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HEWITT HANDED TOUGH DRAW IN ADELAIDE
Lleyton Hewitt could have his work cut out if he is to win a third title at the Next Generation Adelaide International, which starts on Monday. The Australian former World No. 1 will first meet No. 64-ranked Dudi Sela of Israel and could meet Argentine Jose Acasuso in the second round.
ATP Adelaide Tournament Profile
Should Hewitt, the 1998 and 2000 winner, advance to the quarterfinals he will likely face sixth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga – who rose 169 places to No. 43 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings during the 2007 season.
"Lleyton has been drawn into a tough quarter but with the quality of our field there are tough opponents in each section," said co-tournament director Mark Woodforde in a statement. "There's no better way though than starting the year by getting some tough matches under your belt heading into the Australian Open. We've got a great field assembled here in Adelaide and going by the draw there are going to be close matches from day one."
Second-seeded Paul-Henri Mathieu plays French compatriot Julien Benneteau in the first round, hoping to build on a stellar 2007 season that included two titles at Casablanca (d. Montanes) and Gstaad (d. Seppi) and was a runner-up finish in Moscow (l. to Davydenko). Mathieu could meet Australian Chris Guccione in the second round. Novak Djokovic of Serbia beat World No. 91 Guccione in his maiden ATP final last year.
World No. 27 Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, who is the No. 3 seed, has drawn a qualifier, while the fourth-seeded Marseille and Bucharest winner Gilles Simon takes on fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra.
Mario Ancic (pictured above), Radek Stepanek, Juan Martin del Potro and Sebastien Grosjean also compete in the 2008 season opener, which offers the winner $73,900. In 2009, the tournament will be contested at the Tennyson State Tennis Centre in Brisbane as part of Tennis Australia's plans to develop a new stop on the Road to the Australian Open.
NADAL, BAGHDATIS HEADLINE CHENNAI FIELD
Spaniard Rafael Nadal returns to the Chennai Open for the third time, hoping to better his 2007 semifinal exit to eventual champion Xavier Malisse. The World No. 2, who won six titles including Roland Garros and three ATP Masters Series events in 2007, starts the new season against Mathieu Montcourt of France in the first round, with the prospect of facing No. 7 seed Werner Eschauer in the last eight. ATP Chennai Tournament Profile
Malisse begins his defense against Gilles Muller of Luxembourg. The 27-year-old Belgian has dropped to No. 112 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings due to a wrist injury sustained in February. In 2007 he won the singles and doubles crowns.
Second-seeded Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis will meet Robin Haase of the Netherlands in the first round, with No. 4 seed Mikhail Youzhny of Russia a potential semifinal threat. Baghdatis, who was present as the draw ceremony, told reports that he was looking forward to the new season. "This is the first tournament for the new year so it will be tough until I find my rhythm, but I'm ready. This year I want to get into the top 10 and stay there."
The 31-year-old Carlos Moya, who beat Paradorn Srichaphan for the 2004 and 2005 Chennai titles, has drawn Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili.
DAVYDENKO, ROBREDO, MURRAY FEATURE IN DOHA
Nikolay Davydenko, currently No. 4 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, starts as favorite for the Qatar ExxonMobil Open but has been drawn in the same half of the draw as 2007 runner-up Andy Murray and No. 8 seed Dmitry Tursunov. ATP Doha Tournament Profile
Davydenko has been drawn to face a qualifier, but could potentially meet dangerous German Nicolas Kiefer or Tursunov in the quarterfinals. Murray, who split from his coach Brad Gilbert in November, plays Olivier Rochus of Belgium in the first round.
Defending champion Ivan Ljubicic challenges Stefan Koubek in the first round and could meet No. 6 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in the quarterfinals.
Second-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo could have his work cut out against Agustin Calleri of Argentina in the first round, with a quarterfinal meeting on the cards against big-serving No. 5 seed Ivo Karlovic – the Houston, Nottingham and Stockholm champion.
ATP 2008 Season: Week 1 Draws
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