Nalbandian sets up clash with Andy Murray – Cincinnati Update

Written by: Global Chick on 16th August 2011

Nalbandian sets up clash with Andy Murray – Cincinnati Update

David Nalbandian of Argentina returns to Roger Federer of Switzerland during their third round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 25 June 2011. EPA/KERIM OKTEN |

It will be an interesting week at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati this week. Last week in Montréal Federer and Nadal lost in the early rounds.

Former World No. 3 David Nalbandian overcame Japanese qualifier Kei Nishikori in two sets 6-4 6-4 in the first round in Cincinnati. Nalbandian will now face World No. 4 Andy Murray. Nalbandian is ranked No. 66 on the ATP Singles Rankings but he is everyone’s first round nightmare opponent. Murray suffered a surprise first round loss to South African Kevin Anderson last week at the Rogers Cup. The Brit seemed to blame the two weeks he had off after Wimbledon. When Murray is playing his best he is a strong contender of this year’s US Open title.

American Alex Bogomolov Jr qualified this week and took out fellow American Robbie Ginepri, who received a wildcard into the main draw. Bogomolov Jr won comfortably 6-4 6-3. He will play the winner of last week’s semi-finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France and Croatian Marin Cilic in the second round.

Bulgarian wildcard Grigor Dimitrov beat Turkish No. 1 Marsel Ilhan 6-3 7-5 to set up a meeting with the number five seed David Ferrer in the second round.

Frenchman Richard Gasquet downed Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov in the sets 6-1 7-6 (4). Gasquet is moving towards Mardy Fish in the draw.

Right down the bottom of this week’s draw we have Spain’s Fernando Verdasco who beat Brazilian Thomasz Bellucci 6-3 7-6 (4). Bellucci had seven break points but Verdasco saved six of them to move in to the second round and a possible match up against his close friend Rafael Nadal in the third round. Verdasco has to overcome the winner of Mikhail Youzhny and Michael Llodra in the second round before he faces Nadal.

Another Spaniard Feliciano Lopez survived in three sets against Spanish mate Juan Carlos Ferrero 4-6 6-3 6-4. Lopez will meet Andy Roddick or Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round.

Roddick and Kohlschreiber have played five times and Roddick leads 4-1 in matches. If Roddick wins his first round against the German, Andy’s match record against Feliciano Lopez is 7-1. Lopez and Roddick played against each other at this year’s Wimbledon. Lopez won in three sets.

So far today only two matches have been played in the doubles at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati.

American wildcards Alex Bogomolov Jr and Steve Johnson booked a second round spot after a win against another American wildcard team James Blake and John Isner 2-6 6-4 10-7. Bogomolov and Johnson are facing second seeds and last week’s semi-finalists Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor.

The second doubles match to finish today was Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon taking on Eric Butorac and Jean-Julien Rojer. Butorac and Rojer dominated the match winning 6-1 6-1. Their second round opponents will be last week’s Montréal winners Michael Llodra and Nenad Zimonjic.