ATP Wimbledon – Men’s Monday Preview

Bernard Tomic vs. Xavier Malisse

The forecast shows sun and good temperatures for tennis with few clouds. Bernard Tomic is the first 18-year old in 21 years that reaches this stage at Wimbledon.

The match agaisnt Hewitt must let more affects then were seen as the Swede was off against Tomic but credits to the Aussie who made a solid match, brilliantly play, played quick giving no pace the the Swede, got all the answers on court. But when Soderling’s serve doesn’t enter is a lot easy job for his oppponents.

Malisse advanced after he easily beat Melzer, for two sets the match was contested but the Dutchman was cooler in key moments while in third set Melzer simply lost his confidence in his game. H2h is 1-0 for Malisse with a win on grass last year at Queens. Was a three sets win but back then the Aussie had a shoulder injury and called for trainer, he suffered in serve motion and movement on court.

Tricky match as both have a similar game for grass, both have tricky game and can make astonishing points but also poor errors, solid serve and can play quick giving on pace.

Playing at this stage will be an unknown terrain for Tomic and the pressure will be on his side while Malisse is close of his best performance in a Grand Slam and one of his last opportunities. Over the years Malisse lost on grass to tough baseliner who have a solid defense as Murray, Querrey, Schuettler, Tursunov, Hewitt, Ferrero just to name a few while against players who plays open and doesn’t require to hit through their defense being up of skills had the upper hand wining against Reister, Ram, Brands, Dancevic, Haas or Nalbandian.

Tough match, Tomic needs to serve strong to have the upper hand on cheap points while Malisse has the experience on his side and in a tough match we count on consistency.

Andy Murray vs. Richard Gasquet

Britain's last man standing at Wimbledon has twice come back from two sets down to beat Gasquet in Grand Slams, including an epic 2008 clash at SW19 while the most recent one is last year at RG but the Frenchman barely moved as he was tired after a busy schedule. Still, it might prove a decisive psychological key in this match. Gasquet is yet to lose a set here wining in straight sets to Giraldo, Kunitsyn and Bolelli, his serve worked well, he maneuvered his opponent well on court, he didn’t have his usual laps during the matches, and he defended well. Murray hand over already two sets, surprising one to Gimeno-Traver and one against Ljubicic. He has one of the best defensive but his serve still not click and he had a lot of problems against Croat’s backhand which is also one handed and creates good angles, both are good returners and both came up with astonishing shots as both are shot makers.

It will be an entertaining match, we see a close affair and even that the Frenchman lost to Murray he made a solid match and the difference was made by a point here and there, due to the crowd who will cheer up hugely for their last man at Wimbledon we see Murray favorite.          

Lukasz Kubot vs. Feliciano Lopez

Lopez served spectacularly well, hitting 28 aces, and finally got the better of the American Andy Roddick after losing all seven previous matches they played. It was a match counted on serve and the Spaniard had the upper hand in tie-breaks as he let Roddick with few chances after that. He will meet for a place in quarter-finals the Polish Lukasz Kubot who is for the second time as far in a Grand Slam after he beat Monfils.

He won in 2 days and if the match was played in one day then might Monfils had the upper hand as after the match started the Frenchman was distracted while Kubot found quickly his game but still the Polish made his best match so far in his career and even that Monfils attacked at the net he had the perfect answer.

Kubot has six matches here, being a qualifier and also played in doubles and how well will be recovering it will be the key of the match as he isn’t without chances here as the match looks tighter then odds indicate. Kubot found some rhythm here and if he will play aggressive and will advance at the net he will have the upper hand as from the back of the court the Polish looks stronger these days beating Clement and Monfils, it will be another match dictate by serve and who will serve consistently during the match will take this one, Kubot is playing his best tennis in his career and has nothing to lose.

Michael Llodra vs. Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic regained his composure to book a place in the fourth round of Wimbledon after a titanic early tussle, the Serbian star finally broke the stubborn resistance of Marcos Baghdatis.

The Cypriot pushed the Serb all his way giving no cheap points and stretching him well behind, he moved consistently creating good angles and keeping the Serb under consistent pressure.

Djokovic was nervous as his game didn’t enter but he was saved by serve and the win will give him confidence. Lllodra had a kind draw with Ward, Mello and Lu losing only one set in three matches. His serve is the main asset, he fired 52 aces in three matches with only 8 double faults wining 83% points on first serve in each match. H2h is 2-1 for Djokovic with the Frenchman wining on fast ground in Paris indoors last year but the Serb was after a busy schedule and London was close.

We see no surprise here, Llodra with his powerful serve might force a tie-break but with the Serb having his powerful and deep ground strokes will keep him more on the baseline, Djokovic has good retrieving skills and if the serve will not enter his game will fell apart, the Frenchman might win a set but look for the Serb to advance.    

Mardy Fish vs. Tomas Berdych

After beating Volandri, Benneteau and Bogomolov easily in three sets, the Czech will have the first test at 2011 Wimbledon. He is like a silent assassin, he moves forward easily and little observed that but is a good thing for the Czech as he doesn’t feel pressure.

Mardy Fish was contesting the fourth set of his third-round match against Robin Haase when the Dutch player was forced to retire with pain in his left knee: "The reason I gave up now was everything else was hurting me: my legs, back, the other knee ... I stopped because in my head I was scared to injure something else", said Haase.

The American made a good match overall returning well and playing deep advancing to the net when he saw opportunities but he needs to be more aggressive as Berdych is a force from the back of the court and hits flat, balls stay low and is hard to play offensive in his game. The American is for the first time in fourth round at Wimbledon and will count on serve while Berdych is superior from the back of the court and has wins on grass over other net rushers like Brands, Llodra, Youzhny, Haas, Keifer.  

David Ferrer vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

David Ferrer has qualified for the fourth round of Wimbledon for the third time in his career after the win in three sets to Karol Beck. Wasn’t an easy match, Beck started with a break and after a medical time-out played even strongly but Ferrer waited patiently and even that he didn’t impress on serve was the better player on the ground.

He will meet Tsonga who advanced after an easy match against Gonzalez who made a lot of errors on court and didn’t count too much on court.

The Spaniard is at an unknown terrain, never past this stage losing to Soderling and Hewitt while the Frenchman advanced only once. Ferrer made a solid match against Soderling last year playing 5 sets and in a five set match he will have the upper hand even on grass, Tsonga will need to serve big and finish the points quickly and not stay too much in long rallies but if the point will last longer then Ferrer will have the upper hand, good passing shots and better hitter from movement.

Rafael Nadal vs. Juan Martin Del Potro        

Rafael Nadal managed to win against Muller in two days, but he looked better in the second day then in first one as Muller had 2 set points in first set while after the match was interrupt by rain the Spaniard controlled the match. But he failed to impress on retrieve and he will meet another big serving who despite that he isn’t on his best surface he always gave a solid run to Nadal.

The Argentine showed a great form at this year Wimbledon with his serve working almost perfectly, he fired 56 aces with only 4 double faults, he made 58 unforced errors but produced a staggering sum of 151 winners and won more an average percentage of 86% points behind first serve. He compensate his movement through serve and when he sees an opportunity he unleashed his powerful forehand.

The Argentine isn’t without chances here, he will force tie-breaks where because of his powerful serve and ground strokes has the upper hand and we will go for a harder match for the Spaniard.   

Mikhail Youzhny vs. Roger Federer

Six-time champion Roger Federer was broken for the first time in this year's tournament but that was a minor blip as he crushed Nalbandian in three sets to advance to the fourth round.

The Swiss controlled the match, he had some tough moments but he didn’t looked in danger to lose the match or to be pushed way too much. He will meet now Russian Youzhny who after a difficult start in first round he beat two tough opponents in Devvarman and Almagro.

It will be the first meeting since 2007 between them and if Federer showed solid tennis in his last two matches then still the Russian struggles on court but he has the game to be competitive as his game suits well to grass and the handicap on Youzhny looks a little bit higher.