Men Tennis Update – US Open Singles, Doubles, Mix

Written by: Staff on 6th September 2012

Men Tennis Update - US Open Singles, Doubles, Mix |

U. S. Open

Singles – Quarterfinal: (4) D Ferrer def. (8) J Tipsarevic 6-3 6-7(5-7) 2-6 6-3 7-6(7-5)

David Ferrer repeatedly seemed to be down and out in this match. He was struggling after three sets. He trailed by a break for most of the fifth set. But he dug it out. He just never gives in….

Janko Tipsarevic managed to defend his points, but because he did not add, he will remain stuck at #9. David Ferrer adds points, but he remains stuck at #5 — and might even fall to #6. Tomas Berdych can overtake him if Berdych wins the U. S. Open beating Novak Djokovic in the final. Any other result and Ferrer stays #5. Still, you’d think he could rest after this….

Doubles – Semifinal: (2) Bryan/Bryan def. (9) Qureshi/Rojer 6-3 6-4

Not much to say about this routine match except that it costs Qureshi his Top Ten chance. Oh, and the Bryans are back in the U. S. Open final, and if they win it, they will regain the #1 rankings.

Doubles – Semifinal: (5) Paes/Stepanek def. (6) Granollers/M Lopez 6-6, retired

This was pretty tough. Ten games in, Marc Lopez felt problems with his calf. Two games later, he quit. Makes you worry, more than a little, about his status for next week’s Davis Cup contest with the United States. In the short term, though, the big news is that Paes/Stepanek are in another Slam final. That puts Leander Paes at #5, dropping Lindstedt/Tecau to co-#6. That’s as high as Paes can go this week, but Radek Stepanek, #15 coming in, is up to #9, and will be #8 with a title. We currently estimate the doubles Top Ten as follows:

1..(1) Mirnyi………….9260

1..(1) Nestor………….9260

3..(3) Bryan…………..9220

5..(9) Paes……………6535

6..(5) Lindstedt……….6330

6..(5) Tecau…………..6330

8.(10) LopezM………….5580

9.(15) Stepanek………..5400

10..(7) Fyrstenberg……..4815

Mixed Doubles – Final: Makarova/Soares def. (4) Peschke/Matkowski 6-7(8-10) 6-1 12-10 (Match TB)

The U. S. Open web site’s description of this match mentioned Ekaterina Makarova’s relative inexperience in high-level doubles, but that is often the way of it in mixed: Fresh faces come forth and shine. (And it is definitely a fresh team — they are said to have signed up just one minute before the entry deadline. Soares had been planning to play with Jarmila Gajdosova, but they wouldn’t have made the cut, so at the last moment his coach found Makarova and they agreed to play.) Makarova was playing with arguably the weakest of the four players on the court, but she just kept getting balls back, and it was enough — barely; Makarova/Soares faced a match point before winning the last three points.

After the match, Makarova had this great big stupid grin on her face. You’d never know, from the way she was smiling, that it was “only” mixed. Now if she could only convey that sense of determination to her regular doubles partner Elena Vesnina….

It’s the first Slam of any kind for either winner.

In terms of mixed doubles rankings, Vesnina remains the top woman, but Makarova rises to #7. Soares is now the #4 man, with Leander Paes remaining #1. The Top Ten list for woman is:

1….Vesnina……….2950

2….Srebotnik……..2067

3….Huber…………1900

4….Mirza…………1867

5….Raymond……….1717

6….Mattek-Sands…..1600

7….Makarova………1400

8….Peschke……….1333

9….Benesova………1133

10….BlackC………..1000

For the men, we have:

1….Paes………….3567