> London
>
> Mark it down as official: Rafael Nadal is out of London. And
> Paris, of course. He hopes to come back at the beginning of
> next year — and with a lot to defend in the early going. He
> will end this year at #4.
>
> As a side effect, it clinches Juan Martin del Potro’s London
> spot — and puts a whole bunch of players back in the hunt.
> We didn’t try to rewrite our Feature, but suddenly
> Jo-Wilfried Tsonga’s place looks pretty safe, and it’s Janko
> Tipsarevic who is in line for the #8 position and trying to
> assure his spot.
>
> Valencia
>
> Singles – Second Round: (1) D Ferrer def. A Ramos 6-4 6-2
> David Ferrer won’t rise above #5 this week, and has no
> practical chance to go higher this year — but suddenly he
> looks as if he will be the #4 seed in London. If he can do
> something with that advantage, things might change next
> year.
>
> Singles – Second Round: (6) N Almagro def. S Querrey 6-4
> 6-7(4-7) 6-0
> Since when is Nicolas Almagro an indoor player? It’s hard to
> believe, but he is actually making a run for London. Sam
> Querrey will not rise above his current #23.
>
> Singles – Second Round: A Dolgopolov def. G Muller 6-4 6-4
> This will probably regain Alexandr Dolgopolov the Top Twenty
> spot he just lost to Tommy Haas.
>
> Singles – Second Round: M Granollers def. G Simon 6-7(4-7)
> 6-3 6-2
> When Rafael Nadal withdrew from London, it put Gilles Simon
> back in the Race to London. But, with this loss, he lost his
> chance again. As well as his Top Fifteen shot. For Marcel
> Granollers, this at least puts a few points in the bank
> against when Valencia 2011 comes off.
> We currently show the following in the Race:
>
> 1..Djokovic….11410…CLINCHED
> 2..Federer……9255…CLINCHED
> 3..Murray…….7510…CLINCHED
> 4..Nadal……..6840…WILL NOT PLAY
> 5..Ferrer…….4780…CLINCHED
> 6..Berdych……4225…CLINCHED
> 7..Del Potro….3740…CLINCHED
> 8..Tsonga…….3310…
> 9..Tipsarevic…2810…
> 10..Almagro……2425…
> 11..Gasquet……2370…
> 12..Monaco…….2340…
> 13..Raonic…….2290…
> 14..Isner……..2205…
> 15..Cilic……..2150…
> 16..Simon……..1805…OUT
> 17..Wawrinka…..1810…OUT
> 18..Kohlschreibe.1760…OUT
>
> Singles – Second Round: J Melzer def. X Malisse 7-5 6-2
> It’s almost surely too later for Jurgen Melzer to earn an
> Australian Open seed, but this should at least gain him a
> couple of ranking spots.
>
> Doubles – Quarterfinal: (2) Peya/Soares def. Klizan/Mertinak
> 6-4 6-2
>
> Doubles – Quarterfinal: S Gonzalez/Lipsky def. Cilic/Sa
> 7-6(7-0) 2-6 10-7 (Match TB)
>
>
>
> Basel
>
> Singles – Second Round: (2) J del Potro def. B Baker 7-5
> 6-1
> Juan Martin del Potro didn’t need this — in practice, he
> was sure to go to London even if Rafael Nadal had played.
> But extra insurance never hurts; he has a real shot at
> ending the year at #6 or #7.
>
> Singles – Second Round: (6) M Youzhny def. M Ebden 6-3 6-1
> This pretty definitely means that Matthew Ebden will end the
> year below #100. Of course, he should get an Australian Open
> wildcard. Mikhail Youzhny needs one more win to rise above
> his current #27.
>
> Singles – Second Round: B Paire def. (Q) L Kubot 6-4 6-4
> This should take Benoit Paire above #45. Lukasz Kubot will
> remain below #50, certainly this week and probably at
> year-end.
>
> Singles – Second Round: (WC) P Mathieu def. N Davydenko 6-3
> 6-7(2-7) 6-4
> Not a huge surprise based on current form, but it costs
> Nikolay Davydenko his chance to return to the Top Forty.
>
> Singles – Second Round: K Anderson def. M Matosevic 6-3
> 6-7(5-7) 6-3
> Kevin Anderson defends his points and clinches his Top Forty
> spot. Marinko Matosevic at least can say that it appears he
> will become Australia’s #1!
>
> Doubles – First Round: (1) Nestor/Zimonjic def. (WC)
> Chiudinelli/Lammer 6-0 6-4
> We aren’t going to say anything except that you read the
> name of the winning team correctly.
>
> Doubles – First Round: Kubot/Seppi def. Marach/F Mayer 6-4
> 6-3
>
> Doubles – First Round: Huey/Inglot def. Bellucci/Nieminen
> 6-2 7-5
>
> Doubles – Quarterfinal: (4) Fyrstenberg/Matkowski def.
> Marray/Nielsen 7-5 7-6(8-6)
> An odd match — Fyrstenberg/Matkowski lead Marray/Nielsen in
> the Race, but it’s Marray/Nielsen who have clinched for
> London. The Poles can’t clinch until next week. But this can
> only help….