ATP Previews: Davydenko Opens vs. Safin in Moscow; Stockholm
Kremlin Cup
Moscow, Russia
Surface: Hard indoor
Seeds: Nikolay Davydenko, Victor Hanescu, Mikhail Youzhny, Igor Andreev, Pablo Cuevas, Janko Tipsarevic, Fabrice Santoro, Martin Vassallo Arguello
Floaters: Marat Safin, Robby Ginepri, “Crazi” Dani Koellerer, Yen-Hsun Lu
Notes: Weak, weak seeded line-up; tough openers include (1) Davydenko vs. Safin, (4) Andreev vs. Ginepri, (6) Tipsarevic vs. Crazi Dani, and (5) Cuevas vs. Lu (upset alert); Russians have won 13 titles in the 19 years of the event; unseeded Igor Kunitsyn is the defending champ, and is looking at a second-round meeting with the Davydenko-Safin winner; Davydenko looking for fourth Moscow title; Yevgeny Kafelnikov won the Moscow title five years in a row from 1997-2001.
If Stockholm Open
Stockholm, Sweden
Surface: Hard indoor
Seeds: Robin Soderling, Tommy Haas, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Juan Monaco, Andreas Beck, Benjamin Becker, Al Montanes, Feliciano Lopez
Floaters: Marcos Baghdatis, (WC) Joachim Johansson, Ernests Gulbis, Jarkko Nieminen
Notes: Tough openers include (3) Ferrero vs. Baghdatis, (8) F-Lo vs. Gulbis; (2) Haas vs. Nieminen potential in second round; no Swede has won the Stockholm title since Thomas Johansson in 2004; no past champions in the field, with 2008 winner David Nalbandian sidelined due to injury.
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