Analysis for Stepanek-Kubot (ATP Vienna)

Head-to-head record 0:0

Lukasz Kubot of Poland will play Czech Radek Stepanek in the opening round at Vienna.

We have already said a lot about experienced Czech. Stepanek, is a big-hearted player who is said to be not as talented as other top players but his main weapons are his head and enormous fighting spirit. He opened the season in a great style but his latest results weren´t convincing with the exception of the very last tournament where he showed a good tennis and was eliminated in quarters by eventual winner Davydenko. His next opponent will be Lukasz Kubot. Two year ago, we said that Kubot is a challenger player without a potential for making it through to the top 100. Now we know how wrong we were. Kubot improved a lot lately and he is having the career best season in 2009. In May 2009, at the Serbia Open, he reached the final as a lucky loser succumbing to World No. 3 Novak Djokovic in the final. He continued his good form by qualifying for the 2009 French Open. The hard court season in Asia was even better for him. He performed well in Beijing and Shanghai and managed to defeated players such as Roddick or Ginepri. He also kept the matches very tight against Ljubicic and Wawrinka and proved he is capable to compete on ATP circuit. If he can reproduce the sort of form he showed in Asia, he will be more than hard nut to crack for Czech. Odds around 3.5 are worth trying for us.