DUBAI SATURDAY PREVIEW –  TOP TWO SEEDS MEET IN FINAL FOR THIRD TIME IN TOURNEY HISTORY

The top two seeds clash in the final at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday as No. 1 and four-time winner Roger Federer meets No. 2/two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic. This is the third time in the tournament’s 19-year history the top two seeds are playing in the final. In 2006, No. 2 Rafael Nadal defeated Federer and in 1997, No. 2 Thomas Muster beat Goran Ivanisevic.

Federer has a 13-7 career advantage over Djokovic, including a 3-2 mark in finals. The Serb won the last meeting in the semi-finals at the Australian Open on Jan. 28 en route to the title. In their previous match here in the quarter-finals in 2007, Federer prevailed in three sets. Federer is trying to capture his fifth Dubai title in six finals and second ATP World Tour title of the season (Doha). Djokovic is trying to join Federer as the only players to win this title three straight years. Federer won from 2003-05 and in ’07. Djokovic has won his last 14 matches in Dubai and overall is on a career-best 13-match winning streak going back to  December’s Davis Cup final. Djokovic is also attempting to earn his 20th career title on the ATP World Tour.

WHAT’S AT STAKE –
Winner:  $386,000 and 500 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points
Runner-up: $181,500 and 300 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points

FINALS HISTORY –
Federer: Appearing in his 96th ATP World Tour level final……….He is 67-28 in finals (1-0 in ‘11)  
Djokovic: Appearing in his 33rd ATP World Tour level final.………He is 19-13 in finals (1-0 in ’11)

SATURDAY CHAMPIONSHIP FED-EX HEAD 2 HEADS –

(1)Roger Federer (SUI) vs (2) Novak Djokovic (SRB) Federer Leads 13-7
06 ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo  Clay R64 Roger Federer 6-3 2-6 6-3
06 SUI v. SCG WG PO (Switzerland) Hard RR Roger Federer 6-3 6-2 6-3
07 Australian Open (Australia) Hard R16 Roger Federer 6-2 7-5 6-3
07 Dubai (U.A.E.) Hard QF Roger Federer 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3
07 ATP Masters Series Montreal Hard F Novak Djokovic 7-6(2) 2-6 7-6(2)
07 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard F Roger Federer 7-6(4) 7-6(2) 6-4
08 Australian Open (Australia) Hard SF Novak Djokovic 7-5 6-3 7-6(5)
08 ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo  Clay SF Roger Federer 6-3 3-2 ret
08 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard SF Roger Federer 6-3 5-7 7-5 6-2
09 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami Hard SF Novak Djokovic 3-6 6-2 6-3
09 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Clay SF Novak Djokovic 4-6 6-3 6-3
09 ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati  Hard F Roger Federer 6-1 7-5
09 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard SF Roger Federer 7-6(3) 7-5 7-5
09 Basel (Switzerland) Hard F Novak Djokovic 6-4 4-6 6-2
10 ATP Masters 1000 Toronto  Hard SF Roger Federer 6-1 3-6 7-5
10 US Open (U.S.A.)  Hard SF Novak Djokovic 5-7 6-1 5-7 6-2 7-5
10 ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai (China) Hard SF Roger Federer 7-5 6-4
10 Basel (Switzerland) Hard F Roger Federer 6-4 3-6 6-1
10 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals  Hard SF Roger Federer 6-1 6-4
11 Australian Open (Australia)  Hard SF Novak Djokovic 7-6(3) 7-5 6-4

                             Roger Federer Novak Djokovic
Sets Won:                       37                 22
Tie-break Sets Won:         3                   5

Match Wins By Surface:
Clay:                               2                   1
Hard:                             11                  6

Federer FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: Doha (d Davydenko); SF: Australian Open (l Djokovic)
YTD W-L: 14-1
YTD Titles: 1
Career Titles: 67
Date of Birth: August 8, 1981
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 2

• Federer, 29, is making his sixth career final appearance in Dubai (4-1)…Has a 29-3 lifetime mark and has not dropped a set this week in posting wins over Somdev Devvarman 63 63, Marcel Granollers 63 64, Sergiy Stakhovsky 63 64 and Richard Gasquet 62 75…Leads the tournament in service games won (95%, 37 of 39 games) and break points saved (13 of 15)
• He is making his eighth tournament appearance and captured titles in 2003 (d. Novak), '04 (d. Lopez), '05 (d. Ljubicic) and '07 (d. Youzhny) while finishing runner-up in 2006 (l. to Nadal in three sets)…The other times he lost in the 2nd Rd. in his debut in 2002 (l. to Schuettler) and to Murray in the 1st Rd. in ’08
• The Swiss superstar has a 14-1 match record on the season and he opened the campaign with his 67th career title in Doha (d. Davydenko)…Since losing to Djokovic in last year’s US Open semi-finals, has compiled a 35-3 match record, reaching final in six of eight tournaments during that span (four titles)
• Has a 67-28 mark in finals and has won at least one ATP World Tour title for 11 straight years, best among active players along with Roddick…His 67 titles rank No. 4 on the Open Era titles list
• His only loss this year has come in the semi-finals at the Australian Open (l. to Djokovic)…Has not won a Grand Slam title in his last four tournaments since capturing ’10 Aust. Open (d. Murray)
• He has 757 career match wins in ATP World Tour level play and  is No. 8 on the Open Era list…His next target is No. 7 Pete Sampras (762)
 
Djokovic FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: Australian Open (d Murray)
YTD W-L: 11-0
YTD Titles: 1
Career Titles: 19
Date of Birth: May 22, 1987
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 3

• Djokovic, 23, the two-time defending champion, comes in with a 19-2 career mark in Dubai in his fifth consecutive appearance…In his first two visits, he lost in the quarter-finals in 2007 (l. to Federer) and the semi-finals in 2008 (l. to Roddick)…Since that loss, has won 14 straight matches here with titles in 2009 (d. Ferrer) and last year (d. Youzhny)
• The Serb is on a career-best 13-match winning streak in ATP World Tour level play (33-3 in sets) going back to last season when he posted two wins in the Davis Cup final vs. France…His last loss came to Federer in the semi-finals at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London on Nov. 27, 2010
• At last month’s Australian Open, he rolled to the title dropping only one set, that coming to Croat Ivan Dodig in a second set tie-break in the second round…After that, beat countryman and No. 27 Viktor Troicki (now No. 18), No. 14 Nicolas Almagro, No. 6 Tomas Berdych, No. 2 Federer and No. 5 Murray
• Has a 19-13 career mark in finals and has won at least one ATP World Tour title every year since 2006
• He is trying to become the sixth active player on the ATP World Tour to win at least 20 career titles:

No.
Federer   67
Rafael Nadal  43
Andy Roddick  30
Lleyton Hewitt   28
Nikolay Davydenko 20
====================
Djokovic  19

DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP – UNSEEDED TEAMS TO MEET IN TITLE MATCH
• Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine and Mikhail Youzhny of Russia will take on the first-time duo of Jeremy Chardy of France and Feliciano Lopez of Spain in Saturday’s doubles championship.
• Stakhovsky and Youzhny, who first teamed up at Roland Garros last year, are appearing in their second final. In June, they won the title in Halle in only their second pairing.They have a 16-11 career match record together.
• Stakhovsky, who is playing doubles for the first time in Dubai, is 2-0 in ATP World Tour doubles finals while Youzhny, who came in with a 2-6 match record in Dubai, is 7-3 in career doubles finals. Youzhny is a two-time singles finalist (2007, ‘10).
• Chardy and Lopez defeated the No. 2 seeds Fyrstenberg-Matkowski in the first round and No. 3 Llodra-Zimonjic  in the semi-finals en route to the final. Chardy is playing doubles for the first time in Dubai while Lopez is making his first doubles showing in his sixth attempt. Lopez is also a two-time singles finalist (2004, ’08).
• Chardy is 1-2 in ATP World Tour doubles finals, winning his first title last year in Brisbane (w/Gicquel) while Lopez is 1-3 in finals with his lone title coming in Stockholm in 2004.

DELRAY BEACH SATURDAY PREVIEW - ALL-STAR SEMI-FINAL ASSEMBLED IN DELRAY BEACH

Just four ATP World Tour stars remain at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships and on Saturday they’ll battle it out to reach the final of the ATP World Tour 250 tournament.

The first semi-final pits No. 6 seed Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia against Kei Nishikori of Japan. Tipsarevic, playing in Delray Beach for the first time, is seeking his first ATP World Tour title. He is trying to reach his third career final, having finished runner-up at Moscow in 2009 and ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2010. Nishikori has only reached one career final on the ATP World Tour but he won it, and more relevantly, it came here in 2008. He became the first Japanese ATP World Tour titlist since April 1992 (Shuzo Matsuoka in Seoul) and, at 18 years, 1 month and 19 days, the youngest to win an ATP World Tour title since Jan. 1998 (Lleyton Hewitt at 16 years, 10 months and 18 days). Tipsarevic won the pair’s only previous meeting, earlier this year in Chennai, 64 64.

The second semi-final pits No. 2 seed Mardy Fish against wild card Juan Martin del Potro. Fish, ranked a career-high No. 16 this week, is playing his second straight semi-final after Memphis last week, and is in the semis at this event for the fourth time in his career. He was runner-up in 2003, the champion in 2009 and a semi-finalist last year. Former No. 4 del Potro has been shooting back up the rankings recently. Two weeks ago he was No. 484; after making the semis in San Jose he rose to No. 298; and this week, after making another semi-final in Memphis, he has risen to No. 166 (shaving almost two thirds off his ranking in just two weeks). This is their fourth meeting, with Fish leading the series, 2-1 - however, they haven’t played in over two years.

All four players will be looking to add to their career finals tallies: Tipsarevic is 0-2, Nishikori is 1-0, Fish is 5-12 and del Potro is 7-3.

SATURDAY SEMI-FINAL FED-EX HEAD 2 HEADS - In Order of Play

(6) Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) vs Kei Nishikori (JPN) Tipsarevic Leads 1-0
11 Chennai (India) Hard QF Janko Tipsarevic 6-4 6-4

Tipsarevic FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: Chennai (l Malisse)
YTD W-L: 8-4
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: June 22, 1984
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 52

• Tipsarevic, 26, is making his debut  in Delray Beach this week and has won three of four tie-breaks en route (dropping one set)
• The No. 3 Serb (behind No. 3 Djokovic, No. 18 Troicki) is appearing in his eighth career ATP World Tour semi-final, the second on U.S. soil (’10 Los Angeles) and second this season…In first week of year he reached semis in Chennai (l. to Malisse)
• There could be two Serbian winners this weekend…Djokovic was playing in Dubai final on Saturday (vs. Federer)
• He is 0-2 in ATP World Tour finals, falling in ’09 Moscow and ’10 ‘s-Hertogenbosch
• He enters with an 8-4 match record on the season and after opening with semi-final in Chennai, lost in second round at Australian Open (l. to No. 9 Verdasco in five sets) and in Memphis (l. to No. 8 Roddick)

Nishikori FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: Chennai (l Tipsarevic)
YTD W-L: 8-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: December 29, 1989
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 66
 
• Nishikori, 21, is making his second semi-final showing in Delray Beach...Three years ago he qualified and captured his first career ATP World Tour title (ranked No. 244), defeating No. 12 James Blake 36 61 64 in the final...Did not play the next year due to injury and last year came in at No. 898 and lost to Benjamin Becker in 1st Rd.
•  Overall, this is the third career ATP World Tour semi-final for the Japanese No. 1, the first since October 2008 in Stockholm (l. to Soderling)
•  He enters with an 8-3 match record on the season, opening with a quarter-final in Chennai (l. to Tipsarevic) and following with a third round at the Australian Open (l. to Verdasco)...Then lost in second round in San Jose (l. to Smyczek) and last week fell in last round of qualifying (l. to Hajek) in Memphis
• Has held serve 33 of 35 games this week (94%), which is tied for No. 3, saving seven of nine break points (78%)
• Will move from No. 66 to around No. 62 thus far and if he reaches the final, to around No. 59, and if wins the title, around No. 49...His career-high is No. 56 on Feb. 2, 2009

(WC) Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) vs (2) Mardy Fish (USA) Fish Leads 2-1
07 Memphis (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Mardy Fish 6-1 7-6(9)
08 Los Angeles (USA) Hard SF Juan Martin Del Potro 6-2 6-1
09 San Jose (U.S.A.) Hard QF Mardy Fish 6-3 6-4

Del Potro FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: San Jose (l Verdasco); Memphis (l Roddick)
YTD W-L: 11-4
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 7
Date of Birth: September 23, 1988
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 166

• Del Potro, 22, who is making his tournament debut this week, is slowly improving after being sidelined for more than eight months last year with a right wrist injury…He is appearing in his third straight semi-final after reaching that round in San Jose  (l. to No. 9 Verdasco) two weeks ago and Memphis (l. to No. 8 Roddick) last week
• En route to the semi-finals, he’s only dropped serve once, in first round vs. Berankis, holding 25 of 26 (96%) in three matches…Has saved seven of eight break points…He leads tournament in points won returning second serve (61%) and No. 2 in return games won (44%, 11 of 25)
• He opened the year with a second round in Sydney (d. Lopez in three tie-breaks, l. to F. Mayer) and followed with the same result at the Australian Open (d. Sela, l. to Baghdatis in four sets)
• Two weeks ago he ranked No. 484 and afterwards he went to 298. Then after his second straight semi-final went to No. 166…He will climb to around No. 129 thus far, around No. 114 if he reaches the final and around No. 85 if he wins the title
• Last year only played in three tournaments -- Aust. Open (4th Rd., l. to Cilic) in January and in October in Bangkok and Tokyo (lost in 1st Rd. in both)
• He has a 7-3 career mark in finals, including a 4-0 mark on U.S. soil
 
Fish FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: Memphis (l Raonic)
YTD W-L: 8-3
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 5
Date of Birth: December 9, 1981
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 16

• Fish, 29, is appearing in his second straight ATP World Tour semi-final of the season (8-3 mark) and he’s the only player left not to lose serve (holding all 19 games, saving three break points)
• Has a 19-6 career mark in Delray Beach, winning the title in 2009 (d. Korolev), reaching the final in 2003 (l. to Gambill) and the semi-finals last year (l. to Karolvic)
• This week he leads in service games won (100%), second serve points won (66%), return games won (10 of 18, 56%) and points won returning first serve (48%) 
• Last year won a personal-best two ATP World Tour titles (Newport, Atlanta) and a runner-up in two others (Queen’s, ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati) while finishing a personal-best No. 16 ranking
• Has a 5-12 career record in finals  (4-8 in the U.S.)
 
POTENTIAL FINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS

Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) vs Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) Del Potro Leads 1-0
09 ATP Masters 1000 Miami (U.S.A.) Hard R32 Juan Martin Del Potro 6-4 6-1

Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) vs Mardy Fish (USA)   Fish Leads 3-1
09 Sydney (Australia) Hard R32 Janko Tipsarevic 6-4 3-6 6-4
09 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid Clay R64 Mardy Fish 7-6(3) 6-4
09 Wimbledon (Great Britain) Grass R64 Mardy Fish 6-4 3-6 6-1 6-4
10 Beijing (China) Hard R32 Mardy Fish 6-2 7-6(5)

Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)  Del Potro Leads 2-0
08 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3 6-4 6-3
09 San Jose (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Juan Martin Del Potro 6-2 6-2

Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs Mardy Fish (USA)    First Meeting

ACAPULCO SATURDAY PREVIEW - FERRER STANDS BETWEEN ALMAGRO & HISTORY

History could be made at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel on Saturday night, as a certain Spaniard is trying to become the first player ever to win three Latin American circuit titles in the same year.

World No. 6 David Ferrer isn’t that history-chasing Spaniard, but he is the top seed and defending champion at this tournament. Last year, Juan Carlos Ferrero won Costa do Sauipe and Buenos Aires and made the final here, one win away from the Latin American swing record, but Ferrer thwarted his campaign. Ferrer has extended his winning streak here to nine matches this week, including come-from-behind wins in his last two rounds against No. 7 seed Juan Monaco and No. 6 seed Alexandr Dolgopolov. Ferrer is in his 21st career ATP World Tour final (10-10 mark).

World No. 13 Nicolas Almagro has matched Ferrero’s feat and if he captures the title, he will become the first player ever to win three straight Latin American titles (since 2001). Almagro has won 13 matches in a row to get to this point but today will be his toughest test yet, as Ferrer is playing some of the best tennis of his career and has a 5-0 head-to-head record (2-0 in finals) against his countryman. Almagro does have a better finals record than Ferrer, going 9-2, and he is also a two-time champion at this tournament, winning the title in 2008-09.

WHAT’S AT STAKE  
Winner   $264,000 and 500 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points
Runner-up  $122,000 and 300 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points
 
FINALS HISTORY
Ferrer  Appearing in his 21st career ATP World Tour final …10-10 in finals (1-0 in 201)
Almagro Appearing in his 12th career ATP World Tour final….9-2 in finals  (2-0 in 2011)
 
ALMAGRO GOES FOR LATIN AMERICAN SWING HISTORY
Since the four-event Latin American swing began in 2001, linking Santiago, Costa do Sauipe, Buenos Aires and Acapulco, no one has won more than two titles. Here are the two-time titlists:
2011 Nicolas Almagro Won Costa do Sauipe, Buenos Aires
2010 Juan Carlos Ferrero Won Costa do Sauipe, Buenos Aires
2009 Tommy Robredo Won Costa do Sauipe, Buenos Aires
2008 Nicolas Almagro Won Costa do Sauipe, Acapulco
2005 Rafael Nadal  Won Costa do Sauipe, Acapulco
 Gaston Gaudio  Won Vina del Mar, Buenos Aires
2001 Gustavo Kuerten Won Buenos Aires, Acapulco
Note: Four of the players (Kuerten, Gaudio, Nadal, Ferrero) are former Roland Garros champions.

2011 ATP WORLD TOUR TITLE LEADERS – Almagro is trying to become the second player with three ATP World Tour titles this season while Ferrer is attempting to become the fourth player with at least two titles:

Robin Soderling  3
Nicolas Almagro 2
Novak Djokovic  2

SATURDAY CHAMPIONSHIP FED-EX HEAD 2 HEAD MATCH-UP –

(1)David Ferrer (ESP) vs (3) Nicolas Almagro (ESP) Ferrer Leads 5-0
06 ATP Masters Series Cincinnati  Hard R32 David Ferrer 4-6 7-6(1)  6-0
06 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard R128 David Ferrer 7-6(1) 7-6(6) 6-1
07 Bastad (Sweden) Clay F David Ferrer 6-1 6-2
08 Valencia (Spain) Clay F David Ferrer 4-6 6-2 7-6(2)
09 Valencia (Spain) Hard R32 David Ferrer 7-5 6-7(3) 6-2

Ferrer FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: Auckland (d Nalbandian); SF: Australian Open (l Murray)
YTD W-L: 13-2
YTD Titles: 1
Career Titles: 10
Date of Birth: April 2, 1982
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 6

• Ferrer, 28, is trying to repeat his title from last season…He is making his fifth appearance in Acapulco (12-3 record), reaching the second round from 2003-05 and winning the title last year (d. Ferrero)…In his first two wins, lost only four games in each match but then rallied in three sets on Thursday to beat No. 7 Juan Monaco and came from a set down to beat No. 6 Alexandr Dolgopolov in semi-finals
• The No. 2 Spaniard (behind Nadal) comes into his second final with a 13-2 match record on the season…This is his first clay court tournament of the year
• He won his 10th career ATP World Tour title in Auckland last month (d. Nalbandian) and followed with a semi-final at the Australian Open (l. to Murray)
• Has a 10-10 career mark in ATP World Tour finals (5-7 on clay)
 
Almagro FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: Costa Do Sauipe (d Dolgopolov); Buenos Aires (d Chela); SF: Auckland (l Nalbandian)
YTD W-L: 18-2
YTD Titles: 2
Career Titles: 9
Date of Birth: August 21, 1985
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 13

• Almagro, 25, enters his third ATP World Tour final of the season with a 21-4 career mark in Acapulco, winning back-to-back titles in 2008 (d. Nalbandian) and ’09 (d. Monfils)…Also a semi-finalist in 2006 and quarter-finalist in 2007 and ’10…Has lost one set this week en route to the final (in QF vs. Giraldo)
• He is off to a personal-best 18-2 start and he’s won 13 consecutive matches after capturing his eighth and ninth career ATP World Tour titles in Costa do Sauipe (d. Dolgopolov) and Buenos Aires (d. Chela) the past two weeks ago
• His 18 match wins is most on the ATP World Tour this season (ahead of No. 4 Soderling, 17-1)
• He is appearing in his 12th career ATP World Tour final (9-2, all on clay)
• His best hard court result is the semi-finals in Auckland (l. to Nalbandian) last month
• Has a 10-28 career record vs. Top 10 opponents, including a 3-1 mark in finals…Has defeated No. 5 Soderling in ’10 Bastad, No. 10 Monfils in ’09 Acapulco and No. 8 Nalbandian in ’08 Acapulco…His only loss came to No. 5 Ferrer in ’08 Valencia (in final set tie-break)

DOUBLES FINAL – ROMANIAN DUO TO MEET BRAZILIANS IN CHAMPIONSHIP

The unseeded Romanian duo of Victor Hanescu and Horia Tecau meet the No. 4 seeded Brazilian tandem of Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares in the doubles championship.

Hanescu and Tecau are appearing in their second ATP World Tour final together. They made their ATP World Tour tournament debut in Stuttgart in July 2009 and reached the final (l. to Cermak-Mertinak). Their last tournament together was in Valencia in November that year. This week they have dropped only one set en route to the final.

Hanescu is 1-2 in ATP World Tour doubles finals, capturing his lone title in Kitzbuehel in 2008.  Tecau is 6-4 in finals and this is his third final with as many partners this year. He opened the season with a runner-up in Brisbane (w/Lindstedt) and won the title in Zagreb (w/Norman).

Melo and Soares have dropped only 12 games in three matches en route to their third final in the Latin American clay court circuit. They won titles in Santiago and Costa do Saupe earlier this month.

The Brazilian duo are 3-3 lifetime together in ATP World Tour finals. Melo is 9-7 and Soares 5-5 in career ATP World Tour finals.