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2/9/09 6:33 AM | Ricky Dimon
2008 SAP Open champion Andy Roddick is back to defend his title this week in San Jose. Roddick headlines the tournament as the top seed, but a host of formidable contenders includes Juan Martin Del Potro.
Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick is the top seed this week at San Jose's SAP Open, one of his favorite tournaments when it comes to winning titles. Roddick has captured the trophy three times, having emerged victorious in 2004, 2005, and 2008. The American has only won Queen's Club more often (four times) and he is also a three-time champion in both Houston and Washington.
It won't be easy for Roddick to take home a fourth title in San Jose this time around, as the SAP Open boasts arguably its strongest cast of characters ever. Juan Martin Del Potro, who won four straight ATP tournaments last summer in between Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, is seeded second. The 20-year-old Argentine already has another title this season (Auckland). Rounding out the top four seeds are James Blake and 2008 San Jose runner-up Radek Stepanek.
The final four seeds include three streaky Americans (Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey, and Robby Ginepri) and veteran Russian Igor Kunitsyn, who recently won a surprising title on indoor hard courts last fall in Moscow (San Jose is also played on indoor hard).
Beyond the seeded players, there is almost no dropoff in talent whatsoever among the unseeded ranks. Consider these San Jose participants who are not seeded: former world No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt, former world No. 2 Tommy Haas, 2006 Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis, 2008 French Open quarterfinalist Ernests Gulbis, and 2008 U.S. Open quarterfinalist Gilles Muller. Also don't overlook Guillermo Canas, Jarkko Nieminen, Taylor Dent, and John Isner.
Based on ranking as well as current form, Roddick and Del Potro are clearly the two biggest favorites for this year's title. After triumphing in Auckland, Del Potro reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. In two events so far this season, Roddick finished runner-up to Andy Murray in Doha and made it to the Australian Open semifinals before losing to Roger Federer, who also took out Del Potro.
Clearly, however, Roddick and Del Potro should be getting stern tests every step of the way this week in San Jose.
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This is gonna be a great tournament. Lots of good players
JohnnyM , 2/9/09 4:28 PM