Previews: Aachen, Guayaquil, Jersey, Knoxville
Posted by Nathii on November 09 2009 00:26:07
News in progress. You have to forgive me, but I'll finish tomorrow after classes. I have to wake up for 8 a.m.
Extended News
Aachen
Location: Aachen, Germany
Money Prize: €42.5K+H
Surface: Indoor Carpet
2008 Champion: Evgeny Korolev
This time Evgeny Korolev won't visit his favourite Aachen. It's the tournament where I had my journalist practise in 2005 and also this is when Korolev won this event as a lucky loser. He has three Aachen trophies on his shelf! No wonder - the atmosphere of the tournament is great, people are friendly, the hotel is decent... And their website provides the stream. Sadly, as per usual, only from the main court, while the remaining two don't even have a scoreboard. Xavier Malisse was given a Wild Card, but he had to withdraw as he's facing a one year ban possibility for not filling in the forms where he could be found for the doping control. This way Nils Langer got one of the cards and he's absolutely prone to upset Lester Cook. Langer played a quarterfinal in Eckental last week. Rajeev Ram is the top seed. He doesn't suit much for my vision of this event plus he suffers of a lower back injury. I've always connected it with the ex-Soviet players. So Evgeny Kirillov has a chance to replace his compatriot with the similar name. Dustin Brown and Stefan Koubek will play a rematch for the 1st round of last week's tournament. Probably Koubek won't let it go this time. As for potential bombs from the qualifying - Peter Gojowczyk and Michał Przysiężny should be worth following.
Guayaquil
Location: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Money Prize: $50K+H
Surface: Clay
2008 Champion: Sergio Roitman
Welcome to the Lapenttis open. Even Leonardo received a qualifying Wild Card but was prone of winning only one game against Filip Krajinovic. Nicolas and especially Giovanni (who rarely plays well elsewhere) will perform better. The top seed is however Santiago Giraldo. After an easy 1st round he most likely bumps into Gio. Carlos Berlocq is coming back, he'll play Andreas Haider Maurer the naughty boy. Another Austrian to tear the South American challengers character wise after Dani? We'll see if Rui Machado's horrible shape continues - he faces Juan Martin Aranguren - can lose. As for the other favourites - there are Gaston Gaudio and Eduardo Schwank.
Jersey
Location: Jersey, UK
Money Prize: €42.5K+H
Surface: Indoor Carpet
2008 Champion: Adrian Mannarino (FRA)
To make it nice and easy for the British supporters LTA decided to play two of their three yearly challengers on the sole Jersey island, which is situated closer to France than to Britain. French players have always felt comfortably here. Adrian Mannarino took the title last year, but he can't defend it. In his absence Stephane Robert will carry the three colours flag. Robert has two first rounds relatively easy (unless Henri Kontinen isn't the qualifier he draws in the second round). In the quarterfinal he can meet sensational Michael Lammer. Jarkko Nieminen is another of the favourites. Step by step he's marking his place again on the professional tour. Since we're at come backs, Robin Haase received a qualification Wild Card, because he doesn't have a ranking. Hopefully his knee will hold. Top seeds Florian Mayer and Karol Beck seem a bit off, though Beck remains a strong indoors specialist. We can't forget to mention Daniel Evans the winner of the first Jersey challenger this season, but after the pathetic DC appearance he probably doesn't have so much faith in himself... Definitely it'll be tough for him against Martin Fischer.
Knoxville
Location: Knoxville TN, USA
Money Prize: $50K
Surface: Indoor Hard
2008 Champion: Bobby Reynolds (USA)
It's a difficult to cap tournament. Top seeded Wayne Odesnik faces Vince Spadea in the first round, number two, Michael Russell, plays a qualifier. There are also the heroes from Charlottesville - Kevin Kim and Somdev Devvarman. Donald Young would try to get his revenge over Kim, while the most interesting match could happen between the forever injured Ilija Bozoljac and not-delivered-yet Grigor Dimitrov. The Bulgarian player however last week won a match a took a set in the second round, so maybe this time is the time? Ryan Harrison gets Filip Prpic in the first round to wipe of the blamage from the last week when he lost a clash despite taking the first set to love.
Nathii