Monfils and Stepanek miss out
PREVIEW for 2009 AEGON International | 13-20 June
Gael
Monfils was the provisional top seed
for June's AEGON
International at
Devonshire Park, but was always unlikely to play because of his long-term
left kneecap injury. And a wrist injury at Queen's Club put paid to his participation this year.
And, as eastbournetennis.net exclusively revealed, Czech Republic's Radek Stepanek has been on the injured list ever since he damaged his ankle at a Challenger event after the 2009 French Open and may not be fit in time for a shot at Wimbledon.
Although the tournament organisers insisted that these two players were entering, by getting quotes from Monfils and Stepanek's doctor confirmed that neither were fully fit and would be resting before Wimbledon.
Seeded players
There are eight seeds overall, which is likely to be determined by the current world rankings at the time of the draw.
Although British ace Andy Murray expressed an interest in playing as a wildcard at Eastbourne should he fail to make an impact at Queen's Club the week before, the Scot had very little competition and breezed through the grass court event in London.
CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT ATP TOUR WORLD RANKINGS
? | No1 seed Details
will appear when the draw is made on Saturday 13 June. Although we
shall be able to provide details of the expected seeds at Eastbourne
once the entrants are revealed.
? | No2 seed Details
will appear when the draw is made on Saturday 13 June. Although we
shall be able to provide details of the expected seeds at Eastbourne
once the entrants are revealed.
? | No3 seed Details
will appear when the draw is made on Saturday 13 June. Although we
shall be able to provide details of the expected seeds at Eastbourne
once the entrants are revealed.
? | No4 seed Details
will appear when the draw is made on Saturday 13 June. Although we
shall be able to provide details of the expected seeds at Eastbourne
once the entrants are revealed.
? | No5 seed Details
will appear when the draw is made on Saturday 13 June. Although we
shall be able to provide details of the expected seeds at Eastbourne
once the entrants are revealed.
? | No6 seed Details
will appear when the draw is made on Saturday 13 June. Although we
shall be able to provide details of the expected seeds at Eastbourne
once the entrants are revealed.
? | No7 seed Details
will appear when the draw is made on Saturday 13 June. Although we
shall be able to provide details of the expected seeds at Eastbourne
once the entrants are revealed.
? | No8 seed Details
will appear when the draw is made on Saturday 13 June. Although we
shall be able to provide details of the expected seeds at Eastbourne
once the entrants are revealed.
Players in main draw
Road to the final
Read our report on how Frank Dancevic of Canada (qualifier) and Dmitry Tursunov of Russia (no2 seed) reached the final.
CLICK FOR DETAILS
Players to watch
Igor Andreev |
Played tennis since the age of seven and at 14 Andreev moved away from
Moscow to Valencia in Spain to learn to specialise on clay courts. Has
perfected his formidable forehand over the years, which has become
arguably one the best forehand shots on the ATP Tour. Andreev joined
the ATP Tour in 2002 and three years later broke in to the world's top
50 after finishing runner-up at Bucharest and Gstaad as well as
defeating Rafael Nadal on clay in Valencia. Reached the semi-finals at
Casablanca's Grand Prix Hassan II and the quarter-finals at the Dubai
Open. Recently pulled out of the Serbian Open with an abdominal injury
and skipped the Madrid Masters to recover, so is in a suspect condition
and much lower in the world rankings than he really should be. CHANCE OF WINNING | Unlikely
Dmitry Tursunov | Having
a torrid 2009, having not won more than one match at any of the ATP
Tour events. The 26-year-old Russian has been on the circuit since 2000
and collected five singles titles, reaching the dizzy heights of a
career best world ranking no20. Has started to concentrate on doubles
to help earn a decent living and the 6'1" ace reached the
quarter-finals at the 2009 French Open with compatriot Igor Kunitsyn.
Could see off lesser opponents but likely to be easily beaten against
any in-form players.CHANCE OF WINNING | Reasonable
Paul-Henri Mathieu | One
of France's handful of promising talents, having played tennis from a
very young age. Spent three of his teenage years at the Nick
Bolletierri Tennis Academy in Florida, USA, where he honed his skills
on hard and clay courts. Won 2000 Junior French Open Junior by beating
Tommy Robredo in the final, and after 2000 Junior Wimbledon joined the
ATP Tour. Two years later, Mathieu was named ATP Tour's Newcomer of the
Year and has never broken into the world's top 10. Nicknamed 'Polo', he
was knocked out of the 2009 French Open at the third round by Roger
Federer but reached the quarter-finals at the BMW Munich Open.CHANCE OF WINNING | High
Fabrice Santoro | Veteran
French star born in Tahiti who has never broken into the world's top 30
yet amassed almost $10m in prize money, including six singles titles,
since joining the ATP Tour in 1989. Last won an ATP Tour match at
Miami's Sony Ericsson Open following a run to the quarter-finals at the
Dubai Championships. Has stepped down a grade to play Challenger events
this year and duly won on hard courts at Johannesburg without dropping
a set, but only won in the first round on clay at Bordeaux. No threat at Devonshire Park.CHANCE OF WINNING | Unlikely
Mikhail Youzhny |
Former top 10 player whose erratic performances on the ATP Tour seesaw
between poor and incredible. His 2009 campaign has brought the Russian
six-footer a strange set of results because of inconsistency.
Recently impressive, finished runner-up at the BMW Open in Munich
and made the semi-finals in the Austrian Open. Beaten in the second
round at 2009 French Open and having only lost two of past 10 matches
is looking like a dangerous opponent for the seeds. However, has
climbed up the world rankings and may be seeded at Eastbourne. Won four
singles titles since the 26-year-old became a professional in 1999.CHANCE OF WINNING | High
Sam Querrey |
American 21-year-old who stands at a giant 6'6" and is an imposing
opponent, except on clay. His clay court season has been disappointing
with first round exits at the French Open, Serbia Open and Italian
Open. After his first round defeat at the Australian Open made the
quarter-finals on home soil at both the Morgan Keegan Championships and
SAP Open in Costa Rica. Reached the final of the 2009 Heineken Open in
Auckland, beaten by Argentine ace Juan Martin Del Potro. Won his first
title by capturing the World series tournament of the 2008 Tennis
Channel Open in Las Vegas.CHANCE OF WINNING | Reasonable
Andreas Seppi |
Best event this year was reaching the final four at Belgrade's Serbian
Open. The 6'3" Italian last won a tournament by capturing both the
singles and doubles titles on home soil at the 2008 Challenger event in
Bergamo. Once broke into the top 30 but soon slid back down the world
rankings. Fast approaching career prize money of $2m since turning
professional in 2002.CHANCE OF WINNING | Reasonable
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez | Tall
Spaniard has reached jumped up the world rankings and broken into the
world's top 50 for the first time. But the 2009 campaign saw him suffer
first round flops in the Barcelona Open, Estoril Open and Madrid Open
before he surprised even himself by winning May's Austrian Open.
Followed it up with another first round exit, this time at the 2009
French Open. Blows hot and cold so no real threat but very capable of causing an upset or two.CHANCE OF WINNING | Reasonable
Julien Benneteau | French
six-footer who has yet to win a singles title on the ATP Tour since
joining the circuit in 2000, but came close at the 2009 Austrian Open
where he finished runner-up to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez as a qualifier.
The previous year Benneteau reached a career high ranking of world no35
after finishing runner-up at the Bergamo International in Italy, the
Grand Prix Hassan II in Morocco and the Lyon Grand Prix in France.
Never likely to break into the world's top 30, and was soundly beaten
by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first round at the 2009 French Open.CHANCE OF WINNING | Unlikely
Simone Bolelli | Young
and enthusiastic Italian six-footer who joined the ATP Tour in 2003.
Not got further than the second round this campaign apart from an impressive
run to the third round at the Monte-Carlo Masters, where he easily
brushed aside Swede Robin Soderling and Serb Janko Tipsarevic before
bowing out to Croatian veteran Ivan Ljubicic. Best career run saw saw
him finish runner-up to Chilean Fernando Gonzalez at the 2008 BMW Open
in Munich, Germany. Although he will not win the title at Devonshire Park, a
favourable draw is likely to see the 23-year-old make an impact.CHANCE OF WINNING | Unlikely
Ivan
Ljubicic |
Veteran giant Croatian who reached the dizzy heights of world no3 but
slipped out of the top a long time ago. Has collected almost $8m in
career prize money, including eight singles titles. Last title was the
2008 South African Airways Challenger where he was given top seeding as
a wildcard entrant and did not face any well-known opponents. Made the
two 2009 quarter-finals, at Monte Carlo and Madrid. After bowing out at
the first hurdle in the 2009 French Open has opted to ply his trade at
the Prosrejov Challenger in the Czech Republic.CHANCE OF WINNING | Reasonable
Robby Ginepri |
American
six-footer who has two titles to his credit, having picked up the top
prize at 2005 Indian Wells and 2003 Hall of Fame Championships in
Newport, USA. Although raced into the world's top 20 has for past few
years been hovering around the world's top 50 ranking and below.
Unimpressive 2009 campaign, bounced out in the first round at
Queen's Club, the
French Open, the SAP Open in Costa Rica and the Australian Open. Game
is better suited to fast surfaces than clay, but is not expected to
cause an upset at Devonshire Park having won only two in past 12
matches including a first round exit at Queen's. The 26-year-old is
making up the numbers.CHANCE OF WINNING | Unlikely
Janko Tipsarevic | Serbian
star, who has played tennis since the age of six, was beaten by a
qualifier at Queen's Club shortly after pulling out of his fourth round
French Open match with Andy
Murray because of a leg injury. Won the 2001 Junior Australian Open and
finished junior career as world no2. Joined the ATP Tour in 2002 and
three years later broke into the world's top 100 after reaching the
third round of Wimbledon and the second round at both the Australian
Open and the French Open. Tipsarevic finished as the no2 Serbian player
to Novak Djokovic in 2006. His most memorable Grand Slam performance
came in 2008, when he stretched Roger Federer to a five-set epic match
before losing. The 24-year-old has yet to win an ATP Tour title and
made a dismal start to 2009 but was nearer his best form with five
victories in seven matches before being dismantled in London.CHANCE OF WINNING | Reasonable
Teimuraz Gabashvili | Yet
to claim an ATP Tour title and reach $1m in prize money. Lost in the
first round at four tournaments prior to the 2009 French Open, where
the Russian scored a rare victory before being thrashed by world no1
Rafael Nadal. With confidence low and form poor, the 24-year-old has
opted to play in the Furth Challenger event in Germany where he is the
top seed and doing extremely well against lesser opponents.CHANCE OF WINNING | Unlikely
Lu Yen-Hsun | Chinese
25-year-old has yet to win a singles title and reach the $1m mark for
prize money. May skip making his Eastbourne debut after retiring
injured from the 2009 French Open after trailing German Mathieu
Montcourt in the first round. Out of his depth on the ATP Tour, so has
been playing Challenger events and won May's Ramat Hasharon Challenger
in Israel on hard courts. His game is more suited to fast surfaces as
he is extremely quick on his feet, although was destroyed in the first round at Queen's.CHANCE OF WINNING | Unlikely
Eduardo Schwank |
The 23-year-old Argentine retired
injured in the opening round of the Furth Challenger event in Germany,
where he had to go through the qualifiers as a late entrant following
his first round exit at the 2009 French Open. Has not impressed in 2009
with first round defeats at Queen's, Madrid, Barcelona, Monte Carlo,
Miami, Indian Wells and Buenos Aires. Unlikely to win a match at Eastbourne and merely making up the numbers.CHANCE OF WINNING | Unlikely
Fabio Fognini |
Young and enthusiastic short Italian who generally wins one match at
each tournament. But suffered four first round exits prior to the
Monte-Carlo Masters where he was narrowly beaten in the third round by
Andy Murray. Since then reached the second round at the Madrid Open,
Estoril Open and Italian as well as the opening round at Queen's. Newcomer who faces a stiff task to beat any
of the big guns.CHANCE OF WINNING | Unlikely