Next week, Los Angeles starts.  Novak Djokovic, who hasn’t played this event in recent memory, was scheduled to play.  One advantage of Djokovic playing would be getting some separation between him and Federer so he could secure the second seed at the US Open.  However, Djokovic has withdrawn from Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Andy Murray, who was planning to return at Toronto, has taken a wildcard and will be the top seed at Los Angeles, also an event Murray hasn’t played in recent memory.

Murray, Querrey, Baghdatis, Lopez, Gulbis (who hasn’t played since the French Open), Tipsarevic, and Fish are the seeds.  Interestingly enough, Andy Roddick isn’t playing (he has played in LA in years past) and neither is Isner.  It’s been a while, indeed, since Querrey and Isner have been at the same tournament (Wimbledon was the last time the two played at the same tournament).

Murray has been training in Miami as he usually does when he is in the US.  He trains there in December, and goes back a few times (e.g., at Miami and also now, prior to the US Open series).