French Open... The Dark Horses.

i dont see djoker as a major factor at roland garros. i place him in the quarters easily, but after that i think it'll be a tough road, especially if has long matches in the early rounds.
 
Djokovic should do well. He plays well on all surfaces.

Tsonga could be a dark horse but he isn't the greatest on clay to begin with.

Davydenko, Nalbandian, Monaco are all good choices. Hewitt I think will make it to the 4 round and lose again, lol.

Monfils never really goes deep at RG. So he's out of the question. Robredo doesn't have a prayer in hell either. Almagro has the game, but I don't think he can keep it together.

What do you all think of Youzhny as a dark horse? He's the freshest name I can come up with in my head.
 
I would like to see Calleri lift the trophy. Excellent player. I saw his U.S. Open match against Hewitt. He was playing otherwordly. If he could do that on clay and be consistent over many matches he could go a long way I hope.
 
man, i can't wait for the french open! man the tough battles on clay r the best! long rallies, drop shots, all that running, sweating, and exhaustion!

i'm hoping that Guga will be able to make some sort of a run. it would be great to see him get a good run before he retires. to tell u the truth i haven't seen him play much but from what i have seen, he has a great game and an awesome peronality. Some other dark horses may be acasuso, monfils, and andreev. andreev is an excellent clay courter.
 
However Robin Soderling hit back for Sweden, stunning Jose Acasuso 6-0, 6-4, 6-1 to level up proceedings 1-1. The 23-year-old Soderling broke serve eight times, and held a further 20 break points on Acasuso’s serve ..

So much for the Acasuso on clay, not being able to win a set in total at home against Soderling. Dark horse in deed.
 
Thomaz Belucci (Brazil - 20 years old) has won 4 Challengers on clay this year including 3 in a 4 week period.


Eduardo Schwank (Argentina - 22 years old) has won 3 Challenger on clay in the last month.

It's worth mentioning that both of them have also done fairly well in doubles, Belucci winning one title and making 2 finals this year and Schwank has won 3 titles, all at Challenger level.

Maybe one of these two will blaze through the draw at Roland Garros and do a '97 Kuerten?

I think their only downfall is that they both have to qualify...
 
my darkhorse pic would def be starace.

I dont expect much from hewitt cause he is injured.

btw whats gaudio's deal these days. That guy can play some clay court tennis.
 
Puerta hasn't been doing too well lately, made one Challenger final this year and that's about it. He might be struggling with injuries, i don't really know.
 
l_gonzalez said:
Thomaz Belucci (Brazil - 20 years old) has won 4 Challengers on clay this year including 3 in a 4 week period.


Eduardo Schwank (Argentina - 22 years old) has won 3 Challenger on clay in the last month.

It's worth mentioning that both of them have also done fairly well in doubles, Belucci winning one title and making 2 finals this year and Schwank has won 3 titles, all at Challenger level.

Maybe one of these two will blaze through the draw at Roland Garros and do a '97 Kuerten?

I think their only downfall is that they both have to qualify...
Click to expand...

Both these guys are ones to watch, no question. They've both risen so quickly in the rankings (#74 and #75 respectively) that they have to qualify even though they're currently ranked 25 spots above the last direct entrant. If they happen to lose in the last round of qualies, they'll probably both be in as lucky losers. (Are Haas, Hewitt, and Baghdatis really going to play this tournament?)

I also like Ferrero as a dark horse if he gets a decent draw. But Almagro for some reason always disappoints in the big tournaments, and he's got a wrist issue so I wouldn't expect much.
 
l_gonzalez said:
Thomaz Belucci (Brazil - 20 years old) has won 4 Challengers on clay this year including 3 in a 4 week period.


Eduardo Schwank (Argentina - 22 years old) has won 3 Challenger on clay in the last month.

It's worth mentioning that both of them have also done fairly well in doubles, Belucci winning one title and making 2 finals this year and Schwank has won 3 titles, all at Challenger level.

Maybe one of these two will blaze through the draw at Roland Garros and do a '97 Kuerten?

I think their only downfall is that they both have to qualify...
Click to expand...


Props to yo for this, Ill offer my view on this situation. Being they have to come thru qualies, they can run into some high seeds early on. That means that they have a legit shot at pulling one surprise of the tournament early on - if they do not get Nadal or Federer, Djokovic also. That could be a good thing for tennis but I am sure theyd like to play some lower rranked oponents. They'll have a few games under belt already and that can be a bit of advantage for them in the first and second round.

Ill now quote myself below this , to see if I wa correct a month ago.
 
daddy said:
I may comment on this. I saw some of the players being mentioned are ..

Almagro - very poor in best of 5 set matches and on Big occasions. Decent player, not really good enough to take the title.

Andreev - best comeback of the 2007 is still mentaly a very fragile player. I find it hard to believe he can overcome any top player on any surface.

Starace, Del Potro, Calleri, wishfull thinking. If one of those could pull just one upset on clay, Id be satisfied. I feal they will all be out as soon as they face any seeded player.

Monaco - by his previous results maybe. Right now I dont know his form but he would be the closest thing.

Old school - Moya, Guga etc. Wishfull thinking.

Monfils - is he still a tennis player ?

Hewitt - he should go far if he has enough luck. He will eventually meet a better player and lose, quarters would be great for him.

I dont want to pretend I am smart or anything but I do think that we will hardly see any newcomers this year. At least not in the quarters or after. Nadal should dominate once again. Few top players except US guys will challange him mostly.
Click to expand...


I think I got most of the things right here. Maybe , just maybe Ferrero has a ace in his sleeve. Thoughts on this guys ?
 
There are no dark horses on clay. Ferrer could have been if he'd kept going after the Masters Final but he seems to be completely out of it at the moment.

Roddick, blake, berdych, soderling, guys with firepower to bother the top 3 on a good day arent good enough on clay.
 
daddy said:
I think I got most of the things right here. Maybe , just maybe Ferrero has a ace in his sleeve. Thoughts on this guys ?
Click to expand...

You should add Wawrinka,he got to the finals of Rome where he took a set of Djokovic,played well in Barcelona,got to the top 10 for the first time in his career,has an amazing backhand and is probably most comfortable on clay.His best result so far at the FO is third round(three years ago,lost to Puerta who would go on to reach the finals),I expect him to go furher this year at the FO.
 
zagor said:
You should add Wawrinka,he got to the finals of Rome where he took a set of Djokovic,played well in Barcelona,got to the top 10 for the first time in his career,has an amazing backhand and is probably most comfortable on clay.His best result so far at the FO is third round(three years ago,lost to Puerta who would go on to reach the finals),I expect him to go furher this year at the FO.
Click to expand...

As usually a great contribution from Cedomir .. :) Seriously he is the one I overlooked but yet again, I'll point out that his backhand similarly to Kohlschreiber's deteriorates as the match goes on. He could do some damage now considering he is highest seeded ever coming into major but we shall se .. Thansk for the contribution though !

Nalbandian may come far, if he comes in the tourrney on fire.

Best of 5 sets is a ***** for the loser raned oponents, where top ranked guys can even drop a set but are able to recover and have enough margin for error, and once they switch on their best or close to best form, they are almost invincible, agree ?
 
daddy said:
As usually a great contribution from Cedomir .. :) Seriously he is the one I overlooked but yet again, I'll point out that his backhand similarly to Kohlschreiber's deteriorates as the match goes on. He could do some damage now considering he is highest seeded ever coming into major but we shall se .. Thansk for the contribution though !

Nalbandian may come far, if he comes in the tourrney on fire.

Best of 5 sets is a ***** for the loser raned oponents, where top ranked guys can even drop a set but are able to recover and have enough margin for error, and once they switch on their best or close to best form, they are almost invincible, agree ?
Click to expand...

I agree,I even remember Federer saying something like that best of three matches can be over very fast and that he likes the best of five more,as for Nalbandian I never know what to expect from him but he's a great player if he is on.
BTW how do you know my real name?
 
Wawrinka is a very good player, but i still have doubts over his mental fortitude. I just don't think he has enough to take down the big players yet i feel like he can lose to anybody who is having a decent day on court.
 
zagor said:
I agree,I even remember Federer saying something like that best of three matches can be over very fast and that he likes the best of five more,as for Nalbandian I never know what to expect from him but he's a great player if he is on.
BTW how do you know my real name?
Click to expand...

Just a tease. Milan is mine btw, nice to meet you. ;)
 
l_gonzalez said:
Wawrinka is a very good player, but i still have doubts over his mental fortitude. I just don't think he has enough to take down the big players yet i feel like he can lose to anybody who is having a decent day on court.
Click to expand...


He is the only one who has the game that has matched up well against both Djokovic and Nadal. Great backhand, solid forehand, excellent movement. He's solid from the back of the court, but is able to hit winners and create angles also.


Played well against Nadal and Djokovic on clay (he should have beaten Djokovic IMO, had he not mentally lapsed), so I expect him to do well at the FO.
 
tennis08tarheels said:
Wawrinka and Almagro are the only ones outside the top 4 with a chance to make the final, in my opinion.
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They do not hav experience nor the toughness to stay in the hard important matches.Who's to say the'll not overcome that but its unlikely. But then again, that is why they are darkhorses correct ?
 
daddy said:
They do not hav experience nor the toughness to stay in the hard important matches.Who's to say the'll not overcome that but its unlikely. But then again, that is why they are darkhorses correct ?
Click to expand...

Well, neither did any of the AO darkhorse finalists, right? I just get the feeling that one of these guys might get a nice draw and cruise until the QF where they pull off an upset or two.
 
Eduardo Schwank. The biggest DARKHORSE ever, since no one has ever heard from him, but he won 3 clay challengers in a row.

He'll probably won't make it past 3rd round if the qualifies, but if he does, he could give some seeds a big time scare.
 
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l_gonzalez said:
Thomaz Belucci (Brazil - 20 years old) has won 4 Challengers on clay this year including 3 in a 4 week period.


Eduardo Schwank (Argentina - 22 years old) has won 3 Challenger on clay in the last month.

It's worth mentioning that both of them have also done fairly well in doubles, Belucci winning one title and making 2 finals this year and Schwank has won 3 titles, all at Challenger level.

Maybe one of these two will blaze through the draw at Roland Garros and do a '97 Kuerten?

I think their only downfall is that they both have to qualify...
Click to expand...

You know, things like 97's Guga, do happen a bit more often in French Open than other slams. Clay is so neutralizing and it rewards your desire/youth.

maybe Gulbis,Celic and Del Potro (not really good clay court players. But maybe surprising run-ups to quarter or semi-final...)
 
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