Tennis-X Preview: ATP Masters Series-Cincinnati

The top players on the ATP gather this week at the Masters Series-Cincinnati in an attempt to stop a reoccurrence of the "Roger & Andy Show," with world No. 1 Roger Federer and No. 2 Andy Roddick dominating the headlines after appearing in the last two major-event finals at Wimbledon and the Masters Series-Canada.

Last Sunday Federer made it seven wins in eight meetings against Roddick at Toronto, but another meeting this week in Cincinnati is unlikely due to fatigue on the part of both players, and tough openers with Federer facing Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, and Roddick against Max "The Beast" Mirnyi.

Tired though he may be, and with a tweaked back last week in Toronto, Roddick will feel under pressure rankings-wise to match his incredible 27-1 run from 2003 during the U.S. hardcourt stretch.

Here is a look at the breakdown of the four quarters in the 64-man draw in Cincy:

Top Quarter
Seeds: (1)Roger "Club Fed" Federer, (7)Juan Carlos "The Mosquito" Ferrero, (9)Gaston Gaudio, (13)Nicolas Massu
Floaters: Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, Irakli "Freak Show" Labadze, Mikhail Youzhny, Thomas Enqvist, Taylor Dent, Arnaud Clement

Besides a tough opener again three-time 2004 winner The Dominator (the Slovak won their only career meeting back in 2000), a real nice quarter for Federer with dirtballers (9)Gaudio and (13)Massu who aren't scaring anyone on hardcourt, and (7)The Mosquito who may be forced to pull out with injury as he did at the MS-Canada last week. Other tough openers are (13)Massu vs. Youzhny, (9)Gaudio vs. (WC)Jan-Mike Gambill (would be a big win for the confidence-less American), and (7)The Mosquito vs. Clement. If Federer gets through his opener he will face the winner of Robby Ginepri-Fabrice "The Wizard" Santoro.

Second Quarter
Seeds: (3)Guillermo "El Fragile" Coria, (5)Tim Henman, (10)Lleyton Hewitt, (14)Marat Safin
Floaters: Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez, Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, Gustavo "Guga" Kuerten, Vincenzo "Rollin' in the Benzo" Spadea

The toughest quarter of the draw (but not by far, wait until you get a look at the solid third quarter) contains three former No. 1s, two of which are former US Open winners. Throw in Henman and a couple of dangerous floaters, and emerging out of this section into the semis will be brutal. First-rounders to take note of are (3)El Fragile vs. F-Lo (Coria hampered by a shoulder injury), (14)Safin vs. Novak (Novak can't hit out of a paper bag as of late, but the career head-to-head is tied 1-1), a potential (10)Hewitt vs. Guga second round, and (5)Henman vs. the back-from-injury Younes El Aynaoui. This section is set up for (14)Safin, who could face a juicy QF against either (5)Henman or (10)Hewitt, who would face-off in the third round.

Third Quarter
Seeds: (4)Carlos "The Gun Show" Moya, (6)David Nalbandian, (11)Andre Agassi, (16)Andre Pavel
Floaters: Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal, Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez, Thomas Johansson, Mardy Fish

Another section players didn't want to find themselves in, with two former No. 1s (Agassi, Moya), last year's US Open semifinalist who was up 2-0 sets up on the winner (Nalbandian), a former Masters Series hardcourt winner (Pavel), and some nasty floaters (Prodigy, Tommy the J., Fish). Two show-stoppers in the first round are (11)Agassi vs. Fish (The Fish won their only previous meeting earlier this year at San Jose), and (6)Nalbandian vs. The Prodigy in a first-time meeting. The 2002 champ Moya, who has been en fuego this year and looks injury-free, faces a qualifier in his opener and has a nice road to the quarters. Moya was upset last week at the MS-Canada by Nicolas Kiefer.

Bottom Quarter
Seeds: (2)Andy Roddick, (8)Rainer "Shine" Schuettler, (12)Sebastien "The Skateboard Kid" Grosjean, (15)Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan
Floaters: Tommy Haas, Robin Soderling, Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson, Nicolas Kiefer, Max "The Beast" Mirnyi

Not an overall brutal quarter, but a very difficult road for the No. 2-seeded Roddick, already coming off the mental, if not physical exertion of a title at Indy and a loss to Federer in the MS-Canada final. A-Rod opens against The Beast, who he beat twice in 2003, both on hardcourt and both tight affairs. The match will be a preview of the upcoming U.S. vs. Belarus Davis Cup semis, which will also be played on hardcourts. From there the No. 2 seed's draw doesn't get any easier, facing the winner of Kiefer-The Jackhammer, then a likely third round match-up with either (15)The Thai Fighter or Sjeng Schalken. Other tough openers in the bottom quarter are (8)Schuettler vs. (WC)Haas in an all-German (Schuettler has won all four meetings, two in three sets), and (15)Grosjean against the Swedish comer Soderling in a first-time meeting.

Returning champs in this year's MS-Cincinnati field are Roddick (2003), Moya (2002), Kuerten (2001), Enqvist (2000), and the two-time champ Agassi (1996-95).