Singles – Third Round: (1) N Djokovic def. (27) V Troicki 6-3 6-4
Still no signs that Viktor Troicki can figure out Novak Djokovic. (Of course, there are plenty of players of whom that can be said!) That means no progress for Troicki; the best he can hope for is to keep the #27 ranking he came in with.
Singles – Third Round: (31) A Roddick def. (3) R Federer 7-6(7-4) 1-6 6-4
Roger Federer had multiple break chances in the first set, and didn’t convert any; Andy Roddick had none, but won the set anyway. Then everything changed, briefly, and Federer breezed through the second set. But Federer had one bad game at the start of the third, and he never recovered. Which means that his winning streak is over, and that he will not rise above #3; Rafael Nadal has now clinched the #2 spot. Roddick has clinched a return to the Top Thirty; he will probably be #29.
Singles – Third Round: (5) D Ferrer def. (30) J Benneteau 7-6(7-5) 6-4
Again David Ferrer moves back in front of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the contest for #5. Julien Benneteau ends up just below the Top Thirty.
Singles – Third Round: (8) M Fish def. (28) K Anderson 6-4 6-3
Bad news for Kevin Anderson, who was defending quarterfinalist points; he will fall out of the Top Thirty. But very good news for Mardy Fish, who was defending semifinalist points. This win means that he will stay ahead of John Isner — which in turn effectively guarantees that he will stay Top Ten, and absolutely guarantees that he will remain the #1 American player.
Singles – Third Round: (11) J del Potro def. (23) M Cilic 6-3 7-6(7-3)
Marin Cilic seems finally to be making progress, but he won’t rise above his current #23. Juan Martin del Potro hasn’t assured a move yet, either — but he has all but guaranteed that he will stay Top Ten. And he has made certain that John Isner will lose his Top Ten ranking after just two weeks at #10.
Singles – Third Round: (12) N Almagro def. (17) F Verdasco 6-3 6-4
Fernando Verdasco has been getting his form back, but not enough, it would seem. At least he lasted long enough to effectively assure his Top Twenty spot.
Singles – Third Round: (21) J Monaco def. (14) G Monfils 4-6 6-3 6-4
Talk about a big day for… Andy Roddick. Not only did he beat Federer, but he now gets to face Juan Monaco in the fourth round rather than Gael Monfils. Monfils loses his chance to rise above #14, meaning that he is still only the #3 Frenchman. Juan Monaco appears to have assured a Top Twenty spot; he remains in a dead tie with Florian Mayer.
Singles – Third Round: (17) R Gasquet def. A Ramos 6-2 5-7 6-3
Richard Gasquet starts to add points, and strengthens his grip on the #17 ranking, but he needs at least two more wins to climb in the rankings.
Doubles – Second Round: (6) Bhupathi/Bopanna def. Granollers/Nadal 6-4 6-3
The rankings don’t show it, but this is actually one of the better wins earned by Bhupathi/Bopanna this year.
Doubles – Second Round: (7) Paes/Stepanek def. Fleming/Hutchins 6-4 6-3
Leander Paes looks pretty safe at #7, but he cannot climb this week. Here is how we currently show the Top Ten:
1..(1) Bryan…………..9300
1..(1) Bryan…………..9300
3..(3) Mirnyi………….8250
3..(3) Nestor………….8250
5..(5) Llodra………….7560
6..(6) Zimonjic………..7440
7..(7) Paes……………5195
8.(10) Matkowski……….4775
8.(10) Fyrstenberg……..4775
10..(8) Lindstedt……….4700
10..(9) Tecau…………..4700
Doubles – Second Round: Kubot/Tipsarevic def. S Gonzalez/Lipsky 6-0 6-3
© “DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”
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Order Of Play – Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Stadium (from 11.00hrs)
1. ATP: Nishikori vs. Nadal
2. Li Na vs. Maria Sharapova (NB 13.00hrs)
3. ATP: Djokovic vs. Gasquet
4. ATP: Roddick vs. Mónaco
5. Serena Williams vs. Caroline Wozniacki (NB 19.30hrs)
6. ATP: del Potro vs. Ferrer (NB 21.30hrs)
Grandstand (from 11.00hrs)
1. ATP: Dimitrov vs. Tipsarevic
2. ATP: Almagro vs. Fish
3. ATP: Simon vs. Murray
4. ATP: Tsonga vs. Mayer
5. ATP: Bhupathi/Bopanna vs. Llodra/Zimonjic (NB 17.00hrs)
Court 1 (from 13.00hrs)
1. ATP: Bryan/Bryan vs. Bracciali/Cabal
2. Kuznetsova/Zvonareva vs. Kirilenko/Petrova
3. Errani/Vinci vs. Makarova/Zheng
Topics: Andy Roddick, David Ferrer, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Juan Martin Del Potro, Kevin Anderson, Mardy Fish, Marin Cilic, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Sony Ericsson Open, Viktor Troicki