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French challenge for Henman at Nasdaq-100 Open
Miami, Mar 19: British number one Tim Henman is in line to face Frenchmen Nicolas Escude and Sebastien Grosjean in his opening two matches at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami. Henman is seeded 18th for the Masters Series event and so receives a bye for the first round, before playing either Escude or Slovakia`s Dominik Hrbaty.
Miami, Mar 19: British number one Tim Henman is in line to face Frenchmen Nicolas Escude and Sebastien Grosjean in his opening two matches at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami. Henman is seeded 18th for the Masters Series event and so receives a bye for the first round, before playing either Escude or Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty.
Grosjean should be lying in wait in round three if Henman makes it that far, with Carlos Moya and top seed Lleyton Hewitt also in the Briton's quarter of the draw.
However, after one win in four matches since returning after a shoulder injury, Henman will be concentrating on his first match.
He has won just four of nine matches with Escude but, crucially, has taken three of the last four, and has beaten Hrbaty on both occasions they have met. Hewitt is likely to open against Vladimir Voltchkov of Belarus.
Second seed Andre Agassi takes on either Nicolas Kiefer or Michael Chang, with Gustavo Kuerten a possible fourth round opponent. In-form Roger Federer looks to have the kindest draw, with no obvious threat ahead of a very out-of-touch Marat Safin in the last eight.
Serena Williams could face several of the emerging Russian players, such as Elena Dementieva and Elena Bovina, on her way to a possible quarter-final clash with Lindsay Davenport.
Third seed Kim Clijsters is in the same half of the draw as top seed Serena, along with rising star Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.
Venus Williams should face a few more testing opponents than her sister in the form of Justine Henin-Hardenne, Amelie Mauresmo and Jennifer Capriati if she is to make the final.
Bureau Report
Grosjean should be lying in wait in round three if Henman makes it that far, with Carlos Moya and top seed Lleyton Hewitt also in the Briton's quarter of the draw.
However, after one win in four matches since returning after a shoulder injury, Henman will be concentrating on his first match.
He has won just four of nine matches with Escude but, crucially, has taken three of the last four, and has beaten Hrbaty on both occasions they have met. Hewitt is likely to open against Vladimir Voltchkov of Belarus.
Second seed Andre Agassi takes on either Nicolas Kiefer or Michael Chang, with Gustavo Kuerten a possible fourth round opponent. In-form Roger Federer looks to have the kindest draw, with no obvious threat ahead of a very out-of-touch Marat Safin in the last eight.
Serena Williams could face several of the emerging Russian players, such as Elena Dementieva and Elena Bovina, on her way to a possible quarter-final clash with Lindsay Davenport.
Third seed Kim Clijsters is in the same half of the draw as top seed Serena, along with rising star Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.
Venus Williams should face a few more testing opponents than her sister in the form of Justine Henin-Hardenne, Amelie Mauresmo and Jennifer Capriati if she is to make the final.
Bureau Report