Estoril Open News and Events

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Top-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon, currently No. 7 in the South African Airways 2009 ATP Rankings, will begin his quest for a sixth ATP World Tour title against American Robert Kendrick at the 20th edition of the Estoril Open.

The 24-year-old Simon, who was awarded a wild card by Joao Lagos, the Estoril Open Tournament Director on Friday, has a 15-11 record on the 2009 ATP World Tour season that includes semi-final exits at Marseille (l. to Llodra) and Dubai (l. to Djokovic). He also reached the Australian Open quarter-finals (l. to Nadal). He will meet No. 84-ranked Kendrick for the first time.

The ATP World Tour 250 clay-court tennis tournament also features four former singles champions in the 32-man draw, including Nikolay Davydenko (2003), David Nalbandian (2002, 2006), Juan Carlos Ferrero (2001) and wild card entry Gaston Gaudio (2005).

Davydenko, the 2003 champion (d. Calleri) and runner-up in 2006 (l. to Nalbandian) and 2008 (l. to Federer), will contest his first match against Kazakhstani Andrey Golubev. Davydenko will be contesting his fifth ATP World Tour tournament this year after a two-month lay-off due to a left heel injury sustained at Chennai in January. He has reached one semi-final at Barcelona (l. to Nadal) and one quarter-final at ATP World Tour Monte-Carlo (l. to Murray).

Second seed Davydenko could meet Ferrero, who ended a six-year title-drought by lifting the Casablanca trophy (d. Serra) last month, in the second round should the former World No. 1 Spaniard overcome a qualifier. Ferrero won the 2001 Estoril Open title over Felix Mantilla, and will be competing at the tournament for the first time since 2005.

Estoril Open Singles Draws

Third-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer will be hoping to record his first win in Estoril, after two first-round exits in 2002 (l. to Safin) and 2003 (l. to Gonzalez). The World No. 14, who will meet compatriot Daniel Gimeno-Traver for the first time in the first round, has a 24-10 season record highlighted by runner-up finishes at Dubai (l. to Djokovic) and Barcelona (l. to Nadal).

Fourth-seeded American James Blake will make his tournament debut against Portugal’s highest-ranked player, World No. 71 Frederico Gil, who is enjoying the best year of his career. Blake has had a disappointing start to the 2009 ATP World Tour season by his high standards and holds a 9-8 mark, which includes one semi-final exit in San Jose (l. to Fish) and a fourth round performance at the Australian Open (l. to Tsonga).

Gil, at No. 71 in the South African Airways 2009 ATP Rankings, replaced former World No. 86 Nuno Marques as Portugal’s highest-ever ranked player in February this year. The 24 year old has a 12-6 tour-level season record, highlighted by semi-final exits at Johannesburg (l. to Tsonga) and Costa do Sauipe (l. to Bellucci).

Fifth seed Nalbandian returns to the Estadio Nacional for the fourth time. On his two most-recent visits the Argentine has captured the title in 2002 (d. Nieminen) and 2006 (d. Davydenko). He will begin his bid for a 11th ATP World Tour title and second trophy of the season against Chilean Paul Capdeville. World No. 18 Nalbandian, who has recovered from a hip injury he sustained in Barcelona, boasts a 14-6 season record with one ATP World Tour title success at Sydney (d. Nieminen).

Sixth seed Mardy Fish, one of three Americans in the main draw, will make his tournament debut against Teimuraz Gabashvili. Seventh-seeded Spaniard Albert Montanes will face a qualifier in his first match, while eighth seed Florent Serra of France meets Argentine Diego Junqueira.

In the Estoril Open women’s field, which is a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour International Series clay-court tennis tournament, Czech World No. 29 Iveta Benesova headlines the field and begins her campaign against Portuguese wild card Neuza Silva.

Defending champion Maria Kirilenko, the Russian second seed, will face a qualifier in the first round, while third-seeded Romanian Sorana Cirstea challenges Japanese veteran Kimiko Date Kruum and World No. 42 and fourth seed Sabine Lisicki meets Kirsten Flipkins of Belgium.