'Andy Murray improving but Roger Federer's French Open-winning days are gone'

I thought Andy Murray was superb against Fernando Verdasco on Monday.

Stronger

Murray will love the opportunity to play in front of the passionate crowd against Monfils - it's tailor-made for Andy. He's a street fighter and he likes to prove people wrong. He'll certainly relish the occasion - the French Open quarter-final against a Frenchman, against someone like Monfils who he likes to play because of their styles. I think, to be honest, they both like to play each other - they both like to run and both like to get in long rallies. If you look at the head-to-head it's massively in Andy's favour, however, Monfils is a wildcard. The way he plays, there's always that fear he's going to come out one day and red line it against anyone. The longer that match goes, though, the more I favour Andy. For me he's physically stronger and mentally stronger, but if everything clicks Monfils has that ability to play three sets that are unbelievable and can almost take the racket out of your hand. But my gut feeling is - the way the tournament's gone for Andy and the way he built momentum in Rome - I think he'll come through that match, probably in four but maybe in five. Then whatever happens in that match with Nadal - if he gets through as we assume he will - it's hugely positive for going into the grass court period. I've touched on this before, but with the way he's playing at the moment I can't see him making any changes to his coaching team until after Wimbledon.

Gone

Coming into the French Open the eyes were on the young, emerging players like Grigor Dimitrov, Kei Nishikori and Ernests Gulbis. All three have had very good runs of late, and it's Gulbis who has stood out. He is that kind of player who has the game and the personality to be able to beat the better players. I wasn't overly shocked he beat Roger Federer, and I think Roger's days of winning the French Open - in my mind - are gone. I think he would never admit it but he probably knows they're gone. If you look at Roger's year as a whole it's been very positive, but now here's the real test. The second half of the year is always Roger's strongest part - the conditions at Wimbledon and the US Open are always more favourable to the way he plays now. He said after he lost 'my mind's already shifted to grass', but he'll be feeling a bit of pressure going into Wimbledon because of what he didn't do last year. I do think, though, that Roger is going to have another good second half of the year. Milos Raonic is one player who is consistently knocking on the door, and he has another shot today to see where his game is at against the very best. They played a couple of weeks ago in Rome and Milos played some of the best tennis I've seen, but this is a Grand Slam and he will find it very difficult to stop the tide that is Novak. With six days to go in the French Open nothing's changed - we've still got the top two playing the best tennis, and certainly looking on course to play the final.