Nadal in Barcelona, Sharapova in Stuttgart; ATP/WTA Previews

Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell
Barcelona, Spain; Surface: red clay

Seeds: David Ferrer, Rafael Nadal, Tomas Berdych, Nicolas Almagro, Milos Raonic, Kei Nishikori, Juan Monaco, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Jerzy Janowicz, Jeremy Chardy, Martin Klizan, Fernando Verdasco, Benoit Paire, Grigor Dimitrov, Marcel Granollers, Thomaz Bellucci
ADHEREL

Floaters: Radek Stepanek, Tommy Robredo, Nikolay Davydenko

Notes: Seeds debuting in Barcelona are Janowicz and Klizan…seeds with non-winning records in Barcelona are Monaco, Kohlschreiber, Chardy, Paire, Dimitrov, Granollers and Bellucci…Nadal is 35-1 in Barcelona…Bryan brothers are 15-3 with two titles at the event…All 16 seeds receive opening-round byes, with potential tough starts for (12) Verdasco vs. Stepanek, (14) Dimitrov vs. Robredo, and (3) Berdych vs. Davydenko…Ferrer hs lost in four Barcelona finals to Nadal…Nadal has won the title in seven of the last eight years…Returning champs in the field are Nadal (2012-11,’09-05), Verdasco (2010), and Robredo (2004).

BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy
Bucharest, Romania; Surface: red clay

Seeds: Janko Tipsarevic, Gilles Simon, Andreas Seppi, Mikhail Youzhny, Florian Mayer, Fabio Fognini, Horacio Zeballos, Viktor Troicki

Floaters: Xavier Malisse, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, (WC) Gael Monfils

Notes: Tipsarevic in 0-1 career in Bucharest…Simon owns Bucharest at 15-1 career…The Top 4 seeds receive opening-round byes…Tough starts for (1) Tipsarevic vs. Malisse or Santiago Giraldo, (7) Zeballos vs. Garcia-Lopez, and (6) Fognini vs. (WC) Monfils…Simon has won the title in three of the last six years…Returning champs in the field are Simon (2012,’08-07) and Mayer (2011).

Porsche Tennis Grand Prix
Stuttgart, Germany; Surface: red clay

Seeds: Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Angelique Kerber, Sara Errani, Petra Kvitova, Sam Stosur, Caroline Wozniacki, Nadia Petrova

Floaters: Ana Ivanovic, Carla Suarez Navarro, Jelena Jankovic

Notes: Seven of the Top 10 seeds in the field…wildcards went to Germans Annika Beck and Andrea Petkovic…The Top 4 seeds receive opening-round byes…Tough starts for the struggling (7) Wozniacki vs. Suarez Navarro, and (6) Stosur vs. Jankovic…(8) Petrova opens against a qualifier then likely Ivanovic…Soft draw for (2) Na…Sharapova is 19-3 this year, and last year was 19-1 on clay…Returning champs in the field are Sharapova (2012), Julia Goerges (2011), Jankovic (2008), and Petrova (2006).

GP de SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem
Marrakech, Morocco; Surface: red clay

Seeds: (WC) Dominika Cibulkova, Sorana C�rstea, Alize Cornet, Kaia Kanepi, Kiki Bertens, Francesca Schiavone, Kristina Mladenovic, Romina Oprandi

Floaters: Flavia Pennetta, Anabel Medina Garrigues, Daniela Hantuchova

Notes: Tough start for (4) Kanepi vs. Medina Garrigues…Conditions are reportedly dry and fast, with balls flying due to the high altitude…Returning champs in the field are Bertens (2012) and Medina Garrigues (2009).