Content via BOB LARSON’S TENNIS NEWS
* Nishikori wins three-hour rain-delayed match against Ferrer
* Nishikori back in Top Twenty, but last year’s finalist Ferrer will fall to #5 or lower
* Dolgopolov outlasts Wawrinka but has only gained one ranking spot so far
* Murray needs trainer but still thrashes Tsonga
* Federer easily tops Gasquet, who will lose Top Ten ranking
* Federer has now clinched Top Five spot, almost certain to be #4; could pass Wawrinka with a title
* Raonic’s win over Becker effectively guarantees #10 spot
* Berdych keeps Top Five hopes alive with win over Isner; American will be #9 or #10
* Bryans pushed to second set tiebreak but beat Marrero/Verdasco
Miami
Rafael Nadal hammered Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-2 in just over an hour as Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray set up a re-run of the 2013 Wimbledon final. Nadal next plays Canadian 12th seed Milos Raonic, who reached the Miami quarters for the first time by beating German Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-4 on a fourth match point.
Nadal won his 20th match of the season after spending a total of just over two hours on court for his last pair of outing, wins which thrilled the mainly Latin local audience. “I’m very happy, in my first three matches I was able to find the right rhythm on court,” said Nadal. “I was aggressive and played with no mistakes.
“Today was a very strange match, I’m sorry for Fabio., He felt something from yesterday near the ribs, it was not easy for him to play this match.”
Second seed Djokovic got lucky after a wet forecast turned dry, with the three-time champion advancing to face Murray, the Wimbledon winner. Djokovic earned his 28th win at the tournament in 82 minutes as he beat Spanish 16th seed Tommy Robredo 6-3, 7-5. Murray, the sixth seed, put out French number 11 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-1.
Britain’s Murray trails Djokovic 8-11 in their rivalry. The Scot, who underwent back surgery six months ago, admitted he felt some twinges in his hip and is getting checked out by his physio.
Djokovic earned respect of the fans as he gave his opponent a point in the third game of the second set on an erroneous call instead of having it re-played. “It’s something that is part of the sport and fair play that. I expect everybody else to do the same,” he said.
Swiss fifth seed and two-time champion Roger Federer will next play Japan’s Kei Nishikori after hammering Richard Gasquet 6-1, 6-2 in 49 minutes. Nishikori booked his spot as he defeated fourth seed David Ferrer 7-6 (9-7), 2-6, 7-6 (11-9).
It was the opposite for Australian Open winner Stanislas Wawrinka, who lost to Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. Seventh seed Tomas Berdych eliminated John Isner 6-3, 7-5.
RANKINGS
Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings
As of March 25, 2013
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Nadal………….13220
2..(2) Djokovic……….10990
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
1 Nadal………….(1)Nadal
29 Tursunov………Istomin
19 Janowicz………Bautista Agut
14 Fognini……….(14)Fognini
12 Raonic………..(12)Raonic
23 Monfils……….Garcia Lopez
27 Pospisil………Bedene(Q)
[Becker(LL)]……..Becker(LL)
3 Wawrinka……….(3)Wawrinka
25 Cilic…………Roger-Vasselin
22 Dolgopolov…….(22)Dolgopolov
[Lajovic(LL)]…….(LL)Lajovic
10 Isner…………(10)Isner
18 Almagro……….(18)Almagro
26 Simon…………Sousa
7 Berdych………..(7)Berdych
5 Federer………..(5)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
31 Seppi…………(31)Seppi
4 Ferrer…………(4)Ferrer
6 Murray…………(6)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
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Nadal
2 Djokovic
3 Wawrinka
4 Ferrer
5 Federer
6 Murray
7 Berdych
8 del Potro……..WITHDREW (replaced by Becker)
9 Gasquet
10 Isner
11 Tsonga
12 Raonic
13 Haas…………WITHDREW (replaced by Lajovic)
14 Fognini
15 Dimitrov…….lost 3R (Nishikori)
16 Robredo
17 Anderson
18 Almagro……..lost 3R (Gasquet)
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
32 Lopez……….lost 3R (Murray)
******** SCORES ********
TUESDAY
Miami
Singles – Fourth Round
[1] R Nadal (ESP) d [14] F Fognini (ITA) 62 62
[2] N Djokovic (SRB) d [16] T Robredo (ESP) 63 75
[22] A Dolgopolov (UKR) d [3] S Wawrinka (SUI) 64 36 61
[20] K Nishikori (JPN) d [4] D Ferrer (ESP) 76(7) 26 76(9) – saved 4 M.P.
[5] R Federer (SUI) d [9] R Gasquet (FRA) 61 62
[6] A Murray (GBR) d [11] J Tsonga (FRA) 64 61
[7] T Berdych (CZE) d [10] J Isner (USA) 63 75
[12] M Raonic (CAN) d [LL] B Becker (GER) 63 64
Doubles – Quarter-finals
[1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) d [5] D Marrero (ESP) / F Verdasco (ESP) 63 76(5)
[8] M Llodra (FRA) / N Mahut (FRA) d F Lopez (ESP) / M Mirnyi (BLR) 76(6) 60
Topics: 10sballs, Atp, Federer, Miami, Murray, Sony, Sports, Tennis
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