Monte Carlo Final - Wawrinka v. Federer

[Front242]

He still has a good few years left to win a masters though. 29 is relatively young in tennis these days. Seeing as the Paris masters has been such an unpredictable tournament with surprise winners I can see him possibly winning that anyway.

 

[Moxie]

Back on topic, I gave this one a bit of thought. Pressure will be more on Stan, and Federer will channel his old self to reassert the pecking order.

Wodger in two tight sets...

Yeah, Roger is in Stan's head. And then there's Roger's game, which causes Stan all kinds of nightmares. Between the two, plus Roger's added motivation finally to win MC, they will make him unstoppable.

Pretty much the only way I see Fed losing this is if he has a huge mental lapse, and succumbs to the pressure.

I agree that Roger is still in Stan's head. In the fifth rubber of the recent DC, which Stan had to win to keep Swiss hopes alive, after doing nothing to help the team prior, Federer didn't sit with the team and everyone, including commentators felt that was so he wouldn't pressure Stan. So how is Stan going to feel with him across the net?

Maybe I'm getting soft in Roger's old age, but I'll be pulling for him to finally get MC, after having been in 3 finals. I'll say Roger in 2. He looked very solid today, irrespective of Novak's injury. Stan looked really motivated, too, but Federer will get him.

 

[I.Haychew]

I'll go with Phederer in three. But, iph Wawrinka wins...LOOK OUT!!!

On a completely unrelated note...I'm lovin' Phed's new racquets! The phlat black look is cool. He should top it oph with black grips, though.

 

[Front242]

^ That would be phat, man. Ophicially oph da phreakin' chain!

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Incidentally the one time Stan beat Roger at this very tournament in 2009, Roger won Roland Garros. So I doubt he's too gutted about that one loss.

Unfortunately as a fan, a big ol' asterisk has to be placed by his name at the FO since Soderling took out Nadal before the final! It's getting uglier and uglier as time goes on with someone we think of as the GOAT with a rival that owned him; esp. on clay! Laver had his Hoad and Sampras a couple players like Krajicek that have hurt him at important events!

No, there's no asterisk next to this win. Roger has no control over who he plays. He can, and did, only play those in front of him, and he won RG. End of story.

I agree, if we go by that theory, Stan's win early this year gets an asterisk and so on...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Contrary to what many people think, I expect this to be a hard fought match.
I expect this to go to distance. In particular, it will surely be a full three set
match. In the end, the Maestero will win it. I also expect an element of choking
in this match by Stan.

 

[Moxie]

^ That's why I went for Roger in 3.

 

[TsarMatt]

I really would like to see Wawrinka win this, if only to clinch his first Masters 1000 title. I reckon he'll snatch the first set but Federer will ultimately win it.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Stan in 3 sets.

 

[masterclass]

This should be a pleasant final.

Roger and Stan met for dinner together last night and have pre-match practice together scheduled today.

They know that the winner of this match is the likely #2 seed until Novak returns.

I'd like to see Stan win for a change, but I think it will be Roger.

I'm guessing that this will probably be much like an exhibition match and crowd pleasing.
They'll each take a relaxed set, and then get serious in the decider.

Neither one wants to extend the other so hard and long as to cause injury and jeopardize their excellent Davis Cup chances this year.

Game time weather is scheduled to be mostly cloudy, cool, 14-15 C./58-59 F. and very little wind.
So it should be slow, lower bouncing conditions on the red dirt of Monte Carlo.

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[Kieran]

Ah no brother, there won't be any exo styled relaxing going on. This one will get serious. Stan needs an MS title to ruberstamp his claims to be a top player, and Roger will be desperate to get this.

I expect the niceties will have been observed over dinner, and ignored during play...

 

[Moxie]

^ I just heard them say that Stan and Roger warmed up together this morning. That's pretty cute, and super-old school, but makes me smile. Still, as you say, Kieran, they'll have left the geniality on the practice court.

 

[Front242]

Only a cool 13C (55F) out there. It's warmer here!

 

[TsarMatt]

Tight start for Stan.

 

[Front242]

Roger's actually not THAT much older than Stan. Just about 3.5 years but look at the difference in matches won: 951 for Roger v 314 for Stan.

 

[TsarMatt]

Only a cool 13C (55F) out there. It's warmer here!

Let's hope the rain stays away. I'd hate for this to be riddled with delays.

 

[Front242]

Great S&V by Fed.

 

[TsarMatt]

I wonder whose box the gentlemen on the far right would be in today?

 

[Front242]

Great play by Stan at the net there.

 

[TsarMatt]

Stan is hitting the ball extra hard today.

BP chance now...