Sunday 24 February 2013

ATP Dubai, Delray Beach: Preview and Predictions

Three ATP tournaments will take place in Dubai, Delray Beach and Acapulco this week.

ATP Dubai
The world's top two, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will be in Dubai this week.  The draw features 6 of the world's top 10, but only 7 of the top 30.  Djokovic opens up against good friend Viktor Troicki and has a pretty routine draw; he is projected to meet Juan Martin Del Potro in the semi-finals.  Federer takes on Malek Jaziri in the first round and is seeded to meet Janko Tipsarevic in the quarter-finals.  The Serb is on a bad run of form and will struggle to get past Nikolay Davydenko in the first round.  Bernard Tomic will also be dangerous in this section of the draw.  Tomas Berdych and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who met in today's Marseille final, could meet again in the quarter-finals.  The winner of Berdych/Tsonga could certainly threaten Federer, but I am going for a safe final prediction for Dubai.

1st Round Predictions - Djokovic to beat Troicki in 2 sets, Seppi to beat Mathieu in 3 sets, Del Potro to beat Baghdatis in 3 sets, Kavcic to beat Youzhny in 3 sets, Tsonga to beat Llodra in 2 tight sets and Davydenko to beat Tipsarevic in 2 sets

QF Predictions - Djokovic/Seppi, Kavcic/Del Potro, Tsonga/Berdych and Tomic/Federer

Final Prediction - Djokovic d. Federer
ATP Delray Beach
Another week in America and another almost identical line of players will play in Delray Beach this week.  John Isner headlines with an opener against Jesse Levine and previous form would suggest to look elsewhere for a title winner.  Kevin Anderson does join the line-up and could meet Isner in the quarters.  Kei Nishikori is playing well this year and he could meet Feliciano Lopez in the quarter-finals, which would be a rematch of the final in Memphis.  Sam Querrey and Tommy Haas are the top acts in the bottom half and are seeded to meet in the semi-finals.  Alexandr Dolgopolov and Denis Istomin are also looming in the draw.  The same suspects are the favourites, but if injury-free and not too tired from his Memphis exploits, I fancy Nishikori to win the title

1st Round Predictions - Isner to beat Levine in 2 tight sets, Sock to beat Ebden in 2 sets, Malisse to beat Falla in 3 long sets, Querrey to beat Russell in 2 tight sets, Dodig to beat Dolgopolov in 3 sets and Haas to beat Sijsling in 3 sets

QF Predictions - Isner/Anderson, Nishikori/Lopez, Qualifier/Querrey and Dodig/Istomin

Final Prediction - Nishikori d. Querrey

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