Gaudio, Nadal, Federer, Gonzalez: a dream final four

Of the four semifinalists, three have already won a Grand Slam tournament. Chilean Fernando Gonzalez looks like the underdog even though he is ranked 21st in the world and has already won eight tournaments and reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open.

With Federer-Gonzalez and Gaudio-Nadal, the organizers could not have hoped for better for the 100th edition of the Monte-Carlo tournament. Will Argentine Gaston Gaudio and Fernando Gonzalez manage to contradict the predictions? We are salivating in advance at a final on Sunday between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. But the two public favorites, even though they have been ultra-dominant since the start of the tournament, must be wary of their opponents.

In the first quarterfinal, Gaston Gaudio was impressive against Spaniard Tommy Robredo. The winner of the 2004 French Open seems comfortable at Monte-Carlo. As usual, he positions himself two meters behind the baseline and delivers his shots with power and precision. He accumulates forehands and backhands down the line with disconcerting ease. Gaston Gaudio showed the tennis he had played so well at Porte d’Auteuil two years ago. His backhand is delightful. His position far behind the line allowed him to pin down Tommy Robredo, who was bewildered despite having beaten David Nalbandian in the previous round. The Argentine logically wins the first set 6-1. The second is more contested. Tommy Robredo hits harder, disrupts Gaudio. But at 4-3, he cracks mentally. Too tense, he makes errors. Three unforced errors and he loses his serve. Final score 6-1, 6-3.

We expected a lot from the Nadal-Coria confrontation, the second Spain-Argentina match of the day. Guillermo Coria, despite around forty double faults in the previous two rounds, plays his best tennis. He seems to have the weapons to trouble the Iberian bull. Rafael Nadal, even though he never wavered against Clement, Lisnard and Vliegen, seems below his potential.

The start of the match proves this analysis right. Guillermo Coria plays well to start, breaks serve and leads 2-0. Rafael Nadal, offended, will react. And how! Irresistible, he will string together eleven games in a row. Guillermo Coria plays too short, lacks power. He served his first serve at 104 km/h. It’s anecdotal but symbolic of the gap between the two players in this match. Tired, exhausted, the little Argentine could do nothing. He stops the match early in the second set to take his blood pressure and cool down. Nothing helps. Without being transcendent, world number two Rafael Nadal strings together games and wins 6-2, 6-1.

David Ferrer dominates Roger Federer! It’s surprising but very real. The Spaniard hits hard, sustains the rallies, repels the Swiss player’s attacks who is struggling. He makes unusual errors and is less successful on his first serves. Ferrer has found the solution: he harasses by accelerating his shots exclusively on Federer’s backhand then exclusively on his forehand. He employs the boxer’s tactic and it works. He strings together games. But only three. When he was trailing 6-1, 4-0, he comes back to 4-3 in the second set. Insufficient. Roger Federer succeeded at everything he attempted in the first set. A festival. A pleasure for the eyes. Magical, elegant tennis… In short, the work of one of the greatest players of all time.

In the last quarterfinal, Gonzalez suffered at the hands of Lubjicic for five games. Trailing 4-1, the Chilean makes up the difference and wins 7-5. He cruises in the second set (6-1), taking advantage of a foot injury to the Croat.

Federer and Nadal are favorites for the semifinals but their two opponents were just as impressive as them in the quarterfinals. Will we get the dreamed final of Nadal-Federer? Answer tomorrow late in the afternoon.