Open Seat Godo, Barcelona 2005

[lau]

Coria said: "The favourites for winning the tournament are Rafael Nadal, Gastón Gaudio and (of couse!!! ) Marat Safin. ;D

[annie]

Of course!!! Coria's just being honest...
and wow! he didn't even say Roger?

[alysha]

aww corias honest and moddesttt....he's a contender!! and no fed.....hah

[SAFINNO1]

little article about Marat on Barcelona on website there is also a spanish version for others

SAFIN EYES THE OPEN SEAT GODO 2005 ONE OF MAIN GOALS IN SEASON


The Australia Open winner Marat Safin will face the Open SEAT Godo 2005 as one of his main goals in season. Current Champions Race leader considers the Barcelona event as one of the most important tournaments in clay court season.

"Barcelona is a very special place for me because my victory in 2000 was very important in my career. I remember I was not confident cause of my previous result, but I reached the title and I completed my best ever season winning the US Open".

The Russian was also runner-up in the Open SEAT Godo 2003. "The best clay court players always go to play there, it's a perfect chance to face them, in a warming tournament wiht an excellent organisation. This tournament has something different from the rest".

[Cassie]

annie said:

Of course!!! Coria's just being honest...
and wow! he didn't even say Roger?

Well, Roger's no playing there so... But still, it's nice of Coria to single Marat out.

[SAFINNO1]

Okay after watching Marat lose to JFC, i am lacking a bit of confidence in Marat at Barcelona and after seeing the Players competing i really think Marat will need to be at his best from the word go.

[glow=red,2,300]Marat Safin
RUS 4 [/glow]
.Guillermo Coria
ARG 5
Carlos Moya
ESP 7
Gaston Gaudio
ARG 8
David Nalbandian
ARG 10
Joachim Johansson
SWE 11
Tommy Robredo
ESP 12
Guillermo Canas
ARG 14
Nikolay Davydenko
RUS 15
Juan Igancio Chela
ARG 23
Thomas Johansson
SWE 24
Feliciano Lopez
ESP 25
Radek Stepanek
CZE 26
Dominik Hrbaty
SVK 29
Rafael Nadal
ESP 30
Xavier Malisse
BEL 35
Robin Soderling
SWE 36
Max Mirnyi
BLR 37
Filippo Volandri
ITA 40
Fernando Verdasco
ESP 45
David Ferrer
ESP 47
Thomas Berdych
CZE 48
Cyril Saulnier
FRA 50
Mariano Zabaleta
ARG 51
Michael Llodra
FRA 52
Albert Costa
ESP 55
Kenneth Carlsen
DEN 56
Alberto Martin
ESP 57
Hyung-Taik Lee
KOR 58
Agustin Calleri
ARG 59
Albert Montanes
ESP 62
Wayne Arthurs
AUS 63
Potito Starace
ITA 65
Jose Acasuso
ARG 66
Gilles Muller
LUX 67
Christophe Rochus
BEL 68
Philipp Kohlschreiber
GER 69
Stefan Koubek
AUT 70
Martin Verkerk
NED 71
Irakli Labadze
GEO 72
Jan Hernych
CZE 74
Younes El Aynaoui
MAR 719
------------------------------------------------------------
Santiago Ventura
ESP 75
Peter Wessels
NED 76
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez
ESP 78
Julien Benneteau
FRA 82
Felix Mantilla
ESP 83

[tall_one]

SAFINNO1 said:

Okay after watching Marat lose to JFC, i am lacking a bit of confidence in Marat at Barcelona and after seeing the Players competing i really think Marat will need to be at his best from the word go.

Barcelona has always had one of the toughest fields year in and year out, but having said that, it is a tourney that he has always done well at.

Finalist in 2003, won it in 2000 and didn't even play it in 2004, 2002 & 2001 At he beat some good clayballers in 03 & 00 so hopefully he can get back on track here because other than during the AO his year has been awful

[tall_one]

Marat has a 1st round bye and then plays Acasuso or Vicente

I am in the process of typing up the draw so just give me a minute and it will be up

[tall_one]

Singles Draw
1 Marat Safin v bye
Jose Acasuso v WC Fernando Vicente
Q v Guillermo Garcia-Lopez
Kenneth Carlsen v 15WC Paradorn Srichaphan

11 Radek Stepanek v Irakli Labadze
WC Galo Blanko v Santiago Ventura
Wanye Arthurs v Q
bye v 5 Guillermo Canas


4 Guillermo Coria v bye
Cyril Saulnier v Peter Wessels
Agustin Calleri v Q
Q v 14 Juan Ignacio Chela

10 Dominik Hrbaty v Jerome Haehnel
Potito Starace v Q
WC Marc Lopez v Giles Muller
bye v 8 Rafael Nadal


7 Nikolay Daveydenko v bye
Q v Christophe Rochus
Xavier Malisse v Philipp Kohlschreiber
Stefan Koubek v 8 Thomas Johansson

16 Igor Andreev v Juan Monaco
Max Mirnyi v Albert Costa
Hyung-Taik Lee v Q
bye v 3 Carlos Moya


6 Tommy Robredo v bye
Younes El Aynaoui v Alberto Martin
Albert Montanes v SE Juan Carlos Ferroro
Nicolas Almagro v 12 Feliciano Lopez

13 David Ferrer v Fernando Verdasco
WC Andrew Murray v Jan Hernych
Felix Mantilla v Michael Llodra
bye v 2 Gaston Gaudio

[SAFINNO1]

Thanks Nicki for the draw, i am ecstatic with the draw looking at all the players Marat considering he plays well has equally a great chance of going far in this tournament, with his biggest test in the QF(most likely Canas) who i think he can beat and then in the semi's(Probably Coria or Nadal).
C'mon Marat this will be perfect preparation for Rome

[Teresa]

SAFINNO1 said:

i am ecstatic with the draw looking at all the players Marat considering he plays well has equally a great chance of going far in this tournament, with his biggest test in the QF(most likely Canas) who i think he can beat and then in the semi's(Probably Coria or Nadal).
C'mon Marat this will be perfect preparation for Rome

LOL Safinno1, must admit I took a deep breath when I saw the draw was posted and a big sigh of relief, I am with you on this one, except for the "ecstatic" bit ;D

I also like the bit you posted from the site, Marat sounds very positive and upbeat and I like that

I was surprised not to see Federer's name? maybe he does not do Barcelona, and also Gasquet's name I was hoping to see him listed.

[tall_one]

Teresa said:

I was surprised not to see Federer's name?

i think Roger is tired out from playing so much, he has played 36 matches already this year (for comparision Marat has played 16)

I don't think he'll play anything other then tms events & RG for clay events

[SAFINNO1]

Yeah Roger has only listed TMS events for his RG peperation and gasquet i heard that he wanted a break after Monte Carlo.
BTW being from Britain i am lead to believe Andrew Murray is supposed to be good and it is favourite surface, unusual for a brit but i am keen to see him.
Oh well all is well in Marat's camp

[Teresa]

I was trying to get some info on both
Acasuso and Vincente

Acasuso last played first week of April Casablanca Clay and lost R32 to Simon

I could not find a thing on Vincente

He is not even listed as a wild card (which he is) under the list of players, and the ATP player search comes up blank....

Is it me? or is there no info on this guy?

Does anyone know anything about him? I think he played Davis cup Russia vs Argentina?

[Rucinski]

Thanks for the draw, I think he'll do fine in his first match, at least he should.
Federer must be really tired, he has won almost every tournament, he needs a break.