I'm optimistic that we will get to see a Fed-Rafa final here. I wouldn't count on Fed not reaching the final. A great player like Federer can get tired of loosing too, and I'm sure he's wary of surrendering any psychological edge to Davydenko. I would say he'll crush the Russian in straight sets as a quid pro quo for WTF.

I also see Rafa in the doubles, which surprises me. I thought we were talking about someone who wanted to take care of his knees so as to peak in the slams. Last thing Rafa needs is to play everything, go deep into hardcourt tournaments and get injured during the clay season.

Oh! And where are my manners. Thanks for the preview and breaking down the draw for us, Cheryl!

rafa aint losing to kolya again..........RAFA ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!!!

vamos!!!!!!!!

imjimmy..........rafael and his frnd marc lopez are the defending champions at doha....u shouldnt really worry for him because doubles is not that gruelling.....it may help him know the courts better and practice his serve,volley.....rafa wont be making the same mistake again......he wont risk himself unneccesarily....

Federer and Nadal on course for early showdown

DOHA: Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal will face the same question next week when the Qatar Open begins the 2010 ATP Tour - can they possibly be what

Day in Pics: January 1
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they were?

Tennis' two greatest heroes will be wanting to answer that for different reasons - Federer, because of his apparent state of emotional bliss, and Nadal because of his increasingly frequent physical problems.

Federer has the difficult task of finding new motivation now that he has achieved every tennis goal of which he can ever have dreamed, and gained a new focus in life with five-month old twin daughters.

Nadal needs to end a worrying eight months without a tour title and to prove that he can still challenge for Grand Slam trophies after what seems to have become semi-permanent knee problems.

Each player has been making optimistic noises, as they must.

Federer cites two new inspirations with which to sustain his very high standards, whilst Nadal sees his immediate difficulties as stemming from other than a chronic injury.

Federer's scenario is the most innovative.

"I want the achievement of competing against three generations of players," he said, referring to his having started during the Sampras-Agassi era, continuing in "the Nadal era", and hoping to compete against the next wave of leading players.

"And I want to stay around long enough for my children to see me playing," Federer said, a remark suggesting the 28-year-old may try to remain at or near the top until he is 35. That is a tough ask.

But Nadal's scenario admits more difficulties.

He may have under-trained, he volunteers, and for the first time agrees that to succeed in future he may have to modify his schedule.

Because he helped Spain to victory in the Davis Cup final only four weeks ago, Nadal has had less than a month of close-season training and will, he believes, start 2010 in worse shape than last year.

"I believe that this year I'll arrive a little bit less prepared than for the start of last season," he said. "My preparation has been short but good."

"He added: "I did get the chance to be with friends for a couple of days and I've spent some time with my family, so I'm really looking forward to the beginning of the season where I hope to regain my level of competition bit by bit."

Those last three words seem significant.

They suggest Nadal may not find it easy to start this year well, either in Doha or during the defence of his Australian Open title in Melbourne in little more than a fortnight's time.

Even more notable, he admits his arthritic knees may require him do what well-wishers have been advocating for a long time - reduce his clay court schedule.

"I don't want to make the mistakes of the past season," Nadal said just after Christmas. "I had knee problems but decided to play anyway."

Nadal lost here last year in the quarter-finals to Gael Monfils, the explosively fast Frenchman; Federer was beaten in the semi-finals by Andy Murray, who however won't be defending the title.

The Scot has preferred to go straight to Australia, in the hope that lengthier acclimatisation will provide a better chance of improving his modest early season record and perhaps of winning his first Grand Slam title.

Murray will be playing in the Hopman Cup mixed doubles exhibition event with teen hope Laura Robson.

Another leading Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, has withdrawn from the Qatar Open with an injured wrist, so if anyone is to prevent a Federer-Nadal final it is most likely to be Nikolay Davydenko.

The Russian caused a big surprise by winning the year-end ATP World Tour championships in London five weeks ago, overcoming Federer for the first time in 13 attempts in the semi-finals.

However he says he has been on anti-biotics during the past few days, apparently for bronchitis, and was beaten in three sets by Spain's David Ferrer in the Abu Dhabi exhibition event.

Both Federer and Nadal have also been limbering up in the nearby Gulf state. However the two great rivals' first fully competitive meeting of 2010 should happen in Doha next Saturday.

If it does, it would be their 21st encounter - Nadal has won 13 times and Federer seven - and it may provide us with clues about what the future holds for two legends.

Looking at how Rafa played during the exhibition, I don't think he will lose to Davydenko if they meet at the Doha final. Even though he was beaten by Davy at the WTF and Shanghai, both times there was a tie-break set. The match at Shanghai in particular, was winnable had Rafa be more aggressive at the start of the second set. I think Rafa knows what to do the next time he faces Davy.

My hope for Rafa is for him to regain his confidence, improve on his game, esp the hard court game, beat all those that have beaten him during his most vulnerable moments and on top of all these, to win tournaments, esp the slams. Vamos Rafa!

Roger is inspirded by his 5 month old daughters......ALLEZ ROGER FEDERER!!!!!

"another loss to Nikolay Davydenko would not be a huge surprise"
seriously dude
now losses to Davydenko are not "surprising",excuze me isnt he the guy whome Federer bet 12 times on a row and the last match ended in three sets,the only "surprising" thing is you to say so!
have a little respect

another thing to ask about:
where is Djokovic?why he is not participating it is not like him to do so?he is always somewhere playing some torny?

nikolay davydenko is on anti biotics.....for BRONCHITIS.........dont expect the russian to be at his best at doha.......

ricky, waiting for your draw analysis.....looks a bit better for rafa....federer is in the tougher half.......who are you picking for the win?

rafa's place in the finals is ALMOST booked...roger vs davy is very tough to decide bt i will pick roger..rafa vs roger on a court similar to the one used at melbourne in terms of speed...i think a rejuvinated rafa mite edge roger out in 3 enthralling sets! nt sure tho :D i pick rafa..either over davy or over roger

nice to hear it from Rafa's fans this is a cup cake drwa looks like small tournyment loves him you can say the same about last Shanghai and beijing he was pretty lucky in both looks like it is getting better for him already

I still stand by what I said. If Davydenko is healthy and he gives Federer a run for it, I wouldn't expect Fed to expend a load of energy prior to a slam. not at a 250 tournament.

Tennislover, Djokovic is playing in Kooyong, (maybe Federer too), week after next.

Let's hope Rafa gets a cupcake draw at the AO where it really matters.

Why hope for an easy draw to win a tournament? That just sounds cowardly. Be the best by beating the best. Plus, I don't think it's possible to get a cupcake draw at the AO since there are too many good players in the top 20 now.

vrael, will post my blog later today:

but to get my picks in now

Chennai: Soderling over Wawa, Cilic over Devvarman, Cilic over Soderling

Doha: Federer over Davy, Nadal over Rochus, Fed over Nadal

Brisbane: Roddick over Baghdatis, Monfils over Steps, Monfils over Roddick

I would say Cilic over Soderling; Nadal over Davy; and Roddick over Monfils.

There will be no easy draw at the AO, as all the top 16 guys are very good players. I expect tough and exciting matches from 4th round onwards in each quarter. Rafa at his best can beat any player, hot streak player(s) included. I look forward to Rafa regaining his good form and game and be at his best at the AO. When he is at his best whatever draw wouldn't bother him. All the best to you Rafa.

chr18, some people have done very well from cupcake draws in the past, let's face it.

I disagree carrie. I think Nadal would still have won those six GS titles regardless of his draw.

I LIKE your picks Ricky!!!!:))

chr18, ha ha ha, how about cupcake draws leading to 15 GS titles???????

That's rich carrie. Seriously, that sounds like bitter jealousy. Nobody in their right mind would come up with the 15 GS cupcake draw theory. How disrespectful to the greatest of all time and the players be beat in all those GS tournaments. Fed has beaten the best over and over for seven years in a row. Nobody compares to him yet. Sampras is the closest in GS wins. Start talking about your boy when he hits double digits then we can have a discussion.

Week 1 previews and picks:

http://www.tennistalk.com/en/blog/Ricky_Dimon/20100104/Appro ach_Shots:_Federer,_Nadal_kick_off_2010_ATP_Tour_season

that is the old Carrie we all know, the one that makes fun of great achievements and records of life, challenging statistical valid facts over number of years in fact while she/he is doing that she/he doesn?t realize that she/he is making fun of his/her guy as I am sure she is aware he was pretty much breathing in the last 5 years while the mighty Federer was doing his thing.
Somewhere here I was pretty impressed by the nice words he/she said about Federer the response came as "new carrie" I think the new year's resolution didn?t last for long. i read here that you wished an easy draw in AO, personally I don?t think he needs an easy draw in his on day he can be very good against anybody!
You know carrie just try to embrace the reality Gods are the only ones who makes luck that lasts for 7 years I don?t think that Federer is "God"
But again
if you do believe he is a "God" then well?????. YOU ARE HIS BIGGEST FAN!

carrie is a 'she' by the way.

that doesnt much of what i said.................am afraid

that doesnt change much of what i said

I simply wanted to clarify the he/she situation. I hear what you say, but it was chr18 who had a go at Rafa first, but I suppose that's OK in your eyes.

5 out of the 6 grandslams that rafael has won......have been by beating roger federer(in the finals of course).....and the remaining one was also achieved with a roger federer defeat at 05 roland garros(in the semis)...a man beats the best in history(till now) for all his grandslam titles and he still is doubted.....i feel like shouting:

YOU CANT BE SERIOUS!!!!!!!......;)

with DP may be ranked4th in up coming AO and Murray ranked 5th then maybe one of them (Federer or Nadal) might have to face both before the final so think about Nadal odds against DP on hard courts and thier recent meetings and Murray-Federer odds as well (though thier recent meeting had the win of Federer)the worest for Nadal to meet the lethal combination which is Djokovic- DP what are the odds to survive both with his recent results with them!
so:i guess everybody needs good draw every now and then so start crossing your fingers !

you hit the nail on its head....well said tennislover

Well Fed may have to meet Murray followed by Delpo or Murray followed by Nole, and both Delpo and Nole have beaten Fed recently. So it's not only Rafa but also Fed that may have to face two of the three young guns. I must say if Rafa and Fed are at their best, they can beat anyone, so good or bad draw, it won't bother them when they are at their best.

here is a great link of both champions at doha, smiling,having a giggle,enjoying each other's company on the boat, why do people argue so much here?

Roger and rafa are never going to know us personally, ever. It spoils everything when people argue and the tournament hasnt even started. Even some of the threads which have been written, (by Johan) are misleading. Words have been missed out, and it gives a different slant on what both roger and rafa actually said - it's pointless.

there are two videolinks

http://www/gototennisblog-com/2010/01/04/video-roger-federer-and-r afael-nadal-play-in-doha/

for all tennis fans.