2010 Swiss Indoors Basel: Preview of Friday’s evening session
The fourth seed and top American ace, Andy Roddick will take on David Nalbandian in the third match of the day at 2010 Swiss Indoors Basel Men’s singles competition on Friday. Roddick leads his overall head to head encounters versus the former world number
three at 3-2 but since triumphing in their first three clashes he lost both of the later meetings in straight sets; in the final four here back in 2003 and at the Shanghai Masters in 2006.
The 28 year old American is making his tenth quarter final or better appearance in sixteen championships this season. He is looking to grab one of the three remaining positions in the elite eight man field in London. Roddick started his tournament’s campaign
at Basel with a two setter win over Sam Querrey followed by a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Andrey Golubev.
He owns a 9-3 lifetime record in Basel and had advanced into the semi final here back in 2003 before losing to David Nalbandian. The professional tennis ace from United States of America enters with a win loss mark of 45-13 on the year and is playing in
his first tournament since retiring from his third round match at the Shanghai Rolex Masters in China last month due to injury.
The right hander posted his best result of the season with a title victory in Brisbane followed by another crown in Miami back in April. He is currently ranked number nine in the South African Airways ATP list.
The second highest ranked Argentinean Nalbandian, on the other hand, is playing in the quarter final or better on the fifth occasion in 2010. He enters with a win loss mark of 27-8 on the season.
The professional tennis player from Argentina is playing in Basel on the eighth occasion in his career and had previously won the title here in 2002. He opened his account in Basel with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Jan Hajek from Czech Republic on Tuesday. Nalbandian
made his way into the quarter final round with a three setter victory over Marin Cilic on Thursday. The right hander is currently ranked number 29 in the world.
In the concluding match of the day, the top seed and world number two, Roger Federer will meet a wild card entrant Radek Stepanek on the centre court. The Swiss tennis maestro leads the pair’s head to head encounters at 8-2.
The three time Basel winner Federer is playing in the quarters or better on the ninth occasion in eleven appearances this season. He owns a lifetime mark of 35-7 in this event and is coming off his third crown of the year in Stockholm where he got the better
of Florian Mayer in the title battle.
The owner of sixteen Grand Slam trophies from Switzerland comes in with a win loss record of 54-12 on the year and is currently ranked number two in the South African Airways ATP list.
Meanwhile, 31 year old Stepanek is the oldest contender in the draw who is attempting to make his way into the semi final round in Basel on the second occasion in a row.
He was defeated in the final four round here last year by Novak Djokovic of Serbia in three sets. The right hander has advanced into the quarters or better on five occasions in 2010 and enjoys a match record of 16-14 on the season. Stepanek, who is currently
ranked number 38 in the world, achieved his career high ranking of world number eight back in 2006.
Tags: