Eastbourne Wednesday Preview

© Getty ImagesNicolas Almagro is in action on Wednesday.

Top seed Nicolas Almagro will continue to chase his first ATP World Tour grass court title on Wednesday as he faces Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan in the second round of the AEGON International. After reaching the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, the Spaniard broke back into the Top 20 at No.18, his first time back in that group since April 2009.

The top seed will take on Istomin for the first time for a spot in the quarter-finals. All five of Almagro's titles - and in fact all seven of his career finals - have come on clay. Almagro is looking for his 30th match win of the year (29-14).

Also chasing quarter-final berths are former Top 10 player and No. 3 seed Gilles Simon, who plays Russian qualifier Andrey Kuznetsov for the first time. Kuznetsov won the Wimbledon junior title last year and is a young prospect on the ATP World Tour. No. 4 seed Julien Benneteau, who has never lost a set in three previous meetings against top Isareli Dudi Sela, is on Court 2.

There are two other seeds in action on outside courts, No. 7 Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine and No. 8 Michael Llodra of France.

In the only unseeded match-up of the day, former Wimbledon semi-finalist (and last week's Queen's Club semi-finalist) Rainer Schuettler faces British wild card James Ward who is attempting to reach his first career ATP World Tour quarter-final. Ward upset No. 2 seed Feliciano Lopez on Tuesday.
 
WEDNESDAY SECOND ROUND HEAD-TO-HEADS – In Order of Play by Court

Centre Court

Rainer Schuettler (GER) vs (WC) James Ward (GBR)  First Meeting

Schuettler FastFacts:
2010 Highlights:
SF: London / Queen's Club (l Querrey)
YTD W-L: 6-8
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 4
Date of Birth: April 25, 1976
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 72

Ward FastFacts:
2010 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 2-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: February 9, 1987
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 342

(1) Nicolas Almagro (ESP) vs Denis Istomin (UZB)    First Meeting

Almagro FastFacts:
2010 Highlights:
SF: ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid (l Nadal); QF: Acapulco (l Ferrero); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami (l Roddick); Munich (l Cilic); Roland Garros (l Nadal)
YTD W-L: 29-14
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 5
Date of Birth: August 21, 1985
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 18

Istomin FastFacts:
2010 Highlights:
SF: San Jose (l Verdasco)
YTD W-L: 12-11
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: September 7, 1986
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 74

Court 1

(Q) Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS) vs (WC-3) Gilles Simon (FRA)   First Meeting

Kuznetsov FastFacts:
2010 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 1-0
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: February 22, 1991
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 272

Simon FastFacts:
2010 Highlights:
YTD W-L: 1-4
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 6
Date of Birth: December 27, 1984
South African Airways 2010 ATP Ranking: 32

Court 2

(4) Julien Benneteau (FRA) vs Dudi Sela (ISR)   Benneteau Leads 3-0
08 Auckland (New Zealand) Hard R32 Julien Benneteau 6-4 7-6(3)
09 Kitzbühel (Austria) Clay R32 Julien Benneteau 7-5 6-1
10 Sydney (Australia) Hard R32 Julien Benneteau 6-3 6-1

(7) Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) vs Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE)  First ATP Meeting
Other Meeting:
09 Tashkent CH (Uzbekistan) Hard R16 Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-7(3) 6-3 6-3

Court 3

(8) Michael Llodra (FRA) vs Stephane Robert (FRA)   First Meeting