Hosting the biggest ATP tournament since the Australian Open, Rotterdam was once again home to some of the best players in the world. If, in past seasons, the likes of Nadal, Murray or Djokovic headlined the field, in 2012 it was Roger Federer's turn to lead a packed draw. Although the Swiss, a winner here in 2005 at his last showing, overshadowed his opponents with his off court popularity, his on court form was worrying following his recent losses to Nadal at Melbourne and to Isner in the Davis Cup.
For the third year running, I got to attend the World Tennis Tournament on Friday, for the quarterfinal stage. The evening schedule, comprising Federer's clash with Nieminen, Gasquet's duel with Davydenko, as well as an exciting doubles battle, was promising another memorable day at the Ahoy Arena.
The
first star to take the court was Argentinean Juan Martin Del Potro. Pairing
with German Philipp Petzschner, he tackled the third seeded Horia Tecau and
Robert Lindstedt. Considering his long time preference for the American hardcourt events, Del Potro's coming to Europe for the indoor season was surprising. A rare figure on the old continent, he was keen on making the most out of his trip. Therefore, in order to back up his singles experience, he teamed up with last year's defending doubles champion. Facing the two time Wimbledon runner-ups, the duo put on a fierce display, though their lack of experience proved vital in the final stages of the dispute. In the third set super tiebreak, the Romanian-Swedish tandem played some efficient tennis when it mattered most, managing to close out a really tight affair and to advance to the semifinals.
The match was very entertaining, Del Potro's aggressive shots and whipping serve combined with Tecau's doubles magic providing a delightful spectacle for the crowd on Court no.1.
After a short break, we moved on to the Center Court to witness Federer who was trying to maintain his impeccable record against Finn Jarkko Nieminen in the highly anticipated contest. The former world number one, cheered heavily by a partisan audience, was too strong for Nieminen, who fought hard, but fell short at the end of both sets, Federer winning 7-5,7-6.
It might not have been the most convincing performance, but it was the first time I got to see my all time favourite live and it was amazing. His handiness is impressive, though his backhand looked fragile and a bit too defensive. Being one of the wittiest players on the tour, Federer knows exactly how much he has to give to ensure a safe passage to the next round. He did just that against Jarkko, a single break being enough to seal a relatively straightforward victory.
Although he managed to trick his way out of a meeting with fans earlier in the day, the Swiss superstar stopped to sign some on court memoranda and I was the lucky recipient of an autograph I really longed for.
In the last match of the day, Richard Gasquet let a 5-2 first set advantage slip away as he stumbled against rejuvenated Russian Nikolay Davidenko. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a great tennis wonder, the Frenchman's one-handed backhand being not only a superb touch of class, but also a very efficient weapon.
The tournament didn't stop there though. In tomorrow's final, Federer goes head-to-head with Del Potro for the singles crown, while Tecau-Lindstedt will be chasing their first 2012 doubles trophy when they face the Serbian-French duo of Nenad Zimonjic and Michael Llodra.
photos: Sorin Istrate
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