WIMBLEDON 2008: Men's Semifinals Preview

by Mad Professah

The 2008 Wimbledon Men' s semifinals are now set. Mad Professah correctly predicted Federer and Schuettler's quarterfinal wins. This Men's semifinal preview (like the Women's Semifinal Preview posted yesterday) are all about inevitability and the Number 3. From the beginning of the tournament I predicted a third all-Williams final and a third Federer-Nadal final. It's inevitiable.

Roger Federer SUI (1) vs. Marat Safin RUS. Federer has played the mercurial Russian ten times before and beaten the 2-time Grand Slam champion eight times. Of course the most famous match the two have played was at the 2005 Australian Open where Safin defeated Federer in a thrilling 5-set semifinal match saving a 4th set match point in the process. Safin used to despise playing on grass and had never played well at Wimbledon before this year. In fact, Safin hasn't been playing well at any tournament since his 2005 win in Melbourne---he hasn't won a single ATP title since and has 15 total. Federer has 55 titles and last played Safin at Wimbledon in last year's 3rd round and won in 3 relatively tight sets 6-1 6-4 7-6(4). Safin (and Federer) are playing better this year, but the result will still be the same, the inevitable third match-up betweek Federer and Nadal in the Wimbledon final. PREDICTION: Federer in 4 sets.

Rainer Schuettler GER vs. Rafael Nadal ESP (2). The "accidental semifinalist" Rainer Schuettler has had a pretty lucky draw since the only seed in his path to this point was a second round showdown with American James Blake in the second round which he won 6-4 in the 5th. Schuettler also had to win a 5-set match again Arnaud Clement in a 5 hour, 12 minute match spread over two days just to reach this semifinal showdown with World #2 Rafael Nadal. Nadal has only dropped one set this tournament, against talented big-serving Ernest Gulbis in the second round, and played 3 tiebreaks, winning all of them. It's unlikely that Schuettler, who is known for being in incredible shape but has no singular weapon, will be able to win as many as 6 games in a set. PREDICTION: Nadal in 3 sets.