China Open preview

China Open

Location: Beijing, China

Dates: September 22-28, 2008

Draw Size: 28

Surface: Hard

Prize Money: $524,000; men’s singles champion: $85,000

2007 Singles Final: Fernando Gonzalez, CHI, def. Tommy Robredo, ESP, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
Official Web site: http://www.chinaopen.com.cn/

Top story lines:

1. Can Fernando Gonzalez win his second straight China Open title?

2. Can Andy Roddick back up his solid US Open results with a title in Beijing?

3. Will Sam Querrey advance deep in Beijing after a career best season so far?

Justin’s notable first round match-ups:

1. Sam Querrey vs. Jesse Levine (First ATP level meeting; Levine defeated Querrey in three sets at a 2006 ATP Futures level event; Querrey won first ATP title in Las Vegas in March; Querrey is currently ranked No. 39; Levine is currently ranked at a career best No. 96; Levine was a quarterfinalist at Pilot Pen in New Haven)

2. Fernando Verdasco vs. Bobby Reynolds (Verdasco leads 2-0, winning at Wimbledon in 2007 and Nottingham in 2008; Verdasco reached a career high ranking of No. 11 in July; Reynolds was a quarterfinalist at Indianapolis and Delray Beach)

Potential notable late round match:

No. 1 David Ferrer vs. No. 6 Tommy Robredo, Quarterfinals

· Ferrer leads 3-2, with Ferrer winning only hard court meeting in 2007 at Auckland, New Zealand event

· Both players have won 7 career titles; Ferrer winning titles this year at Valencia (Spain) and s-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands); Robredo winning his lone 2008 title at Bastad (Sweden)

Watch out for…

1. No. 4 Richard Gasquet (Finalist in Stuttgart, semifinalist in Bucharest and quarterfinalist at Masters Series Canada and Queen’s Club in London; currently ranked No. 12)

2. No. 7 Rainer Schuettler (Semifinalist at Wimbledon; currently ranked No. 35)

Champion prediction:

Justin: No. 2 Andy Roddick