Italian Open Updates: Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic Through

Having the opportunity to watch the Roger Federer match on TV for the Italian Open, I gained some insight into the way Roger reduces the mixture of play to a fine substance.

I also had the chance to watch the bottom half of the match between Novak Djokovic and Lukasz Kubot. Novak took the first set 6-0. In the second he gave up three games, closing it out 6-3.

Federer’s impact versus the world of tennis is as true as one of his given nicknames, “the maestro.” Like tuning an orchestra to play a fine piece of symphonic sound, Roger searches for more to add to the game of Tennis.

Whether it is his fine angles, imparting his mix of topspin on clay, or whether he runs over the ball or cuts under it, it seems at times that Roger is teaching a clinic for his opponents.

Federer’s next opponent is Richard Gasquet which he had this to say about: "I need to be very focused and smart with a good game plan and we’ll see how it goes," and "I am excited to play Richard because he’s a great player and we had a good match against each other in Dubai, so I am looking forward to playing [him] on clay."

Roger converted all of his three break point chances against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, while his opponent couldn’t convert on his own break point opportunities.

As for “Nole,” a nickname given to the 6’2” Serbian Novak Djokovic, today he ran through his opponent quickly and with great accuracy.

Offering a lesson like Federer, Novak’s stroke production was on target and noticeably efficient, bookending today’s match with his 33-0 undefeated record since the beginning of 2011 where he won the Australian Open.

Rafael Nadal got through, albeit taking two hours and 36 minutes. As explained by Ravi Ubha, Nadal may have had some problems with the altitude in Rome. The bounces stay higher and the balls fly through the air faster, even if you use topspin.

Further explained by Nadal, "Losing the final (Madrid) makes everything more difficult—you're more tired and a little sad," he said. "But I'm in the third round and that's very positive for me.

An upset in the second round included Juan Ignacio Chela defeating Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-4, 6-2. Others include German Florian Mayer over Jurgen Melzer which was a walkover, Italian Potito Starace over Viktor Troicki 6-4, 6-4 and Mardy Fish over Ivan Ljubicic 7-6(7), 5-7, 6-2.

Further, Stanislas Wawrinka defeated Italian Fillipo Volandri 6-1, 3-6, 6-2, and Spaniard Feliciano Lopez defeated Phillip Kohlschreiber 6-4, 3-6 and 6-3.

On Thursday, the third round of the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome will be played out to the fascination of the Italian crowd. The crowd is witnessing this magnificent event in style, all dressed in suits and ties.