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2/22/10 4:52 AM | Ricky Dimon
Roger Federer's withdrawal leaves Novak Djokovic as the top-ranked player in Dubai this week. Joining Djokovic in a stellar field are Andy Murray, Nikolay Davydenko, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and Marin Cilic.
Although Roger Federer is out with a lung infection, the field at this week's Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships is still an outstandingly strong one.
Novak Djokovic leads the way as the No. 2 seed (there is no longer a No. 1 seed as Federer pulled out after the draw ceremony was held). Nonetheless, the draw did the world No. 3 no favors whatsoever. If Djokovic advances two rounds, he could meet fifth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals. Tsonga, however, has to go up against Marseille champion and fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra in the opening round.
Andy Murray is seeded third and would have been on a collision course with Federer for the semifinals, but instead No. 6 seed Marin Cilic looms large as a potential opponent in the last four. Murray and Cilic are in an extremely soft top half of the draw now that Federer is missing, but potential stumbling blocks include Tommy Robredo and seventh-seeded Mikhail Youzhny.
Nikolay Davydenko, the No. 4 seed, is not quite as hot as he was late last year, but he is heavy favorite to reach at least the semifinals in Dubai. The other seeded player in his quarter is No. 8 Gilles Simon, who has played--and lost--just a single match this season due to a knee injury. A more likely quarterfinal opponent for Davydenko is Simon's first-round opponent, Marcos Baghdatis.
Unseeded floaters in the draw include Marseille runner-up Julien Benneteau, 2008 Dubai runner-up Feliciano Lopez, Serbs Janko Tipsarevic and Viktor Troicki, and Croatian veteran Ivan Ljubicic.
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correction: Djoko is world No2, not 3.!
bianca , 2/22/10 12:29 PM
considering he had the easiest possible draw in rotterdam and lost anyway, i think it might just happen tennislover!
stu , 2/22/10 4:27 PM
djoker in the process of running out a two-set, but unimpressive, victory against garcia-lopez. I wonder if muzz is going to perform any better?
alex , 2/22/10 5:40 PM
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Can it be the year of tennis, and the mighty Djoko can do the miracle and defened a title!
tennislover , 2/22/10 10:30 AM