadal (L) leads the rivalry against Djokovic (R) on clay 12-3....for now.

The Lasses

Now, call me crazy but I really did expect a tighter match between Sara Errani and Sabine Lisicki. We all knew the 5'5" Errani was the overwhelming favorite to win it but Sabine could have come up with something more convincing than a mere 0-6, 4-6 pushover. Is this not the same Sabine who beat Maria Sharapova in the fourth round at Wimbledon last year? The same Sabine who refused to be pushed around by a hard-hitting Nastassja Burnett at Stuttgart just earlier this year? The technically sound Errani was just too good, I suppose. Now Errani, one of only three Italian ladies left in the draw, must face Carla Suarez-Navarro and continue to show that what she lacks in height, she makes up for in heart.

The only two three-set matches amongst the women today were those of Angelique Kerber (d. Varvara Lepchenko 6-4, 6-7, 6-4) and Roberta Vinci (d. Petra Cetkovska 6-1, 2-6, 6-2). Everyone else, from Serena to Agnieszka made it through in straights. Stiff competition amidst the women....we like that, don't we?

Soon, we'll be down to the final 16 and we'll see who really won't go away without a fight and a half.

Sabine Lisicki at Stuttgart in 2013

Breathe tennis!!

Rain Delays

Spring showers in Paris are becoming a bit of a nuisance to French Open players who just want to get on with their business on court. From Philippe Chatrier to Suzanne Lenglen and every other court on the grounds, heavy showers and overcast skies have forced play to be postponed until tomorrow morning, when a less dreary forecast is expected.

Featured matches like the one between Rafael Nadal and Martin Klizan did not really leave the starting gate, as the torrential downpour came just after the coin toss and pre-match formalities; whereas matches in full swing such as Zeballos/Wawrinka and Sharapova/Bouchard might  experience a shift in momentum come tomorrow. Stan was a up a set and at 3-all in the second against Horacio Zeballos so a re-entry might not cost him too much but Maria was well within reach of victory at 6-2, 4-2 against Bouchard when play was stopped. She can't be pleased about that.

Li Na won't have to wait out anything to know what her chances are. She practically had her "racket" handed to her in a three setter from which her opponent Bethanie Mattek-Stands emerged victorious (5-7, 6-3, 6-2). There goes the 2011 champ, out of the running, biting the dust, ousted by the American with the wardrobe that never ceases to amaze (Monfils would be proud). Quelle surprise! I wonder who'll be the next top seeder to go.

The players' skills and tenacity will tell us who, but it's the rain who determines when more RG action, upsets and stunners included, will unfold. Players may be stuck inside, winding up their own nerves and quickly losing patience but there isn't much that they or we can do but wait tolerantly and PRAY that the sun shines strong tomorrow.

Schedule of Play for tomorrow Friday May 31, according to the official Roland Garros website here (webpage version) or here (printable version).

One of the courts being quickly covered as rain stopped play on Thursday at Roland Garros

RG13 First Round Action

These past few days have been a whirlwind of "oohs" and "aahs" and enough matches to make any tennis fan feel like a kid in a candy store! Let's recap the major stories....

Men's Singles

Djokovic serving vs. Goffin in R1

Top ranked Novak Djokovic made light work of Belgian David Goffin on Court Philippe Chatrier this Tuesday, defeating him in straight sets (7-6, 6-4, 7-5). Yes it's the result we expected but Goffin deserves some measure of credit for staying level with Nole in the early stages of the match, falling short only on the pressure points that cost him the first set and, eventually, the match. Djokovic faces Argentinian Guido Pella in the second round, who made it past Ivan Dodig in four sets. So Nole is still on the warpath to unseating Nadal from a seven-year reign at the throne of Roland Garros. What NOT to do is underestimate the Serbian as he has proven time and again that Rafa isn't the impenetrable force on clay that he appears to be to so many others.

Daniel Brands of Germany

On the same court later that day, Nadal's first set against German tough guy Daniel Brands was a challenge that some feared he wouldn't find his way out of, but the Mallorcan found the tools to rebound and win the match in four sets (4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-3). Admirable power play from Daniel gave him a 5-4, 40-15 lead over Nadal and he blasted a forehand winner that ended the rally, secured him the first set and had the crowd cheering in delightful disbelief. It is rare for Nadal to lose a set, far less a
first set, on the surface and in the tournament that favors him so greatly. But balance in the universe was restored when, after being down 0-3 in the second set tiebreak, Rafa rallied back to take it 7-6 (7-4). Thereafter, typical Rafa could be seen; he wrapped up the match with an irretrievable forehand winner.

Monfils through to R3

Frenchman Gael Monfils made his hometown proud on Monday when he defeated finals contender Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic. It seems Gael used his loss to Albert Montanes in the finals of the Nice Open to fuel a wondrous performance on center court. The final score: 7-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7,
7-5. Monfils continues his unprecedented run with a victory over Ernests Gulbis in the second round. He will play Tommy Robredo in the upcoming third round match.




The legendary Roger Federer dismantled his first and second round opponents, Pablo Carreno-Busta and Somdev Devvarman respectively, in straights, giving him a comfortable spot in the third round, where he will play Julien Benneteau. Experts argue that Federer is now coming into form and will reach the zenith of his clay season magic as he works his way through to the finals. Without Murray in his half of the draw, one can see how this theory holds water. However, the mental monster that can be created with the (lack of) pressure in this half of the draw, combined with the knowledge that he does not have much success in this tournament, may rear its head and cost him the chance to lift the French Open trophy. Rather than count him out, we will leave Federer on the back burner and allow him to sneak into the final four. Just you watch.

More first round action: Marinko Matosevic fell to fourth seed David Ferrer in straights - 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. Ferrer then put an end to Nice 2013 champion Albert Montanes's French Open bid with another straight sets win - 6-2, 6-1, 6-3. Next up for the Spaniard David is his compatriot Feliciano Lopez.




Women's Singles

Serena reaching for a backhand

As predicted, Serena Williams took care of business in her first and second round matches, conceding a total of just four games in her triumphs over Anna Tatishvili and Caroline Garcia respectively. With these victories, she improves her season W/L ratio to 38-2 and forges a career best win streak of 26 consecutive matches. She faces Sorana Cirstea of Romania in the third round. Will Serena soon be adding a second French Open title to her striking array of accomplishments?






Victoria Azarenka is hoping not. She cruised through her match in the first round against Elena Vesnina 6-1, 6-4 and will play Annika Beck of Germany in the second round. The Belarusian has never made it past the quarterfinals here at the French, but with a 21-2 win/loss ratio coming into the tournament and more experience than previous years (including becoming world #1 after capturing the 2012 Australian Open title, her first GS), Vika can more than see herself claiming the trophy here at Roland Garros. She in the opposite half as Ms. Williams and so stands a good chance of meeting her in the finals, but there's one person who undeniably stands in her way....

Defending champ, Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova has a lot to prove to herself, her critics and especially her chief adversary, Serena Williams, during this tournament. It is easy to forget that she is actually the defending champion here at Roland Garros, probably because, in order to win last year, she didn't have to go through the solid rock that is Serena Williams. Now that both women seem almost destined to make it to the closing rounds, Maria must be eager to set their head-to-head straight (well, as straight as 16-3 would make it) and really take it to the one player who knows just how to break her down. Sharapova has been steadily improving her performance on clay surfaces, transforming from a self-proclaimed "cow on ice" to a crowned champion at Stuttgart, Rome and Paris last year. She won comfortably against Su-Wei Hsieh 6-2, 6-1 in the first round. It looks like this might be the year she wins her fifth Grand Slam title and silences some doubts among her detractors (and certainly within herself) about her capabilities and competitive edge on court.

Among other likely contenders of the French Open title are:

• Caroline Wozniacki - The pretty blonde from Denmark has fired off with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Great Britain's Laura Robson, though many believed she wouldn't be able to. Doubts discourage some, but fuel others. I think we know to which group Caro belongs.
• Agnieszka Radwanska - She's a tough cookie and has already earned her spot in the third round. The Polish powerhouse possesses good form on clay, with winning H2Hs against the likes of Li Na and Ana Ivanovic.
• Lisicki and Errani both are in the third round, meaning any lapse in focus is going to result in a major upset by one of these girls. There's no getting to the title without going through them first.
• Li Na -  Former French Open champion (2011) Li Na is also past the first round and she plays Bethanie Mattek-Stands next. After relieving her husband of coaching duties several months ago, Li Na seems to be headed for more consistent GS performances and she continues to improve.
• Sloane Stephens - Perhaps to Serena Williams's dismay, young Sloane Stephens has easily made her way into the third round with straight set wins over Italian Karin Knapp (6-2, 7-5) and fellow American Vania King (6-1, 6-3). The men's chances seem poor but do the women give the US a more than decent shot of bringing home the trophy? Sure, it makes a world of difference who is doing the bringing but a win is a win nonetheless......right?

2011 French Open Champion, Li Na

French Open Live Coverage

In order to watch live streaming of Roland Garros 2013 matches, click here.

Please note that times stated are UTC times; therefore the video will not load until the match has officially begun.

To view the draws for tomorrow Tuesday May 28th, click here.

Breathe tennis!!

Roland Garros Draws Released

The draws are out! The draws are out!

Men's Singles

Maria Sharapova's beau, Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov

World #1 Novak Djokovic finds himself in the same quarter as Bulgarian cutie pie and unpredictable threat, Grigor Dimitrov, and we can't help but wonder if Dimitrov, AKA "Baby Federer" can pull off an upset and cost Djokovic the chance to avenge his finals loss to Nadal last year at this very tournament. Despite the lack of voiced complaints, the ankle may still be a factor for Nole going into this tournament. A guy like Novak, who relies heavily on his inhuman athleticism to outplay his opponents, may be more deterred by the sore ankle than he lets on..... But then again, he is #1 for a reason.

Speaking of Nadal, the defending champion better be mentally prepared to face the likes of Lukal Rosol, who shut him out of Wimbledon in the second round last year, and Horacio Zeballos, who denied him his first title of 2013 at Viña del Mar. Also in his quarter of draw: Nishikori, Wawrinka, Davydenko and Gasquet. Since there's no such thing as an easy win, there's no telling if the Spaniard can weave his way into the winner's circle a record eighth time.

Gael Monfils on the fly

Six Spaniards are in the third quarter together, including David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro. They share opportunities of advancing with the consistent Tomas Berdych and with players of unforeseeable talent, Milos Raonic and Ernests Gulbis. Frenchman Gael Monfils begins his French Open campaign against Berdych - now that will be an interesting match to watch.





Roger Federer rules his quarter of the draw, facing a horde of qualifiers before any true challenge comes his way. Power player American James Blake starts off by battling against Serbian Viktor Troicki. Gilles Simon of France will face Aussie legend Lleyton Hewitt (nicknamed "Rusty") while Sam Querrey, the only other American in this quarter, will face Slovakian Lukas Lacko. With Mardy Fish out, there are only four other Americans in the entire men's draw and, among them, only John Isner (with an exceptional performance) seems capable of getting further than the round of 16.

First round predictions? No upsets in this round. Top seeds Djokovic, Nadal, Ferrer and Federer all make it through to the second round.

To see the full men's singles draw, click here.


Women's Singles

Former French Open champion Serena Williams seems to be in full control of her quarter of this year's draw. Is there a lady out there who can deny her a second round entry the way Razzano did last year? Possible candidates for a second straight Serena upset are: dainty Dane Caroline Wozniacki, who must first beat up-and-coming British sensation Laura Robson; compatriot Christina McHale;

Former world #1 but still without a GS title, Caroline Wozniacki

and lefty razzmatazz Angelique Kerber of Germany. A focused Williams dispatches these opponents with ease but if her shocking loss to Razzano from last year keeps bumping around inside her head, or if she has a meltdown resembling that at the 2009 US Open, anyone with the will to win has a fair chance.

Polish sisters Agnieszka and Urszula Radwanska might have to square off against each other if they pull through the next couple rounds. Urszula has it tougher - she is set to play Venus Williams right off the bat. The infamous Razzano is among the numbers in this quarter, as well as Ivanovic, Lisicki and Errani.

Quarter three houses three potential finalists: 2011 winner Li Na, 2011 finalist Francesca Schiavone and world #2 Victoria Azarenka, all of whom are expected to pull through easily against their lower-ranked first round opponents. Other notable names in this quarter include Heather Watson of Great Britain, 12th seed Maria Kirilenko, francaise Marion Bartoli, and possibly Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.

Petra Kvitova, Jelena Jankovic and Samantha Stosur (who won the US Open in 2011) are all
formidable players in the bottom quarter. Yet another nightmarish opponent of Serena Williams is found in twenty-year-old US player Sloane Stephens. The Floridian defeated Williams in the quarterfinals of this year's Australian Open but then lost to eventual champion Victoria Azarenka. It would be a shame if Sloane hasn't used that to pep herself up in advance of this tournament, where some say she stands a good chance of making it to the closing rounds. However, Russian Maria Sharapova has an enormous debt to settle with Serena Williams and I doubt she will take an upset from anyone sitting down.

Serena look-alike? It's Sloane Stephens of the USA.

First round predictions: Serena is the easy favourite to win the whole thing and is only hampered by her own mental preparedness. She will use her embarrassing first round loss in 2012 to fuel a solid win in this round and the ones that follow. Sharapova will come through in her usual shrieking style. Expect Vika Azarenka and Aggie Radwanska to make it through as well. The remaining second round spots are up for grabs.

To see the full women's singles draw, click here.

Play is scheduled to begin at 11:00 am local time on Sunday, May 26. If possible, links to live streams will be posted.

Breathe tennis!!

Birthday Greetings

The management and staff of the Breathe Tennis Blog would like to extend hearty belated 26th birthday greetings to World #1 Novak Djokovic. Do have a wonderful day and all the best at Roland Garros next week!! Go Nole!!!!

Serbian tennis star and world #1, Novak Djokovic

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Coming Back From Breaks

What Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal both know personally after the Internazionali BNL d'Italia final is the feeling of coming back from breaks.

Roger took a seven week hiatus from the courts earlier in the year to facilitate a training block in his native Switzerland, while Nadal has been working through a lighter schedule, one of the many adjustments since his return from injury in the South American swing.

In the match, there were also breaks from which both men came back. And who to strike first but the six-time champion?

Both men held serve characteristically until Nadal made good on a break of serve opportunity to go up 3-1. With a spicy backhand return, Rafa snagged the first point of the fifth game, staying with Federer well enough to draw the errors and convert a second break chance for a 4-1 lead. Federer would be broken a third time to give Rafa a comfortable one set lead (6-1).

Set two, game one featured some interesting exchanges at the net but the Mallorcan would still hold serve. Piling up more errors and a paltry first-serve percentage, Roger was down 15-40 when he played a poor drop-shot that Nadal returned with interest - the sort of cross-court backhand passing shot that Rafa eats for breakfast - to lead by a break.

Not to be outplayed with such unimpressive figures, Federer produced brilliance on a second serve point at 30-all in the fourth game, nailing his signature one-hander right on the service line. He would hold serve for the second time in the match a bit more definitively.

As Nadal served at 40-30 in the fifth game, Federer tried another drop-shot but knocked his racket against a FedEx box near the net while attempting to intercept Nadal's backhand pass reply. The Spaniard held serve, now up a set and 4-1.

Despite having adroit hands at the net, Federer found that his surplus of errors, coupled with Nadal's unmanageably heavy topspin, would betray him at the cost of yet another break conversion.

Nadal showed the only signs of weakness when he served for the match at 5-1, missing easy forehands and seeming nervous and flat-footed. Federer capitalized big-time, breaking Rafa's serve to love on his first break chances of the match. Finally rolling with some momentum, the Swiss Master would consolidate the break and give himself a fighting chance at 3-5.

Serving for the match a second time, Rafa quickly regained his focus to procure three championship points. Quick as lightning, his first serve went in, Roger's return sailed out long and he'd done it. The King of Clay had conquered Rome a record eight times, improved his 2013 finals record to 6-2, his H2H against Federer to 20-10 and his assortment of clay title trophies to a stunning career total of 56.

Congratulations, KoC Rafael Nadal.

In typical Rafa style, Nadal bites the trophy after defeating Federer in the Rome 2013 final.

The Thirtieth Fedal

FEDAL

Longtime tennis rivals Roger Federer (L), Rafael Nadal (R)

Tennis aficionados, critiques and experts all over the world are in for a treat tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM Atlantic Standard Time: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will clash in the finals for a chance to hoist the Rome Masters trophy.

For Federer, it would be an elusive win on the tricky clay surface and a pretty addition to his unparalleled trophy case, while Nadal seeks to improve his finals record at Rome to 7-1, having won the tournament six times already.

The rivalry between Nadal and Federer is long-standing and not without memories of exceptional matches, such as the Wimbledon finals in 2007 and 2008. Tomorrow will be the 30th edition of the Federer-Nadal (or "Fedal") rivalry, with the scales slightly favoring Nadal, who leads their head to head 19-10.

So who do we thank for the opportunity to watch these two great players in action?

Tomas Berdych

The Czech got off to a bad start, losing serve in the first game after a nice passing shot down the line from Nadal. Rafa would consolidate the break to go up 2-0.

The next test for Tomas came when he found himself 1-3, 15-40 down; he had no response for Rafa's sizzling passes and deep ground-strokes. 1-4. Nadal produced a scintillating backhand return of serve when Berdych was at 1-5, 30-0 but the Czech would hold serve for 2-5. The Spaniard responded by closing out the first set 6-2 with a love hold.

The second set was not very different from the first. Tomas hit a huge serve down the tee to hold serve in the first game. In the very next game, he would see his only break opportunity of the match come and go without conversion as he netted an easy backhand pass.

Two love hold games from Berdych kept him on course as Rafa evened things out at 3-all. At 4-all, Rafa would strike again, breaking Berdych's serve at love for a crucial 5-4 lead.

The first point of the tenth game began with Berdych placing a backhand return way in the deuce corner. Rafa scrambled to get to it, barely getting his racket on it. It seemed to be going out but Tomas had already approached the net so he hit it anyway - a volley to the ad court. Nadal was there with plenty of time to play a fairly deep, defensive backhand but Berdych held his ground and nailed a fiery backhand pass that almost knocked Nadal off his feet.

It wasn't long, however, before Nadal had two match points on his serve and, on the second, Berdych shot the return long and Rafa raised both hands in victory.

So much for doing damage.....Berdych has been Nadal's easiest opponent thus far in the tournament and the match stats prove it: Nadal won 78% of his 1st serve points and 100% of his 2nd serve points. Berdych had less winners and more unforced errors, lost 6 of his 11 net points and failed to convert his only break opportunity. Rafa, on the other hand, won 83% of his net points and converted 3 of  4 break chances. Tomas only has him beat in the aces department today. Click here for more match stats.

Tomas Berdych after beating Novak Djokovic on Friday

Benoit Paire

Benoit began his bid by whipping a couple of speedy cross-court forehands to earn some break chances. Federer quickly snuffed those out with the help of his trusty one-handed backhand. Some clever net play from Paire helped him hold serve in the following game.

Pretty routine service holds without breaks of serve were the case until Roger was 3-all, 15-40 down. He totally mishit a forehand and handed Paire a 4-3 lead. Benoit couldn't consolidate in the next service game though, as Fed returned the favor and reclaimed the break with some impressive play at the net.

Seemingly unfazed, Paire ripped three aces to hold for 5-all.

In the ensuing tiebreak, the two were about evenly matched, but it was Roger who had the first set point at 6-5 and dusted an easy volley to claim the first set 7-6.

Roger got the early break and consolidation in the second set to go up 3-1. Paire could not be said to be lacking in focus or effort as he kept the scoreline down to just the one break difference until 4-5, when Roger was serving for the match.

Three match points in hand, Federer seized the first, forcing Benoit to concede he had the heart but not the experience or skill set to beat the former World #1.

Frenchman Benoit Paire

Stay tuned for finals highlights and commentary tomorrow and don't forget to breathe tennis!

The Narrow Path to Perfection

Rome 2013 Semifinalists (from left) Roger Federer, Benoit Paire, Tomas Berdych and Rafael Nadal

We're down to the final four at the Italian Open Men's Singles Tournament. For two spots in the finals, world #3 Roger Federer will take on Frenchman Benoit Paire, while Czech Tomas Berdych will battle against Rafael Nadal.

Roger made light work of Janowicz, as did Paire of Granollers. Rafael barely got past an inspired David Ferrer - a match reminiscent of Thursday's, when Rafa again walked away the winner of a scary encounter with Ernest Gulbis. But the talk of the day is Djokovic's shocking loss to Berdych after being up a set and 5-2. Berdych rallied back to take the second set 7-5 and then stole the match by consolidating a vital break to win the third set 6-4. We anticipated surprises but perhaps none of this magnitude.

So how will each man fare in the semifinals tomorrow? Here's my take:

Roger Federer

I'm not going out on a limb when I say that clay isn't his best surface. Part of the reason behind his success at Madrid last year was the experimental blue clay which, to Fed, may have felt more like his forte, grass, than actual clay. He's already failed to defend that title now that the red clay is back at Madrid so how confident can he be here at Rome? Given his age, his form after two months' leave and the presence not only of clay specialists like Nadal but also of younger, nimble (albeit experience-naive) players, Roger will really have to play perfectly to make it through.


Benoit Paire

Benoit is only 24 years old and somewhat in his prime. His absence from many Masters 500 and 1000 matches on this year's tour may leave him less than match-fit and prepared to take on any top ten players but Benoit's last two matches have been straight sets victories, and one of those is against the tall Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, of whom it can be said is in such excellent form as can be compared to 2009 when he won the US Open. Paire has, in fact, without too much extravagance, given his personal best Rome Masters performance this year. He hasn't gotten to a career-high ranking of 32 (as of April 29) by being passive. But his chances to make it to the finals here? Barring a downright awful performance from Roger.... kind of slim.


Tomas Berdych

Often described as a clean hitter of the ball, 6'5" Czech Tomas Berdych has some huge advantages going into his match against Rafa tomorrow: a powerful serve, high-paced, flat groundstrokes and indescribable momentum after just defeating the #1 player in the world on a less than comfortable surface. He also made it to the semifinals at Madrid this year and has consistently remained in the top ten for the past 3 years. One among a very narrow line of players who can actually threaten Rafa on clay, he has a fair chance of coming out on top tomorrow IF he can stay focused and use the court wisely. Not enough players have caught on to the fact that Rafa can be a bit hesitant under pressure with the short ball and if Tomas knocks on his door for long enough, he just might be able to break it down and beat the six time Rome champ.


Rafael Nadal

No doubt the reigning champion has decent confidence levels going into tomorrow's semis. He's made it through two absolutely terrifying matches in the last two days and still managed to pull out seemingly impossible wins. The unpredictable lefty angles, high bounces and tremendous topspin are all weapons in the archive hoping to be unleashed on Saturday and Rafa must be thanking his lucky stars there's no Novak to deal with right now. But he's admitted that he practices on court for only 50 minutes per day now, as compared to the 2 hours he's stuck to for years. The pain in his knee also varies greatly from day to day. Reaching 7 finals might be taking an unmentioned toll of exhaustion on him and let us not forget the back-to-back three-setters he's had to grind through: he is the only semifinalist in this year's draw to have played two three-setters to get to this round. Bottom line, he will play as mere mortals do tomorrow and will not advance to the finals if he plays with even slight complacence.


My final predictions:

Federer dismisses Paire in straight sets: 6-4, 6-3.

Nadal beats Berdych in three: 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.

Do leave your opinions in the comments below and don't forget to breathe tennis!

New Looks

Rafael Nadal

The Mallorcan King of Clay is not letting his recent achievements since coming back from injury go to his head. In an interview with ATP World Tour press on Wednesday evening, Rafa was asked if he felt that he was now back to playing his best tennis. Modestly, he credited his successes in 2013 to a “refreshed mental[ity]” and newfound intensity and passion for the sport. It was painful for him being away from the tour for so long, he said, and he’s glad to be back. However, he could not say that he was playing his best tennis ever as there is still a long road ahead of him and many opportunities yet to be seized.

Nadal interview from Wednesday

It would seem the knee injury has deepened Nadal’s appreciation of being present on court and playing well enough to win trophies. He must look with new eyes on the matches that he plays, understanding that every opponent is as worthy of victory as he is and acting accordingly aggressive enough to ensure that he is the winner at the end of each day.

To see more of Wednesday’s interview, click here.

 

Such was the case on Thursday, when Latvian rising star, Ernest Gulbis, gave him a serious run for his money. After nineteen minutes of brilliant shot-making from Gulbis and a few shaky service games of his own, Rafa found himself down 0-5 and struggled to hold serve for the first time in the match. Gulbis needed only a few minutes more, though, to close out the first set 6-1.

Nadal’s efforts to minimize errors in the second set were immediately apparent. Though Gulbis maintained just about the same intensity that had earned him the first set, Rafa buckled down enough to hold serve for 1-0. Spectators should have been most impressed by Gulbis’ return of serve and ability to quickly change direction during long rallies.

Still, when facing break point at 1-all, 30-40, Rafa placed a serve out wide in the deuce court, opening the court beautifully for a flat forehand in the other direction, to which Ernest responded by sinking a forehand on the run deep into the net. Smart tennis. Rafa would eventually hold serve again for 2-1.

Ernest Gulbis

Finally finding some success with the rope-a-dope strategy, Nadal began to hold serve more emphatically, inching closer to a break conversion with every return game. Finally, at 4-3, a slip in the clay and backhand volley gone wide from Gulbis would give Rafa a much needed break for 5-3. He went on to win the second set 7-5.

Visibly frustrated with himself for losing the second set, Ernie still showed deft touch in the third but began to pile up unforced errors, giving Nadal a 4-2 lead.

When Gulbis broke back and consolidated for 4-all, it was tough to tell who would walk away the champion in this match.

Ernie made a few nigh-unforgivable errors to end up 4-5, 30-40 down. Nadal having a match point didn’t seem likely a while ago. But he did. And before Gulbis could blink, Rafa was shedding his headband and pumping his fist in victory.

Nadal now faces another feisty opponent in David Ferrer, his fellow countryman, tomorrow in the quarterfinals. Stay tuned to find out who makes it and who goes home.

Roger Federer

Fed fans all over the world have always trusted the Swiss Maestro to make the best decisions, both on and off the courts. And for years, Roger has delivered amply – with light, deft footwork, a near insurmountable number of title wins, that amazing backhand, and suave, debonair looks.

But we were all shocked when Roger stepped onto court on Tuesday donning… short cropped hair, a glaring contrast to the smooth and silky tendrils he’s smoothly brushed across his headband in between points for years.

No we aren’t fickle enough to think that a new haircut will somehow diminish his effectiveness on court (after all, he did win the match against Starace 4-6, 6-4, 6-3), but it just might be the least attractive thing Federer has done since turning pro in 1998.

Has the 31-year-old made a terrible mistake with this new look?

Leave your views and questions in the comments.

Fed's new haircut

 

Milos Raonic

The tall, dark-haired youngster from Canada has had performances admirable enough to earn him the title of 2011 ATP World Tour Newcomer of the Year, and since then he has been a threatening presence to the top ten.

Raonic posing for Hello! Canada magazine

But there is one other accomplishment Milos has recently garnered that places him in the realm of such personalities as Avril Lavigne, Sidney Crosby and Rachel McAdams: Milos Raonic is featured in Hello! Canada magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful Canadians 2013 issue.

If he emulates Federer, this may be the beginning of an incredible tennis career for him. But for the moment, his nation finds him beautiful and we can’t help but agree.

Here’s wishing Milos Raonic an injury-free, enjoyable and successful year. Keep shaking the top branches!

For more tennis news, stay with us and remember to breathe tennis!

Grinding Down

Surprises

Another day at the Rome Masters was filled with excitement and unexpected results.

Gilles Simon made it past Mikhail Youzhny, Chardy beat Nishikori, Nadal ousted Fognini, Kohlschreiber defeated Ramos and Ernest Gulbis triumphed over Viktor Troicki, all in straight sets.

Ferrer and Paire also made it through to the 3rd round in 3 set victories.

After an amazing week, however, Stan Wawrinka was forced to retire with a thigh injury. Tsonga is also out after a less than impressive performance against the pumped up Pole Jerzy Janowicz.

The big news of the day, though? Andy Murray losing the first set against Granollers 3-6, barely winning the second set 7-6 (7-5) and then having to retire due to a lower back problem which became more serious than anticipated.

Check out the photo gallery below.

PHOTO GALLERY

After two sets exchanged at 7-5 between the Spaniards, lefty Fernando Gonzalez could not keep up with the tenacious David Ferrer (shown above), who pushed through to win the third set 6-3 and secure a place in the 3rd round.

Andy Murray clutching his back at Rome on Wednesday

Troicki (L), Gulbis (R)

JJ tore off his shirt in celebration after winning his match against JW Tsonga

Fabio Fognini rips a backhand in a baseline rally but couldn't stand up against Nadal

Come back soon for more news. Breathe tennis!

Birthday Greetings

Murray Turns 26

The management and staff of the Breathe Tenns Blog would like to extend hearty 26th birthday greetings to defending US Open Champion and British #1 Andy Murray. We wish him a splendid day and the best of luck on court today as he takes on the Spaniard Marcel Granollers in the 2nd round of the Rome Masters. Enjoy it, Muzzah!!

Andy Murray with US Open trophy in 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Test

a bug is the biggest lie we know!

Epic Comeback & Routine Defeats

Rafael Nadal's Epic Comeback

Nadal at Madrid Open

After 7 months nursing a left knee injury, Rafa Nadal has made it to the finals of all 7 tournaments in which he's participated this year, collecting 5 titles along the way. His only two losses of 2013 thus far have come at the hands of Argentine Horacio Zeballos Jr., who beat him in the finals at Viña del Mar and Novak Djokovic, who deprived him of a record ninth Monte-Carlo title by defeating him in the finals in straight sets.

Still, Nadal can be more than ecstatic about his comeback performance; he defended his Barcelona title, winning that tournament for the seventh time in a row, and also found success at Brasil, Acapulco and most recently at the Mutua Madrileña Madrid Masters Open, where he triumphed over #2 Swiss player Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-2, 6-4.

While some may argue that "while the cat's away, the mice will play", one can imagine that Rafa will bury the rivalry with Djokovic in the deepest recesses of his mind and focus instead on the inevitable confidence boost of once again playing at a level high enough to achieve these astounding results. It surely is a sharp contrast to last year, where he expressed his uncertainty of ever playing professionally again.

Tennis fans around the world, however, may not have to wait very long before another Nadal-Djokovic fiasco rears its head, as the Internazionali BNL d'Italia (more widely known as the Rome Masters) has drawn these two beasts in the same half. Has Rafa exhausted himself too much to avenge the loss at Monte Carlo? Will Novak's recent aggravation of his ankle injury prevent him from undoing Nadal's status as the King of Clay? And, with the likes of showstoppers such as Dimitrov, Ferrer, Berdych and Tsonga lurking about in the shadows, will either man have the sweet, sweet pleasure of hoisting the trophy at Roland Garros? We will have to wait and see.



Serena Williams defeats Maria Sharapova......again

Sharapova (L), Williams (R)

In their 15 encounters on court, Russian beauty Maria Sharapova can boast of beating powerhouse American Serena Williams exactly two times, and both in 2004, when she was just seventeen years old - first in the finals at Wimbledon for her debut grand slam title and then at the LA Tour Championships, a hard-fought three-setter on Californian hard-courts.

Sure, MaSha's progress has been riddled with injuries, but so has Williams'. And it is Williams who has all but pulverized the Russian belle's chances of beating her for the past nine years on all surfaces, without exception. You would think that the age difference (Maria is 26, Serena 31) favors Sharapova but the stats say otherwise. The younger of the Williams sisters, Serena has dominated her head-to-head against Sharapova 13-2, making for an interesting but terribly one-sided affair every time the two meet.

The latest chapter in their rivalry? The finals at Madrid on Sunday, May 12, where Williams outmaneuvered and overpowered Sharapova 6-1, 6-4. In so doing, Williams retained her spot atop the WTA rankings, now several hundred points above Maria, and secured her 50th career title.

 Serena, in her post-match interview with the press at Madrid, said of her victory: "Every week is a battle [and]...a fight", that she felt consistency and fewer errors were the keys to her latest success on the clay there but that she was excited to hold the trophy for the second consecutive time. She will be keen to bring some of that verve to the French Open and forget all about her shocking loss to Virginie Razzano at the same tournament last year, her very first loss in the first round of a grand slam tournament in almost a decade and a half.

As the European clay court season comes to a dazzling close, there are still upsets to be had, records to be made, rivalries to one-up and names to be engraved into the history books. So keep your fingers crossed, your eyes on the ball and don't forget to breathe tennis.