The bottom half of the quarter-finals at the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday is led by World No. 3 and defending champion Rafael Nadal against No. 19 seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic and No. 21 Juan Monaco of Argentina against No. 20 Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia.
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In the day session match, Monaco and Ljubicic square off for the third time (tied 1-1). Monaco is the sixth different Argentine in the past seven years to reach the quarter-finals here while Ljubicic is appearing in the quarter-finals for the fourth time in five years.
In the evening session, Nadal takes a 6-3 record against Berdych, who is making his first quarter-final showing here. The Spaniard has won the past five times against Berdych and this is the sixth different ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament they are meeting in.
On Friday, the top half quarter-finals will be played with No. 4 seed Andy Murray taking on No. 6 Robin Soderling and No. 7 Andy Roddick playing No. 18 Tommy Robredo.
THURSDAY QUARTER-FINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS – In Order of Play
(21) Juan Monaco (ARG) vs (20) Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) Tied 1-1
06 Roland Garros (France) Clay R32 Ivan Ljubicic 4-6 5-7 6-3 6-4 6-2
08 Poertschach (Austria) Clay SF Juan Monaco 6-4 6-7(4) 7-6(4)
MONACO FASTFACTS
Tournament Highlights:
• The 25-year-old Argentine is making his fourth overall appearance (5-3 record) and his first in the quarter-finals…Prior to this year he won two matches (in ’05 – 2nd Rd. & ’08 – 3rd Rd.) before posting a 64 75 win over Italian Fabio Fognini in his opening match (2nd Rd.), No. 11 seed Juan Carlos Ferrero 76(2) 36 63 and unseeded Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 36 62 61
• He is the sixth different Argentine in the past seven years to reach the quarter-finals, joining Juan Martin del Potro last year, David Nalbandian in 2008, Juan Ignacio Chela in 2007, Guillermo Canas in 2005 and Guillermo Coria in 2004…Canas was the last Argentine semi-finalist five years ago
2010 Highlights:
F: Santiago (l Bellucci); SF: Buenos Aires (l Ferrero); Acapulco (l Ferrero)
2010 In Review:
• The Tandil native enters his fourth consecutive ATP World Tour quarter-final or better with a 16-5 match record on the season, including 6-2 on hard courts…This is his second career ATP World Tour Masters 1000 quarter-final (’09 Rome)
• He began the season with a 2nd Rd. in Auckland (l. to eventual champ Isner in three sets) and reached 3rd Rd. at the Australian Open (l. to No. 6 Davydenko
• In February, compiled a 10-3 mark on clay, advancing to his 10th career ATP World Tour final in Santiago (l. to Bellucci in three sets) and following with back-to-back semi-finals in Buenos Aires and Acapulco, falling to Ferrero both times…Retired with left rib injury after losing first set 7-5 in Acapulco
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 History:
• Has a 31-27 career match record and his best result was the quarter-finals in Rome last May when he qualified and beat Kiefer, No. 4 Murray and No. 15 Cilic before losing to Gonzalez in three sets
Miscellaneous:
• In 2009, finished in Top 30 for second time in three years at No. 30 with 36-26 match record…He reached three ATP World Tour finals, all on his favorite clay – Buenos Aires (l. to Robredo), Bastad (l. to Soderling) and Bucharest (l. to Montanes)
• Has a 3-7 career mark in ATP World Tour finals, all on clay…His last title came in Kitzbuehel on July 29, 2007 (d. Starace)…He owns a 129-70 career mark on clay and 40-52 on hard courts
• Coached by countryman and former ATP World Tour pro Luis Lobo
LJUBICIC FASTFACTS
Tournament Highlights:
• The 30-year-old Croat (turns 31 on Friday) is making his fourth quarter-final appearance in the past five years (except '08) and his last five losses have come to Top 4 opponents...He lost to No. 1 Federer in the fourth round in 2005, quarter-finals in '06 and 4th Rd. in ‘08...He lost to No. 4 Roddick in the quarter-finals in ’07…Last year he defeated No. 8 Simon in 3rd Rd. and lost to No. 4 Murray in quarter-finals
• Has a 17-7 career record in Indian Wells (3-5 vs. Top 10 opponents) and has reached the fourth round or better the past six years…He came in ranked No. 74 last year
• He is attempting to become the first Croat to reach the semi-finals since Goran Ivanisevic in 1996
2010 Highlights:
QF: Dubai (l Djokovic)
2010 In Review:
• The No. 2 Croat (behind No. 9 Cilic) is appearing in his second straight ATP World Tour quarter-final after reaching the quarters in Dubai last month (l. to eventual champ Djokovic in three sets)
• He opened the season by reaching the 3rd Rd. at the Australian Open (l. to Karlovic in four sets) and followed with a 2nd Rd. in Zagreb (l. to Lacko) and 1st Rd. in Rotterdam (l. to Benneteau)
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 History:
• Has a career record of 105-73 with his best result three runner-up showings – 2005 Madrid (l. to Nadal in five sets), 2005 Paris (l. to Berdych in five sets) and 2006 Miami (l. to Federer)
• Also a semi-finalist in Madrid in 2004 and Miami in 2007
Miscellaneous:
• In 2009, finished in Top 50 for ninth consecutive year at No. 24 with a 32-23 match record, highlighted by his ninth career ATP World Tour title in Lyon (d. Llodra)… Has a 9-12 career record in ATP World Tour finals
• In Grand Slam play, reached quarter-finals at Australian Open and semi-finals at Roland Garros in 2006 and reached a career-high No. 3 on May 1, 2006
(19) Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs (3) Rafael Nadal (ESP) Nadal Leads 6-3
05 Bastad (Sweden) Clay F Rafael Nadal 2-6 6-2 6-4
05 ATP Masters Series Cincinnati (USA) Hard R64 Tomas Berdych 6-7(4) 6-2 7-6(3)
06 ATP Masters Series Toronto Hard R16 Tomas Berdych 6-1 3-6 6-2
06 ATP Masters Series Madrid (Spain) Hard QF Tomas Berdych 6-3 7-6(6)
07 ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo Clay SF Rafael Nadal 6-0 7-5
07 Wimbledon (Great Britain) Grass QF Rafael Nadal 7-6(1) 6-4 6-2
08 ATP Masters Series Miami (U.S.A.) Hard SF Rafael Nadal 7-6(6) 6-2
09 ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati (U.S.A.)Hard QF Rafael Nadal 6-4 7-5
09 ESP vs. CZE DC Final (Spain) Clay RR Rafael Nadal 7-5 6-0 6-2
BERDYCH FASTFACTS
Tournament Highlights:
• The 24-year-old Czech Republic native is the first player from his country to reach the quarters here since Petr Korda in 1998…He enters his first quarter-final with a 7-5 match record and he’s posted wins over Frenchman Florent Serra 75 46 64, No. 10 seed Fernando Verdasco 60 63 and No. 29 seed Viktor Troicki 61 63
• His previous best result was the fourth round in 2006 (d. No. 10 Hewitt, l. to Baghdatis)…He had lost three straight opening round matches from 2007-09
2010 Highlights:
SF: Brisbane (l Roddick); QF: San Jose (l Roddick); Memphis (l Gulbis)
2010 In Review:
• The No. 2 player from the Czech Republic (behind No. 17 Stepanek) enters his fourth ATP World Tour quarter-final or better with a 12-5 record on the season, with all but one match coming on hard courts…He helped his country to a 4-1 first round Davis Cup win over Belgium (on clay), defeating O. Rochus in straight sets in the opening rubber and winning the doubles (w/Stepanek) in similar fashion
• He opened the season by reaching the semi-finals in Brisbane (l. to eventual champ Roddick) and followed with opening round loss in Sydney (l. to Luczak after bye) and 2nd Rd. at Australian Open (l. to Korolev)
• Last month reached back-to-back quarter-finals in San Jose (l. to Roddick) and Memphis (l. to Gulbis)
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 History:
• Has a 59-44 career match record and his best result the title in Paris in 2005 (d. No. 10 Ljubicic in five sets)…Also a semi-finalist three other times – ’06 Madrid, ’07 Monte-Carlo and ’08 Miami and quarter-finalist on four other occasions
Miscellaneous:
• In 2009, finished in Top 20 for fourth consecutive year at No. 20 and helped his country to its first Davis Cup final since 1980 (l. to Spain 5-0)…Went 3-2 in singles matches
• Has a 14-43 career mark vs. Top 10 opponents and trying to break a 10-match losing streak since his last win over No. 8 Gilles Simon in 1st Rd. Davis Cup tie in March 2009… His last tournament Top 10 win came over No. 8 Roddick in the semi-finals of Tokyo in October 2008
• Has a 5-4 career mark in ATP World Tour finals and has never reached a final on U.S. soil
NADAL FASTFACTS
Tournament Highlights:
• The defending champion comes into his fifth straight quarter-final or better with a 25-3 career record …He opened the tournament with a 64 64 victory on Saturday over German qualifier Rainer Schuettler and followed with a 62 62 win over Mario Ancic on Monday and 75 36 63 triumph over No. 15 seed John Isner, who fired 22 aces
• Last year he defeated Andy Murray in the final…In 2006, he lost to James Blake in the semi-finals, captured the title in 2007 (d. Djokovic) and lost to Djokovic in the semi-finals two years ago
• He’s also in the doubles semi-finals (w/M. Lopez)…The last player to win both titles in the same year was Jim Courier in 1991 (w/J. Sanchez)
2010 Highlights
F: Doha (l Davydenko); QF: Australian Open (l Murray)
2010 in Review:
• The World No. 3 has an 11-2 mark on the season (all on hard courts) and he is making his third tournament appearance, the first since the Australian Open when he retired with a right knee injury in the quarter-finals (vs. Murray) on Jan. 26
• He opened the campaign with a runner-up in Doha (l. to Davydenko, held two match points)…His last title came at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome (d. Djokovic) last May
ATP World Tour Masters 1000 History:
• Has a sparkling 160-33 career match record and a 15-6 mark in finals, winning at least two titles in each of the past five years (2005-09)…Won a personal-best four in 2005 and three each in 2007-08-09
• Has reached the final in eight of the current nine Masters 1000 finals (except Cincinnati)…He also won the former Masters 1000 tournament in Hamburg in 2008 and was runner-up in ‘07
Miscellaneous:
• In 2008, he became the first left-hander to finish No. 1 since John McEnroe in 1984, in addition to becoming first Spaniard as year-end No. 1 in history of ATP Rankings (since 1973)
• Captured his fourth straight Roland Garros crown (d. Federer) and became first player since Borg in 1978-81 to accomplish feat...Also first player since Borg in 1980 to win without dropping a set in Paris
TOP HALF QUARTER-FINALS – To be played Friday
Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs Andy Roddick (USA) Roddick Leads 10-0
01 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Andy Roddick 6-2 6-2 6-4
02 USA v ESP WG Qtrs (Texas) Grass RR Andy Roddick 6-3 7-5 7-6(7)
02 ATP Masters Series Rome (Italy) Clay QF Andy Roddick 6-4 7-6(2)
03 Sydney (Australia) Hard R32 Andy Roddick 6-2 6-2
03 Wimbledon (England) Grass R32 Andy Roddick 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4
03 ATP Masters Series Paris (France) Carpet R16 Andy Roddick 6-3 6-4
04 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Andy Roddick 6-3 6-2 6-4
08 ATP Masters Series Rome (Italy) Clay QF Andy Roddick 6-3 4-6 7-6(4)
08 ATP Masters Series Madrid (Spain) Hard R32 Andy Roddick 6-3 6-4
09 Australian Open (Australia) Hard R16 Andy Roddick 7-5 6-1 6-3
Andy Murray (GBR) vs Robin Soderling (SWE) Murray Leads 2-1
05 Bangkok (Thailand) Hard R16 Andy Murray 7-6(3) 7-6(5)
06 San Jose (U.S.A.) Hard QF Andy Murray 4-6 7-5 6-4
06 Memphis (U.S.A.) Hard QF Robin Soderling 6-1 6-4
