Men’s Pro Tour News

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

 

* Nadal first to win singles title in 2014

* Federer to face Hewitt in Brisbane final

* Wawrinka to take on Roger-Vasselin after Pospisil retires

 

****** TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS ******

 

Brisbane

 

Singles – Semifinal: (1) R Federer def. (8) J Chardy 6-3 6-7(3-7) 6-3

This was to be a very long, hot day for Roger Federer; we’ll have to see how much it takes out of him. We know what it takes out of Jeremy Chardy: It takes away his chance to earn a Melbourne seed directly. We show him as the #1 alternate. Which, to be sure, still gives him a pretty good chance of earning a seed.

Singles – Semifinal: L Hewitt def. (2) K Nishikori 5-7 6-4 6-3

This too has seeding implications: Had Kei Nishikori won this, he would have moved past Fabio Fognini to earn the #16 Australian Open seed. As it is, it appears he’ll have to settle for #17.

Doubles – Semifinal: (2) Fyrstenberg/Nestor def. (3) J Murray/Peers 7-5 7-6(7-5)

This event seemed like a big chance to Murray/Peers, who if nothing else are a lot younger than Fyrstenberg/Nestor. Instead, it looks as if Daniel Nestor might be starting to break out of his funk.

Doubles – Semifinal: (4) Cabal/Farah def. Federer/Mahut 7-6(7-5) 6-3

Some stories have talked about how this event seems like old times, with Federer versus Hewitt in the final. But when, in old times, was Hewitt unseeded, and Federer the #1 seed only because the event is very weak, and Federer playing doubles?

 

Chennai

 

Singles – Semifinal: (1) S Wawrinka def. (5) V Pospisil 6-4 5-5, retired (back)

What goes around, comes around. Vasek Pospisil had had a walkover in the second round. Here, in a match where he never seemed quite up to speed until the very end, he had to give up just when it looked like he might have a chance. The good news is, he lasted long enough to earn the #30 ranking and clinch his seed at the Australian Open. The big question is, will he be able to play next week? No word on that yet.

Singles – Semifinal: (7) E Roger-Vasselin def. (6) M Granollers 6-2 4-6 6-3

Last year was a breakthrough year for Edouard Roger-Vasselin, and he clearly isn’t letting up! He is now firmly in the Top Fifty — we show him at #40 in safe points. He knocks Marcel Granollers out of the Melbourne seed hunt.

Doubles – Semifinal: Draganja/Pavic def. (3) Begemann/Emmrich 7-6(7-5) 6-4

 

Doha

 

Singles – Final: (1) R Nadal def. G Monfils 6-1 6-7(5-7) 6-2

Rafael Nadal seems to have forgotten how to win easily. But he certainly hasn’t forgotten how to win.

It was a seesaw match, with Gael Monfils briefly earning a 3-0 lead in the second set. Other than that, obviously, Nadal dominated. He thus becomes the first player with a title this year. Fitting for the world #1 — and a player who just became an even stronger #1. He’s now more than 850 points ahead of Novak Djokovic, with Djokovic having the Australian Open title to defend and Nadal having nothing. We definitely have a big two right now, but it’s equally clear which of the two is on top.

The ATP notes that this is title #61 for Nadal, giving him sole possession of the #8 spot on the all-time titles list.

Gael Monfils was only intermittently competitive, but he earned enough points to rise to #26 and clinch his seed at Melbourne. And he still has lots of room to add points.

 

Hopman Cup

 

Win or lose the Hopman Cup final, this had already been probably the biggest week of Grzegorz Panfil’s career. And if he could beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga…!

He couldn’t, quite, but he did give him a scare, losing a memorable opening match 6-3 3-6 6-3. That left Poland’s fate in the achy hands of Agnieszka Radwanska. She managed to keep the Poles alive, but it was a struggle; she edged Alize Cornet 6-3 6-7 6-2. And though Cornet had had breathing problems in the match that earned her a time violation, it was the Poles didn’t have much left for the Mixed; Cornet and Tsonga won the Cup 6-0 6-2.

It is the first time France has won the Cup.

 

****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******

 

Men’s Look Forward: Sydney, Auckland

 

David Ferrer said at the end of last year that he had over-scheduled. But if he learned his lesson, you couldn’t tell it by his 2014 schedule. He played last week — and he’s playing again this week. He is once again the top player at Auckland, where he is the many time champion.

At least he won’t face the sort of competition that he did in Doha. He is the only Top Ten player, plus he and the other top four seeds have byes. That is probably good news for all of them, because #2 seed Tommy Haas is old enough to need rest, #3 John Isner is hurting, and #4 Kevin Anderson has been sick. The seeds who don’t have byes are #5 Philipp Kohlschreiber, #6 Benoit Paire, #7 Gael Monfils (who will have to hurry in from Doha), and #8 Robin Haase. With the cutoff for seeds below #40, there really aren’t any obvious unseeded threats.

Sydney isn’t much stronger. As at Auckland, there is only one Top Ten player — in this case, #1 seed Juan Martin del Potro. But the draw does at least witness the return to action of Jerzy Janowicz, who is the #2 seed despite being below the Top Twenty. Andreas Seppi, who had physical problems at Hopman Cup, is #3; Dmitry Tursunov i #4 and has the last bye. Injured Vasek Pospisil is #5, Julien Benneteau #6, Marin Cilic #7, and Marcel Granollers #8. At least this event has some decent unseeded names. Pospisil has to open against Sam Querrey, with Radek Stepanek likely to follow. Seppi’s opener is likely to be against Florian Mayer. Granollers starts against defending champion Bernard Tomic, with Jarkko Nieminen probably next. And Janowicz may well open against Alexandr Dolgopolov.

The Rankings

This seems to be the big week for currently-slumping players. The winner at Sydney last year was Bernard Tomic, who beat Kevin Anderson. The semifinalists were Julien Benneteau and Andreas Seppi. The re-re-repeat winner at Auckland was David Ferrer, who beat Philipp Kohlschreiber; semifinalists were Gael Monfils and Sam Querrey.

Don’t expect any movement near the top. Ferrer’s lead over Andy Murray is big enough that he can’t lose the #3 spot. Del Potro can edge a little closer to Murray, but he can’t reach #4… yet. And no one else in the Top Ten has anything on the line.

Kevin Anderson could well lose his Top Twenty spot. Tomic, already below the Top Fifty, is likely to end up far, far below that mark.

KEYWORDS: Preview Sydney Auckland

 

******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********

 

THIS WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:

Brisbane (250/Hard). Defending Champion: Andy Murray

Chennai (250/Hard). Defending Champion: Janko Tipsarevic

Doha (250/Hard). Defending Champion: Richard Gasquet

NEXT WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:

Sydney (250/Hard). Defending Champion: Bernard Tomic

Auckland (250/Hard). Defending Champion: David Ferrer

 

******** STATS AND FACTS ********

 

RANKINGS

 

Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings

As of January 4, 2014

 

Rank &

Prior…Player………..Points

1..(1) Nadal………….13130

2..(2) Djokovic……….12260

3..(3) Ferrer………….5800

4..(4) Murray………….5560

5..(5) Del Potro……….5255

6..(6) Federer…………4355

7..(7) Berdych…………4180

8..(8) Wawrinka………..3790

9..(9) Gasquet…………3140

10.(10) Tsonga………….3065

11.(11) Raonic………….2860

12.(12) Haas……………2435

13.(13) Almagro…………2290

14.(14) Isner…………..2150

15.(15) Youzhny…………2145

16.(16) Fognini…………1930

17.(17) Nishikori……….1915

18.(18) Robredo…………1810

19.(19) Simon…………..1790

20.(20) Anderson………..1685

21.(21) Janowicz………..1615

22.(22) Kohlschreiber……1525

23.(23) Dimitrov………..1460

24.(24) Gulbis………….1418

25.(25) Seppi…………..1360

26.(31) Monfils…………1335

27.(28) Lopez…………..1310

28.(26) Paire…………..1300

29.(27) Melzer………….1290

30.(32) Pospisil………..1289

 

**DRAWS

 

Brisbane

 

…………..QF…………..SF……….F

1 Federer…..(1)Federer……Federer…..Federer

7 Tursunov….Matosevic

[4 Anderson]..Groth(WC)

8 Chardy……(8)Chardy…….Chardy

 

6 Lopez…….Hewitt……….Hewitt……Hewitt

3 Simon…….Copil(Q)

5 Dimitrov….Cilic

2 Nishikori…(2)Nishikori….Nishikori

 

STATUS OF SEEDS

1 Federer

2 Nishikori…lost SF (Hewitt)

3 Simon…….lost 2R (Copil)

4 Anderson….WITHDREW (replaced by Herbert)

5 Dimitrov….lost 2R (Cilic)

6 Lopez…….lost 2R (Hewitt)

7 Tursunov….lost 1R (Querrey)

8 Chardy……lost SF (Federer)

 

Chennai

 

……………….QF………………SF……………F

1 Wawrinka………(1)Wawrinka………Wawrinka………Wawrinka

8 Bautista Agut….Kudryavtsev(Q)

3 Fognini……….Bhambri(WC)

5 Pospisil………(5)Pospisil………Pospisil

 

6 Granollers…….(6)Granollers…….Granollers

4 Paire…………(4)Paire

7 Roger-Vasselin…(7)Roger-Vasselin…Roger-Vasselin..Roger-Vasselin

2 Youzhny……….Sela

 

STATUS OF SEEDS

1 Wawrinka

2 Youzhny……….lost 2R (Sela)

3 Fognini……….lost 2R (Bhambri)

4 Paire…………lost SF (Granollers)

5 Pospisil………lost SF (Wawrinka)

6 Granollers…….lost SF (Roger-Vasselin)

7 Roger-Vasselin

8 Bautista Agut….lost 1R (Kudryavtsev)

 

Doha

WINNER: Rafael Nadal

……………..QF…………SF……….F

1 Nadal……….(1)Nadal……Nadal…….Nadal

7 Gulbis………(7)Gulbis

4 Berdych……..Brown(Q)

6 Kohlschreiber..Gojowczyk(Q)..Gojowczyk

 

8 Verdasco…….Hanescu

3 Murray………F.Mayer…….Mayer

5 Gasquet……..Monfils…….Monfils…..Monfils

2 Ferrer………Brands

 

STATUS OF SEEDS

1 Nadal……….WON TOURNAMENT

2 Ferrer………lost 2R (Brands)

3 Murray………lost 2R (Mayer)

4 Berdych……..lost 1R (Karlovic)

5 Gasquet……..lost 2R (Monfils)

6 Kohlschreiber..lost 2R (Gojowczyk)

7 Gulbis………lost SF (Nadal)

8 Verdasco…….lost 2R (Hanescu)

 

Sydney

 

1 del Potro

–bye

Mahut

Qualifier

Stepanek

Groth (WC)

Querrey

5 Pospisil

 

4 Tursunov

–bye

Sousa

Rosol

Istomin

Andujar

Qualifier

7 Cilic

 

6 Benneteau

Ebden (WC)

Berlocq

Qualifier

F Mayer

Matosevic (WC)

–bye

3 Mayer

 

8 Granollers

Tomic

Qualifier

Nieminen

Roger-Vasselin

Dolgopolov

–bye

2 Janowicz

Auckland

 

1 Ferrer

–bye

Delbonis

Qualifier

Giraldo

Montanes

Garcia-Lopez

8 Haase

 

4 Anderson

–bye

Baghdatis (WC)

Brands

Lu

Sijsling

Qualifier

7 Monfils

 

5 Kohlschreiber

Carreno Busta

Volandri

Zeballos

Qualifier

Statham (WC)

–bye

3 Isner

 

6 Paire

Przysiezny

Bautista Agut

Qualifier

Sock (WC)

Mannarino

–bye

2 Haas

 

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

 

SATURDAY

Brisbane

Singles – Semifinal

(1) R Federer def. (8) J Chardy 6-3 6-7(3-7) 6-3

L Hewitt def. (2) K Nishikori 5-7 6-4 6-3

Doubles – Semifinal

(2) Fyrstenberg/Nestor def. (3) J Murray/Peers 7-5 7-6(7-5)

(4) Cabal/Farah def. Federer/Mahut 7-6(7-5) 6-3

Chennai

Singles – Semifinal

(1) S Wawrinka def. (5) V Pospisil 6-4 5-5 retired (Lower Back Strain)

(7) E Roger-Vasselin def. (6) M Granollers 6-2 4-6 63

Doubles – Semifinal

Draganja/Pavic def. (3) Begemann/Emmrich 7-6(7-5) 6-4

Doha

Singles – Final

(1) R Nadal def. G Monfils 6-1 6-7(5-7) 6-2

Topics: 10sballs, Edouard Roger-Vasselin, Gael Monfils, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Kei Nishikori, Lleyton Hewitt, Marcel Granollers, Nicolas Mahut, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News, Vasek Pospisil

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