TNT Sports
Home return for Kuerten
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Published 23/02/2004 at 13:03 GMT
Moving from September to a late February slot in the men's ATP Tour calendar the Brazilian Open at the Costa Do Sauipe, offers star players Gustavo Kuerten and Carlos Moya plus the 30 other players that make up the main draw the chance to win 35 Champions
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Moya will be attempting to reach his fourth final of the season, having won Chennai in the first week of 2004.
Forced to retire in the Sydney final, two days before the Australian Open started, the Spaniard returned to the tour last week in Buenos Aires.
The former world number one will play Tomas Behrend in the first round, with the German having defeated Moya in their only career meeting in Stuttgart last year.
Second seed Nicolas Massu is making his third appearance in the tournament. Last week the Chilean was upset in the quarterfinals of Buenos Aires by Richard Gasquet.
The 24-year-old will play a qualifier in the first round.
Champion in 2002 and third seed Kuerten has won nine and lost four matches this season. He will play Spaniard Oscar Hernandez in the first round.
Fourth seed Agustin Calleri leads a strong Argentine charge. Mariano Zabaleta (5), Gaston Gaudio (7) and Juan Ignacio Chela (8) are the other Argentines to be seeded.
Buenos Aires semifinalist Jose Acasuso and Guillermo Canas are other Argentine main draw direct acceptances.
Last year's singles champion Sjeng Schalken of the Netherlands conqueror of German Rainer Schuettler has decided not to defend his title.
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