Altman given tricky Italian start (Warsaw)
Qualifying (
Draw)
Main Draw (
Top Half -
Bottom Half)
Top seed
Illya Altman has been handed a tricky draw in his assault in Warsaw after being drawn against world number 97
Massimo Prodi in the first round. Despite a first round exit at the French Open, the Italian had a career best performance just weeks earlier in Estoril where he reached the semifinals. If the Ukrainian should win, he faces an even tougher second clash against
Jean-Alain Depuis who should be full of confidence after a fantastic run at the French Open. Elsewhere, fourth seed
Jamee Hancianu has been given the worst start off all the seeded players as he faces off against Aussie
Toby Brookes. Brookes has run himself into some killer form as of late; a third round appearance in Paris good reward for his win in Pörtschach.
Prediction: 3-Sanchez Emelio def. 1-Illya Altman
Dark Horse: Mark Harmel
Blanco to ease into grass season (Halle)
Qualifying (
Draw)
Main Draw (
Top Half -
Bottom Half)
Endeavouring to show that he is more than a clay court player, new world number one
Daniel Páez Blanco has been handed a favourable draw in Halle after drawing fellow clay court grafter
Maarten Berg in the first round. Whilst powerhouse Norwegian
Tom Vollan awaits in the second round, Blanco will undoubtedly find his biggest test in the quarterfinals as a possible matchup against the versatile French Open semifinalist,
Dwayne Murdoch, awaits. Second seed
Sven Oxenstierna also joins in an attempt to prove his credentials on the faster courts; he faces Japanese journeyman
Ninteh Doh first up in a winnable encounter.
Prediction: 5-Dwayne Murdoch def. 3-Juan Moreno
Dark Horse: Patrick Pascaul
Henson returns to face Aussie hope (London)
Qualifying (
Draw)
Men's Singles (
Section 1 -
Section 2 -
Section 3 -
Section 4)
Men's Doubles (
Top Half -
Bottom Half)
After over two months out of the game, former world number two
Rick Henson returns from a badly torn calf muscle this week in London with a first round match with Australian
Adam Murray. The 28-year old American hasn't played since his third round exit to
Heath Davis in Miami back in March, and will hope to pick up some much needed match practice against the overmatched Aussie. Whilst an unlikely rematch with Davis could only eventuate in the final, he could find himself against another CWLander in the form of
Alex de Wet if results go that way. Elsewhere, top seed
Jason Hall will face either
Matthew Tobin or the man who knocked him out in the Madrid Masters,
Paolo Mandonna, in the second round at the top of the draw. In the battle of the big serves,
David Champion and
Zhenyu Fok attempt to overturn their poor results throughout the clay season by starting off on a winning note in the AEGON Championships at Queen's Club.
In the doubles draw, the
Henson Brothers team up to face the Indian
Kumar Brothers in the pick of the first round. The winner of that clash will face French Open runners up
Tal Cohen and
Raz Teper in the second round, whilst top seeds
Hayden and
Ross Onwye could face world number five
Radek Špidla and his partner
Pavel Polak. The first section of the draw is particularly tricky with
Morgan Carter and
Wayne Boyd looking to bounce back from a first round exit in Paris; standing in their way are fifth seeds
Heath Davis and
Jojo Mustard.
Prediction: 1-Jason Hall def. 2-Radek Špidla
Dark Horse: 11-Oneil Stewart
