Sunday Briefing - Houston, Casablanca Finals

SUNDAY PREVIEW –  NISHIKORI LOOKS FOR SECOND ATP WORLD TOUR TITLE, SWEETING FIRST
The championship of the US Men’s Clay Court Championships at the River Oaks Country Club on Sunday features No. 6 seed Kei Nishikori of Japan against American wild card Ryan Sweeting. This is the youngest final on the ATP World Tour this season between the 21-year-old Nishikori and 23-year-old Sweeting. This marks the fourth straight year an American is appearing in the final in Houston. The last American winner was Mardy Fish in 2006. Overall, it’s the 10th time in the past 11 years (except 2007) at least one American is in the final of the US Clay Courts. Here is a look at Americans in Houston finals (since Fish title in ’06):

2010 – Sam Querrey lost to Juan Ignacio Chela
2009 – Wayne Odesnik lost to Lleyton Hewitt
2008 – James Blake lost to Marcel Granollers

Nishikori is attempting to capture his second career ATP World Tour title. In February 2008, he qualified and earned his first ATP crown in Delray Beach (d. Blake). Prior to that, the last Japanese man to win an ATP World Tour title was Shuzo Matsuoka in Seoul on Apr. 26, 1992. If Nishikori wins the title, he will also become the highest-ranked Japanese player in South African Airways ATP Rankings history (since August 23, 1973). He would move from No. 61 to around No. 41, surpassing Matsuoka’s career-best of No. 46 on July 6, 1992. If he loses in the final, he is expected to crack the Top 50 for the first time around No .49.

Sweeting is making his ATP World Tour singles final debut. Two years ago he reached his first ATP doubles final here (w/Levine), losing to the Bryan brothers. The 23-year-old Fort Lauderdale resident  came in ranked No. 93 this week and he will climb to around No. 74 by reaching the final and around No. 71 if he wins the title.
 
WHAT’S AT STAKE –
Winner:  $80,650 and 250 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points
Runner-up: $42,450 and 150 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points

FINALS HISTORY –
Nishikori: Appearing in his 2nd career ATP World Tour final……..He is 1-0 in finals   
Sweeting: Appearing in his 1st  career ATP World Tour final………
 
FIRST-TIME 2011 WINNERS – Sweeting is trying to become the fifth first-time winner on the ATP World Tour
this season:
Player/Tournament
Kevin Anderson (RSA)    Johannesburg
Ivan Dodig (CRO)    Zagreb
Milos Raonic (CAN)    San Jose
Pablo Andujar (ESP) or Potito Starace (ITA) Casablanca

SUNDAY CHAMPIONSHIP FED-EX ATP HEAD 2 HEADS – 

(6) Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs (WC) Ryan Sweeting (USA) Nishikori Leads 1-0
11 Delray Beach (U.S.A.) Hard QF Kei Nishikori 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4
Other Meetings:
07 Carson CH (U.S.A.) Hard QF Kei Nishikori 2-6 7-6(13)  6-4
10 Savannah CH (USA) Clay F Kei Nishikori 6-4 6-0
10 Sarasota CH (USA) Clay SF Kei Nishikori 6-4 6-2
 
Nishikori FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: Delray Beach (l Tipsarevic); QF: Chennai (l Tipsarevic)
YTD W-L: 13-6
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: December 29, 1989
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 61

• Nishikori, 21, is making his second career ATP World Tour final showing, the first on clay…Prior to this week, he had a 1-2 career mark on clay in tour level competition.
• He enters with a 13-6 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)...In February, he lost in the second round in San Jose (l. to Smyczek), fell in last round of qualifying (l. to Hajek) in Memphis and reached semi-finals in Delray Beach
• Last month, lost in the first round (l. to Andreev) in Indian Wells and second round in Miami (l. to Nadal)
• He is No. 2 in the tournament in second serve points won (58%) and in points won returning second serve (60%) and No. 3 in service games won (35 of 38, 92%), saving nine of 12 break points (75%)
• Will move from No. 61 to around a career-high No. 49 thus far (previous best was No. 56 on Feb. 2, 2009) and if he wins the title to around No. 41…The highest-ranked Japanese player was Shuzo Matsuoka at No. 46 on July 6, 1992
• One year ago at this time he was unranked after returning from a right elbow injury in 2009

Sweeting FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: Delray Beach (l Nishikori)
YTD W-L: 9-6
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: July 14, 1987
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 93

• Sweeting, 23, is making his ATP World Tour singles final debut...He reached his first ATP World Tour doubles final here two years ago (w/Levine), losing to the Bryan brothers
• The Ft. Lauderdale resident enters with a 9-6 match record on the season and in two wins he rallied from a set down to defeat No. 2 seed/last year’s runner-up Sam Querrey 36 76(5) 63 in the second round and Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili 36 63 61 in the quarter-finals
• He is No. 3 this week in second serve points won (56%), break points saved (28 of 37, 76%), first serve percentage (70%) and No. 4 in break points converted (16 of 29, 55%)…Has been broken nine times (held 38 of 47 games, 81%) but did not lose serve in semi-final win over Karlovic
• The wild card entry leads the ATP World Tour in qualifying (five times) into the main draw this year with his best result the quarter-finals in Delray Beach in February (d. Querrey, l. to Nishikori)…He also qualified at the Aust. Open (d. Gimeno-Traver, l. to Nadal), Memphis (l. to Tipsarevic) and ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tourn. in Indian Wells (d. Granollers, Monaco, l. to Nadal) and Miami (l. to Malisse)
• He does not have a coach here but began working with former ATP pro Chuck Adams in Indian Wells last month…The two will reunite in May in Nice and at Roland Garros
• After this week, plans to play in upcoming Challengers on clay in Sarasota and Savannah
• Will move to around a career-high No. 74 thus far and around No. 71 if he wins the title

AMERICANS IN TOP 100 SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS 2011 ATP RANKINGS –
 
No.  11 Mardy Fish
No.  14 Andy Roddick
No.  20 Sam Querrey
No.  29 John Isner
No.  80 Robert Kendrick
No.  92 Michael Russell
No.  93 Ryan Sweeting (will move to around No. 74, around No. 71 IF wins title)

CASABLANCA SUNDAY PREVIEW - FIRST-TIME ATP WORLD TOUR TITLIST GUARANTEED IN CASABLANCA 
One is a 29-year-old looking for his first title in his fourth ATP World Tour final, one is a 25-year-old looking for his first title in his second ATP World Tour final - it’s down to the final two at the €450,000 Grand Prix Hassan II and they’re both hungry to get on the board. Italy’s Potito Starace, the No. 5 seed, has been a runner-up in his first three finals, two of those coming in 2007 (to Nicolas Almagro in Valencia and to Juan Monaco in Kitzbuhel) and once in 2010 (to Juan Carlos Ferrero in Umag). Spain’s Pablo Andujar, unseeded, was a runner-up in his only previous career final, in 2010 (to Juan Ignacio Chela in Bucharest). Starace could be more tired, having gone to three sets in both his quarter-final and semi-final matches the last two days (by contrast, Andujar went to three sets in his first round but has won his other three matches in straight sets, including a 64 64 win over No. 1 seed Albert Montanes in the semi-finals). The last time an Italian won an ATP World Tour title came in October 2006 (Filippo Volandri in Palermo) - Starace’s 5-0 record against Andujar could help change that.

WHAT’S AT STAKE
Winner    € 72,600 and 250 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points
Runner-up   € 38,200 and 150 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points

FINALS HISTORY
Starace Appearing in his 4th career ATP World Tour final (0-3 in his first 3 finals… all on clay)
Andujar Appearing in his 2nd career ATP World Tour final (0-1 in his first final… also on clay)

SUNDAY FINAL FED-EX ATP HEAD 2 HEAD

Court Central

(5) Potito Starace (ITA) vs Pablo Andujar (ESP) Starace Leads 2-0
07 Valencia (Spain) Clay R16 Potito Starace 6-4 1-6 6-3
11 Santiago (Chile) Clay R16 Potito Starace 6-4 6-1
Other Meetings:
08 Napoli CH (Italy) Clay SF Potito Starace 6-4 6-1
09 San Marino CH (San Marino) Clay R32 Potito Starace 6-3 6-2
10 Genova CH (Italy) Clay QF Potito Starace 6-7(6) 6-3 6-2

Starace FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: Santiago (l Giraldo); QF: Sydney (l Mayer); Costa Do Sauipe (l Dolgopolov)
YTD W-L: 11-8
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: July 14, 1981
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 47

• Playing ninth ATP World Tour event of year (11-8 record); best previous results are one SF at Santiago (l. to Giraldo) and two QFs, at Sydney (l. to Mayer) and Costa do Sauipe (l. to Dolgopolov); fell 1st Rd. at other seven events (incl. Australian Open and last four events coming into Casablanca)
• Third appearance here (7-2 record); reached 2nd Rd. in 2009 (l. to Ferrero) and SF in 2010 (l. to Wawrinka); 4-0 so far this year (as No. 5 seed, d. Brands in 1st Rd., Ramirez Hidalgo in 2nd Rd., No. 3 seed Simon in QFs and No. 8 seed Hanescu in SFs)

Andujar FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: Costa Do Sauipe (l Mello)
YTD W-L: 9-7
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: January 23, 1986
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 69

• Playing eighth ATP World Tour event of year (9-7 record); best previous results are QF at Costa do Sauipe (l. to Mello) and 3rd Rd. at Miami (l. to Anderson); 2nd Rd. once; fell 1st Rd. four times (incl. Australian Open)
• First appearance here; 4-0 so far (d. Serra in 1st Rd., No. 6 seed Chardy in 2nd Rd., Riba in QFs and No. 1 seed Montanes in SFs)