FRENCH OPEN SEED REPORT AFTER TUESDAY IN ROME BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 13th May 2014

FRENCH OPEN SEED REPORT AFTER TUESDAY IN ROME BY RICKY DIMON |

Photo by Francisco

With the French Open starting the week after next, the battle for seeding at the season’s second Grand Slam ends this Sunday. That means results of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome will determine the final outcomes.

Rafael Nadal is already locked into the No. 1 ranking heading into Roland Garros, with Djokovic registering at No. 2. Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka and Roger Federer have the inside track on the other top four seeds, but David Ferrer would be assured of nothing worse than No. 4 if he wins the Rome title. The Spaniard would climb to No. 3 if he wins the tournament and Wawrinka loses his next match to either Tommy Haas or Igor Sijsling. Tomas Berdych would surpass Federer if the Czech triumphs in Rome and the Swiss falls prior to the quarterfinals.

With Juan Martin Del Potro out, No. 10 Milos Raonic is one spot away from a top eight seed in Paris. Currently in the third round, Raonic would have to reach the semifinals to overtake Kei Nishikori for the No. 8 seed.

The race for a top 16 seed in a competitive one. Tommy Robredo is currently in line for the 16th slot, but he opened the door for others to compete by losing to Philipp Kohlschreiber in the Rome second round on Tuesday. Haas would pass Robredo if the German beats Sijsling on Wednesday. Ernests Gulbis, however, would jump Robredo and Haas if the Latvian wins his next match against Stephane Robert and also fares better than Haas in the event. Kevin Anderson is the only other man in realistic top 16 seed contention, but he would have to make a run to the Rome semis from Federer’s section of the bracket.

As for a top 24 seed, Fernando Verdasco is clinging to the last spot but to say he is on thin ice would be an understatement. Marin Cilic got past Santiago Giraldo on Tuesday and the Croat will surpass Verdasco if he defeats Jurgen Melzer in the second round. Philipp Kohlschreiber would have to reach the last four this week if he wants a top 24 seed, but he has to face Djokovic on Thursday. Gilles Simon would have to do the same, an especially daunting task given that his Wednesday opponent is Nadal.

Andreas Seppi, a first-round loser to Haas on Tuesday, is currently the 32nd and final seed for Roland Garros. If a questionable Richard Gasquet joins Del Potro on the withdrawal list, Giraldo would be the next man up as it stands now.

Marcel Granollers and Ivan Dodig have the best chances of knocking out Seppi and/or Giraldo. Granollers rolled over Feliciano Lopez in round one on Monday and the Spaniard would have to beat Andy Murray and then either Cilic or Melzer to reach the quarters. Dodig, who scored a victory over Federico Delbonis in his Rome opener, would have to beat Lukas Rosol and Federer to make the last eight and with it steal a seed for the upcoming Grand Slam.

Longshots Ivo Karlovic and Jeremy Chardy would have to reach the Rome semifinals in order to put themselves in seed contention.

Topics: French Open, Grand Slam, Internazionali BNL D'Italia, Ricky Dimon, Rome, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

May 13, 2014 at 8:44 pm

FRENCH OPEN SEED REPORT AFTER TUESDAY IN ROME BY RICKY DIMON (@RD_Tennistalk) – http://t.co/hBflwTKKG5 #FrenchOpen #Rome #tennis
RD_Tennistalk says:

May 13, 2014 at 8:52 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: FRENCH OPEN SEED REPORT AFTER TUESDAY IN ROME BY RICKY DIMON (@RD_Tennistalk) – http://t.co/hBflwTKKG5 #FrenchOpen #Rom…