Just like last year, this year seems to be a 1.5 horse race for the title. Why not a complete 2 horse race? Nadal is a huge favorite to win the tournament, and he will probably not be tested till the final itself. However, on the other side, we have a resurgent Roger Federer who has just ended Nadal’s streak on clay. But Roger has shown that he can lose to Canas and Volandris of this world too. So Roger will have a difficult time to make it to the final. Once he gets there, he really doesn’t have much of a chance. Sure he has beaten Nadal in 3 sets at Hamburg, but he has yet to beat Nadal in a best of 5 sets match on clay. Nadal rarely loses two sets on clay, and almost never loses 3 sets on clay. Roger took a set a bunch of times but nothing more than that, and I am afraid if Nadal gets to the final easily, Roger will suffer the same fate as last year.

Predictions:

Last 8

Roger Federer vs. Volandi (!)

Davydenko vs. Canas

Djokovic vs. Andreev

Berdych vs. Nadal

Semis

Federer vs. Davydenko

Djokovic vs. Nadal

Final

Nadal vs. Federer

Winner

Nadal