Men’s Pro Tour News

Written by: on 12th October 2013
Shanghai Masters
Men's Pro Tour News

epa03907431 Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts against Frenchman Jo Wilfried Tsonga during the semifinal match of the Shanghai Masters in Shanghai, China, 12 October 2013. Djokovic won by 6-2; 7-5 to stretch his unbeaten run in China to 19 matches. EPA/XI YA CHINA OUT  |

****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******

 

* Djokovic back in Shanghai final

* Won’t have to face Nadal; del Potro blows through Spaniard

* Dodig/Melo upset Bryans, will face Marrero/Verdasco

****** TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS ******

 

Shanghai

 

Singles – Semifinal: (1) N Djokovic def. (7) J Tsonga 6-2 7-5

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga dramatically improved his London chances here, but this means he still remains a little off the pace. Still, he has assured that he will have a chance to qualify at Paris.

Singles – Semifinal: (6) J del Potro def. (2) R Nadal 6-2 6-4

You’d never guess that Juan Martin del Potro was sick earlier this week. He flat-out crushed Rafael Nadal, winning the first four games of the match and never ceasing to pound the ball. It is only the second time this year that Nadal has not made it to the final. Still, the Spaniard will remain #1. And he is still the favorite for the year-end #1. But he leaves Novak Djokovic with at least a glimmer of hope, especially if Djokovic can win the final here.

Juan Martin del Potro meanwhile collects several rewards. For starters, he is now clinched for the year-end Championships. And while he won’t move above #5 in the rankings this week, his point total is now 5525. Andy Murray’s Race total is 5805. Del Potro has a real shot at ending the year at #4 — especially if he can win the title here.

Doubles – Semifinal: (5) Dodig/Melo def. (1) Bryan/Bryan 6-7(5-7) 7-5 10-7

If this doesn’t make people take Dodig/Melo seriously, nothing will….

Doubles – Semifinal: (8) Marrero/Verdasco def. J Murray/Peers 7-6(7-4) 7-6(11-9)

This was a contest of two teams struggling to qualify for London. Marrero/Verdasco now look like very good prospects; Murray/Peers still have a shot, but they remain below the cutoff.

****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******

 

Men’s Look Forward: Moscow, Stockholm, Vienna

 

This week tends to be pretty quiet. Is it because of the surface shift? Or the shift from Asia to Europe? Those probably play a part — but the main reason, surely, is that the players trying to qualify for London know that this week’s events are 250s, and next week brings 500 point events, then the thousand pointer at Paris. It just doesn’t pay to put too much energy into this week’s events.

It certainly shows at Moscow. It has a Top Ten player — #1 seed Richard Gasquet, whose London chances took a real blow when he lost early in Shanghai. But he is the only Top Twenty player. The #2 seed is Andreas Seppi, with Janko Tipsarevic #3; he is the last Top Thirty player. Alexandr Dolgopolov is #4 and has the last bye. Denis Istomin is #5, Horacio Zeballos #6, Joao Sousa #7, and Adrian Mannarino #8 — and he isn’t even Top Fifty. There aren’t many unseeded threats; Gasquet might open against Marcos Baghdatis, but Baghdatis has faded badly this year.

Vienna is a little deeper, but not much stronger at the top. It too is headed by a Frenchman who is trying to make it to London — in this case, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who will have to hurry in from Shanghai. Tommy Haas, who is effectively out of the Race and who was hurting in Shanghai, is #2. The last two byes go to #3 Fabio Fognini and #4 Philipp Kohlschreiber. Radek Stepanek, who preferred to stay in Europe and play Challengers rather than make the far east swing, is #5, Gael Monfils is #6, Vasek Pospisil #7, and Lukas Rosol #8. You’ll note the absence of Jurgen Melzer; he’s hurting and done for the year. There aren’t many other unseeded threats, although Fognini might open against Florian Mayer.

That leaves no question about which event is the strongest this week. Every seed at Stockholm is Top Thirty, and it features the only Top Five player in action. David Ferrer is the #1 seed. And don’t worry; we have our obligatory London contender: Milos Raonic took a wildcard to earn the #2 seed. Jerzy Janowicz will finally return to action as the #3 seed. And Kevin Anderson has the #4 spot and the last bye. Ernests Gulbis is #5 and in Janowicz’s quarter, Benoit Paire took a wildcard to earn the #6 seed and a potential quarterfinal meeting with Raonic, Grigor Dimitrov is #7 and in Anderson’s quarter, and Ivan Dodig is #8 and in Ferrer’s part of the draw.

A lot of those seeds could be tested. Ferrer hasn’t looked good lately (although the surface shift might help him — unlike a lot of Spaniards, he is solid indoors), and he might face Bernard Tomic in his opener. Dodig has to start against Fernando Verdasco, then perhaps Jarkko Nieminen, who loves this place. And Gulbis has to open against Jeremy Chardy.

The Rankings

Interestingly, although only a few top players played at this time last year, they tended to do well. The title at Stockholm went to Tomas Berdych, over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga; the semifinalists were Marcos Baghdatis and Nicolas Almagro. Juan Martin del Potro won Vienna, over (believe it or not) Grega Zemlja; Gilles Muller and Janko Tipsarevic were semifinalists. Andreas Seppi won Moscow, over Thomaz Bellucci, with Ivo Karlovic and Malek Jaziri semifinalists.

Zemlja hasn’t won a match since Wimbledon, and will be falling below #100. Bellucci, who will lose almost a third of his points, is already below that, and will likely be around #160. Muller will probably be below #200. Jaziri, who is suffering political interference from home, also could end up around #200.

At the top — no movement. Rafael Nadal will remain #1, Novak Djokovic #2, David Ferrer #3, Andy Murray #4. Juan Martin del Potro has built enough of a lead in the contest for #5 that he can’t be passed at this time. The first move would be at #6; Berdych will fall back behind Roger Federer.

Things could well be lively at the bottom of the Top Ten, since Tsonga, Gasquet, and Raonic — London contenders all — are all in action. Tsonga could fall behind Stanislas Wawrinka, and Gasquet has a chance to move up. Raonic won’t move at this time, but he could perhaps become a stronger #11. If he has any energy left.

KEYWORDS: Preview Moscow Stockholm Vienna

******** 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 12, 2013

 

Rank &

Prior…Player………..Points

1..(1) Nadal………….11520

2..(2) Djokovic……….10720

3..(4) Ferrer………….6800

4..(3) Murray………….6295

5..(5) Del Potro……….5525

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………F

1 Djokovic…….(1)Djokovic…..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..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………lost SF (del Potro)

3 Ferrer……..lost 3R (Mayer)

4 Berdych…….lost 3R (Almagro)

5 Federer…….lost 3R (Monfils)

6 del Potro

7 Tsonga……..lost SF (Djokovic)

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)

Moscow — Week of October 15

 

1 Gasquet

–bye

Baghdatis

Donskoy

Sela

Qualifier

Gabashvili (WC)

8 Mannarino

 

3 Tipsarevic

–bye

Khachanov (WC)

Ramos

Karlovic

Kudla

And. Kuznetsov (WC)

5 Istomin

 

6 Zeballos

Berankis

Qualifier

Qualifier

Bogomolov

Qualifier

–bye

4 Dolgopolov

 

7 Sousa

Stakhovsky

Vesely

Roger-Vasselin

Volandri

Lorenzi

–bye

2 Seppi

Stockholm — Week of October 15

 

1 Ferrer

–bye

Sock

Tomic

Nieminen

Becker

Verdasco

8 Dodig

 

3 Janowicz

–bye

Qualifier

Garcia-Lopez

Kamke

Sijsling

Chardy

5 Gulbis

 

7 Dimitrov

Qualifier

Struff

Qualifier

de Schepper

Eriksson (WC)

–bye

4 Anderson

 

6 Paire (WC)

Giraldo

Zopp (PR)

Carreno Busta

Qualifier

Falla

–bye

2 Raonic (WC)

Vienna — Week of October 15

 

1 Tsonga

–bye

Brands

Haider-Maurer

Thiem (WC)

Gimeno-Traver

Matosevic

6 Monfils

 

3 Fognini

–bye

F Mayer

Kubot

Qualifier

Haase

Hewitt

7 Pospisil

 

8 Rosol

Huta Galung

Russell

Qualifier

Hajek

Qualifier

–bye

4 Kohlschreiber

 

5 Stepanek

M Fischer (WC)

G Melzer (WC)

Lacko

Qualifier

Andujar

–bye

2 Haas

******** SCORES ********

 

SATURDAY

Shanghai

Singles – Semifinal

(1) N Djokovic def. (7) J Tsonga 6-2 7-5

(6) J del Potro def. (2) R Nadal 6-2 6-4

Doubles – Semifinal

(5) Dodig/Melo def. (1) Bryan/Bryan 6-7(5-7) 7-5 10-7

(8) Marrero/Verdasco def. J Murray/Peers 7-6(7-4) 7-6(11-9)

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