|
With four of the current top twenty ranking players, and six from the Top 50, the Brazil Open 2003 promises plenty of well-matched tennis right from the first round beginning on Monday. The draw for the top seeds, held Saturday, has spread the favourites evenly across the event making it anybody¿s tournament. If logic prevails, number one Seed Rainer Schuettler should meet Flávio Saretta in the quarterfinals and then cross with Gustavo Kuerten in the semi-finals.
Currently ranked number 8, Schuettler will kick off the tournament against the Brazilian André Sá, invited to play by the event organizers. Meanwhile, seventh seed Saretta, currently enjoying an excellent run of form, will clash with fellow Brazilian Marcos Daniel, another wildcard. The winner of that match goes on to play Paraguayan Ramón Delgado or the Argentinean Mariano Puerta in the last sixteen.
Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten - Guga, will have to see off his old acquaintance Magnus Norman in the first round, if he is to get through to play either the Austrian Werner Eschauer or one of the qualifiers. On the same side of the draw is the sixth seeded Argentinean Juan Ignácio Chela, who starts his campaign with a match against Australian Todd Larkham. The winner of that match goes on to play either wildcard Ricardo Mello or another qualifier.
At the bottom half of the draw, second favourite Sjeng Schalken from Holland really does have his work cut out. His first match will be against Frenchman Cyril Saulnier which, if he wins, earns him a meeting with Alexander Popp from Germany or Gregory Carraz, also from France. If all goes Schalken¿s way, he then gets to meet up with fifth seeded American Vincent Spadea in the quarters. Spadea meanwhile gets a pretty challenging first round against the Argentinean Guillermo Cañas, who is back on the circuit after eight months away.
Fourth seeded Fernando Gonzalez from Chile is drawn against American Eric Taino in the first round. His most difficult challenge however looks like being in the quarterfinals where he could well have to see off the Danish left-hander Kenneth Carlsen, seeded number eight. Power serving Carlsen blasts into action against the Brazilian Franco Ferreiro, playing by invitation.
Check out the full draw for the Brasil Open 2003, from top to bottom:
Rainer Schuettler (GER/1)
André Sá (BRA)
Paul Goldstein (USA)
Federico Browne (ARG)
Ramón Delgado (PAR)
Mariano Puerta (ARG)
Marcos Daniel (BRA)
Flávio Saretta (BRA/7)
Gustavo Kuerten (BRA/3)
Magnus Norman (SWE)
Werner Eschauer (AUST)
Qualifier
Qualifier
Ricardo Mello (BRA)
Todd Larkham (AUS)
Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG/6)
Kenneth Carlsen (DEN/8)
Franco Ferreiro (BRA)
Ivan Miranda (PER)
Wesley Moodie (AFS)
Qualifier
Brian Vahaly (USA)
Eric Taiano (USA)
Fernando González (CHI/4)
Vincent Spadea (USA/5)
Guillermo Cañas (ARG)
Hermes Gamonal (CHI)
Qualifier
Alexander Popp (GER)
Gregory Carraz (FRA)
Cyril Saulnier (FRA)
Sjeng Schalken (HOL/2)
Further Information: DGW Comunicação
Press Room - Tel. 55 71 464.3120/ 3121/ 3127
dgw.brasilopen@uol.com.br / www.terra.com.br/brasilopen
|
