City: Cincinnati, OH, USA
Surface: Outdoor Hard
Championship Points: 1000
2008 Singles Champion: Andy Murray
2008 Doubles: Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan

Andy Murray will be on hand to defend his title in Cincinnati. He will have his work cut out for him because his half of the draw is chalked full of contenders.

He could meet Juan Martin del Potro in quarterfinals. The Scotsman has had the Argentine’s number, but it is only a matter of time before del Potro turns the corner and surprises the defending champion. Del Potro did have physical problems during their Rogers Cup match, so he might be less of a threat this week. Murray could also have to deal with Federer in the semifinals.

Federer’s quarter of the draw is as difficult as Murray’s. The Swiss champ could have to contend with Robin Soderling or Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals. He then, of course, could meet with Murray or the surging del Potro in the semifinals.

Rafal Nadal has a pretty good draw. For someone who needs to play their way into contention, this draw could be a good way for the Spaniard to make it to the semifinals or finals because he desperately needs the points. He may have to see Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Fernando Gonzalez in the quarterfinals and then maybe Nikolay Davydenko or Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles

Tournament Evils (formerly Tournament Malfeasance)
Singles
10 Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) vs. Tomas Berdych (CZE)
14 Marin Cilic (CRO) vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
16 Tommy Robredo (ESP) vs. Jeremy Chardy (FRA)
Igor Andreev (RUS) vs. Nicolas Kiefer (GER)

Doubles
T. Parrott (USA)/F. Polasek (SVK) vs. J. Chardy (FRA)/G. Simon (FRA)

(Image: Eric M Spohn/WSFGM)

City: Montreal, Canada
Surface: Outdoor Hard
Championship Points: 1000
2008 Singles Champion: Rafael Nadal
2008 Doubles: Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic

Rafael Nadal is back on tour and will defend his title. This tournament everyone will get a chance to see how fit the Spaniard is. Hopefully, the Mallorcan champ is back in fine form because I missed watching him beating up on everyone.

Again this tournament will be between the top four. Between the top four, they have won all of the Masters titles this year. It should be interesting to see if someone else can break up their monopoly.

Of late, Nikolay Davydenko and Andy Roddick have had the hot hand and are always dangerous. It is only a matter of time until Juan Martin del Potro breaks through. Tommy Haas has had a great summer, but we shall see if he is still holding up since he has played a lot of tennis in the last month. Robin Soderling has had a good spring and summer, but he injured his elbow this past week.

It should be a good tournament this coming week. Hopefully, someone else steps up and shakes up the tournament up this year.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles - TBD

Tournament Evils (formerly Tournament Malfeasance)
8 Gilles Simon (FRA) vs. Frank Dancevic (CAN)
10 Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs. Feliciano Lopez (ESP)
13 Gael Monfils (FRA) vs. Marat Safin (RUS)
14 Marin Cilic (CRO) vs. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)
David Ferrer (ESP) vs. Viktor Troicki (SER)
Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) vs. Igor Andreev (RUS)

Sunday's Order of Play

(Image: Getty Images)

Preview: Internazionali BNL d'Italia
City: Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Championship Points: 1000
2008 Singles Champion: Novak Djokovic
2008 Doubles Champions: Mike Bryan & Bob Bryan

The top ATP playes will be in contention. Most of the American singles players will be in attendance. Andy Roddick, Gael Monfils, David Nalbandian and Mario Ancic have all withdrawn.

Rafael Nadal is clearly the one to beat. He has already won two of the three Masters tournaments this year and is having another ridiculous year. The only way he loses if he is injured or gets struck by lightening. Though I noticed, his half of the draw is loaded with all the dangerous players (Murray, Verdasco, Davydenko). This is the same tournament where Juan Carlos Ferrero unexpectedly snapped Nadal's winning streak on clay last year, so anything could happen.

Aside from Nadal, it is the usual suspects of Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray. Djokovic won the tournament last year and looked good in the Monte-Carlo final against Nadal. I think he is the better bet on clay than Murray.

Andy Murray has improved greatly on clay but comes down with the case of Nadalitis when he plays the Spaniard. It happens on clay as well as other surfaces, despite the conventional wisdom from the Jason Goodalls of the world. Murray is also in Nadal’s half on the draw.

Roger Federer is having a bad year and is in rapid decline, but he is always dangerous. The Swiss did get it together last year to win the US Open when everyone wrote him off like a bad check. It is also beneficial to him that his quarter of the draw is pretty friendly to him. He only has to get past Djokovic in the semifinals.

I will keep hope alive that Gilles Simon will get it together in time (if he no one upsets him) for the quarterfinals to challenge Federer. Simon is currently 2-0 over the Swiss. I would like to see if he really has Federer’s number. As for the other Musketeers, Tsonga has been battling injury over the last couple of weeks, and Gasquet just lacks courage. Tsonga and Gasquet play each other in the first round and are in Nadal’s quarter.

There are also the next-tier players who could break at any time. They include Juan Martin del Potro, Fernando Verdasco and Stanislas Wawrinka. Veterans Fernando Gonzalez and Nikolay Daveydenko could also be trouble if they get hot for the week. There are also the other three Spaniards of David Ferrer, Tommy Robredo and Nicolas Almagro, who are great on clay but are kind of harmless when the top-four are around.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles

Tournament Malfeasance
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Richard Gasquet
Nicolas Almagro vs. Ernest Gulbis
Tommy Robredo vs. Marat Safin
Nicolas Kiefer vs. Q Juan Monaco - Updated

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(Images: Internazionali BNL D’Italia/Costantini)

City: Barcelona, Spain
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Championship Points: 500
2008 Singles Champion: Rafael Nadal
2008 Doubles Champions: Mike Bryan/Bob Bryan

Rafael Nadal is the four-time defending champion and the one to beat this week. David Nalbandian could be standing in his way in the quarterfinals since he is the only person on the tour with a winning record against Nadal at 2-1.

The bottom half of Nadal’s side of the draw has Stanislas Wawrinka anchoring it. The Swiss had a good tournament in Monte-Carlo by making it to the semifinals. Nikolay Davydenko and Guillermo Canas are also in his quarter of the draw.

The other half of the draw has the other top Spaniards: Tommy Robredo, David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco. They are playing for the opportunity to play Rafael Nadal in the final. Robredo, the 2004 champion, has to get passed Ferrer, last year’s finalist, in the quarterfinals. Verdasco’s possible quarterfinal could be difficult because he could have to contend with Fernando Gonzalez or Juan Monaco.

Veterans Juan Carlos Ferrero and Gaston Gaudio were given wildcards and will put in an appearance this week.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles

Tournament Malfeasance
Juan Monaco vs. Marat Safin

Monday’s Order of Play

(Images: Barcelona Open)

City: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Championship Points: 1000
2008 Singles Champion: Rafael Nadal
2008 Doubles Champions: Rafael Nadal/Tommy Robredo

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will be in action to defend the title. Should the Spaniard win the tournament, this would be his fifth consecutive Monte Carlo title, a tournament record. In order to achieve this feat, he will have to get past a few people. Aside from Nadal, the usual suspects are always contenders.

Now that Roger Federer is back in contention, he has a good chance of advancing to the final. His half of the draw is chalked full of the top Spaniards and Djokovic, so it will be no cakewalk for him to get there.
Novak Djokovic is in a slump but showed promise in Miami when he knocked off Federer in the semifinals. He could meet Federer again in the semifinals. If he is in good form, he could upset Federer again.

Andy Murray is always in the mix, but clay is his weakest surface. He hired Alex Corretja to work with him during the clay court season. Murray could meet Nadal in the semifinals. The Scotsman though has never been passed the round of 16 in an ATP tournament on clay, but there is always a first time for everything.

Spaniards David Ferrer, Tommy Robredo and Nicolas Almagro could cause a lot of damage. Robredo is already having particularly good year with two clay tournaments under his belt. Almagro won one clay tournament this year. Verdasco could be a threat but has yet to breakthrough after showing promise in the Australian Open. All of these players are in Federer’s side of the draw.

As for the Musketeers, Gilles Simon and Gael Monfils are scheduled to play. Gasquet pulled out of the tournament with a shoulder injury, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is not scheduled to play. Simon and Monfils have been pretty underwhelming this year. Simon, in particular, has struggled early this year. He did beat Federer twice last year and leads their matchup 2-0. Simon could meet the Big Swiss Cheese in the quarterfinals. Let’s hope this is the week Simon gets back on track.

The Argentines are also capable of mixing it up. Juan Martin Del Potro and David Nalbandian could be trouble for Nadal, as they are in his half. Del Potro beat Nadal for the first time in the semifinals of Miami. This tournament is on clay, so I am sure Nadal will be exacting some street justice on Del Potro in the quarterfinals as payback.

Despite all of the contenders in the field, Nadal should be able to take the title if he is healthy.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles

Tournament Malfeasance
Singles First Round
Feliciano Lopez vs. David Ferrer
Jeremy Chardy vs. Juan Monaco

Doubles First Round
F. Lopez/F. Verdasco vs. M. Safin/I. Andreev
D. Ferrer/N. Almagro vs. M. Cilic/N. Kiefer

(images: Getty Images)

- noun
when your favorite players play each other early, especially in the first round

Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships
First Round
Igor Andreev (RUS) vs. Feliciano Lopez (ESP)
Richard Gasquet (FRA) vs. Marat Safin (ESP)

Delray Beach International Tennis Championships
First Round
Tommy Haas (GER) vs. Jeremy Chardy (FRA)