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Fans’ guide to the week: July 19-25


 

Originally published on: 20/07/10 21:41

International German Open

When? July 19 – 25
Where? Hamburg, Germany
Event Type: ATP Tour 500
Surface: Clay
Prize money: €228,000
Draw Size: S-64,  D-16
2009 Champion: Nikolay Davydenko

Even after being downgraded from a Masters Series event and moved to July, this clay court tournament has a whole host of top class players in the draw. Defending champion and No.1 seed Nikolay Davydenko returns to rediscover the form that saw him win his 20th ATP World Tour title in Doha earlier this year.

His comeback may be halted by former finalist Juan Carlos Fererro, and a possible quarter-final match up between Spain’s Nicolas Almagro. Almagro looks to repeat the success of last week after defeating defending champion Robin Soderling to take home his first Swedish Open trophy. The two have met twice with a 1-1 head to head, but Almagro may have the upper hand as he won the first set before Davydenko withdrew in their only encounter on clay.

Ironically Wimbledon doubles champions and partners in the doubles Jurgen Melzer and Phillipp Petzchner are on course for a third round encounter. Home favourite Petzschner may want to seek revenge after Melzer jumped on him after they claimed championship point in the SW19 final.

 

Atlanta Tennis Championships

When? July 19 – 25
Where? Atlanta, Georgia
Event Type: ATP Tour 250
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $531,000
Draw Size: S-32, D-16
2009 Champion (Indianapolis): Robby Ginepri

The change of state from Indiana to Georgia seems to have brought with it the cream of the American crop. Andy Roddick, John Isner and Mardy Fish take centre stage as the 8-tournament US Open Series gets underway with the Atlanta Tennis Championships. No.1 seed Andy Roddick –who won his first title in a clay court Atlanta event – was awarded a wild card into the event and seeks to gain title number 30 on his most successful surface.

A possible final meeting is on the cards for Roddick and John Isner where 130mph-plus serves by the both of them will be in attendance. Isner, the No.2 seed, may have made history on grass this year but also enters his most successful surface having won his first ATP title in Auckland earlier this year and also reaching a hard court final in Memphis.

No.3 seed Lleyton Hewitt always poses a huge threat on the hard courts and joins James Blake and Giles Simon as they contend for their first hard court title of the season.

Brit Jamie Ward was also awarded a wild card into the event and meets American Mardy Fish in the first round.

 

Banker Koper Slovenia Open

When? July 19 – 25
Where? Portoroz, Slovenia
Event Type: WTA International
Surface: Hard
Prize money: €220,000
Draw Size: S-32, D-16
2009 Champion: Dinara Safina

With defending champion Safina out of action, the field is wide open for a new Slovenia Open Champion. World No.2 Jelena Jankovic tops the seeding at the tournament in her first tournament since withdrawing in the fourth round of Wimbledon with a lower back injury.

Jankovic has had hard court success earlier in the year at WTA Premier event Indian Wells but in order to continue this success she must go against Wimbledon semi-finalist Petra Kvitova who has recorded wins over Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka and Jie Zheng this year. 

Also hoping to halt Jankovic’s campaign are Russian No.3 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and No.4 seed Sara Errani of Italy. Former champion Errani hopes to emulate her successes in the doubles this year but may not pose a threat to Jankovic who defeated her en route masters victory in Indian Wells.

There’s British interest as Anne Keothavong attempts to put her Wimbledon disappointment behind get through to the main draw through qualifying.

 

Nurnberger Gastein

When? July 19 – 25
Where? Bad Gastein, Austria
Event Type: WTA International
Surface: Clay
Prize money: €220,000
Draw Size: S-32, D-16
2009 Champion: Andrea Petkovic

It’s back to the clay for Andrea Petkovic as she campaigns to claim her third Gastein Ladies title in Austria. She will face stiff competition from clay specialist and No.3 seed Anabel Medina Garrigues who leads their head to head 1-0 and who looks to continue Spain’s summer sporting success.

For this to happen both players have to fend off Czech Timea Bacsinszky and Italian Tathiana Garbin who together won the doubles title in the Prague Open the previous week. Also hoping to continue their form in Prague is fellow Czech play Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, who took Agnes Szavay to three sets in Prague Open final and jumped to a career high of No.39 in the singles ranking.

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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.