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  • Rogers Cup Second Quarter Preview

    7/20/08 9:38 PM | Ricky Dimon
    - As is always the case with Nikolay Davydenko's quarter of a draw, the second section in Toronto looks like a complete free-for-all. In fact this time it appears even more wide open than usual.

    Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic are of course all heavily favored to reach the semifinals of the Rogers Cup, also known as the Masters Series Toronto. It's anyone's guess as to who will fill the last semifinal spot.

    Nikolay Davydenko, as always, is the top seed in the quarter of the draw that is devoid of the “Big Three.” The No. 4 player in the world, however, has plenty of company in a second section that is there for the taking. Davydenko is not even assured of making it out of the second round after his opening bye, as he will play the winner of the Tommy Haas-Carlos Moya showdown. Moya is struggling mightily at the moment but is still dangerous, while Haas reached the quarterfinals in Indianapolis and would have gone further had he not melted down against eventual champ Gilles Simon.

    Two other weekend participants in Indianapolis also lurk in the bottom half of this section. James Blake, seeded seventh, has one of the eight byes and will play a qualifier in his first match. In round three the American could have a rematch with Dmitry Tursunov, who upset Blake in the Indy semis before falling to Simon in the final. Prolific hard-court players Radek Stepanek and Feliciano Lopez will do battle in a brutal first-round clash and either one could threaten Blake and Tursunov for that quarterfinal spot.

    Davydenko will also be challenged by No. 16 seed Mikhail Youzhny and Indian Wells runner-up Mardy Fish. Neither Youzhny nor Fish is in particularly fine form right now, but both can heat up on hard courts.

    Davydenko, who won the Masters Series Miami in stunning fashion, should be the favorite, but he disappointed at both the French Open and Wimbledon. If he doesn't regain confidence in a hurry, the door could be open for someone like Blake.

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