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  • Preview Rotterdam: Rafael Nadal vs. Dmitry Tursunov

    2/20/08 10:55 AM | Ricky Dimon
    - Rafael Nadal is the top seed at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands this week, but that doesn’t mean he gets any favors from the draw. In the first round Nadal has to go up against 33rd-ranked Dmitry Tursunov.

    Along with the already-completed clash between Marcos Baghdatis and Robin Söderling, the showdown between No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal and Dmitry Tursunov looks like the best pairing of the first round at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. On clay this matchup would unquestionably be a lopsided affair, with the clear edge in Nadal’s favor. On the indoor hard courts of Rotterdam, however, it could be anyone’s match to win.

    This is the first time Nadal and Tursunov have met head-to-head. That comes as a big surprise considering this is Nadal’s eighth year on the ATP Tour and Tursunov even turned professional one season earlier than Nadal, and both players almost always play multiple matches at every tournament they enter. Yet somehow their paths have never crossed.

    Since no head-to-head history exists between these two competitors, recent form will have to be the indicator for what is expected when Nadal and Tursunov do battle in Wednesday’s night session in Rotterdam. The Spaniard, still ranked second in the world behind Roger Federer in the world rankings, has played two tournaments this year. In what is a good sign for his prospects this week at the ABN AMRO, both of those tournaments were held on hard courts and the 21-year-old achieved success at both. Nadal was runner-up (lost to Mikhail Youzhny) in Chennai and then reached the semifinals of the Australian Open (lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga).

    Tursunov has always been an up-and-down player and his 2008 campaign has been no different so far. The 25-year-old won one match at the season-opening event in Doha and got a walkover into the third round before bowing out to compatriot Nikolay Davydenko in straight sets. Tursunov then caught fire the next week in Sydney, where he captured the title while losing just one set in five matches. Victims included Stanislas Wawrinka in the first round and Richard Gasquet in the second. The success was short-lived, however, as Tursunov suffered a disappointing setback to American Sam Querrey in the second round of the Australian Open.

    The Russian sometimes just doesn’t show up, but he can just as easily catch fire at any time and his talent is undeniable. Tursunov is a dangerous opponent—especially in the first round—and if his monstrous forehand is working, Nadal could have some trouble. Playing on indoor hard courts is definitely an advantage for Tursunov, as his big serve and flat, punishing groundstrokes will be more effective on a slick surface, while Nadal’s heavy topspin balls will not take the same toll on opponents as their high bounces do on clay.

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Comments

Vamos Rafa!

RafaNadalGirl20 , 2/21/08 3:57 AM



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