* Djokovic ends Murray’s Miami streak with the help of the umpire in the big high chair !
* Harrison/Sock, combined age 42, beat Nestor/Zimonjic, combined age 78
****** TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS ******
Miami
Singles – Quarterfinal: (2) N Djokovic def. (6) A Murray 7-5 6-3
One match doesn’t really tell us what a player’s form is like — but this really seemed typical of how Andy Murray in 2014. Although the real issue here may have been how wound up he got about a particular point. At 5-5 there was a point in which Murray was convinced Novak Djokovic had touched the net (and replays later seemed to show he was right). Murray lost not only the argument but the point — and he kept on stewing about it, and that cost him the set. He managed to go up a break in the second — then lost the break, started worrying again, and it cost him the match. And, with it, his Miami winning streak, and the #6 ranking. He will fall to #8, his lowest ranking in years.
This match was affected by a terrible call by the chair umpire. Novak Djokovic had literally reached over the net to anxiously out away a volley. Not just with the tip of his racket head but the entire frame up to the handle. Andy argued with the chair and never seemed to regain his focus. It was a shame. Novak had to know. Chairs should be able to use the tv replay for overrules or correct calls. They need to do it for “not ups ” like a double bounce.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: Cabal/Farah def. (2) Peya/Soares 6-2 7-6(7-4)
It continues to be a great year for Cabal/Farah; they aren’t likely to hit career highs this week, but both are on pace to end the year in the Top Twenty.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (WC) Harrison/Sock def. (6) Nestor/Zimonjic 6-4 7-6(7-4)
An amazing result for the youngsters, who came here with a combined ranking of #417!
****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******
Rankings Update: Miami
Please note: This feature had to be written before Wednesday’s last match concluded; we do not know whether Roger Federer beat Kei Nishikori, which he must do to clinch the #4 ranking and retain his chance for the #3 spot.
The first week of Miami followed a pretty predictable pattern: The top seeds sailed, the lower seeds lost too soon. It was a recipe for… not much movement. Now, though, with the top seeds starting to go out, things are beginning to change.
Not at the top, of course. Rafael Nadal remains #1, and Novak Djokovic #2, and that won’t change until the clay season (although their results here could determine how soon things might change during the clay season). But Stanislas Wawrinka’s early loss opened a door for Roger Federer to return to the #3 ranking if he can reach the final. A big if, of course.
Federer has already all but assured himself the #4 ranking; last year’s finalist David Ferrer will fall from #4 to no better than #5, and it will be #6 if Tomas Berdych can beat Alexandr Dolgopolov.
Berdych will rise from #7 to at least #6; Andy Murray will fall to #8. Juan Martin del Potro will be #7 — not that it matters much, because his ranking will have gone into the pit long before he can come back from his wrist surgery.
Richard Gasquet’s loss on Tuesday knocked him out of the Top Ten; Milos Raonic will be taking his place. That means the full Top Ten will be, in some order, Nadal, Djokovic, Wawrinka, Federer, Ferrer, Berdych, del Potro, Murray, John Isner, and Raonic.
The Top Fifteen will be those ten plus Gasquet, Tsonga, Fabio Fognini, Tommy Robredo, and Grigor Dimitrov (or, just possibly, Kei Nishikori or Alexandr Dolgopolov). Robredo and Dimitrov take the places of Mikhail Youzhny and Tommy Haas.
Into the Top Twenty is Kei Nishikori, replacing Jerzy Janowicz; Alexandr Dolgopolov will also make it (replacing Nicolas Almagro) if he can beat Berdych. There are no new names in the Top 25; in the Top Thirty, Florian Mayer is in and Dmitry Tursunov out.
The Bryans will of course remain #1 in doubles.
RANKINGS
Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings
As of March 26, 2013
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Nadal………….13310
2..(2) Djokovic……….11170
3..(3) Wawrinka………..5740
4..(5) Federer…………5225
5..(4) Ferrer………….4640
6..(7) Berdych…………4540
7..(8) Del Potro……….4260
8..(6) Murray………….3975
9.(10) Isner…………..2715
10.(12) Raonic………….2710
11..(9) Gasquet…………2635
12.(11) Tsonga………….2615
13.(14) Fognini…………2340
14.(17) Robredo…………2140
15.(16) Dimitrov………..2130
16.(15) Youzhny…………2090
17.(13) Haas……………2075
18.(18) Anderson………..1940
19.(21) Nishikori……….1805
20.(19) Almagro…………1750
21.(20) Janowicz………..1715
22.(23) Dolgopolov………1690
23.(22) Gulbis………….1655
24.(24) Monfils…………1510
24.(25) Kohlschreiber……1510
26.(28) Pospisil………..1333
27.(26) Cilic…………..1330
28.(27) Simon…………..1315
29.(29) Verdasco………..1270
30.(32) Mayer…………..1245
**DRAWS
Miami — week of March 17, 2014
………………..3R…………….4R………QF
1 Nadal………….(1)Nadal……….Nadal……Nadal
29 Tursunov………Istomin
19 Janowicz………Bautista Agut
14 Fognini……….(14)Fognini…….Fognini
12 Raonic………..(12)Raonic……..Raonic…..Raonic
23 Monfils……….Garcia Lopez
27 Pospisil………Bedene(Q)
[Becker(LL)]……..Becker(LL)……..Becker
3 Wawrinka……….(3)Wawrinka…….Wawrinka
25 Cilic…………Roger-Vasselin
22 Dolgopolov…….(22)Dolgopolov….Dolgopolov..Dolgopolov
[Lajovic(LL)]…….(LL)Lajovic
10 Isner…………(10)Isner………Isner
18 Almagro……….(18)Almagro
26 Simon…………Sousa
7 Berdych………..(7)Berdych……..Berdych….Berdych
5 Federer………..(5)Federer……..Federer….Federer
28 Verdasco………de Bakker(Q)
17 Anderson………(17)Anderson
9 Gasquet………..(9)Gasquet……..Gasquet
15 Dimitrov………(15)Dimitrov
20 Nishikori……..(20)Nishikori…..Nishikori..Nishikori
31 Seppi…………(31)Seppi
4 Ferrer…………(4)Ferrer………Ferrer
6 Murray…………(6)Murray………Murray…..Murray
32 Lopez…………(32)Lopez
24 Kohlschreiber….Baghdatis(WC)
11 Tsonga………..(11)Tsonga……..Tsonga
16 Robredo……….(16)Robredo…….Robredo
21 Gulbis………..Benneteau
30 Mayer…………(30)Mayer
2 Djokovic……….(2)Djokovic…….Djokovic…Djokovic…Djokovic
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Nadal
2 Djokovic
3 Wawrinka……..lost 4R (Dolgopolov)
4 Ferrer……….lost 4R (Nishikori)
5 Federer
6 Murray……….lost QF (Djokovic)
7 Berdych
8 del Potro…….WITHDREW (replaced by Becker)
9 Gasquet………lost 4R (Federer
10 Isner……….lost 4R (Berdych)
11 Tsonga………lost 4R (Murray)
12 Raonic
13 Haas………..WITHDREW (replaced by Lajovic)
14 Fognini
15 Dimitrov…….lost 3R (Nishikori)
16 Robredo……..lost 4R (Djokovic)
17 Anderson…….lost 3R (Gasquet)
18 Almagro……..lost 4R (Isner)
19 Janowicz…….lost 2R (Bautista Agut)
20 Nishikori
21 Gulbis………lost 2R (Benneteau)
22 Dolgopolov
23 Monfils……..lost 2R (Garcia-Lopez)
24 Kohlschreiber..lost 2R (Baghdatis)
25 Cilic……….lost 2R (Roger-Vasselin)
26 Simon……….lost 2R (Sousa)
27 Pospisil…….lost 2R (Bedene)
28 Verdasco…….lost 2R (de Bakker)
29 Tursunov…….lost 2R (Istomin)
30 Mayer……….WITHDREW from 3R
31 Seppi……….lost 3R (Ferrer)
32 Lopez……….lost 3R (Murray)
******** SCORES ********
WEDNESDAY
Miami
Singles – Quarterfinal
(2) N Djokovic def. (6) A Murray 7-5 6-3
Doubles – Quarterfinal
Cabal/Farah def. (2) Peya/Soares 6-2 7-6(7-4)
(WC) Harrison/Sock def. (6) Nestor/Zimonjic 6-4 7-6(7-4)
BOB LARSON’S TENNIS NEWS
Topics: Andy Murray, Atp, Federer, Miami, Novak Djokovic, Rafa, Sony, Tennis News
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RT @10sBalls_com: Miami / SONY Men’s Tennis NEWS / Murray Gets Screwed By Chair Ump – http://t.co/tRYVlNJWr8 #miami #sony #mens #results