He’s never progressed beyond the third round at Roland Garros before so he’s already playing with house money. He’s also currently ranked higher (#3) that at any other time in his career. I wouldn’t be betting on him to advance much further, though. He’s much more of a baseline player than most Brits (and Americans), so in theory his style should fit clay well, but you can’t ignore his previous record at the French.
He’s playing great and could win it all. If the question is the best clay-courted left, though, I can’t name him first.
Actually I was asking from Federer’s point of view; i.e. the best clay player after Federer. I agree he is the best of those still left. If you are right about Del Potro, that would make the semi-final the big hurdle. These days I mostly stick to watching the finals of grand slams but I might have to make some time to watch that semi.
Briefly revisiting the third round, Aravane Rezaï’s defeat of Michelle Larcher de Brito caused great celebrations among the remaining women in the tournament, the crowd, the commentary teams, TV viewers, and the world at large.
Could you possibly endure two sets of this (screaming video, 34 secs).
Fernando Gonzalez has upset Andy Murray in four sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4. A huge break for Federer if he reaches the finals.
The first men’s semifinal will be Soderling vs. Gonzalez. Gonzalez lost to Federer in the 2007 Australian Open final and is one of the hardest hitters on tour. He’s got an enormous forehand and he’s gone deep in slams before. I guess his Olympic results show he can play on clay but I’m a little surprised to see him do this well here.
Meanwhile, Dinara Safina reached the women’s semis. She’ll get Dominika Cibulkova, who trashed Maria Sharapova at 0 and 2. The other women’s quarters are Williams-Kuznetsova, and Sam Stosur against Cirstea, the Romanian player who already beat a couple of top ten players in Jankovic and Wozniacki.
I saw the whole thing.
Gonzalez, a hot and cold player, blew more hot than cold today and made Murray look quite ordinary at times in sets 1, 3, and 4 (especially in set 3, obviously). However, this is clay and I never expected Andy to do particularly well in the tournament. That said, I’m always impressed by his tenacity whatever the surface.
His best chances will always come in the US and Australian opens.
Now watch him win Wimbledon and give the lie to this opinion.
Murray’s definitely more of a hardcourt player, but he’s gotten good enough that he can challenge anyplace. I did think he’d make the final here once Nadal went down. He’s been very good since the US Open loss to Federer, so for Fed this loss is really a potential gift. Who would you rather face in the final - Andy Murray, or Soderling or Gonzalez, even if they’ve both been hot? It’ll be interesting to see which one of them, if either, will rise to the occasion Thursday. Gonzalez has gone this deep in slams before but not in Paris.
If Murray ever does come through in Wimbledon, Britain will explode.
Well, half of Britain will. The other half still have a love affair with ‘tiger’ Tim that they refuse to let go.
I really hope Federer can take this chance. There aren’t many sportsmen as nice (and as good) as him, I can only wish him well.
I agree. There was a thread on the Dope were people tried to dig up dirt on him, and the only thing anyone can find is that one time, he did agree that he might be the best ever.
But he was asked, I think.
Cheeky sod, what? 
The book for Murray v Gonzalez had the latter at 1/1 to win, with Murray only slightly favoured at 8/11, so the oddsmakers didn’t price the match as a foregone conclusion.
You’re right, though. If I was Federer I would be happy with this result. It’s worth noting that as I write Roger is still available at 4/3 to win the tournament. Soderling, Gonzalez, and Del Potro are all circa 5/1 with Monfils the outsider of the party at 14/1. I don’t bet short on any contest, but Federer does look overpriced to me.
I’ve never seen any sportsman who said the right things so consistently every time… and English isn’t even his first language! The man could have been a rocket scientist if he wanted, I think.
I agree completely. I’ve actually come to respect him even more watching him lose some in the last 2 years. He’s finally showing some emotion out on the court.
I still don’t think he’ll win, but I really want him to.
It looks like Serena is getting thumped - she lost the first set in a tiebreak but is down 0-3 to Kuznetsova in the second. Nobody can turn a match around like she can, but she hasn’t been very good for most of this tournament and perhaps the flu bug (or whatever she had) and a good opponent are finally too much for her. Stosur is cruising. As a singles player, she’d never reached the quarterfinals of a major before, but she’s a couple of games away from a semifinal.
And just like that, Serena rallies to take the second set 7-5!
I’m at work and only following with IBM’s live scoring on the internet.
I see Roger is at 3-3. How does he look? Is he playing pretty good?
I’m keeping track of the match the same way, so I have nothing to add. But Federer just took the first set in a tiebreak, and Kuznetsova held on by the skin of her teeth to beat Serena 7-5 in the third. She had multiple chances to win the match but she had to earn it. This looks like a great chance for Safina to take her first slam event.
And now Federer is killing Monfils.
He wants this so bad.
Fed takes it in straight sets, 7-6 (6), 6-2, 6-4. I’ll be able to follow the semifinal match if not watch it in person (Del Potro is up a set), but I don’t know what to do about Sunday since I don’t have a TV at the moment. Seeing him win would be like watching Michelangelo finish the Sistine Chapel.
Well, I really want to rewatch the match on ESPN2 this afternoon. It sounds like Federer killed Monfils, which makes me rethink my prediction that he won’t win it.
They said on the radio that Federer is 38-1 against all the other quarterfinalists.
Sounds good for him.