Nadal, Djokovic Lead Stacked Field In Acapulco

Nadal, Djokovic Lead Stacked Field In Acapulco 

ATP Staff

Four members of the Top 10 in the Emirates ATP Rankings are appearing at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, in what is shaping to be a thrilling week in Acapulco. It is a historic field for the ATP World Tour 500 event, with Top 10 stalwarts Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Marin Cilic and Dominic Thiem leading the pack, alongside the likes of Juan Martin del Potro, David Goffin and Nick Kyrgios.

If Djokovic and Nadal cross paths in Saturday's championship, it would be an unprecedented 50th FedEx ATP Head2Head encounter between the two stars, their first since the Internazionali BNL d'Italia quarter-finals last year. The Spaniard leads a talented bottom half of the draw that also features third seed Cilic, Delray Beach Open champion Jack Sock and #NextGenATP stars Borna Coric and Ernesto Escobedo.

Nadal, who will look to carry the momentum from a runner-up showing at the Australian Open, will be seeking his third title in Acapulco, having triumphed when it was held on clay in 2005 (d. Montanes) and in 2013 (d. Ferrer). He opens against a red-hot Mischa Zverev in a rematch of their encounter at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp last month, won by Nadal 6-1, 6-1.

In another enticing first-round affair, World No. 7 Cilic faces Argentina Open champion Alexandr Dolgopolov. "It's going to be extremely exciting with a lot of great players," said the Croatian. "The crowd in Mexico really deserves to have such a great tournament and I'm just hoping I can produce some good tennis and enjoy the week. It's in a great week this year, just prior to Indian Wells, and everyone loves it here.

Competing in his first tournament since a surprise second-round exit at the Australian Open, World No. 2 Djokovic is the first Top 2 player to enter Acapulco since No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten won the title in 2001. The late addition took a wild card into the draw on Thursday and could face del Potro in what would be a blockbuster second-round encounter. The Serbian, who is making his debut, will have to get through Slovakia's Martin Klizan in the first round on Tuesday. Del Potro opens against a qualifier or lucky loser.

Also in Djokovic's half of the draw is fourth seed and defending champion Thiem, who is coming off a title run on the clay of Rio de Janeiro, fifth seed Goffin, sixth seed Kyrgios and 2016 runner-up Bernard Tomic. Thiem and Goffin could meet in the quarter-finals.

Main draw action in Acapulco gets underway on Monday. Four qualifying spots remain up for grabs in Sunday's final round, with #NextGenATP stars Stefan Kozlov, Jared Donaldson, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz all on the schedule, along with Memphis Open champion Ryan Harrison.

French Stars Monfils, Tsonga Reach Marseille QFs

Straight-set wins for French pair

ATP Staff

The top two seeds Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pleased the French crowd on Thursday evening at the Open 13 Marseille as they both advanced to the quarter-finals with straight-sets wins.

Monfils needed just 57 minutes to dismiss qualifier Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-1, 6-4. The right-hander dropped just eight points on serve as he set a quarter-final clash with countryman Richard Gasquet. The pair have met 12 times, with Monfils leading their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 7-5.

The 30-year-old Monfils is returning to action this week for the first time since his fourth-round showing at the Australian Open (l. to Nadal). The Frenchman, who qualified for the ATP Finals for the first time last year, is looking to go one better than his run in Marseille in 2015, when he finished runner-up to Gilles Simon.

Second seed Tsonga was a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Illya Marchenko, saving all six break points the Ukrainian created to advance in 81 minutes.

Tsonga goes on to face 2015 champion Simon as he bids to win his second ATP World Tour title in as many weeks. The Frenchman is coming off his first title in 17 months after lifting the trophy in Rotterdam last week (d. Goffin).

The 31-year-old Tsonga is a two-time former champion in Marseille, hoisting the trophy in 2009 (d. Llodra) and 2013 (d. Berdych), while also finishing runner-up in 2014 (l. to Gulbis). 

JACK SOCK'S FIRST MEETING AGAINST ROGER FEDERER

Young American faces the mighty Roger Federer for first time. 

By Jawad Bisharat

Jack Sock is having a great BNP Paribas Open coming off an impressive 3 set win over #16 in the world Bautista Agut. Jack is playing some of the best tennis of his career but does he have a chance today against the mighty Roger Federer?

I say he has a better chance than most think. Wait, I didn't say he would win, I said he has a better chance than most may believe.

Lets break down the match-up. 

Jack Sock was shown to generate more spin or revolutions per minute on the ball then Rafael Nadal (forehands). Over 3100 RPM compared to Nadal's approx. 3000 RPM. This is incredibly difficult to accomplish, as you can imagine, and Sock needs to implore this pace onto Federer today in a big way.

What has Nadal done to Federer over the past 10 years to consistently beat him? Yes, hit high to the backhand and take control of the rallies. Roger's best results against Nadal have always been on a fast court or indoors, where the ball doesn't kick as much. Indian Wells has slow, gritty courts which works in  Sock's favor. Although, the high temperature and low humidity does speed things up a bit.

Jack will attempt to use Nadal like tactics against Feder today except for one little difference. Jack is right handed, so it will be much more difficult for him to consistently find the Federer's backhand. Jack needs avoid getting sucked into forehand to forehand rallies, which he will lose the majority of the time. He must find a way to frustrate Federer by not only playing to his backhand but use his power and pace to take the match the Federer.

Here is my struggle however, Jack plays a little like Andy Roddick. We all know the results Andy had against Federer. As Andy put it one time "How can you call it a rivalry if the same person always wins??"

Federer drove Roddick crazy by slicing short in the service box to his backhand. This forced Andy approach with a backhand and come to net where Roddick was most uncomfortable and vulnerable.

Look for Federer to use the same tactics today against Jack Sock as he did Roddick. Both player who have similiar styles and would prefer to stay on the baseline.

Final word. If Jack is to have a chance today then the serve will have to be near perfect. Serve over 70% first serve and he may find himself with winning opportunities.

Roger Federer makes quick work of Youzhny in Dubai

© DDFTC

Roger Federer makes quick work of Youzhny in Dubai

By Jawad Bisharat

Roger Federer made quick work of Mikhail Youzhny in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships  6-3, 6-1.

Federer broke first in the 1st set at 3-3 and continued a 7 game win streak against the Russian.

Youzhny, now 32 years old, has never beaten Federer and Monday it was all the same. Youzhny doesn't match up well against Federer. Their style of play is very similar except Federer does everything just a little better except for the backhand which I feel is equal in quality.

Federer coming of a surprise loss to Seppi at the Australian Open last month is seeking his 7th Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship title.  

"I think it was close in that first set." said Federer. "I think we were both trying to find our range. I'm happy I didn't start to play too careful after it, because it is tough to play here in Dubai with the quick conditions. After that, I think I started to return much better. Serve got a bit more consistent. My half volleys were getting better. I was able to get the set and the break, and then that's when you can bring it home."

In other matches, Denis Istomin upset #14 in the world Ernests Gulbis 7-5, 6-2. Gulbis, has not won a match in 2015. Istomin on the other hand plays a bigger game then his #65 ranking leads you to believe. He possesses all the stokes to compete with the top 20. 

"I'm not in good form right now," said Gulbis, who led 4-1 in the first set. "I'm not feeling my shots at all. I have no timing. In practice I have been playing worse than in the match."

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Nadal gets tested on way to QF in Rio

Nadal gets tested on way to QF in Rio
By Jawad Bisharat

Number 1 seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal defeated countryman Pablo Carreno Busta 7-5, 6-3 on Thursday to advance to the quarter finals at the Rio Open.

Carreno Busta drew first blood breaking Nadal to take the lead in the first set. Nadal however broke back, to even the set.  Busta’s saved 3 set points on his serve, but the 23 year old was unable to hold on to the set losing in 73 minutes.

In the second set, Nadal was pushed saving 2 break points. Busta on the other hand could not hold serve and Nadal went on to win the match in over 2 hours.

“I think he played well; he played aggressive,” said Nadal. “I’m happy the way that I played."

Nadal will next face sixth seed Pablo Cuevas, who is coming off a win on Sunday at the Brasil Open 2015 defeating Vanni. Cuevas beat journyman Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-2 in 69 minutes to secure a quarter final match against the best clay court player of all time. 

"Montanes is a great player on this surface; the famous 'Old Fox'," said Cuevas "He definitely was a difficult opponent. I am confident. I was able to play the same as I’ve been doing for the last days, and I was able to prevail in the match. I am happy."

"If my rival is Nadal, it is going to be the first time I face him," he said. "I am in a good moment. I will try to enjoy the match and continue to play the same as I been doing and I wish I can continue with the streak."

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Acapulco a safe place for a tennis tournament??

Acapulco, a tourist destination for many Americans gained headlines for the wrong reason. Known for its luxury resorts and beautiful beach this city saw its first massacre of 2011.
On Jan. 8th, 2011 25 people were found dead and 15 of them decapitated. The bodies were dumped on the sidewalk of a popular commercial center. 4 other men were thrown from a bridge just last week. The drug Cartel violence has reach a brutal level.

Among all this Acapulco host the ATP Abierto Mexicano Tournament. The current state of Acapulco didn't seem to keep some of the worlds best tennis players from entering the event.
The security for the players must be like Shahar Peer playing in Dubai.

Would you go to Acapulco? Did you know the 25 people killed in January were tourist. Their bus was hijacked and the people were murdered.

If the state of Acapulco doesn't change I would plee with the ATP to change the location. The world is too big a place to choose a city being over run with violence that is beyond anything we have ever seen.

What do you think? Should the ATP change the location?

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