On Tap: ATP 500 Barcelona and ATP 250 Bucharest

By Chris Oddo

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Claude Paris

(April 22, 2012)—Before picking up the Masters script in Madrid in early May, the ATP will branch off into smaller events over the next two weeks.

 

Rafael Nadal and a host of other Spanish stars will head to Barcelona for the 60^th anniversary of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, while Gilles Simon will enjoy a week as the top seed in Bucharest, Romania at the BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy.

 

Here’s a quick rundown of next week's events:  

 

Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell 

ATP 500 

Barcelona, Spain 

Surface: Red Clay

View Draw Here  

 

The King Returns
 

Rafael Nadal will make a bit to win his seventh title in Barcelona. If he hadn’t skipped the event in 2010, he’d likely be going for his eighth consecutive title at the event. Judging from his performance at Monte-Carlo, where he reversed his fortunes against Novak Djokovic in the final today, Nadal is looking like a shoe-in to go the distance.  

 

Who will challenge Nadal?

 

Five of the top nine seeds are Spaniards, including clay-court gurus David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro, plus Andy Murray is in the draw too. Fortunately for Rafa and unfortunately for Murray, both Almagro and Ferrer are in Murray’s half.  

 

Who will challenge the challengers?

 

Look for Spaniards Albert Ramos and Pablo Andujar to keep up their fine clay-court play. Also in the 56-player draw are Bernard Tomic, Milos Raonic, Janko Tipsarevic, Kei Nishikori and Fernando Verdasco. 

 

Who is out?

 

Tomas Berdych, Thomaz Bellucci and Juan Ignacio Chela have all pulled out due to injuries.

 

BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy 

ATP 250 

Surface: Red Clay 

Bucharest, Romania

View Draw Here 

 

Who is the man to beat?
 

Gilles Simon, two-time champion at this event (2007 and 2008), will look to continue his fine form as the top seed this week. The 15^th-ranked Frenchman played some scintillating tennis in Monte-Carlo, reaching the semifinals before finally bowing out to Rafael Nadal in two tense sets.  

 

Who can challenge Simon?
 

Defending champion Florian Mayer will look to get his game back on track after losing to qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin in the first round at Monte-Carlo. World No. 30 Viktor Troicki will look to do the same; he was trounced by Andy Murray in the first round at Monte-Carlo.  

 

Who can challenge the challengers?

 

Jeremy Chardy got off to a decent start to the European clay-court swing when he knocked off top seed Florian Mayer in Casablanca. Also in the mix will be world No. 40 and No. 5 seed Marcos Baghdatis. Rounding out the seeds are Italian Andreas Seppi (6), Pole Lukasz Kubot (7), and Croat Ivan Dodig (8).  

 

Who’s out?

 

No. 3 seed Jurgen Melzer has withdrawn with an ankle injury.