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4/25/10 10:09 PM | Kelli DeMario
Novak Djokovic returns to competition this week, set to headline the bottom half of the draw at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, Italy. The former champion commences the event as the second seed.
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic is scheduled to begin his fourth Masters 1000 Rome this week, making his first appearance since a semifinal finish in Monte-Carlo (lost to Verdasco). The 22-year-old must defend runner-up points, having advanced to the championship match last year (lost to Nadal). The Serb star hoisted the trophy in 2008, following his come-from-behind victory over Stanislas Wawrinka.
Djokovic kicks off the tournament with an 18-5 season mark, bolstered by a successful title defense in Dubai. The World No. 2 took out a resurgent Mikhail Youzhny in the final, adding ATP World Tour career championship No. 17 to his resume. The 22-year-old has reached the quarterfinal or better in four events this year.
Djokovic is seeded second in Rome, right behind World No. 1 Roger Federer and just ahead of defending champion Rafael Nadal. He leads a bottom half draw flush with seeded players, including an out-of-form fourth Andy Murray, sixth-seeded Barcelona champion Fernando Verdasco, seventh Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Juan Carlos Ferrero and David Ferrer, seeded 12th and 13th respectively.
Additional competitors are 9th seed Mikhail Youzhny, 14th seed John Isner, Houston finalist Horacio Zeballos and Thomaz Bellucci, all located in the Serb’s quarter. After a first round bye, the 2009 finalist faces Jeremy Chardy of France, a first-round winner over Janko Tipsarevic.
Should he earn safe passage through the early rounds, Djokovic looks for a possible quarterfinal-round clash with newly crowned Barcelona champion Fernando Verdasco. The Spaniard, who downed 2009 French Open runner-up Robin Soderling in Sunday’s final, defeated the Serb a little over a week ago in Monte-Carlo.
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