The 2008 Wimbledon Men's Quarterfinals have now been set. I don't usually make predictions in Men's tennis, but here goes:
Roger Federer SUI (1) vs Mario Ancic CRO. Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic was the last player to beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon, 39 matches ago. Since then, Federer has become the potential Greatest Of All Time and won 5 consecutive Wimbledon titles and 38 consecutive matches at Wimbledon. Ancic has become a lawyer and helped his country win the Davis Cup. In the previous round he had to come back from 2 sets down against Spanish lefty Fernando Verdasco to win 13-11 in the 5th. Ancic has a huge serve and is a good volleyer but has a suspect ground game. Federer will not underestimate the Croat and be prepared to take him out in as few sets as possible in order to save energy for what may turn out to be a tricky semifinal match for the World #1. Mad Professah's Pick: Federer in 3 sets.
Stanislas Wawrinka SUI (13) Marat Safin RUS vs Marcos Baghdatis CYP (10) Feliciano Lopez ESP (31). I really didn't think "Crazy Marat" could continue playing good tennis for so many consecutive rounds (I bet Marat didn't think he could either!) plus I was looking forward to a possible all-Swiss semifinal. I also thought that the excessively talented Marcis Baghdatis would be able to make a break through against the pulchritudinous lefty Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. But Lopez continued his excellent serving and volleying to take out the Cypriot 8-6 in the 5th set. Predicting a winner between Safin and Lopez is difficult. Which Safin will show up? Clearly he has enough talent to beat anyone in the field, if he's on and his opponent is not playing their best. Somehow I suspect that Feliciano will figure out a way to frustrate the mercurial Russian and give himself anothre chance to show that his play at the 2007 U.S. Open against Federer was no fluke. Mad Professah's pick: Lopez in 4 sets.
Janko Tipsarevic SRB Rainer Schuettler GER vs Marin Cilic CRO Arnaud Clement FRA. Does anyone care? Somehow youth was not served in the round of 16, with the Serbian and the Croat both going out to the wily veterans. The Powers That Be have scheduled this match on Court 1 at the same time as the Nadal-Murray Gotterdamerung on Center Court. There's not much between these two players, They both have won 4 career titles. They both have reached one major final (Clement Australian Open in 2001, Schuettler the Australian Open in 2003). It's doubtful that anyone will be watching. However although both of these veterans are playing well, Schuettler leads their rivalry 4-1 and I suspect the German will win this battle of the Europeans. Mad Professah's pick: Schuettler in 4 sets.
Richard Gasquet FRA (8) Andy Murray GBR (12) vs Rafael Nadal ESP (2). Yes, Murray has never beaten Nadal in 3 tries. And yes, Nadal is playing bat-shit crazy good tennis this year---probably the best of everyone in the field. But still I think Nadal is likely to lose this match. Murray does have the game to beat both Federer and Nadal, and after Monday's heroics versus Richard Gasquet he now has the good will of the entire British Empire behind him. Whomever wins this match basically gets a walk into the 2008 Wimbledon Men's Final. Can an audience lift a player over a superior opponent? We will see on Wednesday. Mad Professah's pick: Murray in 5 sets.
Roger Federer SUI (1) vs Mario Ancic CRO. Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic was the last player to beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon, 39 matches ago. Since then, Federer has become the potential Greatest Of All Time and won 5 consecutive Wimbledon titles and 38 consecutive matches at Wimbledon. Ancic has become a lawyer and helped his country win the Davis Cup. In the previous round he had to come back from 2 sets down against Spanish lefty Fernando Verdasco to win 13-11 in the 5th. Ancic has a huge serve and is a good volleyer but has a suspect ground game. Federer will not underestimate the Croat and be prepared to take him out in as few sets as possible in order to save energy for what may turn out to be a tricky semifinal match for the World #1. Mad Professah's Pick: Federer in 3 sets.
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