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.

CLAY N' GRASS

Federer on playing Nadal in an exhibition featuring a half-clay, half-grass court: "It might seem crazy, especially at this time of the season but we also enjoy playing tennis for fun. It does not always have to be serious."

THE GATHERING STORM ----- FEDERER-NADAL

ATP World No. 1 Roger Federer swept into the ATP Masters Series Monte-Carlo quarterfinals on Thursday, following a 6-4, 6-3 win over Korean Hyung-Taik Lee in 65 minutes. Federer, who was beaten in last year’s final by Rafael Nadal, stands one victory away from reaching 500 career wins. The Swiss will next meet David Ferrer of Spain, who knocked out sixth-seeded Serbian Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-4.

It will be Federer's first ATP Masters Series quarterfinal appearance of the year following his shock early-round losses to Guillermo Canas at Indian Wells and Miami. The Swiss is attempting to win a seventh different ATP Masters Series title - a feat achieved only by Andre Agassi.

Federer went down an early break at 1-2 in the first set against Lee after missing all five first serves in his second service game. He then steadied, saving five of six break points during the match. Federer attacked the second serve of Lee, who won just three second serve points in the match.


Two-time defending champion Rafael Nadal has dropped just six games in his first two matches. The Spaniard, currently No. 2 in the ATP Rankings, extended his Open Era record-winning streak on clay to 64 matches with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Kristof Vliegen of Belgium on Thursday.

After dropping serve in the first game of the second set Nadal won 21 consecutive points and 24 of the last 26 points of the match to record a devastating victory. The last player to win three consecutive Monte-Carlo titles was Ilie Nastatse in 1971-73.

GET A GRIP ------ FOR CLAY COURT

Robredo, Gaudio, Clement

WAZUP N' HOOZIN

PLAYERS IN MONTE CARLO

Federer, Nadal, Davydenko, Gonzalez, Robredo, Ljubicic, Haas, Nalbandian, Berdych, Djokovic, Murray (and pretty much everyone else in the Top-56 except Canas, Blake, and Roddick)

ROGER STRUGGLES

Roger Federer, the 10-time Grand Slam champion, had trouble with his backhand, but was given the victory on his third match point when Seppi netted a forehand.

"It was tough. Conditions were quick. A lot of bad bounces," Federer said. "He already had three matches in his legs and it was my first. I'm happy to have come through."

Federer looked shaky in spells, and in the 10th game of the first set hit five unforced errors off his backhand.

"It happens, and I have to put it down [as] my first match on clay in 10 months," the top-ranked Swiss star said.

The top-ranked Swiss will next play Lee Hyung-taik of South Korea, who upset 13th-seeded Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-4, 6-3.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Marat Safin wasted four match points before losing to Kristof Vliegen 0-6, 7-6 (8), 6-4 in the second.

ANDRE HAS STEFFI IN STITCHES

Steffi Graf required three stitches Sunday after husband Andre Agassi inadvertently hit her in the face with his racket during a fundraiser that followed the final of the U.S. Clay Court Championships.

Graf and Agassi were holding hands - her left to his right - while rallying with a couple of youngsters when Agassi's follow-through struck his wife in the face.

Agassi held his racket in his left hand.

After she was hit, Graf lifted her left hand to her mouth and walked off to the side of the court with Agassi following closely behind her to check on her well-being.

She wiped her mouth with a towel before leaving the stadium for an on-site doctor to administer three stitches to her lip, officials said. It was not clear whether the cut was to the inside or outside of her mouth area.

She suffered no damage to her teeth, officials said.

"She's OK,'' Agassi said. ``It was an unfortunate accident.''

Agassi and Graf were in Houston for an auction benefiting an elementary school. The show raised at least $225,000 Sunday.

The doctor who paid $70,000 for a trip to play tennis with the couple stitched up the multiple Grand Slam winner.

WE ARE BUT CLAY

Guillermo Canas of Argentina has pulled out of Monte Carlo.

Canas, who beat world No. 1 Roger Federer at the Indian Wells and Miami Masters Series, is suffering from leg pains.

Americans James Blake and Andy Roddick have also withdrawn from the clay-court tournament, which starts on Sunday.

SAFIN -NADAL CLASH LOOMS

Marat Safin moved closer to a potential third-round showdown with two-time defending champion Rafael Nadal with a come-from-behind victory over Finland's Jarkko Nieminen on Day 1 of Masters Series Monte-Carlo Sunday.

Safin rallied from a set down to oust the 15th seed 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, saving seven of 10 break points he faced in the match. The Russian next plays the winner of Kristof Vliegen and Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Earlier, Frenchman Julien Benneteau also needed three sets to defeat Monaco's Benjamin Balleret 7-5, 5-7, 6-2. Next up, Arnaud Clement meets Florent Serra in an all-French clash.

TSN TV SCHEDULE

Apr 16th 2:30 PM

Apr 17^th 3:00 PM

Apr 18^th 2:30 PM

Apr 19th 3:00 PM

Apr 20^th 2:30 PM

Apr 21st 12:30 AM

Apr 21st 7:30 AM

Apr 23rd 12:30 AM

QUICK DRAW

Two-time defending champion Rafael Nadal was shown no favor at Saturday’s main draw ceremony. The World No. 2 Spaniard could play his first match against in-form Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela [who is off to a flying 20-6 start on the year].

Beyond that, in the third round Nadal could face one of a quartet of threats – former World No. 1 Marat Safin, No. 16 seed Jarkko Nieminen, French wild card Paul-Henri Mathieu and Belgian Kristof Vliegen.

Nadal begins his quest for a third consecutive Monte-Carlo title riding a 62-match win streak on clay. This is his first clay-court event of the year. So far in 2007 he has played exclusively on hard court, building a solid 17-5 record, which includes his seventh ATP Masters Series title at the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells.

Top seed Roger Federer, who lost to Nadal in four sets in last year’s final, will play his first match against a qualifier. He would expect to face either former Roland Garros champion Carlos Moya or 13th seed Mikhail Youzhny in the third round, with a possible fourth-round showdown with newly-crowned Sony Ericsson Open champion Novak Djokovic.

No. 3 Nikolay Davydenko is seeded to meet No. 14 Marcos Baghdatis in the third round. No. 4 and Australian Open finalist Fernando Gonzalez is seeded to play former Roland Garros champion and two-time Monte-Carlo champion Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Seventh seed and Monte Carlo resident Ivan Ljubicic faces a challenging opening match against the winner of Gael Monfils and Radek Stepanek, and could meet 11th seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the third round.

ALL DIRT ROADS LEAD TO PARIS

The men's tennis tour moves to clay next week, and for Roger Federer, the surface looks more treacherous than ever. Playing on dirt is all about grinding and grunting and groundstrokes -- the sort of challenge that suits someone like, say, Guillermo ''Willy'' Canas.

If Federer can't beat Canas on a hardcourt, how will he beat him on clay?

Canas ended Federer's 41-match winning streak in the second round at Indian Wells on March 11, then won again on concrete last week when they met in the fourth round of the Miami.

The next time Federer faces his new nemesis will likely be on clay -- his worst surface, and Canas' best. Perhaps their rematch will come at the French Open, where Federer seeks to complete a career Grand Slam.

Canas, a two-time quarterfinalist at Roland Garros, is only one of many potential spoilers. Most prominent is Rafael Nadal, who is 6-3 against Federer and won when they met in the French Open final last year.

Federer begins his 166th consecutive week at No. 1, a record, and leads by such a wide margin he's almost certain to remain on top through Wimbledon. He has won the past three major events and needs four more Grand Slam titles to equal Pete Sampras' record of 14.

But he has repeatedly stumbled on clay, like many other Grand Slam champions. Federer knows the history: Sampras, Boris Becker, Jimmy Connors, Stefan Edberg and John McEnroe never won the French Open.

For that reason, a title at Roland Garros would elevate Federer's status among the elite. In preparation for Paris, he plans to play three European clay events -- Monte Carlo, Rome and Hamburg.

''I'll be OK for the clay-court season,'' Federer said. ''I'm looking forward to that one. That is obviously the huge goal for me. Since the Australian Open, everything has been planned so I play well at the French Open.''

Perhaps his focus on Paris is the reason he failed to win a tournament in March, the first time that happened since 2003. Or perhaps his problem was simply Canas, a former top-10 player who returned to the tour in September following a 15-month doping suspension.

Like Nadal, Canas is a classic clay-court counterpuncher, doggedly chasing down balls in the corners and forcing his opponent to hit one more shot. Slogging through a series of long rallies against Canas, Federer became impatient and started taking big swings to finish points, sometimes prematurely.

''Canas is a great competitor,'' Federer said. ''He scrambles back so many balls and doesn't miss much, and then he moves the ball around very well. I guess he played well against me both times, and I couldn't put him away, unfortunately.''

When they played at Key Biscayne, Federer had 58 winners but also 51 unforced errors. Canas had only 19 winners -- but in 219 points, he committed just 15 unforced errors.

''If you can be as solid as Willy off the baseline, and if you force Roger to hit winners off the baseline for three hours, obviously he's going to miss some,'' Key Biscayne semifinalist Ivan Ljubicic said. ''Roger lost some matches against Nadal for that same reason last year.''

Players like Nadal and Canas are a rare breed, however, which makes their tactics against Federer difficult to duplicate.

When Federer's reign atop the game has been challenged in the past, he responded well. Nadal emerged as a threat last spring before Federer reasserted his superiority by winning Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the Australian Open.

With a win in Paris, Federer would be halfway to the first men's calendar-year Grand Slam since Rod Laver in 1969.

AT 33, RUSEDKI RETIRES

The 33-year-old Rusedski, who was born in Canada but has represented Britain since 1995, quit after winning a Davis Cup doubles match. Rusedski and Jamie Murray, the younger brother of Andy Murray, beat Robin Haase and Rogier Wassen of the Netherlands 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5) to give Britain a 3-0 lead and send the team into the World Group playoffs. Rusedski, whose highest ranking was No. 4 in October 1997, said he wanted to spend more time with his wife Lucy and daughter Scarlett, who was born in January 2006. Rusedski was born in Montreal and began representing Britain, the birth place of his mother, four years after turning professional. The left-hander won 15 singles titles on the ATP tour, including the 1998 Paris Masters. Aside from the 1997 U.S. Open, the only other time he advanced past the fourth round at a Grand Slam was at Wimbledon the same year, when he lost in the quarter-finals.

MONTE CARLO STARTS IN A WEEK