Sun soaked again at the Pacific Life Open. After a cold and gloomy Sunday, the quality of matches, as well as the weather, have clearly picked up. Another day filled with 83 degrees and world class tennis. Our day started on Stadium 3, with David Nalbandian taking on the unorthodox Radek Stepanek. Nalbandian, squeaked out the encounter 7-6 in the third set, with Stepanek serving for the match at 5-3 up in the final set. Again, I’m going to keep supporting David, as he continues to somehow always sneak out close matches against top players. He did it in his 1st round against talented youngster Ernest Gulbis and again today against all courter Stepanek. Look for David to get deep in this event.On to the main Stadium and Roger Federer. I’m pretty sure R-fed played a match today… He came out with his tennis stuff, hits some balls, I went and got a hamburger and the match was over. The 53 minute match clearly did not faze Federer, as his opponent Nick Mahut looked completely uncomfortable hitting from the baseline and could not pick up on Rogers serve. Federer did serve very well, as it reminded me of his match against Nadal in last years Wimbledon final. Fed looks good for a deep run in the desert. Perhaps the best part of the match was the on court interview given by RF after his victory. He said that “he was enjoying his rivalry with Nadal more now than in the past.” Roger also said that “in the beginning of his rivalry with Rafa he was intimidated by his intensity level, but now he was enjoying playing against Nadal because it had made him a better player.”

As usual the side courts provided great matches as well as great practice sessions. Rafa Nadal had a rockstar audience as he practiced with Luis Horna for a couple of hours during mid day. Mario Ancic and Juan Carlos Ferrero played a fantastic match on stadium 2, with you guessed it Ferrero winning 7-6 in the third set and hitting a great “tweener” shot in the process. Australian fans were pleased with Lleyton Hewitt and his performance as he brushed aside Micky Youzhny in straights. Hewitt looked great and was moving as well as I’ve seen him in years. Other winners on the day were Andy Murray, Tommy Haas, Mardy Fish and Ivan Ljubicic. Tomorrow should provide even better matches as Rafa Nadal and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will do battle and relive their Aussie Open semi final. Novak Djokovic and Willy Canas will probably grind away from the baseline for a few hours and finally James Blake and Richard Gasquet should provide some great shot making. All of the winners will proceed into the quarter-finals.Please check back tomorrow for more pics and video that we will have up shortly. This is Nima, Chief In Editor of the site, Im in the pics by the way as I’m sure everyone was wondering who that handsome gentlemen was with Feliciano Lopez, (ESP), Marin Cilic (CRO) and tennis journalist Bud Collins. Enjoy, as I’m signing off from Palm Springs and another great day in the desert.

Technorati Tags: Andy Murray, David Nalbandian, Ernest Gulbis, Indian Wells, Ivan Ljubicic, James Blake, Jo=Wilfried Tsonga, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Lleyton Hewitt, Luis Horna, Mardy Fish, Mario Ancic, Micky Youzhny, Nick Mahut, Novak Djokovic, Radek Stepanek, Rafael Nadal, Richard Gasquet, Roger Federer, Tommy Haas, Willy Canas

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