Today’s Men’s News (08/28)

Written by: Staff on 28th August 2012

Today's Men's News (08/28)

epa03373070 Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a return to Paolo Lorenzi of Italy during their match on the second day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 28 August 2012. The US Open runs through Sunday 09 September 2012. EPA/JASON SZENES |

U. S. Open

In addition to all the various results below, we have word that David Nalbandian has pulled out of his Wednesday match with Juan Martin del Potro. He is also out of the doubles. His replacement has yet to be determined. Nalbandian was defending third round points; he may lose his Top Fifty ranking.

Singles – First Round: (2) N Djokovic def. P Lorenzi 6-1 6-0 6-1

Not much to say about this except that it lets Novak Djokovic maintain his slight lead over Roger Federer in the contest for the year-end #1.

Singles – First Round: (5) J Tsonga def. K Beck 6-3 6-1 7-6(7-2)

Three more wins for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to defend his points. And he needs at least four more to move in the rankings.

Singles – First Round: (6) T Berdych def. D Goffin 7-5 6-3 6-3

Interestingly, just as Tsonga needs four wins to climb the rankings, so does Tomas Berdych need four more to catch Tsonga. But if he is going to find it hard to climb, there isn’t much chance that he will fall. David Goffin, who had a Top Fifty chance here, will stay between #55 and #60.

Singles – First Round: G Garcia-Lopez def. (10) J Monaco 3-6 1-6 6-4 7-6(8-6) 7-6(7-3)

Juan Monaco loses his chance for a return to the Top Ten; he will probably be #11 or #12.

Singles – First Round: (11) N Almagro def. R Stepanek 6-4 6-7(5-7) 6-3 6-4

Every point Nicolas Almagro earns here will help his ranking, but he’s going to have a hard time climbing. Obviously Radek Stepanek won’t be climbing either; this puts his Top Forty ranking in some danger.

Singles – First Round: (15) M Raonic def. S Giraldo 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-4 6-4

Milos Raonic wasn’t able to play the U. S. Open last year, and lost his opener the year before that, so this is his first-ever win here. There isn’t much rankings effect yet, though.

Singles – First Round: (18) S Wawrinka def. S Stakhovsky 6-7(6-8) 7-6(7-2) 6-4 6-2

Stanislas Wawrinka defends his points, making it likely that he will stay Top Twenty.

Singles – First Round: (20) A Roddick def. R Williams 6-3 6-4 6-4

Andy Roddick has nothing to defend, but we’d guess he needs two more wins to hit the Top Twenty.

Singles – First Round: (27) S Querrey def. Y Lu 6-7(4-7) 6-4 6-4 7-5

Sam Querrey is another American who had nothing to defend. He isn’t quite Top 25 yet, but it looks as if it could happen soon.

Singles – First Round: (31) Julien Benneteau def. Olivier Rochus 7-6(7-1) 6-2 6-3

This should keep Julien Benneteau Top Forty, but he needs another win to defend his points.

Singles – First Round: B Tomic def. C Berlocq 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4

These two came in dead even in safe points. Obviously Bernard Tomic now takes the lead — meaning that Carlos Berlocq will fall to #45 or lower.

Singles – First Round: D Novikov def. J Jankowicz 6-2 7-6(8-6) 3-6 6-3

Dennis Novikov was very lucky in his draw. Still, whoever gave him that wildcard was obviously on to something.

Singles – First Round: F Fognini def. E Roger-Vasselin 3-6 5-7 6-4 6-4 7-5

Fabio Fognini defends his points and should stay around #60.

Singles – First Round: J Wang def. I Karlovic 7-6(7-4) 6-7(8-10) 6-1 6-4

Ivo Karlovic is down to #75 — and won’t be improving on that.

Singles – First Round: M Baghdatis def. M Bachinger 6-2 4-6 6-4 6-7(8-10) 7-6(7-5)

It’s perhaps lucky for Marcos Baghdatis that they have fifth set tiebreaks here; he had had a very hard time taking other chances to finish off the match. SInce he lost his opener last year, this should assure his Top Forty spot.

Singles – First Round: P Andujar def. T Bellucci 7-6(7-5) 3-6 7-6(7-1) 7-5

Thomaz Bellucci and the U. S. Open really don’t seem to agree; this gives him a three match losing streak here. That probably means that he will lose his Top Forty spot. Pablo Andujar may well rise above #35.

Singles – First Round: P Petzschner def. N Mahut 1-6 4-6 6-4 7-5 7-6(7-3)

You’d think that if anyone would know the advantages of not getting caught in an endurance contest, it would be Nicolas Mahut! He loses second round points, and will fall below #60.

Singles – First Round: R Dutra Silva det. T Gabashvili 4-6 6-4 6-7(5-7) 6-3 7-5

This lasted four hours and twelve minutes. 252 minutes, in other words. Which is probably about five times the number of spectators who watched it….

Singles – First Round: S Darcis def. M Jaziri 3-6 6-1 6-1 6-1

Steve Darcis defends his points; if he can win one more match, he should rise above #70.

Doubles – First Round: Johnson/Sock def. (1) Mirnyi/Nestor 1-6 7-6(7-4) 6-2

This was to be a pretty routine day in singles, but a day of madness in doubles. The Bryans still need to win the tournament to regain the #1 rankings, but talk about an opening to gain ground! Here is how we currently estimate the Top Ten:

1..(1) Mirnyi………….9260

1..(1) Nestor………….9260

3..(3) Bryan…………..8030

5..(5) Lindstedt……….6160

5..(5) Tecau…………..6160

7..(9) Paes……………5345

8.(10) LopezM………….4950

9..(7) Fyrstenberg……..4815

10..(8) Matkowski……….4680

Doubles – First Round: C Harrison/R Harrison def. (4) Fyrstenberg/Matkowski 7-6(7-3) 2-6 7-6(9-7)

We’ll admit that we didn’t expect the Poles to repeat their finalist showing of 2011, but we certainly didn’t expect this, either! They will fall to no better than #9 and #10, and it could be a spot or two lower.

Doubles – First Round: (6) Granollers/M Lopez def. Chardy/Klizan 6-4 6-2

This win plus the loss by Fyrstenberg/Matkowski effectively clinches Marc Lopez’s Top Ten spot.

Doubles – First Round: Monroe/Young def. (7) Llodra/Zimonjic 5-7 6-3 6-4

Something was obviously wrong with Llodra/Zimonjic here. We have the feeling this might be the final straw for the partnership, though — they’re out of the Top Ten, and after this, Zimonjic in particular may lose his Top Fifteen spot.

Doubles – First Round: Knowle/Polasek def. (13) Marrero/Verdasco 6-3 6-4

Marrero/Verdasco were talking, earlier this year, about qualifying for London. This pretty well ends that hope.

Doubles – First Round: (14) Fleming/Hutchins def. Kavcic/Zopp 7-6(7-3) 6-1

Doubles – First Round: (16) S Gonzalez/Lipsky def. Haase/Seppi 6-2 6-3

This is turning into quite a hot streak for Gonzalez/Lipsky, who have now won five in a row.

Doubles – First Round: B Baker/R Ram def. Emmrich/Sijsling 2-6 6-1 7-6(7-3)

Doubles – First Round: Bogomolov/Klaasen def. Ito/Soeda 6-1 6-3

Doubles – First Round: Butorac/Hanley def. Hajek/Lacko 7-5 6-3

Doubles – First Round: Erlich/A Ram def. Elgin/Istomin 7-6(7-3) 6-2

Doubles – First Round: Kubot/Youzhny def. Becker/Nieminen 6-1 6-4