Daily Men Tennis News – Madrid and Rome

Written by: Staff on 13th May 2012

Daily Men Tennis News - Madrid and Rome |

Madrid

Singles – Final: (3) R Federer def. (6) T Berdych 3-6 7-5 7-5

Roger Federer started very slowly, being broken in his first service game. That was all it took to settle the first set. He went up an early break in the second, lost it, got it back. The two traded breaks in the third. In the twelfth game of the final set, Federer went up 0-40 on the Berdych serve — and Berdych saved all three match points. But then Federer won the last two points of the match.

It would be no surprise to see him bail out of Rome after this, though.

Still, he’s done it, at least temporarily. He is back at #2, ahead of Rafael Nadal.

He also picks up his fourth title of the year, and second Masters. That’s as many trophies as Nadal and Novak Djokovic combined.

It really does make things quite interesting in the Race. Here is how we currently show the top players:

Djokovic: 4320

Federer: 3855

Nadal: 3600

Murray: 2150

Ferrer: 2075

del Potro: 2015

Berdych: 1975

Tipsarevic: 1185

Tsonga: 1150

Isner: 1075

It’s not exactly a tie at the top, but it’s surprisingly close — and with Federer’s favorite times of the year still to come. (Well, what used to be his favorite times. Maybe, for now at least, blue clay is his favorite surface….) After last year, when Djokovic really dominated, this year looks like it could be quite interesting.

Tomas Berdych would have been #6 had he won this. As it is, he’ll have to settle for #7. But he’s now a very strong #7, with a real shot at going higher next week.

Doubles – Final: (4) Fyrstenberg/Matkowski def. (6) Lindstedt/Tecau 6-3 6-4

Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski always did like clay best; of their dozen previous titles, seven were on clay. They like Madrid, too — in 2008, they won their only previous Masters here. Put them together, and you get an event they like a lot! So it’s no big surprise to see them winning the title.

It is already their second title of the year. They have managed that feat three times in the past (2007, 2008, 2009) — but never so early in the year, and never more than two. They are on pace for the best year of their careers. It shows in their Race scores. They came in at #5, with Lindstedt/Tecau at #4. They’ll be swapping those spots. The Poles haven’t clinched a spot at the year-end Championships, of course, but it’s looking pretty likely. And it appears they will rise to co-#8 in the rankings (dropping Lindstedt and Tecau, who came in at #8 and #9, to #10 and #11).

The implications for the Olympics are interesting. The Bryans will surely be the #1 seeds there. But it’s looking more and more as if Fyrstenberg and Matkowski, not (e.g.) Bhupathi and Bopanna, will be the #2 seeds.

Rome

Singles – First Round: M Youzhny def. T Bellucci 6-2 3-6 6-3

A substantial help to Mikhail Youzhny’s Roland Garros seeding hopes — but it appears Thomaz Bellucci is going to remain below #50.

Singles – First Round: V Troicki def. (WC) F Volandri 4-6 6-4 6-3

We can’t do the full rankings until tomorrow, but our feeling is that this will assure Viktor Troicki’s Roland Garros seed.

Singles – First Round: J Ferrero def. K Anderson 6-4 7-5

It’s nice to see that Juan Carlos Ferrero still has something left — but this is probably the death blow to Kevin Anderson’s hopes for seeding at Roland Garros. We’d guess he’ll end up around #35 or #36.

Singles – First Round: (WC) P Lorenzi def. N Davydenko 6-3 2-6 6-3

This would seem to spell no return to the Top Fifty for Nikolay Davydenko. He is truly having an awful year. Or maybe we should say an awful end-of-career.

Singles – First Round: F Mayer def. M Raonic 7-6(7-5) 6-4

Milos Raonic should get a Roland Garros seed, but this might be enough to cost him a Top 24 seeding. For Florian Mayer, it makes seeding all but certain.

Singles – First Round: A Seppi def. D Istomin 6-4 3-6 6-3

For Andreas Seppi, that’s another step toward being seeded in Paris. For Denis Istomin, it at least means he’s a week closer to being done with clay.

Topics: Andreas Seppi, Berdych, Federer, Florian Mayer, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Lorenzi, milos raonic, Mutua Madrid Open, roger, Rome Open, Viktor Troicki, Youzhny