ANY GIVEN DAY BY CHERYL JONES

Written by: Staff on 12th June 2014

ANY GIVEN DAY BY CHERYL JONES

epa04251961 Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Dustin Brown of Germany during their second round match at the ATP tournament in Halle (Westphalia), Germany, 12 June 2014. EPA/CHRISTIAN WEISCHE |

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal must feel as if they had slipped back in time, but only partially. It is Thursday at the Gerry Weber Open and both men contested their first match of the tournament, that could move them up the ladder in giant steps, without so much as having to strike a ball during actual play until this afternoon.

In the early days of tennis it might have been a complete romp for Federer, last year’s champ, because until 1922 the Wimbledon (and other important tournaments) previous year’s winner was automatically granted Byes into the final round. It was known as the Challenge Round and it led to many winners retaining the title, as they were able to rest until the opponent list was whittled down from the masses of other entrants who were a part of the competition.

Both Federer and Nadal have plenty of major wins under their belt, and even as defending champs they always play each match on their way to the end of the competition just as the person that they face across the net must. Challengers can be tough opponents for champions, as often competitors play as if they have nothing to lose, and then, what they most often lose is the match. Occasionally, an “any given day” moment will crop up and a newbie will send a more highly ranked player home early. (Serena Williams has experienced a few of those moments, as she did most recently when she, as the number one player on the women’s side lost at Roland Garros to a 35th ranked Spanish woman, Garbine Muguruza 6-2, 6-2.)

Rafael Nadal.

And, as if thinking about the quirky nature of the “any given day” theory could make it happen – it did. Rafael Nadal was sent packing, after losing to German player, Dustin Brown who is ranked 85 in the world. (The match was never even close, 6-4, 6-1 and it was over.) It was quite a win for the twenty-nine-year-old who hasn’t had much success on grass in the past. The crowd cheered wildly to support the German, but with Nadal’s loss, they won’t be able to witness his rocket quick play on another day, this year. (Nadal, just four days ago, made history when he won his 5th Roland Garros title in a row and his eighth overall.) He was shooting for his 700th match win today. It would have moved him into the rarified air of the all-time greats that include, Jimmy Connors (with 1,253 who is at the top). Connors leads that short list that includes Roger Federer at Number 3, who is just behind Ivan Lendl. Nadal might have made it to Number 11. But that will have to wait until there is a next time. (Maybe it will happen at Wimbledon.)

It wasn’t a picnic in the park for Federer, but he moved on to the Round of 8 with the aplomb he usually exhibits. He defeated Joao Sousa of Portugal, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. After the match, he said, “It was a little bit of a struggle on the return, maybe for a set and a half. After that I think I started to return better, make more returns off the first serve, had more variations as well on the second serve return.” From the stands, it appeared that he was a little slow on the uptake as the match kicked off. (Perhaps that is what having four children might do for anyone.) He offered no excuses. “I think it gives me more confidence winning this way than maybe just 6-4, 6-4 when you don’t quite know what is going on. Like this I had to stay calm, fight through the match and find a way and then the last set and a half were much better. So, I’m actually pretty happy now.”

Next up, he will face Yen-Hsun Lu, who hails from Taipei. Lu is currently ranked 48 and has yet to win a championship on the tour, but at 30 years of age, he has been around quite a while. Lu surprised 33rd ranked Ivo Karlovic earlier today 7-6, 7-6 to move into the Round of 8. He will be a worthy opponent, but the crowd hopes there isn’t too much of the “any given day” proof in the outcome.

It should be a snap for Federer and he should move forward in the draw of the tournament where he has been the victor in Halle six other times. Stadion Gerry Weber must feel like his “home court”. The seventh championship is still within his grasp.

Topics: Cheryl Jones, Gerry Weber Open, Halle, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Tennis, Tennis News, Yen Hsun Lu

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10sBalls_com says:

June 12, 2014 at 12:21 pm

ANY GIVEN DAY BY CHERYL JONES – http://t.co/8eziBcBcwI #tennis @RafaelNadal @rogerfederer @GerryWeberOpen #Halle #Germany #sports