****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******
* Del Potro cruises past Almagro; one win away from London clinch
* Tsonga improves chances with easy win over Mayer
* Djokovic survives scare from Monfils; Nadal overcomes Wawrinka
****** TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS ******
Shanghai
Singles – Quarterfinal: (1) N Djokovic def. G Monfils 6-7(4-7) 6-2 6-4
For a while, it looked as if the contest for the year-end #1 was going to end right here. As it is, this will likely handicap Novak Djokovic for the rest of the event — he was out there for about two hours and twenty minutes. We show Gael Monfils at #31.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (2) R Nadal def. (8) S Wawrinka 7-6(12-10) 6-1
This was pretty long, too (more than an hour and three-quarters), but the bottom line is, Rafael Nadal isn’t giving Novak Djokovic any help at all in the contest for the year-end #1. He isn’t helping Stanislas Wawrinka’s Race hopes, either. Wawrinka added points, and climbs in the Race — but, ironically, will fall in the rankings, from #8 to #9.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (6) J del Potro def. (15) N Almagro 6-3 6-3
A nice recovery for Juan Martin del Potro, considering how he felt a few days earlier. We don’t know just when he will officially qualify for London, but we know that a semifinal would do it for him. And he continues his push to end the year at #4. Nicolas Almagro ought to be #13.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (7) J Tsonga def. F Mayer 6-2 6-3
This should let Jo-Wilfried Tsonga return to #8 in the rankings. More importantly, it boosts his Race chances — we show him rising to #9, ahead of countryman Richard Gasquet; he’s on the heels of Roger Federer. This probably means that there will be at least two spots still in play come Paris. Florian Mayer will have to settle for being around #43 — still a big improvement from the #50 ranking he came in with.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (1) Bryan/Bryan def. Huey/Inglot 7-5 7-6(7-4)
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (8) Marrero/Verdasco def. (2) Granollers/M Lopez 6-3 6-4
This was a contest between the best Spanish doubles team of the first half of the year and the best team of the second half, and the second half won. Marrero/Verdasco are making a strong case for a spot in London, although they haven’t clinched yet.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (5) Dodig/Melo def. (4) Qureshi/Rojer 7-6(7-4) 6-3
Dodig/Melo really are one of the top “stealth” teams on the ATP. It now looks almost certain that they will qualify for London — they came in at #6 in the Race, but this moves them past Qureshi/Roger and Paes/Stepanek to perhaps as high as #4.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: J Murray/Peers def. Lindstedt/Pospisil 3-6 6-3 10-6
Murray/Peers are making a good London case also. They came in at #12, and are still only #10 or so, but they’re making a push; the teams immediately ahead of them (Mirnyi/Tecai, Benneteau/Zimonjic, Gonzalez/Lipsky) haven’t done much this week.
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:
Shanghai (1000/Hard). Defending Champion: Novak Djokovic
NEXT WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:
Moscow (250/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Andreas Seppi
Stockholm (250/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Tomas Berdych
Vienna (250/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Juan Martin del Potro
******** STATS AND FACTS ********
RANKINGS
Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings
As of October 11, 2013
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Nadal………….11520
2..(2) Djokovic……….10480
3..(4) Ferrer………….6800
4..(3) Murray………….6295
5..(5) Del Potro……….5285
6..(6) Berdych…………4340
7..(7) Federer…………4245
8..(9) Tsonga………….3295
9..(8) Wawrinka………..3240
10.(10) Gasquet…………3060
11.(11) Raonic………….2860
12.(12) Haas……………2265
13.(16) Almagro…………2200
14.(13) Isner…………..2070
15.(14) Simon…………..2060
16.(15) Janowicz………..2060
17.(17) Fognini…………1965
18.(18) Nishikori……….1885
19.(19) Robredo…………1830
20.(20) Anderson………..1775
21.(21) Youzhny…………1735
22.(22) Seppi…………..1555
23.(25) Melzer………….1460
24.(23) Kohlschreiber……1445
25.(26) Paire…………..1380
26.(24) Tipsarevic………1355
27.(28) Gulbis………….1341
28.(27) Dimitrov………..1340
29.(29) Dodig…………..1300
30.(30) Lopez…………..1275
**DRAWS
Shanghai — Week of October 7
……………..3R…………..QF……….SF
1 Djokovic…….(1)Djokovic…..Djokovic….Djokovic
16 Robredo…….Fognini
9 Gasquet……..Monfils………Monfils
5 Federer……..(5)Federer
3 Ferrer………(3)Ferrer
13 Simon………Mayer………..Mayer
12 Nishikori…..(12)Nishikori
7 Tsonga………(7)Tsonga…….Tsonga……Tsonga
6 del Potro……(6)del Potro….del Potro…del Potro
11 Haas……….(11)Haas
15 Almagro…….(15)Almagro…..Almagro
4 Berdych……..(4)Berdych
8 Wawrinka…….(8)Wawrinka…..Wawrinka
10 Raonic……..(10)Raonic
14 Isner………Berlocq
2 Nadal……….(2)Nadal……..Nadal…….Nadal
STATUS OF SEEDS
1 Djokovic
2 Nadal
3 Ferrer……..lost 3R (Mayer)
4 Berdych…….lost 3R (Almagro)
5 Federer…….lost 3R (Monfils)
6 del Potro
7 Tsonga
8 Wawrinka……lost QF (Nadal)
9 Gasquet…….lost 1R (Pospisil)
10 Raonic…….lost 3R (Wawrinka)
11 Haas………WITHDREW from 3R
12 Nishikori….lost 3R (Tsonga)
13 Simon……..lost 1R (Paire)
14 Isner……..lost 2R (Berlocq)
15 Almagro……lost QF (del Potro)
16 Robredo……lost 2R (Fognini)
******** SCORES ********
FRIDAY
Shanghai
Singles – Quarterfinal
(1) N Djokovic def. G Monfils 6-7(4-7) 6-2 6-4
(2) R Nadal def. (8) S Wawrinka 7-6(12-10) 6-1
(6) J del Potro def. (15) N Almagro 6-3 6-3
(7) J Tsonga def. F Mayer 6-2 6-3
Doubles – Quarterfinal
(1) Bryan/Bryan def. Huey/Inglot 7-5 7-6(7-4)
(8) Marrero/Verdasco def. (2) Granollers/M Lopez 6-3 6-4
(5) Dodig/Melo def. (4) Qureshi/Rojer 7-6(7-4) 6-3
J Murray/Peers def. Lindstedt/Pospisil 3-6 6-3 10-6
****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******
* Stephens out of Race after marathon loss to Voegele
* Kerber beats Mayr-Achleitner to clinch anyway
* Three remaining seeds win in Osaka
****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******
Osaka
Singles – Quarterfinal: (3) Samantha Stosur def. Misaki Doi 6-1 3-6 6-3
Samantha Stosur defends her points — something she hasn’t managed very often lately. She hasn’t moved in the rankings yet, but she can rise to #19 if she wins her next match. And she is the highest-ranked player in the draw.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (5) Eugenie Bouchard def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 2-6 6-4 6-1
This will very likely take Eugenie Bouchard to #32 — and she is the only seed left in the bottom half. An Australian Open seed is looking very likely.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (6) Madison Keys def. Zheng Jie 6-3 6-1
Madison Keys is up to probably #36, so she too has Australian Open seed hopes. But she will need to add about 150 more points. She might want to think about playing some of the $125K events in the off season.
Singles – Quarterfinal: Kurumi Nara def. Polona Hercog 7-6(7-4) 2-6 6-1
Kurumi Nara was only the #4 Japanese player here, behind Kimiko Date-Krumm (lost second round), Ayumi Morita (lost first round), and Misaki Doi (who, as we saw above, lost in the quarterfinal). Who would have guessed that Nara would be the last local standing? This ought to take her above #75.
Doubles – Semifinal: (2) Mladenovic/Pennetta def. Doi/Miyamura 6-2 6-4
Linz
Singles – Quarterfinal: Stefanie Voegele def. (2) Sloane Stephens 6-7(3-7) 6-4 7-5
If Sloane Stephens never makes the WTA Championships, she will have reason to remember this two and three-quarter hour loss. This eliminated her from the race in 2013 (unless she can find a way into Moscow, anyway) — and also costs her the chance to rise above her current #12. And that after she led 5-2 in the third set! She didn’t have much chance in the Race, to be honest, but she only needed one more win to reach #11.
There was a report that Russia is so desperate for Fed Cup players — Maria Sharapova and Vera Zvonareva and Nadia Petrova and Ekaterina Makarova are hurting, and Elena Vesnina is playing Sofia rather than Fed Cup — that they’re offering a wildcard in Moscow to anyone willing to fill out the team. Maybe Stephens should change nationality for a month….
Stefanie Voegele is now one win away from the Top Fifty.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (1) (WC) Angelique Kerber def. (WC) Patricia Mayr-Achleitner 6-3 6-1
As it turns out, it wouldn’t have mattered what Sloane Stephens did. With this, Angelique Kerber clinches the last spot in Istanbul. Barring a change in the Moscow draw, anyway. That means the Istanbul field will be Serena Williams, Azarenka, Agnieszka Radwanska, Li, Kvitova, Errani, Jankovic, and Kerber.
That means no newcomers at all, and almost the same field as last year. In 2012, the field was Serena, Azarenka, Radwanska, Li, Kvitova, Errani, and Kerber, plus Maria Sharapova, with Stosur taking the ninth spot when Kvitova pulled out after one match. So the only player not back is Sharapova (who in fact qualified this year); the only player who will be present this year who wasn’t there last year was Jankovic.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (3) Ana Ivanovic def. (7) Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 6-4
Dominika Cibulkova was going to be #21 win or lose, but this makes it unlikely that she can end the year higher than that. Ana Ivanovic earns enough points to pass Maria Kirilenko and regain a Top Fifteen spot.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (4) Carla Suarez Navarro def. (5) Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-3
Carla Suarez Navarro seems to be doing her best to play against type this fall. Hard to believe she is winning this easily indoors. Kirsten Flipkens, who was defending semifinalist points, will fall from #19 to #20; Suarez Navarro will gain one or more spots.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: Buryachok/Piter def. (2) Goerges/Petkovic 7-6(7-1) 7-5
Doubles – Semifinal: (1) Dabrowski/Rosolska def. (3) Husarova/Voracova 6-4 2-6 16-14
This is a very weak doubles draw, which generally means that anything can happen — but we’d still call this a surprise. Husarova/Voracova are too experienced to lose to teams like Dabrowski/Rosolska, no matter what the rankings say.
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:
Linz (International/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Victoria Azarenka
Osaka (International/Hard). Defending Champion: Heather Watson
NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:
Moscow (Premier/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Caroline Wozniacki
Luxembourg (International/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Venus Williams
************ STATS AND FACTS ************
**RANKINGS
Estimated WTA Rankings As of October 11, 2013
Rank &
Prior
Rank….Name…………..Points
1..(1) SWilliams ……… 13260
2..(2) Azarenka ………..8206
3..(3) Sharapova ……… 6941
4..(4) ARadwanska ………6195
5..(5) Li ……………..5365
6..(6) Errani ………….4435
7..(7) Kvitova ……….. 4315
8..(8) Jankovic ………..3860
9..(9) Wozniacki ……… 3845
10.(10) KERBER ………….3655*
11.(11) Vinci …………. 3195
12.(12) STEPHENS ………..3185
13.(13) Bartoli ……….. 3172
14.(14) LISICKI ……….. 2830
15.(16) IVANOVIC ………..2775*
16.(15) Kirilenko ……… 2755
17.(18) SUAREZ NAVARRO …..2735*
18.(17) Halep …………. 2685
19.(19) FLIPKENS ………..2495
20.(20) STOSUR ………….2445*
21.(23) CIBULKOVA ……… 2195
22.(21) CIRSTEA ……….. 2170
23.(22) Kuznetsova ………2142
24.(24) Makarova ………..2066
25.(25) Vesnina ……….. 1960
26.(27) Cornet ………….1790
27.(26) Hampton ……….. 1781
28.(28) Safarova ………..1775
29.(29) Kanepi ………….1751
30.(30) Pavlyuchenkova …..1750
**DRAWS
Linz — Week of October 7
………………QF………………SF
2 Stephens……..(2)Stephens
8 Hantuchova……Voegele………….Voegele
3 Ivanovic……..(3)Ivanovic………Ivanovic
7 Cibulkova…….(7)Cibulkova
5 Flipkens……..(5)Flipkens
4 Suarez Navarro..(4)Suarez Navarro…Suarez Navarro
6 Cirstea………Mayr-Achleitner(WC)
1 Kerber (WC)…..(1)Kerber(WC)…….Kerber
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Kerber (WC)
2 Stephens……….lost QF (Voegele)
3 Ivanovic
4 Suarez Navarro
5 Flipkens……….lost QF (Suarez Navarro)
6 Cirstea………..lost 1R (Mayr-Achleitner)
7 Cibulkova………lost QF (Ivanovic)
8 Hantuchova……..lost 1R (Knapp)
Osaka — Week of October 7
……………..QF…………………SF
9 Mladenovic…..Zheng
6 Keys………..(6)Keys…………….Keys
3 Stosur………(3)Stosur…………..Stosur
7 Robson (WC)….Doi
5 Bouchard…….(5)Bouchard…………Bouchard
4 Pennetta…….Zahlavova Strycova(Q)
8 Puig………..Nara……………….Nara
2 Lisicki……..Hercog
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Jankovic (WC)…WITHDREW
2 Lisicki………WITHDREW from 2R
3 Stosur
4 Pennetta……..lost 1R (King)
5 Bouchard
6 Keys
7 Robson (WC)…..lost 1R (Date-Krumm)
8 Puig…………lost 2R (Nara)
9 Mladenovic……lost 2R (Zheng)
******** SCORES ********
FRIDAY
Osaka
Singles – Quarterfinal
(3) Samantha Stosur def. Misaki Doi 6-1 3-6 6-3
(5) Eugenie Bouchard def. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 2-6 6-4 6-1
(6) Madison Keys def. Zheng Jie 6-3 6-1
Kurumi Nara def. Polona Hercog 7-6(7-4) 2-6 6-1
Doubles – Semifinal
(2) Mladenovic/Pennetta def. Doi/Miyamura 6-2 6-4
Linz
Singles – Quarterfinal
(1) (WC) Angelique Kerber def. (WC) Patricia Mayr-Achleitner 6-3 6-1
Stefanie Voegele def. (2) Sloane Stephens 6-7(3-7) 6-4 7-5
(3) Ana Ivanovic def. (7) Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 6-4
(4) Carla Suarez Navarro def. (5) Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-3
Doubles – Quarterfinal
Buryachok/Piter def. (2) Goerges/Petkovic 7-6(7-1) 7-5
Doubles – Semifinal
(1) Dabrowski/Rosolska def. (3) Husarova/Voracova 6-4 2-6 16-14
Topics: 10sballs, Agnieszka Radwanska, Ana Ivanovic, Angelique Kerber, Atp, Australian Open, Bob Bryan, Gael Monfils, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Kirsten Flipkens, Mike Bryan, Nova Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka, Wta