Preview Of This Weeks Tournaments (Feb. 1-7)

The WTA is taking the week off, but there are 3 ATP tour events scheduled for this week.

In Johannesburg, South Africa the men will be playing on hardcourt for the possibility of winning  $75,700 if you are the champion of this event.  As a whole the field is the weakest of the 3 tournaments this week.  Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who won this tournament last year, will not be playing.

Here are the top seeds:

1. Gael Monfils  (#12 in the world)

2. David Ferrer (#18)

3. Feliciano Lopez (#46)

4. Marco Chudinelli (#58)

5. Rajeev Ram (#84)

6. Xavier Malisse (#93)

7. Yen-Hsun Lu (#101)

8. Stephane Robert (#104)

Barring any injury, there is no excuse for Monfils and Ferrer to not meet in the finals.  So that will by my early prediction.  Ferrer over Monfils to win the championship.

The full draw can be seen at this link- SA Tennis Open link

The PBZ Zagreb Indoors in Zagreb, Croatia features the best field of the week.  The winner of this event walks away with 68,450 Euros.  The tournament is being played on indoor carpet.  Marin Cilic is the defending champion.

Heres the seeds:

1. Marin Cilic (#14)

2. Ivan Ljubicic (#24)

3. Jurgen Melzer (#27)

4. Viktor Troicki (#30)

5. Janko Tipsarevic (#36)

6. Benjamin Becker (#38)

7. Ivo Karlovic (#39)

8. Evgeny Koroleve (#53)

The question is: Is Cilic tired from playing so much tennis already this year?  Being back home in Croatia should be the motivator to keep on playing well.  By looking at the draw this looks like a Cilic will defend his championship by beating Troicki in the final.  Draw can be seen here- Zagreb Draw

The Movistar Open is a clay court event being played in Santiago, Chile.  The winner of this tournament will receive $68,450.  The field features countryman, and defending champion Fernando Gonzalez, and a host of clay court specialists.

Seeded players:

1. Fernando Gonzalez (#11)

2. Juan Monaco (#33)

3. Thomaz Bellucci (#35)

4. Pablo Cuevas (#48)

5. Horacio Zeballos (#50)

6. Jose Acasuso (#51)

7. Simon Greul (#61)

8. Potito Starace (#63)

You never know what to expect from "Gonzo" when it comes to smaller events.  Most of the time he doesn't really show up and do his best.  It may be different now that he is basically at home.  But I wouldn't bet on it.  I like a all Argentine final, with Juan Monaco beating Jose Acasuso for the title.  Here is the full draw- Movistar Open Draw

*** Note:  The rankings in parentheses are from last week.  The tournaments always go by rankings a week prior to the event.  So that is why Cilic is listed at #14, but is now #10.