AUGUST 25th TENNIS TOUR NEWS
AUGUST 25th TENNIS TOUR NEWS
****** TODAY’S MEN’S NEWS ******
Winston-Salem
Singles – Final: (9) J Melzer def. (15) G Monfils 6-3 2-1, retired (abdominal)
There is a certain depressing suitability about this. Jurgen Melzer won by getting lucky; Gael Monfils lost by getting hurt. It had been nagging him even before the match: “I started to feel it yesterday. I had a sharp pain. After about fifty minutes, I tried to serve at full speed, and that was it. I felt like something snapped a little bit and it was really painful. It was tough to continue. I will try to get an x-ray tonight and see what’s going on.” He called the trainer and had to pack it in.
It is the fifth career title for Melzer, and his first on outdoor hardcourt (he had one previous clay title and three on indoor hard). It is also his first since Memphis 2012. He will be climbing — we show him going from #32 to #27. Even he was surprised: “I hadn’t played any matches after Wimbledon. I took four weeks off with a shoulder issue and I played terrible in Cincinnati — it was a shocking match against Monaco. To come back a week later and win a trophy…. We put a lot of work in. [New coach Galo Blanco] talked to me a lot. It’s always a team effort.”
Gael Monfils, apart from going into the U. S. Open in poor shape, will stay stuck at #39. And waiting to see how quickly he recovers….
Doubles – Final: (1) Nestor/Paes def. Huey/Inglot 7-6(12-10) 7-5
We’ll just have to hope this doesn’t go to Daniel Nestor’s head.
Nestor hadn’t won a title since Valencia 2012. Leander Paes hadn’t won since Shanghai 2012. But take two seemingly washed-up veterans (they’re both forty) and put them together and you get — this. Obviously it’s a big boost for both guys. Maybe even career-extending. Certainly amazing. Nestor has now won at least one title a year for twenty years, starting with Bogota 1994 with Knowles.
He also earned career win #900 this week.
Surprisingly, he has won titles with only seven partners in that time: Knowles, Lareau, Mirnyi, Paes, Stolle, Ullyett, Zimonjic. It does seem to justify his split with Robert Lindstedt. Clearly he needs the right guy….
****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******
KEYWORDS: No Feature Today
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:
Winston-Salem (250/Hard). Defending Champion: John Isner
NEXT WEEK ON THE ATP WORLD TOUR:
U. S. Open (Slam/Hard). Defending Champion: Andy Murray
******** STATS AND FACTS ********
RANKINGS
Estimated ATP World Tour Rankings
As of August 24, 2013
Rank &
Prior…Player………..Points
1..(1) Djokovic……….10980
2..(2) Nadal…………..8860
3..(3) Murray………….8700
4..(4) Ferrer………….7210
5..(5) Berdych…………5075
6..(6) Del Potro……….4740
7..(7) Federer…………4695
8..(8) Tsonga………….3470
9..(9) Gasquet…………2625
10.(10) Wawrinka………..2610
11.(11) Raonic………….2555
12.(12) Nishikori……….2405
13.(13) Haas……………2185
14.(15) Janowicz………..2113
15.(16) Almagro…………2110
16.(17) Simon…………..2040
17.(14) Isner…………..2025
18.(18) Fognini…………2025
19.(19) Cilic…………..1805
20.(20) Anderson………..1740
21.(21) Tipsarevic………1685
22.(22) Robredo…………1620
23.(23) Seppi…………..1550
24.(24) Youzhny…………1475
25.(25) Kohlschreiber……1445
26.(26) Lopez…………..1435
27.(32) Melzer………….1425
28.(27) Paire…………..1415
29.(28) Dimitrov………..1375
30.(30) Verdasco………..1315
**DRAWS
Winston Salem — Week of August 19
WINNER: Jurgen Melzer
……………….3R…………….QF………..SF…………F
1 Berdych (WC)…..Berankis……….Berankis
14 Klizan……….bautista Agut
11 Nieminen……..(11)Nieminen
6 Querrey……….(6)Querrey……..Querrey…..Querrey
3 Isner…………Bogomolov
13 Tursunov……..(13)Tursunov……Tursunov
9 Melzer………..(9)Melzer………Melzer……Melzer……..Melzer
5 Paire…………(5)Paire
7 Verdasco (WC)…(7)Verdasco(WC)….Verdasco
12 Rosol……….Haase
15 Monfils……..(15)Monfils……..Monfils…..Monfils…….Monfils
4 Robredo………(4)Robredo
8 Monaco……….(8)Monaco
10 Dolgopolov…..(10)Dolgopolov…..Dolgopolov..Dolgopolov
16 Andujar……..Lu……………..Lu
2 Seppi………..Johnson(Q)
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Berdych (WC)…….WITHDREW
2 Seppi…………..lost 2R (Johnson)
3 Isner…………..WITHDREW
4 Robredo…………lost 3R (Monfils)
5 Paire…………..lost 3R (Melzer)
6 Querrey…………lost SF (Melzer)
7 Verdasco (WC)……lost QF (Monfils)
8 Monaco………….lost 3R (Dolgopolov)
9 Melzer………….WON TOURNAMENT
10 Dolgopolov……..lost SF (Monfils)
11 Nieminen……….lost 3R (Querrey)
12 Rosol………….lost 2R (Haase)
13 Tursunov……….lost QF (Melzer)
14 Klizan…………lost 2R (Bautista Agut)
15 Monfils………..lost F (Melzer)
16 Andujar………..lost 2R (Lu)
U. S. Open — Week of August 26
1 Djokovic
Berankis
Becker
Rosol
Kubot
Nieminen
Sousa
25 Dimitrov
24 Paire
Bogomolov
Smyczek (WC)
Duckworth (WC)
Zopp
Granollers
Ram
16 Fognini
12 Haas
Mathieu
Lu
Gimeno-Traver
Goffin
Dolgopolov
Mahut
21 Youzhny
29 Melzer
Donskoy
Sijsling
Qualifier (Q)
Hewitt
Baker (WC)
Garcia-Lopez
6 Del Potro
3 Murray
Llodra
Hanescu
L Mayer
Qualifier (Q)
Klizan
F Mayer
28 Monaco
20 Seppi
Malisse
Lacko
Qualifier (Q)
Kamke
Johnson
Istomin
15 Almagro
9 Wawrinka
Stepanek
Blake
Qualifier (Q)
Baghdatis
Qualifier (Q)
Brands
17 Anderson
31 Benneteau
Przysiezny
Stakhovsky
Chardy
Vesely
Kudla
Lorenzi
5 Berdych
8 Gasquet
Russell
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Struff
Rufin (WC)
Bedene
32 Tursunov
23 Lopez
Qualifier (Q)
De Schepper
Klahn (WC)
Andujar
De Bakker
Qualifier (Q)
10 Raonic
14 Janowicz
Qualifier (Q)
Sock
Qualifier (Q)
Kuznetsov
Sela
Cuevas
18 Tipsarevic
30 Gulbis
Haider-Maurer
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Bautista Agut
Bellucci
Qualifier (Q)
4 Ferrer
7 Federer
Zemlja
Giraldo
Berlocq
Zeballos
Mannarino
Pella
26 Querrey
19 Robredo
Matosevic
Haase
Qualifier (Q)
Ramos
Tomic
Qualifier (Q)
11 Nishikori
13 Isner
Volandri
Ungur
Monfils
Montanes
Roger-Vasselin
Altamirano (WC)
22 Kohlschreiber
27 Verdasco
Dodig
Williams (WC)
Davydenko
Qualifier (Q)
Pospisil
Harrison (WC)
2 Nadal
******** SCORES ********
SATURDAY
Winston-Salem
Singles – Final
(9) J Melzer def. (15) G Monfils 6-3 2-1, retired (abdominal)
Doubles – Final
(1) Nestor/Paes def. Huey/Inglot 7-6(12-10) 7-5
****** TODAY’S WOMEN’S NEWS ******
New Haven
Singles – Final: Simona Halep def. (3) Petra Kvitova 6-2 6-2
If you hear a strange noise at a Petra Kvitova match, it is probably the sound of all her fans pounding their heads of something — anything — within reach. After finally playing a good match the round before, defending champion Kvitova here produced another clunker, winning just a third of the points in the match. At the rate she was going, it’s somewhat amazing that she pushed the match past the one hour mark.
Of course, some of Kvitova’s troubles were the work of Simona Halep, who keeps going from strength to strength. She earns her first Premier title, and should rise to at least #19 as a result. And she still doesn’t appear done.
Kvitova, on the other hand, seems almost to be just putting in her time. She falls from #9 to #10 (or maybe #9 if Marion Bartoli comes off), which no titles since Dubai. If she is still Top Ten, it’s mostly because no one else seems to want to replace her….
Doubles – Final: (3) Mirza/Zheng def. (2) Medina Garrigues/Srebotnik 6-3 6-4
Sania Mirza and Zheng Jie both like hardcourts better than their opponents here, but this still feels surprising. Katarina Srebotnik already had four titles this year and seemed in great form. But maybe Anabel Medina Garrigues was just too much of a handicap. Mirza wins her first title since Dubai (with Mattek-Sands); Zheng breaks a drought that goes back all the way to Rome 2011.
****** TODAY’S FEATURE ******
Women’s Look Forward: U. S. Open
It seems almost strange to think that Serena Williams has won only one Slam this year. It feels as if she has dominated, and the rankings agree — but if she really wants to put her name down as owning 2013, she needs to win the U. S. Open.
The good news is, it’s her best surface, and the crowds will like her, and there is no Maria Sharapova in the field. It really feels as if either Serena or Victoria Azarenka, the #1 and #2 seeds, ought to win this thing.
Which of course doesn’t mean it will work out that way. For one thing, Serena has a pretty nasty draw. She opens against Francesca Schiavone. Then maybe the underrated Monica Niculescu. The first seed she would face is #29 Magdalena Rybarikova, who has had a great summer. Then potentially #15 Sloane Stephens, who beat her at this year’s other hardcourt Slam, or #23 Jamie Hampton. Then #8 Angelique Kerber, who is struggling but who at least gives a different look. Then the great hands of #3 Agnieszka Radwanska, or alternately #5 Li Na. And then Azarenka.
Azarenka’s draw is clearly easier — and not so much of this business of facing different sorts of opponents, either. She has two easy rounds, then takes on #26 Alize Cornet. Then #13 Ana Ivanovic or #17 Dominika Cibulkova. Then #7 Petra Kvitova or #11 Samantha Stosur or maybe #20 Nadia Petrova (who, however, is just barely back from injury). Then #4 Sara Errani, no fan of hardcourt and seeded for the semifinal only because Sharapova isn’t in the draw, or #6 Caroline Wozniacki. Unless Kvitova has another good week, there really isn’t anyone there who is an obvious threat to Azarenka.
#3 Radwanska also has two easy rounds to start. The first seed she would face is #32 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Then things get trickier, in the form of #16 Sabine Lisicki or #24 Ekaterina Makarova. Then #5 Li or maybe #9 Jankovic — that section looks likely to have the best quarterfinal of the four. Then Serena. In Errani’s quarter, we have a pretty good third round matchup between Errani and #27 Svetlana Kuznetsova (hard to believe Errani is the higher seed, isn’t it?). After that, the Italian would face #14 Maria Kirilenko or red-hot #21 Simona Halep. Then Wozniacki, or else #10 Roberta Vinci, her doubles partner, then Azarenka.
The complete list of Round of Sixteen matches is Serena versus Stephens, #8 Kerber versus Flipkens, #3 Radwanska versus Lisicki, #5 Li against Jankovic, #6 Wozniacki against Vinci, #4 Errani versus Kirilenko, #7 Kvitova against Stosur, and Azarenka taking on Ivanovic. In the third round, it’s Serena versus Rybarikova, Stephens versus Hampton, Flipkens against Suarez Navarro, Kerber against Kaia Kanepi (a very tough match indeed, except that Kanepi is playing her first WTA event in her latest comeback), Radwanska against Pavlyuchenkova, Lisicki versus Makarova, Jankovic taking on currently-hot Sorana Cirstea, Li against achy Laura Robson, Wozniacki versus Klara Zakopalova, Vinci against upset artist Elena Vesnina, Kirilenko against Halep, Errani against Kuznetsova, Kvitova versus Barthel, Stosur taking on Petrova, Ivanovic facing Cibulkova, and Azarenka against Cornet.
Interesting early round matches include Serena versus Schiavone in the first round, Stephens versus Begu or Urszula Radwanska in the second, Flipkens versus Venus Williams in the first and then against Zheng in the second, Jankovic versus Keys in the first and then Kleybanova in the second, Vesnina versus Beck in the first, Vinci versus Safarova in the second, Kirilenko against Wickmayer in the first, Kuznetsova versus Burdette in the first, Kvitova versus Petkovic in the second, Stosur versus Hantuchova in the second, Ivanovic against Lepchenko in the second, and Goerges versus McHale and Svitolina versus Cibulkova in the first, with the winners of the latter two matches meeting in the second.
The Rankings
It’s interesting how much the rankings match the results from last year’s Open. Serena won it. Azarenka was the finalist. Sharapova and Errani were semifinalists. Bartoli (retired, of course), Stosur, Ivanovic, and Vinci made the quarterfinal. Of the rest of the Top Ten, Radwanska, Kvitova, and Kerber lost in the Round of Sixteen, Li in the second round; Wozniacki lost her opener.
As a footnote, Kim Clijsters closed out her career with a second round loss to Robson.
That means that, assuming Bartoli is still on the rankings, we have this Top Ten in safe points:
1..(1) SWILLIAMS ……… 11265*
2..(2) AZARENKA ………..8110*
3..(3) Sharapova ……… 7866
4..(4) ARADWANSKA ………6060*
5..(6) LI ……………..4730*
6..(5) ERRANI ………….4230*
7..(7) Bartoli ……….. 3746
8..(8) WOZNIACKI ……… 3490*
9..(9) KERBER ………….3145*
10.(10) KVITOVA ……….. 3015*
(Jankovic is next in line if Bartoli is taken off.)
That means — no threat to Serena. She will be #1 no matter what. Nor is Azarenka under threat; because Sharapova isn’t playing, Azarenka is sure to stay #2. It’s just possible that Radwanska could move up to #3, but she needs a title. Radwanska could also fall, but it won’t be easy; Li could possibly do it with a final, or Errani with a title, but odds are that it won’t happen unless Li takes the title.
The gap between Wozniacki, Kerber, Kvitova, and indeed Jankovic, Flipkens, and Stephens is small; we could see a lot of movement at the bottom of the Top Ten.
Stosur’s Top Fifteen ranking is in some anger; Vinci, who blew repeated chances at the Top Ten, is below #15 in safe points. Ivanovic might end up around #20. Others in a lot of trouble include Minella (third round last year), Tatishvili (fourth round), Burdette (third round), Parmentier (third round), Soler Espinosa (third round), Hlavackova (fourth round), Govortsova (third round), and Puchkova (third round).
KEYWORDS: Preview U. S. Open Women
******** THIS WEEK IN TENNIS ********
THIS WEEK ON THE WTA:
New Haven (Premier/Hard). Defending Champion: Petra Kvitova
NEXT WEEK ON THE WTA:
U. S. Open (Slam/Hard). Defending Champion: Serena Williams
************ STATS AND FACTS ************
**RANKINGS
Estimated WTA Rankings As of August 24, 2013
Rank &
Prior
Rank….Name…………..Points
1..(1) SWilliams ……… 12260
2..(2) Azarenka ………..9505
3..(3) Sharapova ……… 8766
4..(4) ARadwanska ………6335
5..(5) ERRANI ………….5125
6..(6) Li ……………..4825
7..(7) Bartoli ……….. 4246
8..(8) WOZNIACKI ……… 3490
9.(10) KERBER ………….3420
10..(9) KVITOVA ……….. 3290
11.(13) Stosur ………….3210
12.(11) Jankovic ………..3125
13.(12) VINCI …………. 3065
14.(14) Flipkens ………..2961
15.(15) Ivanovic ………..2940
16.(17) STEPHENS ………..2925
17.(16) Kirilenko ……… 2620
18.(18) LISICKI ……….. 2615
19.(23) HALEP …………. 2450*
20.(20) SUAREZ NAVARRO …..2375
21.(19) CIBULKOVA ……… 2281
22.(21) CIRSTEA ……….. 2250
23.(22) Petrova ……….. 2212
24.(24) VESNINA ……….. 2127
25.(26) MAKAROVA ………..1935
26.(25) Hampton ……….. 1881
27.(27) Kanepi ………….1781
28.(28) Cornet ………….1730
29.(29) Kuznetsova ………1679
30.(33) ZAKOPALOVA ………1600
**DRAWS
New Haven — Week of August 19
WINNER: Simona Halep
……………..QF……………SF………….F
1 Errani………Makarova
5 Vinci……….Halep…………Halep……….Halep
4 Wozniacki……(4)Wozniacki…..Wozniacki
6 Stephens (WC)..(6)Stephens(WC)
7 Lisicki……..Pavlyuchenkova
3 Kvitova……..(3)Kvitova…….Kvitova…….Kvitova
8 Cibulkova……Zakopalova…….Zakopalova
2 Kerber………Vesnina
STATUS OF SEEDS:
1 Errani……….lost 2R (Makarova)
2 Kerber……….lost 2R (Vesnina)
3 Kvitova………lost F (Halep)
4 Wozniacki…….lost SF (Halep)
5 Vinci………..lost 1R (Suarez Navarro)
6 Stephens (WC)…lost QF (Wozniacki)
7 Lisicki………lost 2R (Pavlyuchenkova)
8 Cibulkova…….lost 1R (Knapp)
U. S. Open — Week of August 26
1 Williams
Schiavone
Voskoboeva
Niculescu
Shvedova
Puchkova
Qualifier (Q)
29 Rybarikova
23 Hampton
Arruabarrena
Mladenovic
Medina Garrigues
Begu
U Radwanska
Minella
15 Stephens
12 Flipkens
V Williams
Bertens
Zheng
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Davis
18 .Suarez Navarro
25 Kanepi
King (WC)
Voegele
Schmiedlova
Ka Pliskova
Bouchard
Hradecka
8 Kerber
3 A Radwanska
Soler-Espinosa
Torro-Flor
Erakovic
Cabeza Candela
Barty (WC)
Razzano (WC)
32 Pavlyuchenkova
24 Makarova
Hercog
Johansson
Mattek-Sands
Ormaechea
Date-Krumm
Qualifier (Q)
16 Lisicki
9 Jankovic
Keys
Puig
Kleybanova
Qualifier (Q)
Cadantu
Qualifier (Q)
19 Cirstea
30 Robson
Dominguez Lino
Garcia
Rogers (WC)
Cetkovska
Arvidsson
Govortsova
5 Li
6 Wozniacki
Qualifier (Q)
Scheepers
Qualifier (Q)
Cepelova
Qualifier (Q)
Hsieh
31 Zakopalova
22 Vesnina
Beck
Knapp
Qualifier (Q)
Tsurenko
Safarova
Babos
10 Vinci
14 Kirilenko
Wickmayer
Qualifier (Q)
Daniilidou
Vekic
Duque-Marino
Watson
21 Halep
27 Kuznetsova
Burdette
Peng
Meusburger
Gibbs (WC)
Pennetta
Morita
4 Errani
7 Kvitova
Doi
Jovanovski
Petkovic
Pironkova
Riske (WC)
Larsson
28 Barthel
20 Petrova
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Vickery (WC)
Sanchez (WC)
Hantuchova
Qualifier (Q)
11 Stosur
13 Ivanovic
Tatishvili
Lepchenko
Dulgheru
Goerges
McHale
Svitolina
17 Cibulkova
26 Cornet
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Qualifier (Q)
Wozniak
Dolonc
Pfizenmaier
2 Azarenka
******** SCORES ********
SATURDAY
New Haven
Singles – Final
Simona Halep def. (3) Petra Kvitova 6-2 6-2
Doubles – Final
(3) Mirza/Zheng def. (2) Medina Garrigues/Srebotnik 6-3 6-4
©Daily tennis news wire
Topics: Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, US Open
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