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7/21/11 4:46 PM | Ricky Dimon
Defending champion Mardy Fish will take the court in Atlanta on Thursday for a clash against Nicolas Mahut. Xavier Malisse and Ryan Harrison are also looking for spots in the quarterfinals.
(1) Mardy Fish vs. Nicolas Mahut
Fish and Mahut will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers when they do battle in the second round of the Atlanta Tennis Championships on Thursday evening. Both of their previous encounters went in Fish's favor; 6-1, 6-3 five years ago in Cincinnati and 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 at the 2007 Australian Open. Mahut is a considerable underdog once again, but he is back inside the Top 100 and is a decent 6-7 at the ATP level this season. The 29-year-old Frenchman dismissed Richard Berankis in straight sets on Tuesday.
With a 22-14 record for his 2011 campaign, Fish is the top-ranked American and No. 9 in the world overall but he will need a big summer to defend all of last year's points and remain in the same spot. Among the 29-year-old American's 2010 results was a title in Atlanta, and his defense is set to get underway following a first-round bye. Fish is looking to bounce back from a pair of brutal Davis Cup losses two weeks ago in Austin, Texas. Mahut can make this competitive if he serves well, but look for the No. 1 seed to prevail in straight sets.
(4) Xavier Malisse vs. Ryan Harrison
Malisse will begin his push for a seed at the season's final Grand Slam when he kicks off his U.S. Open Series in Atlanta on Thursday. The 31-year-old Belgian registers at No. 40 in the world, one place off his season-high (39th is also his best since August of 2007). Malisse, a quarterfinalist in Atlanta last year, is 20-16 for the season and currently heating up. He reached the semifinals in 's-Hertogenbosch then advanced to the fourth round of Wimbledon.
Up first for the No. 4 seed following an opening-round bye is Harrison, who has played his way into all three Grand Slams in 2011 (wild card playoff for the Australian Open before qualifying at Wimbledon and the French Open). The 19-year-old American owns five ATP match victories this season, including a 6-1, 7-6(5) win over Yuichi Sugita on Tuesday. Harrison clearly has the talent to pull off an upset, but Malisse should hold him off in three entertaining sets.
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Mardy Fish
Nicolas Mahut
Atlanta
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