The 2012 Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur continues on Friday with quarterfinal matches scheduled. The seeded players still alive in the draw are David Ferrer, Juan Monaco, Kei Nishikori, and Julien Benneteau. Unseeded players still alive in the tournament are Vasek Pospisil, Nikolay Davydenko, Alejandro Falla, and Igor Sijsling.
Ferrer, top seeded, appears to have a reasonably soft draw to the final as he will face Sijsling in the next round and then, surviving that match, either Falla or Benneteau. The Spaniard has a winning record against all three of those players however Benneteau could cause problems for the current World No. 5. The Frenchman, despite a losing overall record against Ferrer, has taken away a trio of wins from the Spaniard in their previous head-to-head meetings, including two victories on the hard court surface. However Benneteau does not typically fair that well late in draws as the 30-year veteran has never closed a tournament out with a title and his fitness should be put to the test by Ferrer should the two meet in the semifinals.
The bottom half of the draw looks more competitive with three players that can all be considered serious challengers to make the final. Davydenko, who defeated Denis Istomin on Thursday, looks as though he is playing well once again.
The Russian will face Japan's Nishikori, a quarterfinalist from Melbourne Park earlier this season and the second favorite to win the title in Malaysia (Ladbrokes 9/2). Monaco, the tournament's second seed, probably won't be troubled by Pospisil, who is both the current World No. 122 and a 33/1 longshot to win the Kuala Lumpur title outright (Stan James).
The 2012 Malaysian Open appears to be a showdown between Ferrer and Nishikori. Pospisil, Sijsling, and Falla look like the non-factors in the tournament with no career titles between them. Benneteau, another ATP title goose-egger, could spoil Ferrer's run while Nishikori has what appears to be three tough matches ahead of him if he is to win his second ATP title.
Predicted final: Ferrer vs Nishikori