Ricky Dimon

• Approach Shots: Final preparations for Australian Open

  2012-01-08 01:56:37
  

   

  “Approach Shots” is Ricky’s weekly look at what’s ahead on the ATP Tour.

   

  The weeks before Grand Slams are normally reserved for rest and the occasional practice on site at the big event. That’s not always the case, though, with the Australian Open. Following the offseason (albeit an extremely short offseason), players are eager to fine-tune their games by getting match-tough.
  
  As a result, a pair of solid 250-point draws is on top for the week leading up to the Australian Open. A trio of top 10 men will be in action, with Juan Martin Del Potro headlining in Sydney and Spaniards David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro leading the way in Auckland. John Isner, Richard Gasquet, Lleyton Hewitt, and Fernando Verdasco are also in action.

   

  Apia International
  
  Where: Sydney, Australia
  Surface: Hard
  Prize money: $434,250
  Points: 250

   

  Top seed: Juan Martin Del Potro
  2011 champion: Gilles Simon (not playing)

   

  Draw analysis: An especially impressive 250-point lineup is on tap in Sydney. Del Potro and Isner have taken their talents to Auckland in the past, but this time they headline the Apia International field along with Gasquet, Hewitt, Viktor Troicki, and Marcos Baghdatis.

   

  Del Potro is the top seed but the draw did not do him any favors. The Argentine could open with Ivan Dodig before likely running into either Baghdatis or Marcel Granollers (who upset Del Potro last fall in Vienna). Granollers, though, faces a tough first-rounder against Australia’s own Matthew Ebden. Troicki and Feliciano Lopez are in a loaded second quarter that also includes Hewitt, Alex Bogomolov, Robin Haase, and Doha quarterfinalist Andreas Seppi.
  
  The bottom half is not as deep, which means you can expect favorites Isner and Gasquet to face each other in the semifinals. Isner could first have to get past Sergiy Stakhovsky and Radek Stepanek, while Gasquet should have no real trouble unless the Gilles Muller vs. Florian Mayer winner gets on a roll.

   

  First-round upset alert: Gilles Muller over (6) Florian Mayer. Mayer ended 2011 in outstanding form, but he retired from his Brisbane opener due to a groin injury. Muller advanced one round in Brisbane before falling to top-seeded Andy Murray in three sets. The big-serving Luxembourgian is also coming off a strong season and he has an advantage over Mayer on relatively fast hard courts. Even if the German is 100 percent (which is unlikely), Muller has a great chance.

   

  Hot: Juan Martin Del Potro, John Isner, Florian Mayer, Marcel Granollers, Matthew Ebden, Andreas Seppi, Alex Bogomolov

   

  Cold: Lukasz Kubot, Lleyton Hewitt, Fabio Fognini, Xavier Malisse, Sergiy Stakhovsky

   

  Semifinal predictions: Juan Martin Del Potro over Viktor Troicki and John Isner over Gilles Muller

   

  Final: Del Potro over Isner

   

  Heineken Open
  
  Where: Auckland, New Zealand
  Surface: Hard
  Prize money: $398,250
  Points: 250

   

  Top seed: David Ferrer
  Defending champion: David Ferrer

   

  Draw analysis: Once again, Auckland has the feeling of a clay-court tournament at least when it comes to the entry list. The top three seeds are Spaniards (Ferrer, Almagro, and Verdasco), who are joined in the seeded ranks by clay-courters Juan Ignacio Chela and Thomaz Bellucci. There’s also Juan Carlos Ferrero, Albert Montanes, Filippo Volandri, and on and on and on.
  
  Of course, with most of the top players in the world (other than Ferrer) resting up for Oz, this is a hard-court opportunity for the so-called clay-courters. Almagro and Chela are in a softer bottom half of the draw, but they could face tough openers; Chela against Ferrero and Almagro against Santiago Giraldo. Philipp Kohlschreiber, who is on course to meet an American wild card (Ryan Harrison or Sam Querrey) in round two, has a chance to make a run.
  
  The top half is slightly tougher, but it still should be no problem for Ferrer—he is simply the class of the field. Donald Young has been in fine form and is on a collision course with Ferrer for the quarterfinals. Kevin Anderson is dealing with a knee injury, but at 100 percent he would probably be favored against Verdasco in their potential quarterfinal clash.

   

  First-round upset alert: Alejandro Falla over (7) Donald Young. Young played some of the best tennis of his career in 2011, which included a hot streak highlighted by a fourth-round appearance at the U.S. Open. The American also finished runner-up in Bangkok and successfully qualified for fall Masters events in Shanghai and Paris. Young suddenly finds himself at No. 39 in the world and he has plenty of time to get seeded for the French Open. Now it’s time to see how Young handles the role of being favored in most of his matches along with even higher expectations. Falla is a crafty veteran who makes his opponents work time in and time out.

   

  Hot: David Ferrer, Donald Young, Albert Ramos, Santiago Giraldo

   

  Cold: Fernando Verdasco, Albert Montanes, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Olivier Rochus, Sam Querrey

   

  Semifinal predictions: David Ferrer over Kevin Anderson and Philipp Kohlschreiber over Juan Carlos Ferrero

   

  Final: Ferrer over Kohlschreiber

   

  Comments and your own predictions are appreciated!

   

   

Tell a friend »

Comments

Write comment

You have to be logged in to comment. If you do not have an account, click here to register. It only takes a minute and you'll be redirected back to this page.

Username:

Password:

Archive

Unibet Mobile prematch,live betting

Recommend Tennistalk

Follow us

Poll

Articles - Latest commented

• 
  29

  Nadal takes Rome title over Djokovic
  

  rafaisthebest, May 21, 2012 7:21 PM

• 
  352

  Djokovic, Nadal set for rematch in Rome
  

  schatz, May 21, 2012 6:14 PM

• 
  67

  Nadal headlines third-round action on Thursday
  

  vamosrafa, May 21, 2012 5:03 PM

• 
  63

  Djokovic downs Federer, into Rome final vs. Nadal
  

  brothdog, May 21, 2012 11:47 AM

• 
  3

  Family time for Federer after loss in Rome
  

  nadline, May 21, 2012 11:35 AM

Blog - Latest commented

• 
  72
  Rome final expert picks: Djokovic vs. Nadal
  

  Maya, May 21, 2012 7:00 PM

• 
  31
  And Roger Federer is BACK
  

  sabs, May 20, 2012 1:48 PM

• 
  66
  Approach Shots: Djokovic, Nadal look to rebound on red clay
  

  mara002, May 20, 2012 7:19 AM

Tell a friend

Other tennis links

• www.atptennis.com
• www.itftennis.com
• www.tennisnews.com
• www.tennis.com
• More links...