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  • Amersfoort Quarterfinals Preview

    7/18/08 12:52 AM | Ricky Dimon
    - If Albert Montanes and Jose Acasuso are playing well, this will be free lesson in clay-court tennis. These two dirtball specialists are battling for a spot in the Amersfoort semifinals.

    (1) Marc Gicquel vs. Teimuraz Gabashvili

    It will be the first-ever meeting in the main draw of an ATP event between these two men, although Gicquel defeated Gabashvili in qualifying for the Masters Series Madrid last fall. The Frenchman should be favored to prevail again based on his current form. Gicquel is 53rd in the 2008 points race and finished runner-up to David Ferrer in 's-Hertogenbosch last month before reaching the third round of Wimbledon. Gabashvili has been relegated to Challengers for the most part this season, but he has won three of them (all three on clay). At this level, however, Gicquel has the experience edge and should prevail in two close sets.

    (3) Steve Darcis vs. Christophe Rochus

    This is not only an all-Belgian affair, but it is also an all-under-six-feet affair. Rochus is 5'7'' and Darcis is listed generously at 5'10''. The result should be a good-spirited but extremely competitive baseline battle. Darcis, who won a hard-court title in Memphis earlier in 2008, has the slight edge due to a better season, while Rochus has been toiling on the Challenger circuit most of the year. This is the first time they have ever met at the ATP level, although Darcis beat Rochus twice in Challenger events last season (both on hard courts).

    Oscar Hernandez vs. (4) Marcel Granollers

    Despite having played at most of the same tournaments this spring and summer, these two clay-court specialists have never faced each other at the ATP level. Granollers, however, routed Hernandez 6-1, 6-4 in Barcelona qualifying back in 2006. Both men enjoyed their best event of 2008 in Houston, where Granollers took the title and Hernandez reached the semifinals. It's been more of a struggle for each Spaniard since then, although Granollers still remains 58th in the points race. He is the favorite to win this, but Hernandez has scored two blowouts already this week and cannot be counted out.

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