Djokovic handed tough draw in Paris
Source: Agencies |
May 21, 2011, Saturday
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NOVAK Djokovic's route to a maiden title at Roland Garros and the world No. 1 ranking could be a hazardous one following yesterday's draw for the French Open which starts tomorrow.
The Serbian second seed, unbeaten in 37 matches this season, is favorite to face five-time champion and top seed Rafael Nadal in the final on June 5 but will have to keep his guard up if he is to reach a showdown with the king of clay.
Following a first round match against the talented Dutchman Thiemo De Bakker, Djokovic, who has beaten Nadal in four finals this season, including two on clay in Madrid and Rome, could face Argentine Juan Martin del Potro in the third round and France's Richard Gasquet, the 13th seed, in the fourth.
World No. 27 Del Potro, a Roland Garros semifinalist and US Open champion in 2009, is battling back up the rankings after a long-term wrist injury and is hoping to have fully recovered from a torn hip muscle that forced him to withdraw from the Madrid Masters earlier this month.
The dangerous Gasquet, meanwhile, has been rediscovering his touch, beating 2009 French Open champion Roger Federer in the Rome Masters where he reached the semifinals.
Nadal, whose only loss at Roland Garros came in 2009 when he slumped to a fourth-round defeat by Robin Soderling, will start his campaign against the big-serving American John Isner and could play Swede Soderling in the quarterfinals.
World No. 3 Federer, who has managed just one title this year in Doha, will take nothing for granted in a high-risk first round encounter against Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. He had to go through three tiebreaks against Lopez in Madrid and saved a match point.
Easy for Murray
Britain's Andy Murray, seeded fourth, has been handed a relatively easy draw as he will take on two qualifiers in the two opening rounds and a likely quarterfinal tie against Austrian Juergen Melzer, a semifinalist last year.
In the women's draw, world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, chasing her first grand slam title, will take on Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm, who last year claimed former world No. 1 Dinara Safina's scalp in Paris.
China will be represented by Li Na, Zhang Shuai, Peng Shuai and Zheng Jie.
Sixth seed Li Na will open against Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic but Zhang Shuai has a tough oppponent against the 28th seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.
Seventh seed Maria Sharapova, one the favorites in the absence of Venus and Serena Williams after she won the Rome title, could play former world No. 1 and second seed Kim Clijsters in the last eight. Holder Francesca Schiavone of Italy, seeded fifth, is projected to face Serbia's Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round.
The Serbian second seed, unbeaten in 37 matches this season, is favorite to face five-time champion and top seed Rafael Nadal in the final on June 5 but will have to keep his guard up if he is to reach a showdown with the king of clay.
Following a first round match against the talented Dutchman Thiemo De Bakker, Djokovic, who has beaten Nadal in four finals this season, including two on clay in Madrid and Rome, could face Argentine Juan Martin del Potro in the third round and France's Richard Gasquet, the 13th seed, in the fourth.
World No. 27 Del Potro, a Roland Garros semifinalist and US Open champion in 2009, is battling back up the rankings after a long-term wrist injury and is hoping to have fully recovered from a torn hip muscle that forced him to withdraw from the Madrid Masters earlier this month.
The dangerous Gasquet, meanwhile, has been rediscovering his touch, beating 2009 French Open champion Roger Federer in the Rome Masters where he reached the semifinals.
Nadal, whose only loss at Roland Garros came in 2009 when he slumped to a fourth-round defeat by Robin Soderling, will start his campaign against the big-serving American John Isner and could play Swede Soderling in the quarterfinals.
World No. 3 Federer, who has managed just one title this year in Doha, will take nothing for granted in a high-risk first round encounter against Spaniard Feliciano Lopez. He had to go through three tiebreaks against Lopez in Madrid and saved a match point.
Easy for Murray
Britain's Andy Murray, seeded fourth, has been handed a relatively easy draw as he will take on two qualifiers in the two opening rounds and a likely quarterfinal tie against Austrian Juergen Melzer, a semifinalist last year.
In the women's draw, world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, chasing her first grand slam title, will take on Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm, who last year claimed former world No. 1 Dinara Safina's scalp in Paris.
China will be represented by Li Na, Zhang Shuai, Peng Shuai and Zheng Jie.
Sixth seed Li Na will open against Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic but Zhang Shuai has a tough oppponent against the 28th seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.
Seventh seed Maria Sharapova, one the favorites in the absence of Venus and Serena Williams after she won the Rome title, could play former world No. 1 and second seed Kim Clijsters in the last eight. Holder Francesca Schiavone of Italy, seeded fifth, is projected to face Serbia's Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round.
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