****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******
* Gasquet loses to Llodra in Basel; Berdych clinches, Federer moves closer to London
* Haas falls to Kohlschreiber in Valencia, effectively out of Race
* Nishikori falls to Dodig in Basel; he’s out of it too
****** TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS ******
Basel
Singles – First Round: (1) J del Potro def. (WC) H Laaksonen 6-4 6-4
This is about as surprising as hot winds in Texas, but it gives a slight boost to Juan Martin del Potro’s chances of ending the year at #3 or #4. And he is the only seed left in the top half.
Singles – First Round: M Llodra def. (5) R Gasquet 6-4 6-2
How Richard Gasquet-like: Do well in a 250, then crash and burn when the points really count. True, Gasquet needed a big result here to actually count (we’ll have a feature on the Race tomorrow), but this means he earns nothing. He remains behind Roger Federer (who added points here) and Stanislas Wawrinka (who didn’t). After this came down, the ATP officially announced that Tomas Berdych has clinched — and Roger Federer is now in a lot better shape. Gasquet stays at #10.
Singles – First Round: (Q) P Mathieu def. (Q) D Kudla 6-4 7-5
Paul-Henri Mathieu was a semifinalist last year, which was about a third of his points, and he was already down to #101. He could easily have fallen to #150 or so here. As it is, he still has a lot to defend, but he’s looking surprisingly strong.
Singles – First Round: V Pospisil def. R Haase 6-4 6-4
Robin Haase may have been tired after his long week last week; in any case, he remains below #45. This makes it very likely that Vasek Pospisil will stay Top Forty; another win would clinch it.
Singles – First Round: (8) G Dimitrov def. R Stepanek 6-3 6-3
Six straight wins for Grigor Dimitrov — although he doesn’t earn anything that count for this; he needs a semifinal. And it will take a final to move his ranking. Radek Stepanek will stay right about #45, which is where he came in. At least the Czech Davis Cup team is getting plenty of rest this week….
Singles – Second Round: (3) R Federer def. D Istomin 4-6 6-3 6-2
Everyone has been giving Roger Federer gifts this week — Raonic and Tsonga didn’t play, Gasquet and Wawrinka lost early. For a while, it looked as if Federer was going to send them all back. He was awful in the first half of the first set. Serving at 0-1 in the third set, he went down 0-40 — and then Denis Istomin joined the gift parade, handing Federer four straight errors. Federer never looked back. He still needs more to keep the #6 ranking, but he’s moving closer to London….
Singles – Second Round: I Dodig def. (6) K Nishikori 6-1 6-2
Cross off another one. Kei Nishikori is out of the London race. He will probably stay at #18, which is where he came in. Ivan Dodig still needs more to defend his points, but this keeps him around #34.
Doubles – First Round: (1) Bopanna/Roger-Vasselin def. Kubot/Seppi 5-7 6-3 10-7
Doubles – First Round: Huey/Inglot def. (2) Qureshi/Rojer 3-6 7-6(7-4) 10-8
We’d guess Qureshi/Rojer will qualify for London despite this, but it doesn’t help….
Doubles – First Round: Knowle/Marach def. Fleming/Marray 6-2 7-6(7-1)
Valencia
Singles – First Round: (1) D Ferrer def. G Monfils 6-3 6-2
Even though David Ferrer is the top seed here, it’s surprising to see this such a blowout, given how poorly Ferrer has been playing lately. Gael Monfils still might make the Top Thirty, but a lot of players are within striking distance of him.
Singles – First Round: P Kohlschreiber def. (2) T Haas 3-6 6-3 6-3
Leave it to Philipp Kohlschreiber to come to life just when it most hurts his countryman Tommy Haas. Kohlschreiber hasn’t even earned any points yet — but he all but kills Haas’s chance to qualify for London. With this, Haas’s only hope is to win Paris. He remains #12, and a rather weak #12, in both Race and rankings.
Singles – First Round: (4) J Isner def. E Gulbis 7-6(7-4) 7-6(7-2)
Once again Ernests Gulbis loses a big chance to rise in the rankings. He’ll stay right around #25. John Isner still needs at least two more wins to keep the #14 ranking.
Singles – First Round: J Chardy def. F Mayer 4-6 7-5 6-3
It’s all free points for Jeremy Chardy, who will likely move above #35. Florian Mayer will remain below #40; this means almost no chance for an Australian Open seed.
Singles – First Round: J Nieminen def. B Paire 6-3 6-3
For Jarkko Nieminen, this probably means a return to the Top Forty, but it costs Benoit Paire his Top 25 ranking.
Singles – Second Round: (7) F Fognini def. M Granollers 6-3 6-2
Fabio Fognini hasn’t moved in the rankings yet, but with this, he is possibly only one win away from the Top Fifteen.
Singles – Second Round: D Tursunov def. (WC) R Bautista Agut 6-2 7-6(7-3)
Dmitry Tursunov is still only about #36 in safe points, but if he can win his next match, an Australian Open seed becomes a real possibility.
Doubles – First Round: (1) Bryan/Bryan def. Bracciali/Fognini 6-4 6-3
Doubles – First Round: (4) Marrero/Verdasco def. Anderson/Ehrlich 6-4 6-7(9-11) 10-5
Jonathan Erlich seems to like playing with partners with the syllable “And” in their name, but lately, it hasn’t done him much good! Marrero/Verdasco came here with very good chances of qualifying for London, and they are getting better all the time.
Doubles – First Round: S Gonzalez/Lipksy def. Kas/Simon 7-6(7-2) 6-7(2-7) 10-4
Gonzalez/Lipsky are still on the fringes of the doubles Race. But this doesn’t seem like a good omen, given how much they have to do to qualify.
****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******
This Week’s Movers — Men
Each week, Daily Tennis will look at the biggest movers of the week, looking at how they did what they did.
Biggest Upward Mover — Most Places Moved (Top 100)
Leader: Mikhail Kukushkin — Moved 35 places, from #102 to #67.
After spending most of the year in Challengers, Kukushkin made the Moscow final.
Runner-Up: Robin Haase — Moved 17 places, from #63 to #46
Haase made the Vienna final.
Biggest Percentage Mover — Cut Ranking By Highest Percent (Top 100)
Leader: Kukushkin, cut ranking 34%.
Runner-Up: Haase, 27%
Biggest Loser — Most Places Lost (Top 100)
Loser: Grega Zemlja — Dropped 35 places, from #81 to #116
Last year, Zemlja made the Vienna final. This year, he hasn’t won a match since Wimbledon.
Biggest Percentage Loser — Worst Percentage Increase in Ranking (Top 100)
Loser: Zemlja, ranking increased 43%.
Ranking Notes
Other than Kukushkin and Haase, it was a fairly quiet week; the only other player to rise as much as 20% was Stockholm champion Grigor Dimitrov, who rose 21%, to a career-high #22. The next-biggest move was by Roger Federer, who rose 14%, to #6 — not because of anything he did but because Tomas Berdych didn’t attempt to defend points.
On the down side, Zemlja fell 43%, Marcos Baghdatis fell 29% (to #97; fortunately, he doesn’t have anything to defend at Paris, or he might have ended up in Australian Open qualifying), and last year’s Moscow winner Andreas Seppi lost 23% (to #27). No one else fell more than 17%. We do note that Thomaz Bellucci, who is injured, lost another 28%, ending up at #152.
Our Personal Picks for “Best Mover of the Week”
These are subjective picks!
An interesting situation, since Kukushkin had the biggest move but didn’t win a title and is not at a career high (he has been Top Fifty). Dimitrov had a smaller move, but he won his first career title and hit a career high. We’d say the latter two outweigh Kukushkin’s bigger percentage move. So we’ll go with Dimitrov.
KEYWORDS: Movers Men Dimitrov
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:
Valencia (500/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: David Ferrer
Basel (500/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Juan Martin del Potro
NEXT WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:
Paris (1000/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: David Ferrer
******** STATS AND FACTS ********
RANKINGS
Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings
As of October 22, 2013
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Nadal………….11520
2..(2) Djokovic……….11120
3..(3) Ferrer………….6450
4..(4) Murray………….6295
5..(5) Del Potro……….4910
6..(7) Berdych…………4180
7..(6) Federer…………4035
8..(8) Wawrinka………..3240
9..(9) Tsonga………….3235
10.(10) Gasquet…………3130
11.(11) Raonic………….2860
12.(12) Haas……………2425
13.(13) Almagro…………2200
14.(15) Janowicz………..2105
15.(14) Isner…………..2070
16.(16) Simon…………..2060
17.(17) Fognini…………2010
18.(18) Nishikori……….1915
19.(19) Robredo…………1830
20.(20) Anderson………..1730
21.(21) Youzhny…………1690
22.(22) Dimitrov………..1500
23.(24) Kohlschreiber……1445
24.(25) Gulbis………….1431
25.(27) Seppi…………..1395
26.(26) Paire…………..1380
27.(23) Melzer………….1325
28.(28) Tipsarevic………1310
29.(30) Lopez…………..1275
30.(31) Monfils…………1230
**DRAWS
Basel — Week of October 22
……………QF
1 del Potro
5 Gasquet
4 Wawrinka
7 Seppi
8 Dimitrov
3 Federer……(3)Federer
6 Nishikori….Dodig
2 Berdych
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 del Potro
2 Berdych…….lost 1R (Karlovic)
3 Federer
4 Wawrinka……lost 1R (Roger-Vasselin)
5 Gasquet…….lost 1R (Llodra)
6 Nishikori…..lost 2R (Dogig)
7 Seppi………lost 1R (Brands)
8 Dimitrov
Valencia — Week of October 22
…………..QF
1 Ferrer
5 Janowicz
3 Almagro
7 Fognini…..(7)Fognini
8 Anderson….Tursunov
4 Isner
6 Simon
2 Haas
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Ferrer
2 Haas…….lost 1R (Kohlschreiber)
3 Almagro
4 Isner
5 Janowicz
6 Simon……lost 1R (Falla)
7 Fognini
8 Anderson…lost 1R (Bautista Agut)
******** SCORES ********
WEDNESDAY
Basel
Singles – First Round
(1) J del Potro def. (WC) H Laaksonen 6-4 6-4
M Llodra def. (5) R Gasquet 6-4 6-2
(8) G Dimitrov def. R Stepanek 6-3 6-3
(Q) P Mathieu def. (Q) D Kudla 6-4 7-5
V Pospisil def. R Haase 6-4 6-4
Singles – Second Round
(3) R Federer def. D Istomin 4-6 6-3 6-2
I Dodig def. (6) K Nishikori 6-1 6-2
Doubles – First Round
(1) Bopanna/Roger-Vasselin def. Kubot/Seppi 5-7 6-3 10-7
Huey/Inglot def. (2) Qureshi/Rojer 3-6 7-6(7-4) 10-8
Knowle/Marach def. Fleming/Marray 6-2 7-6(7-1)
Valencia
Singles – First Round
(1) D Ferrer def. G Monfils 6-3 6-2
P Kohlschreiber def. (2) T Haas 3-6 6-3 6-3
(4) J Isner def. E Gulbis 7-6(7-4) 7-6(7-2)
J Chardy def. F Mayer 4-6 7-5 6-3
J Nieminen def. B Paire 6-3 6-3
Singles – Second Round
(7) F Fognini def. M Granollers 6-3 6-2
D Tursunov def. (WC) R Bautista Agut 6-2 7-6(7-3)
Doubles – First Round
(1) Bryan/Bryan def. Bracciali/Fognini 6-4 6-3
(4) Marrero/Verdasco def. Anderson/Ehrlich 6-4 6-7(9-11) 10-5
S Gonzalez/Lipksy def. Kas/Simon 7-6(7-2) 6-7(2-7) 10-4
______________________
****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******
* Errani all but out of Istanbul after loss to Li
* Jankovic shocks Azarenka; Radwanska loses to Serena
****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******
Istanbul
Singles – Round Robin: (1) Serena Williams def. (3) Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-4
Hardly a surprise, but it leaves Serena 2-0, meaning she is all but sure to make the semifinal. Agnieszka Radwanska is 0-2, which means she still hasn’t overtaken Maria Sharapova in the contest for #3; she needs a win to take the #3 spot. And even if she earns that win, she probably won’t make the semifinal. Especially since she has yet to win a set.
Singles – Round Robin: (4) Li Na def. (6) Sara Errani 6-3 7-6(7-5)
Sara Errani had been hobbling in her previous match, but it may be that what hurt her here was less her leg than her head; although she managed to break Li Na several times as she served for the match, the Italian had a lead in the second set tiebreak and blew it. That means she is 0-2, and almost certainly means she won’t advance to the semifinal. And that in turn means no possibility of rising above #7; she might yet fall.
Singles – Round Robin: (7) Jelena Jankovic def. (2) Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-3
Victoria Azarenka didn’t much like the surface here in Istanbul even after her first match. We’re guessing she likes it even less now. After all, she is now, at least technically, third in her group. She could still advance, but this was supposed to be one of the easy matches for her! She is probably going to have to beat Li Na to make the semifinal and keep the #1 ranking even within her sights next year.
Jelena Jankovic has been waiting half a decade to get back here, and clearly she’s thrilled to have managed it. This doesn’t by itself help her ranking — but she has yet to face Sara Errani, and Errani is 0-2. If Jankovic can make that 0-3, then Jankovic will pass the Italian and end the year probably #7.
****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******
This Week’s Movers — Women
Each week, Daily Tennis will look at the biggest movers of the week, looking at how they did what they did.
Biggest Upward Mover — Most Places Moved (Top 100)
Leader: Stefanie Voegele — Moved 10 places, from #54 to #44.
The best year of Voegele’s career ended when she retired from the Luxembourg semifinal; she still reaches a career high.
Runner-Up: Annika Beck — Moved 9 places, from #57 to #48
Beck, the beneficiary of Voegele’s retirement, lost the Luxembourg final but still reached the Top Fifty, bringing her within a hair of her career high.
Biggest Percentage Mover — Cut Ranking By Highest Percent (Top 100)
Leader: Simona Halep — Moved 4 places, 22%, from #18 to #14
A title at Moscow — her fifth of the year — put Halep at yet another career high.
Runner-Up: Voegele, cut ranking 19%
Biggest Loser — Most Places Lost (Top 100)
Loser: Nadia Petrova — Dropped 46 places, from #59 to #105
Petrova lost the points from her Sofia title last year, but it almost doesn’t matter given that she is retiring.
Biggest Percentage Loser — Worst Percentage Increase in Ranking (Top 100)
Loser: Petrova, ranking increased 78%.
Ranking Notes
This was a funny week, because four events came off (Moscow 2012, Luxembourg 2012, Istanbul 2012, Sofia 2012) but only two came on (Moscow and Luxembourg). As a result, we had only one 20% improvement (Halep’s), although three players managed to rise 15% (Halep, Voegele, and Beck, up 16%). But all those points coming off meant that Petrova fell 78%, Venus Williams lost 36% (to #53), Monica Niculescu dropped 26% (to #53), Tsvetana Pironkova gave up 19% (to #118), Roberta Vinci lost 18% (to #13), and her partner Sara Errani lost 17% (to #7).
Our Personal Picks for “Best Mover of the Week”
These are subjective picks!
Pretty clearly Halep. She had the best percentage move, she hit a career high, and she won her second Premier title.
KEYWORDS: Movers Women Halep
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:
Istanbul (Championships/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Serena Williams
NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:
Sofia (International Championships/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Nadia Petrova
************ STATS AND FACTS ************
**RANKINGS
Estimated WTA Rankings As of October 23, 2013
Rank &
Prior
Rank….Name…………..Points
1..(1) SWILLIAMS ……… 12290*
2..(2) AZARENKA ………..8046*
3..(3) Sharapova ……… 5891
4..(4) ARADWANSKA ………5890*
5..(5) LI ……………..5365*
6..(6) KVITOVA ……….. 4615*
7..(7) ERRANI ………….4275*
8..(8) JANKOVIC ………..4170*
9..(9) KERBER ………….3805*
10.(10) Wozniacki ……… 3520
11.(11) Stephens ………..3185
12.(12) Bartoli ……….. 3172
13.(13) Vinci …………. 3170
14.(14) Halep …………. 3085
15.(15) Lisicki ……….. 2920
16.(16) Ivanovic ………..2765
17.(17) Suarez Navarro …..2735
18.(18) Kirilenko ……… 2640
19.(19) Stosur ………….2580
20.(20) Flipkens ………..2495
21.(21) Kuznetsova ………2341
22.(22) Cirstea ……….. 2170
23.(23) Cibulkova ……… 2076
24.(24) Makarova ………..2066
25.(25) Vesnina ……….. 1920
26.(26) Pavlyuchenkova …..1890
27.(27) Cornet ………….1790
28.(28) Hampton ……….. 1781
29.(29) Safarova ………..1775
30.(30) Kanepi ………….1752
**DRAWS
Istanbul — Week of October 22
RED GROUP……….SWILL….ARADW….KVITO….KERBE….W/L….Sets
1 S. Williams……XXXXX….SWILL….+++++….SWILL….2/0….4/0
6 Kvitova……….+++++….KVITO….XXXXX….+++++….1/0….2/0
8 Kerber………..SWILL….+++++….+++++….XXXXX….0/1….0/2
3 A. Radwanska…..SWILL….XXXXX….KVITO….+++++….0/2….0/4
WHITE GROUP……..AZARE….LI…….ERRAN….JANKO….W/L….Sets
7 Jankovic………+++++….+++++….+++++….XXXXX….1/0….2/0
4 Li……………+++++….XXXXX….LI…….+++++….1/0….2/0
2 Azarenka………XXXXX….+++++….AZARE….+++++….1/1….2/2
5 Errani………..AZARE….Li…….XXXXX….+++++….0/2….0/4
******** SCORES ********
WEDNESDAY
Istanbul
Singles – Round Robin
Red Group
(1) Serena Williams def. (3) Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-4
White Group
(7) Jelena Jankovic def. (2) Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-3
(4) Li Na def. (6) Sara Errani 6-3 7-6(7-5)
Topics: 10sballs, Agnieszka Radwanska, Atp, David Ferrer, Ernests Gulbis, Gael Monfils, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Jelena Jankovic, John Isner, Juan Martin Del Potro, Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Richard Gasquet, Roger Federer, Sara Errani, Serena Williams, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News, Tomas Berdych, Victoria Azarenka, Wta