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  • TMS Cincinatti: Fernando Verdasco vs Nicholas Lapentti

    7/31/08 1:36 PM | David Cox
    - It's Spanish flair against South American persistence for a place in the last 8. Verdasco has discovered some consistency and nous to go with the brawn this season and its taken him to new heights. Can he translate that clay and grass form to the cement this summer ?

    2008 has been a big breakthrough year for Verdasco. The hugely talented left-hander has been a top 30 regular for the past couple of seasons. Having added greater reliability match-in, match-out to back up that already formidable forehand he burst into life in the clay season reaching the last 8 in Hamburg. Solid performances in Paris and at Wimbledon (he made the last 16 in both events beating Berdych and Youzhny) plus a final in Nottingham saw him into the top 20. A title in Umag just two weeks ago has left him knocking on the door of the top 10 at world no 12

    Verdasco slipped up early in Montreal last week, losing 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 to Soderling but he came through a tricky 2nd round with Chris Guccione 7-6, 7-6 this time round

    Lapentti's 2nd round win over Ferrer came out of the blue especially as the 5th seed is having an even better season so far than in 2007. It was Lapentti's first win over a top 10 player since he beat Jiri Novak back in 2003. His ability to change the pace and touch on the dropshot caused Ferrer numerous problems and its that variety which is the way to unsettle Verdasco

    Verdasco has dominated in previous encounters and leads 4 wins to 1. Neither player should need too much tactical preparation, this being their 4th meeting so far in 2008 (!) though the first on hard courts. Verdasco won 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in Valencia before Lapentti gained revenge 6-3, 6-4 in Barcelona and then the Spaniard overcome a 2nd set meltdown to win 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 in Rome

    Prediction: Verdasco in 3

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