Madrid, Spain
October 15-21, 2007
€2,082,500 / 48 Draw
Hard - Indoor

Seeds:  ¹Roger Federer, ²Rafael Nadal, ³Novak Djokovic, ⁴Nikolay Davydenko, ⁵Fernando Gonzalez. ⁶James Blake, ⁷David Ferrer, ⁸Tommy Robredo, ⁹Tomas Berdych, ¹⁰Richard Gasquet, ¹¹Tommy Haas, ¹²Ivan Ljubicic, ¹³Guillermo Canas, ¹⁴Carlos Moya, ¹⁵Juan Ignacio Chela, ¹⁶Mikhail Youzhny

Andy Roddick is conspicuously missing due to injury.  I hope he qualifies for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai.

Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and workaholic Davydenko have all qualified for the season-ending tournament, which will take place in 27 days' time. These guys are playing for pride at the moment as they have nothing to lose, if they get ousted. I won't be surprised though if we see a Fed - Djoko final.

That means there are four spots left.  Which players will be filling those spots come Nov. 11?

Main Draw Singles:

Roger Federer (SUI) - Bye 01
Robby Ginepri (USA) vs. Jurgen Melzer (AUT)
Dimitry Tursunov (RUS) vs. Agustin Calleri (ARG)
Guillermo Canas (ARG) - Bye 13
Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) - Bye 12
Stefan Koubek (AUT) vs. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)
Filippo Volandri (ITA) vs. Feliciano Lopez (ESP)
David Ferrer (ESP) - Bye 07
Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) - Bye 04
Ivo Karlovic (CRO) vs. Marat Safin (RUS)
Nicolas Kiefer (GER) vs. Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI)
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) - Bye 16
Tommy Haas (GER) - Bye 11
Juan Monaco (ARG) vs. Igor Andreev (RUS)
Nicolas Almagro (ESP) vs. Fabrice Santoro (FRA)
Fernando Gonzalez (CHL) - Bye 05
--------------
James Blake (USA) - Bye 06
Marc Gicquel (FRA) vs. Mario Ancic (CRO)
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) vs. Mardy Fish (USA)
Richard Gasquet (FRA) - Bye 10
Carlos Moya (ESP) vs. Bye 14
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) vs. Alejandro Falla (COL)
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs. Albert Montanes (ESP)
Novak Djokovic (SRB) - Bye 03
Tommy Robredo (ESP) - Bye 08
Juan Marin Del Potro (ARG) vs. Potito Starace (ITA)
Arnaud Clément (FRA) vs. David Nalbandian (ARG)
Tomas Berdych (CZE) - Bye 09
Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) - Bye 15
Andrew Murray (GBR) vs. Radek Stepanek (CZE)
Andrei Pavel (ROU) vs. Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) - Bye 02

Some First Round Results:

Ginepri bt. Melzer 2-6, 7-6, 6-4,  faces Federer next.
Monaco bt. Andreev 6-7, 6-0, 6-4,  faces Haas next.
Koubek bt. Nieminen 6-3, 3-6, 6-4,  faces Ljubicic next.
Del Potro bt. Starace 7-5, 6-1,  faces Robredo next.
Ancic bt. Gicquel 6-4, 6-2,  faces Blake next.
Murray bt. Stepanek 6-4, 6-1,  faces Chela next.
Baghdatis bt. Pavel 6-3, 4-6, 6-1,  faces Nadal next
Lopez bt. Volandri 6-3, 6-2,  faces compatriot Ferrer next.
Verdasco bt. Montanes 6-1, 6-1,  faces Djokovic next.

Today's Order of Play

10:00 Kiefer N. vs Wawrinka S.
10:00 Almagro N. vs Santoro F.
12:00 Karlovic I. vs Safin M.
12:00 Clément A. vs Nalbandian D.
14:00 Tursunov D. vs Calleri A.
14:00 Ferrero J. vs Falla A.
16:00 Mathieu P. vs Fish M.
18:00 Haas T. vs Monaco J.
19:00 Federer R. vs Ginepri R.
21:00 Chela J. vs Murray A.

Today's Results (Oct 16)

Other First Round Results:
Kiefer bt. Wawrinka 7-5, 6-3
Almagro bt. Santoro 6-4, 6-4
Karlovic bt. Safin 6-3, 6-4
Nalbandian bt. Clement 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
Calleri bt. Tursunov 3-6, 7-6, 6-4
Ferrero bt. Falla 6-4, 7-5
Mathieu bt. Fish 6-3, 2-6, 7-5

Some Second Round Results:
Monaco bt. Haas  6-4, 7-5
Federer bt. Ginepri 7-6, 6-4
Murray bt. Chela 6-1, 6-3

Fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko pulled out with a right elbow injury he sustained during a title run last week in Moscow.

Other Second Round Results:

Canas  bt. Calleri 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, meets Federer next
Koubek  bt.  Ljubicic 6-3, 6-7, 7-5
Lopez  bt.  Ferrer 7-6, 7-5
Karlovic  bt.  Hernandez 7-5, 6-2
Nalbandian  bt.  Berdych 4-6, 6-4, 7-6
Ferrero  bt.  Moya 7-6, 6-4
Mathieu  bt.  Gasquet 7-6, 7-5
Ancic  bt.  Blake 6-3, 6-4
Djokovic  bt.  Verdasco 6-7, 6-3, 6-3
Kiefer  bt.  Youzhny 6-1, 6-3
Del Potro  bt.  Robredo 6-7, 6-4, 6-3
Nadal  bt.  Baghdatis 6-4, 6-4, meets Murray in the third round

Today's Order of Play (Oct 18)

Third Round Fixtures:
10:00 Gonzalez  vs.  Monaco
11:30 Djokovic vs Ferrero
13:00 Federer R.  vs Canas G.
13:00 Ancic M.  vs Mathieu P.
15:00 Karlovic I.  vs Kiefer N.
16:00 Del Potro J.  vs Nalbandian D.
19:00 Murray A.  vs Nadal R.
21:00 Koubek S.  vs Lopez F.

Nadal just whipped Murra 7-6 6-4

Federer totally outclassed Canas earlier with a 6-0 6-3 defeat. The first set was hilarious, Canas good as well have gone for a tennis practice lesson.

Other Third Round Results:

González  bt.  Monaco 6-4, 6-2
Djokovic  bt.  Ferrero 6-3, 2-6, 6-4
Ancic  bt.  Mathieu 6-4, 6-3
Kiefer  bt.  Karlovic 7-6, 7-6
Nalbandian bt.  Del Potro 6-2, 6-4
López  bt.  Koubek 7-6, 6-1

Right on time David, I was beginning to think I'm the only tennis fan left in this forum. 

Nadal's win over Murray on home soil overshadowed Federer's revenge over Canas yesterday.  It's still a talking point though - a sweet revenge.

Seems your namesake has finally awoken, he loses concentration too easily though.  Good to see him playing good tennis once again.  Has he got a chance against Nadal in the QFs?

The Rejuvenated Ancic vs. Struggling Djoker QF match is also a promising encounter. 

Gonzo meets Keifer, who beat the aceamaster while Fed faces the other spanish lefty in the other QF matches.

My expected SF fixtures: Fed - Gonzo and Rafa - Djoko

Tennis, ? plz , all i watch is the high lights on ESPN, who get time

Chei- Nadal got whooped by Nalbandian.

VERY NICEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

HE BEAT HIM REALLLLLLLLLLLLLL GOOD IN 1 AND 2

Not even a prophet could have predicted David thrashing Rafa this way. Let's see how he fares against the Djoker.

Federer meets Kiefer in the other SF.

QF Results:

Djokovic - Ancic 7-6, 6-2
Nalbandian - Nadal 6-1, 6-2
Federer - Lopez 7-6, 6-4
Kiefer - Gonzalez 7-6, 6-2

Na wa o. . . i wouldnt have imagined in a million years that the erratic David Nalbandian would thrash Nadal so badly.

Anyway the Paris masters is a good time to take a revenge and do better. the final is as well between Federer and Djokovic.
how did Gonzalez get whopped?

Nalbandian continues his impressive run by beating Djokovic in straight sets (6-4, 7-6(4)) to book a date with either Federer or Keifer in the final.

PDF:

Nalbandian continues his impressive run by beating Djokovic in straight sets (6-4, 7-6(4)) to book a date with either Federer or Keifer in the final.

I refused to watch this game after David knocked out Nadal but i never envisaged a Djokovic loss!!

Nalbandian might just have qualified himself for the Shanghai masters.

Exactly, what a leap! As a finalist, he has 350pts already. I hope he stays fit for the rest of the season. We want more competition at the top.

What a fairy tale it will be if he can beat Federer.

Beating Djokovic makes me slightly comforted after Nadal's loss.

If that happens, he would have beaten the top three ranked players in the same tournament, a feat only Djokovic has achieved in the Open Era.

I hope it doesn't happen.

Federer has confirmed his date with Nalbandian in the final. He beat Kiefer 6-4, 6-4.

Nalbandian to revert to his unstable status and capitulate to Federer 6-1 6-4.

Watch out for DAVID NALBANDIAN!! I think he is ready to take his rightful position.

@Dvidylan,
No way! Even though I believe Fed will win tomorrow's final,it wont be an easy task.Even Fed knows it.Nalbandian has beaten him many times before,so he knows who he is up against.He has to be at his very best to escape a defeat from a rejuvenated Nalbandian.

Talking about rejuvenation.Nalbandian,actually has no biz being ranked outside the top 4 players in the circuit.To me,he is the best player never to have won a grand slam.I have always admired him over the years for his solid game.His status was confirmed when he won the Masters' cup in 2005,even though he has never won a grand slam(A confirmation of his real ability).

Friday's thrashing of Nadal was actually the first time in their careers that the two players were going to play each other.I have always looked forward to this encounter over the years.Why? because I felt Nadal's high bouncing shots to his opponents' backhand(a strategy which remains a nightmare for Fed who plays one fisted backhand) will be sweet cake for Nalbandian,who in my opinion,arguably has the strongest and most effective backhand in the circuit.Friday's trouncing of Nadal confirmed it.By the time Nadal learnt to avoid Nalbandian's backhand it was too late.Secondly,Nalbandian,who is also arguably the best returner of serves since Agassi,enjoyed punishing Nadal with his own serves.He so confidently stepped into the baseline to ruthlessly attack poor Nadal's serves.Indeed,Rafa was a sorry sight.He had no clue at all,how to solve the Nalbandian puzzle.Little wonder he and his coach Toni,constantly shook their heads through out the 2nd set.

As for Djoko's loss to Nalbandian,he knows his experience is little,compared with David's.He needs to play a bit more b4 he can consistently beat David.

Actually,Nalbandian's problem has always been having the mental toughness to win at the big occasions,just like Fed had for a while in his career.I believe David's poor showing this year is due to his frustration at not winning the big ones.I guess,he has now received the needed Psychotherapy.Thats why he showed Rafa no respects at all.

Really,I wish him the best.

Octupus,

You have pinpointed one of Nadal's big weaknesses on hard court, his high kicking returns are just a sitting duck for a very good returner on fast courts - Djokovic, Nalbandian, even Andy Murray. Federer is more prone to make unforced errors with his backhand returns so that is not much of a problem.

On clay courts he can afford to do that because he is very mobile and will reach most of the returns. On hard courts he gets pretty much blown away. The other point is his serve!!! Look at Murray, he's improved tremendously now that he's got a solid serve. Even Djokovic is pretty difficult to break and Federer depends a lot on his serves to get him out of trouble. Uncle toni plsssssssss help us rectify that serve!!

FedEx wraps up the first set in just 30mins.

Pendulum don swing go Nalbandian's side o. He's broken Federer for the first time in this tournament.

Nalbandian tops Federer 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 to complete his miraculous comeback.

 

@PDF,
Actually I dont see anything "miraculous" about David's comeback.He is just claiming his rightful place.

After the finals,Fed confessed that he wanted to play aggressively against David but couldn't.He claimed he 'did not play his best'.This expression always comes up whenever there is an upset,I notice.The truth is that he played his best,but was just up against a player who gave him no room to express himself.

I wish David all the best.I hope he goes into the coming season playing as good as he had displayed this last one week.And I hope he picks up at least one grand slam next yr.He deserves it.

Federer should compensate himself by working hard to pick up the Master's cup in Shanghai.As for the Paris masters,I wont be surprised if David picks wins it.You never can tell.

hahaha Nalbandian to win the Paris masters? Dream on!
He wont go beyond the quarter finals - Nadal, Djokovic and Federer will each be seeking to put one over him before the season is over.

Any congratulations to my namesake, i just wish he'd be more consistent at least on hard courts.

I remember saying that the Fed Xpress might just not break all those records that he's so withing touching distance of and this is testament to what i meant then. . . . . some of this other guys are getting over the psychological edge that Fedex has over 'em at the moment!
its like some1's taken the scales o'utta 'em eyes and said to " 'em he's no superman, play your game and you can beat him."
Now the no. of players out there that know they got what it takes to beat Federer is piling up and it's g'onna much tighter competition for him 4rm now on!

kudos to Nalbadian. . . . . he beat the about half the top 10 seeds to get this and it'll do his confidence a world of good. . . . . as for the sport and her fans, it only gets better as the competition gets sterner!

booooyyy. . . . . i'm loving it!

its like someone's taken the scales o'utta 'em eyes and said to " 'em he's no superman, play your game and you can beat him."

Have always said that. They should stop rolling iver cos its federer. The look on his face in that picture is priceless. He couldnt bear to looki at Nalbandian lifting the trophy

tng:

Have always said that. They should stop rolling iver because its federer. The look on his face in that picture is priceless. He couldnt bear to looki at Nalbandian lifting the trophy

I bet it didnt even occur to him that Nalbandian would beat him.

davidylan:

I bet it didnt even occur to him that Nalbandian would beat him.

yeah i bet so 2. . . .

On the female side, who on earth can stop Henin. . . . . she's tearing 'em apart left, right, center!?