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Novak Djokovic’s Path to Year End ATP No.1 Ranking Clear After Nadal Injury
Thanks to merrymailman.org The news Rafael Nadal had to pull out of Toronto and Montreal might have made life tough for Nadal fans and tennis in general, but it made one task of tennis life much easier for Novak Djokovic-the task of staying at No.1 on the ATP Rankings and finishing the year at the top.
It was Rafael Nadal who took the No.1 ranking from Djokovic on Oct.6 last year, and who beat him in Montreal and in the U.S Open final on Djokovic’s best surface, hard courts.
Nadal, the defending Canadian Open and Cincinnati champion, had 2000 points to defend this series. With 12670 points and in second place on the ATP rankings, he will drop to 10670, which will still see him in second place as Roger Federer in third only has 6070 and has quarter-final points to defend in Cincinnati.
Meanwhile Djokovic, with 13130 points, has just 540 points to defend in the U.S Open Series, and is in the form of his life after winning the Miami-Indian Wells double in Spring, winning the Italian Open and making the French Open final, and winning his second Wimbledon title. High on confidence and arguably the best hard-court player on the tour right now, winning one of either ATP 1000 titles in Canada or Cincinnati, if not both, is well within his reach.
As for the U.S Open, Nadal has 2000 points to defend there, and it is hard to see him defending going in there cold. Djokovic would be the heavy favorite to at least equal his 2013 runner-up showing. That tournament could also see Nadal lose his No.2 position if he falls early and Federer, who only has fourth round points to defend, goes far.
The fall part of the season has never been Nadal’s strongest, while for Djokovic it is where his game really comes into its own. Last year, he swept up the Beijing, Shanghai, Paris and WTF titles, and barring injury, it is hard to see him doing anything but repeating that feat, and finishing number one for the third time in his career.
Commentary by Christian Deverille
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Citi Open Day 4 Round up: Pospisil Knocks out Berdych
Thanks to sports.nationalpost.com Vasek Pospisil, the 13th seed proved to be unlucky for the ATP 500 Citi Open’s top seed Tomas Berdych. The Canadian knocked out of the Czech 6-2, 6-4. Pospisil’s serve was on song as he won 69 percent of his service points compared to 54 for Berdych, and the 13th seed broke the Czech four times in a convincing and mature performance.
John Isner’s conqueror Steve Johnson once again edged one of the game’s biggest servers in a final set breaker, taking out ninth seed Ivo Karlovic the 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7).
Donald Young was another giant-slaying American as he upset 15th seed Denis Istomin 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Second seed Milos Raonic had a close encounter with Lleyton Hewitt, squeezing past him in two tiebreak sets, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (3).
Other seeds to make it through to the last eight were fourth seed Kei Nishikori who defeated Lukas Lacko in 3 sets, tenth seed Santiago Giraldo who thrashed Victor Estrella Burgos for the loss of just two games, seventh seed Kevin Anderson who saw off Malek Jaziri in straights and Richard Gasquet who sailed quietly through against American Tim Smyczek 6-3, 62.
Commentary by Christian Deverille
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Isner right to be upset by Washington scheduling
Thanks to http://www.sportal.co.nz John Isner was not only upset by Steve Johnson at the ATP 500 Citi Open in Washington. He was pretty upset by tournament organizers, too, who scheduled him on an outside court.
An ATP 500 event is a big deal, and in American men’s tennis right now, John Isner is the biggest deal of them all. The recent Atlanta Open winner is playing every week of the US Open series, the 250 events included, where names like his bring bums to seats, while many of the big names are just showing up for the big ones.
His reward was to be put on the Grandstand court at 6pm and not the Stadium Court. That honor did go to another American though, Jack Sock, who was competing in a high profile match with second seed and Canadian Milos Raonic. Sock has been doing his bit for U.S tennis, too, winning the Wimbledon Doubles trophy with Vasek Pospisil and the 21 one year old has just earned a career high ranking of 60 which bodes well for the future. Giving him a taste of the highlife court wise when up against the game’s highest ranked ‘young gun’ was certainly not a bad idea, who knows how that might motivate Sock, but whether or not it was the best idea remains to be seen.
After all, if, like Isner you are leading your country, working hard week-in, week-out and promoting the game, what kind of reward is it when you do not get to play in front of your homecrowd on the best courts? Isner said after the match that the simple fact was he did not like playing out there, and that while Johnson beat him ‘fair and square’, he would have fancied his chances more on Stadium. Those might have been reservations worth listening to had they been aired before the match. After all, the chances of Isner making it though to the final and winning the event, are higher than the other Americans who trail him by more than 50 ranking spots.
The loss sees Isner drop out of the top ten, leaving the elite of the ATP without an American amid its ranks. That fact should leave quite a few high up in the USTA feeling a little upset themselves, longer than it will take Isner to get over his Johnson and scheduling upset. Isner has been upset before by his home country, his match against Monfils at last year’s U.S Open in which his home crowd cheered for his opponent comes to mind, and recovered. The question is how long will it take U.S tennis to get over its current state? And how much sympathy can be had when their best players are treated like work horses and not show ponies they should be proud to parade?
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Washington ATP Round up Day 3: John Isner Knocked out, Berdych Through
Thanks to stevegtennis.com John Isner, the fifth seed, was upset in the round of 32 at the Citi Open in Washington by countryman Steve Johnson. Johnson, ranked 68, won the match 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (6).
That the match should be decided on a breaker was no surprise, but that Isner should not emerge the winner was. This was one match which proved you are only as good as your second serve. Both men won 89 percent of points behind their first serves, but it was Johnson’s second serve that held up stronger. Serving at only 56 percent to Isner’s 64, Johnson won 68 percent of his second service points; Isner could only manage 43 percent. Overall, Johnson won 80 percent of his service points to Isner’s 73.
Isner was not only upset by Johnson. He was also upset by the tournament organizers. The recent Atlanta champion was miffed at having to play on an outside court when he was the top-ranked American and defending finalist.
The loss drops Isner out of the top ten. Meanwhile, Johnson, having a career year, could beat his own career high ATP ranking of 63 reached in June. The American went out in the first round last year and can only gain points.
Another seed upset by a homeboy was Julian Benneteau who was defeated by the once highly-touted Donald Young. Young, ranked 73, beat the 17th seeded Frenchman 6-3, 6-4, taking advantage of the seed’s woeful 43 percent first serve percentage.
But it was not a good day for the other Americans. Rajeev Ram was beaten by 13th seed Vasek Pospisil, Jack Sock lost in two tiebreaks to second seed Milos Raonic, and Robby Ginepri won just five games against top seeded Tomas Berdych. The biggest story though was Sam Querrey’s defeat to Kei Nishikori. The Japanese may be the third seed, but he had lost his three previous matches to the world No.63. He prevailed though in their round of 32 contest, winning 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.
Other players through on day 3 of the Citi Open were sixth seed Richard Gasquet, tenth seed Santiago Giraldo, and Victor Estrella Burgos who continued his great run of form when he beat eighth seed Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (5), 6-4.
Commentary by Christian Deverille
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Washington Day 2 ATP round-up: Hewitt through, three seeds out on day two
Thanks to http://www.couriermail.com.au Lleyton Hewitt, the 14th seed, made it through to the third round of the ATP 500 Citi Open in Washington when he beat Marinko Matosevic 6-4, 6-3. Hewitt served at 55 percent, winning 74 percent of those points. He also returned well, breaking his opponent 5 times.
Two seeds safely through were Kevin Anderson (7), who beat Evan Donskoy 6-3, 6-4, and Denis Istomin (15)who squeezed past in-form Bernard Tomic 6-4, 7-6 (6). Ivo Karlovic (9) survived an epic three setter against Benoit Paire 7-6 (5), 6-7 (11), 7-6 (2). Karlovic’s serve gave him the edge as he made 64 percent of his first serves in and won 90 percent of those points.
Other seeds did not survive matches that went the distance. 12th seed Jeremy Chardy 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4 by 108th ranked home boy Tim Smyczek, and 11th seed Radek Stepanek went down 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1 to Malek Jaziri. Another seed to fall was Yen-Hsun Lu who was knocked out 6-1, 6-4 by in-form Lukas Lacko.
It was a good day for the Americans as Sam Querrey, Jack Sock and Steve Johnson all won their round of 64 matches.
Victor Estrella Burgos, Benjamin Becker, and Dudi Sela joined them.
Commentary by Christian Deverille
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Washington Day 1 ATP Round up
16 year old wildcard Francis Tiafoe went down in his opening match in Washington (Thanks to http://www.usatoday.com) Day 1 of the ATP 500 Citi Open in Washington saw Robby Ginepri continue the good form he showed in Atlanta with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Alejandro Falla. The 2005 US Open semi-finalist will play top seed Tomas Berdych in the next round.
Lukas Lacko and Marinko Matosevic also carried over their fine Atlanta form, advancing in straights.
The most notable win of the day was had by the erratic Bernard Tomic who followed up his Bogota tournament victory with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 win over Alejandro Falla. Tomic will next face 15th seed Denis Istomin. Tomic leads their head to head 3-0 and is in good form, so it will be interesting to see if he can secure the upset and build on his recent good form.
114 th ranked Malek Jaziri also made it through to round 2, beating Sergei Stakhovsky.
Benoit Paire showed flashes of what he is capable of as he thrashed Frank Dancevic 6-0, 6-4. Tim Smyczek was also in imperious form, beating Alex Kuznetsov 6-0, 6-3 in an all-American clash. Another American through was Donald Young who beat Yuichi Sugita 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Rajeev Ram also progressed.
16 year old American wildcard Francis Tiafoe will not be joining his countrymen in the second round. The world no. 1139 was beaten 6-4, 6-4 on his ATP Tour debut by Russian Evgeny Donskoy.
Commentary by Christian Deverille
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John Isner Wins Atlanta Open
Thanks to radiosport.co.nz John Isner defended his BB&T Atlanta Open title, beating the unseeded Israeli Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-4.
The top seed served 15 aces and won 85% of his first serves. Isner’s return game was also effective. He had two break points in the match, and won them both. Sela did have a chance on the Isner serve in the second set when he had a break point, but the Isner serve was too strong.
Atlanta has been a happy hunting ground for Isner. He has won the title twice now, been runner-up twice and a semi-finalist. This year’s victory earned him 70 ATP ranking points and the lead in the U.S Open Series.
Isner, who has commited to play every week of the Series, will now play Washington where he will defend finalist points after losing to Juan Martin Del Potro in last year’s title match.
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John Isner to face Dudi Sela in Atlanta Open final
Thanks to http://www.bettingpro.com.au John Isner, the top seed and defending champion will get another chance to win big at the ATP 250 BB&T Atlanta Open after beating Jack Sock 7-5, 6-4 in their semi-final clash.
Isner will meet unseeded Dudi Sela in the final. Sela beat Benjamin Becker 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to reach his second ATP final.
Isner leads Sela 2-0 in their head to head. Their last meeting at this year’s Delray Beach event was a close one, with Isner taking a third set tiebreaker 7-5.
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Atlanta Open Quarter-final round up
Thanks to http://www.zimbio.com John Isner, the tiebreak king, proved once more why he deserves that title as he edged eighth seed Marinko Matosevic 7-6 (8) in the first set of their quarter-final at the BB&T Atlanta Open. Once Isner had survived that close encounter, he broke for 4-3 in the second, and took the set 6-4 to reach the last four.
Defending champion Isner will face countryman Jack Sock who also came through a tough first set tiebreaker 7-6 (6) before cruising through the second 6-2.
The other semi-final will see Benjamin Becker take on Dudi Sela. Unseeded Sela upset fourth seeded Vasek Pospisil 7-5, 1-6, 6-2 to earn his first semi-final placing of 2014. Meanwhile Becker beat Thiemo de Bakker 6-4, 6-2.
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Atlanta Open ATP Round up Day 4
Thanks to livetennis.com Top seed John Isner had to battle past Robby Ginepri 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5 to make it through to the last eight of the ATP 250 BB&T Atlanta Open. Isner hit 30 aces to serve his way out of trouble as he was just a tiebreaker away from being upset by the world No.281.
Eight seed Marinko Matosevic broke American Tim Smyczek 6-4, 7-5 to set up a last eight clash with Isner.
Second seeded Kevin Anderson, another big server, was not able to dig himself out of trouble in his match against Thiemo de Bakker. The 142nd ranked Dutch man beat the South African 6-4, 7-5.
Another seeded casualty was Yen-HSun Lu (7) who was beaten 6-4, 6-3 by Benjamin Becker.
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