Gerry Weber Open Halle

[herios]

Here is the draw:

http://www.gerryweber-open.de/gwo_en/Scores/Singles-Draw

Nadal pulled out.

 

[Srini]

Looks like Rafa pulled out of Halle. Gasquet is listed as second seed in the draw, after Roger.

 

[El Dude]

What a strange tournament. On one hand it looks like Roger Federer is looking for an easy title (it has been since Cincinnati?). On the other the draw is top heavy and he has a tough road, possibly having to face Jerzy Janowicz and then one of Monfils, Gulbis, Haas or Raonic. The lower half seems a lot weaker. But frankly I'm surprised to see Roger in an ATP 250.

 

[Front242]

Have a good feeling Tommy Haas will defend his title here. And I hope he does to help his ranking.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

Have a good feeling Tommy Haas will defend his title here. And I hope he does to help his ranking.

love your optimism on this one, but i don't see it happening. he played a lot of tennis, and grass, in best of three, is such a volatile surface on top of that. anything can happen, Haas can defend, but i wouldn't bet anything. plus, his quarter is loaded - Gulbis, and Raonic or Monfils - and even Brands can be an obstacle on grass with that serve.

imo, it's wide open. for Fed, it could go either way. JJ could be very dangerous - that serve, the drop shot, made for the surface, really; but we haven't seen him play quality opponents on grass yet. movement will be interesting to see.

Gasquet's quarter is his to take, no idea who the qualifiers are, but Melzer won't even make it to meet Richie. so Gasquet v Nishikori could be entertaining.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

What a strange tournament. On one hand it looks like Roger Federer is looking for an easy title (it has been since Cincinnati?). On the other the draw is top heavy and he has a tough road, possibly having to face Jerzy Janowicz and then one of Monfils, Gulbis, Haas or Raonic. The lower half seems a lot weaker. But frankly I'm surprised to see Roger in an ATP 250.

Roger has been entering this event pretty much since 2003. This has traditionally been his prep for Wimbledon for a decade.

 

[tented]

What a strange tournament. On one hand it looks like Roger Federer is looking for an easy title (it has been since Cincinnati?). On the other the draw is top heavy and he has a tough road, possibly having to face Jerzy Janowicz and then one of Monfils, Gulbis, Haas or Raonic. The lower half seems a lot weaker. But frankly I'm surprised to see Roger in an ATP 250.

Roger has been entering this event pretty much since 2003. This has traditionally been his prep for Wimbledon for a decade.

Longer than that: since 2000

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Top-Players/Roger-Federer.aspx?t=pa&y=0&m=s&e=500#

But skipping every other year since 2006, except this year.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

What a strange tournament. On one hand it looks like Roger Federer is looking for an easy title (it has been since Cincinnati?). On the other the draw is top heavy and he has a tough road, possibly having to face Jerzy Janowicz and then one of Monfils, Gulbis, Haas or Raonic. The lower half seems a lot weaker. But frankly I'm surprised to see Roger in an ATP 250.

Roger has been entering this event pretty much since 2003. This has traditionally been his prep for Wimbledon for a decade.

Longer than that: since 2000

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Top-Players/Roger-Federer.aspx?t=pa&y=0&m=s&e=500#

But skipping every other year since 2006, except this year.

You are correct sir...When you look at his history there and you see that he played against guys like Chang and Rafter and Magnus Larson, that brings a little perspective as to how long this guy has been around and is still a top 5 player. That just blows my mind.

 

[herios]

What a strange tournament. On one hand it looks like Roger Federer is looking for an easy title (it has been since Cincinnati?). On the other the draw is top heavy and he has a tough road, possibly having to face Jerzy Janowicz and then one of Monfils, Gulbis, Haas or Raonic. The lower half seems a lot weaker. But frankly I'm surprised to see Roger in an ATP 250.

Roger has been entering this event pretty much since 2003. This has traditionally been his prep for Wimbledon for a decade.

Nothing new seeing Roger entering a 250 event, as you mentioned, he susually enters here and also until this year in Doha, both arm up events for him for Wimby and AO respectively.

---

What a strange tournament. On one hand it looks like Roger Federer is looking for an easy title (it has been since Cincinnati?). On the other the draw is top heavy and he has a tough road, possibly having to face Jerzy Janowicz and then one of Monfils, Gulbis, Haas or Raonic. The lower half seems a lot weaker. But frankly I'm surprised to see Roger in an ATP 250.

Roger has been entering this event pretty much since 2003. This has traditionally been his prep for Wimbledon for a decade.

Nothing new seeing Roger entering a 250 event, as you mentioned, he susually enters here and also until this year in Doha, both warm up events for him for Wimby and AO respectively.

---

Have a good feeling Tommy Haas will defend his title here. And I hope he does to help his ranking.

Haas has to be considered one of the favorites, surely, he has won this event twice, both ime upsetting the top guys, Djokovic and Fererer, respectively.
I am interested to see mainly how JJ will do, IMO grass will be his best surface, mainly because of his style, big serve followed by a move forward to the net, albeit not yet pure S/V, but almost and because this is where I sptotted him last year, making rthe 3R at Wimbledon, out of qialifications.

 

[Srini]

What a strange tournament. On one hand it looks like Roger Federer is looking for an easy title (it has been since Cincinnati?). On the other the draw is top heavy and he has a tough road, possibly having to face Jerzy Janowicz and then one of Monfils, Gulbis, Haas or Raonic. The lower half seems a lot weaker. But frankly I'm surprised to see Roger in an ATP 250.

Exactly, strange draw. I guess thats what we get when the draws are not rigged

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Haas-Federer playing doubles. I would watch that.

 

[tented]

Roger has been entering this event pretty much since 2003. This has traditionally been his prep for Wimbledon for a decade.

Longer than that: since 2000

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Top-Players/Roger-Federer.aspx?t=pa&y=0&m=s&e=500#

But skipping every other year since 2006, except this year.

You are correct sir...When you look at his history there and you see that he played against guys like Chang and Rafter and Magnus Larson, that brings a little perspective as to how long this guy has been around and is still a top 5 player. That just blows my mind.

It is amazing, isn't it? If you watch video of him from back then, it's like watching a different player, too. And I don't just mean the ponytail.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

wow. Haas and Federer are competing in the doubles. what a team. oh, and they just so happened to draw Wimbledon (and USO) champions Melzer/Petzschner in the first round. even with Melzer struggling mightily this year, this is quite a matchup, as M/P should be sufficiently motivated (and well accustomed to one another, unlike their opponents).

great for Halle. i think they could really benefit from Haas' resurgence, which basically started here a year ago (although he did great in Paris as well, considering he had to qualify). they were a bit unlucky with the draw, though, not just on the doubles side (guaranteed to lose at least one wimbledon champ in the first round); as has been said, the singles draw is quite uneven as well and could give us some of the best matchups well before the weekend.

 

[herios]

Update on Milos, who plays here, Ivan Ljubicic is now his coach:

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/tennis/story/2013/06/07/sp-tennis-atp-milos-raonic-coach-ivan-ljubicic.html

 

[Front242]

Haas and Fed in doubles should be great to watch alright and a nice tune up for their net skills prior to Wimbledon. Great move actually.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

^ well, the dream team's run is already over, in straights. didn't get to watch anything, unfortunately.

 

[herios]

^ well, the dream team's run is already over, in straights. didn't get to watch anything, unfortunately.

They bite the dust, mainly due to their opponents, Melzer - Petzschner are Wimbledon champions in doubles.
But, the first seed Qureshi - Rojer go down to the Nishikori - Raonic team, who are the leaders of the new generation in singles. Encouraging to see them playing doubles, to improve their net skills.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

Kei plays with Milos? that is Awesome. i'd LOVE to see them in action

 

[crystalfire]

wouldnt be surprised if haas won. hes been playing well recently. as for fed i dont know what to say. he should be able to win and this is grass but hes not been playing great tennis this year.

 

[Front242]

^ well, the dream team's run is already over, in straights. didn't get to watch anything, unfortunately.

They bite the dust, mainly due to their opponents, Melzer - Petzschner are Wimbledon champions in doubles.
But, the first seed Qureshi - Rojer go down to the Nishikori - Raonic team, who are the leaders of the new generation in singles. Encouraging to see them playing doubles, to improve their net skills.

Doh. Didn't see it either. I've always liked Petzschner's game on grass and surprised he hasn't done better there. Mind you if it wasn't for some dirty MTOs in 2010 he most likely would.