* Murray tops Dimitrov to clinch London spot; Dimitrov out of contention
* All other Race contenders survive
* Wawrinka’s indoor woes continue; falls to Anderson
* Federer, Djokovic keep #1 hopes alive
* Doubles Race ends
Singles – Third Round: (1) N Djokovic def. G Monfils 6-3 7-6(7-2)
Novak Djokovic hasn’t clinched the #1 ranking yet, but he’s doing his best. Gael Monfils will probably end the year at #19 — although there is just a chance that he could improve that in the Davis Cup final.
Singles – Third Round: (2) R Federer def. (Q) L Pouille 6-4 6-4
This was the best Tour event of twenty-year-old Lucas Pouille’s career — he tripled his career win total, and his win over Fabio Fognini was the best of his career. He’ll hit a career high. And he even put some pressure on the world’s #2 player. Not enough, though; Roger Federer keeps alive his hopes of reaching #1 this week.
Singles – Third Round: (14) K Anderson def. (3) S Wawrinka 6-7(2-7) 7-5 7-6(7-3)
This took two hours and fifty minutes, but the result was pretty typical: Stanislas Wawrinka lost indoors. It just isn’t his sort of surface. He’ll probably stay #4, and he’s clinched for London, but he won’t be going there on a very high note. Kevin Anderson, on the other hand, is gunning for a career high — it appears he’s up to #15.
Singles – Third Round: (4) D Ferrer def. F Verdasco 6-1 6-2
With this, David Ferrer is finally truly helping his cause for London. He’s still #9, but that’s good enough to qualify, and the guys around him aren’t gaining on him. It appears Fernando Verdasco will end the year at #32.
Singles – Third Round: (5) T Berdych def. (12) F Lopez 7-5 6-3
Much better than Tomas Berdych’s first match, but for the moment, he’s still #7 in the rankings and has not clinched for London. Feliciano Lopez will not rise above #14.
Singles – Third Round: (6) K Nishikori def. (10) J Tsonga 6-1 4-6 6-4
Slowly Kei Nishikori seems to be getting his game back in form. Beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga indoors in Paris is a very good win! Nishikori still hasn’t officially clinched for London, but it’s coming. Tsonga is effectively sure to end the year at #12.
Singles – Third Round: (7) M Raonic def. (11) R Bautista Agut 7-5 7-6(9-7)
Milos Raonic really seems intent on living dangerously; this wasn’t quite as close as his previous match, but it was a pretty good pre-Halloween scare. He’s still alive in the Race, but he remains #10, behind David Ferrer. He has clinched an alternate spot in London, but obviously he’d like more. It looks as if Roberto Bautista Agut will end the best year of his career at #16.
Singles – Third Round: (8) A Murray def. (9) G Dimitrov 6-3 6-3
This was the day’s fourth match to finish, but it was the first (and only) one to actually settle anything. Andy Murray can finally relax (it will be interesting to see how he plays after this); he has clinched his London spot. Indeed, he could go as high as #4 this week. Grigor Dimitrov will probably go to London also — but only as the #2 alternate; he will be #11 next week.
Doubles – Second Round: (1) Bryan/Bryan def. Anderson/Zimonjic 6-3 6-2
The Bryans will be the year-end #1 team. Nenad Zimonjic is likely to be #3. But this means he’ll have to earn that at London; he can’t just coast.
Doubles – Second Round: Cuevas/Giraldo def. (2) Peya/Soares 6-4 7-6(7-4)
Surely not how Peya/Soares wanted to prepare for London! After their terrific 2013, this year really has been a disappointment.
Doubles – Second Round: Matkowski/Melzer def. (4) Dodig/Melo 6-3 2-1, retired (Dodig/back)
Oh, to have been watching the clock for this one. Note the quarterfinal result below, in which Butorac/Klaasen lost. That clinched the last London spot for Dodig/Melo. Who were playing at just about the same time, and retired just about the time they clinched. But we didn’t see which match ended first….
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (8) Rojer/Tecau def. Butorac/Klaasen 5-7 6-1 10-6
A tough end to the last contest in the double Race; Butorac/Klaasen will be #8, which (given the Grand Slam Wildcard) means that they won’t qualify for London except as alternates. Pretty depressing, given that the team they were chasing, Dodig/Melo, couldn’t even finish!
Yesterday’s feature referred to the doubles team of Roger/Tecau. That should be Rojer/Tecau.
Thursday was the day that was, finally, guaranteed to settle something — because Grigor Dimitrov and Andy Murray were slated to meet, and one of them had to lose!
Of course, you know what happened. So let’s just get back to the table:
1..Djokovic………9190 MAX:.10190 * CLINCHED
2..Federer……… 8700 MAX:..9700 * CLINCHED
3..Nadal……….. 6835 MAX:..6835 * CLINCHED (but will not play)
4..Wawrinka………4895 MAX:..4985 * CLINCHED
5..Murray………..4475 MAX:..5475 * CLINCHED
6..Nishikori……. 4445 MAX:..5445 *
7..Berdych……… 4285 MAX:..5285 *
8..Cilic……….. 4150 MAX:..4150 * CLINCHED
9..Ferrer………..4045 MAX:..5045 *
10..Raonic………..4020 MAX:..5020 *
11..Dimitrov………3645 MAX:..3735 * OUT
12..Tsonga………..2740 MAX:..2830 * OUT
The day’s only result that settled anything came when Murray beat Dimitrov. That clinched for Murray and eliminated Dimitrov. But Ferrer and Raonic, who are the others most likely to be eliminated, both advanced. At this point our firm feeling is that the qualifiers will be Djokovic, Federer, (Nadal), Wawrinka, Murray, Nishikori, Berdych, Cilic, and either Ferrer or Raonic, whichever lasts longer, with ties to Ferrer. The Race will end, one way or the other, on theday one of them loses.
THE DOUBLES TEAMS ARE ALL SETTLES. THE EIGHT TEAMS ARE GETTING THEIR SUITS MEASURED.
In doubles, things are done. Clinched teams are Bryan/Bryan, Nestor/Zimonjic, Peya/Soares, Benneteau/Roger-Vasselin, Rojer/Tecau, and Granollers/Lopez, plus Grand Slam wildcards Kubot/Lindstedt. That left Dodig/Melo and Butorac/Klaasen competing for the last spot. When Butorac/Klaasen lost, Dodig/Melo qualified.
Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings
As of October 30, 2014
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Djokovic………..9190
2..(2) Federer…………8700
3..(3) Nadal…………..6835
4..(4) Wawrinka………..4895
5..(8) Murray………….4475
6..(7) Nishikori……….4445
7..(5) Berdych…………4285
8..(9) Cilic…………..4150
9..(6) Ferrer………….4045
10.(10) Raonic………….4020
11.(11) Dimitrov………..3645
12.(12) Tsonga………….2740
13.(13) Gulbis………….2455
14.(14) Lopez…………..2130
15.(18) Anderson………..2080
16.(15) Bautista Agut……2065
17.(17) Robredo…………2015
18.(16) Isner…………..1890
19.(21) Monfils…………1825
20.(20) Fognini…………1790
21.(19) Simon…………..1730
22.(22) Goffin………….1611
23.(25) Dolgopolov………1455
24.(24) Kohlschreiber……1415
25.(26) Mayer…………..1399
26.(27) Karlovic………..1365
26.(28) Benneteau……….1365
28.(23) Gasquet…………1350
29.(30) Chardy………….1240
30.(29) Rosol…………..1210
Paris — Week of October 27, 2014
……………….3R………………QF
1 Djokovic………(1)Djokovic………Djokovic
13 Isner………..Monfils
9 Dimitrov………(9)Dimitrov
8 Murray………..(8)Murray………..Murray
4 Ferrer………..(4)Ferrer………..Ferrer
15 Simon………..Verdasco
10 Tsonga ………(10)Tsonga
6 Nishikori……..(6)Nishikori……..Nishikori
5 Berdych……….(5)Berdych……….Berdych
12 Lopez………..(12)Lopez
14 Anderson……..(14)Anderson……..Anderson
3 Wawrinka………(3)Wawrinka
7 Raonic………..(7)Raonic………..Raonic
11 Bautista Agut…(11)Bautista Agut
16 Fognini………Pouille(Q)
2 Federer……….(2)Federer……….Federer
STATUS OF SEEDS
1 Djokovic
2 Federer
3 Wawrinka………lost 3R (Anderson)
4 Ferrer
5 Berdych
6 Nishikori
7 Raonic
8 Murray
9 Dimitrov……..lost 3R (Murray)
10 Tsonga ……..lost 3R (Nishikori)
11 Bautista Agut..lost 3R (Raonic)
12 Lopez……….lost 3R (Berdych)
13 Isner……….lost 2R (Monfils)
14 Anderson
15 Simon……….lost 2R (Verdasco)
16 Fognini……..lost 2R (Pouille)
THURSDAY
Paris
Singles – Third Round
(1) N Djokovic def. G Monfils 6-3 7-6(7-2)
(2) R Federer def. (Q) L Pouille 6-4 6-4
(14) K Anderson def. (3) S Wawrinka 6-7(2-7) 7-5 7-6(7-3)
(4) D Ferrer def. F Verdasco 6-1 6-2
(5) T Berdych def. (12) F Lopez 7-5 6-3
(6) K Nishikori def. (10) J Tsonga 6-1 4-6 6-4
(7) M Raonic def. (11) R Bautista Agut 7-5 7-6(9-7)
(8) A Murray def. (9) G Dimitrov 6-3 6-3
Doubles – Second Round
(1) Bryan/Bryan def. Anderson/Zimonjic 6-3 6-2
Cuevas/Giraldo def. (2) Peya/Soares 6-4 7-6(7-4)
Matkowski/Melzer def. (4) Dodig/Melo 6-3 2-1, retired (Dodig/back)
Doubles – Quarterfinal
(8) Rojer/Tecau def. Butorac/Klaasen 5-7 6-1 10-6
***
Bob LARSON TENIIS NEWS.
Topics: Andy Murray, Atp, Bnp Paribas Masters, Kei Nishikori, milos raonic, Novak Djokovic, Paris, Roger Federer, Tennis Results
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