Tennis Special: 2010 China Open ATP Preview
The China Open in Beijing will boast two fabulous fields during the week-long men’s and women’s competition.
With a total of seven top ten tennis contenders taking part in each section, the China Open’s prize money which is actually the greatest payout for any 500 series contest on the ATP World Tour will highlight the likes of Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Robin
Soderling, whereas the Women’s competition will feature Vera Zvonareva, Caroline Wozniacki and Jelena Jankovic.
The Beijing Olympic Tennis Centre, which hosts ten hard surfaces and an ultra modern air purifying system all through its three lotus-inspired designed Stadiums, will display a thirty two man ATP field, and a fifty six women WTA draw.
While Novak continues his march toward strengthening the number two position for the year, Caroline from Denmark remains just two victories away from sealing the top spot in the WTA rankings list.
With the top seeds taking part in each event, let us take a look here at the top half of the Men’s draw.
With 2,760 points to defend prior to the end of 2010, last year’s winner Novak Djokovic from Serbia could find himself out of the top five in the ATP World rankings with a drop in touch and form.
Assisting his Davis Cup side into their first ever title battle, Novak will start his quest for his second crown of the year versus Mao-Xin Gong, before meeting either Janko Tipsarevic or Mardy Fish in the next round at the China Open in Beijing.
Both Mardy and Janko pulled in epic Davis Cup results in their particular ties, whereas improving on their rankings all through the season.
The American Fish encountered a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Novak at the year’s final Grand Slam, the United States Open in New York, and Janko has yet to lose his compatriot in two previous attempts.
While the experts could see Novak being upset in the second round, his record of 7-versus Mardy and Janko should bode well for the Serbian’s progression.
Talking about the quarterfinals and better, Novak could meet Sam Querrey, Gilles Simon or Tomas Berdych.
Gilles, who recently captured the crown in Metz, could be gaining heat, while Tomas and Sam hold enough firepower to make their way into the weekend's action.
However, considering that the American tennis player, Sam Querrey has struggled during the major competitions, and Tomas has dropped off in touch since making his way into the finals of the grass court Grand Slam tournament at the All England Club earlier
this season, Novak continues to remain the hot favourite through the final four in Beijing.
Tour finale hopeful Fernando Verdasco will have a difficult opening round clash versus Philipp Kohlschreiber, whereas John Isner will meet clay-surface dynamo Thomaz Bellucci.
Isner’s injury may hinder him in reaching the later stages of the tournament in Beijing, whereas Marin Cilic on the other hand, who has struggled with his confidence level since the Australian Open, will be in great trouble in terms of his finals’ points
if he bundles out early.
Nikolay Davydenko from Russia remains in need of an amazing result, and his charming timing off the ground should resurrect prior to the end on 2010.
With that being said, the analysts believe that it is Verdasco's time to rock once again. The Spaniard will require all of his ammunition to make his way into the finals in Beijing, and with a complicated draw all the way through, his hair care products
will have to take a back seat to his on court attention.
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