RICKY’S LOOK @ THIS WEEK IN ASIA & DEB IS SO HAPPY RAFA IS BACK. TENNIS NEEDS RAFAEL NADAL EVEN WITH HIS 20 QUIRKS

Written by: Staff on 27th September 2014

RICKY'S LOOK @ THIS WEEK IN ASIA & DEB IS SO HAPPY RAFA IS BACK. TENNIS NEEDS RAFAEL NADAL EVEN WITH HIS 20 QUIRKS

epa04212959 Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal reacts during the final match against to Serbian Novak Djokovic at the Italian Open tennis tournament at Foro Italico in Rome, Italy, 18 May 2014. EPA/CLAUDIO ONORATI |

Big week in Beijing and Tokyo headlined by Nadal’s return By Ricky Dimon

He’s back! Yes, for the first time since Wimbledon, Rafael Nadal is playing tennis again. Always one of the best spots on the annual calendar, the Beijing-Tokyo week will be especially intriguing this time around. That’s because Nadal is returning to the court after being out of action for three months.

Nadal is joined in a loaded Beijing field by Novak Djokovic, Tomas Berdych, and U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic. In Tokyo, Stan Wawrinka leads the way along with David Ferrer, Milos Raonic, and U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori.

China Open preview

With this field, it was almost impossible for anyone to find a good draw. Nadal’s is no exception, as the world No. 2 has to contest his first match against Richard Gasquet—arguably the best unseeded player in the tournament (although Fabio Fognini and Feliciano Lopez are ranked higher). Nadal could face Ivo Karlovic in the second round and Ernests Gulbis, who has troubled but never beaten the Spaniard in the past, in the quarters. If Nadal can navigate his way into the top eight, he may be home free to the final. Potential seeded semi opponents are Berdych John Isner, against whom Nadal is 22-3 lifetime.

“I am fine,” Nadal assured in his Saturday press conference. “I am much better. The thing is the injury was a bit slow and took a little bit of time. But that’s it. I just feel the wrist a little bit when I am starting, when I start to play every day, but then it disappears. I’m in good conditions to compete again.”

Cilic could not have asked for a softer section is his first tournament since a stunning triumph in New York. The ninth-ranked Croat will open against wild card Yan Bai before running into either Joao Sousa or a qualifier. Murray, who is coming off a long week as a finalist in Shenzhen, could face Cilic in the quarterfinals. The fourth-seeded Scot will kick off his Beijing campaign against Jerzy Janowicz. At the top of the bracket, Djokovic (19-0 lifetime at this event) is taking on Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and the Serb’s nearest seed is Grigor Dimitrov. It will be by no means a breeze for Djokovic and Cilic, but the top half is not as deep despite being more top-heavy than the bottom half.

Men’s singles draw – click here

Men’s doubles draw – click here

Japan Open preview

Nishikori’s potential path to the Tokyo title could feature two of his most significant scalps en route to the U.S. Open final. Japan’s top player fought past both Raonic and Wawrinka in five sets in New York and it is not out of the question that he faces both—albeit in reverse order—this week. Nishikori would first have to defeat Ivan Dodig, either Donald Young or Go Soeda, and then perhaps either Kevin Anderson or Dominic Thiem. At that point he could get Wawrinka in the semis. Like Nishikori, Wawrinka should have little trouble early in the week. The top-seeded Swiss will begin his quest versus wild card Tatsuma Ito and his nearest seed is Alexandr Dolgopolov, who has not played a match since mid-July.

An intriguing third quarter of the bracket may not have very top players in the tournament, but it is where Raonic and Tsonga are on a collision course for the quarterfinals. Raonic first has to get through Bernard Tomic in his opener, while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga may be in line for a second-round date with Denis Isomin. An all-Spanish quarterfinal at the bottom of the draw is possible between Ferrer and Roberto Bautista Agut. Ferrer already has to battle countryman Marcel Granollers in the opening round.

Men’s singles draw – click here

Men’s doubles draw – click here

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Beijing, China Open, Ernests Gulbis, Ivo Karlovic, Japan Open, Kei Nishikori, Marin Cilic, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Ricky Dimon, Tennis, Tennis News, Tomas Berdych

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10sBalls_com says:

September 27, 2014 at 5:34 pm

@RD_Tennistalk’s LOOK @ THIS WEEK IN #ASIA & DEB IS SO HAPPY @RafaelNadal IS BACK. #TENNIS NEEDS #RAFAELNADAL…- http://t.co/OdRDyMsy8b
RD_Tennistalk says:

September 27, 2014 at 5:52 pm

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