****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******
* Kohlschreiber withdraws, Isner, four others retire from Australian Open
* German likely to lose Top 25 spot
* Despite all withdrawals, Isner only seed to lose; will not rise above #13
* Murray wins but calls for something to be done about extreme heat
* Tomic quits with foot problem after one set against Nadal, will fall below #60
* Stepanak quits with neck problem (uh-oh), may lose Top Fifty spot
* Haase, Reister also retire
* Dancevic faints on court because of heat but won’t quit; still loses
* Hewitt can’t convert match point, remains below #40
* Simon saves seven match points on way to 16-14 win in fifth set
* Cilic beats Granollers to almost assure Top Forty spot
****** TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS ******
Australian Open
Rafel Nadal won his opening match 6-4 when Bernard Tomic was forced to retire after losing the the opening set 6-4 with a leg injury. The win in 41 minutes marked Nadal’s return to Melbourne after missing 2013 as he recovered from knee problems.
The 27-year-old Spaniard was untroubled as he began his bid to win a second Australian title. Tomic, 21 and a finalist at the weekend in Sydney, showed discomfort early on, pulling up in pain during his first service game. He was later taped and then treated off court for his injury.
But after losing the opening set, the Australian packed it in. “I’m very sorry for him, I hope he gets better,” said Nadal, making his ninth appearance at the event and standing 36-7. “I know how tough it is to be in this position.
“I saw from the start that he was having some problems on the leg, But for a few games he served unbelievably. I just tried to wait for my moment.” The No.1 next plays Australian teenager Thanasi Kokkianakis, who beat Igor Sijsling 7-6(4), 0-6, 7-6(3), 6-2.
Roger Federer and Andy Murray got on and off with straight set victories on a day of 42 Celsius temperatures. The four-time winner won 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 over James Duckworth. Watching the win in just under two hours was new coaching consultant Stefan Edberg, Federer’s idol as a young player and a recent addition to Team Federer on a part-time basis.
The record-setting 17-time grand slam champion is playing in his 57th consecutive grand slam, most in succession on the men’s tour. Three-time finalist and fourth seed Andy Murray successfully tested his September back surgery in the demanding conditions, beating Japan’s Go Soeda 6-1, 6-1, 6-3.
“You are always stressed when you come back to play after an injury, but I felt pretty good today,” said Murray. “It was just so hot. I was taking nothing for granted and I’m happy to win in straight sets. Hopefully I won’t have any after-effects.
Fifth seed Juan Del Potro recovered against Rhyne Williams, winning 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 into the second round. French tenth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeaed Filippo Volandri 7-5, 6-3, 6-3. Canadian 11th seed Milos Raonic dismissed Daniel Gimeno-Traver Spain 7-6(2), 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. Slovak Martin Klizan advanced as injury-prone American John Isner, seeded 13th, retired trailing 6-2, 7-6 (8-6).
******** STATS AND FACTS ********
RANKINGS
Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings
As of January 14, 2014
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Nadal………….13175
2..(2) Djokovic……….10305
3..(5) Del Potro……….5370
4..(3) Ferrer………….4965
5..(4) Murray………….4405
6..(7) Berdych…………3865
7..(8) Wawrinka………..3755
8..(6) Federer…………3680
9..(9) Gasquet…………3005
10.(10) Tsonga………….2750
11.(11) Raonic………….2725
12.(12) Haas……………2435
13.(13) Isner…………..2320
14.(15) Youzhny…………2145
15.(16) Fognini…………1965
16.(14) Almagro…………1930
17.(18) Robredo…………1845
18.(17) Nishikori……….1780
19.(19) Simon…………..1655
20.(20) Janowicz………..1570
21.(22) Dimitrov………..1495
22.(21) Anderson………..1445
23.(24) Gulbis………….1443
24.(28) Paire…………..1335
25.(23) Kohlschreiber……1330
26.(30) Pospisil………..1314
26.(26) Tursunov………..1314
28.(27) Lopez…………..1310
29.(25) Seppi…………..1225
30.(29) Melzer………….1200
**DRAWS
Australian Open (Slam — Weeks of January 13-26)
1 Nadal
Tomic
Kokkinakis (WC)
Sijsling
Kamke
Sock
Harrison
25 Monfils
24 Seppi
Hewitt
Haase
Young
Lajovic (Q)
Pouille (WC)
Matosevic
16 Nishikori
11 Raonic
Gimeno-Traver
Gojowczyk (Q)
Hanescu
J Wang (Q)
Lu
Klahn
22 Dimitrov
27 Paire
Dancevic (Q)
Kyrgios (WC)
Becker
Bautista Agut
Smyczek
Williams (Q)
5 Del Potro
4 Murray
Soeda
Millot (Q)
Odesnik (Q)
Berrer (Q)
Llodra
Devvarman
26 Lopez
21 Kohlschreiber
Bedene
Przysiezny
Zeballos
Rola (Q)
Delbonis
Klizan (LL)
13 Isner
10 Tsonga
Volandri
Bellucci (Q)
Reister
Cilic
Granollers
Brands
18 Simon
31 Verdasco
Zhang (Q)
Gabashvili
Stakhovsky
Stepanek
Kavcic
Duckworth (WC)
6 Federer
7 Berdych
Nedovyesov
Wu (WC)
De Schepper
Hajek
Dzumhur
Karlovic
32 Dodig
19 Anderson
Vesely
Thiem (Q)
Sousa
Berlocq
Roger-Vasselin
Garcia-Lopez
12 Haas
14 Youzhny
Struff
Mayer
Kudla (Q)
Ramos
Andujar
Thompson (WC)
20 Janowicz
29 Chardy
Huta Galung
Berankis (Q)
Dolgopolov
Johnson (WC)
Mannarino
Gonzalez
3 Ferrer
8 Wawrinka
Golubev
Falla
Kukushkin
Mahut
Ebden
Groth (WC)
28 Pospisil
17 Robredo
Rosol
Carreno Busta
Benneteau
Davydenko
Kubot
Guez (Q)
9 Gasquet
15 Fognini
Bogomolov
Sela
Nieminen
Giraldo
Querrey
Monaco
23 Gulbis
30 Tursunov
Russell
Baghdatis
Istomin
Mayer
Montanes
Lacko
2 Djokovic
******** SCORES ********
TUESDAY
Australian Open
Singles – First Round
[1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) d. Bernard Tomic (AUS) 64 ret. (leg)
[4] Andy Murray (GBR) d. Go Soeda (JPN) 61 61 63
[5] Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) d. Rhyne Williams (USA) 67(1) 63 64 64
[6] Roger Federer (SUI) d. James Duckworth (AUS) 64 64 62
[10] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) d. Filippo Volandri (ITA) 75 63 63
[11] Milos Raonic (CAN) d. Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 76(2) 61 46 62
Martin Klizan (SVK) d. [13] John Isner (USA) 62 76(6) ret. (foot)
[16] Kei Nishikori (JPN) d. Marinko Matosevic (AUS) 63 57 62 46 62
[18] Gilles Simon (FRA) d. Daniel Brands (GER) 67(4) 64 36 63 16-14 – saved 7 M.P.
[22] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) d. Bradley Klahn (USA) 67(7) 64 64 63
[24] Andreas Seppi (ITA) d. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 76(4) 63 57 57 75 – saved 1 M.P.
[25] Gael Monfils (FRA) d. Ryan Harrison (USA) 64 64 64
[26] Feliciano Lopez (ESP) d. Somdev Devvarman (IND) 64 64 76(2)
[27] Benoit Paire (FRA) d. Frank Dancevic (CAN) 76(12) 63 64
[31] Fernando Verdasco (ESP) d. Ze Zhang (CHN) 57 63 62 63
Marin Cilic (CRO) d. Marcel Granollers (ESP) 46 46 63 63 62
Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) d. Tim Smyczek (USA) 62 61 61
Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) d. Julian Reister (GER) 46 63 76(5) ret.
Stephane Robert (FRA) d. Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 76(3) 63 60
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) d. Benjamin Becker (GER) 63 67(5) 62 76(2)
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) d. Igor Sijsling (NED) 76(4) 06 76(3) 62
Michal Przysiezny (POL) d. Horacio Zeballos (ARG) 63 76(4) 75
Michael Berrer (GER) d. Michael Llodra (FRA) 64 75 61
Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) d. Jimmy Wang (TPE) 63 62 61
Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) d. Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) 67(3) 64 62 60
Blaz Kavcic (SLO) d. Radek Stepanek (CZE) 67(3) 46 61 20 ret. (neck)
Jack Sock (USA) d. Tobias Kamke (GER) 76(5) 57 62 64
Dusan Lajovic (SRB) d. Lucas Pouille (FRA) 64 76(9) 46 63
Victor Hanescu (ROU) d. Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 76(5) 76(5) 63
Blaz Rola (SLO) d. Federico Delbonis (ARG) 64 62 75
Vincent Millot (FRA) d. Wayne Odesnik (USA) 75 46 67(4) 61 63
Donald Young (USA) d. Robin Haase (NED) 67(4) 76(2) 62 10 ret. (cramping)
Topics: 10sballs, Andy Murray, Atp, Australian Open, Bernard Tomic, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Juan Martin Del Potro, milos raonic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News