Rome
Singles – Quarterfinal: (6) T Berdych def. (1) N Djokovic 2-6 7-5 6-4
Tomas Berdych is better known for giving away gifts than for taking them, but in this case, he latched on to what was offered. Novak Djokovic seemed to be cruising along — and then it was as if he relaxed a little too soon and let Berdych back into the match. And Berdych, for once, didn’t let go. It doesn’t make any short-term difference; Djokovic remains #1 and Berdych is still at #6..
Singles – Quarterfinal: (2) R Federer def. J Janowicz 6-4 7-6(7-2)
Roger Federer trailed by a break for much of the second set before getting it back. He blew a couple of break chances in the twelfth game, but then dominated the tiebreak. He can’t get back to #2 this week, but maybe Roland Garros will give him a chance — after all, Andy Murray is hurting. This comes close to settling the Paris seeds; see the Feature.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (5) R Nadal def. (4) D Ferrer 6-4 4-6 6-2
For the second straight week, David Ferrer really made Rafael Nadal work. Work for two and three-quarter hours, in fact. But, for the second straight week, Ferrer lost. And that means that Nadal still has his shot at the #4 Roland Garros seed. Win Rome, and it’s his. Anything else and it’s Ferrer’s. Nadal will, of course, be very tired. But — he’s Rafael Nadal. And the rest of the field is pretty depleted.
Singles – Quarterfinal: B Paire def. M Granollers 6-1 6-0
Benoit Paire just doesn’t know when to stop. He had already clinched a Roland Garros seed — but he kept winning anyway. With this, he has secured his Top Thirty ranking — and denied Marcel Granollers his Paris seed (barring withdrawals). The seed list is now set, although the order could still change.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (1) Bryan/Bryan def. Marrero/Verdasco 6-4 7-5
Doubles – Quarterfinal: S Gonzalez/Lipsky def. (2) Granollers/M Lopez 1-6 6-4 10-6
After the way he played in singles, the surprise here may be that Marcel Granollers made it close.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (5) Mirnyi/Tecau def. (3) Lindstedt/Nestor 7-6(7-5) 6-4
Meetings of ex-partners are almost always interesting, especially in cases like this where two teams swapped partners with each other. Neither of the new teams has been particularly successful so far. This is interesting because the two younger members of the former teams paired up against the older members — and the younger members won. Another hint, perhaps, that Daniel Nestor is finally getting old.
Roland Garros Seed Update — Men
Not much news, except for #4. The seed list:
1. Djokovic
2. Murray
3. Federer
4. Ferrer, Nadal. It’s Nadal if he wins Rome, otherwise Ferrer.
5. Ferrer or Nadal
6. Berdych
7. del Potro
8. Tsonga.
#9-#12 are Richard Gasquet, Janko Tipsarevic, Stanislas Wawrinka, and Marin Cilic. #13-#16 are Nicolas Almagro, Tommy Haas, Kei Nishikori, and Milos Raonic.
#17-#24 will be Gilles Simon, Juan Monaco, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Sam Querrey, John Isner, Andreas Seppi, Jerzy Janowicz, and probably Alexander Dolgopolov, although Benoit Paire still has a shot. Rounding out the seeds are Kevin Anderson, Jeremy Chardy, Grigor Dimitrov, Fabio Fognini, Florian Mayer, Mikhail Youzhny, Paire, and Julien Benneteau.
Alternates are Martin Klizan, Marcel Granollers, Lukas Rosol, Jurgen Melzer, and Tommy Robredo.
RANKINGS
Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings
As of May 17, 2013
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Djokovic……….12310
2..(2) Murray………….8750
3..(3) Federer…………7760
4..(4) Ferrer………….6740
5..(5) Nadal…………..6255
6..(6) Berdych…………4700
7..(7) Del Potro……….4320
8..(8) Tsonga………….3795
9..(9) Gasquet…………3090
10.(11) Tipsarevic………2640
11.(10) Wawrinka………..2630
12.(13) Cilic…………..2570
13.(12) Almagro…………2490
14.(14) Haas……………2340
15.(15) Nishikori……….2315
16.(16) Raonic………….2225
17.(17) Simon…………..1940
18.(18) Monaco………….1750
19.(22) Kohlschreiber……1750
20.(19) Querrey…………1730
21.(20) Isner…………..1690
22.(21) Seppi…………..1530
23.(24) Janowicz………..1518
24.(23) Dolgopolov………1500
25.(27) Anderson………..1420
26.(36) Paire…………..1405
27.(29) Chardy………….1371
28.(26) Dimitrov………..1355
29.(25) Fognini…………1345
30.(28) Mayer…………..1295
DRAWS
Rome — Week of May 13
……………..3R……………QF…………SF
1 Djokovic…….(1)Djokovic……Djokovic
15 Wawrinka……Dolgopolov
11 Cilic………Anderson
6 Berdych……..(6)Berdych…….Berdych…….Berdych
4 Ferrer………(4)Ferrer……..Ferrer
14 Raonic……..Kohlschreiber
10 Tipsarevic….Gulbis(Q)
5 Nadal……….(5)Nadal………Nadal………Nadal
7 del Potro……(7)del Potro
12 Almagro…….Paire…………Paire………Paire
16 Nishikori…..Chardy
3 Murray………Granollers…….Granollers
8 Tsonga………Janowicz………Janowicz
9 Gasquet……..(9)Gasquet
13 Haas……….Simon
2 Federer……..(2)Federer…….Federer…….Federer
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Djokovic………lost QF (Berdych)
2 Federer
3 Murray………..lost 2R (Granollers)
4 Ferrer………..lost QF (Nadal)
5 Nadal
6 Berdych
7 del Potro……..lost 3R (Paire)
8 Tsonga………..lost 2R (Janowicz)
9 Gasquet……….lost 3R (Janowicz)
10 Tipsarevic……WITHDREW (replaced by Rosol)
11 Cilic………..lost 2R (Anderson)
12 Almagro………lost 1R (Benneteau)
13 Haas…………lost 1R (Youzhny)
14 Raonic……….lost 1R (Kohlschreiber)
15 Wawrinka……..WITHDREW from 2R
16 Nishikori…….lost 2R (Chardy)
Dusseldorf — Week of May 20
1 Tipsarevic
–bye
Qualifier
Qualifier
Goffin
Zemlja
Russel
7 Troicki
3 Monaco (WC)
–bye
Soeda
Qualifier
Kamke
Becker (WC)
Tursunov
8 Davydenko
5 Rosol
Brands
Hajek
Donskoy
Qualifier
Sijsling
–bye
4 Kohlschreiber
6 Nieminen
Lacko
Bautista Agut
Muller
Kavcic
Dodig
–bye
2 Haas (WC)
FRIDAY
Rome
Singles – Quarterfinal
(6) T Berdych def. (1) N Djokovic 2-6 7-5 6-4
(2) R Federer def. J Janowicz 6-4 7-6(7-2)
(5) R Nadal def. (4) D Ferrer 6-4 4-6 6-2
B Paire def. M Granollers 6-1 6-0
Doubles – Quarterfinal
(1) Bryan/Bryan def. Marrero/Verdasco 6-4 7-5
S Gonzalez/Lipsky def. (2) Granollers/M Lopez 1-6 6-4 10-6
(5) Mirnyi/Tecau def. (3) Lindstedt/Nestor 7-6(7-5) 6-4