26.04.2009

ATP - INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

Roger received a first-round bye for the ATP-1000 tournament in Rome which starts this week. He will either meet Ivo Karlovic (ATP 23) or a qualifier in his first match. Novak Djokovic is on the same half of the draw and is a possible opponent for the semi finals.

Roger spent the last few days training with his fitness coach Pierre Paganini. "I'm expecting big things from myself, especially looking ahead for the French Open. I would like to go extremely far there and create the opportunity to win the one slam I haven't won yet," Roger said.

Our champ was upset by Radek Stepanek in the Rome quarter-finals last year. He has reached the final twice, losing to Felix Mantilla in 2003 and to Rafael Nadal in a fifth-set tiebreaker in 2006.