TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS – Barcelona & Bucharest (4/26)

Written by: Staff on 26th April 2012

TODAY'S MEN'S NEWS - Barcelona & Bucharest (4/26)

Kei Nishikori of Japan in action against France's Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 23 January 2012. Nishikori won the match in five sets 2-6,6-2,6-1,3-6,6-3. EPA/MARTIN PHILBEY |

Barcelona

Singles – Third Round: (1) R Nadal def. (Q) R Farah 6-2 6-3

This makes no real difference to Nadal, but still, it’s more points.

Singles – Third Round: (2) A Murray def. S Giraldo 6-1 6-2

No points yet for Murray, either, but the more comfortable he gets on clay, the better his chances of moving up at one of the Masters.

Singles – Third Round: (3) D Ferrer def. A Montanes 6-0 6-2

David Ferrer can’t rise above #6 this week, but if he can keep up this form, he’ll obviously have more chances this spring.

Singles – Third Round: (5) J Tipsarevic def. F Gil 6-2 6-2

It’s a refrain we keep repeating: Janko Tipsarevic can’t rise this week. But this is still fairly important — Tipsarevic has most too many of his points at 250 point events. Earning points at a 500 could be important in the long haul.

Singles – Third Round: (11) M Raonic def. (6) N Almagro 6-3 6-3

A very good win for Milos Raonic, considering the surface. It should suffice to keep him Top 25.

Singles – Third Round: (7) F Lopez def. J Nieminen 6-3 6-1

Jarkko Nieminen loses his Top Forty chance.

Singles – Third Round: (8) K Nishikori def. (17) A Ramos 7-6(7-2) 6-3

Another Top Forty shot lost by Albert Ramos. Kei Nishikori is in a very interesting position: He is a little behind Feliciano Lopez, but not much. From now on, whichever one lasts longer gets the #16 ranking. And the #16 spot could, of course, be very important come Roland Garros. Ties go to Lopez.

Singles – Third Round: (9) F Verdasco def. (13) K Anderson 6-4 6-4

This means no Top Thirty spot for Kevin Anderson at this time. Fernando Verdasco has yet to move, but any additional wins will let him start climbing the Top Twenty.

Doubles – Second Round: (3) Bhupathi/Zimonjic def. Erlich/A Ram 7-6(7-4) 4-6 10-6 (Match TB)

An interesting pairing, Bhupathi/Zimonjic, given how close we are to the Olympics…. Zimonjic doesn’t have a reasonable partner, but what does this say about Bhupathi?

Doubles – Second Round: (4) Fyrstenberg/Matkowski def. Butorac/Soares 3-6 7-6(7-3) 12-10 (Match TB)

Doubles – Second Round: Granollers/M Lopez def. (5) Cermak/Polasek 7-6(7-4) 6-3

Doubles – Second Round: (6) S Gonzalez/Kas def. Almagro/Ramos 3-6 7-6(7-3) 10-8 (Match TB)

Doubles – Second Round: (7) Qureshi/Rojer def. Murray/Murray 6-2 5-7 10-8 (Match TB)

Bucharest

Singles – Second Round: (1) G Simon def. D Sela 6-4 6-2

It’s going to be very hard for Gilles Simon to climb here; he needs a title. But the draw is opening up.

Singles – Second Round: M Bachinger def. (4) V Troicki 6-3 4-6 7-6(7-2)

Viktor Troicki ought to stay Top Thirty, but not much above that.

Singles – Second Round: F Fognini def. (5) M Baghdatis 7-5 7-6(7-4)

Marcos Baghdatis looks set to hit the Top Forty. But, like Troicki, not by much.

Singles – Second Round: (6) A Seppi def. C Stebe 6-2 6-3

Andreas Seppi is the only seed left in the bottom half. He hasn’t moved yet, but one more win would take him above #45, and two would make him Top Forty.

Singles – Second Round: (7) L Kubot def. (WC) M Copil 6-3 6-3

Lukasz Kubot’s Top Fifty chances are looking pretty good all of a sudden.

Doubles – First Round: Kamke/Mayer def. Brunstrom/Marx 6-2 7-6(12-10)

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (1) Lindstedt/Tecau def. Mertinak/Sa 6-3 6-2

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (4) Cerretani/Fognini def. Kamke/Mayer 3-6 7-6(7-2) 11-9 (Match TB)

Doubles – Quarterfinal: Hanley/Kerr def. Dodig/Melo 7-6(7-4) 4-6 10-6 (Match TB)