Daily Tennis News Update – Halle and Queens

Written by: Staff on 12th June 2012

Daily Tennis News Update - Halle and Queens

epa03247662 Andreas Seppi of Italy returns to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their round of 16 match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 03 June 2012. EPA/YOAN VALAT |

Halle

Singles – First Round: (6) M Granollers def. (Q) M Zverev 6-4 6-2

This isn’t enough points to count toward the ranking of Marcel Granollers — but there are always the Wimbledon seedings to think about. Our estimate is that Granollers would have been #22 under the seeding formula coming in. He has a theoretical shot at the Top Sixteen. In practice, it’s not likely — but he certainly wants to assure that he is Top 24.

Singles – First Round: R Stepanek def. (7) A Seppi 7-6(8-6) 4-6 7-6(9-7)

This was easily the toughest of the first round matches — only two ranking spots separated these two. And Andreas Seppi was last year’s Eastbourne champion, and those points come off this week. This will cost him his Top 25 spot — and, it appears, his Top 24 Wimbledon seed. At least he will earn one of the lower seeds.

Singles – First Round: (WC) T Haas def. B Tomic 5-2, retired

Bernard Tomic loses both his Top 25 chance and his hope for a Top 24 Wimbledon seed. He should stay Top Thirty, though.

Singles – First Round: L Lacko def. (Q) K Kravchuk 2-6 6-2 6-3

There oughtta be a law. Go ahead, try to say “Qualifier Konstantin Kravchuk” three times fast. Of course, you won’t have to say it again this week….

Singles – First Round: V Troicki def. B Becker 6-2 7-6(8-6)

Viktor Troicki needs a final here to count toward his ranking. And he is right on the fringes of the Wimbledon seed list. He has a lot of incentive to do well.

Singles – First Round: F Mayer def. (Q) T Smyczek 6-4 6-4

Florian Mayer is another who doesn’t earn any points yet — and his Wimbledon seed looks sure, and he will probably need a title to earn one of the Top 24 spots.

Doubles – First Round: (1) Qureshi/Rojer def. Becker/Petzschner 6-4 6-7(2-7) 12-10 (Match TB)

Doubles – First Round: Raonic/Shamasdin def. (3) Brown/Marach 4-6 6-2 11-9 (Match TB)

Doubles – First Round: Kubot/Youzhny def. (WC) Chiudinelli/Zverev 6-3 4-6 10-3 (Match TB)

Queen’s

Singles – First Round: (9) K Anderson def. (WC) J Ward 4-6 6-3 6-4

James Ward made the semifinal at Queen’s last year, and became the talk of Britain as a result. But he hasn’t won an ATP match since. His ranking is back down to #171. For Kevin Anderson, of course, this matters not a whit. Second round points at a 56-draw 250 point event are nothing.

Singles – First Round: (10) D Nalbandian def. V Pospisil 4-6 6-2 6-2

David Nalbandian’s chances for a Wimbledon seed are pretty poor — he needs a title to have any chance at all — but he evidently still likes grass. He is likely although not yet certain to stay Top Forty.

Singles – First Round: (11) M Baghdatis def. F Gil 7-6(7-2) 4-6 6-2

Marcos Baghdatis is defending semifinalist points this week, so this is not a very promising start.

Singles – First Round: (12) D Istomin def. (Q) K de Schepper 6-4 7-6(7-4)

The switch from clay to grass seems to already be perking up Denis Istomin. If he can make the quarterfinal, he has a good shot at reaching the Top Forty.

Singles – First Round: (13) A Bogomolov Jr. def. M Klizan 6-2 7-6(7-5)

Alex Bogomolov’s recent results have been pretty abominable, so this must come as a relief, but he needs a semifinal to earn enough points to count.

Singles – First Round: (14) G Muller def. (WC) L Broady 6-2 6-1

Gillers Muller had only 11 aces in this match. But then, he didn’t have much time to really get the ace machine cranked up….

Singles – First Round: (15) G Soeda def. B Phau 6-2 6-2

Go Soeda was the seventh seed in action — and the seventh seed to win. The final score would be eight for eight. Pretty monotonous day for seed-watchers. Although not for Soeda — he has a shot at the Top Fifty this week.

Singles – First Round: (16) I Karlovic def. (WC) L Hewitt 6-3 6-2

Granting that this is grass, what does it say about Lleyton Hewitt’s return game that Ivo Karlovic hit 22 aces (a third of his points!) and won 88% of first serve points?

Singles – First Round: N Mahut def. G Garcia-Lopez 6-4 6-2

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez is just barely clinging to the Top Hundred. At this rate, he may not cling much longer….

Singles – First Round: G Dimitrov def. (Q) B Reynolds 6-3 7-5

Bobby Reynolds will remain around #125.

Singles – First Round: S Stakhovsky def. F Cipolla 6-4 6-1

Both these two are slumping a bit, but one likes fast courts and the other is more used to slow….

Singles – First Round: S Darcis def. R Ramirez Hidalgo 7-6(7-2) 7-5

Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo is one of those clay-or-nothing players; if there is any surprise here at all, it’s that he made it close.

Singles – First Round: S Bolelli def. E Gulbis 6-3 6-4

Officially this is an upset — but does any win over Ernests Gulbis count as an upset these days? It’s hard to believe he’ll be Top Hundred much longer if he doesn’t snap out of it.

Singles – First Round: X Malisse def. A Ungur 6-4 6-4

Adrian Ungur is actually ranked five places ahead of Xavier Malisse these days — but Malisse, with his Wimbledon experience, understands grass a lot better.

Singles – First Round: E Roger-Vasselin def. (Q) E Korolev 6-7(5-7) 6-2 6-4

Evgeny Korolev hadn’t played an ATP match since the 2010 U. S. Open. By that standard, just getting here is perhaps a triumph.

Singles – First Round: M Ebden def. M Bachinger 7-6(7-5) 6-3

We haven’t heard much from Matthew Ebden lately; he hadn’t won a match since Indian Wells. But, of course, he was playing on clay for most of that time….

Singles – First Round: L Rosol def. V Hanescu 6-4 7-6(7-5)

Victor Hanescu has fallen all the way to #153. He won’t be making many more ATP main draws at this rate.

Singles – First Round: Y Lu def. I Kunitsyn 4-6 7-6(7-4) 6-3

Yen-Hsun Lu is clearly glad to be back on grass….

Singles – First Round: (LL) R Sweeting def. D Tursunov 6-4 7-6(8-6)

Dmitry Tursunov really does seem to have started his comeback too soon. On the other hand, he really needs some points about now, so it’s easy to understand. He was last year’s ‘s-Hertogenbosch champion. And those points come off this week. That means that he will fall from #66 to around #120.

Ryan Sweeting replaced Leonardo Mayer, who is said to have withdrawn due to a family emergency.

Singles – First Round: I Dodig def. F Dancevic 6-1, retired

At least someone with points on the line is able to win! Ivan Dodig is defending finalist points, so he definitely wants to do well this week.

Singles – First Round: S Querrey def. O Rochus 6-1 6-7(4-7) 6-4

Sam Querrey had 24 aces in this match, and won 93% of his first serve points — and against a guy with a good return who likes grass. That seems pretty promising for Querrey.

Singles – First Round: (WC) J Baker def. (WC) O Golding 7-6(7-1) 6-3

Although these two are both wildcards, Jamie Baker is ranked #203, Oliver Golding #482. So this was to be expected.

Singles – First Round: R Bemelmans def. M Jaziri 6-4 1-6 6-3

Malek Jaziri is now firmly in the Top Hundred, well ahead of Ruben Bemelmans (he had a big move last week) — but how much experience on grass could he get in Tunisia?

Topics: 10sBall.com, Andreas Seppi, Halle tennis news, Queens tennis news