Kei Nishikori's woeful 2017 ATP season will continue. According to the official drawsheet for the upcoming ATP Barcelona event, a 500-series tournament on the ATP Tour, Nishikori will not contest the tournament. The reason on the official drawsheet is listed as his "Right Wrist."
Benoit Paire benefits from Nishikori's withdrawal
Nishikori, who will drop down to 7th in the world with April 24th's rankings, would have been the No. 2 seed in the tournament. It's an event that he has done well at in the past, winning in both 2014 and 2015. The late exit from the tournament has lead to some adjustments and Benoit Paire appears to be the main beneficiary.
The 17th-seeded Paire would not have enjoyed a first-round bye in Barcelona. However, the withdrawal of a high seed has bumped him up and he will now avoid having to play a first-round match. He effectively has a look at the draw of a No. 2 seed, so Nishikori's absence is a real stroke of luck for the French player.
The tournament is not short on star power, even with Nishikori's withdrawal. Andy Murray is the top seed and the World No. 1. The next-highest seed is Rafael Nadal, who just won ATP Monte Carlo on Sunday. Dominic Thiem is also in the draw and he will be looking to make amends after a very disappointing result in Monaco last week. He'll be better rested than Nadal and 5th-seeded David Goffin.
The Belgian was the player that beat Thiem last week in Monte Carlo before plowing through to the semifinals where he lost to Nadal in a match that was not without some controversy. Goffin was the victim of an egregious line call in the semifinals, one that saw Nadal awarded a point despite hitting a ball perhaps 4-5 inches long.
Thiem could make Barca final
Thiem will have to like the section of the draw that he is in. A natural clay courter, most of his career titles have come on the surface. He'll enjoy a bye through the first round and he can't face anyone that's particularly dangerous on clay until the quarterfinals. At that point, Thiem could face Richard Gasquet, but the Frenchman himself hasn't been his old self so far in 2017.
Albert Ramos-Vinolas is also on Thiem's side of the draw, but the Spaniard was in the Monte Carlo final on Sunday and might be tired. He certainly has no track record of succeeding in back-to-back weeks and he is a withdrawal risk or threat to lose early in Barcelona. Murray is on Thiem's side of the draw, but then the World No. 1 for the last year hasn't been the best player in 2017 and an early exit in Monte Carlo was a case in point. Arguably Thiem is a heavy favorite to make the final in Barcelona.
The tournament is not part of the Masters Series, however 500 ranking points are at stake. It's part of the French Open build-up and the players that plan to succeed in Paris will be looking to stay sharp in Spain over the next week.
