TENNIS UPDATE FROM MONTE CARLO ROLEX MASTERS: FEDERER AND NADAL BOTH WIN

Twin killings: Federer, Nadal cruise by same scoreline in Monte-Carlo

 

By Ricky Dimon

 

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal wasted no time winning their opening matches at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Wednesday afternoon. Federer trounced Jeremy Chardy 6-2, 6-1 and Nadal advanced by the exact same scoreline at the expense of Lucas Pouille.

 

In other words, it was not a good day to be an underdog Frenchman. At least Pouille managed to stay on the court with eight-time Monte-Carlo champion for more than an hour (1:08:33 to be exact). That is more than Chardy could say. He went down to Federer in a mere 54 minutes.

 

The result is a pair of blockbuster third-round matchups for two of the sport’s all-time greats. Let’s take a look:

 

(14) Gael Monfils vs. (2) Roger Federer

 

Federer and Monfils had more history with each other in 2014 than many other player pairs have in their entire careers. They squared off three times, first with Federer prevailing 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in Cincinnati prior to a duo of far more memorable contests. Monfils held a two-set lead in the U.S. Open quarters and came within one point of finishing the job only to see Federer storm back for a 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 triumph. In the Davis Cup final, though, Monfils turned the tide and treated the French crowd to a 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 domination. That is Federer’s only blemish at Monfils’ hands on clay. The Swiss has won four of their five encounters on the slow stuff and he has an 8-3 edge in the overall head-to-head series.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two competitors took much different paths to the Monte-Carlo third round. Federer earned an opening bye then disposed of Jeremy Chardy 6-2, 6-1 in less than an hour’s work on Wednesday. Monfils came back from a set down to defeat Andrey Kuznetsov before battling past Alexandr Dolgopolov 7-6(5), 7-6(6). Although the 35th-ranked Frenchman took Federer apart in Davis Cup, that result is easily explained: the current world No. 2 was far less than 100 percent and coming off a tumultuous week at the World Tour Finals in London. Federer is well-rested and in great form this time around.

 

(3) Rafael Nadal vs. (15) John Isner

 

Nadal and Isner will be going head-to-head for the fifth time in their careers when they collide in round three of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Thursday. All four of their previous encounters have gone Nadal’s way, none more famously than in the 2011 French Open first round–when the Spaniard survived 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-4 and eventually captured the title. Nadal and Isner also faced each other on clay at the 2010 Madrid Masters, where the former world No. 1 advanced 7-5, 6-4. Their other two clashes came on American hard courts, yet Nadal still had enough to get past Isner (7-5, 3-6, 6-3 five years ago in Indian Wells and 7-6(8), 7-6(3) in the 2013 Cincinnati final).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has already been a stellar tournament for Isner, whose opening loss in Houston to Teymuraz Gabashvili appears to be just a hiccup in an otherwise consistent ascension back to form. The world No. 19 recovered from an awful start to the season by reaching the last 16 in Indian Wells and the semifinals in Miami (lost to Novak Djokovic on both occasions). Nadal struggled at the two hard-court Masters tournaments but he is back on his old stomping grounds of red dirt. The eight-time Monte-Carlo benefited from the surface change in the form of a 6-2, 6-1 victory over wild card Lucas Pouille on Wednesday. Isner has the prototypical game to give Nadal problems: a huge serve and a punishing inside-out forehand that can open up the deuce side of the court to exploit the 14-time Grand Slam champion’s backhand. But Isner has never gotten all the way over the hump against Nadal and there is no reason to think he will do so for the first time at one of his opponent’s favorite events.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: ATP Monte Carlo, Clay tennis, Gael Monfils, John Isner, Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Rafael Nadal, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer

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