Federer and Nadal have tricky matches in the third round of ATP Doha.
ATP Doha is into the third round and a final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal is still possible. Federer is in tough in the third round however as he faces Viktor Troiki, the athletic Serbian who took down his maiden title in late 2010.
Nadal is also facing a first time titlist from 2010 as well as he draws Ernests Gulbis of Latvia.
Neither Federer nor Nadal are on top form at ATP Doha as Nadal dropped a set in the second round to Lukas Lacko while Federer has played a trio of close sets against non-top 100 competition in the opening rounds. Both players, Federer and Nadal, will have to be sharper in the third round against their respective opponents than they have been in the first two rounds.
However Federer and Nadal are a combined 4-0 against their two opponents and that implies that the hopes for a Fedal final in Doha will be kept alive. It's possible that the mental energy for both players is already in Melbourne as the 250 level does not always bring the best playing out of the best players.
Here's tomorrow's Order of Play:
CENTER COURT start 3:30 pm
[7] Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) vs [3] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)
[6] Viktor Troicki (SRB) vs [2] Roger Federer (SUI)
[1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs [5] Ernests Gulbis (LAT)
[4] Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) vs Ivo Karlovic (CRO)
