Artois Championships

Second round:

R NADAL (Spa) * v J Bjorkman (Swe)

5-2

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Live - Federer v Nadal ... involved use 606 or text us your views & comments on 81111.

By Sam Lyon

"I don't want Rafa to win Queens, that honour's A-Rod's. Rafa needs a break before Wimbledon. However, even if he's weak, only Nadal can stop Federer this year. Vamos Rafa."
Sarah from Cambridge via text

Nadal 5-2 Bjorkman
Good hold from Bjorkman, though his insistence on staying back on his second serve could yet prove part of his downfall. Twice he hands Nadal the initiative in such a fashion, but a booming first serve sees out the game to 30.

"I feel like Federer is slightly declining at the moment and this is a massive Wimbledon for him. Nadal has the edge on him, for me, and so does Djokovic."
Greg Rusedski on BBC Two

"Bjorkman is no Djokovic, but in this kind of form Nadal is going to be tough to beat on any surface."

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Nadal 5-1 Bjorkman
Much better from the Swede - even at 36, Bjorkman is still one of the finest movers on the court - a benefit of his doubles game - and he pushes and pulls Nadal around the court to go 30-15 up against serve. A couple of long returns hand the initiative back to the Spaniard, but another excellent point and drop volley at the net bring him to deuce. A forehand error hands Bjorkman his first break point but Nadal responds and hits back to hold.

Nadal 4-1 Bjorkman
Bjorkman is certainly finding things tough out there as he struggles to find answers to Nadal's supreme skill. His best moments come at the net - a sublime volley at 15-30 comes right out of the top drawer - but Nadal brutalises a backhand down the line on his way to break point and the Spaniard tonks another beauty of a return to seal the game.

Nadal 3-1 Bjorkman
Nadal starts to kick it up a notch as he brings out the lob, a running pass at the net and an ace down the 'T' to hold to 30.

"I want to see Bjorkman at the net far more often, because he knows he can't beat Nadal from the back of the court."
Greg Rusedski on BBC Two

Nadal 2-1 Bjorkman
I think it's fair to say Rafa is 'feeling' his way in at the moment. However, Bjorkman, surprisingly, stays at the back of the court for much of the game and despite sending a couple of passes wide, Nadal takes the game to deuce following a couple of unforced errors from the Swede. Bjorkman goes to advantage four times and is pegged back each time by brutal Nadal passing shots. The Spaniard then brings up his first break point and makes no mistake as Bjorkman nets a return to hand Nadal the game.

Nadal 1-1 Bjorkman
Decent, if unexplosive, start from Rafa as he holds to 15 with a couple of nice kick serves and some solid back-court strokes.

Nadal 0-1 Bjorkman
Good start from Bjorkman, coming to the net twice to go 30-0 up, but it's third time unlucky as Rafa brings up his first point with a forehand down the line. More good work at the net takes Bjorkman to game point and, after Rafa drills a backhand winner down the line, sees the game out aided by a well-directed body-serve.

1427: Rafa wins the toss and chooses to receive... we'll be under way in just a jiffy...

"Okay so Bjorkman is in bad form and Rafa is a man on fire right now but don't let the Swedish veteren fool you, he's tough competitor on grass."
Scotsguy on 606
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1425: By the way, these two have never met before, but having reached the Wimbledon final and lost to Federer in the last two years, Nadal will be desperate to kick off his grass-court season well. Veteran Bjorkman, strong from the back of the court but without the biggest serve in the game, might just be the perfect work out.

"My money, quite literally, is on Nadal, the monstrous beast. However, I think Roddick is a real dark horse..."
Pete via text

1421: It's another lovely day at Queen's Club and there's a fair old crowd in for this one. Rafa is in his favoured - and, let's be honest, ridiculously garish - green, sleeveless vest that only serves to accentuate just how big that left arm of his is. A few more curls on the right bicep needed there I think.

1417: Jonas Bjorkman tells BBC Two that he is "looking to dig in and put in a good performance," but admits "it will be tough, for sure".

Spaniard Nadal follows him out of the locker room and tells Andrew Castle: "It always gives me confidence to win at Roland Garros. I love this surface but I've only had a day's preparation and today will be a hard match, I'm sure. Mentally I feel OK and just hope to do my best."

"I think this year is Nadal's best chance of winning Wimbledon in his career."
Guiro on 606

1410: Right, hands up if you fancy Rafael Nadal to break Roger Federer's hold on the grass-court season this summer?

He could hardly have had better preparation having blown the Swiss away in the recent French Open final and, with many claiming Nadal's game is better than ever, this might just be his year to win a first Wimbledon title.
Watch: Nadal v Federer

Today's game may give us some indication of how he might fare on the green stuff this year - a match up against Wimbledon semi-finalist of two years ago Jonas Bjorkman is no walk in the park on paper.

Get involved on 606 or via text on 81111 please people and let me know where you see this one being won and lost - and its implications for the SW19 tournament.
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(BBC)

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