FERRER, BERDYCH, AND CILIC AMONG THOSE IN ACTION AS ASIAN SWING BEGINS

Written by: on 27th September 2015
US Open Tennis
FERRER, BERDYCH, AND CILIC AMONG THOSE IN ACTION AS ASIAN SWING BEGINS

epa04913849 David Ferrer of Spain hits a return to Jeremy Chardy of France during their match on the fifth day of the 2015 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 04 September 2015. The US Open runs through 13 September, which is a return to a 14-day schedule. EPA/ANDREW GOMBERT  |

Ferrer, Berdych, and Cilic among those in action as Asian swing begins

 

By Ricky Dimon

 

The fall swing moves briefly from Europe to Asia, with the Malaysian Open and Shenzhen Open taking place this week. Neither Kei Nishikori (Kuala Lumpur) nor Andy Murray (Shenzhen) is defending his title, but there is still some star power at each event. David Ferrer and Grigor Dimitrov are leading the charge in Kuala Lumpur, while Tomas Berdych and Marin Cilic are the top two seeds in Shenzhen.

 

Malaysian Open

Where: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Surface: Indoor hard

Points: 250

Top seed: David Ferrer

 

This is a good opportunity for Ferrer to get some more matches under his belt as he approaches the more important closing stretch featuring two Masters 1000 events (Shanghai and Paris) and the World Tour Finals (if he remains in the top eight). That being said, there are plenty of potential roadblocks along the way in Kuala Lumpur for the top-seeded Spaniard. Possible quarterfinal adversary Mikhail Kukushkin can catch fire at any time and Jeremy Chardy—who beat Ferrer at the U.S. Open—is in the adjacent section of the draw.

 

Chardy has to be feeling confident heading into the season’s home stretch, as his summer included a semifinal showing in Montreal and a fourth-round performance at the U.S. Open. First-round opponent Alexander Zverev, though, also fared well on American hard courts. The winner of this Zverev-Chardy showdown could go for a while in Shenzhen.

 

The bottom half should be similarly up for grabs to a throng of big hitters. Feliciano Lopez, Ivo Karlovic, Nick Kyrgios, and Vasek Pospisil are the seeded contenders. Pospisil will begin against a qualifier before possibly facing the winner of an intriguing opener between Marcos Baghdatis and Nicolas Almagro. Karlovic and Kyrgios are on a collision course for the quarterfinals.

 

Ricky’s picks

Semifinals: David Ferrer over Grigor Dimitrov and Feliciano Lopez over Ivo Karlovic

Final: Ferrer over Lopez

 

Shenzhen Open

Where: Shenzhen, China

Surface: Hard

Points: 250

Top seed: Tomas Berdych

 

The Shenzhen field is alarmingly thin. Berdych is a top-10 player and Cilic is not far behind, but nobody else is ranked better than No. 27 (Tommy Robredo). The seeded contingent includes Aljaz Bedene and Victor Estrella Burgos, who are not in the top 50. With a glaring lack of depth in the draw, Berdych and Cilic are clear favorites to face each other the final.

 

Berdych’s path appears to be especially favorable at the top of the bracket. The world No. 6 should cruise through his opener before a possible all-Czech quarterfinal against Jiri Vesely. Potential semifinal adversaries for Berdych are Robredo, Berankis, and Simone Bollli. Cilic has a more interesting road to the final or title. It includes players who have showcased flashes of brilliance in the past but are wildly inconsistent. Ernests Gulbis would run into Cilic he wins his first-rounder, while Mikhail Youzhny may await in the last eight. The draw’s third quarter is home to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Lukas Rosol, and Denis Istomin.

 

A potential first-round upset is Lucas Pouille over fellow Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. Pouille recently advanced to the quarterfinals in St. Petersburg, getting the best of Berankis and Jerzy Janowicz in the process. The 21-year-old Frenchman has been in fine form this season and up to No. 75 in the world.

 

Ricky’s picks

Semifinals: Tomas Berdych over Ricardas Berankis and Marin Cilic over Lucas Pouille

Final: Cilic over Berdych

 

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

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