****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******
* Federer qualifies for London — after some delay
* Kohlschreiber beats Haas again; no London spot for (either) German
* No Top Fifteen spot for Fognini
* Raonic only player left who can catch Wawrinka, Gasquet
****** TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS ******
Paris
Singles – Second Round: (1) R Nadal def. M Granollers 7-5 7-5
That gives Rafael Nadal a lead of 2060 points over Novak Djokovic in the contest for the year-end #1, with Djokovic having a maximum of 2410 points still available. It’s not quite over, but it’s getting close….
Singles – Second Round: (3) D Ferrer def. L Rosol 6-0 2-6 6-3
David Ferrer is now exactly 500 points behind #3 Andy Murray in the Race. So a final here, or three wins in London, would let him end the year ahead of Murray. Lukas Rosol will probably be just above #50.
Singles – Second Round: (4) J del Potro def. M Cilic 6-4 7-6(7-3)
Considering how long he has been away, this really seems like a pretty promising result for Marin Cilic. But he will end the year toward the bottom of the Top Forty. Juan Martin del Potro continues to threaten to end the year #4 or higher; he’s now about 350 points behind Ferrer and 850 behind Murray.
Singles – Second Round: (5) R Federer def. K Anderson 6-4 6-4
Roger Federer was broken the first time he served for this match, and struggled the second time. But he managed to get through. And so — finally! — he has clinched for London (the twelfth straight year he has qualified), and only two spots are left in play. Kevin Anderson will end the year #20 or #21.
Singles – Second Round: (6) T Berdych def. (LL) P Andujar 6-2 7-5
Tomas Berdych cannot rise above #6 this week, but he’s making it harder for Roger Federer to catch him. Federer will need a very strong finish to end up above #7 — and still might end up #8 or #9.
Singles – Second Round: (7) S Wawrinka def. F Lopez 6-3 3-6 6-3
Stanislas Wawrinka moves back ahead of Richard Gasquet in the quest for the #7 London spot; with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga out, odds are high that both will qualify, but the one who lasts longer (with ties to Wawrinka) is bound to make it. Wawrinka leaves Feliciano Lopez probably just above #30.
Singles – Second Round: (10) M Raonic def. (Q) R Haase 6-3 6-4
As of now, Milos Raonic is the only player who can still catch Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet. But he still needs a final…. Robin Haase should end up a little above #45.
Singles – Second Round: P Kohlschreiber def. (11) T Haas 6-2 6-2
Philipp Kohlschreiber is really doing a number on Tommy Haas this year. Last week, he badly damaged Haas’s Race chances; with this, he ends them. Haas will be end the year no better than #12. Kohlschreiber is still at #22 in the Race; he needs two more wins to end the year in the Top Twenty.
Singles – Second Round: (12) N Almagro def. I Dodig 6-4 6-3
At the time Nicolas Almagro finished this match, he was still in the Race — but only at #13, and a weak #13. He was really spending his time waiting for Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet to disqualify him. (Wawrinka’s win formally did it; the best Almagro can hope for is to be the #1 alternate.) He leaves Ivan Dodig probably #33 or #34.
Singles – Second Round: (13) J Isner def. (Q) M Przysiezny 7-6(7-3) 4-6 6-3
This may well be enough to let John Isner end the year in the Top Fifteen, although it isn’t sure yet. It is certain that he will be the top American — it is likely he will be the only American in the Top Fifty.
Singles – Second Round: (15) G Simon def. (WC) N Mahut 6-4 6-7(5-7) 7-6(7-3)
We’re having an amazing number of marathons around here. This one ended just seconds shy of the three hour mark. We’d guess that it will suffice to let Gilles Simon end the year in the Top Twenty, although he really needs one more win to be sure.
Singles – Second Round: G Dimitrov def. (16) F Fognini 6-3 5-7 6-2
Only five ranking spots separate these two, so this is really the smallest of upsets. Fabio Fognini loses his chance to end the year in the Top Fifteen; Grigor Dimitrov still has Top Twenty chances but will need more than this.
It is interesting to note that thirteen of the sixteen seeds are in the third round, and even the three unseeded players are all Top 25.
Doubles – First Round: Mirnyi/Tecau def. Kubot/Lindstedt 7-6(7-3) 7-6(7-5)
Mirnyi/Tecau are still alive in the doubles Race, and Tuesday’s losses by Murray/Peers and Huey/Inglot gave them a little more hope, but they have a long way to go.
Doubles – First Round: Benneteau/Zimonjic def. Dlouhy/Gulbis 4-6 7-5 10-7
Benneteau/Zimonjic too are still alive in the Race, but they need even more than Mirnyi/Tecau; they need a title and help from other teams (especially Fyrstenberg/Matkowski — who, to be sure, are lined up to face the Bryans in the second round).
Doubles – First Round: Fyrstenberg/Matkowski def. (WC) de Schepper/Herbert 6-4 7-6(8-6)
So far, so good for the Polish team — but, as mentioned above, the Bryans await. The good news is, Fyrstenberg/Matkowski came in with a 350 point lead on Mirnyi/Tecau. That means Mirnyi/Tecau need a final to have a chance….
Doubles – First Round: Butorac/Klaasen def. Llodra/Mahut 6-4 6-1
Doubles – Second Round: (5) Bopanna/Roger-Vasselin def. Isner/Monroe 7-6(7-2) 7-5
Doubles – Second Round: Gonzalez/Lipski def. (7) Nestor/Paes 6-4 6-3
Gonzalez/Lipsky are another team that is just barely alive in the Race. Barely alive, but not out yet….
****** 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: Oleksandr Nedovyesov — Moved 22 places, from #121 to #99.
Nedovyesov hit the Top Hundred for the first time by winning the Kazan Challenger, beating Andrei Golubev in the final.
Runner-Up: Edouard Roger-Vasselin — Moved 17 places, from #65 to #48
Roger-Vasselin’s Basel semifinal earned him a Top Fifty spot and a Special Exemption into Paris.
Biggest Percentage Mover — Cut Ranking By Highest Percent (Top 100)
Leader: Mikhail Youzhny — Moved 6 places, 28%, from #21 to #15
Youzhny won Valencia for the biggest title of his career.
Runner-Up: Roger-Vasselin, 26%
Biggest Loser — Most Places Lost (Top 100)
Loser: Alexandr Dolgopolov — Dropped 21 places, from #38 to #59
Dolgopolov was last year’s Valencia finalist. His year-end slide hit (near) bottom when he lost in the Round of Sixteen this year.
Biggest Percentage Loser — Worst Percentage Increase in Ranking (Top 100)
Loser: Dolgopolov, ranking increased 55%.
Ranking Notes
We had a lot of good moves this week. Youzhny, up 28%. Roger-Vasselin, 26%. Dmitry Tursunov, up 23%, to #30. Vasek Pospisil, up 20%, to a career-high #32. Nedovyesov (try spelling that three times fast!), 18%. Marcos Baghdatis finally gained some ground; up 13%, to #84. And then there is the odd case of Marin Cilic, up 13%, to #41, because he had some of his points returned to him.
On the down side, Dolgopolov was by far the biggest loser — his percentage drop was twice that of #2 Ivan Dodig, who lost 24% (to #36). David Goffin fell 21% (to #111). Jurgen Melzer slipped 17% (to #27). No one else fell as much as 15%.
Our Personal Picks for “Best Mover of the Week”
These are subjective picks!
We’ll go with Roger-Vasselin. Yes, Youzhny had a slightly bigger move, and won his title, but he has been ranked higher and has plenty of titles. Roger-Vasselin hit a career high, and his move was almost as big as Youzhny’s.
KEYWORDS: Movers Men Roger-Vasselin
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:
Paris (1000/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: David Ferrer
NEXT WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:
London (Championships/Indoor Hard). Defending Champion: Novak Djokovic
******** STATS AND FACTS ********
RANKINGS
Estimated ATP World Tour RACE
As of October 30, 2013
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Nadal………….11760
2..(2) Djokovic………..9700
3..(3) Murray………….5790
4..(4) Ferrer………….5290
5..(5) Del Potro……….4965
6..(6) Berdych…………3890
7..(7) Federer…………3535
8..(8) Wawrinka………..3240
9..(9) Gasquet…………3210
10.(10) Tsonga………….3065
11.(11) Raonic………….2860
12.(12) Haas……………2435
13.(13) Almagro…………2290
14.(15) Isner…………..2150
15.(14) Youzhny…………2145
16.(16) Fognini…………1930
17.(17) Nishikori……….1915
18.(18) Robredo…………1810
19.(19) Simon…………..1790
20.(20) Anderson………..1650
21.(21) Janowicz………..1615
22.(22) Kohlschreiber……1525
23.(23) Dimitrov………..1520
24.(24) Gulbis………….1393
25.(25) Seppi…………..1360
26.(26) Paire…………..1345
27.(27) Melzer………….1315
28.(28) Lopez…………..1310
29.(29) Tursunov………..1244
30.(32) Verdasco………..1235
**DRAWS
Paris — Week of October 29
……………3R
1 Nadal……..(1)Nadal
14 Janowicz….(14)Janowicz
9 Gasquet……(9)Gasquet
8 Tsonga…….Nishikori
3 Ferrer…….(3)Ferrer
15 Simon…….(15)Simon
10 Raonic……(10)Raonic
6 Berdych……(6)Berdych
5 Federer……(5)Federer
11 Haas……..Kohlschreiber
16 Fognini…..Dimitrov
4 del Potro….(4)del Potro
7 Wawrinka…..(7)Wawrinka
12 Almagro…..(12)Almagro
13 Isner…….(13)Isner
2 Djokovic…..(2)Djokovic
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Nadal
2 Djokovic
3 Ferrer
4 del Potro
5 Federer
6 Berdych
7 Wawrinka
8 Tsonga…….lost 2R (Nishikori)
9 Gasquet
10 Raonic
11 Haas……..lost 2R (Kohlschreiber)
12 Almagro
13 Isner
14 Janowicz
15 Simon
16 Fognini…..lost 2R (Dimitrov)
******** SCORES ********
WEDNESDAY
Paris
Singles – Second Round
(1) R Nadal def. M Granollers 7-5 7-5
(3) D Ferrer def. L Rosol 6-0 2-6 6-3
(4) J del Potro def. M Cilic 6-4 7-6(7-3)
(5) R Federer def. K Anderson 6-4 6-4
(6) T Berdych def. (LL) P Andujar 6-2 7-5
(7) S Wawrinka def. F Lopez 6-3 3-6 6-3
(10) M Raonic def. (Q) R Haase 6-3 6-4
P Kohlschreiber def. (11) T Haas 6-2 6-2
(12) N Almagro def. I Dodig 6-4 6-3
(13) J Isner def. (Q) M Przysiezny 7-6(7-3) 4-6 6-3
(15) G Simon def. (WC) N Mahut 6-4 6-7(5-7) 7-6(7-3)
G Dimitrov def. (16) F Fognini 6-3 5-7 6-2
Doubles – First Round
Benneteau/Zimonjic def. Dlouhy/Gulbis 4-6 7-5 10-7
Butorac/Klaasen def. Llodra/Mahut 6-4 6-1
Fyrstenberg/Matkowski def. (WC) de Schepper/Herbert 6-4 7-6(8-6)
Mirnyi/Tecau def. Kubot/Lindstedt 7-6(7-3) 7-6(7-5)
Doubles – Second Round
(5) Bopanna/Roger-Vasselin def. Isner/Monroe 7-6(7-2) 7-5
Gonzalez/Lipski def. (7) Nestor/Paes 6-4 6-3
Topics: 10sballs.com, Andy Murray, Atp, David Ferrer, Del Potro, Gasquet, Novak Djokovic, Paris Masters, Rafael Nadal, Raonic, Tennis, Tennis News, Tsonga, Wawrinka