Dark horse Lopez gallops past Monaco

By Neil-Monticelli Harley-Rudd

Feliciano Lopez, the obvious dark horse in the draw, dismantled Argentine Juan Monaco in straight sets on Court 1 on Wednesday courtesy of his trademark thunderous serves.

The Spanish star outshone the no4 seed in all departments to secure a quarter-final berth in 70 minutes courtesy of a 6-4 6-4 passage.

The tie was initially an attrition of powerful serves, with both dominating play with booming serves. But Lopez drew first blood match to snatch the opening set.

With the lead Lopez began to mix his tactics, racing to take control at the net and putting away some incredible volleys to unnerve the Argentinian. This worked out to his advantage with two breaks of serve sealing success, initially in the opening game.

But Monaco broke back in the sixth game, but was unable to match the sizzling Lopez who is surely a potential champion. Lopez also defeated Monaco on grass at the 2012 London Olympics.

Another Spaniard made the quarter-finals, Fernando Verdasco losing only four of his first service points in annihilating compatriot Albert Ramos in the straight sets on Wednesday.

The opening match on Court 2 proved to be a disappointment in terms of a contest, with a comprehensive 6-4 6-0 victory.

Kohlschreiber can clinch crown

By Neil-Monticelli Harley-Rudd

2013 Men’s Draw

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Milos Raonic narrowly pipped Gilles Simon to the prestigious top seeding berth, but it is the no3 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber who appears to be the most probable player to win the 2013 AEGON International.

German ace Kohlschreiber made 20102 his breakthrough year, finishing in the world’s top for the first time since turning professional in 2011 and reaching the Wimbledon quarter-finals following four opening round defeats in seven seasons at SW19 – on top of a victory on grass at Halle in Germany over Rafael Nadal.

His 2012 win-loss grass record of 9-3 speaks volumes, and being one of the four seeds – all within the world’s top 20 – to be gifted a bye into the 2^nd Round should ease his way through the field.

However, this is the strongest ever set of players in the Men’s draw with the no8 seed of Italian Fabio Fognini ranked at world no31.

There are two mouthwatering 1^st Round clashes to relish, Bernard Tomic against British wildcard James Ward and Jarkko Nieminen facing Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.

Tomic, a 2011 Wimbledon semi-finalist sensation as a tenacious teenager, has struggled ever since his father/coach John was involved in an alleged assault with his former practice partner at this year’s Madrid Masters.

The giant Australian fell in the 1^st Round at Queen’s last week, which made it four ATP Tour defeats on the bounce. Yet his game is suited to fast surfaces and he has the ability to win this event if his confidence crisis doesn’t continue, which is seemingly due to his father’s coach accreditation ban by the ATP until October’s court hearing in Madrid.

British no2 Ward, who is playing in his fifth successive Eastbourne tournament and reached the 2010 quarter-finals, hovers just outside the world’s top 200 but produces his best on grass and in front of his home crowd.

The Londoner’s wildcard entry at Queen’s resulted in just the one match, beaten in three sets by Croatian Ivan Dodig. And wildcard Ward has a real shot at causing an upset if Tomic’s recent injury and personal circumstances take over from the natural ability that the Australian obviously possesses.

Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen tasted a 2nd Round reversal at Queen’s last week, one victory less than Lopez on the grass court in London.

Nieminen has picked up six wins in eight contests against Lopez, including their only grass court meeting – 2012 Wimbledon.

With totally different styles of play the result is in the balance, Nieminen is a firm favourite to progress and face no4 seed Monaco of Argentina although Lopez

Top Half

(1)Milos Raonic (CAN) bye
Denis Istomin (UZB) vs Ivan Dodig (CRO) [head-to-head1-0]
Viktor Troicki (SRB) vs Martin Klizan (SVK) [1-0]
Grega Zemlja (SLO) vs (8)Fabio Fognini (ITA) [1-2]
(4)Juan Monaco (ARG) bye
Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) vs Feliciano Lopez (ESP) [7-2]
Albert Ramos (ESP) vs (qualifier)James Blake (USA) [1-0]
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs (6)Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) [1-0]

Raonic is aiming to recover from last week’s reversal to France’s Gael Monfils on grass in Germany. Not only has Monfils since withdrawn injured from Wimbledon, but the giant Canadian arguably produced some of his worse tennis in recent seasons.

With a new coach to guide him, Raonic needs to return to winning ways and utilise his array of weapons on fast surfaces.

If Raonic can dispatch the winner of Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin or Dodig, then he should have few problems in getting past no8 seed Fognini, Slovenian Grega Zemlja, Slovakian Martin Klizan or Serbian Viktor Troicki to book a semi-final berth.

Monaco has a much tougher task to progress. He faces the winner of the Lopez/Nieminen contest, and if successful would take on either Spaniard Albert Ramos, American qualifier James Blake, Spain’s Fernando Verdasco or Ukraine’s Alex Dolgopolov in a battle for a last four place.

Lopez is arguably one of the best grass court players in the draw, with three quarter-final appearances at Wimbledon. And SW19 was a happy hunting ground for the veteran with Monaco one his victims at the 2012 London Olympics.

Bottom Half

(7)Andreas Seppi (ITA) vs (q)Guiliame Rufin (FRA) [1-0]
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) vs (q)Ryan Harrison (USA) [1-0]
Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs Marinko Matosevic (AUS)
(3)Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) bye
(5)Kevin Anderson (RSA) vs Julien Benneteau (FRA) [1-2]
Bernard Tomic (AUS) vs (WC)James Ward (GBR)
(WC)Kyle Edmund (GBR) vs (q)Kerry de Schepper (FRA)
(2)Gilles Simon (FRA) bye

Simon, dethroned as the top seed by Raonic’s late wildcard entry, should ease into only his second quarter-final at Eastbourne as he has a strong chance against either British wildcard Kyle Edmund or a French qualifier Kerry de Schepper in the 2^nd Round.

Kevin Anderson appears to stand in the way of Simon progressing to the semi-final stage. But the South African giant has to fend off France’s experienced Julian Benneteau in the 1^st Round with the winner of Tomic/Ward next up.

Andreas Seppi, the only former Devonshire Park champion in the draw, should have few difficulties in reaching the quarter-finals. The Italian has French qualifier Guiliame Rufin in the 1^st Round, the winner will play either France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu or American qualifier Ryan Harrison.

Kohlschreiber, a quarter-finalist at last week’s grass court event in Germany, has a 2^nd Round clash against Australian Marinko Matosevic or Czech Republic’s Radek Stepanek. And Kohlschreiber should soar to the semi-finals with ease.

Semi-Final Prediction
Raonic vs Lopez
Kohlschreiber vs Simon

Seeds

1. Milos RAONIC (Canada)
2. Gilles SIMON (France)
3. Philipp KOHLSCHREIBER (Germany)
4. Juan MONACO (Argentina)
5. Kevin ANDERSON (South Africa)
6. Alexandr DOLGOPOLOV (Ukraine)
7. Andreas SEPPI (Italy)
8. Fabio FOGNINI (Italy)

2013 Men’s Draw

By Neil-Monticelli Harley-Rudd

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Bernard Tomic, who in 2011 became the first teenager since Boris Becker to reach the Men’s Singles semi-finals at Wimbledon, was the player to avoid – but British wildcard James Ward faces the Monaco-based Australian in a mouthwatering 1st Round.

Tomic has been drawn against the British no2, who is a former quarter-finalist at Devonshire Park, keen to bounce back following a brief and unsuccessful appearance at Queen’s in London last week.

He stuttered out of the 2012 AEGON International in three sets to Fabio Fognini despite being the no4 seed and was booed off the Wimbledon courts following his destruction of the grass with his racquet after tasting defeat.

Edmund, the world no444, will be seeking to register his maiden ATP Tour main draw victory ahead of his first wildcard entry for 2013 Wimbledon.

Milos Raonic, the world no15 and late wildcard, has the pressure on his shoulders as the top seed. The giant Canadian, whose booming serve puts him in with a fantastic chance of claiming the Eastbourne crown on his debut.

But he will need to bounce back from his surprise straight set exit on grass at last week’s opening match against French ace Gael Monfils at the Gerry Weber Open in Germany.

Montenegrian-born Raonic split with his Spanish coach Galo Blanco last month and now works from his Monte Carlo base with former ATP Tour star Ivan Ljubicic on a trial run with the Croatian.

The 22-year-old has a bye so starts in the 2nd Round against either Ivan Dodig or Denis Istomin.

At the other end of the draw no2 seed Gilles Simon, relegated from top billing with Raonic’s arrival on Thursday, will be eager to show the fans that he could waltz his way to the Eastbourne title.

The French star has never got further than the quarter-finals at Devonshire Park despite possessing all the weapons that are suited to grass.

The world no17 employs tactics that grind down opponents and utilises the pace of his opponents with a trampoline effect. Simon starts off in the 2nd Round against either British teenager Kyle Edmund or French qualifier Kerry de Schepper.

Phillip Kohlschreiber, arguably the most probable 2013 winner, has the perfect all round game is suited to grass. He is seeded no3 and in the same half of the draw as Simon. The German begins the tournament with a 2nd Round clash against either Marinko Marosevic or Radek Stephanek.

Clay court specialist Juan Monaco, the no4 seed, is drawn to face the winner of Spain’s Feliciano Lopez and Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen. However, the Argentinian is unlikely to make much of an impact on grass with a 3-6 record on the surface. However, on his Eastbourne debut he will be seeking to capture his second ATP Tour title of 2013 having won the Dusseldorf crown last month.

Giant South African ace Kevin Anderson, the no5 seed, has arguably the toughest match of all the seeds with Julien Benneteau his opening Round opponent.

Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov, a Devonshire Park regular, takes the no6 slot and is drawn against Fernando Verdasco.

Former Eastbourne champion Andreas Seppi is a dangerous opponent in the draw as no7 seed. The Italian faces French qualifier Guiliame Rufin and boasts an impressive 13-5 record at Eastbourne, finishing 2011champion and 2012 runner-up to Andy Roddick.

Seppi’s compatriot Fognini takes the no8 berth and in the 1st Round will tackle Slovenian Grega Zemlja.

Two Americans have booked themselves into the main draw after polishing off three victims apiece in qualifying. James Blake dispatched Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovsky in a three set thriller on Sunday to earn a place in the main draw, where he faces Spaniard Albert Ramos. With Ryan Harrison seeing off his American compatriot Michael Russell in two closely fought sets, his reward is a clash against France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu.
Seeds:

1. Milos RAONIC (Canada)
2. Gilles SIMON (France)
3. Philipp KOHLSCHREIBER (Germany)
4. Juan MONACO (Argentina)
5. Kevin ANDERSON (South Africa)
6. Alexandr DOLGOPOLOV (Ukraine)
7. Andreas SEPPI (Italy)
8. Fabio FOGNINI (Italy)

Draw:

(1)Milos Raonic (CAN) bye
Denis Istomin (UZB) vs Ivan Dodig (CRO) [head-to-head1-0]
Viktor Troicki (SRB) vs Martin Klizan (SVK) [1-0]
Grega Zemlja (SLO) vs (8)Fabio Fognini (ITA) [1-2]
(4)Juan Monaco (ARG) bye
Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) vs Feliciano Lopez (ESP) [7-2]
Albert Ramos (ESP) vs (qualifier)James Blake (USA) [1-0]
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs (6)Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) [1-0]
(7)Andreas Seppi (ITA) vs (q)Guiliame Rufin (FRA) [1-0]
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) vs (q)Ryan Harrison (USA) [1-0]
Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs Marinko Matosevic (AUS)
(3)Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) bye
(5)Kevin Anderson (RSA) vs Julien Benneteau (FRA) [1-2]
Bernard Tomic (AUS) vs (WC)James Ward (GBR)
(WC)Kyle Edmund (GBR) vs (q)Kerry de Schepper (FRA)
(2)Gilles Simon (FRA) bye

Simon set to impress

By Neil-Monticelli Harley-Rudd

Gilles Simon, who has yet to progress beyond the 4th Round at Wimbledon, is one of the favourites to lift the 2013 AEGON International crown.

But the French ace, whose game is suited to the low bounce on grass, as top seed will no doubt feel the pressure on him at Devonshire Park as he was pushed out of being the top seed on Thursday evening.

Milos Raonic, the world no15, taken over the mantle as no1 seed for the 2013 AEGON International as a late wildcard.

The Canadian was bundled out of the opening round of the grass court Gerry Weber Open in Germany by French ace Gael Monfils, following on from his early French Open exit after being out served by South African Kevin Anderson.

Despite his infamous booming serve, Raonic’s game has recently been going through a bad patch after he parted ways with Spanish coach Galo Blanco last month.

The 22-year-old has turned to Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic, who retired from  the ATP Tour last year after 14 seasons, on a trial run and the duo are working together from their respective residence in Monte Carlo.

Raonic said: “We both come from aggressive styles of play, so he understands the mentality I have on court as well as the areas where I can improve.”

The British duo of talented teenager Kyle Edmund and Davis Cup stalwart James Ward have also been given wildcards into the Eastbourne event.

Ward, a 2010 AEGON International quarter-finalist, admitted: “I’m really looking forward to returning to Eastbourne, it’s the perfect opportunity to get in some matches ahead of Wimbledon.”

Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci has become the first withdrawal from the tournament, and previously skipped the Eastbourne event, although was never amongst the players likely to win.

But Phillip Kohlschreiber, who narrowly missed out on being the no1 seed, is the most probable champion with an attacking style of play that is suited to grass and saw the German reach the 2012 Wimbledon quarter-finals.

South African no1 Anderson made a name for himself on grass with an impressive run to the quarter-finals at 2008 Wimbledon – just a year after joining the ATP Tour – and the thundering serves from the 6 foot 8 inch powerful ace are going to be a force to be reckoned with.

Yet unseeded Bernard Tomic, who crashed out at Queen’s in London, went one better by becoming the first teenager since German legend Boris Becker to reach the Men’s Singles semi-finals at Wimbledon.

That was in 2011, but the tenacious Aussie had an unhappy return to SW19 last season and has courted controversy off the court due to allegations involving his father/coach John.

Tomic was surprisingly defeated in three sets by Italian Fabio Fognini at the 2012 AEGON International, so will be a dangerous floater in the draw.

Another Italian regular to Devonshire Park, former Eastbourne champion Andreas Seppi, has a slim shot of winning the tournament.

Clay court expert Juan Monaco of Argentina, Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov, French ace Julien Benneteau and Czech Republic’s Radek Stepanek will all be vying a slice of glory although it seems that the top three seeds of Raonic, Simon and Kohlschreiber are the overwhelming favourites to taste success.

 

Simon snatches top billing

By Neil-Monticelli Harley-Rudd

2013 entrants and seeds

Gilles Simon, the 28-year-old from Nice, is the top seed as the highest ranked of the trio from the world’s top 20 ATP players due compete at the 2103 AEGON International.

Simon, who reached the dizzy heights of world no6 is nicknamed “Gilou” with his most significant success over Rafael Nadal in Madrid five years ago.

Although British fans will probably remember the current world no17 bowing out to Olympic champion Andy Murray at the 2013 Australian Open.

German Phillip Kohlschreiber (world no18) missed out on being seeded no1 and has the perfect all round game that is suited to grass, so is the most probable champion.

Argentinian Juan Monaco (world no20) is the no3 seed but is a clay court expert so is likely to find the adjustment from a gruelling season on a slower surface difficult to adjust to.

In form Kevin Anderson has been given the no4 seeding and the 6 foot 8 inch South African star will be a force to be reckoned with courtesy of his thundering serve and game suited to fast surfaces.

Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov, a Devonshire Park regular, takes the no5 slot with former Eastbourne champion Andreas Seppi of Italy a dangerous opponent as no6 seed.

Seppi’s compatriot Fabio Fognini takes the no7 berth with French ace Julien Benneteau completing the eight seeds.

But the player that the seeds will be aiming to avoid will be Monaco-based Australian Bernard Tomic, who in 2011 became the first teenager since Boris Becker to reach the Men’s Singles semi-finals at Wimbledon.

Tomic stuttered out of the 2012 AEGON International in three sets to Fognini despite being the no4 seed and was booed off the Wimbledon courts following his destruction of the grass with his racquet after tasting defeat.

Czech Republic’s Radek Stepanek will be another difficult opponent, and if compatriot Tomas Berdych – a top 10 player – has a shortlived experience at Queen’s in London then he will listen to whether his coach Ivan Ljubicic wants him to warm-up Wimbledon as a Devonshire Park wildcard.

Thomaz Belluci has withdrawn from the tournament, which isn’t the first time that the Brazilian has opted to skip the event.

Men’s Provisional Seeds

Seed	Men	Nation
1	Gilles SIMON	France
2	Phillip KOHLSCHREIBER	Germany
3	Juan MONACO	Argentina
4	Kevin ANDERSON	South Africa
5	Alexandr DOLGOPOLOV	Ukraine
6	Andreas SEPPI	Italy
7	Fabio FOGNINI	Italy
8	Julien BENNETEAU	France

The entrants confirmed are:

1. Gilles SIMON (France)
2. Philipp KOHLSCHREIBER (Germany)
3. Juan MONACO (Argentina)
4. Kevin ANDERSON (South Africa)
5. Alexandr DOLGOPOLOV (Ukraine)
6. Andreas SEPPI (Italy)
7. Fabio FOGNINI (Italy)
8. Julien BENNETEAU (France)
9. Martin KLIZAN (Slovakia)
10. Jarkko NIEMINEN (Finland)
11. Viktor TROICKI (Serbia)
12. Feliciano LOPEZ (Spain)
13. Denis ISTOMIN (Uzbekistan)
14. Radek STEPANEK (Czech Republic)
15. Ivan DODIG (Croatia)
16. Grega ZEMLJA (Slovenia)
17. Bernard TOMIC (Australia)
18. Fernando VERDASCO (Spain)

Men’s entrants

2013 entrants – exclusive

Title contender: Gilles Simon

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Men (ATP Tour) // Gilles Simon,the 28-year-old from Nice, is set to be the provisional top seed as the highest ranked of the eight from the world’s top 20 ATP players due compete at the 2103 AEGON International.

Simon, who reached the dizzy heights of world no6 is nicknamed Gilou with his most significant success over Rafael Nadal in Madrid five years ago. Although British fans will probably remember him bowing out to Olympic champion Andy Murray at the 2013 Australian Open.

Argentinian Juan Monaco and former Eastbourne champion Andreas Seppi of Italy make up the trio of top 20 players.

Yet there are five other aces who will also be vying to become the no1 seed at Eastbourne, namely Phillip Kohlschreiber, Alexandr Dolgopolov, Fabio Fognini, Kevin Anderson, Martin Klizan and Julien Benneteau.

The entrants confirmed are:

1. Gilles SIMON (France)
2. Juan MONACO (Argentina)
3. Andreas SEPPI (Italy)
4. Philipp KOHLSCHREIBER (Germany)
5. Alexandr DOLGOPOLOV (Ukraine)
6. Fabio FOGNINI (Italy)
7. Kevin ANDERSON (South Africa)
8. Martin KLIZAN (Slovakia)
9. Julien BENNETEAU (France)
10. Thomaz BELLUCCI (Brazil)
11. Jarkko NIEMINEN (Finland)
12. Viktor TROICKI (Serbia)
13. Feliciano LOPEZ (Spain)
14. Denis ISTOMIN (Uzbekistan)
15. Radek STEPANEK (Czech Republic)
16. Ivan DODIG (Croatia)
17. Grega ZEMLJA (Slovenia)
18. Bernard TOMIC (Australia)
19. Fernando VERDASCO (Spain)

JUAN MONACO

 

Birthplace:

Tandil, Argentina

Residence

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Height

6’1″ (185 cm)

Weight

169 lbs (77 kg)

Plays

Right-handed

Turned Pro

2002

The Argentine began playing tennis when he was seven and turned pro in 2002, although it wasn’t until 2004, when he broke into the ATP top 100, that he established himself on the world stage. That year he won the Sao Paulo Challenger and made his Roland Garros debut. In 2005 he reached his first ATP final in Casablanca.

After a relatively quiet 2006, in which he still managed to climb into the top 75 in the rankings, he enjoyed an incredible 2007 by picking up three ATP titles on clay (Buenos Aires, Portschach and Kitzbuhel), as well as advancing to the last sixteen in the Roland Garros, all of which resulted in him being catapulted to number 23.

In 2008, and despite not winning anything, he achieved his highest ever position in the ATP ranking table (14) after reaching the latter stages of a number of different tournaments. That year he lost the Viña del Mar final which kick started a terrible run of misfortune that would see him lose seven consecutive finals. During this drought he reached the semi-finals of the Masters 1000 in Shanghai (2010) and the quarter-finals in Rome, Indian Wells and Paris.

He finally broke the curse in February 2012, picking up the fourth title of his career by beating fellow countryman Carlos Belocq in, quite aptly, the final of the Viña del Mar. Monaco is also an accomplished doubles player, a category for which he has been bestowed with two titles. He represented Argentina in the Davis Cup final in 2011, where the South Americans lost out to Spain in Seville.