[Purple Rainbow]

A good draw for our friend Roger! Though their first encounter at the Dubai open was quite a thriller (6-7 6-3 7-6), Roger comfortably disposed of his young opponent at the second round of Wimbledon this year (6-4 6-4 6-1).

What do you all predict for this match? Me thinks Roger in 3, and being a little rusty, one set will go into a tiebreak! 6-3 7-6 6-1 for Roger!

 

[Fergie]

Roger will win in 3 sets! ... My prediction: 6-3 7-5 6-1

 

[Mrs. B]

63 62 60

 

[1sun]

just hope he wins

 

[PamV]

63 62 60

I hope you are right. We need him to win in straight sets, after the bumpy ride we had in Cincy.

 

[MissMoJo]

64 76(3) 62

 

[SUKTUEN]

He Will show his Best twnnis again~!

 

[1sun]

people, ivo can be a tricky bastard, dont expect such an easy ride

 

[PamV]

people, ivo can be a tricky bastard, dont expect such an easy ride

That's what I thought myself. This is one of the reasons that I think Roger's early rounds are tougher than Nadal's. People like to say that it really doesn't matter what the early rounds have, but I think it does. Roger is more vunerable when he's trying to get used to the conditions and settle down to a rythm.

 

[1sun]

That's what I thought myself. This is one of the reasons that I think Roger's early rounds are tougher than Nadal's. People like to say that it really doesn't matter what the early rounds have, but I think it does. Roger is more vunerable when he's trying to get used to the conditions and settle down to a rythm.

no doubt nadal was an absolute piss of a draw. but im not too concerned, think about who has roger actualy lost to this year? top notch players where 2 of the 3 he had matchpoints and they played great matchs and also needed some luck.
roger has cut out the stupid losses this year and i dont expect them to start now. its better that he gets tested early(hopefully not too much) than the latter rounds. he will also be on guard if he gets tested early for the latter rounds. we shouldnt have to worry too mcuh about the first rounds, but come the 16s against ferrero, thats the time to get the pacemaker fitted. i am more worried about ferrero than safin/hewit/roddick

 

[mitalidas]

? Me thinks Roger in 3, and being a little rusty, one set will go into a tiebreak! 6-3 7-6 6-1 for Roger!

no longer rusty! Just won a tournament on hard

 

[PamV]

no doubt nadal was an absolute piss of a draw. but im not too concerned, think about who has roger actualy lost to this year? top notch players where 2 of the 3 he had matchpoints and they played great matchs and also needed some luck.
roger has cut out the stupid losses this year and i dont expect them to start now. its better that he gets tested early(hopefully not too much) than the latter rounds. he will also be on guard if he gets tested early for the latter rounds. we shouldnt have to worry too mcuh about the first rounds, but come the 16s against ferrero, thats the time to get the pacemaker fitted. i am more worried about ferrero than safin/hewit/roddick

The good news is that he would only face Ferrero OR Kiefer not both of them. In Dubai Roger was down match point to Ferrero but pulled that out. Ferrero took him to a tie break in their 3rd set at Wimbledon.

 

[scarecrows]

It'll be an easy win. I expect a comfortable run from him till the quarters

 

[Puschkin]

63 62 60

I like optimism, , but I think it will be a little closer

 

[Purple Rainbow]

A few too many people say that this was a bad 1st round draw. Seriously, why? Is it because of the Dubai match? Roger struggles more often in ATP tournament 1st round matches, see his Queens match against Söderling, for example. However, Roger is always ready in a Grand Slam and I really don't know how Minar could trouble Federer to any extent!

 

[guinevere_79]

This is not a bad first round draw, considering that Roger could have drawn any of the following players: Ginepri, Blake, Philippoussis, Grosjean, Chela, Massu, Karlovic... all dangerous floaters. I don't think Ivo Minar is even mentioned as one of the dangerous unseeded players in the draw.

That said, people shouldn't underestimate the guy. There's a reason he took Roger to three sets in Dubai. He's not a pushover.

This draw is so similar to his Wimbledon draw, it's almost funny. Aside from Minar, he could also face JCF again (in the 4th round again!) and Gonzalez again (in the QF also!). Then waiting for him in the semifinal is Lleyton (or Safin), just like in Wimbledon.

 

[Puschkin]

This draw is so similar to his Wimbledon draw, it's almost funny. Aside from Minar, he could also face JCF again (in the 4th round again!) and Gonzalez again (in the QF also!). Then waiting for him in the semifinal is Lleyton (or Safin), just like in Wimbledon.

I would not mind the same outcome as in Wimby

 

[PamV]

I would not mind the same outcome as in Wimby

Right you are! (With Nadal losing 2nd round again would be nice.)

 

[PamV]

This is not a bad first round draw, considering that Roger could have drawn any of the following players: Ginepri, Blake, Philippoussis, Grosjean, Chela, Massu, Karlovic... all dangerous floaters. I don't think Ivo Minar is even mentioned as one of the dangerous unseeded players in the draw.

True but it's not a good first round draw either. A good first round would be a wild card or qualifier. As I've said a million times no doubt....Nadal has the luck to get two wild cards in a row!

 

[Purple Rainbow]

True but it's not a good first round draw either. A good first round would be a wild card or qualifier. As I've said a million times no doubt....Nadal has the luck to get two wild cards in a row!

I'm never so keen on the assumption that playing a qualifier is a good draw. A qualifier is a player who is capable of playing on the surface and comes into the tournament accustomed to the surroundings and on a 3 game winning streak.
Qualifiers are especially tricky on surfaces that require a certain specialism, such as Wimbledon and Roland Garros. In the French Open I'd play a non-seeded non-claycourter over a qualifier any day.
Playing a wild card usually is a good draw, though, with the exception of wild cards handed out to players ranked too low, due to recent injuries.