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  • TMS Monte Carlo: Robredo (12) vs Wawrinka

    4/22/08 8:02 AM | David Cox
    - This is a tricky opening test for Robredo, Wawrinka is a dangerous floater here having made the Doha final and the quarters of a masters series for the first time in Indian Wells this year

    The Swiss can definitely play on clay, he’s made the final of Stuttgart and Umag over the past 2 years but he’s not had the success on the dirt at this time of the year - tournaments like Rome, Hamburg and Roland Garros haven’t been happy hunting grounds for him. On his last appearance in Monte Carlo (2006) he lost 6-2, 6-4 to Alessio Di Mauro in round 1

    As for Robredo, his showing in Valencia last week proved that his form is returning, and just in time as he’s got a sackful to defend over the next month having made the last 8 in Rome and Roland Garros in 2007. He’ll be hoping to pick up points here having gone out in round 3 to Tomas Berdych last year but neither Robredo or Wawrinka are likely to get past that stage this time round - Nalbandian lurks in their section. Compared to other clay tournaments, Robredo has always struggled a bit on the slightly faster clay of Monte Carlo. While he’s won events like Barcelona and Hamburg in past years, he’s never been past the quarters in the Monaco capital

    Robredo leads Wawrinka 3-1 on the head-to-heads but none of those wins have been since 2006 (he beat him in Barcelona and at the US Open that year) and Wawrinka outplayed the Spaniard 6-3, 6-3 in New Haven last summer

    I predict Robredo to win but in 3 sets

    There’s another interesting match between Sebastien Grosjean and Ivo Karlovic today. Karlovic has been a surprise package on the clay over the past 2 years, he won the Houston title in 2007 ! However in front of home fans, Grosjean (who made the French Open semis back in 2001) will win in 2 today

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