So how'd it go? Well, that depends on who you ask. But here are some highlights from their 25th head-to-head clash, a 6-2, 7-6 (4) Djokovic win:
Color of choice: By now, you've heard the tawdry tales of Madrid's blue courts. Perhaps there was something to it. The most vocal of bellyachers, Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, admonished organizers for the court's ice-skating-like surface. As it turns out, both lost early. However, the duopoly then sang the praises of Rome's red courts. And whaddaya know: They're both in Sunday's final.
Color of choice, Part II: Federer looked pretty rusty on the red clay Saturday a week after he blew away the competition on the blue. It only validates what we already know: In order for him to consistently succeed on clay, Federer needs some kind of assistance from the courts. He had long been the second-best clay-court player in the world, but for the second straight year, there's a discernible gap between the levels of Djokovic and Nadal, and Federer. The world No. 1 overwhelmed Federer on the slow, grinding dirt for most of the match. Federer was unable to establish his potent one-two attack -- big first serve followed by a crushing forehand -- until deep in the second set. And if that isn't part of his arsenal, then …
Got to move it, move it: Djokovic doesn't have one overpowering wing, but he covers the court with more grace and efficiency than anyone else in the game. (No wonder he's No. 1!) This was crystal clear in the opening set, when Federer had seemingly won multiple points on his own almighty forehand, only to watch Djokovic's fleet feet dig him out of trouble. It wasn't until Federer went on a late tear that it looked like he could match wits with Djokovic.
Impeccable timing: Match point down at 4-5 in the second set and Federer smokes an impossible inside-out forehand in the corner? What!?!? Federer didn't have a break-point opportunity until that game -- and he converts. C'mon. Djokovic ultimately prevailed in the ensuing tiebreaker, but Federer showed his stout mental toughness in the most crucial of moments.
Telltale stat: Djokovic faced just one break point. Suh-weet.
Telltale stat II: Federer's first-serve percentage versus Djokovic: 48 percent. Ugh.
Bring it on, French Open: Federer won in Madrid and either Djokovic or Nadal will rule in Rome. Hey, these big three behemoths are pretty dang good. A harbinger for Paris? Yes, that was a rhetorical question.
Djokovic, unlike in 2011, played the Monte Carlo Masters, no doubt pumped up for a possible encounter with repeat champion Rafael Nadal. Heading into the tournament, Djokovic would have liked his chances against Nadal given their lopsided record of late.
But Djokovic, deeply affected by the death of his grandfather a few days earlier, was no match for a motivated Nadal in the finale.
Inflicting another psychological blow to Nadal had to wait.
Djokovic was still not ready to compete the following week, so he made the difficult decision to withdraw from his home-country Serbian Open event in Belgrade. But that meant the world No. 1 would bypass competing for three straight weeks.
At the Madrid Masters, his mood was sour. Showing grit and sticking to business on the ice rink of the tournament's blue clay in a third-round win over Stanislas Wawrinka, he let rip on former ATP head Adam Helfant the next day following a defeat to countryman Janko Tipsarevic. Further, like Rafa, Djokovic vowed not to return to Madrid in 2013 if the blue dirt was still around.
Roger Federer and most of the women didn't kick up a fuss, did they?
Arriving in Rome and returning to the "paradise," as he called it, of red clay, Djokovic couldn't blame the surface if things didn't go well in the Italian capital.
And if a gutsy Juan Monaco hadn't fallen victim to nerves Thursday as the windy conditions persisted, a still-annoyed Djokovic would have lost in the third round -- not the kind of preparation he hoped for as he chases a fourth straight Grand Slam title at the French Open.
Djokovic advanced 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to likely set up an encounter with another Argentine, Juan Martin del Potro, who is in desperate need of a win against the big three. We didn't expect much from Monaco on Thursday. He was on his way back from an ankle injury sustained in Monte Carlo (thankfully, it looked worse than it turned out to be), robbing him of the momentum he collected in Miami and Houston. His two wins this week in Rome came against a qualifier and an aging Radek Stepanek, making it difficult to assess Monaco's form. Like his good friend Nadal, Monaco is a valiant competitor on the court.
Monaco said in April he was trying to become more aggressive, and this adjustment to his game could be seen. Monaco's forehand, judging by the past two months, has improved considerably. He's hitting it flatter. Especially in the first set against Djokovic, his forehand did some damage. In the first set, Monaco won more return points than Djokovic, who is considered the best returner on tour.
Djokovic was so annoyed with his performance in the opening set that he slammed his racket, then broke it after two straight points to cap the set. To frustrate him even more, Djokovic lost his footing at least three times as the wind caused havoc with the condition of the court. Karma?
But Monaco, unfortunately, has a reputation for getting tight. When he broke Djokovic to take a 2-1 lead in the second set, he had to hold immediately. Instead, he was broken at love to begin a stretch of 10 straight points conceded.
Monaco recovered slightly in the third set and worked a 30-0 lead on Djokovic's serve at 3-3. Djokovic hung on. Monaco blew a 30-0 lead in the ensuing game, and that quickly made it 5-3.
Djokovic won in Rome and Madrid last year, but it didn't translate to a title at the French Open. Conversely, the way he's played for most of the past 12 months, he might be able to win Roland Garros this year without having a 2012 clay title under his belt. We suspect, though, he could use a boost of confidence in Rome.
For that to happen, his level needs to improve with del Potro, Federer and Nadal all looming.
A breeze for Rafa
Here's some information on Nadal's most recent victim, fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers.
In April, he was the recipient of the "Player 10" award, handed out by a tennis journalists' association in Spain. The award, according to the ATP, is given to the player "that demonstrates both strong tennis skills and good human qualities."
Interesting list. Since 2000, only one of the 13 winners hasn't been a Spanish or Portuguese speaker (Lleyton Hewitt), and Nadal last received it in 2007.
Granollers seems nice enough, and he stands out because of a varied game, but he has a strange habit of picking his spots to grunt. The grunts grew louder as he attempted to close out brooding Italian Fabio Fognini on Wednesday, and in the fourth game against Nadal on Thursday -- on a key point at deuce -- Granollers upped the level. After he hit a winning inside-out forehand to get to game point, Nadal replied with what appeared to be a booming "Come on."
Nadal saved break points in his first two service games, then cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 win, handling the wind-strewn conditions better than he did in Indian Wells. Much of the first set was laborious stuff: The breeze intensified, kicking up more clay, and there were extended delays between points.
Once Nadal stamped his authority on the match by executing a trademark forehand pass down the line from five yards behind the baseline, most of the enthusiasm and determination the world No. 26 initially showed disappeared.
Don't worry, Marcel, you're not the only one.
Just as dazzling: Nadal carved Granollers up in the second set. Nadal hit a low backhand slice down the line and ran around Granollers' reply to smack an inside-out forehand winner.
Nadal's quarterfinal against Madrid runner-up Tomas Berdych won't be so easy, but his day of work was smoother than Djokovic's.
So, when Federer said a few days ago after winning in Madrid and reclaiming the No. 2 spot that he wasn't sure if he'd play at the Rome Masters because his body was slightly banged up, you sensed that the Swiss would indeed turn up at the Foro Italico on Wednesday. Entering the French Open without any matches contested on red clay isn't ideal prep.
He did, and got just what he wanted: a fairly comfortable and quick 6-3, 6-4 win against Argentine Carlos Berlocq on a third consecutive day of blustery conditions in Rome. Federer told Britain's Sky Sports he decided to play only Wednesday morning, not listing any specific injury but mindful of a long summer ahead.
Federer has been so good for so long, it's strange that he hasn't broken through in a place dubbed the Eternal City. Perhaps he'd take Madrid's blue clay after all.
Federer has never won the title, and it hasn't been simply Rafa who has stopped him. Yes, we all remember the 5-hour, 5-minute slugfest in the 2006 final, but another Spaniard, Felix Mantilla, ousted Federer in the 2003 finale in straight sets.
Since 2007, he's been upset in Rome by the likes of Richard Gasquet, Ernests Gulbis (in case you're wondering, he lost in qualifying last weekend), Radek Stepanek and home hope Filippo Volandri.
Gasquet dumped Federer in the third round in 2011, which, of course, means he can make up ground in the rankings on Novak Djokovic with an extended stay in Rome. An early loss for Djokovic would help Federer's cause.
Federer mentioned in Madrid that he wasn't looking past his opener against Milos Raonic. Once he overcame his inactivity and the Canadian, he faced players who he has a good record against; as he played well, his confidence rose, and all of a sudden he landed in the final. Federer's next opponent in Rome, Juan Carlos Ferrero, shouldn't overly worry him, since the Swiss has defeated Ferrero seven times in succession.
Straightforward wins would, presumably, help Federer's body as the weekend and a possible semifinal duel with Djokovic approaches. If anyone other than John Isner surfaces in the quarterfinals, the smooth progress should continue.
And if it is Isner, who took advantage of Philipp Kohlschreiber's nerves to advance in the first round, at least the match won't be physical. Nonetheless, Federer wouldn't want to lose to Isner twice in a row on European clay, now would he?
The outcome against Berlocq, who has never beaten a top-10 player, wasn't in doubt, even if Berlocq is a clay-court specialist having the finest season of his career.
Some may remember Berlocq from the Miami Masters in 2006, when he must have made dubious history. Berlocq fed Donald Young a double-bagel in the first round, only to suffer a 6-0, 6-0 defeat in the second round against another American, James Blake.
Especially in the first set, Federer had opened up the court by going to Berlocq's backhand. Berlocq did manage to hit two stunning backhand winners in the first three-plus games. Unfortunately, in between he dropped 13 straight points. Federer took a 3-0 lead (one break) and coasted the rest of the set.
The second was more of a struggle, when Federer, and his erratic forehand, was broken immediately after breaking Berlocq midway in the set.
Noticeable at 4-4 in the second was this: Berlocq was huffing and puffing and grunting away. He thought he won the first point by hitting a powerful shot down the line, but a quiet Federer took the ball early and zinged a forehand down the line for 0-15. Federer broke again, and there was no letting Berlocq back in it. Judging by the handshake at the net, Berlocq seemed happy he had the chance to face arguably the greatest player of all time.
Federer, meanwhile, was happy not to linger on Center Court on Wednesday.
On that note, some final thoughts from Madrid:
Out of the blue: Evidently, Ion Tiriac, the brains behind the big, bad blue courts, had this vision for quite some time. But the fatalistic feelings from the players implied this endeavor was pulled together with little thought other than a conspicuous marketing ploy to ratchet up the dollars. But what the cynical competitors should understand is this: Everyone is on equal footing (pun apology) and that adversity, believe it or not, is part of the game. If anything, court surfaces have become so homogenous in recent years that this could be looked at as a new challenge.
Blue it: Nicolas Almagro had a stellar opportunity in Madrid. He smacked his vaunted backhand all over the court against countryman David Ferrer. Almagro had three matches points in their third-round clash but was unable to convert any of them. Almagro eventually lost 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-6 (8) and fell to a dubious 0-10 versus Ferrer.
True blue: Serena Williams absolutely walloped the top two ranked players on the WTA Tour. She beat Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-3 in the quarterfinals and then took apart the nearly unbeatable Victoria Azarenka by the same score in the final. A decade ago, the first leg of the Serena Slam started at Roland Garros. Williams, who is now two-for-two on the clay this season looks to be a clear-cut favorite heading into Paris.
Feeling blue: The court's surface at Madrid evoked tepid responses at best and utter disdain at worst. And world No. 1 Djokovic was leading the chorus of jeers. His sentiments certainly didn't change after his countryman, Janko Tipsarevic, knocked him out of the tournament. That's now four events in his past five that Djokovic has come up short. Hmmm. But the morose Serb was then singing the praises of Rome's red courts upon arrival -- his final prep before the French.
Blueprint for success: Of the many players who denounced Madrid's courts, guess who wasn't? Roger Federer. And guess who won the title? You guessed it. Federer did say it was tough to move but you have to make the best of it. Federer, for his part, overcame a brutal array of shot-making from Milos Raonic in his opening match and just dealt with the hardships like, well, a professional the entire week. Considering the collective cry this past week, there's no doubt Madrid needs to make changes that will again placate the players. But as Federer proved, a positive attitude can go a long way.
Once in a blue moon: Despite Nadal's negative frame of mind, no one saw this coming: Up 5-2 and two breaks in the third set, he inexplicably fell apart versus Fernando Verdasco, dropping five straight games and the match in the third round. Nadal had been a perfect 13-0 versus Verdasco.
Rafael Nadal beats Novak Djokovic on red clay in Monte Carlo. Rafael Nadal loses to Fernando Verdasco on funky blue clay in Madrid.
Somehow, don't you think he'd take that tradeoff?
Nadal won't be too concerned about getting beaten by Verdasco on Thursday at the Madrid Open, although you'd have backed him to get the job done when leading 5-2, 15-0 on his serve in the third set. Uncharacteristically, Nadal, who owns one of the best overheads on tour, sent one into the net on the ensuing point, and it seemed to unnerve him.
What ticked him more, judging by his reaction, was how long Verdasco stayed down on the court in celebration when the three-hour match (they can't play a quick encounter against each other) ended. Nadal had to wait at the net for an eternity. He'll remember that the next time they play.
Indeed, after Verdasco bid adieu to his 13-match losing streak against Nadal, he acted like he won a Grand Slam, sobbing then jogging over to his box to exchange hugs.
This clay-court season for Nadal was all about two things: winning the French Open, which is still more than two weeks away, and beating Djokovic. By losing to Verdasco, Nadal at least ensures his one-match winning streak against the Serb won't come to an end in front of his adoring public in Madrid. Had they met in Madrid, with its high altitude and fast conditions, Djokovic would have been the favorite.
Remember, in four visits now to Madrid -- since it shifted to clay -- Nadal has won the title only once, yet he's kept on taking care of business at Roland Garros. Dodgy knees, family problems and perhaps his slugfest against Djokovic in Madrid three years ago contributed to the lone blemish in Paris in 2009. Nadal reverts to more comfortable surroundings next week in Rome.
By now we know the players don't like the blue clay; several of them, including Nadal, have called it slippery. But Nadal, who came out on the wrong end of the PR stick by criticizing Roger Federer at the Australian Open, didn't do himself any good after the match Thursday when he hinted he wouldn't play in Madrid next year if the blue courts were still around. Only a day earlier -- after a win over Nikolay Davydenko -- he said this: "It is the same for all of us, and if I lose here it will be because I was not good enough to win."
As for Verdasco, who was one of the hottest clay players in 2010, he needed this type of breakthrough result. He'd been drifting, reverting to his pre-Australian Open 2009 days.
Much easier for Fed
After scraping past the impressive Milos Raonic in a third-set tiebreaker Wednesday, in a match Raonic probably deserved to win (and the Canadian said as much on Twitter), Federer had a light workout Thursday. He spent less than an hour on court, dispatching Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-2.
On paper, the matchup was dangerous, since the talented -- and now more mentally tough -- Gasquet had defeated Federer in two of their previous three head-to-heads on clay, including a thriller in Monte Carlo in 2005.
But Gasquet wasn't in good shape to offer resistance. He had a long week in Estoril, battling to the final, and spent nearly three hours on court in Madrid in a first-round win over Thomaz Bellucci. Read more into his willingness to tough it out against Bellucci than his display Thursday.
Federer, not under the same pressure as against Raonic, was much cleaner.
It looked like Nicolas Almagro would emulate Verdasco and end a jinx against a fellow Spaniard. But David Ferrer saved three match points to make it 10 straight against Almagro and set up a quarterfinal against Federer.
Federer and Ferrer's head-to-head record is also lopsided: 12-0 to the Swiss.
Another test for Djokovic
Taken to three sets by journeyman Daniel Gimeno-Traver in his opener, Djokovic, the leading member of the big three, was made to sweat, again, by Stanislas Wawrinka.
But followers of Wawrinka will know that the Swiss No. 2 often makes matches against the elite competitive -- without ever winning. Wawrinka, who hits one of the heaviest balls on tour, was gutsy when he saved five set points serving at 4-5, but a shocking drop shot cost him in the pivotal first set tiebreak. He lost 7-6 (5), 6-4. Djokovic served brilliantly, winning all but eight of his first serve points, and was only broken when he lost his concentration late in the second set.
What lingered in the memory, however, was Djokovic's mindset. Yes, he made it clear, as he did in his match with Gimeno-Traver, that he didn't like the surface. He looked down at the blue clay on a handful of occasions, audibly frustrated. And chasing a sweetly struck Wawrinka backhand down the line, he took a tumble.
Djokovic got up, dusted himself off, and got on with things. It's another example of how he's improved, and how aware he is of the responsibility that goes along with being No. 1.
After Thursday's action, we're one step closer to a Djokovic-Federer semifinal, which would be the real final now that Nadal has departed.
First, there was his inactivity. The last time he stepped on court, Federer walked off a loser to Andy Roddick at the Miami Masters on March 27. The six-week gap was the longest for Federer in his career between Miami and his opening clay-court tournament of the spring.
Second, he had to contend with the much publicized blue courts. After Novak Djokovic's scathing criticism on Tuesday, Rafael Nadal, albeit more tamely, took his own swipe Wednesday. The courts, according to several players, including Nadal, are too slippery.
Third, and equally as daunting, was his young opponent, Milos Raonic. The 21-year-old Canadian is a quick study, looking better on clay this year than last. Raonic reached the semifinals in Barcelona and ousted the dangerous David Nalbandian in the first round in Madrid, hitting 16 aces in the higher altitude of the Spanish capital, not facing a break point and winning all 27 of his first-serve points. Federer dropped a set in Indian Wells to none other than Raonic.
And following a similar break in 2010, Federer tasted defeat in his first match in Rome to a similarly talented -- yet less mentally sound -- opponent, Ernests Gulbis.
But Federer overcame everything in front of him in Madrid, and there was no early exit. Despite winning fewer points overall than Raonic, Federer survived 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4) in one of the most absorbing matches of the season.
Here are a few takeaways:
Fed's attacking game
When Federer took on Nadal in last year's French Open final, he wasn't shy to attack. There was more of Federer going forward Wednesday, although you could argue he did it a little too much. It all began with a successful serve and volley on the third point.
But Federer seemed to be overdoing it in the first game of the second set when he was in trouble, so much so that his box -- which featured the usual suspects -- appeared puzzled.
Raonic knew what was coming, and on separate occasions with Federer serving and volleying, he ripped a backhand down the line on the ad court and one to Federer's feet on the deuce court. Federer hung on and held.
Raonic feasted on a return with Federer moving forward at 5-5 in the second set, another pivotal juncture of the match. Federer blew a 40-0 lead and stared at a break point, yet he was let off the hook by a tentative Raonic return.
However, it should be pointed out that Federer's accurate half-volley at deuce on the next point saved him (even if both players thought the ball was going long), and he fended off a break point in the third set with a lovely backhand drop volley.
He ended the night 19-for-34 at the net.
As to why he approached so often, perhaps he felt uncomfortable moving at the back of the court. In the fifth game of the third set, he looked down at the court in frustration, hands outstretched. Or maybe he felt his balls were flying from the baseline.
Let's see what he does against Richard Gasquet (who could be tired) Thursday.
That serve
Raonic picked up where he left off against Nalbandian. He didn't lose a point behind his first serve in the opening set, finally dropping one in the fourth game of the second when he sent an inside out forehand wide. Overall he won 86 percent of his first serve points.
But as the match went on, Federer had a better read on the Raonic serve. When he broke Raonic to end the second, for instance, he began by repelling two first serves with backhand slice returns.
In the tiebreaker, Raonic failed to get a cheap point on serve. At 4-5, credit Federer for making Raonic hit an extra ball (and he sent a forehand long). On the last point, Federer uncorked a stunning crosscourt return.
Yes, the kid is going to be really good
What a difference a year has made in Raonic's clay-court development. Last year in Monte Carlo, to use a well-known expression, he looked like a cow on ice in a crushing loss to David Ferrer.
He was slipping and sliding all over -- without control -- and Ferrer kept going to his backhand, with success. Both aspects have improved. The backhand is no longer a liability. (Raonic tested Ferrer in Barcelona in April, losing in two tiebreaks.)
Raonic is composed, too, although it'd be nice to see him show a little more positive emotion now that he's cut out the negative body language his coach says was an issue in the past. Imagine Raonic, the big guy that he is, offering up a Juan Martin del Potro-like roar.
Raonic's youth, though, was on display on several of the seven break points he didn't convert. (He went 1-for-8, with Federer 1-for-2.) He'll be annoyed, for instance, with the low-percentage backhand down the line he attempted at 2-2 in the third.
Who's who?
Some of the shot-making was breathtaking. Twice in the same game, overheads were picked off for winners: A gorgeous lob landed in the corner and a crosscourt backhand drop shot was a thing of beauty.
But it wasn't Federer who pulled them off. Raonic showed he's more than a serve.
Yes, of course, Federer chipped in, too, hitting a cheeky drop-shot return winner.
Played in good spirits -- mostly
Raonic is a polite young man, which was evidenced in the 11th game of the third. He apologized after a netcord threw Federer off, and on the next point, rubbed out a mark when a linesperson called a Federer serve long before making a correction.
Umpire Mohamed El Jennati got some exercise in the next game, coming out of his chair when Federer asked him to check a mark -- even though Raonic identified the mark and suggested the ball in question was long and El Jennati told Federer from the chair it was long. A few in the crowd jeered.
But when the match ended, rightfully, there was applause for both men.
Which players need good results in the next few weeks to give them a boost at the French Open, which starts in three-and-a-half weeks? These six, for a start.
Men
Andy Murray: Murray reached the French Open semifinals for the first time in 2011. Coming off a miserable Indian Wells and Miami, Murray got a dose of confidence by landing in the semis in Monte Carlo and Rome. At the latter, Murray should have downed Novak Djokovic and ended the Serb's marathon winning streak.
They were the springboards to his Roland Garros success.
This clay-court season hasn't begun well for Murray. The Scot blew a set advantage and was toppled by Tomas Berdych in the Monte Carlo quarterfinals. Berdych is a more experienced player on dirt and can still overpower anyone on his day, so it wasn't a huge surprise.
However, Murray's quarterfinal loss to Milos Raonic in Barcelona was a stunner. Murray usually swallows up big servers, and Raonic is a clay-court novice.
Earlier-than-expected losses in Rome and Madrid might chip away at Murray's belief heading into Roland Garros, even with Ivan Lendl in his corner.
John Isner: Losing early in Rome and Madrid wouldn't necessarily affect Isner's confidence at the French Open. With that big serve, he can turn things around in an instant.
Take 2011. Isner went 2-4 on European clay leading into Paris, then almost engineered one of the biggest upsets in Grand Slam history, winning the first two sets off eventual champ Rafael Nadal in the first round.
But we expect more from Isner at the two Masters events in 2012, and so, surely, does the 6-foot-9 Isner. He has raised expectations after going 4-0 on European clay in the Davis Cup, ousting the likes of Roger Federer in Switzerland and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Monte Carlo.
With Mardy Fish's health a question mark, Isner will likely be the U.S. No. 1 in Paris.
Note that the last U.S. man to reach a Masters quarterfinal on clay was Andy Roddick three years ago in Madrid.
Nicolas Almagro: Almagro excelled (as usual) on the Latin American golden swing. Surprisingly, though, he was making an effort and doing the business on hard courts, too. In four hard-court tournaments prior to the European clay-court stretch, he had only failed to reach the quarterfinals once, in Miami, where Almagro let Fish off the hook in the fourth round.
So according to the script, Almagro, back on dirt, was supposed to be a major threat in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. It didn't happen. Go figure.
Almagro lost to Stanislas Wawrinka in the third round in Monte Carlo; Wawrinka remains dangerous, yet Almagro didn't put up much resistance, falling 6-3, 6-3. He was felled by Raonic in the same round in Barcelona.
Women
Li Na: Li is a confident player, and the Chinese baseliner was in the right frame of mind entering the French Open last year, given she had advanced to the final four in both Rome and Madrid.
With Danish coach Michael Mortensen on her team, Li's level rose further at Roland Garros and she became China's maiden Grand Slam singles champion.
But if Li thought expectations back home capsized for the rest of 2011, imagine what fans in China will be expecting at this edition of the French Open.
Li must go deep in Rome and Madrid again as she gears up for her title defense in France. Li has reached the quarterfinals at three straight tournaments, but like in Indian Wells and Miami, she disappointed once there, this time squandering a one-set advantage to Agnieszka Radwanska in Stuttgart.
Francesca Schiavone: The swaggering Schiavone, 2010 French Open champion and a finalist last year, is nowhere to be found. An already dismal season has worsened for Schiavone after switching to clay.
Deciding she needed more matches, Schiavone accepted a wild card into Barcelona, but as the top seed, the Italian was humbled in the first round -- in straight sets -- by Olga Govortsova.
On this occasion, the Fed Cup didn't relieve Schiavone, as she then lost both her encounters in straight sets. There was reason for mild celebration in Stuttgart, with Schiavone winning a round -- before Petra Kvitova crushed her.
Could playing at home in Rome be the spark? Who knows? Only once in the past six visits has Schiavone achieved a quarterfinal, although it was in 2011.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: When Pavlyuchenkova is on, the Russian can dictate, no matter who the opponent. But Pavlyuchenkova has rarely been in form in 2012, compiling a dismal 3-11 record heading into this week. She's been, easily, one of the most disappointing players on either tour.
Perhaps this month's Fed Cup semifinals will prove to be a turning point. After going 0-2 in singles, a coach on the Russian team said Pavlyuchenkova's fitness simply wasn't good enough. That part of her game has been questioned in the past.
Even though Pavlyuchenkova lost her next match, in Stuttgart, she extended Julia Goerges to three sets.
Pavlyuchenkova has significant points to defend in Madrid, Rome and the French Open, where she reached a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the first time before succumbing to nerves in her match with Schiavone.
Rafael Nadal is a smart guy, so he'll know that Novak Djokovic was far from his best in Sunday's 6-3, 6-1 loss to the Spaniard in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters.
Djokovic needed to be fully focused since he met a highly motivated opponent and was playing in blustery conditions, but after the death of his grandfather Thursday, this was one match too far for the world No. 1. He wasn't himself. There was no intensity.
Despite Djokovic's lethargic display, Nadal is sure to take an enormous amount of confidence from winning his eighth straight title on the Cote d'Azur. He didn't know what to expect entering the tournament because of inactivity that stemmed from a left knee injury, so reaching the final was uplifting in itself.
As it turned out, he didn't drop a set in five matches, and of course, he kissed the seven-match losing streak to Djokovic goodbye.
Quick sit-down: It wouldn't have been a surprise to see the first changeover occur after 20 minutes, given the surface, their styles, the ball bounces and general extended time between points. But it was a rather routine 12 minutes, an average of four minutes per game. Call it a sign of things to come.
Their five-hour, 53-minute epic in Melbourne averaged 6.4 minutes per game overall. At 1:18, the entire match Sunday lasted two minutes less than the first set in Melbourne.
Setting the tone: No one could have predicted the rout after the first two games. Djokovic held comfortably for 1-0, and Nadal escaped a 15-30 hole for 1-1. He thumped an ace down the middle at 15-30 and an emphatic service winner on game point was placed in almost the same spot.
Nadal went for more on his serve throughout and mixed up his location, not, as in past meetings, regularly going out wide on the ad court. He won 85 percent of his first-serve points and 50 percent behind the second serve, great numbers. On clay in Rome (67 percent, 25 percent) and Madrid (55, 39) last season, the figures were less impressive.
Remarkably, Nadal faced a break point in only one game.
Missed chance: The match would have been more lopsided had Nadal not erred on two routine forehands in the fifth game as he chased a double-break advantage. The misses, mind you, didn't matter.
Crisp backhand: Nadal benefited from a little luck. Mishit returns and shanked balls found the line to make things difficult for Djokovic, whose footwork in turn wasn't what it had to be. But unlike in Rome and Madrid, he didn't offer many short backhands -- the kind Djokovic could attack -- and struck the backhand well.
In the third game, for instance, Nadal hit a winning backhand down the line -- and it wasn't with Djokovic at the net. That was unusual. He unloaded on a backhand return cross-court in the second-to-last game as Djokovic ventured forward.
Nice gesture: With Nadal holding a 4-3 advantage in the first, the match was still close, so when Djokovic rubbed out a mark when a Nadal serve was called wide, he deservedly received applause from the masses on Center Court and saved ump Carlos Bernardes a trip from the chair. Nadal apologized, too, on his mishits.
What's next for Nadal: Nadal heads to Barcelona this week brimming with confidence, and without Djokovic in the draw, he will be the overwhelming favorite to make it titles in back-to-back weeks. It could be a Nadal-Andy Murray finale. Nadal was likely in good spirits when he awoke in Monte Carlo on Sunday, after his beloved Real Madrid downed Barcelona 2-1 in soccer's Clasico.
Nadal then gets a week off before the Madrid and Rome double.
What's next for Djokovic: Djokovic was a true professional this week, electing to play Thursday after learning of his grandfather's death. He did his grieving in public, wiping away a tear before his match with Alexandr Dolgopolov in the third round and sobbing when he left the court. He'll have an opportunity to spend time with his family before competing in his home country event, the Serbia Open, which begins April 30. It kicks off a stretch of three tournaments in as many weeks for Djokovic.
If Djokovic confronts Nadal in Rome or Madrid, no doubt he'll be much improved.
A day after the same court swallowed up Juan Monaco and forced the distraught Argentine to retire, would Djokovic be a second victim? Nope.
Djokovic was fine, and on the next point the perhaps-embarrassed Serb showed it by crushing a shot down the line.
His 6-1, 6-4 victory over the ever-workmanlike Andreas Seppi, another bearded Italian, was comfortable, although not as dominant as it could have been in the world No. 1's seasonal clay-court opener on a chilly, windy day at the posh Monte Carlo Country Club. Given that Djokovic lives in Monte Carlo and even took in a bit of the U.S.'s Davis Cup series against France this month at the same venue, he would have been comfortable in his surroundings.
Djokovic spent considerable time between Miami and Monte Carlo working on his fitness and clay-court game, and he was intent, it seemed, on sending a message to archrival Rafael Nadal, who was next up on center court against a similar, albeit better, opponent in Finn Jarkko Nieminen. Djokovic really craves this year's French Open.
Entering play Wednesday, Djokovic and Nadal held identical 6-0 records against their respective challengers.
Djokovic, keen to end Nadal's seven-year reign in Monte Carlo, raced to a 5-0 lead. His body language and focus from the outset hinted he meant business, and his serve, so key to his game, worked. Djokovic was aggressive on the baseline and didn't give Seppi much time to breathe.
After Djokovic won the opening four games in quick time, we thought this could end in less than an hour. But after that fourth game, things turned into a minor struggle for Djokovic. It took him 10 minutes to hold for 5-0, saving three break points, and the familiar glazed look even surfaced once in a while thereafter.
He was never about to be stretched to a third set, but Seppi had chances in Djokovic's final two service games, only for the serve to bail out Djokovic.
Djokovic had to be pleased overall, and the manner in which he struck a ball into the stands after the match suggested as much.
Nadal's supporters, meanwhile, habitually worry about the Spaniard's physical state, and Nadal's uncertainty this week as he discussed his knee injury wouldn't have brightened their mood. Unlike Djokovic, Nadal didn't have proper preparation after Miami, only returning to the courts late last week.
And Nadal was reminded by reporters that he hasn't won a title since last year's French Open; he retorted by saying he's been in plenty of finals.
If only Djokovic wasn't in the equation, eh?
But if ever there was a place to cure Nadal's ills, it's the Cote d'Azur and Monte Carlo. Not only has Nadal won seven titles in a row, but in his past five visits, he's conceded a mere two sets. Nadal began his 2011 clay campaign with a 6-2, 6-2 win against Nieminen, and on Wednesday the final score read 6-4, 6-3. Whereas Djokovic's level dipped in the second set, Nadal's rose.
Nadal needs time on court to get back into the groove, so Nieminen wasn't the worst draw. A break in Nieminen's opening service game presumably allowed Nadal, whose game face was understandably replaced by a nervous look early, to relax.
When Nadal hunched over at the end of the fourth game and appeared to chat with his camp, which featured Uncle Toni, there must have been fear that something was bothering the world No. 2. However, it was probably nothing given the way the match unfolded.
Nieminen, himself healed from a back injury, took to the court with an aggressive mindset, wanting to take balls on the rise and hit behind Nadal. He compiled more winners -- and unforced errors -- in the first set, which ended with a pair of impressive Nadal forehands after Nadal squandered a set point on the Nieminen serve by shanking a forehand return.
Nadal upped his game in the second set. His movement was freer and he sought to be more of the aggressor. Mind you, Nieminen played a poor game to get broken and trail 2-1. Nadal saved his most energetic fist pump for when he sent a running backhand down the line, and later, a Nadal drop shot ignited the point of the match.
Having dropped serve for the only time when trying to serve out the affair, Nadal broke back immediately to advance. The celebration was muted; Nadal will wait to see how his knee feels.
His third-round opponent, the free-swinging Mikhail Kukushkin, shouldn't trouble Nadal if the latter's body is right, while Djokovic meets the unpredictable Alexandr Dolgopolov.
If Nadal reaches Sunday's final and then downs Djokovic, his celebration will be more animated.
He doesn't have the fame and notoriety of countryman Juan Martin del Potro, but Juan Monaco was also born in Tandil, Argentina, and resides in the ATP World Tour's top 20. And with a ranking of No. 16 (just two spots behind his career best), Monaco could soon catch the No. 11-ranked del Potro. Monaco was 12-5 heading into this week's Houston tournament and was a revelation at the Sony Ericsson, equaling his best Masters 1000 effort, reaching the semifinals before losing to No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic.
After falling in the first round of the Australian Open, Monaco won at Vina del Mar in Chile for the fourth title of his career -- and the first in nearly five years. Monaco also won a singles match this past Sunday to help Argentina into the Davis Cup semifinals, where it will host the Czech Republic in September. ESPN.com caught up with Monaco before his first match at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.
ESPN.com: You beat Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish in back-to-back matches in Miami. What did that feel like?
JM: It was amazing and a little strange because they are kind of heroes in America. We were playing on the big courts, and hard courts are not my best surface. And when I played Fish, it was my [28th] birthday, so it was special, a double happiness.
ESPN.com: You say hard courts aren't your best surface, but I wonder about that. You got to the fourth round of the U.S. Open last year and won four matches in Miami, including one over Gael Monfils. How do you explain your recent results?
JM: I was born playing on clay; it's normal for me. But lately my game has been improving a lot. I am competing better on hard courts because I lost the fear to play on them. I'm more aggressive now; I try to go for more and hit volleys to finish points at net. I also improved my serve. I am trying to enjoy it more, and the victories are coming a lot. I changed my mind a little bit and it gives me confidence.
ESPN.com: You weren't originally scheduled to play Houston. What prompted you to take a wild card there?
JM: I didn't play so well in South America. I lost in the second round at Buenos Aires [to David Nalbandian] and in the first round at Acapulco [to Albert Ramos]. I was looking to come here to get some more confidence before the big tournaments in Europe.
ESPN.com: How important is it for you to play well in Houston, and what's your clay-court schedule?
JM: For me, this tournament is very, very import to find my rhythm on clay. It takes time. After that I will play Monte Carlo and Barcelona before taking a week off. Then it's Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros.
ESPN.com: What are your goals for the season?
JM: I'm feeling great right now. I'm ranked No. 16 and not defending many points until the U.S. Open. I've got a good chance to really improve my ranking. My goal is to reach the top 10. It's a big jump, but not that far. I will take it step by step, little by little, and we will see if it happens. It would be the goal of my career to be top 10.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Ravi Ubha (top left) is a London-based journalist. He holds a business degree from McGill University and a journalism diploma from Concordia University, both in Montreal, where he formerly covered baseball and hockey. Ubha is a tennis and soccer contributor to ESPN.com, also featuring in other publications, and does play-by-play in tennis.
Kamakshi Tandon (top center) is a freelance writer and tennis junkie who contributes regularly to ESPN. She has also written for Tennis magazine, Reuters and Dow Jones Newswires. Tandon is based in Toronto.
Sandra Harwitt (top right) is a graduate of New York University's School of Journalism and covers tennis for various media outlets. Harwitt has been accepted to pursue a part-time master of science in strategic communications at Columbia University. She is based in South Florida and New York.
Matt Wilansky (bottom left) is the tennis editor for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 1998 after graduating with a B.A. in communication from the University of Hartford.
Tom Tebbutt (bottom center) is the tennis writer for The Globe and Mail in Toronto. He has been covering tennis for more than three decades and is a regular at the Grand Slam tournaments. Tebbutt lives in Toronto but is originally from Quebec.
Greg Garber (bottom right) joined ESPN in 1991 and provides reports for NFL Countdown and SportsCenter. He is also a regular contributor to Outside the Lines and a senior writer for ESPN.com.