Men PRO TOUR NEWS – Auckland And Sydney Thursday, January 10, 2013

Written by: Staff on 9th January 2013

Men PRO TOUR NEWS - Auckland And Sydney Thursday, January 10, 2013

epa02818218 The shadow of Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania in action against Roberta Vinci of Italy is seen on the clay during the final match in the singles competition of the Poli-Farbe Budapest Grand Prix WTA tennis tournament, 10 July 2011, in Budapest, Hungary. EPA/TIBOR ILLYES HUNGARY OUT |

Auckland

Singles – Second Round: (1) D Ferrer def. Y Lu 6-4 2-6 6-3

David Ferrer can’t seem to play an easy opening-round match. Not great news for the defending champion — although he doesn’t need the points.

Singles – Second Round: (2) P Kohlschreiber def. A Falla 7-6(7-4) 4-6 6-3

We’re suddenly seeing an interesting contest to see who is Germany’s #1. Philipp Kohlschreiber still leads (he’s #19 in safe points), but…

Singles – Second Round: (3) T Haas def. (Q) I Sijsling 6-3 6-4

Tommy Haas is #21 in safe points, and only 30 points behind Kohlschreiber, and Haas is already adding points while Kohlschreiber needs a final to add. So Haas has a real shot at moving up if he can win his next match.

Singles – Second Round: (4) S Querrey def. (WC) O Rochus 7-5 6-3

Last year’s finalist Olivier Rochus will be losing his Top Hundred spot.

Singles – Second Round: L Lacko def. (8) T Bellucci 6-3 7-5

Thomaz Bellucci loses his chance for a Top Thirty spot. Lukas Lacko is now about a hundred points from the Top Forty.

Singles – Second Round: (WC) G Monfils def. (Q) G Jones 6-4 6-2

Back-to-back quarterfinals for Gael Monfils. Definitely promising.

Singles – Second Round: (Q) J Levine def. B Baker 7-5 6-4

Brian Baker is winning his share of first round matches, but it’s hard to climb in the rankings that way! He again falls short of the Top Fifty.

Singles – Second Round: X Malisse def. S Giraldo 7-6(8-6) 6-4

Xavier Malisse always seems to start the year strong. He also always seems to fade….

Doubles – First Round: Becker/Melzer def. Butorac/Hanley 7-6(7-5) 7-6(8-6)

Doubles – First Round: Brunstrom/Nielsen def. (WC) Sitak/Statham 6-3 6-2

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (3) Knowle/Polasek def. Hanescu/Klizan 6-2 7-5

Sydney

Singles – Second Round: (Q) R Harrison def. (1) J Isner 6-4 6-4

John Isner of course had trouble in Hopman Cup. He perhaps shouldn’t have tried to play, but at an event that was losing “names” right and left, he at least made the attempt. He didn’t have much chance to move anyway; he needed a title to earn any points.

Singles – Second Round: (3) A Seppi def. (WC) J Millman 6-2 3-6 6-3

The good news is, Andreas Seppi is the top seed left here. The bad news is, he’s going to need at least a final to help his ranking.

Singles – Second Round: D Istomin def. (4) F Verdasco 6-3 6-3

Winning Hopman Cup wasn’t the greatest news for Spain; both members of their winning team stumbled badly this week. Which means that Fernando Verdasco won’t rise above #24.

Singles – Second Round: B Tomic def. (5) F Mayer 7-6(7-4) 6-2

Bernard Tomic is clearly back in his best form: “I think… before I got carried away; I started over-thinking. Now it’s just who I play on that day. I don’t look too much ahead now and just focus on who I have to play and play as best as I can. That’s what I’m doing.” It certainly seems to be working. He leaves Florian Mayer still stuck at #28.

Singles – Second Round: J Benneteau def. (6) R Stepanek 0-0 40/15 retired (Back)

This doesn’t affect Radek Stepanek’s singles ranking — but his doubles title at the Australian Open comes off next week. So this looks like very bad news. On the other hand, it’s big for Julien Benneteau, who is defending finalist points. He’s still below #40 in safe points — but there are no seeds left in the top half, and Benneteau is the highest-ranked player still there. So maybe he can defend those points after all.

Singles – Second Round: (8) M Granollers def. F Fognini 6-2 7-6(7-4)

Just Marcel Granollers’s luck: He’s one of only two seeds left in the field — but he has to face the other one (Seppi) next, and he needs to win that to make an appreciable move.

Singles – Second Round: K Anderson def. F Lopez 6-3 6-4

Kevin Anderson is the other top guy left in the top half, so he too has chances. He leaves Feliciano Lopez still below #40.

Singles – Second Round: J Nieminen def. (LL) I Klec 6-3 6-1

Jarkko Nieminen was supposed to face Gilles Simon, but Simon had to pull out with a neck problem. (Amazing how many injuries we’re already seeing….) That put Ivo Klec in the main draw despite a rnaking below #400, and let Jarkko Nieminen extend his winning streak here. But Nieminen is still below the Top Fifty in safe points.

Doubles – First Round: Bhupathi/Nestor def. (WC) Ebden/Matosevic 3-6 7-6(7-2) 10-8

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (1) Bryan/Bryan def. Benneteau/Llodra 6-3 6-2

Doubles – Quarterfinal: Marrero/Verdasco def. (2) Paes/Stepanek walkover (Stepanek – Back)

This might have been a pretty good match had Radek Stepanek been healthy — Marrero/Verdasco have turned into a pretty good team — but, of course, it simply shows that Paes and Stepanek have a tough road ahead of them next week….

Doubles – Quarterfinal: (3) Granollers/Lopez def. Chardy/Kubot 3-6 6-4 13-11

©Daily tennis news wire

Topics: Auckland, David Ferrer, Hopman Cup, John Isner, Sports, Sydney Tennis News, Tennis, Xavier Malisse