TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS
Winston-Salem
Singles – Semifinal: (9) J Melzer def. (6) S Querrey 6-2 4-6 6-3
Surprising to see Jurgen Melzer do so well, given the year he has been having. Even more surprising to see it on an outdoor hardcourt, probably his worst surface historically. He’s up to about #29 — and Sam Querrey, even though he defended his points, appears to be out of the Top Thirty.
Singles – Semifinal: (15) G Monfils def. (10) A Dolgopolov 7-6(11-9) 6-3
The Great Gael Monfils Comeback continues. He fell behind early but came back strong — and, in consequence, he’s back in the Top Forty. Right behind Alexandr Dolgopolov, in fact, who added points but remains stuck at no better than #38.
Doubles – Semifinal: Inglot/Huey def. Begemann/Emmrich 4-6 6-3 10-5
TODAY’S FEATURE
Men’s Look Forward: U. S. Open
Now we break the tie.
In practical terms, we’ve seen the ATP shift to a “big three” model — Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal. Each has one Slam im 2013. If one of them wins the U. S. Open, he will be the obvious candidate for the year-end #1 — if it’s Nadal, it will become pretty close to certain.
The big question, in that context, was which half #3 seed Murray would end up in. It turned out to be #1 Djokovic’s. #2 Nadal has drawn #4 seed David Ferrer — a match-up that probably doesn’t worry him much. More interesting is the fact that he faces #7 Roger Federer in the quarterfinal. On the other hand, Federer wilted a bit in the third set of their last meeting, and this is best of five….
#1 seed Djokovic’s quarterfinal is against #6 Juan Martin del Potro. Murray has drawn #5 Tomas Berdych. That makes Ferrer the lucky one in the quarterfinal; he faces #8 Richard Gasquet, who is seeded that high only because Jo-Wilfried Tsonga can’t play and who doesn’t particularly care either for hardcourts or late rounds of Slams.
In the Round of Sixteen, Djokovic faces #16 Fabio Fognini (pretty open-and-shut in terms of the match, but the post-match interviews could be something…). Del Potro is against #12 Tommy Haas. Murray’s opponent is #15 Nicolas Almagro, which shouldn’t be too tough on this court. Berdych faces #9 Stanislas Wawrinka. Gasquet is against #10 Milos Raonic, with Ferrer facing #14 Jerzy Janowicz (a fascinating contrast of skills, that). On tap for Federer is #11 Kei Nishikori. And Nadal would have a rematch with #13 John Isner, whom he just edged in Cincinnati.
In the third round, we have Djokovic against #25 Grigor Dimitrov, Fognini versus #24 Benoit Paire, Haas taking on #21 Mikhail Youzhny, Del Potro opposed by #29 Jurgen Melzer, Murray versus #28 Juan Monaco, Almagro up against #20 Andreas Seppi, Wawrinka facing #17 Kevin Anderson (a lot of potential upsets in that part of the draw), Berdych taking on #31 Julien Benneteau, Gasquet facing in-form #32 Dmitry Tursunov, Raonic matching serves with #23 Feliciano Lopez, Janowicz’s big power against the returns of slumping #18 Janko Tipsarevic, Ferrer opposing upset artist #30 Ernests Gulbis, Federer dealing with American #2 Sam Querrey (seeded #26), Nishikori against #19 Tommy Robredo, Isner and his big serves facing the defense of #22 Philipp Kohlschreier, and Nadal facing his countryman #27 Fernando Verdasco.
Looking for interesting early round matches, Dimitrov will take on Jarkko Nieminen in round two. Murray has to start against tricky but fading Michael Llodra. Monaco’s path runs through Florian Mayer and Martin Klizan. Almagro starts against Denis Istomin. Wawrinka opes against Radek Stepanek. Benneteau’s second round is likely to be against Jeremy Chardy. Nishikori could face Bernard Tomic in that round. Isner might be against Gael Monfils. Verdasco opens against Ivan Dodig, then maybe Nikolay Davydenko. And Nadal’s path leads through two of the best young North Americans, Ryan Harrison (in on a wildcard) ad Vasek Pospisil.
The Rankings
You probably remember all the hoopla when Andy Murray won his first Slam here last year. Novak Djokovic was the finalist. David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych were semifinalists; Roger Federer, Marin Cilic (who isn’t in the draw), Janko Tipsarevic, and Juan Martin del Potro were quarterfinalists. Rafael Nadal didn’t play, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (missing this year) lost second round, and Richard Gasquet and Stanislas Wawrinka went out in the Round of Sixteen. That gives us this Top Ten in safe points:
1..(1) Djokovic………..9790
2..(2) Nadal…………..8870
3..(3) Murray………….6710
4..(4) Ferrer………….6500
5..(6) Del Potro……….4390
6..(5) Berdych…………4365
7..(7) Federer…………4345
8..(8) Tsonga………….3425
9..(9) Gasquet…………2455
10.(10) Wawrinka………..2440
There are many interesting things about this list. Starting from the bottom, Gasquet and Wawrinka are just about tied, so the one who loses first will be in grave danger of falling out of the Top Ten. Similarly, Federer, Berdych, and del Potro are effectively tied; whichever lasts longest will be #5. (With Tsonga out, the players below them have no shot at moving up.)
Murray and Ferrer are also pretty close to tied. There is a real chance that Murray could fall to #4.
But the big news is at #1. Novak Djokovic’s lead on Rafael Nadal is only about 900 points, and this is a 2000 point event. So if Nadal can win the title, facing anyone other than Djokovic in the final, he will return to #1. If Djokovic loses before the quarterfinal, Nadal can become #1 with just a final.
Cilic will fall to around #25, and Tipsarevic could be around #35.
THIS WEEK IN TENNIS
THIS WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:
Winston-Salem (250/Hard). Defending Champion: John Isner
NEXT WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:
U. S. Open (Slam/Hard). Defending Champion: Andy Murray
STATS AND FACTS
RANKINGS
Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings
As of August 23, 2013
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Djokovic……….10980
2..(2) Nadal…………..8860
3..(3) Murray………….8700
4..(4) Ferrer………….7210
5..(5) Berdych…………5075
6..(6) Del Potro……….4740
7..(7) Federer…………4695
8..(8) Tsonga………….3470
9..(9) Gasquet…………2625
10.(10) Wawrinka………..2610
11.(11) Raonic………….2555
12.(12) Nishikori……….2405
13.(13) Haas……………2185
14.(15) Janowicz………..2113
15.(16) Almagro…………2110
16.(17) Simon…………..2040
17.(14) Isner…………..2025
18.(18) Fognini…………2025
19.(19) Cilic…………..1805
20.(20) Anderson………..1740
21.(21) Tipsarevic………1685
22.(22) Robredo…………1620
23.(23) Seppi…………..1550
24.(24) Youzhny…………1475
25.(25) Kohlschreiber……1445
26.(26) Lopez…………..1435
27.(27) Paire…………..1415
28.(28) Dimitrov………..1375
29.(32) Melzer………….1325
30.(30) Verdasco………..1315
DRAWS
Winston Salem — Week of August 19
……………….3R…………….QF………..SF…………F
1 Berdych (WC)…..Berankis……….Berankis
14 Klizan……….bautista Agut
11 Nieminen……..(11)Nieminen
6 Querrey……….(6)Querrey……..Querrey…..Querrey
3 Isner…………Bogomolov
13 Tursunov……..(13)Tursunov……Tursunov
9 Melzer………..(9)Melzer………Melzer……Melzer……..Melzer
5 Paire…………(5)Paire
7 Verdasco (WC)…(7)Verdasco(WC)….Verdasco
12 Rosol……….Haase
15 Monfils……..(15)Monfils……..Monfils…..Monfils…….Monfils
4 Robredo………(4)Robredo
8 Monaco……….(8)Monaco
10 Dolgopolov…..(10)Dolgopolov…..Dolgopolov..Dolgopolov
16 Andujar……..Lu……………..Lu
2 Seppi………..Johnson(Q)
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Berdych (WC)…….WITHDREW
2 Seppi…………..lost 2R (Johnson)
3 Isner…………..WITHDREW
4 Robredo…………lost 3R (Monfils)
5 Paire…………..lost 3R (Melzer)
6 Querrey…………lost SF (Melzer)
7 Verdasco (WC)……lost QF (Monfils)
8 Monaco………….lost 3R (Dolgopolov)
9 Melzer
10 Dolgopolov……..lost SF (Monfils)
11 Nieminen……….lost 3R (Querrey)
12 Rosol………….lost 2R (Haase)
13 Tursunov……….lost QF (Melzer)
14 Klizan…………lost 2R (Bautista Agut)
15 Monfils
16 Andujar………..lost 2R (Lu)
U. S. Open — Week of August 26
1 Djokovic
Berankis
Becker
Rosol
Kubot
Nieminen
Sousa
25 Dimitrov
24 Paire
Bogomolov
Smyczek (WC)
Duckworth (WC)
Zopp
Granollers
Ram
16 Fognini
12 Haas
Mathieu
Lu
Gimeno-Traver
Goffin
Dolgopolov
Mahut
21 Youzhny
29 Melzer
Donskoy
Sijsling
Qualifier (Q)
Hewitt
Baker (WC)
Garcia-Lopez
6 Del Potro
3 Murray
Llodra
Hanescu
L Mayer
Qualifier (Q)
Klizan
F Mayer
28 Monaco
20 Seppi
Malisse
Lacko
Qualifier (Q)
Kamke
Johnson
Istomin
15 Almagro
9 Wawrinka
Stepanek
Blake
Qualifier (Q)
Baghdatis
Qualifier (Q)
Brands
17 Anderson
31 Benneteau
Przysiezny
Stakhovsky
Chardy
Vesely
Kudla
Lorenzi
5 Berdych
8 Gasquet
Russell
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Struff
Rufin (WC)
Bedene
32 Tursunov
23 Lopez
Qualifier (Q)
De Schepper
Klahn (WC)
Andujar
De Bakker
Qualifier (Q)
10 Raonic
14 Janowicz
Qualifier (Q)
Sock
Qualifier (Q)
Kuznetsov
Sela
Cuevas
18 Tipsarevic
30 Gulbis
Haider-Maurer
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Bautista Agut
Bellucci
Qualifier (Q)
4 Ferrer
7 Federer
Zemlja
Giraldo
Berlocq
Zeballos
Mannarino
Pella
26 Querrey
19 Robredo
Matosevic
Haase
Qualifier (Q)
Ramos
Tomic
Qualifier (Q)
11 Nishikori
13 Isner
Volandri
Ungur
Monfils
Montanes
Roger-Vasselin
Altamirano (WC)
22 Kohlschreiber
27 Verdasco
Dodig
Williams (WC)
Davydenko
Qualifier (Q)
Pospisil
Harrison (WC)
2 Nadal
SCORES
FRIDAY
Winston-Salem
Singles – Semifinal
(9) J Melzer def. (6) S Querrey 6-2 4-6 6-3
(15) G Monfils def. (10) A Dolgopolov 7-6(11-9) 6-3
Doubles – Semifinal
Inglot/Huey def. Begemann/Emmrich 4-6 6-3 10-5
********
TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS
New Haven
Singles – Semifinal: (3) Petra Kvitova def. Klara Zakopalova 6-0 6-1
Finally an easy win for Petra Kvitova (at one stage she won seventeen of eighteen points) — and a noteworthy one, because it means she will stay Top Ten even if Marion Bartoli’s name stays on the rankings. If Bartoli goes off, then Kvitova will be #9.
Singles – Semifinal: Simona Halep def. (4) Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 7-5
This was mostly about Caroline Wozniacki, who after a good day on Thursday was very wild on Friday. But still, Simona Halep finished it off to reach the biggest final of her career. She also reaches a career high #20 (#19 if Marion Bartoli goes off).
Doubles – Semifinal: (2) Medina Garrigues/Srebotnik def. (4) Huber/Llagostera Vives 4-6 7-5 10-1
THIS WEEK IN TENNIS
THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:
New Haven (Premier/Hard). Defending Champion: Petra Kvitova
NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:
U. S. Open (Slam/Hard). Defending Champion: Serena Williams
STATS AND FACTS
RANKINGS
Estimated WTA Rankings As of August 23, 2013
Rank &
Prior
Rank….Name…………..Points
1..(1) SWilliams ……… 12260
2..(2) Azarenka ………..9505
3..(3) Sharapova ……… 8766
4..(4) RAadwanska ………6335
5..(5) ERRANI ………….5125
6..(6) Li ……………..4825
7..(7) Bartoli ……….. 4246
8..(8) WOZNIACKI ……… 3490
9.(10) KERBER ………….3420
10..(9) KVITOVA ……….. 3290*
11.(13) Stosur ………….3210
12.(11) Jankovic ………..3125
13.(12) VINCI …………. 3065
14.(14) Flipkens ………..2961
15.(15) Ivanovic ………..2940
16.(17) STEPHENS ………..2925
17.(16) Kirilenko ……… 2620
18.(18) LISICKI ……….. 2615
19.(20) SUAREZ NAVARRO …..2375
20.(23) HALEP …………. 2300*
21.(19) CIBULKOVA ……… 2281
22.(21) CIRSTEA ……….. 2250
23.(22) Petrova ……….. 2212
24.(24) VESNINA ……….. 2127
25.(26) MAKAROVA ………..1935
26.(25) Hampton ……….. 1881
27.(27) Kanepi ………….1781
28.(28) Cornet ………….1730
29.(29) Kuznetsova ………1679
30.(33) ZAKOPALOVA ………1600
DRAWS
New Haven — Week of August 19
……………..QF……………SF………….F
1 Errani………Makarova
5 Vinci……….Halep…………Halep……….Halep
4 Wozniacki……(4)Wozniacki…..Wozniacki
6 Stephens (WC)..(6)Stephens(WC)
7 Lisicki……..Pavlyuchenkova
3 Kvitova……..(3)Kvitova…….Kvitova…….Kvitova
8 Cibulkova……Zakopalova…….Zakopalova
2 Kerber………Vesnina
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Errani……….lost 2R (Makarova)
2 Kerber……….lost 2R (Vesnina)
3 Kvitova
4 Wozniacki…….lost SF (Halep)
5 Vinci………..lost 1R (Suarez Navarro)
6 Stephens (WC)…lost QF (Wozniacki)
7 Lisicki………lost 2R (Pavlyuchenkova)
8 Cibulkova…….lost 1R (Knapp)
U. S. Open — Week of August 26
1 Williams
Schiavone
Voskoboeva
Niculescu
Shvedova
Puchkova
Qualifier (Q)
29 Rybarikova
23 Hampton
Arruabarrena
Mladenovic
Medina Garrigues
Begu
U Radwanska
Minella
15 Stephens
12 Flipkens
V Williams
Bertens
Zheng
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Davis
18 .Suarez Navarro
25 Kanepi
King (WC)
Voegele
Schmiedlova
Ka Pliskova
Bouchard
Hradecka
8 Kerber
3 A Radwanska
Soler-Espinosa
Torro-Flor
Erakovic
Cabeza Candela
Barty (WC)
Razzano (WC)
32 Pavlyuchenkova
24 Makarova
Hercog
Johansson
Mattek-Sands
Ormaechea
Date-Krumm
Qualifier (Q)
16 Lisicki
9 Jankovic
Keys
Puig
Kleybanova
Qualifier (Q)
Cadantu
Qualifier (Q)
19 Cirstea
30 Robson
Dominguez Lino
Garcia
Rogers (WC)
Cetkovska
Arvidsson
Govortsova
5 Li
6 Wozniacki
Qualifier (Q)
Scheepers
Qualifier (Q)
Cepelova
Qualifier (Q)
Hsieh
31 Zakopalova
22 Vesnina
Beck
Knapp
Qualifier (Q)
Tsurenko
Safarova
Babos
10 Vinci
14 Kirilenko
Wickmayer
Qualifier (Q)
Daniilidou
Vekic
Duque-Marino
Watson
21 Halep
27 Kuznetsova
Burdette
Peng
Meusburger
Gibbs (WC)
Pennetta
Morita
4 Errani
7 Kvitova
Doi
Jovanovski
Petkovic
Pironkova
Riske (WC)
Larsson
28 Barthel
20 Petrova
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Vickery (WC)
Sanchez (WC)
Hantuchova
Qualifier (Q)
11 Stosur
13 Ivanovic
Tatishvili
Lepchenko
Dulgheru
Goerges
McHale
Svitolina
17 Cibulkova
26 Cornet
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Wozniak
Dolonc
Pfizenmaier
2 Azarenka
SCORES
FRIDAY
New Haven
Singles – Semifinal
(3) Petra Kvitova def. Klara Zakopalova 6-0 6-1
Simona Halep def. (4) Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 7-5
Doubles – Semifinal
(2) Medina Garrigues/Srebotnik def. (4) Huber/Llagostera Vives 4-6 7-5 10-1
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