Nalbandian, Massu Top Seeds at ATP Vienna
Posted on October 11, 2004World No. 1 Roger Federer chooses not to defend his 2003 title in Vienna this week, but the BA-CA Tennis Trophy pulls in a solid Euro-heavy field with top seeds David Nalbandian, Olympic gold medalist Nicolas "The Golden Child" Massu, Rainer "Shine" Schuettler, Juan Ignacio Chela, Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan, Guillermo Canas, Tokyo winner Jiri Novak, and Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez.
Tough first-round matches of interest are (4) Chela vs. German riser Florian "Oscar" Mayer (winner to potentially face former No. 2 Tommy Haas), (5) Thai Fighter vs. former Roland Garros champ Al Costa, (8) F-Lo vs. the hot-handed Argentine Agustin Calleri (winner to potentially face Thomas Enqvist), (3) Schuettler vs. Austrian Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, (7) Novak vs. Austrian (WC) Alexander Peya, and (2) Massu vs. veteran qualifier Karol "Little Cat" Kucera.
In the 2003 final, Federer defeated Carlos Moya, who has also chosen to sit this one out.
Haas (2001) is the lone returning champ in the field.
On court Monday are (8) F-Lo vs. Calleri, (WC) Knowle vs. (6) Canas, Robby "Baby Courier" Ginepri vs. "You Say" Potito Starace, (4) Chela vs. Oscar Mayer, and (Q) De Voest vs. Tipsarevic.
Tough first-round matches of interest are (4) Chela vs. German riser Florian "Oscar" Mayer (winner to potentially face former No. 2 Tommy Haas), (5) Thai Fighter vs. former Roland Garros champ Al Costa, (8) F-Lo vs. the hot-handed Argentine Agustin Calleri (winner to potentially face Thomas Enqvist), (3) Schuettler vs. Austrian Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, (7) Novak vs. Austrian (WC) Alexander Peya, and (2) Massu vs. veteran qualifier Karol "Little Cat" Kucera.
In the 2003 final, Federer defeated Carlos Moya, who has also chosen to sit this one out.
Haas (2001) is the lone returning champ in the field.
On court Monday are (8) F-Lo vs. Calleri, (WC) Knowle vs. (6) Canas, Robby "Baby Courier" Ginepri vs. "You Say" Potito Starace, (4) Chela vs. Oscar Mayer, and (Q) De Voest vs. Tipsarevic.