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  • Rome quarter-final preview: James Blake vs. Stanislas Wawrinka

    5/9/08 5:35 AM | Cheryl Murray
    - James Blake makes a surprise appearance in the quarter-finals, where he will battle Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka for a spot in the semi-finals.

    American James Blake has certainly exceeded expectations by making the quarter-finals of a clay tournament. Americans have traditionally been weak on the dirt, however this week, both James Blake and Andy Roddick are making an appearance in the quarters.

    Blake has already dispatched of some accomplished clay courters, taking out Andreas Seppi in the second round and Fernando Verdasco in the third, but neither of them played with the kind of form that Stanislas Wawrinka is enjoying at the moment.

    Wawrinka, the number two player from Switzerland, reached the semi-final in Barcelona last week and is playing superb tennis so far in Rome. He defeated Marat Safin, Andy Murray and Juan Carlos Ferrero on his way to the quarters. His excellent one-handed backhand has been particularly effective on the quick clay in Rome.

    Though Blake has been playing quite well considering his usual form on clay, Wawrinka is the better player on dirt and his form has been more impressive going into the quarter-finals. Wawrinka in two.

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