2010 St. Petersburg Open; Russell, Youzhny and Kukushkin in action on Wednesday
Michael Russell from the United States of America will take on the court on Wednesday against Janko Tipsarevic at the 2010 St. Petersburg Open Men’s singles competition in Russia. Both of them are facing each other on the very first occasion in their career.
World number eighty seven Russell is coming off his first round victory against a Russian opponent, Igor Andreev. The 32-year-old American who turned professional back in 1998 has so far reached the quarter final round in San Jose as well as Atlanta, losing
on both occasions to Sam Querrey and John Isner respectively.
The Texas resident stands at a match record of 11-20 on the season and is looking for his first ATP World Tour title on the tour. He reached his career high ranking of world number sixty back in 2007. Russell is attempting to make his way into his third
ATP World Tour quarter-final of the year whereas Janko his sixth in 2010.
The 26-year-old Tipsarevic has advanced into the finals in Hertogenbosch, semi-final in Chennai, Los Angeles and quarter final in Dubai and Washington so far in 2010. The Serbian who made his debut on the ATP tour back in 2002 enjoys a win loss record of 23-20
on the year. Janko is currently ranked number forty six in the South African Airways 2010 ATP list. He made his way into the second round in Russia after getting the better of Igor Kunitsyn in the opening match on Tuesday. Janko was also a quarter finalist
here back in 2008.
In the evening session, Mikhail Youzhny will attempt for his second victory in as many clashes versus Daniel Brand of Germany. The 28-year-old Mikhail is currently ranked number ten in the South African Airways 2010 ATP list. He won the Munich title earlier
this season after getting the better of Cilic as well as Kuala Lumpur crown where the Russian outlasted Golubev in the title battle in straight sets.
The right hander also reached the final in Rotterdam, Dubai, semi-final in the United States Open and quarter final in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami and Gstaad. The Russian enters with a win loss mark of 39-17 on the season. He stands at a lifetime record
of 20-7 in St. Petersburg and is also the last Russian who captured a title here back in 2004.
Brand who is currently ranked number seventy three on the tour posted his season best run at the PTT Thailand Open in Bangkok where he reached the quarters before losing to Benjamin Becker. The German enjoys a match record of 9-17 on the season.
In the concluding match of the day, Mikhail Kukushkin from Kazakhstan will take on Teymuraz Gabashvili in their first ever meeting on the tour. The winner of this match will make his way into his second ATP World Tour quarter-final in 2010.
World number eighty eight Kukushkin made his ATP World Tour debut back in 2006. The 22-year-old Mikhail enters with a win loss record of 13-8 on the season. He advanced into the quarter final round at the Thailand Open earlier this season where the World
number one Rafael Nadal of Spain overpowered him in straight sets. The right hander is looking for his first ATP World Tour title on the tour.
The 25-year-old Russian Gabashvili who also reached the quarter final in New Heaven earlier in 2010 stands at 9-15 match record on the season. He is currently ranked number 108 in the world and achieved his career high ranking of world number fifty nine
back in 2009.
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