Andy Roddick vs Rafael Nadal ATP World Tour Finals preview
The World Number 1 will be battling it out with American player Andy Roddick, currently ranked World Number 8, in a bid for the 2010 Barclay’s ATP World Tour Finals. While the rankings already make the position of both players fairly obvious, this match
may prove to be something of a hurdle for both pros.
Rafael Nadal is currently the top ranked player on the tour, but his previous track record at the ATP World Tour Finals leaves much to be desired. Last season, the Spanish pro suffered injuries throughout, which resulted in his poor performance and form
at the 2009 World Tour Finals. He lost all three of his matches at the event.
At the end of the event, he probably wished he had not participated, like Roddick, who was unable to make it due to injury. While most pundits expect Nadal to improve on last year’s show, the fact remains that his match against Roddick is by no means a
sure-shot win.
While Rafa does have a 5 to 3 winning record over his American opponent, the fact remains that Roddick is better than Nadal on cement. His previous three victories against the World Number 1 have all been accomplished on the hard court surface, and this
record also includes their only 2010 match at the Miami Masters. At this event, Roddick managed to defeat Nadal in three sets.
In addition to the benefit of an encouraging track record, Roddick has been steadily improving in the past few months. His form at the end of the year, when he needs to be on top of his game, is definitely better than it was in the beginning of 2010. His
previous troubles may have been due to the clay court season, it is dependent on the surface, which Roddick has always suffered with.
However, Yen Hsun Lu’s defeat of Roddick at the fourth round of Wimbledon makes it evident that he isn’t playing his best tennis either.
Although there is not much evidence on Roddick’s part to suggest that he might defeat Nadal, the World Number 8 has been getting better in the recent past. He made it to the quarters at the Paris Masters and the semi-finals in Basel.
However, if there is one glaring factor against him, it is the fact that he doesn’t have a victory over a top 10 player in a match which was not held in America. His last hard court victory against a top 10 player was almost two years ago at the 2009 Australian
Open, against Novak Djokovic.
There are a few factors which will be crucial to the outcome of this match. For Roddick, the biggest problem will be the ability to make sound judgements. He will have to altercate between patiently waiting for a hittable ball to being outright aggressive
in order to stand a steady chance of defeating Nadal.
One real advantage that the American pro holds is his incredibly strong serve. While he will probably have many aces, they will have to be carefully mixed in with his body serves. If Nadal is unaware, and keeps guessing his service location, Roddick stands
a good chance of upsetting the player.
However, Nadal is a master at controlling the game. If he manages enough points against his opponent, Roddick can kiss goodbye to any opportunity of finding firm ground from which to fight back.
The match will no doubt be a tough one, and possibly unpredictable. Roddick will have to take many risks and remain calm and composed throughout the match. If he can play a balanced, level game, he may well win the match by grinding into a three-set upset.
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