This is one of those matches that shows Roddick isn’t exactly a clay courter.  Gabashvili is one of those dangerous players who hits hard but whose errors typically do him in.  But not today.

Gabashvili kept hitting balls hard and Roddick, in an effort to keep up, made a few too many errors.  Roddick came out a bit flat and was just thumped having no answers for Gabashvili’s power shots, which is surprising because Roddick usually does fine against hard hitters, but the clay doesn’t help his footing.

In any case it’s interesting to look ahead to a potential 4th round meeting with David Ferrer.   Ferrer generally does well against guys with pace, and certainly, he’s had no problems so far.  Of course, Ferrer still has to win his 3rd round match over Melzer.  Melzer is a hard hitting lefty veteran from Austria, but it’s hard to believe Melzer can manage the upset.

This leaves Robby Ginepri as the only American left, and he plays Juan Carlos Ferrero, where he will not be favored.

In a match that was called because of darkness, Michael Youzhny came back against Viktor Troicki (who was recently in a video with countryman Novak Djokovic, where Troicki played Nadal to Djokovic’s Shakira).  Troicki took the first set, 6-2, but then it was Youzhny 7-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the next three sets.

Youzhny will take on Tsonga in the 4th round.

Novak Djokovic plays Victor Hanescu later today.  Rafael Nadal will play Lleyton Hewitt (once again, at the French).  Verdasco takes on Kohlschreiber.  Melzer plays Ferrer.  Ferrero plays Ginepri.  Ljubicic plays Bellucci.

The Bryan brothers were upset by the Brazilian duo of Melo and Soares 6-3, 7-6(6).