Kremlin Cup Men’s single competition; Friday’s Preview
A total of four matches are included in today’s schedule of the play at the 2010 Kremlin Cup Men’s single competition in Moscow. The seeded pair of Marcos Baghdatis from Cyprus and Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic along with the 2008 Kremlin Cup winner Igor
Kunitsyn from Russian are among today’s quarter finalists.
In the first quarter final round of the day, Radek Stepanek will take on Cuevas on the centre court. He stands at 1-0 against him and it is the third occasion in as many Kremlin Cup appearances that Radek has made it into the quarter final round in Moscow
whereas Cuevas is playing in his second straight quarter final round.
World number seventy one Cuevas enters with a win loss record of 18-19 on the season. He has so far reached the quarter final in Costa Do Sauipe, Estoril, Bastad and Bucharest in 2010. The 24-year-old player from Uruguay has not dropped a single set in his
previous clashes against Daniel Brands of Germany and Nikolay Davydenko earlier this week in Moscow.
The 31-year-old Radek is the oldest contender remaining in the draw who is taking part in his fourth ATP World tour quarter final or better in 2010 and enters with a match record of 14-13 on the season. His best result earlier this reason was a finalist
run in Brisbane, semi-finalist appearance in Tokyo and quarter finalist show down in New Heaven. Radek was sidelined for almost three months due to mononucleosis and made a comeback on the tour back in May by contesting in Prostejov Challenger. He is playing
in Moscow on the third occasion in his career, having previously reached the quarter back in 2004 as well as 2007. The right hander is currently ranked number thirty seven in the world by the ATP.
In the second clash of the day, Igor Kunitsyn and Denis Istomin will play each other on the very first occasion in their career. The 29-year-old Kunitsyn enters with a match record of 16-7 on the season. He won his only ATP World tour title back in 2008.
He is playing in Moscow on the eighth occasion in a row and ninth overall. His best results so far in 2010 have come in Challenger events where he stands at 15-9 mark, capturing the trophy in Astana. He also took part in the Davis Cup ties earlier this season
in March and got the better of Somdev Devvarman of India in four sets.
World number forty six, Istomin has reached the finals in New Heaven, semi-final in San Jose, Eastbourne and quarter final in Hamburg this season. He enters with a match record of 31-25 in 2010. The 23-year-old Istomin is the top player from Uzbekistan who
is appearing in his fifth quarter or better this year. Back in August, prior to the year’s final major, the United States Open in New York, he reached his first ATP World Tour title battle in New Heaven.
In the third clash on Friday, Alexandr Dolgopolov will try his level best to beat Marcos Baghdatis on the second occasion in a little over two weeks. The 21-year-old Dolgopolov is currently ranked number fifty six in the world and is appearing in his third
ATP World tour quarter or better in 2010.
World number nine, Baghdatis has won the Sydney competition earlier this season after thrashing out Richard Gasquet in the finals. He is playing in Moscow for the first time in his career and enters with a match record of 40-25 on the season.
In the only match on the court number one, Zeballos and Troicki will square off on the first occasion on Friday.
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