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  • Hamburg Quarterfinal: Albert Montanes vs. Novak Djokovic

    5/15/08 10:33 PM | Ricky Dimon
    - On paper it looks like a lopsided contest, but don't pencil in Novak Djokovic to the Hamburg quarterfinals just yet. Albert Montanes is a clay-court specialist and he has been on fire so far this week.

    It will be the first-ever head-to-head meeting between Novak Djokovic and Albert Montanes when the two quarterfinalists square off at the Masters Series Hamburg on Thursday.

    Montanes appears to be running into Djokovic at just the wrong time, although it's looking more and more like there is never a good time to play the No. 3 player in the world. Djokovic has been on fire this season he is currently in the midst of a seven-match winning streak on clay. So far in 2008 the Serb has won titles at the Australian Open, at the Masters Series Indiana Wells, and last week at the Masters Series Rome. He also reached the semifinals in Dubai and the semis in Monte-Carlo. He isn't missing a beat in Hamburg, crushing Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3, 6-1 in round one before getting past big-serving Ivo Karlovic 7-6(3), 6-3.

    Djokovic faces a much different, more obscure opponent in Montanes. The 5'9'' Spaniard is the essence of a clay-court specialist and once again he is emerging from hard-court doldrums as the tennis season turns to the red stuff. Montanes, ranked 78th in the world, won a Challenger event in Italy last month two weeks ago he reached the quarterfinals in Barcelona, where he fell to Stanislas Wawrinka in a tough three-setter. So far in Hamburg he has destroyed Mardy Fish 6-1, 6-3, eased past Jose Acasuso 7-6(3), 6-3, and obliterated Janko Tipsarevic 6-1, 6-2.

    Montanes is going up against a much different beast, however, in Djokovic. First and foremost he has to hope for an off-day from Djokovic, and even then he will still have to do a great job of mixing up his game in effort to frustrate his opponent. Don't count on that happening. Djokovic will be able to dictate play from the baseline while running Montanes all over the court. Take Djokovic in straight sets in this contest and take it with confidence.

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