Ricky Dimon

• Approach shots: Top players rest up for Wimbledon

  2009-06-14 22:12:07
  "Approach Shots" is Ricky's weekly look at what's ahead (or "approaching") on the ATP Tour. Every Sunday he'll preview all the tournaments scheduled for the upcoming week.
  
  It's a typical week leading up to a Grand Slam: two small tournaments with few big-name players involved. The highest-ranked man—and only one in the Top 10—in action is No. 8 Fernando Verdasco, who is the top seed at the Ordina Open. Igor Andreev leads the way at Great Britain's AEGON International, and he is just 26th in the ATP rankings.
  
  The Big 4, of course, are resting up for Wimbledon. Rafael Nadal is nursing his tendonitis-stricken knees, Roger Federer is still basking in the glory of his French Open title, Andy Murray did some nice prep work by winning the Queen's Club title, and Novak Djokovic almost matched Murray with a title last week but fell in a three-set Halle final to Tommy Haas.
  
  Wimbledon, still a week away, is already bigger news that the two ongoing tournaments, but let's take a look at them nonetheless.
  
  
  

  AEGON International

  Where: Eastbourne, Great Britain
  Surface: Grass
  Prize Money: 450,000 Euros
  Points: 250
  Top Seed: Igor Andreev
  Defending Champion: Ivo Karlovic (not playing)
  
  Draw Analysis: With nobody inside the Top 20 playing in Eastbourne, the draw was wide open right from the start. Now two seeded players (Paul-Henri Mathieu and Andreas Seppi) are already out, making the AEGON International even more of a free-for-all, especially in the second and third quarters of the draw.
  
  Top two seeds Igor Andreev and Dmitry Tursunov both come with question marks. Andreev has been mediocre at best in 2009 and Tursunov has been injured. Their vulnerability could pave the way for a deep run by another seed, such as either Sam Querrey or Mikhail Youzhny, who reached the Queen's Club quarterfinals last week.
  
  Querrey could face Tursunov in the quarterfinals, while Youzhny and Andreev are on a quarterfinal collision course near the top of the bracket. Ivan Ljubicic and Janko Tipsarevic are unseeded threats to watch in the middle sections of the draw, both of which are there for the taking.
  
  First-Round Upset Alert: Not surprisingly, Ljubicic already took out the seventh-seeded Seppi. It was similarly far from shocking when Tipsarevic dispatched No. 3 seed Mathieu, also on Sunday. Yet another upset could come in the form of Robert Kendrick vs. (4) Fabrice Santoro. Santoro is limping to the finish of his illustrious career (at the end of this season) and while he would be favored to handle Kendrick on any other surface, the big-serving American is a tough customer on grass. If Kenrick serves well, he should win this without much trouble.
  
  Momentum Builders (Players looking to continue recent good form): Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Ivan Ljubicic
  
  Slump Busters (Players hoping to resurrect their games): Dmitry Tursunov, Fabrice Santoro, Sam Querrey, Robby Ginepri, Eduardo Schwank
  
  Semifinal Predictions: Ivan Ljubicic over Mikhail Youzhny and Sam Querrey over Janko Tipsarevic
  
  Final Prediction: Ljubicic over Querrey
  
  
  

  Ordina Open

  Where: ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
  Surface: Grass
  Prize Money: 450,000 Euros
  Points: 250
  Top Seed: Fernando Verdasco
  Defending Champion: David Ferrer
  
  Draw Analysis: The Ordina Open did not attract a ton of big names for the week before Wimbledon, but compared to Eastbourne it's a downright blockbuster of a tournament. A trio of Spaniards—Fernando Verdasco, David Ferrer, and Tommy Robredo—leads the way, and all three would be the No. 1 seed in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
  
  While none of the three is particularly giddy about playing on grass, every one of them can get the job done on any surface; especially Verdasco and Ferrer. It would be minor surprise if one of those top two seeds is not lifting the winner's trophy on Saturday afternoon.
  
  The Spanish contingent, however, could be tested by unseeded floaters such as Marcos Baghdatis (opens against Robredo), Gilles Muller, Steve Darcis, Michael Llodra, Florent Serra, and Philipp Petzschner.
  
  Verdasco probably has the friendliest draw of the tournament favorites, but Ferrer is the defending champ and looking at his path through the field, it would take a major upset to knock him out prior to the semifinals.
  
  First-Round Upset Alert: There are plenty of potential upset alerts here. Baghdatis is injury-plagued and slumping, but he is a solid grass-court player and No. 2 seed Robredo is not. Petzschner upset Verdasco last week in Halle and could be dangerous for seventh-seeded Jeremy Chardy. Darcis made it to the Queen's Club quarterfinals last week and his opener against No. 6 seed Marc Gicquel looks like a toss-up. Also don't be surprised if Llodra ousts eighth-seeded Mischa Zverev on a slick surface.
  
  Momentum Builders (Players looking to continue recent good form): None
  
  Slump Busters (Players hoping to resurrect their games): Rainer Schuettler, Igor Kunitsyn, Michael Llodra, Gilles Muller, Marcos Baghdatis, Dudi Sela
  
  Semifinal Predictions: Fernando Verdasco over Jeremy Chardy and David Ferrer over Tommy Robredo
  
  Final Prediction: Ferrer over Verdasco
  
  
  Comments and your own predictions are appreciated!

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