Archie's Picks: Djokovic-Federer

Archie's betting the trend tomorrow because he believes that Nole is not done wowing us yet.

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Archie broke even for the day, going 1 for 2 on his women's semis picks, but he's not losing sleep over any of this. Besides, he is quick to mention that he's 5 for 7 so far, and if you're scoring at home you know by now that he's a pretty smart dog.

See Archie's Sharapova-Petkovic pick Here

See Archies Azarenka-Li pick Here

See Archie's Nadal-Soderling pick Here

See Archie's Schiavone-Bartoli pick Here

See Archie's Sharapova-Li pick Here

Without any further ado, here is Archie's pick for tomorrow's highly anticipated Djokovic-Federer semifinal.

Djokovic-Federer: H2H

Archie's Pick: Djokovic

Why: Duh

My Pick: Djokovic

Why: Part of me can envision Federer playing the best match of his career against Djokovic. I'm sure that deep down he's thinking that he's man enough to put his Nike Lunar Vapor print all over Nole's undefeated ass, but thinking you're man enough and actually being man enough are two different things. Yes, Roger still owns the edge in the career series (13-9) with Nole. And, yes, Roger is still the most graceful athlete in the history of the universe, but to think that he has enough jam to put the smack down on Djokovic -- a Djokovic that has had 4 days rest, no less -- is just ludicrous.

I hate to say it, but it really is.

That being said, it's tennis, and anything could happen. Novak could wake up with a huge pimple on his butt, and start to realize that he's human again. Roger could summon all his former glory and not spray a single backhand or forehand.

And cows on ice can fly.

Coming of Age

Francesca Schiavone and Na Li are proving that age is just a number in women's tennis.

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Break out that ancient bottle of Chateau Lafite -- it is the age of aging gracefully in women's tennis. Like fine wines, whose flavors tend to take shape over time, women's tennis players are also beginning to reach new heights as they age.

Look no further than the 2011 French Open final for exhibit A. Francesca Schiavone and Na Li are playing as if they've been aged in hand-crafted oak barrels, their finely tuned games pairing nicely with the terre battue of Roland Garros, the way a Cabernet goes perfectly with a porterhouse steak.

So, what to make of a French Open women's final with a combined age of 59? Is it youth gone bad that is paving the way for this renaissance of the likes of Schiavone, Li, Bartoli, and Zvonareva, or is it simply a question of the demands of the modern game -- the stress, the preparation, the sheer physicality -- being better suited to a woman than a girl?

One thing's for certain: While young players like Wozniacki and Azarenka have trouble meeting the expectations that are routinely placed on their shoulders, cagey veterans like Schiavone and Li have used the WTA's current void of power to reinvent themselves as serious contenders for Grand Slams.

The fact that this is possible creates an air of possibility in women's tennis. Players can take heart when they lose, for their day may be coming -- if they're willing to stay the course.

Nobody embodies this axiom -- staying the course -- better than Francesca Schiavone. The Italian is playing in her 43rd consecutive Grand Slam (tied with American Jill Craybas for the WTA's longest such streak) and she never once got past the quarters until her 39th.

That's nearly 10 full years of playing Grand Slams before she finally broke through and stole the show at the French Open last year. If coaches aren't using this as an example to their young players as we speak, shame on them. And if young players -- even those who lost early and are losing often -- aren't taking notice of what Schiavone has done (and of what they could also do if they set their minds to it), then shame on them as well.

Perhaps it comes down to parenting. Today's uber-talented youngsters seem to shoot up the ranks like lightning bolts -- but when they arrive at their day of reckoning, many of them seem deficient in mental toughness and poise. Are they spoiled? Expecting Grand Slams to be handed to them? It's not so much a knock on these players as it is social commentary. It takes kids longer to grow up in the world these days, and because of it older and more experienced players are getting the chance to use their maturity as a serious weapon against them.

We've all heard and seen so much of Schiavone's deft touch at the net, her heavy topspin and her one-handed backhand. But the essence of Schiavone is something less tangible: her grace under pressure. It's a talent in and of itself, and like a topspin forehand it can be cultivated; used to produce victories. The veterans have these intangibles and draw upon them at crunch time, and these days the kids simply don't.

Watch Schiavone take the balls to serve at deuce in the latter part of a set. That look in her eyes says so much more than any swing of the racquet could ever say. Notice how Na Li has quietly improved her on-court demeanor from what was very shaky in the Australian Open final. Li, like Schiavone, knows the importance of everything that happens on the court during a match. The margins are so thin, time is so short, and the veterans who are making hay these days know the way to win is to stay calm under pressure. They don't expect to be perfect -- they just want to be the best they can be.

Schiavone became the first WTA player over thirty years old to reach a Grand Slam final since 2005 (Mary Pierce) when she defeated Marion Bartoli in today's second semifinal. She will try to become the first 30-plus player to win a Grand Slam title since 1990 (Navratilova) on Saturday. Already, she is one of only 5 to have made a Grand Slam final in the last 20 years.

The message should be clear for today's players. Schiavone and Li are playing tomorrow's final because they were the two most complete players in the draw. It didn't happen for either of them overnight, but when their moments arrived, each was ready for the opportunity, with each facet of their game crafted to stand up to the pressure.

On Saturday each will get what she's earned through hard work and persistence: a shot to sketch their name into the clay beside some of the greatest legends to ever play.

No matter who wins or loses, the message has been sent, loud and clear.

Archie's Picks: Sharapova-Li

Archie's picking Masha to roll to her first Grand Slam final since 2008. Me, I'm not so sure.

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As many of you already know, I've enlisted the help of Archie (pictured above) to help me handicap the rest of the French Open. He's done quite well so far, and he wants you all to know that he is enjoying this very much. He was even considering attending Wimbledon in person until I told them that dogs aren't allowed. He took it like a champ, so don't worry about him.

See Archie's Sharapova-Petkovic pick Here

See Archies Azarenka-Li pick Here

See Archie's Nadal-Soderling pick Here

See Archie's Schiavone-Bartoli pick Here

Anyway, let's get to his pick for the Sharapova-Li Match.

Sharapova-Li: H2H

Archie's Pick: Sharapova

Why: She's a dog person.

My Pick: Li

Why: Both players are running down dreams, as Sharapova is gunning to become the 10th women to complete the career Grand Slam and Li is trying to become the first Chinese player to reach the Roland Garros final.

This tilt should prove to be a clinic in dictating play with bold ground strokes, and the player who can take control of the rallies earlier will have the better shot to win more points. Then comes the issue of executing under pressure. Both players have serious weapons on both sides, but which one of them will hit their spots more often?

Maria has the distinct advantage in the mental toughness and experience departments, as she has proven herself time and time again to be a ferocious competitor.

But Sharapova is not a tactical genius, and because of this I think that Li -- who likes pace -- might enjoy the fact that her opponent only hits the ball two ways, hard and harder. If Li anticipates well and doesn't get tight, she'll have chances to hit winners against her slower opponent.

This match promises to be a baseline clinic, in which two of the hardest-hitting women on Tour trade body blows point after point.

In the end it will probably come down to who can produce winners when the match gets tight. I'm picking Li, but only because I have this feeling she's leading a charmed life, while Maria has already lead hers.

Archie's Picks: Schiavone-Bartoli

Archie went 3 for4 yesterday, not so bad for a dog who has never picked up a racquet in his life.

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Three out of four ain't so bad. In fact, if you had bet with Archie yesterday, you would have made some money. P.S. Archie would like you to know that he had Murray over Chela, even though I didn't have time to put a post up for it. He also said if you didn't pick that one correct you seriously need to ask yourself if you really know anything about tennis.

See Archie's Azarenka-Li Pick Here

See Archie's Nadal-Soderling pick Here

See Archie's Sharapova-Petkovic Here

Without any further ado, here is Archie's pick for the Schiavone-Bartoli semifinal.

Schiavone-Bartoli: H2H

Archie's Pick: Schiavone

Why: Because Archie gets the feeling Francesca would be generous with table scraps and he also feels that she'd rub his belly lots. In other words, Franny is Archie's kind of girl.

My Pick: Schiavone

Why: I think this is going to he a very closely contested match between two of the most intense women in the game today. Both were not given much consideration in the weeks leading up to the draw, as Bartoli hasn't ever been known as a clay-court player (86-66 career record) and Schiavone has had trouble winning matches, let alone tournaments, this spring.

But something magical has occurred for both Tour veterans. Schiavone just seems to connect with the Terre Battue (it's utterly amazing and awe inspiring, at least for Archie and I) and she has come to life again at Roland Garros. Meanwhile, Bartoli is only the 4th Frenchwoman to reach the Roland Garros semis in the Open Era, and she's done it the hard way, going the distance in three of her five matches so far.

I'm not sure how much we can really glean from the pair's previous matches, as none have been played on clay and their most recent match was a straight sets win for Schiavone at Wimbledon in 2009.

Schiavone will have to keep Bartoli on the run to survive her lethal double-fisted groundstrokes, because if she allows Bartoli the freedom to take balls early and dictate play things could get ugly. Just ask Svetlana Kuznetsova how ugly. But Schiavone, while not overly powerful, is very adept at making her opponent move. Look for her to keep Bartoli at bay by mixing pace, spin and location, and by finishing points at the net when Bartoli isn't able to get good wood on the ball.

On paper it seems like Schiavone will be too much for Super Marion, but given the immense emotional euphoria that Bartoli has been experiencing here in her home Slam, she could be sparked by the crowd and her own adrenaline and play out of her skull to get the win.

This ought to be some knock-down drag-out tennis, and it's thrilling to see two of the Tours most fearless battlers taking the spotlight on Chatrier.

Murray and Federer Embracing Spoiler Role

Andy Murray has resuscitated his season with a gritty performance on the Roland Garros clay. Rafael Nadal awaits him.

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For the first time since the 2006 French Open, the top four seeds in the men's draw have all gained safe passage to the semis in a Grand Slam. It is only the 12th time that this has happened since the Open Era began in 1968.

Perhaps the most surprising member of the semifinals is Andy Murray. Murray, who went adrift after being drubbed in the final of the Australian Open, has finally washed up on shore here on the red clay of Europe. His journey to the finals has not been direct, but the three-time Grand Slam finalist has shown incredible character in overcoming a scary ankle injury in the third round and an even scarier two set deficit to Serb Viktor Troicki in the fourth round. (He was also down 5-2 and 30-love in the fifth -- god knows how he managed to survive that.)

Today, Murray made relatively short work of the only non-European left in the draw, Juan Ignacio Chela, to set up a semifinal clash with Rafael Nadal.

Murray will be the severe underdog vs. Nadal, but I'm not so sure he gives a hoot. Why should a guy who is continuously critiqued by the press for everything from his coach (or lack thereof) to his video-game playing really care what the talking heads are saying?

Does he have a chance? Considering that he just won his first set on clay from Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo and that he served for the match against Novak Djokovic in Rome, I'd say that he's got a better chance to win here in Paris than most people think.

That's probably not saying too much, because most people think he's got no chance.

But Murray's game has really taken form on the clay. He's playing the type of tennis that he enjoys, mixing in angles, spins, and a steady diet of drop shots to keep his opponents gnashing their teeth. For Murray, who's always preferred giving his opponents the rope and letting them hang themselves, it's nice to see him back to his bread and butter. He's a fantastic player -- wonderfully creative and improvisational -- when he's playing the game the way he enjoys playing it. It's when he tries to be someone he's not -- a more aggressive, more powerful version of himself -- that he struggles most.

Murray needs to take his water pistol on the court and see if he can somehow get the amped-up game of Rafael Nadal all wet. It's not an enviable task for anybody, but if Murray can stay true to himself and shut out the rest of the world during the match, he may just have a shot.

Speaking of having a shot, does Roger Federer have a shot to spoil the Novak Djokovic world domination tour?

Hmm, good question right? It's amazing that the power at the top of men's tennis has shifted so much that Roger Federer is a heavy underdog against Novak Djokovic in a Grand Slam, but make no mistake about it, he most certainly is.

Federer is the only player left in Paris who has yet to lose a set, but pretty much everybody is expecting him to lose three Friday against the juggernaut from Serbia.

How has it all shifted so mightily? And how long will Djokovic's reign last? Federer has lost three consecutive matches to Djokovic, but he holds a 13-9 edge in their rivalry. Still, even during this remarkable surge by Djokovic, Federer found himself even at 2-2 in the 3rd set in their last meeting at the Indian Wells semifinals. Federer faded there, but his current form on clay appears to be much better than it was in March.

And more importantly, all the pressure is on Novak Djokovic's shoulders now. Federer claims that he still has plenty of pressure on him as the world's No. 3 (thank you), but he's sure not playing like a guy who is under pressure.

And if there was ever a chance for the Mighty Fed to step up and regain a few lost pieces of his former glory, that chance is Friday.

For the first time in a long while, Federer truly has nothing to lose. If he can't quite see things that way, shame on him. The crowd will go nuts if he finds himself ahead in the match, but the $100,000 question is, if he does gain the lead, will Federer still be able to play like he's got nothing to lose?

Things can change in a heartbeat in the tennis world. Novak Djokovic's ascension has proven that to be true.

Both Andy Murray and Roger Federer are hoping that things will change again on Friday.

Have stranger things happened? Probably not. Do Bears fly? No. Still, you never know. That's why they string their racquets, tape their ankles and eat their pre-match meals. Because you just never know.