MASON – The top four players in the world will once again be in action on Thursday in the round of 16 at the 2009 Western & Southern Financial Group Masters.
THURSDAY ORDER OF PLAY
Defending champion
Andy Murray, the No. 2 ranked player in the world, will be the only one of the top four to play a seed, as he’ll face No. 16
Radek Stepanek.
Top seed and two-time Cincinnati champion
Roger Federer will battle
David Ferrer, a former Top 5 player himself.
Second seed and World No. 3
Rafael Nadal will take on Frenchman
Paul-Henri Mathieu.
The 2008 Cincinnati runner-up and fourth ranked player in the world
Novak Djokovic will play another Frenchman,
Jeremy Chardy.
There will be a battle between a pair of Top 10 players as No. 8
Nikolay Davydenko takes on No. 9
Gilles Simon. The two have played just three times, all in 2007, with Simon winning twice, including in their only hardcourt meeting.
Two-time Cincinnati finalist
Lleyton Hewitt will play
Sam Querrey, who already this summer has reached three finals while claiming one title.
Julien Benneteau, who entered the draw as a lucky loser when
Juan Martin del Potro withdrew, will look to be jus the third player in the Open Era to reach the Cincinnati quarterfinals as a lucky loser when he takes on
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
The final round of 16 match features qualifier
Chris Guccione against
Tomas Berdych. Guccione, who on Wendesday was confirmed as a wild card entrant for the US Open, is trying to be the first qualifier to reach the quarterfinals in five years and the 10th in the Open Era.
Tickets for Thursday's action can be purchased here.