2012 Farmers Classic and ATP Kitzbuhel Previews
Steen Kirby, TennisEastCoast.com
The week before the Olympics the ATP World Tour will head to LA and Austria, for a hard court and a clay court event.
ATP LA
Farmers Classic
ATP World Tour 250 (and Emirates US Open Series)
Los Angeles ,California
July 23-July 29 2012
Prize Money $557,550
Top 4 seeds (who all receive 1st round byes)
1: Benoit Paire
2: Sam Querrey
3: Leonardo Mayer
4: Nicolas Mahut
One of the weakest fields on the ATP world tour this year makes this a wide open an event that anyone could win and provide a big boost to their ranking points and earnings.
1st round matchups to watch:
Tobias Kamke vs. James Blake
Blake was playing well in Atlanta and won his 1st match of the year coming off of injury. Can he keep the momentum going against the German veteran Kamke?
Rajeev Ram vs. Brian Baker
A couple of guys who have played well in recent weeks, but struggled last week in Atlanta will battle it out. Ram made the Newport semis while Baker has been fantastic this year.
Top Half:
Paire will face either Michael Russell or Jessie Levine, both American vets and then could get Marinko Matosevic in the quarters. Blake, Kamke or a qualifier are also a possibility.
Nicolas Mahut will face either Paolo Lorenzi or a qualifier and then could face either Igor Andreev, Dudi Sela or 7 seed Bjorn Phau in the quarters (3 veterans). If both Mahut and Paire reach the semis, it could be un Rendez-Vous Francais.
Bottom Half:
2 time LA champ Sam Querrey looks to build upon recent success and will take on either fellow American Steve Johnson or sizzling Igor Sijsling. He could then get 5 seed Xaiver Malisse, a qualifier, Michael Berrer or Matt Ebden.
Leonardo Mayer will face either Flavio Cipolla or Jack Sock, who has been playing well. He then faces a possible quarterfinals match up with Baker or Ram. Paul Capdeville and Igor Kunitsyn are also in this part of the draw.
Dark Horse: Michael Russell
In a wide open field, Russell,who was sharp in Atlanta and seems to have found his game again, has a great chance at making a deep run here. If he can beat Levine and then get past Paire, who prefers clay, no one else in the draw is unbeatable (i.e. Blake, Matosevic, Mahut).
Predictions:
Semis:
Mahut d. Russell
Baker d. Malisse
Final:
Baker d. Mahut
It would be Baker’s 1st ATP title, his 1st of his comeback and he has a great chance to do it here if he can play at the same level he has in recent weeks.
ATP Kitzbuhel
bet-at-home Cup Kitzbuhel
Kitzbuhel, Austria
July 22-July 28, 2012
Prize Money €358, 425
Top 4 seeds (who all receive 1st round byes)
1: Philipp Kohlschreiber
2: Florian Mayer
3: Robin Haase
4: Albert Ramos
2 Germans and defending champ Haase highlight the field.
Top half:
Kohlschreiber, a quarterfinalist in Hamburg, will face either wild card Martin Fischer or a qualifier and then could face Blaz Kavic or Lukas Rosol in the quarters.
4 seed Albert Ramos will face an Italian, either Filippo Volandri or Alessandro Giannessi, and then could face a somewhat rejuvenated Ernest Gulbis in the quarters.
Bottom Half:
Mayer will face either Simone Bolleli or Horacio Zeballos, then could get 5 seed Martin Klizan in the quarters in what is a bit of a dangerous match up.
Defending champ Robin Haase opens up against either Daniel Brands or a qualifier, then could face 8 seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez or Jurgen Zopp.
Dark Horse: Martin Klizan
Klizan suffered a 1st round loss to Tommy Haas in Hamburg but has been doing well at the challenger level and should he upset Mayer, he could make a run here.
Predictions:
Semis:
Kohlschreiber d. Gulbis
Mayer d. Haase
Final:
Kohlschreiber d. Mayer
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