Top names ready to go in Indian Wells
Originally published on: 26/02/10 15:34
Every member of the top 20 will be present in Indian Wells with potential semi-finals brewing that could feature Roger Federer vs Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic.
In the first half of the draw, top seed Nadal begins against South African Kevin Anderson or a qualifier. Nadal potentially has a tough fourth round against David Nalbandian, who leads 2-0 in their lifetime match record.
Other contenders in the top half of the draw hopeful of upsetting the world No.1 are No.21 Tomas Berdych, Argentine Juan Martin del Potro (No.6), ninth-seed Gael Monfils, No.24 Marat Safin and in form Czech Radek Stepanek (No.18).
Novak Djokovic, the other big name in the top half of the draw who has an 11-2 match record at Indian Wells could face American Andy Roddick (No.7), twelfth-seed David Ferrer or last years finalist Mardy Fish in the quarter-finals.
In the bottom half of the draw, world No.4 Andy Murray, who reached the semi-finals two years ago will be playing his first tournament since pulling out of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships two weeks ago (due to a virus).
Brit Muzza opens against Albert Montanes or Florent Serra. Paul-Henri Mathieu is the first seed he could be up against in the third round. In the quarter-finals he could play Frenchmen Gilles Simon (No.8) or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (No.11), Russian Igor Andreev (No.22) or Croat Mario Ancic (No.28).
Elsewhere in the lower half of the draw, second-seed Federer begins his campaign against either Marc Gicquel or Italian Simone Bolelli to win a fourth title in Indian Wells. Federer could face Fernando Gonzalez, James Blake or Aussie two-time champion Lleyton Hewitt in the fourth round.
If Federer can triumph over potential quarter-finalists Russian Nikolay Davydenko, tenth-seed Fernando Verdasco, Frenchman Richard Gasquet or Robin Soderling (No.25), he could then play Murray in the semi-finals.
What a treat we have in store. Check out the draw on the ATP website.
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