Winston-Salem Thursday Briefing

© Getty ImagesJohn Isner faces Marcos Baghdatis in the Winston-Salem quarter-finals.

THURSDAY PREVIEW – SEVEN OF TOP 10 SEEDS IN QUARTER-FINALS, LED BY RODDICK

Two of America’s brightest stars are one win away from a semi-final clash at the Winston-Salem Open at Wake Forest University, but they both have Top 8 seeds to contend with as all four quarter-finals take place at the inaugural ATP World Tour 250 tournament on Thursday.

First up on Center Court is No. 4 seed and local favourite John Isner against No. 8 seed Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus. Isner, a former Top 20 player, came out of Wimbledon ranked No. 46, but with three strong weeks this summer - winning Newport, reaching the final of Atlanta and the semi-finals of Washington DC - he returned to the Top 30. He had early losses at the ATP Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati, but this week he has regained his winning form, prevailing in straight sets in his first two rounds (never losing his serve and firing 27 aces along the way). Now he has a tough task in a former Top 10 player, Baghdatis, who is looking for his first win in three meetings.

Next up is top seed/wild card Andy Roddick against No. 7 seed Juan Monaco of Argentina in a first-time meeting. Roddick is out of the Top 20 for the first time in 10 years at No. 21 and  he has stormed through his first two matches here without even facing a single break point . He has scored routine straight set wins over lucky loser Edouard Roger-Vasselin and No. 15 seed Santiago Giraldo. Next up is a tougher customer in Monaco though, a former Top 15 player who has also won his first two rounds in straight sets. Roddick is appearing in his fourth quarter-final or better this season and Monaco his third, the first on hard courts.

Next up is No. 9 seed Sergiy Stakhovsky against qualifier Julien Benneteau. Both players have pulled off upsets this week - Benneteau beat No. 16 seed Igor Kunitsyn, Stakhovsky defeated No. 5 seed Nikolay Davydenko - and now they will battle it out for a spot in the semi-finals - for both of them it would be their first ATP World Tour semi-final of the year. Stakhovsky won their only previous ATP meeting in straight sets.

At night, No. 3 seed and top Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov faces No. 10 seed Robin Haase. Both players have won their first ATP World Tour title in the past month. Dolgopolov squeaked through his third round match against No. 14 seed Grigor Dimitrov on Wednesday, saving a match point en route to a 64 16 76(7) victory. Dolgopolov has won his last four quarter-final matches on the ATP World Tour, his last loss at this stage coming at the Australian Open in January (to Murray). Can he keep the streak going? Dolgopolov beat Haase in their only previous meeting on the grass of Halle in June, but it was very close - he rallied from a set down to beat the Dutchman in three, 67(4) 64 64.
 
THURSDAY QUARTER-FINALS FED-EX HEAD 2 HEADS – In Order of Play

Center Court

(4) John Isner (USA) vs (8) Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) Isner Leads 2-0
09 Los Angeles (U.S.A.) Hard R16 John Isner 6-3 7-6(11)
11 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Montreal Hard R64 John Isner 6-3 6-4

Isner FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: Newport (d Rochus); F: Atlanta (l Fish); SF: Washington (l Monfils); QF: Auckland (l Nalbandian); Houston (l Karlovic)
YTD W-L: 25-18 (15-10 on hard)
YTD Titles: 1/Career Titles: 2
Date of Birth: April 26, 1985
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 28

• Isner, 26, is putting together the best stretch of his career, having won 14 of his past 18 matches since July… During this span he reached back-to-back ATP World Tour finals for the first time in his career…On July 10 he captured his second career ATP World Tour title in Newport (d. O. Rochus) on grass…He only lost serve once in 54 games…Has improved ranking from No. 46 to No. 28 since July
• Then followed with runner-up in Atlanta on July 24 (l. to No. 9 Fish in three sets after holding two MPs in second set TB)…Two weeks later in Washington he lost to No. 7 Monfils in semi-finals (held one M.P.)…Then lost in 2nd Rd. in Montreal (l. to Troicki) and first round last week in Cincinnati (l. to Stepanek)
• Prior to Newport, his previous best results of the season was the quarter-finals in Auckland (l. to Nalbandian) in January and Houston (l. to Karlovic) in April
• He leads ATP World Tour with most tie-breaks won (26-19) this year and in aces (597)…In first two matches has fired 27 aces
• He is one of four Americans to win an ATP World Tour title this year (Roddick-Memphis, Sweeting-Houston, Fish-Atlanta)

Baghdatis FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: s-Hertogenbosch (l Dodig); QF: Brisbane (l Roddick); Rotterdam (l Ljubicic); Washington (l Young)
YTD W-L: 20-19 (10-10 on hard)
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 4
Date of Birth: June 17, 1985
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 60

• Baghdatis, 26, is making his fifth ATP World Tour quarter-final (or better) showing this year and his best result was the semi-finals in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands in June (l. to Dodig)
• Three weeks ago he advanced to the quarter-finals in Washington (l. to Young), his best hard court finish this summer…The past two weeks he lost in the first round in Montreal (l. to Isner) and Cincinnati (l. to Blake)
• The former World No. 8 has a 20-19 match record on the season (10-10 on hard)
• He began the year with a 6-3 mark, opening with a quarter-final in Brisbane (l. to Roddick) and following with third round at Australian Open (ret. vs. Melzer due to groin injury)…Then after QF in Rotterdam, lost six straight matches before breaking streak in May in Munich (d. Benneteau, l. to Dimitrov)
• This is the fifth tournament he’s working with coach Miles Maclagan (began in LA last month)

(1-WC) Andy Roddick (USA) vs (7) Juan Monaco (ARG)  First Meeting

Roddick FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: Memphis (d Raonic); F: Brisbane (l Soderling); SF: London / Queen's Club (l Murray)
YTD W-L: 23-10 (16-6 on hard)
YTD Titles: 1/Career Titles: 30
Date of Birth: August 30, 1982
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 21

• Roddick, 28 (turns 29 next Tuesday), is making his fourth ATP World Tour quarter-final or better showing this season…Has a 23-10 match record (16-6 on hard) and he’s playing in his second tournament since Wimbledon where he reached the third round (d. A. Beck, Hanescu, l. to Lopez)
• Last week in Cincinnati he lost in the first round to Kohlschreiber and prior to that, he played July 8 in  Davis Cup quarter-final  vs. Spain in Austin and lost to No. 6 Ferrer in second rubber in straight sets (76 75 63)…Comes in No. 21 for the first time outside the Top 20 since August 2001 at No. 30
• He was sidelined with an abdominal injury and withdrew from tournaments in Washington and Montreal
• Prior to Wimbledon, reached the semi-finals at the Queen’s Club in London (l. to No. 4 Murray) and broke a three-match opening round losing streak, which started in Miami (after bye) on Mar. 26 to Pablo Cuevas 64 76(4) …Afterwards, as defending champ, fell from No. 8 to No. 14 on Apr. 5…Then lost in first round in Madrid (l. to Cipolla) and Rome (l. to Simon)
• In March, won pair of first round Davis Cup matches in Chile (d. Massu, Capdeville, both in four sets) and advanced to fourth round at Indian Wells (l. to Gasquet)
• In February, he won his 30th career title on the ATP World Tour in his 50th final in Memphis (d. Raonic 75 in third set)… He and Federer are the only active players to win a title for 11 straight years
• He opened the season by reaching the final in Brisbane (l. to Soderling) and then followed with a 4th Rd. showing at the Australian Open (l. to Wawrinka)

Monaco FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: Buenos Aires (l Wawrinka); Acapulco (l Ferrer)
YTD W-L: 21-19 (5-6 on hard)
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 3
Date of Birth: March 29, 1984
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 36

• Monaco, 27,  the No. 3 Argentine on the ATP World Tour (behind No. 18 del Potro, No. 24 Chela), is appearing in his third  ATP World Tour quarter-final of the season, his first since late February in Acapulco (l. to Ferrer)…The previous week he also reached quarters in Buenos Aires (l. to Wawrinka)
• He enters with a 21-19 match record on the season (5-6 on hard) and this is the Argentine’s best hard court result of the year…His previous best result was the 3rd Rd. in Miami (l. to Federer) in March and also the 2nd Rd. at the Australian Open (l. to Haase) in Januay and last week in Cincinnati(l. to Berdych)
• He is trying to reach his first semi-final since October last year when he advanced to the semis at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai (d. Melzer, l. to eventual champ Murray)

(9) Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) vs (Q) Julien Benneteau (FRA) Stakhovsky Leads 1-0
10 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami Hard R64 Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3 7-6(5)
Other Meeting:
05 Besancon CH (France) Hard R32 Sergiy Stakhovsky 7-6(6) 6-2

Stakhovsky FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: Sydney (l Gulbis); Dubai (l Federer)
YTD W-L: 23-21 (13-9 on hard)
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 4
Date of Birth: January 6, 1986
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 41

• Stakhovsky, 25,  the No. 2 Ukrainian on the ATP World Tour (behind No. 22 Dolgopolov), is appearing in his third  ATP World Tour quarter-final of the season, his first since late February in Dubai (l. to Federer)…Also reached quarters in Sydney in January (l. to Gulbis)
• He enters with a 23-21 match record on the season (13-9 on hard) and this is the first time he’s won back-to-back matches since late May when he reached the third round at Roland Garros (l. to No. 7 Ferrer)…Lost in the second round at Wimbledon, Stuttgart, Hamburg and Montreal 
• One year ago this week, he captured his fourth career ATP World Tour title in New Haven (d. Istomin)

Benneteau FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
QF: Eastbourne (l Kunitsyn); Gstaad (l Verdasco)
YTD W-L: 14-16 (6-5 on hard)
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: December 20, 1981
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 113

• Benneteau, 29, qualified into the main draw and he’s won three matches, dropping one set en route to his third ATP World Tour quarter-final of the season
• He is playing in his 18th ATP World Tour tournament of the season and his best results are the quarter-finals on grass in Eastbourne in June (l. to Kunitsyn) and Gstaad on clay (l. to Verdasco) last month
• Last week he qualified in Cincinnati (d. Garcia-Lopez by ret., l. to No. 2 Nadal 64 75 in 2nd Rd.) and reached the 2nd Rd. for the seventh time (incl. Roland Garros and Wimbledon)
• Has a 14-16 match record on the season (6-5 on hard courts)…He began the season at No. 44 but comes in at No. 113 (was at career-high No. 32 last August)
• Has an 8-26 career mark vs. Top 10 opponents and has lost seven in a row since defeating No. 9 Tsonga in the semi-finals of Marseille in February 2010

(10) Robin Haase (NED) vs (3) Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) Dolgopolov Leads 1-0
11 Halle (Germany) Grass R32 Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4

Haase FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: Kitzbuehel (d Montanes); QF: Chennai (l Wawrinka); Nice (l Hanescu)
YTD W-L: 23-19 (9-9 on hard)
YTD Titles: 1
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: April 6, 1987
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 42 (Career-high)

• Haase, 24, the top player from the Netherlands, is playing in his first hard court tournament of the summer and in his last outing on Aug. 6, he captured his first career ATP World Tour title in Ktizbuehel (d. Montanes)…Afterwards climbed from No. 53 to No. 44…Comes in a career-high No.  42 this week
• He became the first Dutchman to earn an ATP title since Martin Verkerk won on home soil in Amersfoort in July 2004
• He has a 23-19 match record on the season (9-9 on hard, 11-7 on clay)
• This is his fourth quarter-final of the year and his other two QFs came in Chennai in first week (l. to Wawrinka) and Nice (l. to Hanescu) in May

Dolgopolov FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: Umag (d Cilic); F: Costa Do Sauipe (l Almagro); SF: Acapulco (l Ferrer); Nice (l Hanescu); QF: Sydney (l Simon); Australian Open (l Murray)
YTD W-L: 29-20 (13-7 on hard)
YTD Titles: 1
Career Titles: 1
Date of Birth: November 7, 1988
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 22

• Dolgopolov, 22, the top player from Ukraine, is appearing in his seventh ATP World Tour quarter-final or better this year…He enters with a 29-20 match record (13-7 on hard, 15-10 on clay) and has posted four Top 20 and a pair of Top 10 wins (d. No. 4 Soderling at Aus. Open 4th Rd., No. 7 Ferrer in Nice QF)
• He captured his first ATP World Tour title in Umag three weeks ago, defeating top Croat Marin Cilic 64 36 63…Two weeks ago in Montreal lost in the 2nd Rd. to No. 9 Tomas Berdych in three sets and last week fell to Frenchman Richard Gasquet in first round
• In February he reached his first career ATP World Tour final in Costa do Sauipe (l. to Almagro)…Also SF in Acapulco (l. to Ferrer) and Nice (l. to Hanescu) and two QF, at Sydney (l. to Simon) and Australian Open (first Grand Slam QF - l. to Murray)
• In other two Grand Slam tournaments, reached third round at Roland Garros (l. to Troicki) and first round at Wimbledon (l. to Gonzalez)
• He reached a career-high No. 20 on April 18 and comes in No. 22