French Pastries: Djokovic, Federer, Berdych and Isner All in Action Monday

By Chris Oddo                                         Photo Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images

 

(May 27, 2012)—World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will take to the clay on Monday, and if each player gets his wish, they’ll be meeting in the semifinals on the final weekend of play.

 

Having been drawn into the same half of the draw again, another blockbuster semifinal could be the likely outcome come next week. But there’s a long way to go before then, and it all starts tomorrow for Djokovic and Federer.

 

Djokovic’s last French Open memories are bittersweet ones to be sure, as he was rudely bounced from contention by a resurgent Federer in last year’s semifinals, much to the delight of the rowdy Parisian crowds.

 

Today, the Serb will try and get that defeated taste out of his mouth when he faces off against Italian Potito Starace in the third match scheduled on Stade Philippe Chatrier. Djokovic cruised to a straight set victory over Starace, who is currently ranked at 97 in the world, the only time they met in 2007.

 

Federer, the 2009 champion at Roland Garros, will begin his bid for a second title against Germany’s Tobias Kamke. Federer may not know much about the world No. 78, but it’s likely that the world No. 78 knows a thing or two about Federer. But don’t expect that to help him much; he’s 5-10 on clay for his career and 2-8 overall for the year. Federer, meanwhile, is gunning to move into a tie for the record for most Grand Slam wins in the Open Era alongside Jimmy Connors with 233.

 

Federer has not lost in the first round of a Grand Slam since 2003, when he lost at Roland Garros to Luis Horna.

 

Tomas Berdych and John Isner are the two other top ten seeds in action on day two. Berdych will take on the diminutive Israeli Dudi Sela for the first time. The former French Open semifinalist lost in the first round last year and owns a 10-8 career record at Roland Garros.

 

John Isner will take on Brazilian qualifier Rogerio Dutra Silva in another first-time meeting. Isner, who became the only player in French Open history to play a five-setter with Rafael Nadal last year, will look to improve upon his previous best performance at the French, a third-round appearance in 2010 (l. to Berdych).

 

Dutra Silva is making his first French Open appearance, and only his second tour-level appearance of the season.

 

There are a few heavily anticipated match-ups for tennis connoisseurs tomorrow as well. Gilles Simon will play up-and-coming American Ryan Harrison in a rematch of what was a very entertaining match in Indian Wells, while suddenly surging American wildcard Brian Baker will make his first Grand Slam appearance since 2005 when he takes on Xavier Malisse.

 

Also in action will be the oldest player in the draw (Arnaud Clement) and the youngest player in the draw (No. 25 seed Bernard Tomic).

 

Italian No. 1 and 22^nd-seeded Andreas Seppi will take on Nikolay Davydenko, and No. 28 seed Viktor Troicki will clash with the enigmatic yet wildly talented Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci.

 

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