i dunno about valencia...murray could have his work cut out with tsonga, verdasco and davy all fighting over points to qualify for london.

my predictions have all been so wrong....totally insecure. 'ptsd' prediction trauma stressed disorder post asian swing.

go federer!

"The select few who are not fans of Roger Federer will likely be crying foul--again--over world no.1's draw." RickyDimon

hey, where are "the select few"? lol...eerily silent are the majority on TT.

i don't count out horacio zeballos....ever again! RF could trip up underestimating Z-ball...or gonzo (he's in the hunt for London qualifying), PK can be tricky, or Isner? RF wears the target on his back.

i doubt anyone in the bottom half will give nole too much trouble....cilic could if they meet but... that was a less than impressive final for marin in vienna. ljubi is old and it'd be surprising if he's not tired....great effort and win for him in lyon.

*********
valencia- i wanna pick murray but....verdasco....er....davy...tsonga...can't pick one.

there is no "select few" here at TennisTalk. Everyone here worships Federer.

There are a "select few" elsewhere, however.

ouch!!

well, i disagree about the posters. more rafans on TT than fed worshippers. and a handful of nole fans here plus the anti-fed rafans who would "cry foul" and
"conspiracy" about the draw.

what i was wondering are where are the nole fans like stu, posmatrac ... and the fans who generally post a prediction? i am too chicken this time to pick.

i know where the TT rafans are: mostly all over the agassi story or waiting until paris.

great tennis in both tourney's this week!

Murray's got in easy IMO, he can beat them all.
I personally cant wait to see a Fed-Nole final! gonna be gooood =]

I'm here, zoey, and I can't remember the last time Nole was a "Momentum Builder" in Ricky's Approach Shots!

here, watching from the distance :). fed had a clean first match so hoping nole will follow.

okay...this is more like it! calling all nole fans...game on! well, that is, if i could pick.

yeah stu, look at that. must be somebody's fave. but he picks federer. makes sense: on federer's home court, having won the past three years...we'll see.

i'm with mriiidula. would love a Fed-Nole final, if they both make it that far. ???

Its been a long time coming but....come on Andy!

For Basel, I honestly will be surprised if it isn't a Fed vs Nole final, unless Cilic pulls off an upset and it will be Fed v Cilic. My money's on Roger to take the title in his beloved home tournament, but Nole/Cilic will give him a serious run for it.

My prediction for Basel:
Semis: Fed over Gonzalez or Chiudinelli, Nole v Cilic 70-30
Final: Fed over Nole/Cilic

Sorry, can't pick a straight one!

For Valencia, somehow seeing a Spaniard in the final! Koyla's on a roll, so definitely betting on him for the finals. Murray should get to semis but am not so sure he will get into the final...hmm. Hard picking for Valencia, some good and solid players.

My prediction for Valencia:
Semis: Verdasco over Murray, Davy over Tsonga
Final: Davy over Tsonga; Davy's gunning for London!

Should add that I am never good at predictions...my only recent correct prediction was that Fed will lose USO cos 6-in-a-row is completely freakin' jinxed. Or the whole consecutive record breaking thing in general anyway.

Only Nole can be any threat to a Fed title in Basel I suppose, and probably not even Nole. This is a very fast indoor hard in Fed's home town and Fed is coming rested for this event.

Federer over Gonzalez - Djokovic over Cilic - Federer over Djokovic.

Valencia is much more open but my personal favourite for the title has to be Davydenko. He's got all the motivation and his form since summer has been stellar. If Murray's wrist is ok he should be a finalist, but we can't know that or his motivation to have a long week with M1000 and London around the corner. Probably Verdasco as a finalist from the top half.

Verdasco over Murray - Davydenko over Tsonga - Davydenko over Verdasco

Ohh I like this. ExFed over Nole...every1 so shure....
Why do you think Nole did come to Basel after all...
He has bloodrage...he has come for head hunt. So I wont be so confident about ExFed over Nole final...

I don't even care how far Nole makes it in this tournament, my sights are on Paris. I fear an early burn out there if he does well here...

hey zo....am glad that federer is playing again.....the great man should reach the final....well rested...feeling relaxed and fly....will be a dream to see between fed and djoko...a repeat of semi final of USO (sort of)...and would be wonderful to see the 'shot of the year' in that match....though been watching cilic a lot more recently, in his final particularly against Melzer...cilic was looking good....very strong.....excellent serve...shoud fed and cilic meet....fed's serve going to have be 'game on!'....

zoey.....i think it was....on another thread asking for fed's schedule 2010...i did post it here....for some reason....looks as if been deleted/dropped into cyber space?....will post again....may be this time it will stick?.....take it easy zoey....

stu....djoko been playing well.....do you not think the match practice will do him good?....in readiness..for paris?

hey malt. hope you are well and yeah, very glad federer is playing again. never saw your post. that's strange. i did read fed's schedule on gototennis tho.

i'll keep an eye out for you but gonna take a break from tt. not enough fed fans here and it's not as much fun and you are sleeping when i am awake and vice versa. take care.

hey zoey....deliberately got up v-e-r-y early this morning to see if i could catch you....you may still be up...send me your email...please....fed go...go...go!!!!!....again, tried to get livestreaming for basel....need a call to the satellite people later! a friend suggested ESPN360....am going to try that later today.....

always great to see you zoey...i think sky has the right idea in taking a break from TT...and be back on for the slams!!!...havent seen torr, or fedex for what seems like ages....!!!!

mwah!!!

hey malt and zoey....and all federites ..
been watching the results of the FedExpress . He has been mighty impressive on serve . I still see a bit of the holiday rust but I reckon he will be firing on all cylinders come paris. its nice to see his movement on court again ...just so smooth ...thats has been missing in tennis for the past 6 weeks .
Basel does not seem to be very straight forward ...i think the semi's and final is going to be tough ...but i hope he pulls through. no more pressure guys ....just playing for fun :)

Malt , The FexEpress train will be overflowing with Federites come paris and london .
I think we need to give the maestro a break :) ....let him play this one with no expectation or pressure from us ..:)

C'MON !!

Malty! Zoey! Fedexfan! So great to see you Federites hanging around! Just peeking to see the FexExpress is still ALIVE and well... :) the Fed will take on the World of tennis... AGAIN! :) LOL Feels good to see you guys/girls out there! Cheers.

Woo hoo, I actually got my Fed v Chiudinelli prediction right!! Of course, that's the only correct prediction I have so far, muhaha. Totally off track for Valencia; but hoping for Younzhy to take it over Andy M...and I'm kinda impartial for Fed v Nole. Am more excited at the prospect of the match up rather than the outcome. :D

2008 Valencia was played on clay in the spring and yes Ferrer was defending champion but ob clay. And when he's on he's very good on HC, too. He won titles in Tokyo and Aukland he was Dubai and TMC finalist so hardly Oscar Hernandez....