Drew, the match isn't best of 5 sets

They've played once before, Ljubicic won 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in rd1 of ATP Zagreb in January and went on to win the title. Both players were not at their best in that match and Murray had chances in the decider.

Since the US Open, Ljubo has been on fire, reaching the Beijing quarters, the Bangkok final and winning Vienna. He's beaten Ginepri, Srichaphan, Wawrinka, Hrbaty and Gonzo. Hopefully he's feeling a little tired from his exploits and he'll have had just two days to get used to the strange Madrid courts and conditions while Andy has been in Madrid for a week. Hopefully he can catch Ljubo a little cold. The Croat's also under quite a bit of pressure this week, defending points from reaching the Madrid final in 2005.

If Andy is to have any chance he needs to serve extremely well and be really aggressive from the baseline, if he stays passive then Ljubo will blow him off the court.

It's been a great month for British tennis so far. I predict Andy to join the party with a 3 set win, 6-4, 6-7, 6-4

I went for Ljubicic in 3 - but I'm hoping the revamped serve will hold up and prove me wrong. :)

my head says lubo in 3 and lubo will go on to the final, but my heart says andy in 2- i seriously think with andys tactics now and assured consistent groundstrokes and better serve that he will win

i mean u look at atp matches say for example, i watched roddick and grosjean,   roddick's slice looks about as natural as jordans prime assets and monfil and berdychs's variation is nothing like murrays. murray looks composed, skilled and  joy to watch. ok roddick has a big serve and gets the crowd going but many players these days dont look as talented as murray. You watch muray with fitness strength will be top ten next year for sure.

Maybe i jus enjoy watching murrays talented tennis ability but i watch otheres even lubo is just one dimensional-- power serve

same with many just one big asset- murray has them all like federer and nadal who (nadal) shows passion and spark and fight while fed is jus fed can play any shot-

Monfils dissapoints me, berdych, gaudio, ginepri, lubijcic and many others, no spark passion, no crafty skills on show just one dimensional. i like to watch tennis that is exciting not just one guy banging it all day and a hapless returner standing there.. Gaudio , why is in tourns the guy just drops out after one set with a stomach bug where a quali loser could of featured. all for the money is that fella

 

to conclude murray is great to watch, hes from round our way ie. somewhere near london and hs got skills which for many in the atp u cant say they do-- but they get by and its boring to watch- u must admit many players are boring to watch?

ENOUGH ALREADY, HOW LONG ARE GONZO AND SCHRICHIPAN TAKING

THEY ARE BOTH SON INCONSISTENT, if murray played gonzo todya  he would have beaten him easily

yesyesbadboy wrote:

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ENOUGH ALREADY, HOW LONG ARE GONZO AND SCHRICHIPAN TAKING

THEY ARE BOTH SON INCONSISTENT, if murray played gonzo todya  he would have beaten him easily

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They must have heard you...Gonzo wins !

So one more match....2-2.30pm GMT for a start ?

Blake and Vliegen on serve in the third set at 4-3 so will probably be at least 30mins before Andy starts.

Drew wrote:

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imoen wrote:

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Blake and Vliegen on serve in the third set at 4-3 so will probably be at least 30mins before Andy starts.

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Blake was up 3-1 as well

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Yeah, Vliegen is detirmined to make Murray wait.