2010 Rakuten Japan Open: Wednesday’s Preview
The second round of the 2010 Rakuten Japan Open takes off on Wednesday with a total of four clashes with four final eight spots up for grabs in Tokyo.
First up is an all unseeded clash between Marco Chiudinelli from Switzerland versus Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic at Centre Court. The 29-year-old Marco is appearing in his 24th ATP World Tour in 2010 and enjoys a match record of 14-27
for the season. He has triumphed in back-to-back battles on two occasions in his career, advancing into the quarters in Stuttgart and the third round at Washington earlier in August. The number three Swiss is contesting for the third time in Tokyo where she
comfortably got the better of Michael Llodra in his first round clash on Monday. Marco achieved his career high ranking of world number fifty two back in February this season and is currently ranked number 75 in the world by ATP.
The 31-year-old Radek on the other hand is appearing in his eleventh ATP World Tour main draw of the season. His best results came about in the finals in Brisbane along with his quarterfinal run in New Heaven. Radek is playing on the fifth occasion in Tokyo.
The Czech recently defeated Viktor Troicki in the opening rubber of the Davis Cup semi-final in Belgrade before falling to Janko Tipsarevic in the decisive rubber. Although Radek is ahead of Marco but the Swiss triumphed in their only previous clash 6-1, 6-3
in Washington back in August.
Second on Centre Court is another all unseeded match as Dmitry Tursunov from Russia will meet Richard Gasquet of France. The 27-year-old Dmitry is competing in his sixth ATP World Tour main draw of the season and on Monday got the better of Ernests Gulbis
in straight sets to improve his match record to 2-5 in 2010. His only other victory came in Washington back in August. The Russian is making his fourth appearance at the Japan Open and is currently ranked number fifty eight in the world. He achieved his career
high ranking of world number 20 back in 2006.
The 24-year-old Richard enjoys a match record of 32-17 for this season. He is playing in Tokyo on the fourth occasion in his career, advancing into the finals back in 2007 and a semi-final finish in 2008. Richard achieved his career high ranking of world
number 7 back in 2007. Although, Tursunov leads the two-way competition at 4-2, however Richard triumphed in their previous battle in the opening round of Sydney last year.
The last singles clash on Centre Court pits Daniel Gimeno Traver from Spain versus Jarkko Nieminen of Finland. Jarkko is coming off his first ATP World Tour final run of the year and the 10th of his professional life at the Thailand Open last
week in Bangkok. It was his first title battle since last year in Sydney. He enjoys a match record of 22-23 on the year and is contesting in Tokyo on the sixth occasion in his career. Traver on the other hand made a successful Japan Open debut on Monday with
a two setter victory over Eduardo Schwank of Argentine. He has a match record of 16-21 on the year and is currently ranked number 59 in the world by ATP. Traver also triumphed in their last clash, back in August during the first round of the United States
Open in New York. However, Jarkko has won seven of his nine clashes since then, including an appearance in the title battle in Bangkok last week.
On court number one, 6th seed Feliciano Lopez will play Guillermo Garcia Lopez for the fifth occasion in his career with all ties tied at 2-2. Garcia Lopez is currently ranked number 39 in the world and has reached the final of Bangkok and Eastbourne
this season. Feliciano on the other hand is currently ranked number 23 in the world and advanced into the semi-finals in London as well as Los Angeles in 2010.
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