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  • Indian Wells day 3 - 3rd quarter preview

    3/15/08 12:01 PM | David Cox
    - The seeds join the action today and there’s some intriguing match-ups which could see a number of big names taking an early flight home unless their A game clicks into place

    Tomas Berdych (10) vs Stanisla Wawrinka

    Berdych leads 2-1 on the head-to-heads, winning both their matches last year 7-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the Davis Cup and 7-5, 6-4 in Basel. Both were indoors though, they’ve never played on outdoor hard. Berdych is the bigger server and the courts in Indian Wells are quite fast with the dry desert heat making the balls fly, this should give him an advantage.

    The Czech made the last 16 in Melbourne but otherwise his start to 2008 has been underwhelming, going out early in Rotterdam and then losing 6-2, 7-5 to Lopez at the second round stage in Dubai. Wawrinka made a great start to the year, a finalist in Doha but his form has petered out and he’s not won 2 consecutive matches since then, losing in the first round in Dubai and really struggling to get past wildcard Jesse Levine on Thursday

    Prediction: Berdych in 2


    David Ferrer (6) vs Olivier Rochus

    These two have a long past history, Ferrer leading 4-2 going back over 4 years. They had an epic struggle in Dubai just last week, Ferrer coming back from the brink to win 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 but Rochus really should have won having led by a set and a break. That was in round 2 and Ferrer was outplayed the next day, 6-3, 6-4 by Feliciano Lopez

    Ferrer hasn’t looked in great form since making the Aussie Open quarters and Rochus could trouble him again here. The Belgian outmanoeuvered Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-4 in the opening round and it’s going to be another long grind against Ferrer, both men loving the long, heavy topspin rallies. The last time they played on US hard Ferrer won 7-5 in the third back in Miami 2006. This one could be a similar story

    Prediction: Ferrer in 3


    Juan Monaco (21) vs Robin Haase

    After breaking through into the top 100 last season Haase is starting to show signs of the consistency he needs to make the higher echelons of the game, reaching quarters in Chennai, Rotterdam and Zagreb. He’s already had 3 tough matches here in California, winning 3 setters against Levy and Kevin Anderson in qualifying before recovering to beat Dusan Vemic 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in round 1. Haase has yet to find his best tennis this week but he’s been grinding out the results

    Monaco is in the form of his life, ranked 61 places higher at no 21 and he was as high as 14 earlier this year. He made the final of Vina Del Mar in January and picked up 3 clay titles last year but isn’t just your average one-dimensional dirtcourter having also made the Auckland semis and picked up some good indoor wins in the autumn.

    He played Haase in Miami last year, winning 6-4, 6-4 but both have improved immensely since then. Haase has that crunching serve-forehand combination but Monaco possesses a great double-handed backhand and could just wear the Dutchman down from the back.

    Prediction: Monaco in 3



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