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5/24/09 1:22 AM | Ricky Dimon
The 2009 French Open gets underway on Sunday, and some of Rafael Nadal's closest competitors will be in action. Threats in Nadal's quarter of the draw include Fernando Verdasco, David Ferrer, and Stanislas Wawrika.
Rafael Nadal avoided Novak Djokovic in the top half of the French Open draw, but that's just about where the good news ends for the world No. 1.
Nadal's quarter features a ton of talent, highlighted by Fernando Verdasco, David Ferrer, and Stanislas Wawrinka. Verdasco reached the Australian Open semifinals (lost to Nadal in an instant classic) and has made it to the quarterfinals or better of every single tournament he has entered this season. Ferrer finished runner-up to Nadal in Barcelona and reached another ATP final on the hard courts of Dubai (lost to Djokovic). Wawrinka has advanced to at least the round of 16 in all four of his clay-court appearances this season (including the semifinals in Monte-Carlo) and he took Nadal to two tiebreakers in Miami.
Nikolay Davydenko is also in this jam-packed section of the draw. Once a staple No. 4 player in the world, the Russian was sidelined with a foot injury for much of the first three months of the year, but he returned for this clay-court swing.
Nadal can meet no more than two of those four contenders. The four-time defending Roland Garros champion would square off with Ferrer in the fourth round if both Spaniards advance that far. Verdasco, Wawrinka, and Davydenko are in the other half of this section. Wawrinka and Davydenko could go head-to-head in the third round, while the winner could possibly face Verdasco one stage later.
Verdasco and Ferrer will kick off their French Open campaigns on Sunday against Florent Serra and Frederico Gil, respectively.
First-round matchups to watch in this quarter of the draw include Lleyton Hewitt vs. Ivo Karlovic and Ernests Gulbis vs. Sam Querrey. Hewitt has never beaten Karlovic in three tries. Gulbis and Querrey--especially Gulbis--seem to be stuck in neutral despite being tipped as talented up-and-comers.
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Vamos Rafa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We'll see how it all pans out. There is no point in fretting at the moment, if fret is the word, because Rafa can handle all of these players, but who knows what will come out in the wash. I'm sure none of these players is happy to be crammed in the same quarter, because it reduces their chances to get far, having to fight from the word go.
VAMOS RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
carrie , 5/24/09 2:39 PM
More than 2,000 votes have been cast last night on the poll and apparently rafa got them all as he has 66% of the votes now! Who uses a script in a poll that doesnt count for anything ffs?
orion , 5/24/09 2:48 PM
at least this poll result is more accurate than the previous one. anyhow, suggestion to admins -introduce random confirmation code while voting - this will prevent automated voting and finally explain to voter base that this is not a "who would you like to win?" poll.
posmatrac , 5/24/09 5:14 PM
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yeah........rafa's draw really is scary,but considering his clay court prowess.....he will manage..
vamos rafa!!!!!!!
vrael , 5/24/09 1:17 PM