Bank Austria-Tennis Trophy preview

Bank Austria-Tennis Trophy
Location: Vienna, Austria
Dates: October 6-12, 2008
Draw Size: 32
Surface: Indoor Hard
Prize Money: $674,000; men’s singles champion: $139,500
2007 Singles Final: Novak Djokovic, SRB, def. Stanislas Wawrinka, SUI, 6-4, 6-0
Official Web site: http://tennistrophy.bankaustria.at/

Top story lines:
1. Without the return of defending champion Novak Djokovic, can 2007 runner-up Stanislas Wawrinka go one step further and win the title?
2. Can red-hot Argentine player Juan Martin Del Potro continue his incredible tennis in Vienna
3. Does 2004 Vienna champion Feliciano Lopez have any shot at going deep in a star-filled field that includes seven of the Top 20 players?

Justin’s notable first round match-ups:
1. No. 4 Ivo Karlovic vs. Juan Carlos Ferrero
2. Ivan Ljubicic vs. Jurgen Melzer

Potential notable late round match:
No. 2 Fernando Gonzalez vs. No. 8 Gael Monfils, Quarterfinals
No. 3 Juan Martin Del Potro vs. No. 6 Fernando Verdasco, Quarterfinals

Watch out for…
1. No. 6 Tommy Robredo
2. No. 7 Gilles Simon

Champion prediction:
Justin: No. 3 Juan Martin Del Potro