Men Tennis Update – Miami Sunday, March 24, 2013

Written by: Staff on 23rd March 2013

Men Tennis Update - Miami Sunday, March 24, 2013

epa03626570 Andy Murray of Great Britain hits a return against Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina during the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 15 March 2013. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

Miami

SATURDAY MATCHES

Singles – Second Round: (2) A Murray def. B Tomic 6-3 6-1

Andy Murray starts his run at taking the #2 ranking from Roger Federer — and leaves Bernard Tomic still below #40.

Singles – Second Round: (4) T Berdych def. D Gimeno-Traver 5-7 7-6(7-3) 6-2

Maybe it’s just as well that Tomas Berdych has clinched the #6 ranking; this was at least as tough as the score. Daniel Gimeno-Traver will likely stay just above #50.

Singles – Second Round: (6) J Tsonga def. V Troicki 7-6(8-6) 6-3

Still no sign of a real solution to Viktor Troicki’s problems. He loses a few more points and will remain around #45.

Singles – Second Round: (8) R Gasquet def. (Q) O Rochus 7-5 6-2

Richard Gasquet stays on Janko Tipsarevic’s heels in the contest for the #9 ranking. Olivier Rochus at least earns a little cash to carry him to his next qualifying event….

Singles – Second Round: (9) M Cilic def. S Giraldo 6-2 7-6(7-5)

Marin Cilic defends his points, but he’s still some 350 points away from the Top Ten.

Singles – Second Round: (10) N Almagro def. (WC) G Pella 6-0 6-3

Nicolas Almagro has an outside shot at the Top Ten this week. It’s probably impossible in practice, but it looks as if he’s going to give it his best.

Singles – Second Round: (14) M Raonic def. (Q) G Rufin 6-2 6-4

Milos Raonic defends his points. That doesn’t clinch a Top Fifteen spot for him, but it’s a good bet.

Singles – Second Round: (16) A Seppi def. A Bedene 7-5 5-7 7-5

If time spent on court were points, Andreas Seppi would probably be approaching the Top Fifteen now. But in the the real world, he’s still only #19 and will need at least one more win to climb.

Singles – Second Round: (17) S Querrey def. L Kubot 4-6 6-3 6-3

Sam Querrey will probably need more than this to stay Top Twenty, so this is a somewhat scary start.

Singles – Second Round: D Goffin def. (18) P Kohlschreiber 7-6(7-5) 4-6 6-2

This, at least, helps Querrey’s Top Twenty hopes; Philipp Kohlschreiber was the next player down the rankings, and he can’t make the Top Twenty now. This should suffice to keep David Goffin Top Fifty.

Singles – Second Round: (20) J Isner def. I Dodig 4-6 7-5 7-6(7-5)

Could this finally, finally be the match that gets John Isner over his funk? Ivan Dodig served for the match in the third set of this, and Isner broke him and went on to win the tiebreak. No help to his ranking, but it has to be an emotional boost.

Singles – Second Round: T Bellucci def. (21) J Janowicz 7-6(7-5) 3-6 6-3

The carnage among the low seeds here has been amazing; this meant that every seed from #21 to #24 was out. That means Jerzy Janowicz won’t climb above #24. Thomaz Bellucci is still around #40, but could start climbing significantly if he can win any more matches.

Singles – Second Round: J Nieminen def. (27) M Klizan 6-2 6-2

Martin Klizan continues to struggle this spring; he seems permanently stuck around #30. And, while he doesn’t have anything to defend this week, that won’t last much longer.

Singles – Second Round: (28) M Youzhny def. Y Lu 6-3 1-6 6-0

Mikhail Youzhny didn’t play last year, so this appears to be enough points to clinch his Top Thirty spot.

Singles – Second Round: (29) G Dimitrov def. S Bolelli 6-4 1-1, retired

The heat may have contributed to this, but still… another retirement? This place is jinxed.

Doubles – First Round: (2) Granollers/M Lopez def. Simon/Troicki 6-3 6-1

With the Bryans out, this is potentially a big opportunity for Granollers/Lopez. They can’t get to #1, but they can build a lead over the non-Bryans of the world.

Doubles – First Round: (8) Fyrstenberg/Matkowski def. Bellucci/Zeballos walkover

Zeballos is already out of the singles, but Bellucci is still in. Let’s hope this isn’t contagious….

Doubles – First Round: Haas/Malisse def. Melzer/Petzschner 6-4 6-1

Doubles – First Round: Bopanna/Ram def. Butorac/Hanley 7-6(10-8) 6-4

Doubles – First Round: Kubot/Tipsarevic def. Fleming/Marray 3-6 7-6(11-9) 13-11

FRIDAY MATCHES

Post-Rain Results

Singles – Second Round: (1) N Djokovic def. L Rosol 6-1 6-0

As expected: Out in the second round for Lukas Rosol. It doesn’t make much difference for Novak Djokovic; his #1 ranking is safe.

Singles – Second Round: T Kamke def. (5) J Del Potro 7-6(7-5) 6-1

This is pretty shocking, obviously. Juan Martin del Potro falls out of the contest for #6; Tomas Berdych has now clinched that spot.

Singles – Second Round: (11) G Simon def. (WC) L Hewitt 6-3 6-3

Gilles Simon needs one more win to defend his points, but looks likely to stay #13 no matter what.

Singles – Second Round: (26) K Anderson def. H Zeballos 6-3 7-6(7-4)

This ought to keep Kevin Anderson in the Top Thirty. Horacio Zeballos will remain below #35.

Singles – Second Round: S Devvarman def. (LL) E Roger-Vasselin 4-6 6-4 7-5

Edouard Roger-Vasselin made the main draw when Feliciano Lopez pulled out — his left (serving) wrist is acting up again. Lopez wasn’t defending anything, but this means he will stay below the Top Thirty.

Doubles – First Round: Mirnyi/Youzhny def. (1) Bryan/Bryan 6-4 2-6 10-5

The Bryans will stay #1, but still — wow. A big opportunity for someone here.

Doubles – First Round: Marrero/Verdasco def. (6) Peya/Soares 7-5 6-4

Not really a big surprise. Had Fernando Verdasco been able to stay healthy this spring, he and Marrero might have been the seeds here.

Pre-Rain Results (already sent)

Singles – Second Round: (3) D Ferrer def. (Q) D Tursunov walkover

This made it six matches here ended by a player’s debility. Particularly depressing for Dmitry Tursunov, since he was just starting to play well again!

Singles – Second Round: (7) J Tipsarevic def. (Q) D Sela 6-2 6-4

Janko Tipsarevic’s Top Ten ranking is looking pretty secure, but there is no way he can rise above #9 this week.

Singles – Second Round: A Ramos def. (12) J Monaco 6-2 4-6 6-3

Juan Monaco seems to love to produce surprises around here. Last year, it was by making the semifinal. This year, it was by losing early. Naturally, he loses a pile of points — and his Top Fifteen ranking. He is currently at #18 in safe points; it’s just possible that he will end up below #20.

Singles – Second Round: (13) K Nishikori def. V Hanescu 6-3 6-3

Kei Nishikori needs one more win to defend his points, but his chances of staying Top Fifteen look fairly good no matter what.

Singles – Second Round: (15) T Haas def. I Sijsling 6-0 5-7 6-3

Nishikori’s #15 spot looks fairly safe because Tommy Haas is the next active player, and even with this win, he’s 155 points behind Nishikori.

Singles – Second Round: (19) A Dolgopolov def. N Davydenko 6-2 6-3

There will be no Top Forty spot for Nikolay Davydenko after all; it appears he will fall just short.

Singles – Second Round: X Malisse def. (22) J Chardy 6-3 6-2

Jeremy Chardy became the first seed to fall. He wasn’t defending anything, so he won’t fall much, but this puts his Top 25 ranking in some slight danger.

Singles – Second Round: G Zemlja def. (23) F Mayer 6-3 7-6(7-3)

Florian Mayer wasn’t far behind Chardy in the race out the door; he’s having a thoroughly unmemorable year. And he made the fourth round last year. He’ll probably lose two or three spots.

Singles – Second Round: (WC) J Blake def. (24) J Benneteau 6-2 6-3

This is turning into a nice turnaround event for James Blake. He leaves Julien Benneteau still below #25.

Singles – Second Round: J Melzer def. (31) M Granollers 6-3 6-4

Another Top Thirty chance lost by Marcel Granollers. Jurgen Melzer is still below the Top Forty, but he is within striking distance of a return.

Singles – Second Round: (32) F Fognini def. M Llodra 6-4 6-1

Fabio Fognini missed this event last year, so every point here is a bonus; he is getting close to the Top Thirty.

Doubles – First Round: (3) Bhupathi/Nestor def. Gasquet/Roger-Vasselin 7-6(7-3) 6-3

Doubles – First Round: (4) Lindstedt/Zimonjic def. Klizan/Seppi 7-6(9-7) 6-4

Doubles – First Round: Cilic/Dlouhy def. Bracciali/Knowle 7-6(12-10) 6-2

Topics: Andy Murray, Bernard Tomic, Miami, sony open tennis, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Tomas Berdych