A slightly disappointing first semi-final which pits Dolgopolov, the 23rd-ranked player in the world, against Hanescu, ranked 69th. The match started with many unforced errors as early as the second and third strokes.
Dolgopolov seems to struggle to find his two-handed backhand which was so effective yesterday against David Ferrer, the tournament’s top seed. The initial drop shots work well but quickly, Hanescu advances to the net and volleys admirably well.
A clay court specialist, this very tall player at 1.98 meters served very well, either with a lot of force or with high spin, forcing Dolgopolov to play at shoulder height. Certainly tired from his previous tight matches, he gets broken twice in the second set, without finding the inspiration and speed of his best days. Hanescu ends up winning 6/3-6/3, flirting with the lines and never dropping his pace. His strategy, developed with his coach, he confides in the interview, was to keep the ball in play for a long time.
The second semi-final was won by a thrilling Almagro, the 10th-ranked player in the world, 6/4-6/4 against Berdych, ranked 6th in the world but having an off day. It also did not follow the rankings, as the lower-ranked player won, but at the same time, the clay court specialist dominated at the beginning of the match. Trailing 3-0 in the first set, Almagro managed to remain patient and draw Berdych into lengthy rallies. He was able to vary his play by adjusting all parameters of the trajectories: height, length, speed, direction; repeatedly executing successful drop shots in the second set against Berdych who wasn’t even reacting. He served and returned very well, staying offensive throughout the match. He is counting on the support of the public tomorrow at 2 PM on the central court because even though he has never lost against Hanescu, this final remains the most important match of the week and must, therefore, be taken very seriously, he confides.
Some small insights into the equipment to get an idea of this week at the Nice tennis open: Babolat will be the official ball of Roland-Garros; tested and appreciated by the tournament players. 700 tubes were used here, compared to 13,000 at Roland-Garros starting next week. The stringer at the Babolat stand also tells us that players bring an average of 5 rackets per day to be strung, with a string gauge (thickness) of 1.25 or 1.30.
And finally, know that Nicolas Almagro strings his racket at 26/27 kilos, and Victor Hanescu strings his at 24/25 kilos. So, who will hit harder in the final tomorrow?
