Today’s Men’s News (08/16)

Written by: Staff on 16th August 2012

Today's Men's News (08/16)

epa03342658 Andy Murray of Britain in action during the Men's Final against Roger Federer of Switzerland during the London 2012 Olympic Games Tennis competition in Wimbledon, Greater London, Britain, 05 August 2012. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

Cincinnati

Singles – Third Round: (1) R Federer def. B Tomic 6-2 6-4

Routine but useful for Roger Federer: Novak Djokovic now absolutely has to win the title to have any chance to regain the #1 ranking this week.

Singles – Third Round: (2) N Djokovic def. N Davydenko 6-0, retired (Right Shoulder)

Nice news for Novak Djokovic, who really needed the rest. But Nikolay Davydenko will remain stuck around #50.

Singles – Third Round: (LL) J Chardy def. (3) A Murray 6-4 6-4

Neither player could land a first serve in the second set of this, but mostly it was a pretty good match. Jeremy Chardy earned his win — and is close to earning a U. S. Open seed. We show him up to #34, and of course #33 will be seeded now that Rafael Nadal is out. So Chardy’s magic number is one: One more win or one more withdrawal and he gets the seed.

Singles – Third Round: M Raonic def. (5) T Berdych 6-4 2-6 6-2

Back into the slump goes Tomas Berdych, who will probably stay at #7. Milos Raonic clinches a Top 16 U. S. Open seed; more on this in the Feature.

Singles – Third Round: (6) J del Potro def. V Troicki 7-6(7-2) 2-6 6-1

Juan Martin del Potro isn’t likely to rise above #8 this week, but he’s putting some distance between himself and #9 Janko Tipsarevic.

Singles – Third Round: (10) M Fish def. R Stepanek 6-3 6-3

And with that, Mardy Fish clinches a Top 24 U. S. Open seed — he’s up to #24 in safe points. Radek Stepanek, though, is out of the seed hunt; he’ll be around #38.

Singles – Third Round: (12) M Cilic def. P Andujar 7-6(7-4) 6-2

That formally ends Pablo Andujar’s U. S. Open seed hopes. Marin Cilic is still at #13, which translates into the #12 seed.

Singles – Third Round: S Wawrinka def. (14) K Nishikori 6-3 6-3

This was a “somebody-clinches-something” match. Had Kei Nishikori won this, he would have clinched a Top 16 U. S. Open seed. Instead, he was left waiting to see how Milos Raonic would do. Stanislas Wawrinka, however, does clinch. Two things, in fact: A Top 25 ranking and a Top 24 U. S. Open seed.

Doubles – Second Round: Seppi/Troicki def. (1) Mirnyi/Nestor 4-6 6-4 10-8 (Match TB)

Things just keep getting better for the Bryans; Mirnyi/Nestor seem to be melting down. We may well see the #1 ranking change hands at the U. S. Open…

Doubles – Second Round: (2) Bryan/Bryan def. Nieminen/Wawrinka 6-0 6-1

…especially if the Bryans keep playing like that!

Doubles – Second Round: (4) Lindstedt/Tecau def. (WC) B Baker/R Ram 6-4 3-6 10-6 (Match TB)

Doubles – Second Round: Dodig/Melo def. (5) Paes/Stepanek 6-3 4-6 10-5 (Match TB)

We said yesterday that Ivan Dodig was turning into quite the solid doubles player, and he is, but this is still a big, big upset. Whatever it was that Paes/Stepanek had at the start of the year seems to have vanished completely.

Doubles – Second Round: (7) Granollers/M Lopez def. Cabal/Soares 2-6 7-6(7-3) 10-7

Doubles – Second Round: (8) Qureshi/Rojer def. (WC) Blake/Querrey 6-2 7-6(7-4)