UPDATE: Novak Djokovic came back from 2 sets and 2 match points down to beat Roger Federer, 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5. Rafael Nadal beat Andy Murray, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 to join Djokovic in Monday’s final
Roger Federer has a 14-9 lead over Novak Djokovic, and beat him the last time they met (in the French Open this year). So who will it be – the greatest player in history of the man headed for one of the best years ever seen in the history of the sport?
With a small triumph of hope over logic, I’m picking Fed to come out scorching and knock off Nole in a stunning three straight sets.
Rafa Nadal will be relieved to have come through against Roddick with ease, saving energy for the tough match against Andy Murray.
Again, I pick our man in straight sets, leaving both our champions fresh for Monday’s Nadal vs Federer final.
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US Open Semifinal – Live TV Streams (Free)
Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic, Saturday 12pm (4pm GMT) (started late due to rain) Rafael Nadal vs Andy Murray, at conclusion of first semi. Will be after 5:00pm (9:00pm GMT)
Option 1 – US Open – Live TV – English Option 2 – US Open – Live TV – English Option 3 – US Open – Live TV – English Option 4 – US Open – Live TV – Spanish
UPDATE – Andy Murray defeated Novak Djokovic 6-4, 3-0 after the Serb retired with a sore shoulder.
Can Novak Djokovic continue with his absolutely phenomonal year and make it a 100% success rate at Masters events in 2011 (he did not play in Monte-Carlo, which Rafa won), or will Andy Murray overcome the great Serb, who leads 6-3 in the head to head?
It will surely to be get a snapshot of how big the difference really is amongst the top four – I’m going to step out on a limb and predict an upset – Murray in straight sets.
Why? All winning streaks end, and Nole’s time is up – no rhyme nor reason, just a feeling
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Cincinnati Masters Final – Live TV Streams (Free)
Novak Djokovic vs Andy Murray, 12:30pm local time (4:30pm GMT)
Results: Andy Murray beat Mardy Fish 6-3, 7-6 and Novak Djokovic beat Tomas Berdych 7-5, and retired
Mardy Fish has reigned it over Andy Murray in recent times, having won the last three match ups and leading 4-3. Given Murray’s inconsistency this year, and Fish’s great run of form, I back the American to repeat last year’s final appearance.
Novak Djokovic on the other hand – who would dare to bet against him?! He struggled yesterday in the beginning against Monfils, but came back hard to take out the match, and as his 6-1 lead over Tomas Berdych indicates, he should also be good for yet another 2011 Masters final.
Below are the best links for free TV streams over internet that we could find in our wide scan and evaluation of various sources. We do our best to check these and update these as the games start, so do hit refresh in your browser from time to time.
Cincinnati Masters – Live TV Streams (Free)
Andy Murray vs Mardy Fish, 1pm local time (5pm GMT)
Novak Djokovic vs Tomas Berdych, straight after Murray vs Fish
Option 1 - Cincinnati Masters – Live TV - Portuguese
Result - Novak Djokovic beat Mardy Fish, 6-2 3-6 6-4 to win a record fifth Masters in a single year and further extend his lead over Nadal and Federer in the rankings.
Although in theory he had the tougher draw, it was Novak Djokovic who pulled through, again.
Today in Montreal he will play Mardy Fish for a seventh time – and threateningly for the American, Djokivic won all previous matches.
Still, Mardy Fish will look to take advantage of this dream run and claim an upset. But I pick Djokovic in straight sets.
Below are the best links for free TV streams over internet that we could find in our wide scan and evaluation of various sources. We do our best to check these and update these as the games start, so do hit refresh in your browser from time to time.
Montreal Final – Rogers Cup – Live TV Streams (Free)
Novak Djokovic vs Mardy Fish, not before 3:00pm (7:00pm GMT)
Given their early exits in Montreal, is it premature to hope that Nadal and Federer can make the final in Cincinnati?
Well the draw at least allows for this possibility, though Nadal and Federer have some difficult matches to win if they are to progress so far. Here are their potential partners (based on seed/form):
Rafael Nadal:
2nd Round: Guillermo Garcia-Lopez
3rd Round: Fernando Verdasco
Quarterfinal: Mardy Fish
Semifinal: Andy Murray
Final: Novak Djokovic
Roger Federer:
2nd Round: Juan Martin Del Potro
3rd Round: Viktor Troicki
Quarterfinal: Tomas Berdych
Semifinal: Novak Djokovic
Final: Rafael Nadal
Novak Djokovic has a better draw, let’s hope that he is drained from all that tennis at Montreal . He’ll probably have to beat Gael Monfils to reach that potential semifinal against Roger Federer.
At Montreal, Nadal went out in his first match and Federer in his second. Can anyone even remember that happening before?
I think that at the first Masters event of the North America tour most of us expected repeat semifinals featuring the top four of Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Murray.
But just a few days in, and three of the four have been sent packing. Only Nole is still standing.
So with Federer yet to win a Major or Masters in 2011, and Djokovic almost unbeatable, can we pronounce the Nadal and Federer era definitively dead?
Well, in the sense of two players totally dominating a sport, as Roger and Rafa did from 2006-2010, probably, yes, that history making epoch has ended.
It’s been a great run, and in the future we will probably look back and be amazed how long it lasted rather than at how it inevitably faded to an end. We’ll treasure forever the great memories including the incredible Wimbledon, French and Australian Open finals and unique friendship in rivalry .
But in another sense, we can hope that the era still has some legs.
Federer has another Major or two in him, and although we will see more downs than we have been spoiled to experience in the past, there will still be the ups – to savour not just for rarity, but especially for the grit and skill that will be needed to beat younger upstarts.
And Nadal is far from a done force. Provided he can manage his calendar to limit the pounding on his body, we can expect to see a more dosified and focussed Rafa sharpening his game to face the new challenge that is Novak Djokovic. I think we can hope for a minimum of 4 or 5 more good years, highlighted by many great matches with the Serb, as well as a few scorchers still with Roger, Andy and some yet-to-be-discovered young talents.
So for now, I’m putting this Montreal disappointment behind me, and looking forward to see our champs rested and back in the game come Cincinnati and Flushing Meadows.
Federer and Nadal must be secretly smiling as they see Novak Djokovic getting a very tough draw in Montreal
The draw is out, and if Nadal and Federer are to meet, it would be in the final – however a lot stands in their way. Here are their potential partners (based on seed/form):
Rafael Nadal:
2nd Round: Ivan Dodig
3rd Round: Fernando Verdasco
Quarterfinal: Tomas Berdych
Semifinal: Andy Murray
Final: Novak Djokovic
Roger Federer:
2nd Round: Juan Ignacio Chela
3rd Round: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Quarterfinal: Nicolas Almagro
Semifinal: Novak Djokovic
Final: Rafael Nadal
Novak Djokovic on the other hand faces a very tough run – he will probably have to overcome Nikolay Davydenko, Juan Martin del Potro, Gael Monfils, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal if he is to win the title. Wow!
UDPATE – Result – Novak Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 to claim his first Wimbledon title. Congratulations Nole!
Rafa plays the soon to be new No. 1, Novak Djokovic in their fifth final of 2011. Can Nadal turn around the previous four losses and claim his third Wimbledon title?
With his 16-11 head to head lead, ten Grand Slams, two Wimbledon titles (and 2 other finals), you would think Rafa would be the runaway favourite for Sunday’s final. But Nole has been astounding in 2011, and so I think we are headed for another humdigger.
My pick is Rafa in five. (And I’ve picked a few right recently )
Below are the best links for free TV streams over internet that we could find in our wide scan and evaluation of various sources. We do our best to check these and update these as the games start, so do hit refresh in your browser from time to time.
Wimbledon Final – The Championships – Live TV Streams (Free)
Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic, Sunday, 2pm (1pm GMT)
This will be a great match in and of itself, the all time Grand Slam leader and former French Open champion Roger Federer against the unbeaten in 2011 Novak Djokovic.
Add to that a little spice, in that if Djokovic wins, he will become the ATP World Number one on Monday, knocking Rafael Nadal off his perch, even if Nadal were to go on and win the title for a sixth time. Of course, if Rafa loses against Murray in the match preceding this one, Nole will already be lined up for number one, regardless of the outcome of this match.
Yet don’t forget – even if Nole has won all three matches between the two in 2011, Federer still holds a 13-9 lead in the head to head, with 2-1 on clay.
I’m going to put my neck out and pick an upset – Roger Federer, three sets to two .
Below are the best links for free TV streams over internet that we could find in our wide scan and evaluation of available sources.
Roland Garros – Live Tennis on TV Streams (Free)
Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic, Friday, after the Nadal vs Murray match. Probably some time after 4pm (2pm local time) depending on the length of that match.
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