ATP Madrid: Quarter-Final Predictions

Novak Djokovic

Roger Federer v David Ferrer

Federer had a much easier third round match compared to his second round nailbiter against Milos Raonic.  He beat Richard Gasquet, 6-3 6-2 and will now play Ferrer in the quarter-finals.  The Spaniard saved several match points to beat Nicolas Almagro, 7-6 3-6 7-6 in a tremendous tussle.  Ferrer has never beaten Federer in their 12 previous matches so he faces an uphill task to break the pattern.  I have a lot of admiration for Ferrer and would love to see him win, but I just cannot see it happening!

Prediction - Federer to beat Ferrer in 2 sets

Juan Martin Del Potro v Alexandr Dolgopolov

Del Potro continued his superb recent form to defeat Marin Cilic's big serving game with a 6-2 6-4 victory.  He will play Dolgopolov who upset Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 7-5 3-6 7-6 in an epic third round round match.  This sounds a very exciting match on paper with the raw power of Del Potro and the raw variety of Dolgopolov.  Del Potro has won their two previous encounters and ultimately I think he will prevail here too, but this should be fun...

Prediction - Del Potro to beat Dolgopolov in 2 sets

Tomas Berdych v Fernando Verdasco

The big talking point of today's action was Verdasco beating Rafael Nadal with a staggering comeback from 5-2 down in the third set to record a first ever victory over the world number two.  His quarter-final opponent, Berdych produced an equally impressive performance as he dismantled the game of Gael Monfils, 6-1 6-1.  It will be interesting to see if Verdasco can back up his triumph today... personally, I say no!

Prediction - Berdych to beat Verdasco in 2 sets

Highlights from Almagro/Ferrer


Highlights from Tsonga/Dolgopolov

You can view my original predictions for Madrid here... i've lost my winner, but was pleased to predict Dolgopolov to the quarters.  Novak Djokovic will play the winner of a still outstanding third round match between Janko Tipsarevic and Giles Simon, which is currently into a third set.

WTA Madrid: Quarter-Final Predictions

Victoria Azarenka v Li Na

Agnieszka Radwanska

Azarenka has not played her best tennis in Madrid but showed how far she has come along in a year as she rose her game at the crucial stages to edge Ana Ivanovic, 6-4 6-4.  Li Na has looked in fine form this tournament taking out two talented Spaniards in Garbine Muguruza Blanco and Silvia Soler-Espinosa, and then producing her best performance in the third round to beat Angelique Kerber.  Azarenka has won their last two encounters, the most recent of them coming in a three set win in the Sydney final.  Before that, Li had a significant edge over Azarenka and when her game is flowing, she can handle the world number one.  Not many people have been talking about Li this year, but after this match I think they will be...

Prediction - Li to beat Azarenka, 6-4 2-6 6-3

Agnieszka Radwanska v Varvara Lepchenko

Radwanska progressed to yet another quarter-final with a solid display against the in-form Roberta Vinci, 7-6 6-4.  Her opponent in the quarter-finals is the American qualifier, Lepchenko who continued her fairytale week with a hard fought victory over Anabel Medina Garrigues, 6-1 6-7 6-3.  Radwanska and Lepchenko last met in Doha this year where the American had her chances in the first set before succumbing to a 7-5 6-1 loss.  Radwanska's draws this year have been extremely lightweight and this week has been no different as she has yet to play a seed.  Once again though she could play Victoria Azarenka in the semi-finals who she has succumbed to in all of her 2012 losses.  As you will notice from my above prediction, I think Radwanska will get a slice of luck in Madrid... 
Prediction - Radwanska to beat Lepchenko, 6-4 6-2

Sam Stosur v Lucie Hradecka

Sam Stosur had a much more straightforward win in her third round match as she eased past Petra Cetkovska, 6-3 6-2.  She now seems to be finding her feet on the blue clay after a significant time spent on the court during two gruelling three setters in the first two rounds.  She will be relieved that her projected quarter-finalist, Petra Kvitova has been eliminated, but should still be wary of Hradecka.  The Czech player defeated Ekaterina Makarova, 6-2 7-6 in the third round to add to Petra Kvitova and Peng Shuai, who she has impressively taken out this week.  There is no doubt that Hradecka has the game to beat anyone on her day, but on this occasion I think Stosur will be too solid.

Prediction - Stosur to beat Hradecka 7-6 6-3

Serena Williams v Maria Sharapova

On so many occasions, Serena and Maria have been destined to meet, but one of them has fallen at the last hurdle.  It looked like that may happen again when Serena lost the opening set of her third round match to Caroline Wozniacki, 6-1; however she came alive in the second and third sets to record a 1-6 6-3 6-2 victory.  Maria Sharapova received a walkover when Lucie Safarova was forced to pull out due to illness.  Serena holds a significant edge over Sharapova in their head-to-head having won their last six encounters including a dominant 6-1 6-3 win in Stanford last year.  This is the kind of a match-up that can give the WTA some well needed exposure after being put in the shadows to the ATP tour in Madrid... I hope its a competitive and exciting match!

Prediction - Serena to beat Sharapova, 6-4 7-5

Highlights from the Hradecka/Makarova and Serena/Wozniacki third round matches

Lucie Hradecka stuns Petra Kvitova in Madrid

Lucie Hradecka

The big shock in the WTA Madrid draw was the exit of the defending champion, Petra Kvitova, who was sensationally ousted by the big hitting Lucie Hradecka, 6-4 6-3.  Hradecka has an explosive game, but she is even more inconsistent than Kvitova and has really struggled for form in recent months.  I tipped Kvitova for the title this week and did not see this coming! Hradecka will play Ekaterina Makarova in the 3rd round for the chance to play Sam Stosur in the quarter-finals.  The scheduling in Madrid is another thing to add to the list of moans this week with Stosur progressing to the quarters, while her opponents were barely finishing their second round matches.

In other matches, Victoria Azarenka recovered from a 4-2 first set deficit and several jitters in her final game to beat Ana Ivanovic, 6-4 6-4.  She will play Li Na in the quarter-finals who produced one of, if not her best performance of 2012 in an accomplished display over the in-form Angelique Kerber, 6-4 7-5.  Agnieszka Radwanska snapped Sara Errani's clay court winning streak with a thumping 6-0 6-1 victory and she will play Roberta Vinci in the third round who has looked at home on the blue clay as she produced another superb performance to dispatch Yanina Wickmayer, 6-1 6-2.

In the ATP tournament, John Isner was the highest seed to fall as he was beaten by the improving Marin Cilic, 7-6 7-6.  Roger Federer avoided a potential upset as he fought past Milos Raonic, 4-6 7-5 7-6 in an electrifying second round match.  Raonic was terrific throughout the first two sets; he won 12 straight points to claim the opening set and produced some sensational strokes during the second set.  However missed chances and missed first serves cost Raonic the second set before Federer edged a tight third set.

WTA Predictions:

Agnieszka Radwanska to beat Roberta Vinci in 2 tight sets

Ekaterina Makarova to beat Lucie Hradecka in 3 sets

Serena Williams to beat Caroline Wozniacki in 2 sets
Maria Sharapova to beat Lucie Safarova in 2 very tight sets

ATP Predictions:

Novak Djokovic to beat Stanislas Wawrinka in 3 sets
Giles Simon to beat Janko Tipsarevic in 3 sets
Roger Federer to beat Richard Gasquet in 2 sets
David Ferrer to beat Nicolas Almagro in 3 sets
Juan Martin Del Potro to beat Marin Cilic in 2 sets
Alexandr Dolgopolov to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 3 sets
Tomas Berdych to beat Gael Monfils in 2 sets
Rafael Nadal to beat Fernando Verdasco in 2 sets


The highlights from the Radwanska/Errani and Li/Kerber matches.


There was some great sportsmanship from Tsonga at the end of this match when he failed to get a ball and owned up to it to hand the point to Harrison.  We need more of this in the game...