Federer finds claycourt feet
11th May 2006
Despite being pushed to the limit by local favourite Potito Starace, world number 1 Roger Federer managed to keep his cool and grinded out an important win in the Rome second round. Rafael Nadal had no such problems against the Italian number 1 Filippo Volandri, leaving Volandri with only 3 games to show for his efforts.
4th seed David Nalbandian continued his excellent form after last weeks title in Estoril by easing past Paul-Henri Mathieu, who feels very much at home on the grinded brick.
5th seed Andy Roddick managed to avert another early defeat by outlasting Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis, a player who had upset the American at the Australian Open.
The match seemed to be one between the limp and the blind, as both players showed a considerable amount of tiredness during their match, making it somewhat of an error-fest.
Roddick managed to keep his cool, however, and grinded out a morale-boosting win.
Roddick will face Briton Greg Rusedski in the third round, another player who seems to be finding his claycourt feet after having despised the red clay for most of his career.
Another Brit, Tim Henman, who already reached the semifinals of Roland Garros once, will have a chance to take a crack at a real claycourt specialist in world number 2 Rafael Nadal. This match will provide an interesting test for both players, for one to see how Nadal will cope with the unorthodox claycourt game of Henman.
Second round results Rome:
Roger Federer (SUI,1) d. Potito Starace (ITA,WC) 6-3 7-6(2)
Radek Stepanek (CZE,14) d. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 6-4 7-6(5)
Nicolas Almagro (ESP,Q) d. Jose Acasuso (ARG) 6-4 2-6 6-4
Nikolay Davydenko (RUS,6) d. Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-1 3-6 6-0
David Nalbandian (ARG,4) d. Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) 6-2 6-4
Alberto Martin (ESP) d. Nicolas Kiefer (GER,13) 6-3 7-6(3)
Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo (ESP,Q) d. Marat Safin (RUS) 0-6 7-6(6) 7-6(3)
Mario Ancic (CRO) d. Florent Serra (FRA) 3-6 7-6(10) 6-0
Andy Roddick (USA,5) d. Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 3-6 6-1 6-2
Greg Rusedski (GBR) d. Stefano Galvani (ITA,Q) 7-6(4) 6-4
Gael Monfils (FRA) d. Robby Ginepri (USA,16) 6-1 4-6 6-4
Fabrice Santoro (FRA) d. Dominik Hrbaty (SVK) 7-6(2) 6-3
Tomas Berdych (CZE) d. Xavier Malisse (BEL) 6-2 6-1
Fernando Gonzalez (CHI,10) d. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 6-4 5-7 6-3
Tim Henman (GBR) d. Thomas Johansson (SWE,15) 7-6(8) 6-1
Rafael Nadal (ESP,2) d. Filippo Volandri (ITA) 6-1 6-2
Third round draw Rome:
Roger Federer (SUI,1) vs. Radek Stepanek (CZE,14)
Nicolas Almagro (ESP,Q) vs. Nikolay Davydenko (RUS,6)
David Nalbandian (ARG,4) vs. Alberto Martin (ESP)
Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo (ESP,Q) vs. Mario Ancic (CRO)
Andy Roddick (USA,5) vs. Greg Rusedski (GBR)
Gael Monfils (FRA) vs. Fabrice Santoro (FRA)
Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (CHI,10)
Tim Henman (GBR) vs. Rafael Nadal (ESP,2)