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10/12/11 8:07 PM | Ricky Dimon
Tomas Berdych will continue his quest for London on Thursday in Shanghai. Standing in his way of a quarterfinal place is unseeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.
Tomas Berdych and Feliciano Lopez will be meeting for the seventh time in their careers when they do battle in the third round of the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Thursday night.
The head-to-head series is tied up at three wins apiece, including 1-1 on hard courts. They most recently faced each other at last year's Monte-Carlo Masters, where Berdych dominated 6-3, 6-1. Lopez, though, took their last hard-court encounter 6-2, 7-5 en route to the 2008 Dubai final.
Berdych is a considerable favorite on paper this time around now that he is playing the best tennis of his career, to the extent that Lopez may not even recognize the improved version. The seventh-ranked Czech is 48-18 for the season and he is coming off a 500-point title last weekend in Beijing. Berdych maintained his momentum by trouncing countryman Radek Stepanek 6-4, 6-3 on Wednesday.
Lopez has not done much since a quarterfinal run at Wimbledon, but he remains in decent form. The 28th-ranked Spaniard owns a solid 32-23 record for his 2011 campaign, which includes a runner-up finish in Belgrade in addition to his performance at the All-England Club. Lopez already has two impressive victories in Shanghai, having ousted Janko Tipsarevic in two tiebreakers before defeating Alex Bogomolov in three sets.
In order to have any chance, Lopez will have to frustrate Berdych with his lefty serve. Lopez put in only 56 percent of his first deliveries against Bogomolov and double-faulted a ridiculous 14 times. The underdog could steal a set if he improves in those departments, but count on Berdych advancing to the quarterfinals.
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Yes Ricky, as I've mentioned, the top players all are feeling the strain of the long season. Berdych not playing too well today, certainly not as well as he played in Beijing. Also Berdych seems to have problems with S & V style players; he lost to Llodra at the first round of USO last year.
Well maybe this time of the year is the time for some lower ranked but still talented players to shine. I remember all too well how well Llodra played during the indoor season last year, Lopez's turn this year? And Murray always wakes up to play at this time of the year.
luckystar , 10/13/11 4:11 PM
and a break
RickyDimon , 10/13/11 4:18 PM
The S & V style can survive on the hard courts, as today's matches shown us. If Lopez wins this match, he'll face Mayer next, very interesting. Lopez is playing so well this tournament, especially in this match.
luckystar , 10/13/11 4:30 PM
And lovely Lopez does it! Playing better than I've seen him for ages. Superb s and v, lovely clean hitting and his dodgy backhand flying. Well done!
deuce , 10/13/11 4:43 PM
Yes congrats to Lopez for the win. Well done.
What's with all these top players, almost all gone! Rafa, Fish, Tsonga, Simon and now Berdych! Maybe they really need to shorten the season, so that at this time of the year, the lower ranked but still talented players, and also the up and comers can come out to play some good tennis while the top guys are away resting.
luckystar , 10/13/11 4:52 PM
Lopez Mayer will be.....interesting
contrast in styles, but also a battle of funky backhands
RickyDimon , 10/13/11 5:05 PM
I asked the same question on the other thread.
ed251137 , 10/13/11 6:33 PM
They should move Shanghai to Dec/Jan as a pre AO masters tournament. It needs one.
And it's better than looting or the hopman cup.
And for f!?k sake let the school kids come in for free or a much reduced price in the afternoons.
Think of the future Asia.
The Stadium is beautiful, but there's no atmosphere!
Sosueme , 10/13/11 7:43 PM
Er the Kooyong Classic not looting(?)
Spellcheckers being naughty!
Sosueme , 10/13/11 7:46 PM
This is one crazy tournament! So now Berdych is out, who never retired in the first place! I will have to watch the rerun of the matches on the tennis channel to check it all out. The time difference of these matches makes it hard to see them live.
Nativenewyorker , 10/13/11 8:25 PM
Sos taking my pigeons are you?
It will be a great ordeal to change the calender to fit a 1000 in jauari before AU Open. I reckon everything should be pushed a litle forward nip/tuc etc but that would be I wise decission. And with oit every master is a good prep for the slams except both biggest masters they are a price on their own.
Sienna , 10/13/11 10:47 PM
Feliciano Lopez
Tomas Berdych
Shanghai
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something in the water today in Shangy
set Lopez
RickyDimon , 10/13/11 3:57 PM