ATP Hamburg & WTA Rome 11th-18th May

[koloino]

Pironkova T. v Azarenka V.




6:2,1:0 and retire Azarenka

+ 7,8 units

GREAT SUCCESS

[Mr Intensity]

Anyone watch Kiefer? That was awesome, great to see him playing well again

Just gone for a small lay of Nadal - not impressed with him yesterday, could be still struggling physically. Murray looked good yesterday - interestingly playing more aggressive which was very good.

[A-Team]

I had Murray on the handicap. Thought he could at least keep the sets tight but he was totally clueless out there. No gameplan whatsoever apart from some desperation serve/volley which he managed to **** up more often than not.

[Mr Intensity]

Originally Posted by A-Team

I had Murray on the handicap. Thought he could at least keep the sets tight but he was totally clueless out there. No gameplan whatsoever apart from some desperation serve/volley which he managed to **** up more often than not.

Yep, wasn't good. I thought Nadal was excellent - much improved from the match against Starace.

[Mr Intensity]

Quick thoughts....

Verdasco seems to be playing really well. He's hitting the ball great and seemed to have an added confidence about him. Could well run Federer pretty close but if he gets ahead would expect a choke.

Djokovic was a little flat yesterday but maybe that was because he was playing Ivo and was just happy to play hard in the big moments. He came through in 2 so can't really complain. Have to feel Montanes has been a bit lucky so far - Fish was woeful again, he got a very good win over Acasuso but I didn't see that so can't comment. Tipsarevic's effort was appaling yesterday, not sure what was up with him. I can see Novak giving out a beating today, could be very one-sided if he starts well.

Nadal v Moya matches are usually interesting and I'm not sure about this one. I thought Nadal was excellent yesterday and a repeat of that performance should see him through easily. I said at the start of the week to watch out for Moya coming back to form and here he is in the quarters. He's had some tough matches and you need to be 100% to just get some games off Nadal on clay and that's a bit of a worry. It all points to an easy Nadal win but when these two meet sometimes strange things can happen.

Kiefer v Seppi is the only one today with close prices. really impressed with Kiefer this week, he's beaten Mathieu, tired Wawrinka and Davydenko without dropping a set. Especially yesterday he was awesome, and at home he's really stepped up. But Seppi too has been playing well, Gasquet was a non-runner but I saw most of his match yesterday and he was just dominating! I'd just like to see Kiefer come through, and with his added heat on serve I think he deserves to be a slight favourite.

In the ladies I think Jankovic looks a decent fav, not really looked into the other matches.

[koloino]

Tsvetana Pironkova v Anna Chakvetadze

16/05/2008 13:00 (CET)


Again I'm play on Pironkova. Is in the excellent form and I think that will advise today itself without the problems with Anna. I do not see here other result how winnings Pironkova!! But therefore Tsvetana it it!!


pick 1
odds 2.5
stake 7/10
Bet365

[koloino]

Tsvetana Pironkova v Anna Chakvetadze

2:6,6:3,1:6

- 7 units

[Mr Intensity]

Federer v Seppi. This could be a little bit interesting. Seppi had a major wobble against Kiefer but still played really well as he has done all week. H2H is 1-0 to Federer 7-6 7-6 in Monte Carlo last year but it should be mentioned that was Federer's first match on clay that season. Can't see past Federer, but the handicap will be worth looking at.

Nadal v Djokovic. Got to be Nadal for me. He's been awesome in his last two matches and after not winning Rome he's sending a message this week that he's still the top dog. Djokovic has been OK this week, but nothing special. Doing the Rome/Hamburg double is incredibly difficult and I can't see him coming through here. I don't think he's served well this week, and I just see Nadal being all over him. Vamos Nadal!

Cornet v Chakvetadze. Very interesting match here. Chak has been in shocking form this year and despite getting some wins this week she still doesn't seem to be playing too well. She's had 3 tough 3 setters this week and up against someone in the form of Cornet I think she's really struggle. Cornet has come through qualifying and had great wins over Schiavone and Kuznetsova without dropping a set. Got a walkover against Serena which could be a big plus after 5 matches in this tournament. She has been excellent on clay this year and is improving rapidly. Based on form Cornet has to be a big favourite. The concern is that this is a really big match for Cornet and the chance to reach her first Tier 1 final. However, I'm not that concerned as she looks like a winner and is ready to hit the big time.

Sharapova v Jankovic. Another interesting one and I'm surprised to see Jankovic as such a big dog. Sharapova has struggled all week and had a pretty late - and long - match with Schnyder. Everyone knows she's not as her best on clay and Jankovic should have a big edge in movement. Jankovic has looked good this week and got an excellent win over Venus in the last round. Jankovic destroyed the field in this tournament last year beating a pretty tough draw of Paszek, A Bondarenko, Dementieva, Schnyder and Kuznetsova without dropping a set. Should be up for a big effort to defend her title and I think she'll get it done.

[bet_man]

Originally Posted by Mr Intensity

Federer v Seppi. This could be a little bit interesting. Seppi had a major wobble against Kiefer but still played really well as he has done all week. H2H is 1-0 to Federer 7-6 7-6 in Monte Carlo last year but it should be mentioned that was Federer's first match on clay that season. Can't see past Federer, but the handicap will be worth looking at.

Nadal v Djokovic. Got to be Nadal for me. He's been awesome in his last two matches and after not winning Rome he's sending a message this week that he's still the top dog. Djokovic has been OK this week, but nothing special. Doing the Rome/Hamburg double is incredibly difficult and I can't see him coming through here. I don't think he's served well this week, and I just see Nadal being all over him. Vamos Nadal!

Cornet v Chakvetadze. Very interesting match here. Chak has been in shocking form this year and despite getting some wins this week she still doesn't seem to be playing too well. She's had 3 tough 3 setters this week and up against someone in the form of Cornet I think she's really struggle. Cornet has come through qualifying and had great wins over Schiavone and Kuznetsova without dropping a set. Got a walkover against Serena which could be a big plus after 5 matches in this tournament. She has been excellent on clay this year and is improving rapidly. Based on form Cornet has to be a big favourite. The concern is that this is a really big match for Cornet and the chance to reach her first Tier 1 final. However, I'm not that concerned as she looks like a winner and is ready to hit the big time.

Sharapova v Jankovic. Another interesting one and I'm surprised to see Jankovic as such a big dog. Sharapova has struggled all week and had a pretty late - and long - match with Schnyder. Everyone knows she's not as her best on clay and Jankovic should have a big edge in movement. Jankovic has looked good this week and got an excellent win over Venus in the last round. Jankovic destroyed the field in this tournament last year beating a pretty tough draw of Paszek, A Bondarenko, Dementieva, Schnyder and Kuznetsova without dropping a set. Should be up for a big effort to defend her title and I think she'll get it done.

Thank you for your opinions Mr.Intensity.

But i want to ask one more question

The winner of djokovic-nadal match will be the second seed in roland garros.Will this situation gives special meaning for this match? or nothing special?

Thanks

[Mr Intensity]

Originally Posted by bet_man

Thank you for your opinions Mr.Intensity.

But i want to ask one more question

The winner of djokovic-nadal match will be the second seed in roland garros.Will this situation gives special meaning for this match? or nothing special?

Thanks

Hi, just saw this. They've been talking about the No 2 ranking all week and asked Nadal and Djokovic about it in interviews. I certainly think the No 2 ranking means more to them than being No 2 seed in the French. Especially for Nadal, he knows he can beat everybody on clay - maybe Djokovic would be thinking about it a bit because he hasn't beaten Federer on clay this year, but anyway he didn't get it done today.

[Mr Intensity]

Nadal v Federer. Here we go again! In Monte Carlo, Federer was very close to Rafa and had good chances in both sets. Still not sre how he didn't take a set and mentally that's a little worrying. However, he is excellent on this clay court and this is certainly his best chance of beating Nadal on clay - just like last year. Federer has looked good this week especially in the semi I thought he was very good against Seppi. Nadal had a big battle with Djokovic and as I've mentioned a few times he does struggle putting in big performances in consecutive days. On clay this is much less of a factor than on hard courts but there is still a chance I feel of it affecting the match. I'm quite tempted to back Federer - although the things I have said in Federers favour already seem to be quite factored into this price. Should be a good final, and I think Federer will take at least a set.

Jankovic v Cornet. Cornet did well to come through a tough match against Chakvetadze, but I think she'll struggle in the final. After a long week and a long semi (albeit with quarter final day off) I think physically and mentally she could be a bit tired. It's also her first Tier 1 final and she's against a very good competitor in Jankovic who seems to be playing really well. She got a walkover against Sharapova (think she would have won anywhere) and is defending her title. Think Jankovic gets it done and should be 2-0.

[Mr Intensity]

Fed/Rafa just gone into a 3rd. This is some final! Thought it was going to be another 7-5 7-5 to Rafa - awesome stuff for Federer to take that set, mentally it must have been really tough. Would like to see Federer to take this, would set the French up perfectly