****** EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ******
* No Australian seed for Cilic after loss to Nishikori; Federer cruises
* Pospisil on his way to Top Thirty and Melbourne seed; Granollers still in hunt after upset of Paire in Chennai
* Wawrinka earns win #300
* Nadal to face Monfils in Doha
****** TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS ******
Brisbane
Singles – Quarterfinal: (1) R Federer def. M Matosevic 6-1 6-1
2013 has been officially declared the warmest year in Australian history, and so far 2014 remains intensely hot in Australia. So Roger Federer is surely very glad this ended quickly. He can’t improve his ranking this week, however.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (2) K Nishikori def. M Cilic 6-4 5-7 6-2
One more win and Kei Nishikori will pass Fabio Fognini to earn the #16 Australian Open seed. But he knocks Marin Cilic out of the seed hunt; the Croat will be around #37. And a truly dangerous floater.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (8) J Chardy def. (WC) S Groth 7-5 6-4
With this, Jeremy Chardy rises to the status of #1 alternate for an Australian Open seed. If he can somehow beat Federer, he’ll be seeded.
Singles – Quarterfinal: L Hewitt def. (Q) M Copil 6-4 6-2
There will be no seed for Lleyton Hewitt, but it’s starting to look as if he just might be able to return to the Top Fifty.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (2) Fyrstenberg/Nestor def. (WC) Ebden/Kokkinakis 7-5 4-6 10-8
Chennai
Singles – Quarterfinal: (1) S Wawrinka def. A Bedene 6-2 6-1
From now on, the points count for Stanislas Wawrinka, but he can’t rise above #8 this week. It’s still memorable — it’s reported to be win #300 of his career.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (6) M Granollers def. (4) B Paire 2-6 6-3 7-6(7-5)
If Marcel Granollers earns a Melbourne seed, he will certainly have earned it after this! It took two hours and thirteen nailbiting minutes. Granollers is still only #36 in safe points, so he needs more to earn seeding, but it’s at least possible. Benoit Paire, who was defending semifinalist points, will lose at least one ranking spot, but at least his seeding is secure.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (5) V Pospisil def. (WC) Y Bhambri 6-3 6-3
Reality was bound to catch up with the Indian players someday; on the whole, they did pretty well. As did Vasek Pospisil; this not only assures him an Australian Open seed but likely puts him in the Top Thirty.
Singles – Quarterfinal: (7) E Roger-Vasselin def. D Sela 5-7 7-6(7-6) 6-0
No seeding implications here; Edouard Roger-Vasselin is ranked too low. But he’s making a Top Fifty push.
Doubles – Quarterfinal: (3) Begemann/Emmrich def. Garcia-Lopez/Oswald 6-3 5-7 11-9
Doubles – Quarterfinal: Draganja/Pavic def. (WC) Balaji/Ramanathan 6-3 6-3
Doubles – Semifinal: (4) Brunstom/Nielsen def. (WC) Khachanov/Myneni 6-4 6-3
Doha
Singles – Semifinal: (1) R Nadal def. (Q) P Gojowczyk 4-6 6-2 6-3
All this, and still no points that count for Rafael Nadal! At least a title would count. And we may have a new player to keep our eyes on in the form of Peter Gojowczyk.
Singles – Semifinal: G Monfils def. F Mayer 6-3 6-2
Gael Monfils is up to #26 in safe points, with a shot at the #24 ranking if he can win the title. He leaves Florian Mayer probably #38, which of course means no seed in Melbourne.
Doubles – Final: Berdych/Hajek def. (1) Peya/Soares 6-2 6-4
Maybe the Czechs can give Radek Stepanek a bit of a rest this year in Davis Cup. By the looks of things, they have someone who could play doubles with Tomas Berdych. This is quite an impressive win, given how well Peya/Soares had been playing. For Jan Hajek, it’s the first doubles title of his career (indeed, the first title of any kind), and it comes in his thirtieth year — maybe it’s time he thinks about switching to doubles. He doesn’t sound like he wants to, though. “I feel very good. It’s my first title. I was in the final once, but we lost. This is something special to stay on court with Tomas because we are very good friends and now we play together. I was looking forward for this week. Now we stay here and we have the title so it’s great for me.”
Tomas Berdych picks up his first doubles title since Rotterdam 2008, so it was a pretty good day for both guys.
Hopman Cup
The final round robin competitions were pretty dull. France cruised into the final by sweeping moribund Spain: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga topped Daniel Munoz-de la Nava 6-4 6-7 6-2, Alize Cornet trounced Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2 6-2, and the French won the mixed in an 8-3 pro set.
France’s win had rendered the other contest, between the Czechs and the U.S., completely moot (the French were 3-0) — and it was pretty clear no one wanted to play. John Isner withdrew from his match with Radek Stepanek, Sloane Stephens quit after losing the first set 6-3 to Petra Kvitova, and the Americans pulled out of the Mixed. There must be some pretty unhappy ticket holders.
The final will pit France against Poland, with the French the clear favorites, since they have a full and healthy team. So far, at least.
****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******
Australian Open Seed Update
We already said that this week would be quiet. So we won’t detail the reasons again. We’ll just list the top Australian seeding tiers.
1. Nadal
2. Djokovic
3. Ferrer
4. Murray
5. del Potro
6. Federer
7. Berdych
8. Wawrinka
9-12. Gasquet, Tsonga, Raonic, Haas
Below that, we have at least the possibility of movement. Seeds #13-#16 will be Almagro, Isner, Youzhny, and either Fognini or Nishikori. With Fognini out, Nishikori can earn the #16 spot with a Brisbane final.
#17-#24 are Fognini or Nishikori, Robredo, Simon, Anderson, Janowicz, Kohlschreiber, Dimitrov, and likely Gulbis, but Pospisil or Monfils are contenders.
The remaining seeds include the guys from the above list who don’t end up in the #17-#24 block, plus Seppi, Lopez, Paire, Melzer, Tursunov, and perhaps Verdasco, but Chardy or Granollers could still get in.
Jeremy Chardy is currently the #1 alternate. If Chardy wins his next match, he will be seeded and Verdasco the top alternate. Ivan Dodig is the current #2.
KEYWORDS: Australian Open Seeds Men
******** 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 1, 2014
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Nadal………….13030
2..(2) Djokovic……….12260
3..(3) Ferrer………….5800
4..(4) Murray………….5560
5..(5) Del Potro……….5255
6..(6) Federer…………4295
7..(7) Berdych…………4180
8..(8) Wawrinka………..3730
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
1 Federer…..(1)Federer……Federer
7 Tursunov….Matosevic
[4 Anderson]..Groth(WC)
8 Chardy……(8)Chardy…….Chardy
6 Lopez…….Hewitt……….Hewitt
3 Simon…….Copil(Q)
5 Dimitrov….Cilic
2 Nishikori…(2)Nishikori….Nishikori
STATUS OF SEEDS
1 Federer
2 Nishikori
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
Chennai
……………….QF………………F
1 Wawrinka………(1)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
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
6 Granollers
7 Roger-Vasselin
8 Bautista Agut….lost 1R (Kudryavtsev)
Doha
……………..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
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)
******** SCORES ********
FRIDAY
Brisbane
Singles – Quarterfinal
(1) R Federer def. M Matosevic 6-1 6-1
(2) K Nishikori def. M Cilic 6-4 5-7 6-2
(8) J Chardy def. (WC) S Groth 7-5 6-4
L Hewitt def. (Q) M Copil 6-4 6-2
Doubles – Quarterfinal
(2) Fyrstenberg/Nestor def. (WC) Ebden/Kokkinakis 7-5 4-6 10-8
Chennai
Singles – Quarterfinal
(1) S Wawrinka def. A Bedene 6-2 6-1
(6) M Granollers def. (4) B Paire 2-6 6-3 7-6(7-5)
(5) V Pospisil def. (WC) Y Bhambri 6-3 6-3
(7) E Roger-Vasselin def. D Sela 5-7 7-6(7-6) 6-0
Doubles – Quarterfinal
(3) Begemann/Emmrich def. Garcia-Lopez/Oswald 6-3 5-7 11-9
Draganja/Pavic def. (WC) Balaji/Ramanathan 6-3 6-3
Doubles – Semifinal
(4) Brunstom/Nielsen def. (WC) Khachanov/Myneni 6-4 6-3
Doha
Singles – Semifinal
(1) R Nadal def. (Q) P Gojowczyk 4-6 6-2 6-3
G Monfils def. F Mayer 6-3 6-2
Doubles – Final
Berdych/Hajek def. (1) Peya/Soares 6-2 6-4
Topics: 10sballs, Benoit Paire, Florian Mayer, Gael Monfils, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, Kei Nishikori, Lleyton Hewitt, Marcel Granollers, Marin Cilic, Peter Gojowczyk, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News, Tomas Berdych