[Big Al]

Draw Size: S-32 D-16 Surface: Indoor Hard Prize Money: € 1,150,000

Nikolay Davydenko returns to Rotterdam as one of the most in-form players on tour. The Russian has lost just one match this season, pushing Roger Federer to four sets at the Australian Open.
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic has improved by one round each year he has played in Rotterdam, reaching the semi-finals (l. to Youzhny) on his second and most recent appearance in 2007. The Serbian top seed, looking to claim his first title of the season, opens his campaign against Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky.
Roland Garros finalist Robin Soderling returns to Rotterdam two years after finishing runner-up to Michael Llodra. The Swedish third seed plays Florent Serra in the first round.
Russian Mikhail Youzhny captured the Rotterdam title in 2007 with victory over Ivan Ljubicic and returns for a sixth visit. The sixth seed faces a qualifier in the first round.

Official Site:
http://secure-us.imr...ndex.cfm?lang=1

Singles Draw and Results:
http://secure-us.imr...010/407/mds.pdf

Daily Order of Play:
http://secure-us.imr...2010/407/op.pdf

[Big Al]

Rotterdam Friday Preview
by ATP Staff
| 12.02.2010

No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic was granted a walkover into the semi-finals after his quarter-final opponent, Florian Mayer, had to withdraw from the tournament with a left leg injury. But the other three quarter-finals - which feature the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 seeds - will all take the court on Day 5 of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament.

Nikolay Davydenko has now reached the quarter-finals or better at all three events he has played this year - he is a heavy favorite to go even further here as the No. 2 seed, as he takes a 5-1 head-to-head lead into his match today against Jurgen Melzer.

No. 3 seed Robin Soderling also has a head-to-head lead against his opponent today, Julien Benneteau, although not nearly as commanding (3-2).

On the contrary, No. 4 seed Gael Monfils is 0-2 lifetime against his quarter-final opponent, No. 6 seed Mikhail Youzhny - the Russian also the only man in the quarter-finals to have won the title at this tournament before (achieving the feat in 2007).

The winner of Monfils-Youzhny will play Djokovic in the semi-finals on the top half of the draw; the bottom half of the draw could see a Davydenko-Soderling semi-final, unless Melzer or Benneteau come through with an upset.

[Big Al]

Soderling ran away with the first set- Benneteau only scored about 5 points .
A lot closer in the second , 1-1 -Benneteau threatening a break but Sod holds on.
Cant really see Benneteau winning though he has beaten some good players this week.

And just a few minutes later its 6-0 6-1 to the Swede .Assuming Davydenko beats Melzer should be a cracking semi.

This post has been edited by Big Al: 12 February 2010 - 02:08 PM

[Tenez]

I watched a bot of the SOd/Ben match and now Davydenko v Melzer. What strikes me is how clumpsy players look on this fast surface. They are rushed and make many more "UEs". One good strike from Sod and it's point guaranteed. Davydenko might struggle tomorrow.

[tlimvvo2max]

Watching Youzhny-Monfils right now - something of a turnaround in progress. MY won the first three games and was looking good for winning the next nine too, then I had to get the children to bed - just come back to see Monfils taking the first set 7-5 and looking altogether happier with life. I can see how he annoys some people, but I think he's great fun to watch when he's on a roll.

[Tenez]

I am not a big fan of Monfils game I must say. It just pains me to watch him run all over the court like a headless chicken. Just the fact he copied his serve on Roddick annoys me. I would of course like him to do well. The potential is there but the lack of focus is depressing.

[Big Al]

tlimvvo2max, on 12 February 2010 - 07:56 PM, said:

Watching Youzhny-Monfils right now - something of a turnaround in progress. MY won the first three games and was looking good for winning the next nine too, then I had to get the children to bed - just come back to see Monfils taking the first set 7-5 and looking altogether happier with life. I can see how he annoys some people, but I think he's great fun to watch when he's on a roll.

Yeah entertaining but so unpredictable. Hard to pick a winner of this match right now as he hands a break to Youzhny .

This post has been edited by Big Al: 12 February 2010 - 08:13 PM

[NorthernLight]

Monfils is a bit of a loose cannon, but he certainly adds a lot to the tour in terms of being such a character.

He also has a lot of natural talent, which makes him just great to watch when his game is 'on'.

He is however like many of the more flamboyant players in terms of also being capable of having absolute shockers of matches. Seems also to get embroiled in epic struggles in slams.

i like him - just have to take his flakiness as part of the whole package, as is so often the case with player of his ilk. There are so very few players who can be both gifted/ creative and resilient/ consistent - with one obvious example of this..

[Big Al]

Double break now... not sure its much of an excuse but GM does have a cold apparently.

[Big Al]

Gael.

Friday, 12 February

Singles - Quarter-finals
[1] N Djokovic (SRB) d F Mayer (GER) w/o (left leg)
[2] N Davydenko (RUS) d J Melzer (AUT) 63 62
[3] [WC] R Soderling (SWE) d J Benneteau (FRA) 60 61
[6] M Youzhny (RUS) d [4] G Monfils (FRA) 57 62 63

Doubles - Quarter-finals
[2] F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) d M Llodra (FRA) / A Ram (ISR) 64 76(6)

This post has been edited by Big Al: 13 February 2010 - 11:47 AM