What’s at stake for Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova – Latest Tennis News

Written by: Staff on 18th August 2015

What’s at stake for Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova - Latest Tennis News |

Ros Satar casts her eye on this week’s rankings with the race for the all-important US Open seedings picking up pace.

What a difference a week makes, or in the case of the World’s best players, the after-effects of the first of the big events as their warm up for the last Slam of the year.

We have seen shocks, and brutal rallies in even more brutal conditions, and as we gallop into the last of the Premier/Masters events before the US Open, we can look back over a spectacular week.

Andy Murray finally snapped his eight-match losing streak over Novak Djokovic, dating back to his history-making victory at Wimbledon. Since then we have had ups and downs galore – struggling to make ground after back surgery, vigourously having to defend his choice of appointing Amelie Mauresmo as his coach, and finally getting wed and announcing he and wife Kim are expecting their first child early next year.

He picked up his first two clay court titles, a rather natty pair of lederhosen, oh and he beat Rafael Nadal on the way to the Madrid Masters title. All that was missing was breaking that barrier between him and Djokovic.

Fine aggressive play, and the usual dogged determination that he possesses saw him not only snap Djokovic’s Masters streak, but he leapfrogged Roger Federer to the No. 2 spot in the process.

Here comes the science – he is just under 600 points ahead of Federer (who skipped Montreal this year). The Swiss will be fit and rested – something maybe of more concern to Djokovic whose arm has been affecting him all week.

Murray and Federer are in the same section of the draw, and slated to meet in the semi-finals – and who ever comes out of that encounter will no doubt feel like they have scored an important advantage. Yet despite being reminded that Federer has yet to have won a major in the last three years, and has gone six years without a win in New York, Murray was quick to reset expectations, having been truly bested by the Swiss in this year’s Wimbledon semi-final.

You never know whether someone’s going to win another major or not. It’s impossible to predict. I know how hard those events are to win, but he’s still giving himself opportunities and there’s no reason why he can’t [win].

ATP Rankings – 17 August 2015

Novak Djokovic
Andy Murray (+1)
Roger Federer (-1)
Kei Nishikori
Stan Wawrinka
Tomas Berdych
David Ferrer
Rafael Nadal (+1)
Marin Cilic (-1)
Milos Raonic
Gilles Simon
John Isner
Richard Gasquet
David Goffin
Kevin Anderson (+1)
Gael Monfils (-1)
Grigor Dimitrov
Dominic Thiem
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (+5)
Viktor Troicki (-1)

While we are on the subject of talented Swiss players, what a run young Belinda Bencic is having. In a field already missing the World No. 2, many expected this to be the time for the likes of Simona Halep or Agnieszka Radwanska to start staking their claim for greatness in the US Open swing, but all was not well in the garden of the WTA this week.

Caroline Wozniacki, who started her spirited run this time last year had a poor start to the US Open season, with an opening round bounce, and revelations that she has felt pressured to play to avoid fines and zero-points. Last year’s US Open finalist will feel she has a lot to prove coming into this week.

We were treated to the “disco-dress” as Radwanska perhaps styled the best tennis outfit for this part of the season, but up until the final, all eyes were on

Halep, who must have thought she was back at home in Romania, such was the level of support in her matches. But not even her fans could lift her from the bruising encounter with Bencic, who had stunned Wozniacki, Ana Ivanovic, and Serena Williams in three taut sets, before clinching her biggest ever title, catapulting her into the Top 20.

Coached by her father and Melanie Molitor, and benefitting from the watchful eye of Molitor’s daughter Martina Hingis, there is no doubt her transition from the juniors to the seniors has well and truly caught light.

Maria Sharapova retains her No. 2 spot, but snapping at her heels is Halep, just 490 points behind her. Yet Halep was pretty much dead on her feet by the time she got to the final in Toronto. Obviously troubled with strapping on her leg, in the second set she was frequently doubled over, even having her blood pressure taken on court, before she retired in the third set, having the teenager a famous win.

As luck (good, bad, or otherwise) would have it, Halep and Sharapova are scheduled to face each other in the semi-finals too – and it will all come down to their fitness, and fighting spirit to sew up the US Open No. 2 spot. If Sharapova wins her opening match, Halep will take claim the No. 2 spot by winning the title. If the Russian loses, Halep can regain the NO. 2 spot by reaching the final.

It is all to play for, for two of the World’s enduring champions, as the grueling back to back Masters/Premiers come full circle at the Western and Southern Open.

[ 10sBalls_com update. Maria Sharapova had to pull out of the event. ]

WTA Rankings 17 August

Serena Williams
Maria Sharapova
Simona Halep
Petra Kvitova
Caroline Wozniacki
Lucie Safarova (+1)
Karolina Pliskova (+1)
Garbine Muguruza (+1)
Ana Ivanovic (-3)
Carla Suarez Navarro
Angelique Kerber
Belinda Bencic (+8)
Ekaterina Makaroa (-1)
Timea Bacsinszky (-1)
Agnieszka Radwanska (-1)
Sara Errani (+1)
Andrea Petkovic (-1)
Samantha Stosur
Madison Keys
Elina Svitolina (-5)

Topics: Atp, Maria Sharapova, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, tennis rankings, US Open, Wta

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10sBalls_com says:

August 18, 2015 at 11:55 pm

What’s at stake for @rogerfederer and @MariaSharapova – http://t.co/9kaUg6ycuv #tennis @rfsatar @ATPWorldTour @WTA @usopen @CincyTennis
ElenaFoundation says:

August 20, 2015 at 9:50 am

What’s at stake for the top players prior to US Open seeding? http://t.co/hEe10LXyUt Great article by @10sBalls_com