Ferrer in photos.

The ONLY TWO factors that can allow Federer to win over Nadal on clay.

Aces? At Madrid Federer has 20 freaking aces to just 2 from Nadal after three matches. For rock people, almost every Nadal opponent improves on his career ace stat. If Nadal cannot engage Federer in rallies and he cannot fire aces on his own, Federer may have a wide enough opening to tear into.

First serve percentage? Duh!!! Even if Federer fails to score an ace, his regular serve is still difficult for Nadal to read allowing for shorter points. Federer is upto 67 percent here from barely hitting 50 few days ago.

Did Federer take the first baby step to recovery by beating Gulbis?

Even though it took ‘coming from behind’ but just beating someone who not only eliminated you at Rome in the opening freaking round but who further backed it up by going all the way to the semifinals AND taking a set off Nadal (his first of the clay season) before bowing out, has got to carry a strain of revenge and that flicker of hope that things may be starting to turn around. Maybe it was a sweet combination of Federer taking these clowns for granted AND Gulbis among others shifting to another gear. At this match Gulbis may have managed to maintain that form but he had already gotten the first bite at the apple. Federer wised up after the show of cards to turn the tables.

While it’s a step in the right direction just in time for the big stage, Nadal may have stolen some of the thunder and juice from this win by reverting to his old sick ways after two sub par performances. For rock people, Nadal destroyed Monfils to re-produce the scoreline of ’3′ and under missing at the previous two matches against some tomato can and Isner.

No matter what Federer says that has to evoke the ‘humiliation’ fear at his camp – fear far from devastating and scary than defeat. Ferrer may have exhausted some much-needed fuel (fighting Murray) he will need against Federer tomorrow but what Nadal did today may bring back the scales for him to where they are as even as they would have been without the fuel leak. Translation: Federer cannot help but scan vivid visions of what can happen in the finals against Nadal during his match against Ferrer. Ferrer may not be too far from it either but his stature is not as brittle as Federer’s for obvious and not so obvious reasons to allow absorbtion of ‘humiliation’ fear far more effectively and without crippling major stuff .

Today Nadal needs Federer more than Federer does Nadal. Nadal has a far deeper and stinging wound from last year to attend to which can soothe only with Federer’s sacrifice at the altar. Federer may hope for needing Nadal to clothe his H2H stat with some respectability but even he knows its wishful thinking both from within (his form) and outside (Nadal’s form), specially on clay. Whether that feeling has spilled over to other surfaces yet is still debatable but Nadal winning the next two events with authority won’t help.

Nevertheless, as a fan you cannot but yearn for as many FEDAL matches – at any stage – as possible in hopes of witnessing some great tennis moments. It seems one of them is about to happen on Sunday unless Ferrer can a reverse a pathetic pattern he has going against Federer. Federer not only leads H2H 9-0, Ferrer has won just two sets – one of them on clay @ Hamburg ’07. It seems Gulbis was the ONLY one to have any shot at upsetting Federer here. Having passed that test Federer may be able to summon his natural game to match the competition he will face tomorrow. Beyond that – not so much.

Madrid hot shot Friday.

Click here.

Almagro after beating Helzer Pelzer.

Click here.

Venus after beating Stosur.

Click here.

Federer after beating Gulbis.

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Nadal after Monfils.

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Photos.

Clijsters, Del Potro, Davydenko will miss French Open. From Dominic Anderson. Thanks.

DOMINIC ANDERSON

Clijsters, Del Potro, Davydenko will miss French Open
By Sports Network
The Sports Network
U.S. Open champions Kim Clijsters and Juan Martin del Potro and Russian star Nikolay Davydenko will miss the 2010 French Open because of injuries.

The former world No. 1 and currently 10th-ranked Clijsters is currently sidelined with a foot injury, while the men’s world No. 5 del Potro and sixth- ranked Davydenko are out with wrist problems. The Argentine del Potro underwent surgery on his wrist last week.

In addition to the Belgian Clijsters, del Potro and Davydenko, Americans James Blake and Tommy Haas and Russian Igor Andreev also pulled out of Roland Garros on the men’s side, as did Urszula Radwanska, Sania Mirza, Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Sabine Lisicki among the women.

The French Open will commence May 23 in Paris.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/14/1629329/clijsters-del-potro-davydenko.html#ixzz0nwKxqPi6

Photos from Serran @ Madrid. Thanks.

SERRAN

Pics from Nadal vs Monfills, live from the Caja Magica ^_^

http://yfrog.com/7hbpcbj

http://yfrog.com/2dvklj

http://yfrog.com/4o73271331j

More pics, Roger and Gulbis on Court Manolo Santana, me showing my colours, and a little bit of Tennis Planet ^_^

http://yfrog.com/5nyxawj

http://yfrog.com/ea52waqj

http://yfrog.com/10otdbj

Congratulations to Serran for becoming an engineer. Good job.

SERRAN

Hey guys!!

I’m sorry I haven’t been posting during the first few rounds, it’s been a hell of a week (I defended my Thesis on Wednesday and finally became an engineer, among other things)…

But as I told you, I will be going to the Magic Box today to see all the QF action. I’m thrilled because I will finally get to see Rafa on clay, as well as Roger. You can expect some comments during the day and I’ll try to post pictures if my phone allows it.

Have a great day guys!

Cheers!