2011 BNP Paribas Open: ATP Seeds Part XI
World Number 12 Nicolas Almagro
Nicolas Almagro is the fourth-highest ranked Spanish player on the Association of Tennis Professionals rankings at the moment, placed just behind Frenchman Gael Monfils at World Number 12. The player is just 25 years old, and has
been playing in a professional capacity since 2003. The right-handed player is coached by Jose Perlas.
The Spaniard is seeded eleventh at the 2011 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells event, as Monfils opted to withdraw from the tournament due to injuries. Almagro has participated at the BNP Paribas Open three times prior to
this, making his debut in 2007. He was ranked World Number 32 at the time, and received a bye which enabled him to move directly to the second round. However, he could not cash in this opportunity and lost his first match on the courts of California to Swedish
player Thomas Johansson. Johansson was ranked World Number 85 at that time.
Almagro’s next attempt was basically a repeat of his first showing at the tournament. He had increased his ranking to World Number 25, and received another bye in the tournament. However, he suffered another first match defeat
at the hands of French tennis pro Nicolas Mahut, who was ranked World Number 44 at the time.
Surprisingly, Nicolas Almagro posted his best results at the tournament in 2010 as an unseeded player. His ranking had slipped to World Number 40, and he was not expected to perform too well at Indian Wells. Therefore, it came
as a great surprise to spectators when he managed to upset Croat Ivo Karlovic in his second round match, having defeated Mischa Zverev in the first round. The Spaniard then proceeded to score one more victory this time against American James Blake in the third
round, recording a three-sets win over the then-World Number 52. His fourth round match was against Scottish player Andy Murray, who managed to take the first set against him when Almagro retired 0-1 in the second set. Murray was ranked World Number 4 by the
ATP at this time.
However, despite his previous record at the event, Nicolas Almagro has been touted as one of the dark horses of the tournament this year. He managed to set the Latin American ATP Tour alight with his performances, scoring big wins
at Costa Do Sauipe and Buenos Aires before going down to David Ferrer at the Acapulco final. His ranking rose substantially after these wins, and he stands a great chance of breaking into the Top Ten if he puts up a good show at the tournament. However, one
reservation which effects the likelihood of his success is the fact that he has won his last two titles on clay, whereas Indian Wells Masters are played on hard courts.
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