Cincinnati Masters: Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray Face Tough Challenges

The names of the Top Four have been familiar and well-recited at just about every tournament this year, and Cincinnati has been no different so far.

Novak Djokovic is playing like the king he is, Rafael Nadal is grinding out epics as he can, Andy Murray has been cruising unassumingly as he typically does and Roger Federer is regaining a golden vein of form.

These quarterfinals tonight will be significant, not only because of the fact that we may be a hair's breadth from another Top Four semifinal lineup, but because this would be a lineup right before the US Open. There would be nothing better for their confidence than emerging victorious from a tussle between their three closest peers.

Of course, the reality is much more complex and these four matches all proffer intriguing possibilities. Set against Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Murray are Monfils, Fish, Berdych and Simon—all four potential upset matches, should the underdogs have their day.

Will they? 

Novak Djokovic vs. Gael Monfils

Djokovic handed the wily Frenchman Gael Monfils a drubbing at Montreal last week, in a vicious 6-1, 6-2 exhibition in authoritative tennis.

The problem, of course, is that Monfils' game matches up nicely with that of Djokovic's, and he will be hard pressed to out-rally the latter, let alone break his defenses.

Monfils' own set of wheels aren't too bad, but one has a feeling that Djokovic will go out again to prove why Montreal was no fluke. 

Andy Murray vs. Gilles Simon

These two come from a similar breed—the outrageously talented, counter-punching underachiever.

Neither of these two have so far fully maximised the capital that is their incredible tennis hardware (this being in no small way due to the era in which they play). However, facing each other should provide an interesting contest.

Neither quite possesses a killer, point-ending weapon, although Murray makes better use of the pace off his backhand wing.

Nevertheless, as good as Simon is, one just feels that Murray will have too much for him to handle. 

Roger Federer vs. Tomas Berdych

This would be one of the more interesting matches of the four, only because Federer and Berdych haven't played since the former beat the latter at Toronto last year in a third-set tiebreak.

Indeed, Berdych leads their last three meetings 2-1, and Federer only just managed to scrape through his win last year.

Some rough comments after Federer's Wimbledon loss to Berdych in 2010 is also indicative of a certain roughness and bad blood between the two, which should add an interesting intangible to the on-court manoueverings.

Berdych has the power, Federer the finesse; it is hard to pick a winner, but one suspects Federer, with the great week he has had already, may just have that extra gear in him. 

Rafael Nadal vs. Mardy Fish

Nadal's match with Mardy Fish certainly stacks up as the match of the day. Sure, Nadal has a 6-0 record over the American, but the circumstances as they stand make it meaningless.

Fish is the in-form player on the north American hard courts, second only to Djokovic. He pushed the world No. 1 to three at Montreal, and could well muster similar courage against former world No. 1 Nadal.

On the other hand, the Spaniard comes in having edged Fernando Verdasco in three, tense tiebreaks, with much unconvincing play throughout. He could come in against Fish in one of two ways—mentally refreshed, or ever more aware of his vulnerability.

Nadal is certainly the wise choice, although a stunning upset does seem on the cards.