Big guns line-up for Nottingham
The Red Letter Days Open is firmly on course to reveal its
toughest ever singles draw in the 12 year history of the tournament
following today's (Wednesday 17 th) confirmation that Igor
Andreev (Russia) and Olivier Rochus (Belgium) will join the
likes of world No.14 Thomas Johansson (Sweden), British No.1
Greg Rusedski (world no.40) and Gael Monfils (France) in the
East Midlands between 19 th-24th June.
With a quartet of Nottingham singles champions; Gasquet,
Srichaphan, Johansson and Rusedski, already assured of competing,
the latest Indesit ATP entry rankings highlight the impressive
form of other players vying for the title. After reaching
the Rome Masters semi-final (l/Nadal; world no.2), 19 year-old
Gael Monfils (France) has now bounded into the world no.29
spot to be just five ranking places away from achieving a
career high best of 24. However, both Andreev (world no.26)
and Rochus (world no.27) are also just three and four places
respectively from achieving their highest ever world ranking
of world number 23.
Moscow based Andreev is a powerful right-hander approaching
Nottingham in blistering form. The winner of three ATP titles
last year, in 2006 the Russian defeated Richard Gasquet (world
no.43) and the reigning champion of the Red Letter Days Open
en route to a singles final in Sydney (l/James Blake). Subsequently,
In Indian Wells he eliminated Andy Roddick (world no.4) before
again capitulating to James Blake (USA) in the quarter-finals.
Rochus is another hard-hitting player and it was the 5ft
5 Belgian who defeated the towering Ivo Karlovic (Croatia)
in a thrilling Nottingham quarter-final last year before being
eliminated (4-6, 5-7) by Max Mirnyi (Belarus) in the semi-final.
Recently, Rochus won the 2nd ATP title of his career when
he defeated countryman Kristof Vliegen (6-4, 6-2) in Munich.
Earlier this year he also reached a semi-final in Auckland,
New Zealand and the quarter-final stages in Dubai and Rotterdam.
Patrick Hughesman , tournament director, is confident tennis
fans are set to enjoy a powerful presence of top world 30
ranked players when The Red Letter Days Open gets underway
in just five weeks time. "It's fantastic news for Nottingham
tennis fans that Rochus and Andreev, two top drawer players
in impressive form will contest the Red Letter Days Open singles
title. Their decision to come to Nottingham ensures we already
have four players ranked within the world top 30 and six in
the world top 40. With world-class tennis guaranteed, the
atmosphere on centre court promises to be better than ever."
Hughesman also confirmed that almost 5000 tickets have now
been sold for the tournament.
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