2010 BNP Paribas Masters: Preview of Monday's two opening clashes
As the 2010 BNP Paribas Masters Men’s singles competition kicked off on Sunday, the Parisian fans will be treated to some of their home country’s best contenders on Monday, as five of the top ten players taking the court hail from France.
In the opening match of the day, Jarkko Nieminen, a qualifier from France, will take on Xavier Malisse from Belgium on the court Central in Paris.
The two former top twenty contenders have faced each other on three occasions so far in their careers with Xavier leading the pair’s head to head series at 2-1. Jarkko however has been in an excellent form since the year’s final Grand Slam, the United States
Open back in September, going 14-5 on the tour.
The 30 year old Malisse, who is playing for the sixth time in Bercy, enjoys a career mark of 4-5 here. His best result came in his debut appearance back in 2001 where the professional tennis player from Belgium successfully made his way into the third round
of the competition before losing to Robin Haas.
The right hander has so far reached the semi final rounds in s-Hertogenbosch, Washington and quarter final rounds in Houston, London, Atlanta and Metz in 2010. He comes in with a win loss mark of 22-22 on the season and is currently ranked number 60 in the
South African Airways ATP list.
Malisse, who is making his first appearance since an opening round defeat at Sebastien Grosjean back in 2006, posted his best result in 52 championships by reaching the quarter final round in Toronto four years ago before falling to the world number two,
Roger Federer of Switzerland in straight sets.
The left handed Jarkko, who qualified into the main draw of the event with victories over Teymuraz Gabashvili and Marc Gicquel, enters with a career mark of 4-6 in Bercy. His best run so far in the tournament was a quarter final appearance back in 2006 where
the professional tennis player from Finland was defeated by the then world number seven Robredo.
Jarkko made his debut on the ATP World Tour back in 2002 and recorded his best showing of the year by making his way into the title battle in Bangkok before losing to Garcia-Lopez in straight sets. His other notable performances in 2010 include semi final
runs in Delray Beach and Stockholm while quarter final show downs in Metz, Tokyo and Montpellier.
He has been one of the most consistent contenders on the ATP World Tour after the United States Open, compiling a 14-5 record since an opening round defeat in New York. The 29 year old is coming off his second round departure in Basel last week where he
was toppled by the world number three and eventual runners up, Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
Jarkko owns a match record of 29-26 on the year. The Masku resident, who achieved his career high ranking of world number 13 back in 2006, is currently ranked number 39 in the South African Airways ATP list.
Next up is a wild card entrant from France, Arnaud Clement versus Feliciano Lopez from Spain. Despite the fact that Lopez is ranked higher on the ATP tour, Clement leads the pair’s head to head encounters at 2-1; including an opening round clash here back
in 2009.
The 32-year-old Clement is the oldest contender in the main draw of the event. He currently enjoys a lifetime mark of 7-11 in Bercy. Clement posted his best result of the year by finishing as runners up in Auckland during the opening month of the year to
John Isner from the United States of America.
He comes in with a win loss record of 15-23 on the season and also reached the quarter final round in Estoril, falling to Roger Federer in the end. The Madrid native advanced into the quarter final round here back in 2004 as his best appearance in Paris.
Lopez, the left handed player from Spain, is attempting to break his three match opening round losing streak since getting the better of Juan Martin Del Potro in Tokyo last month. He enters with a match record of 26-23 on the tour and captured his second
career ATP World Tour crown in Johannesburg back in February.
He also successfully made his way into the semi final rounds in London and Los Angeles earlier in 2010. The Spaniard is looking to end the season on a high note by winning his third World tour crown on the tour.
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