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5/9/08 10:26 PM | Ricky Dimon
It might not generate the buzz of a Federer-Djokovic showdown, but the Masters Series Rome semifinal match between Radek Stepanek and Novak Djokovic will rekindle fond tennis memories. In a 2007 U.S. Open second-round instant classic that was hard-fought but also contested in great spirits, Djokovic outlasted Stepanek 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(2) in four hours and 41 minutes.
Overall Djokovic holds a 2-1 edge in the head-to-head series, but this is the first time they have ever met on clay.
Neither play is exactly a clay-court specialist, but both Stepanek and Djokovic are on fire so far in Rome. En route to the quarterfinals, Stepanek dispatched Jarkko Nieminen, upset No. 5 seed David Ferrer, and survived qualifier Luis Horna. All of those matches went to three sets. Then in the quarterfinals Stepanek faced Roger Federer and he came away with a stunning 7-6(4), 7-6(7) victory. Even before this clay season the Czech, ranked 27th in the world, had been enjoying a quietly strong year. A 29-year-old veteran, Stepanek reached the semifinals in Sydney, the final in San Jose, the semifinals in Memphis, and the fourth round of the Masters Series Miami.
Given Stepanek's 2008 form, it's obvious that Djokovic will have to be on top of his game in order to take care of business, and he has been just that through three matches in Rome. After getting a bye to the second round, Djokovic crushed Steve Darcis and followed up the win with a three-set victory over clay-court force Igor Andreev. A tough quarterfinal bout with Nicolas Almagro seemed to be on the menu, but the Spaniard retired with a wrist injury just one game into the second set. Djokovic was in the midst of a brilliant display and led 6-1, 1-0 when his opponent called it quits. Even though Djokovic doesn't exactly love the dirt, his success so far on the red stuff could only be expected after amazing results earlier this year (including titles at the Australian Open and in Indian Wells).
Does Stepanek have enough left in him to pull off a third big upset? Well, he has spent a ton of time on the Rome courts having played four extremely tough matches, three of which went to three sets and the other to two tiebreakers. Djokovic, on the other hand, has played just six sets (and one game) in three matches. Nonetheless, that did not seem to be a factor for Stepanek in his huge win over Federer on Friday. He played aggressive tennis and shortened points by getting to the net, and he will have to do the exact same thing against the No. 3 player in the world. If he can serve well and is able to mix things up with spins, slices, and net approaches, Stepanek can frustrate Djokovic. The Serb, however, looks rock solid at the moment and he should be able to prevail if he can keep his groundstrokes deep and force his unseeded foe behind the baseline. Djokovic in either two very close sets or three is the pick.
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someone stop this arrogant boy,please!! come on radek,you can do it!!! i was hoping almagro would beat novak but i was so disappointed!!1
ej, sister, u didn't sleep well? this guy is tennis genius.
i'm not talking about his tennis abilities (besides,roger is at least as talented as him but their statements are so different)!! i just don't love this guy,his arrogancy,his attitudes on-and off the court and his "i'm gonna be no.1" claims!! someone has to tell him that he's not a perfect player,no one is.
well, the arrogance is middle name for federer, but for novak its fairplay.
and for his age almost perfect player
he may be an almost perfect player but never ever a perfect champion like rafa and roger.
and what does fairplay have to do with novak?? he retired against roger when he understood that he would lose.but anyway,you're obviously a fan of him so,we're not getting an agreement about him.
retired? this is nonsense! why anyone should play when feels bad. stepanek retired, almagro, rodick... are thay bad boys? u obviously don't know what a u talking about. there are only a few tennis players in history who did as much as novak in his age.
djokovic hit a double whammy! A couple of good players retiring one after the other... it's an unbelievable LUCK for him. If he lose to Wawrinka, questions will hang over his head if he really deserve his place in tennis at the moment. His playing arrogant is just a mental strategy to discourage his rivals. He should take the chances offered to him right NOW, while Federer and Nadal is not at the peak of their games or injured. He might ran out of reasons for retiring while losing!
agf25agf, agf25agf, what a stupid comment. What if? he is in final, u morone. did u achieve anything important in your life. LUCK for him? u a so lame!
novak isn´t arrogant he just believes in his abilities! and how can you COMPARE novak to roger or rafa??? OF COURSE the three of them have different attitudes! roger and rafa are two "serious" players while novak likes to fool around and "make fun" of people.. he´s not being mean or something but just want to have fun and bring more fun in the tennis world and i love him being that way.. he´s a funny athlet -.- and you see it as arrogant, bad attitude and so on?! And agree with you marijanahood.. what a stupid comment! say novak being lucky because two players retiring? And what about the AO ´08 and Indian wells? is it luck as well? please think before you post a stupid comment!!!!!! Novak IS a talented player and i see him being the no.1 in a few years. I see him as the biggest danger for roger and rafa..
why don't you just try to listen to me?? no doubt that novak is talented and the biggest danger,i'm not denying that.i'm only talking about his character.
xsunhinex- you very clearly described novak.yes,he fools around and makes fun of people and that's exactly the way that i don't like.you like this way,i don't like that way,that's possible.
but it's also true that in rome,novak's been extremely lucky.if almagro didn't hurt,he would have beaten novak in straight sets on clay!!
sister, go back to the night. novak is such optimistic and good person, ask robert de niro, or maria sharapowa btw. :)) u simply don't know what a u talking about. don't know. No one in his position is not crazy to take a risk of serious injury or illness. it was close with roger federer, he almost lost 1st set. but u don't see the light, your nick speaks for you
ok it´s your choice to not like him but why do you wish novak to loose? just because he makes fun of people and fools around then you wish him not to win? if he´s a talented player then he deserves to win. and by the way.. you said that if almagro wasn´t hurt then he would win against novak.. why are you so sure about it? then why can´t i say that if novak didn´t feel dizzy when he played against roger then he would beat roger as well? He did it 2 times already why can´t he beat him for the third time? The IF thing doesn´t exist. we have to deal with the reality. Novak deserves where he is now. He is the world no. 3 and it has nothing to do with luck! And because of rom today i think from monday on he just needs 310 points to be the no. 2. But it´s hard because rafa is dominating at the moment and he could win the french open again.
no doubt that he deserves where he is right now,i appreciate that.i was just thinking that he is particularly lucky in rome,where possible tight matches he went on easily with retirement.
just like what people said about rafa in last year's wimbledon!! (he was "lucky" to be in the finals!)
dear sister, you obviously are a Nole hater. I would suggest to you that the most arrogant player is not Novak but Roger Federer. After failing to advance in the Austrailian open he was asked to comment on the potential winner. He flipantly said he probably would not even watch the final and couldn;t care less who won. Not a very sportsman like attitude. You say you do;t like Novaks attitude, however many sports insiders fell he is the nbest thing to happen to tennis,as much for his talent but also for the excitement he generates for the sport. Tennis had become so boring and Djokovic brings a youthful" piss and vinegar" to the game. He has consistently displayed good sportsmanship toward his opponents, ie; when he allowed an opponent to reserve due to noisy fans, aplauding a good ball return , and praising his opponents on thier play. Novak was asked to do his imitations after the Rome win by Gabriela Sabbatini and refused because he didn't want to offend anyone. I guess he realizes as he gets more mature that everyone does not share his sense of humour. The guy is 20 years old and often very candid. He doen't realize that to say he aspires to be number one ssems cocky to people like you. I would suggest that every elite athelete aspires to be the best ,that is why they pour thier lives into thier sport . Have you heard the saying " bring your best or go home"?
Radek Stepanek
Novak Djokovic
Internazionali BNL d Italia
Did you know that... Thomas Johansson did not have to face any of the top-10 players when he won the Australian Open in 2002.
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