Rome Masters 1000 2015

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Djokovic has been drawn in the same quarter as Nishikori and the same half as Murray. Djokovic could get Almagro in his first match as well.

Nadal drawn in the same quarter as Wawrinka and same half as Federer. Seems as though Nadal has a better draw.

Fed serving beautifully today.

"Lucky" return there from Novak. Just awesome on the big points this year.

Djoko takes the set, some good shots there, but fed again making silly UE's.

That was an amazing return from Nole.  Deserved the first set; he has looked the more solid of the two throughout.

What a return. Fed losing every point he doesn't make his serve

Wake up Fed, do a quick 6:3 now.

Anyone else reminded of the famous service return match point save from Novak at the US open there, on the deuce point (perhaps that's what Born Slipply if referring to?). Great, shot. Also, superb service return on the next point. Tight set, but great way to finish it.

Yeah almost a cardboard cut out.  Very lucky man on the return isn't he?

The first set has gone roughly the way I expected it.  Fed looking respectable enough, even with some chances, but in the end Nole too strong.

I think Novak did well what he often does well inn this match up, and kept the ball deep. They both did actually, but he neutralises the FEderer attack by keeping him pinned near the baseline. It's interesting, because against other players you often see Novak rallying with the ball bouncinng near the service linne, e.g. against Murray or Rafa, but he avoids this against Roger.

Actually a tight set I thought, very close, Roger playing quite well and good effort by both players to have the winners ahead of the unforced errors despite all the good depth of their opponent.

I think Djokovic has done an especially good job of finding that deep BH corner or Roger's, once you find that point you are on the ascendancy.

Cistine chapel! What have you been taking petch?

wow

Djoko kicking ass.

Fed in coma.

Uh oh that whiff looks costlu

Fed keeps gifting points and loses serve.

Wake the f up man, give us 3 sets at least.

This could get ugly from here.

good game, but shame it was decided on the errors in the end..

Great bh, but he needs that just to keep level.  Not good enough serving

Novak isn't just pushing the ball. They're fast and deep as angled, hitting winners to those shots under pressure is nearly impossible

3:0 for Djoko.

Well the Final ain't bad for the swiss

Worth reminding ourselves of Djokovic's record so far this season.
Only two losses, Karlovic at Doha and Federer at Dubai.
Won every match so far played in masters 1000 and slams.

A good effort at Rome as well. He had the toughest possible draw and everyone that was seeded to meet him did get through to that position.

Looks like winning all 9 masters series is going to stay out of reach for Federer. Never won Rome or Monte Carlo despite multiple finals at both.

Come on Fed, don't get bageled at least.

Good. I was starting to worry about bagels.

Good hold actually, I think Federer is playing quite well here.

HB, drop the Djoko advert stats till the match finishes, then choke us on them. Gee.

It's live match commentary!!

Fed can't see the balls, must be all red to him.

Wake up man.

Henman Bill wrote:A good effort at Rome as well. He had the toughest possible draw and everyone that was seeded to meet him did get through to that position.

Not Andy.

Federers playing ok when gets his serve in. The gulf outside of that though isn't even funny at the mo. Fed needs to go up yet another gear

As excellent as his returnung has been, Novak is winning this match on his serve.i Roger's backhand is breaking down at inopportune times and his forehand is also breaking down at the wrong moment.

I cannot see Roger making a dent on Novak's serve

No more gears left, it's gone.

Enjoyable match, but more in a no-nonsense, purist, solid kind of way. Not so good if you like longer rallies and more tension and controversy of course.

Djoko has served superbly, 73% First ones in.

Scarily though. If this is solid Novak how good is good Novak?

This is very good Novak, but he's doing it week in week out. That cross court forehand a couple of games ago for a winner from behind the baseline was breathtaking in its accuracy and generation of power.

If this IS the end it's been a decent match. Mostly for that 5-4. Game that's big time Novak there

Break him NOWWWWWW

A total clinic. Federer played well but outside of his serve he's way second best. Fed needs his best just to stay in touch   Hardly a cash in but novak swept him away

Poor show from Fed, at least if he played like he did against Stan.

Djoko deserved it.

Well done Nole, congrats.  He looked very strong.  Fed I thought actually looked ok.  I was hoping for a bit closer match but he did not look horrible.

Awesome from Novak. Won every Masters he has played this year. Hard to see how anything can stop him winning in Paris bar his own knowledge of what it will mean.

11 points lost on the Djokovic serve. Ridiculously good!

I am sorry but I am not buying that Djokovic was streets ahead. In many ways it was the routine straight sets victory that I predicted but if Federer takes the BP at 4-4 it may have been a different match.

Novak was simply too strong on his serve and an impregnable from the baseline.

On the majority of the baseline rallies, Roger came up second best.

Well deserved title for Novak

Fed hesitated at that BP, no reason to hesitate any more, crush it man, no one expects you to win Masters and GS any more, so don't be too calculative.

Djoko can not win RG at this level, neither can Rafa, so they both need 2 notches up for RG.

Federer was close to Novak... On one service game. He only got anywhere coming to the net or on his first serve. His second was decimated and you can't come to net on that much consistent depth

I think a lot of positivity here for Federer. That kind of performance level will be enough to take care of most. He looks well set for a decent performance at the FO and the rest of the year. You can see him winning tournaments still although he needs to be mega in the zone against Novak, or avoid playing him, or be on a more favourable surface. He doesn't look by the way he was staring at it after the odd slip that he'll be too sad to leave the clay.

I could see Fed picking up something like Cincinatti or the World tour finals, or maybe even a slam, you never know.

Don't see that Djokovic needs any notches up for RG - only if the real Rafa reappears.

There is always Halle for Fed