Federer, Robredo, Ancic Top 10ers at ATP Tokyo
Posted on October 2, 2006World No. 1 Roger Federer competes this week without rivals Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick or Ivan Ljubicic, joined by one lone fellow Top 10er in Tommy Robredo at the AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships 2006, otherwise known as the Tokyo-outdoor.
Also among the Top 8 of the 16 seeds in Tokyo is Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic; Andy Murray, one of only two players to beat Federer this year along with Nadal; Finn Jarkko Nieminen; Dmitry Tursunov who will still be in Mumbai, India on Monday contesting the rain-delayed final; American Robby Ginepri looking to end his year on a high note, and Thai Paradorn Srichaphan.
All 16 seeds receive opening-round byes, with potential second-round matches of interest including (4) Murray vs. Czech Jiri Novak, (7) Ginepri vs. Argentine teen comer Juan Martin del Potro, (10) Tim Henman vs. Canadian riser Frank Dancevic, and (16) Paul Goldstein vs. former Top 10er Rainer Schuettler.
Seeds in Federer's potential path to the final are (13) Weslie Moodie, (8) Srichaphan, (4) Murray in the semifinals, and potentially (2) Robredo or (3) Ancic in the final.
The South African Moodie was the unseeded shock winner last year, coming from a set down to beat Ancic in the final.
Also among the Top 8 of the 16 seeds in Tokyo is Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic; Andy Murray, one of only two players to beat Federer this year along with Nadal; Finn Jarkko Nieminen; Dmitry Tursunov who will still be in Mumbai, India on Monday contesting the rain-delayed final; American Robby Ginepri looking to end his year on a high note, and Thai Paradorn Srichaphan.
All 16 seeds receive opening-round byes, with potential second-round matches of interest including (4) Murray vs. Czech Jiri Novak, (7) Ginepri vs. Argentine teen comer Juan Martin del Potro, (10) Tim Henman vs. Canadian riser Frank Dancevic, and (16) Paul Goldstein vs. former Top 10er Rainer Schuettler.
Seeds in Federer's potential path to the final are (13) Weslie Moodie, (8) Srichaphan, (4) Murray in the semifinals, and potentially (2) Robredo or (3) Ancic in the final.
The South African Moodie was the unseeded shock winner last year, coming from a set down to beat Ancic in the final.