Ferrero Takes the second set 7-5

Federer first set: 6-2

Ferrero second set: 7-5 (sloppy set by Roger, many errors)

Third set on the way!

GO ROGER!

Federer takes first set over Ferrero 6-2 @ Rome

Federer takes first set over Ferrero 6-2 @ Rome

in less than 30 minutes…beautiful tennis.

Tsonga Defeats Del Potro 6-4, 6-1 @ Rome

Tsonga Defeats Del Potro 6-4, 6-1 @ Madrid

Tsonga will meet Djokovic in the next round.

Federer Says He Doesn’t Count Ranking Points

 Federer Says He Doesn’t Count Ranking Points

Roger Federer can’t be worried about counting ranking points after overhauling Rafael Nadal for second on the ATP list and working to make a move on Novak Djokovic over a frantic few upcoming months in the game.

“I stopped counting points a long time ago. It just consumes more energy.”

Seppi defeats Wawrinka @ Rome

Seppi defeats Wawrinka @ Rome 6-7(1), 7-6(6),7-6(6) saving 6 match points along the way.  Home country favourite…crowd going wild. 

Advances to the next round.

Will meet the winner between Roger Federer and Ferrero.

Gasquet defeats Murray @ Rome and update

Gasquet comes from a set down to defeat Murray 6-7(1), 6-3,6-2 @ Rome.

Gasquet will face Ferrer (who defeated Simon earlier today) in the next round.

Both Djokovic and Berdych won their matches in Rome earlier today.

Nadal is moments away from defeating Granollers quickly and easily in 2 sets.

Stan Wawrinka is battling hard versus Seppi right now up a set and on serve/even in the 2nd set.

Federer coming up later vs. Ferrero!

Roger Federer vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero Tonight @ Rome

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Players/Head-To-Head.aspx?pId=F324&oId=F316

Federer holds a 9-3 career record over 32 year old Ferrero.  Last meeting was in 2007 on grass at Wimby - Federer won in 4 sets.

After 9PM local time ROME

Mid-Late afternoon North American time zones

THe winner will face either Seppi or Wawrinka (playing a match today) in the next round.

emanuelerosso:

Roger Federer as a religious experience

"A dream came true. I will never forget facing Roger in Rome. I felt really good and I enjoyed every point. Roger plays another sport."

Carlos Berlocq (via federerroger)

ROME: Wed Results and Thursday Schedule of Play

RESULTS - WEDNESDAY, 16 MAY, 2012

Singles - Second Round
[2] R Nadal (ESP) d F Mayer (GER) 61 75
[3] R Federer (SUI) d C Berlocq (ARG) 63 64***
[7] T Berdych (CZE) d L Kubot (POL) 64 61
S Wawrinka (SUI) d [8] J Tipsarevic (SRB) 63 61
A Seppi (ITA) d [9] J Isner (USA) 26 76(5) 75
[10] J Del Potro (ARG) d M Youzhny (RUS) 64 62
[11] G Simon (FRA) d [Q] G Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 64 26 64
[12] N Almagro (ESP) d [Q] S Querrey (USA) 75 62
[14] J Monaco (ARG) d R Stepanek (CZE) 64 62
[16] R Gasquet (FRA) d [WC] P Lorenzi (ITA) 63 62
M Granollers (ESP) d [WC] F Fognini (ITA) 63 64 
 

  Full coverage on ATPWorldTour.com

SCHEDULE - THURSDAY, 17 MAY, 2012

CENTRALE start 12:00 noon
[1] N Djokovic (SRB) vs [14] J Monaco (ARG) - ATP
[5] S Stosur (AUS) vs [WC] V Williams (USA) - WTA
M Granollers (ESP) vs [2] R Nadal (ESP) - ATP
Not Before 7:30 PM
[13] A Ivanovic (SRB) vs [2] M Sharapova (RUS) - WTA

Not Before 9:00 PM
[3] R Federer (SUI) vs J Ferrero (ESP) - ATP***

SUPERTENNIS ARENA start 11:00 am
S Cirstea (ROU) vs [4] P Kvitova (CZE) - WTA
[6] D Ferrer (ESP) vs [11] G Simon (FRA) - ATP
[16] R Gasquet (FRA) vs [4] A Murray (GBR) - ATP
C Scheepers (RSA) vs [8] N Li (CHN) - WTA - Possible Court Change
Not Before 7:00 PM
[10] J Del Potro (ARG) vs [5] J Tsonga (FRA) - ATP

PIETRANGELI start 11:00 am
[7] T Berdych (CZE) vs [12] N Almagro (ESP) - ATP
P Cetkovska (CZE) vs F Pennetta (ITA) - WTA
[9] S Williams (USA) vs A Medina Garrigues (ESP) - WTA
A Seppi (ITA) vs S Wawrinka (SUI) - ATP
Not Before 6:00 PM
D Bracciali (ITA) / A Seppi (ITA) vs [7] M Bhupathi (IND) / R Bopanna (IND) - ATP - After Suitable Rest

COURT 1 start 11:00 am
J Goerges (GER) vs [12] A Kerber (GER) - WTA
Not Before 12:30 PM
[1] M Mirnyi (BLR) / D Nestor (CAN) vs [WC] G Naso (ITA) / F Volandri (ITA) - ATP
Not Before 2:00 PM
[6] J Goerges (GER) / V King (USA) vs J Hampton (USA) / A Tatishvili (GEO) - WTA - After Suitable Rest
[5] L Paes (IND) / R Stepanek (CZE) vs L Kubot (POL) / J Tipsarevic (SRB) - ATP
Not Before 6:00 PM
M Granollers (ESP) / M Lopez (ESP) vs [8] A Peya (AUT) / A Qureshi (PAK) - ATP - After Suitable Rest

COURT 2 start 11:00 am
C Chuang (TPE) / V Dushevina (RUS) vs [WC] M Camerin (ITA) / K Knapp (ITA) - WTA
[3] S Errani (ITA) / R Vinci (ITA) vs G Dulko (ARG) / P Suarez (ARG) - WTA
Not Before 3:00 PM
[1] V Azarenka (BLR) or S Peer (ISR) vs [14] D Cibulkova (SVK) - WTA - Possible Court Change
Not Before 4:00 PM
F Pennetta (ITA) / F Schiavone (ITA) vs [2] K Peschke (CZE) / K Srebotnik (SLO) - WTA-TBA After Rest

COURT 4 start 12:30 pm
[6] M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) vs J Melzer (AUT) / P Petzschner (GER) - ATP
Not Before 2:00 PM
[3] M Llodra (FRA) / N Zimonjic (SRB) vs N Almagro (ESP) / P Andujar (ESP) - ATP - After Suitable Rest
Not Before 5:00 PM
D Cibulkova (SVK) / J Husarova (SVK) vs [7] N Grandin (RSA) / V Uhlirova (CZE) - WTA-TBA After Rest

COURT 6 start 1:00 pm
E Makarova (RUS) / E Vesnina (RUS) vs [Alt] J Craybas (USA) / S Stephens (USA) - WTA
Not Before 5:00 PM
I Benesova (CZE) / A Medina Garrigues (ESP) vs [5] M Kirilenko (RUS) / N Petrova (RUS) - WTA-TBA After Rest

Roger Federer vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero Thursday Night @ Rome

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Players/Head-To-Head.aspx?pId=F324&oId=F316

Federer holds a 9-3 career record over 32 year old Ferrero.  Last meeting was in 2007 on grass at Wimby - Federer won in 4 sets.

Wawrinka defeated Tipsarevic @ Rome 6-3, 6-1

Chasing 286: Can Federer get back to Number 1? (Brilliant and informative article) →

Therefore, in order for Roger Federer to regain the world number one ranking by the end of Wimbledon, following needs to happen:

• Make at least the semi-finals of Rome
• Make the semi-finals or better at Roland Garros
• Nadal wins the French Open (of Federer, of course)
• Federer wins Wimbledon
• Djokovic fails to make the final of Wimbledon

Doesn’t seem impossible does it? In fact, it seems very possible, and this is just what could happen in the next couple of months.

When you consider that Federer only claimed 270 of a possible 2,000 points in Canada and Cincinnati in the lead up to last year’s US Open, while Djokovic racked up 1,600, there’s infinite opportunity throughout the year to bridge that gap.

In fact, throughout the north American hard court season beginning after Wimbledon, Novak Djokovic will be defending 3,600 points, Nadal is defending 1,390 points, with Federer defending only 990.

And there’s also the Olympics, which will be held on the Wimbledon lawns in late July, where another 750 ranking points will be up for grabs.

baselboys:

Roger defeats Carlos Berloqc 6/3 6/4 in Rome Masters.

Fedal Rivalry: Has Federer Beaten Nadal in the Long Run? →

Interesting perspective and ‘Fedal’ analysis…

Federeristic says/thinks:  ”In fairness to Nadal, Federer and even Djokovic - the jury is out until they have each finished writing their respective legacies.  Too many questions and variables now - How long will Federer continue to play and how much more will he win?  Apply exactly the same questions to both Nadal and to Djokovic.  We may have a clear verdict in 5 or 6 years but not yet.  Going to be a delight to witness!

Think about it like this:  5 years = 20 slams up for grabs.