Dubai Duty Free ATP 500

[GameSetAndMath]

The King of all tournaments between AO and IW is coming up. This is the
only tournament in the abovesaid period that has more than one member of
Big Four participating in it. For those who wanted to see RR vs. DD match-up
(Rejuvenated Roger vs. Deflated Djokovic), this may provide an opportunity.
It could even be a SF match-up as Roger is not even a top two seed here.

The top eight seeds are given below. It includes five of the top 10 from
the current rankings.


1. Novak Djokovic SRB 2
2. Juan Martin del Potro ARG 4
3. Tomas Berdych CZE 7
4. Roger Federer SUI 8
5. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga FRA 10
6. Mikhail Youzhny RUS 15
7. Philipp Kohlschreiber GER 27
8. Dmitry Tursunov RUS 28

The only good news for Roger is that he will not play Bird before the finals, as
they are guaranteed to be in different halves of the draw. The draw should be
coming up sometime tommorrow.

In the last 11 editions of this tournament, Roger won it 5 times, Novak
4 times and Roddick and Rafa once each. Defending Champion is Novak.
ALERT: This one has a saturday final schedule.

 

[Front242]

Kinda fitting that Del Potro has ARG after his name as his play lately has been pretty ARGGGGGGGGGHHHHH.

 

[TsarMatt]

Great list for a 500 event.

Going to be happy to see Djokovic play again - feels like forever since we last saw him. He usually plays at a high level at Dubai, so I expect him to win this thing.

Delpo is... inconsistent and hard to read. He could come out and play really well or just delve into mediocrity. I hope it is the former. Federer is always still fun to watch - the type of game he adopted at the AO (i.e., shortening the points, coming to the net, etc.,) was beautifully poetic on the eyes, especially 'dat match against Tsonga. I'd say Federer would be my number two favourite behind Joker, providing he doesn't end up playing a pretty confident Berdych in the final who finally ended that title drought.

Tsonga has been 'so-so' this year. I can't see him causing any problems here.

Main thing I am looking out for is Djokovic's rebound and Federer's form. The AO was good signs for Fed, so let's hope he can continue with it.

 

[Moxie]

Great list for a 500 event.

Going to be happy to see Djokovic play again - feels like forever since we last saw him. He usually plays at a high level at Dubai, so I expect him to win this thing.

Delpo is... inconsistent and hard to read. He could come out and play really well or just delve into mediocrity. I hope it is the former. Federer is always still fun to watch - the type of game he adopted at the AO (i.e., shortening the points, coming to the net, etc.,) was beautifully poetic on the eyes, especially 'dat match against Tsonga. I'd say Federer would be my number two favourite behind Joker, providing he doesn't end up playing a pretty confident Berdych in the final who finally ended that title drought.

Tsonga has been 'so-so' this year. I can't see him causing any problems here.

Main thing I am looking out for is Djokovic's rebound and Federer's form. The AO was good signs for Fed, so let's hope he can continue with it.

I'm with you, and I think you're actually saying you're curious to see how all 3 do…or, at least, I am. I hope all are on top form. This is always a great 500.

 

[isabelle]

Here is the draw :

Djokovic / Istomin
Bautista Agut / Q
Gabashvilli / Ward
Przysiezny / Youhzny

Federer / Becker
Stepanek / Russel
Rosol / Brands
Tursunov / Q

------------------------------------

Tsonga / Hanescu
Davydenko / Golubev
Dodig / Stakhovsky
Berdych / Q

Kolshreiber / Q
Seppi / Mayer
Jaziri / Sijsling
Devvarman / Delpotro

 

[TsarMatt]

Great list for a 500 event.

Going to be happy to see Djokovic play again - feels like forever since we last saw him. He usually plays at a high level at Dubai, so I expect him to win this thing.

Delpo is... inconsistent and hard to read. He could come out and play really well or just delve into mediocrity. I hope it is the former. Federer is always still fun to watch - the type of game he adopted at the AO (i.e., shortening the points, coming to the net, etc.,) was beautifully poetic on the eyes, especially 'dat match against Tsonga. I'd say Federer would be my number two favourite behind Joker, providing he doesn't end up playing a pretty confident Berdych in the final who finally ended that title drought.

Tsonga has been 'so-so' this year. I can't see him causing any problems here.

Main thing I am looking out for is Djokovic's rebound and Federer's form. The AO was good signs for Fed, so let's hope he can continue with it.

I'm with you, and I think you're actually saying you're curious to see how all 3 do…or, at least, I am. I hope all are on top form. This is always a great 500.

Absolutely. This tournament should be a great indication on where these three are at, especially Nole who, for the first time in 3-4 (?) years, is heading into Dubai without the AO under his belt.

I really hope 2014 is a year of change for Delpo. He did well last year, reaching the SF's of Wimbledon and all (came close to winning his first Masters 1000, too), but then he loses to Rusty at the USO out of nowhere. He starts well this year at Sydney then loses unexpectedly at the AO. He really lacks consistency.

 

[herios]

Here is the draw :

Djokovic / Istomin
Bautista Agut / Q
Gabashvilli / Ward
Przysiezny / Youhzny

Federer / Becker
Stepanek / Russel
Rosol / Brands
Tursunov / Q

------------------------------------

Tsonga / Hanescu
Davydenko / Golubev
Dodig / Stakhovsky
Berdych / Q

Kolshreiber / Q
Seppi / Mayer
Jaziri / Sijsling
Devvarman / Delpotro

So we will have a Djorer SF. Based on form, Berdych might be waiting on the other side

 

[Kieran]

It's a great field, even before it gets to the money matches. Seeds 5-8 are strong, with Tursunov having scaled his way back into the top 30 with good play. Pity Roger and Nole are drawn to meet in the semis. 5 and 4 with past wins would make that a great final, but there's no guarantees really, with DP and Berdych also playing...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I see very less chances of RR vs. DD match not materializing. I can't see anybody in
the top half capable of upsetting RR or DD.

Berdych seems to have the toughest draw. He has to face Tsonga, JMDP and then
DD/RR. Even his early round opponents are no slouch either.

 

[herios]

The 4 qualifiers are: Lacko, De Bakker and two Romanians Ungur and cCopil. It will be the first time I think when the top 3 Romanians are in a main draw, veteran Hanescu also in the field.
The event starts today.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

The 4 qualifiers are: Lacko, De Bakker and two Romanians Ungur and cCopil. It will be the first time I think when the top 3 Romanians are in a main draw, veteran Hanescu also in the field.
The event starts today.

I looked at the qualifier field. It seemed extremely weak. But, to some extent it is
understandable as there are three tournaments going on in the same week and so
no top 100 player is likely to be in the qualies when they could find main draw
entrance somewhere else. Lacko is the Serbian guy who played in DC. He seems
to be slowly improving himself.

 

[Noelann]

Lukas Lacko is Slovak, Dusan Lajovic is the Serb who played DC and he was in 2R of RioOpen, lost to Robredo.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Lukas Lacko is Slovak, Dusan Lajovic is the Serb who played DC and he was in 2R of RioOpen, lost to Robredo.

Oops, I stand corrected.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Interesting combo. JMDP plays doubles with Radek Stepanek in Dubai.

 

[Front242]

Interesting combo. JMDP plays doubles with Radek Stepanek in Dubai.

Very interesting alright. Stepanek is great at doubles and it wouldn't surprise me if he continued playing doubles into his 40s once he retires from singles.

 

[Moxie]

Sidebar note, but does anyone else find the name "Dubai Duty Free" to be slightly undignified for such a prestigious tournament? I sort of expect the trophy to be a giant Toblerone or a carton of cigarettes.

 

[kskate2]

Fed takes the opener over Becker 6-1. On serve 3-3 in the 2nd

 

[Kieran]

Sidebar note, but does anyone else find the name "Dubai Duty Free" to be slightly undignified for such a prestigious tournament? I sort of expect the trophy to be a giant Toblerone or a carton of cigarettes.

It was either that or "The Cheap Perfume & Booze Open."

The word "booze" became problematical...

 

[Moxie]

Sidebar note, but does anyone else find the name "Dubai Duty Free" to be slightly undignified for such a prestigious tournament? I sort of expect the trophy to be a giant Toblerone or a carton of cigarettes.

It was either that or "The Cheap Perfume & Booze Open."

The word "booze" became problematical...

I like that one better. :clap

 

[El Dude]

That's a pretty steep drop off after the first five seeds.

Roger easily has the easiest quarter.

There's minor upset potential with Djokovic-Youzhny, but its a long-shot.