Roddick v Blake, Sharapova Top Seed: Memphis Preview
- 28 Comments
Regions Morgan Keegan Championships & The Cellular South Cup
Memphis, Tenn., USA
Surface: indoor hard (Plexipave)
Men — $1,100,000
Women — $220,000
Men’s Seeds: Andy Roddick, Fernando “Hot Sauce” Verdasco, Radek “The Worm” Stepanek, Tommy Haas, Tomas “Birdshit” Berdych, John Isner, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Sam Querrey
ADHEREL
Floaters: James Blake, Robby Ginepri, Mardy Fish, “The Importance of Being” Ernests Gulbis, “Dr.” Ivo Karlovic, Xavier “X-Man” Malisse, Taylor Dent, Jeremy Chardy
Notes: (1) Roddick opens against slumping Blake, with winner to possibly face Ginepri; another other opener of interest is (4) Haas vs. X-Man in a battle of Bradenton; a number of possibly interesting second-round match-ups; last year Roddick beat The Worm in the final; Roddick is 28-7 career in Memphis, Haas 28-8; former champs in the field are Roddick (2009,’02), Haas (2007-06,’99), and Dent (2003).
Women’s Seeds: Maria Sharapova, Melanie Oudin, Kaia Kanepi, Lucie Hradecka, Petra Kvitova, Kristina Barrois, Vania King, Elena Baltacha
Floaters: (WC) Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Arantxa Rus, (WC) Nicole Vaidisova, Michelle “The Screamer” Larcher de Brito, Karolina “The Spreminator” Sprem
Notes: Quality falls off the table after Sharapova and Oudin — Barrois seeded? Ouch; (1) Sharapova opens against resurgent American Shenay Perry (who had to sit out Fed Cup last weekend with injury) and could face another American in the second round in Mattek-Sands; (3) Kanepi opens against the former world No. 1 junior Rus, and (4) Hradecka against The Spreminator; Oudin, flying in from a strong week at Paris, opens against a qualifier; Vaidisova hasn’t won a tour-level main draw match since Barcelona last April; Sharapova hoping to learn how to win again at the tiny $220K event; in last year’s final Victoria Azarenka beat Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets, now both players are too big for Memphis; no past champs in the field for the event that has included winners such as Lindsay Davenport (2 times), Venus Williams (3), and Monica Seles (2).
You Might Like:
Roddick v. Blake Tonight in Memphis
Americans Isner, Querrey, Harrison, Blake Highlight Memphis Tuesday
Roddick Battles Berankis in Memphis; Querrey, Fish Blake Also in Action
Opinion: Which Roddick Will Show at Washington?
Roddick, Blake Head Surprise-Laden ATP Memphis Field