ROTTERDAM SATURDAY PREVIEW - SODERLING FACES TROICKI, LJUBICIC TAKES ON TSONGA IN SEMIS
Three Top 20 players and a World No. 24 seemingly headed for that elite make up the semi-finals of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, and they’ll all take the court Saturday competing for berths in Sunday’s final.

First up on Centre Court is No. 7 seed Ivan Ljubicic against No. 8 seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Ljubicic is making his ninth appearance at this event and is trying to reach his third final here (he has been a runner-up twice, in 2005 to Roger Federer and in 2007 to Mikhail Youzhny); Tsonga is making his second trip to this event, having reached the quarter-finals here two years ago (falling to Rafael Nadal). Ljubicic has won their last two meetings in straight sets, but Tsonga could be the fresher of the two as he got a walkover in the quarter-finals (No. 4 seed Tomas Berdych had the flu). Meanwhile, Ljubicic fought almost two and a half hours to beat Marcos Baghdatis.

Second up is No. 1 seed and defending champion Robin Soderling against Viktor Troicki. This first-time duel pits two of the year’s hottest players, with Soderling 11-1 on the season and Troicki 10-3 on the season. There is a big difference, however, in the two players’ histories here at this tournament: Soderling is 12-2 here (his best result being winning the title last year) while Troicki is 3-1 here (in his only previous appearance, he fell first round). Soderling has had a tougher path to this round, having to save match point to beat Philipp Kohlschreiber in the quarter-finals (he had lost all three of their previous meetings too), while Troicki hasn’t lost a set yet.

Troicki could have a tough time against World No. 4 Soderling if history against the world’s elite is anything to go by - the Serb is 1-18 in his career against Top 5 players (his win came over a No. 3-ranked Novak Djokovic, although that was at a clay court event back in 2007, and he has lost his last 17 matches against the Top 5).

All four semi-finalists at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament have been to ATP World Tour finals before. Soderling is trying to reach his 18th here (7-10 in his first 17), Ljubicic is going for his 24th (10-13 in his first 23), Tsonga is going for his seventh (5-1 in his first six) and Troicki is going for his fifth (1-3 in his first four).

Saturday Semi-Final Fed-Ex ATP Head 2 Heads - In Order of Play

Centre Court

(8) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs. (7) Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) Ljubicic leads 2-1
09 Australian Open (Australia) Hard R64 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-7(4) 7-6(8) 7-6(7) 6-2
09 ATP Masters 1000 Madrid (Spain) Clay R32 Ivan Ljubicic 6-4 7-5
10 Dubai (U.A.E.) Hard R16 Ivan Ljubicic 7-5 6-3

Ljubicic FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: Zagreb (l Dodig)
YTD W-L: 6-2
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 10
Date of Birth: March 19, 1979
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 15

• Playing third tournament of season (6-2 record); in first two tournaments, reached 3rd Rd. at Australian Open (l. to Almagro) and reached QF at Zagreb (l. to Dodig)
• Ninth appearance here (17-8 record); went 14-5 in first five attempts, reaching two finals in 2005 (l. to Federer) and 2007 (l. to Youzhny), SF in 2002 (l. to Henman) and QF in 2001 (l. to Escude); only had one pre-QF exit in first five tries, in 2003 (l. to Mirnyi in 2nd Rd.); fell 1st Rd. in last three attempts (2008, 2009 and 2010); is 3-0 so far this year (as No. 7 seed, d. Stakhovsky in 1st Rd., qualifier Paire in 2nd Rd. and Baghdatis in QFs)

Tsonga FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: Doha (l Federer)
YTD W-L: 7-2
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 5
Date of Birth: April 17, 1985
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 18

• Playing third tournament of season (7-2 record); in first two tournaments, reached SF at Doha (l. to Federer) and 3rd Rd. at Australian Open (l. to Dolgopolov in five sets - led two sets to one)
• Second appearance at Rotterdam (4-1 record); QF in 2009 (l. to Nadal); is 2-0 so far this year (as No. 8 seed, d. qualifier Dimitrov in 1st Rd. and Llodra in 2nd Rd.; received walkover from No. 4 seed Berdych in QFs w/flu)

(1) Robin Soderling (SWE) vs Viktor Troicki (SRB) First Meeting

Soderling FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: Brisbane (d Roddick)
YTD W-L: 11-1
YTD Titles: 1
Career Titles: 7
Date of Birth: August 14, 1984
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 4

• Playing third tournament of season (11-1 record); won first event of season at Brisbane (d. Roddick in final) then reached 4th Rd. at Australian Open (l. to Dolgopolov in five sets)
• Fourth appearance here (12-2 record); fell 1st Rd. in 2005 (l. to Berdych); runner-up in 2008 (l. to Llodra in final); won title in 2010 (d. Youzhny in final); is 2-0 so far this year (as No. 1 seed, d. WC Haase in 1st Rd., Kohlschreiber 63 57 76(7) in 2nd Rd. - saved 1mp at 7-6 in third set tie-break, and No. 6 seed Youzhny in QFs)

Troicki FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
F: Sydney (l Simon); QF: Doha (l Federer)
YTD W-L: 10-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: February 10, 1986
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 24

• Playing fourth tournament of season (10-3 record); best result so far was fourth career final at Sydney (l. to Simon); QF at Doha (l. to Federer); 3rd Rd. at Australian Open (ret. vs. Djokovic w/stomach muscle strain)
• Second appearance here (3-1 record); fell 1st Rd. last year (ret. vs. Melzer w/elbow injury); is 3-0 so far this year (d. WC Schoorel in 1st Rd., Nieminen in 2nd Rd. and Cilic in QFs)

POTENTIAL FINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS

Robin Soderling (SWE) vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)  Soderling Leads 3-0
08 ATP Masters Series Hamburg  Clay R32 Robin Soderling 6-2 7-5
09 ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai  Hard R16 Robin Soderling 6-3 6-3
10 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells  Hard R16 Robin Soderling 6-3 6-4

Robin Soderling (SWE) vs Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)   Ljubicic Leads 3-2
04 Doha (Qatar) Hard R16 Ivan Ljubicic 6-2 6-4
04 ATP Masters Series Indian Wells  Hard R128 Robin Soderling 6-3 7-6(5)
05 Metz (France) Hard QF Ivan Ljubicic 6-7(6) 6-3 6-4
07 Doha (Qatar) Hard SF Ivan Ljubicic 3-6  6-4 7-6(5)
09 Beijing (China) Hard QF Robin Soderling 7-6(3) 6-4

Viktor Troicki (SRB) vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)  Troicki Leads 3-1
08 Tokyo (Japan) Hard R16 Viktor Troicki 5-7 2-1 ret
09 Bangkok (Thailand) Hard SF Viktor Troicki 1-6 6-2 6-3
10 ATP Masters 1000 Rome (Italy) Clay R32 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2 6-3
10 Moscow (Russia) Hard R16 Viktor Troicki 3-6 6-3 7-5

Viktor Troicki (SRB) vs Ivan Ljubicic (CRO)   Tied 2-2
07 Beijing (China) Hard R16 Ivan Ljubicic 6-1 6-1
08 s-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands) Grass R16 Viktor Troicki 5-7 6-4 7-6(5)
08 ATP Masters Series Paris (France) Hard R64 Ivan Ljubicic 6-3 6-4
09 Zagreb (Croatia) Hard R16 Viktor Troicki 6-4 5-7 6-4

COSTA DO SAUIPE SATURDAY PREVIEW - ALMAGRO FACES FIRST-TIME FINALIST DOLGOPOLOV FOR TITLE
One is playing his 10th ATP World Tour final, the other his first. Both have shown incredible talent on the clay courts of Costa do Sauipe this week but only one will be crowned champion at the Brasil Open on Sunday.
 
World No. 13 Nicolas Almagro, the top seed this week, has been one of the best players at this tournament over the last several years, his 14-4 record highlighted by winning the title three years ago in 2008. This is his 10th career final on the ATP World Tour, all of which have come on clay courts (he has an impressive 7-2 record in his first nine finals).
 
World No. 32 Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine wowed the crowds in Melbourne a few weeks ago with his first Grand Slam quarter-final showing, and right afterwards shot up to his current career-high ranking. He is not only playing this tournament for the first time, but he has also made his way into his first ATP World Tour final. He
is trying to become the third first-time winner on the ATP World Tour in two weeks (last year there were five).
 
Almagro and Dolgopolov have met twice before, with the series tied, 1-1. Almagro won their first meeting at Roland Garros last year, 63 63 64 (on this same surface); Dolgopolov won their second meeting at Shanghai last fall, 26 75 76(3) (a tight match where the Ukrainian won just three more points, 99-96). Dolgopolov has played well against the Top 20 though - he had four Top 20 wins last year and three more already this year.
 
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Winner   $85,700 and 250 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points
Runner-up  $45,100 and 150 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points

FINALS HISTORY
Almagro Appearing in his 10th career ATP World Tour final; 7-2 in finals (all on clay)
Dolgopolov Appearing in his 1st  career ATP World Tour final

Saturday Final FedEx ATP Head 2 Heads – 
(1)Nicolas Almagro (ESP) vs (4) Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) Tied 1-1
10 Roland Garros (France) Clay R32 Nicolas Almagro 6-3 6-3 6-4
10 ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai  Hard R64 Alexandr Dolgopolov 2-6 7-5 7-6(3)
 
Almagro FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: Auckland (l Nalbandian)
YTD W-L: 8-2
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 7
Date of Birth: August 21, 1985
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 13
 
Dolgopolov FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: Sydney (l Simon); Australian Open (l Murray)
YTD W-L: 10-3
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: November 7, 1988
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 32

DOUBLES FINAL PREVIEW - BRAZILIANS & SPANIARDS MEET FOR TITLE
(2) Melo/Soares (BRA/BRA) vs. Andujar/Gimeno-Traver (ESP/ESP)
- Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares, the No. 2 seeds, have lost two sets en route to the final, against Frantisek Cermak and Leos Friedl in the first round (76(4) 57 1311) and against Igor Andreev and Alexandr Dolgopolov in the quarter-finals (67(3) 62 108).
- Melo and Soares are playing their sixth ATP World Tour doubles final together (2-3 mark lifetime).
- Pablo Andujar and Daniel Gimeno-Traver, unseeded, haven't lost a set yet this week, and haven't faced any seeded teams.
-  Andujar and Gimeno-Traver are playing their first ATP World Tour doubles final together (and individually).
-  ATP World Tour doubles final records: Melo (8-7), Soares (4-5), Andujar (0-0), Gimeno-Traver (0-0).