Figured I might as well get up an ATP tournaments thread. This (obviously) won't include the ATP Masters 1000 or Grand Slams.
Three tournaments underway:
ATP 500- Rotterdam:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2010/407/mds.pdf
This is the biggest tournament of the week and one of only 11 ATP World Tour 500 events in the year. Last year this tournament featured Nadal and Murray but despite their absence 3 top 10 players are featured and 6 in the top 20. Novak Djokovic is the top seed and he’ll kick off his campaign with a tricky match against Starkhovsky. 5th seed Tommy Robredo has already advanced and will play Mayer next. 4th seed Monfils is in some doubt due to a knee injury he picked up in Johannesburg. Davydenko faces Lopez first up with the Spaniard coming off his second career title in Johannesburg, tough match for both. Quite a few interesting first round matches, the highlight probably Baghdatis vs Blake. Soderling finally recorded his first official win of the year and plays qualifier Sijsling in the 2nd. I’ll take Djokovic for the win.
ATP 250- San Jose:
http://www.sapopentennis.com/ftpuploads/MDS.pdf
A strong field for the SAP Open, as often seems to be the case in San Jose. There are four players inside the world’s top 20. Andy Roddick, a former champion here, is the top seed and he’ll face qualifier Deheart first. Gulbis has already been knocked out, what a joke of a career he’s heading for. Stepanek, the defending champion, faces a tough first round match against Xavier Malisse. Kohlschreiber vs Ram is a nice match-up, Ram’s game doesn’t appear to be much and yet he seems to be getting some nice results. Verdasco is also in the mix and has a good draw with no one that should pose a threat until the Semi’s. All I ask for is that Querrey can manage a win or two as he desperately needs some success. Conditions should suit Berdych’s game so I’ll dangerously pick him to win but anything is possible with Berdych. He got unlucky in the fact that he has Roddick as a likely QF opponent.
ATP 250- Brasil Open:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2010/533/mds.pdf
Beautiful venue, not the greatest of fields but that can be expected for a 250 event and it’s mainly a tournament for the clay court specialists, with a few exceptions of course. The tournament’s top seed is Juan Carlos Ferrero, first up he’ll face Schwank. Worth nothing that former Olympic Gold medallist Nicolas Massu is in the field. Australian Petre Luczak will be looking to continue on with his strong form but he has a tough ask first up against Juan Ignacio Chela. Home town favourite and 3rd seed Tomaz Bellucci is coming off the second title of his career and must be considered one of the favourites. Richard Gasquet withdrew just before the tournament, not sure what happened there. Could be anyone’s tournament but I’ll go with Andreev to win and hoping Luczak can have a good run.
Three tournaments underway:
ATP 500- Rotterdam:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2010/407/mds.pdf
This is the biggest tournament of the week and one of only 11 ATP World Tour 500 events in the year. Last year this tournament featured Nadal and Murray but despite their absence 3 top 10 players are featured and 6 in the top 20. Novak Djokovic is the top seed and he’ll kick off his campaign with a tricky match against Starkhovsky. 5th seed Tommy Robredo has already advanced and will play Mayer next. 4th seed Monfils is in some doubt due to a knee injury he picked up in Johannesburg. Davydenko faces Lopez first up with the Spaniard coming off his second career title in Johannesburg, tough match for both. Quite a few interesting first round matches, the highlight probably Baghdatis vs Blake. Soderling finally recorded his first official win of the year and plays qualifier Sijsling in the 2nd. I’ll take Djokovic for the win.
ATP 250- San Jose:
http://www.sapopentennis.com/ftpuploads/MDS.pdf
A strong field for the SAP Open, as often seems to be the case in San Jose. There are four players inside the world’s top 20. Andy Roddick, a former champion here, is the top seed and he’ll face qualifier Deheart first. Gulbis has already been knocked out, what a joke of a career he’s heading for. Stepanek, the defending champion, faces a tough first round match against Xavier Malisse. Kohlschreiber vs Ram is a nice match-up, Ram’s game doesn’t appear to be much and yet he seems to be getting some nice results. Verdasco is also in the mix and has a good draw with no one that should pose a threat until the Semi’s. All I ask for is that Querrey can manage a win or two as he desperately needs some success. Conditions should suit Berdych’s game so I’ll dangerously pick him to win but anything is possible with Berdych. He got unlucky in the fact that he has Roddick as a likely QF opponent.
ATP 250- Brasil Open:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2010/533/mds.pdf
Beautiful venue, not the greatest of fields but that can be expected for a 250 event and it’s mainly a tournament for the clay court specialists, with a few exceptions of course. The tournament’s top seed is Juan Carlos Ferrero, first up he’ll face Schwank. Worth nothing that former Olympic Gold medallist Nicolas Massu is in the field. Australian Petre Luczak will be looking to continue on with his strong form but he has a tough ask first up against Juan Ignacio Chela. Home town favourite and 3rd seed Tomaz Bellucci is coming off the second title of his career and must be considered one of the favourites. Richard Gasquet withdrew just before the tournament, not sure what happened there. Could be anyone’s tournament but I’ll go with Andreev to win and hoping Luczak can have a good run.
