Paris Bercy, ATP 1000

[Moxie]

The draw is out.  It seems fairly evenly distributed.  The quarter-anchors are:

Djokovic/Berdych

Wawrinka/Nadal

Ferrer/Federer

Nishikori/Murray

Djokovic will likely see Kohlscreiber is first match, which isn't easy.  Karlovic, Tsonga and Paire also lurk around in that quarter.

Stan gets the winner of Tomic/Fognini his first match, with Sock in his 8th, as well.  Rafa doesn't have it too bad before the QF, maybe GGL and Anderson.

Ferrer has Dimitrov and Cilic in his way, and his elbow is a question mark.  I'm not sure he makes it out of his 8th.  Federer has Cuevas and Isner in there.

Nishikori has a full compliment of Frenchmen - Pouille or Chardy, and Gasquet is in there.  Murray will open with the winner of Verdasco/Coric, and Goffin lurks.

 

[Denis]

Djokovic is so dominant at the moment, they could put federer, Nadal and Murray as opponents in the first three rounds and I still wouldn't care.

 

[Moxie]

Djokovic is so dominant at the moment, they could put federer, Nadal and Murray as opponents in the first three rounds and I still wouldn’t care.

You're very possibly right.  However, all the best players get a bit jaded at the last MS, traditionally, and the other players who are having a bit of a late season surge become dangerous.  Paris/Bercy is the least predictable of the MS, based on results.  I'll hope for a few surprises.

 

[Billie]

Nole won this the last two years, he will have to lose here sometime.  Hopefully not this year.  His draw is a bit tricky so he will have to be sharp from the start.  I have to look at the rest of the draw as I didn't have time to do it yet.

 

[Moxie]

Nole won this the last two years, he will have to lose here sometime. Hopefully not this year. His draw is a bit tricky so he will have to be sharp from the start. I have to look at the rest of the draw as I didn’t have time to do it yet.

You are in the happy position of not really having to look at the draw, Billie.  As Denis has said, rightly, there really isn't anyone to challenge Novak.  Either he's fit and focused and wins it, or he somehow loses his focus/is tired, and doesn't.  For all of my gaming of the draw, everyone else is elbowing for 2nd-4th place.

 

[Mastoor]

Paris - Djoko Time - I am so excited.

I've just read No1e's post uso record since 2012 is 66-2. Those two loses were to Querry in his first match in Paris in 2012 and last year to Federer i Shanghai.  Definitely his time of the year.

 

 

 

[isabelle]

Nole won this the last two years, he will have to lose here sometime. Hopefully not this year. His draw is a bit tricky so he will have to be sharp from the start. I have to look at the rest of the draw as I didn’t have time to do it yet.

Don't worry for Nole, he'll win that !!

 

[Mastoor]

Kohlschreiber had to withdraw and was replaced by lucky loser Gabashvili who will play Bellucci to decide which one will play No1e in round 2.

 

 

 

[Moxie]

Kohlschreiber had to withdraw and was replaced by lucky loser Gabashvili who will play Bellucci to decide which one will play No1e in round 2.

As if he needed the help.  I hope Kohly is OK.

 

[isabelle]

The Fog lost

 

[Billie]

But Tomic has played some good tennis lately so that was not a surprise that F3 lost to him.  Other winners today:  Bedene, Bellucci, Dimitrov, Dolgopolov, Lajovic (yay Dutzee), Mayer, Seppi, Thiem, and Paire who took out Monfils in 3 sets, and it was probably a very entertaining affair.

 

Matches tomorrow:

Court Central starts at 11:00am

Ferrer vs Dolgopolov

Pouille vs Chardy (round 1)

Wawrinka vs Tomic (could be entertaining)

Nadal & Paes vs Inglot & Lindstedt  (it's a surprise to see Rafa play doubles after last week's schedule)

Nole vs Bellucci

Paire vs Simon

 

Court 1 starts at 11:00am, 1st rounds

Roger-Vasselin vs Karlovic

Sock vs Troicki

Herbert vs Bautista-Agut

Verdasco vs Coric

Rosol vs Garcia-Lopez

 

[mrzz]

Bellucci ready for the mega-upset.

 

[isabelle]

Ferrer won easily,  RV beat Karlo

 

[Mastoor]

Bellucci ready for the mega-upset.

LOL No1e demolished him while barely shifting to his second gear towards the ends of each set.

 

 

 

[Moxie]

mrzz wrote:
Bellucci ready for the mega-upset.

LOL No1e demolished him while barely shifting to his second gear towards the ends of each set.

That's not the way it looked watching it.  Novak had some serving issues, and Bellucci held him close, especially in the 1st.  But I'm sure he'll shake of the rust.  In any case, a creditable showing by the Brazilian.

 

[Moxie]

Today's results:

Djokovic d. Bellucci (but not without effort)

Wawrinka d. Tomic

Ferrer d. Dog (2-2)

Simon d. Paire in 3

Chardy d. Pouille

Roger-Vassellin d. Karlovic in 3 (break in the 1st)

RBA d. Hubert in 3 (good push from the young Frenchman)

Coric d. Verdasco in straights (make of that what you will)

In doubles, Nadal/Paes lost (which I'm not sad about,) and the classic team Berdych/Stepanek won over a French pair.

 

 

[Moxie]

Tomorrow's schedule:

Court Central (10:30am start):

Nishikori v. Chardy

L. Mayer v. Gasquet

Coric v. Murray

Rosol v. Nadal

Seppi v. Federer

Tsonga v. Bautista Agut

Court 1:

Goffin v. Lajovic

Dimitrov v. Cilic

Isner v. Bedene

Roger-Vassellin v. Berdych

Anderson v. Thiem

Lots of interesting matches tomorrow, as would be usual for a 1000, and of a Wednesday.  It's hard not to say that they're all kind of compelling.  Nadal v. Rosol repeat grudge-match, obviously.   I'm going to be looking to see how the youngsters Thiem and Coric play Anderson and Murray, respectively.  And I won't be surprised if Chardy plays Nishikori to a tough one.

 

[Mastoor]

Mastoor wrote:
<blockquote>
mrzz wrote:
Bellucci ready for the mega-upset.

LOL No1e demolished him while barely shifting to his second gear towards the ends of each set.</blockquote>
That’s not the way it looked watching it. Novak had some serving issues, and Bellucci held him close, especially in the 1st. But I’m sure he’ll shake of the rust. In any case, a creditable showing by the Brazilian.

While No1e's serve was far from his best, I wouldn't call it "having some serving issues" because his serve was broken only once and he broke back immediately and while serving slow and with no variety for the duration of the match, No1e beat Bellucci comfortably in 1.5 hours and without giving him any chances in either set.

 

 

 

[isabelle]

Gofin ans Kei won

 

[Moxie]

What a difference a week makes.  Nadal looks much sharper and more confident, and takes out Rosol 6-2, 6-2.