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  • French flavor to Thailand Open quarterfinals

    9/25/08 10:55 PM | Ricky Dimon
    - Three of the four quarterfinals in Bangkok feature a Frenchman. Nicolas Mahut, Gael Monfils, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are all in action Friday afternoon.

    (3) Tomas Berdych vs. Nicolas Mahut

    Berdych has to be hoping this season-ending indoor swing sees him turn around what has been a disappointing year. The home stretch started out well enough on Thursday, as the No. 3 seed rolled over Simone Bolelli 7-5, 6-1. Overall, however, 2008 has been a struggle for Berdych. He is 35th in the ATP race and his sub-par results this year have him down to No. 27 in the world. Last August Berdych registered at a career-high ranking of No. 9. The Czech will still be heavily favored against Mahut, who will once again have upset on his mind after taking out fifth-seeded Jarkko Nieminen in the second round. In his opening match the Frenchman knocked out Thai favorite Danai Udomchoke. Those two wins continue a rare stellar stretch for Mahut, who also struggled throughout this season before winning a Challenger title two weeks ago in Orleans, France. Big serving and short points will be in store, but Berdych should prevail.

    (8) Jurgen Melzer vs. (2) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

    Based on fame, seed, and ranking, a Melzer win here would be a big upset, but in actuality it should not be much of a surprise. The Austrian, ranked 41st in the word, is in fine form at the moment. He reached the quarterfinals at the Beijing Olympics and then won two matches at the U.S. Open before falling to eventual runner-up Andy Murray in five sets. So far this week Melzer has dispatched Donald Young and Viktor Troicki, both in straight sets. Tsonga has far more natural talent, which he displayed at the start of the year by reaching the final of the Australian Open. The 20th-ranked Frenchman, however, has been plagued by injury since May and he missed three months before returning in New York, where he lost to Tommy Rodredo in the third round. Tsonga pulled off a grueling win over Lukas Dlouhy in his first match in Bangkok, winning both the first and third sets in tiebreakers. Melzer fell to Tsonga in thee sets earlier this season in Miami, but Melzer in three sets is the pick this time.

    Philipp Petzschner vs. (4) Gael Monfils

    Unlike a Melzer win, a Petzschner victory over Monfils really would be a monumental upset. The German, ranked 131st in the world, brought a mere 3-6 2008 ATP record with him into Bangkok and he had not won an ATP match since mid-July. Nonetheless, Petzschner stunned Marat Safin in the first round and went on to oust countryman Mischa Zverev. Monfils, meanwhile, is enjoying one of his hot streaks at the moment. The 22-year-old Frenchman reached the semifinals of the French Open, the semifinals in Nottingham, the quarterfinals of the Olympics, and the fourth round of the U.S. Open. Seeded fourth this week, Monfils took out Robert Kendrick in straight sets to book his spot in the quarterfinals. The speedy Monfils will make Petzschner hit too many balls and he should advance in two sets.

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