TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS – Barcelona & Bucharest (4/27)

Written by: Staff on 27th April 2012

TODAY'S MEN'S NEWS - Barcelona & Bucharest (4/27)

Belgium's Xavier Malisse returns a shot against Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic during their first round match at the Sydney International tennis tournament in Sydney on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. Stepanek won the match 6-7, 6-4, 6-4. EPA/PAUL MILLER AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Barcelona

Singles – Quarterfinal: (1) R Nadal def. (5) J Tipsarevic 6-2 6-2

Rafael continues to play like a player with not just one but maybe seven or eight healthy knees. He is now more than a thousand points ahead of Roger Federer in the contest for #2.

Singles – Quarterfinal: (11) M Raonic def. (3) A Murray 6-4 7-6(7-3)

Clay is pretty definitely the best surface on which to ambush Andy Murray — but who would have thought Milos Raonic would be the one to do it? Raonic is up to about #22, and could be Top Twenty if he can make the final. And, after this, who knows — maybe he can.

Singles – Quarterfinal: (3) D Ferrer def. (7) F Lopez 6-7(4-7) 7-6(9-7) 6-3

This took two and three-quarter hours, and David Ferrer had to save three match points, so Ferrer will be at a significant handicap in the semifinal — and he can’t rise in the rankings anyway. Feliciano Lopez can’t, either; he remains below the Top Fifteen.

Singles – Quarterfinal: (9) F Verdasco def. (8) K Nishikori 4-2, retired

Lopez can’t rise, but he probably won’t fall, either, because Kei Nishikori can’t pass him. Fernando Verdasco is at #18/#19; a final would tie him with Nishikori for #17; a title would make him #16.

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (8) Marach/Peya def. (1) Bryan/Bryan Walkover (B. Bryan Stomach Virus)

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (2) Mirnyi/Nestor def. (6) S Gonzalez/Kas 7-5 6-4

And so the contest for #1 is going to stay interesting for a while….

Doubles – Quarterfinal: Granollers/M Lopez def. (3) Bhupathi/Zimonjic 7-5 3-6 10-5 (Match TB)

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (4) Fyrstenberg/Matkowski def. (7) Qureshi/Rojer 6-3 6-6(8-10) 10-7 (Match TB)

Bucharest

Singles – Quarterfinal: (1) G Simon def. (7) L Kubot 3-6 6-1 6-3

Still no movement for Gilles Simon; he remains #12. A title would make him #11.

Singles – Quarterfinal: F Fognini def. (6) A Seppi 6-4 6-7(4-7) 6-4

Andreas Seppi is still stuck below #45.

Singles – Quarterfinal: M Bachinger def. (Q) D Brands 6-4 6-1

This will not put Matthias Bachinger back in the Top Hundred, but he’s very close.