HIGH BACKHANDS

Competitive tennis involves manoeuvring your opponent so that you can pit your strength against his weakness.

Nadal’s primary strategy is to hit forehands [that bounce very high with a lot of spin] against his opponent’s backhand. Actually, his opponent’s head-high backhand. We all know how difficult that shot is.

Cross-court slice is not a viable option. It cannot be hit with enough pace and will sit after the bounce on clay giving Nadal a chance to hit a winner.

Nadal is fast enough running backward that he can hit most shots with his forehand.

Clay court players are much more used to hitting this high bh since they’ve dealt with it all their playing lives. Their grips and 2-handed bh’s adapted to it. Their effective vertical strike zone is much higher than a player raised in hard court with a one handed bh.

NADAL TRIUMPHS

Rafa Nadal defeated Roger Federer in the finals of Monte Carlo 6-4, 6-4.The identical scores in both sets do not indicate how close the match was. The first set was very close – Roger had set points. The second, however , Roger was struggling to hang on.

ANALYSIS

Nadal pummels Federer’s backhand by hitting every shot with his forehand which spins the ball high [above his shoulders] to Fed’s backhand. Eventually, Nadal elicits an error or a short ball which he puts away.

Federer is trying to keep his backhand down-the-line to Nadal’s bh. If Federer hits his bh cross-court, then Nadal will punish him with another forehand cross-court to Fed’s bh.

If Federer gets a forehand, he’ll try to hit a forcing shot or a winner. This will lead to a higher than usual number of fh errors – like to-day.

Federer’s serve didn’t hold up to-day. By trying to force it [usually more severe angles],

He missed more than half his first serves. Not getting his first it meant Nadal would return aggressively and Federer was stuck hitting bh’s.

The solution, for me, hinges on his serve. Two thirds of his firsts must go in and he must go in, too, more often. Maybe not all serve-volley, but get to net on his forceful serve.

Monte Carlo is only a stop on the road to the City of Lights. Rome and Hamburg will be played by both before the French. He will improve every tournament.

But will he be ready for Paris?

FINAL ON TSN

12:30 Sunday night!!!!!!!!!!!!

or

The Star says 11 am Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!

or

It's listed at 8:30 am on channel 402 [Bell] Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DREAM FINAL------ NADAL AND FEDERER

Roger Federer overcame a slow start to beat Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-4 Saturday, setting up a second straight Monte Carlo Masters final against Rafael Nadal.

Wins By Court Surface
	Federer	Nadal
Clay	0	4*
Hard	2	2
Grass	1	0
* beat Federer in '06 Monte Carlo final

The top-ranked Swiss player saved two break points when trailing 3-1 in the first set, then won the next four games to take the set. Nadal advanced after beating 10th-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-0, 7-5.

"It's always fun to see the No. 1 and No. 2 playing against each other," said Federer, who is 3-6 against Nadal. "I hope we can live up to the expectations and play a good match."We had some great matches last year. Three phenomenal ones on clay, all of them finals."

Nadal beat Federer in finals at the Monte Carlo Masters, the Rome Masters and the French Open -- the only major the 10-time Grand Slam champion has not won.

Federer struggled early against Ferrero, the 2003 French Open champion, but one lucky point turned the first set in his favor.After saving one break point in the fifth game, Federer tried a drop shot on the second and the ball clipped the top of the net before rolling slowly onto Ferrero's side of the court.

"That ball was very important for me," Ferrero said. "It would have been 4-1 and a chance to serve. I think the story of the first set maybe turned a little bit."

Federer put up a hand to apologize, and went on to beat Ferrero for the seventh time in 10 meetings."Sometimes when you apply your high level he still wins," Ferrero said. "Maybe because he's the best."

Twice during the match the umpire had to appeal for quiet from the fans."It would be nice if they showed some more respect to the other fans that are watching the match and also the players," Federer said.

Ferrero said the noise didn't both him.

"I had enough to worry about with Federer," the former top-ranked player said.

Nadal, who lost his previous three matches to Berdych, conceded just seven points in the opening set.

Berdych rallied in the second set and pressured Nadal on his serve for three consecutive games, but the Czech player could not get the break he needed."I had one or two chances in the second set, but only small chances," Berdych said.

SATURDAY'S SEMIS

NADAL











VS







BERDYCH
















FEDERER





VS







FERRARO

THE ROAD TO PARIS

Roger's route has him taking the next 2 weeks off, then playing 2 consecutive tourneys, Rome and Hamburg, resting a week and then the French Open starting 28 May. ATP Masters Series Internazionali BNL d'Italia Rome, Italy May. 7 - 15

ATP Masters Series Hamburg Hamburg, Germany May. 14 - 21

French Open Roland Garros, Paris, France May. 28 - Jun. 11

NEW STANDARD AND NOT POOR'S 500

Roger Federer won his 500th career match Friday, beating David Ferrer 6-4, 6-0 in the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters.

"I am very happy to have done it here,'' said Federer, who reached the final in Monte Carlo last year. "That is a lot of games. I'm glad they are victories.''

The 10-time Grand Slam champion has never lost a set to Ferrer in six matches.

"I am a bit surprised, because he is a very good player,'' Federer said. ``To beat him 6-4, 6-0 is really phenomenal."

Federer's career earnings have also passed the $30 million mark. Even more impressive when you consider that his gross earnings are about 10 times as much.

The top-ranked Federer will play either 11th-seeded Richard Gasquet or two-time champion Juan Carlos Ferrero in Saturday's semifinals.

Also, Tomas Berdych won 12 straight games after trailing 3-0 in the second set to beat Robin Soderling of Sweden 5-7, 6-3, 6-0.

"The start wasn't so good today, but then things changed,'' Berdych said. "I'm really happy that I can sit here and try to prepare for tomorrow's semifinals.''

Berdych attacked Soderling's serve and outmaneuvered his taller opponent with accurate ground strokes to get a spot in the last four, where he will face either defending champion Rafael Nadal or qualifier Philipp Kohlschreiber.