Analysis for Seppi-Blake (ATP Rome)

Head-to-head record 1:1

James Blake will have a second try to success on European clay this year but his opponent will be talented Italian player Andreas Seppi and it is not gonna be an easy job for him. Last week he was demolished by Dennis Gremelmayer in the first round at Barcelona and his current form is at least questionable. Blake adopts an offensive baseline strategy which he achieves through his aggressive powerful forehands that are deep and flat. He undoubtedly possesses one of the strongest forehands on the tour. He is also an excellent returner of serve. His forehands, due to being flat and deep, offer little room for error when compared to high margin shots which employ topspin. Although, Blake can incorporate an all-court playing style by aiming his shots down the lines, or moving an opponent from side to side and proceeding to finish the point at the net by smash or volley. Blake is also noted for his exceptional court coverage, speed, and athleticism. He is noted for having incredible foot speed but lacking in footwork. Blake's style of play is best suited for hard courts as his flat shots tend to stay low and move quickly across the court. This approach is relatively ineffective on clay courts. Apart from winning hard court tournaments, Blake has made some considerable runs to the finals of a few grass tournaments. His opponent, Andreas Seppi of Italia, is a very talented player who still remains far behind expectations this year. He won his first Challenger title at Bergamo where he defeated Julien Benneteau in the final. Then he made the quarters of the indoor event in Rotterdam where he defeated Lleyton Hewitt in the process saving a match point. Then he scored his biggest win over current world number 2 Rafael Nadal, before losing to Robin Söderling. On clay, he achieved 2 second rounds in a row and this is a chance for him to reach the further round at home event. Seppi is a player of big potential in our eyes and we think his time must come sooner or later. Italian is a versitile player who is competitive on all surfaces and he should feel comfortable within these conditions. If he plays his best, he should be able to take the advantage of the slow surface and home crowd and his odds are attractive for us.