Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Federer 3rd On AP Athlete of the Decade Poll

The Associated Press Athlete of the Decade poll results are out, and tennis' own Roger Federer finished third on the list. Federer's buddy Tiger Woods is the overwhelming choice for top Athlete of the Decade. Here are the top six:

1. Tiger Woods (56 out of 142 votes)
2. Lance Armstrong (33 out of 142 votes)
3. Roger Federer (25 out of 142 votes)
4. Michael Phelps (13 out of 142 votes)
5. Tom Brady (6 out of 142 votes)
6. Usain Bolt (4 out of 142 votes)

Friday, December 4, 2009

Nadal Notches 400th Win

World No. 2 Rafael Nadal earned his 400th career match win in Spain today against Czech Tomas Berdych as he gave his country a 1-0 lead in the Davis Cup finals. It's quite fitting that he achieved this milestone on his favorite surface. Prior to this victory, he had lost four straight, all on fast indoor courts, including all three of his matches in the group stage of the ATP World Tour Finals in London.

In the second rubber, fellow Spaniard David Ferrer came from two sets down to beat Radek Stepanek to give Spain a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

Nadal and Stepanek are scheduled to play the fourth rubber in the reverse singles on Sunday, although we might see a different match-up should Spain clinch the title tomorrow with a doubles win.

Monday, November 30, 2009

ATP WTF: Davydenko Wins It All

No one saw it coming, not even Nikolay Davydenko himself. Davydenko won the biggest title of his career Sunday, as he bested US Open champ Juan Martin Del Potro at the final in London. He also beat French Open and Wimbledon double winner Roger Federer (semifinals) and Australian Open champ Rafael Nadal (round-robin) along the way.

Now if only the Grand Slams are played in three sets instead of five, Davydenko will surely be a contender.

Friday, November 27, 2009

ATP World Tour Finals Knock-out Stage All Set

After six days of round-robin play, the semifinal cast in London is set:

Group A Winner Roger Federer vs. Group B Runner-up Nikolay Davydenko
Group B Winner Robin Soderling vs. Group A Runner-up Juan Martin Del Potro

Both groups produced three player-ties, and it came down to percentages of games won in Group A (Andy Murray out), and of sets won in Group B (Novak Djokovic out).

The Spaniard in each group did not win a single match, as Rafa Nadal and Fernando Verdasco lost all three of their round-robin matches. They will have to redeem themselves in the Davis Cup finals coming up in December.

As a consolation, Nadal is assured of finishing the year at No. 2 as a result of Djokovic's elimination in the group stage.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

London Update: Soderling In, Nadal Out

It has been a day of upsets in Group B action at the ATP World Tour Finals in London. Robin Soderling defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets, earning him a spot in the semis by virtue of not dropping a set in both of his match wins. Rafa Nadal lost to Nikolay Davydenko in straight sets as well, and has now been eliminated by virtue of not winning a single set in both of his losses.

Nadal could have clinched the Year-end No. 2 ranking if he won today. He has another chance on Friday when he meets Djokovic in his last round-robin match. Should Nadal lose that match, Djokovic will snatch the No. 2 ranking if he then qualifies for the semis and goes on to win the tournament.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

It's Official: Federer is Year-End No. 1

Roger Federer beat Andy Murray in Group A action today coming back from one set down to clinch the Year-end No. 1 (a.k.a. ATP World Tour Championship). This is the fifth time Federer has ended the year at the top spot (tied with Jimmy Connors, and second only to Pete Sampras who was Year-end No. 1 for six years).

Congratulations, Roger!

--

In the other Group A match, Juan Martin Del Potro bested Fernando Verdasco in three sets. Federer leads his group with 2 match wins, while Murray and Del Potro each have 1 match win. Verdasco has yet to win a match, although he still has a chance to qualify in the semis if he beats Murray in straight sets and Federer defeats Del Potro in two.

In tomorrow's Group B play, holder Novak Djokovic takes on Robin Soderling while Rafa Nadal squares up against Nikolay Davydenko.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Federer Watch: "Magic Number" Down to 1

Group B action at the ATP World Tour Finals saw Rafa Nadal lose to Robin Soderling in straights and holder Novak Djokovic prevail over Nikolay Davydenko in three sets. Nadal's loss means that Roger Federer is now one win (or one Nadal loss) away from clinching the Year-end No. 1.

Federer has four "chances" left to clinch the Year-end No. 1 in the round robin stage, with two of them coming off his racket. He gets his first chance tomorrow against Andy Murray when Group A action resumes. The other Group A match pits Juan Martin Del Potro against Fernando Verdasco, who both lost on Sunday.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

ATP World Tour Finals Underway

Group A action commenced in London today, with local favourite Andy Murray beating Juan Martin Del Potro in 3 sets, and Roger Federer coming back to defeat Fernando Verdasco after dropping the first set.

With Federer's win today, his "magic number" to clinch the Year-end No. 1 is down to 2.

Group B play is scheduled tomorrow, with Rafael Nadal taking on Robin Soderling, and holder Novak Djokovic battling Nikolay Davydenko.

Monday, November 16, 2009

London Calling: Federer's "Magic Number" is 3

With a 945-point lead over #2 Rafa Nadal going into next week's ATP World Tour Finals, Roger Federer's "magic number" to clinch the ATP World Tour Championship (a.k.a. Year-end No. 1) is three, which means any combination of 3 Federer wins or Nadal losses.

The official ATP site has the detailed scenarios here:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2009/11/Finals-Battle-ATP-World-Tour-Champion.aspx

Djokovic Wins Paris Masters

Following his victory in Basel last week, World No. 3 Novak Djokovic won his first big title of '09, beating #2 Nadal in the semis and Frenchman Gael Monfils at the final in Bercy. Nole is 1 of 5 in 1000-level finals this season. He is poised to defend his Masters Cup title in London next week.

---

Here are the "Big 5" Ranking Points breakdown. With a maximum of 1,500 points up for grabs at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, positions #2 through #5 can potentially move up one rank. Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro is assured of finishing the year at a career-high #5.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=to2g086RjX-jks4L6twUojQ&output=html

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Paris Masters Ranking Projections

The final Masters tournament of the season is underway in Paris, and the "Big 5" are back in action. Nadal saved five match points against countryman Almagro before earning a ticket to the third round, while Federer did not survive his second round match against Frenchman Benneteau.

Here are the ranking projections for Paris:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tUI516kyHuYf3z18YyzjUmQ&output=html

Federer will keep his #1 ranking even if he only earned 10 points by virtue of his loss, but #2 Nadal can close the gap if he wins Paris. In any event, this should make the ATP World Tour Finals the real "decider" to determine the year-end #1. Federer had a shot to clinch the year-end #1 ranking in Paris if he outperformed Nadal.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Djokovic Takes Basel, Murray Wins Valencia

Novak Djokovic foiled the four-peat attempt of hometown favorite Roger Federer at Basel to win his fourth title of the season, while Andy Murray wins a season-leading sixth title in Valencia. Both Djokovic and Murray earn 500 points for their efforts.

Here is the ranking points breakdown of the "Big 5" as of November 9:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tm8PsKwrfmx3msc3rJL_teg&output=html

Monday, November 2, 2009

Federer, Djokovic, Murray Back In Action

The top men's players are back in action this week, as #1 Federer and #3 Djokovic are playing in Basel, and #4 Murray is entered in Valencia.

Here are the "Big 5" ranking points breakdown:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=t7LfmNhQd5ZLdyTUvp4payA&output=html

Monday, October 12, 2009

Djokovic, Tsonga Win Third Titles in '09

Novak Djokovic won his third title of the season in Beijing while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also won his third trophy of '09 in Tokyo. Among the current Top 8, only #6 Roddick has not won at least three titles this year. (Roddick only has 1 title year to date)

Here is the updated "Big 5" Ranking points breakdown:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tHPCOYnglVBtyKtRAFcuaOQ&output=html

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Nadal, Djokovic, Del Potro Back In Action

#2 Nadal and #4 Djokovic headline China Open in Beijing, while #5 Del Potro is the top seed in Tokyo after #1 Federer and #3 Murray withdrew from the tournament.

The ATP World Tour is in the middle of the new-look Asian swing, which culminates in Shanghai Masters, the newest ATP World Tour 1000 event.

Here is the "Big 5" Ranking Points Update for this week:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=thq144c1BI47EKwrqSm-gNg&output=html

Thursday, September 17, 2009

DelPo, Welcome To The Bigs!

Before the Masters event in Miami this year, Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro was 0-12 against the "Big 4". Since then, he has scored three straight victories over Rafael Nadal (including the US Open semifinal blow-out) and beat Federer for the first time, at the US Open men's final for his first Grand Slam title.

Del Potro ends the five-year dominance of Europe in men's Grand Slam tennis: the last non-European to win a major is coincidentally, another Argentine in Gaston Gaudio, who won the French Open in 2004.

Del Potro earns 2000 ranking points from his US Open triumph, and has reclaimed the #5 ranking. He can crack the Top 4 if he puts up a solid performance in the indoor hardcourt season, especially if he wins his first career Masters title.

Congratulations, Juan Martin!

---

Here are the "Big 5" Ranking Points breakdown. Nadal is back at #2, while #5 Del Potro only trails #4 Djokovic by 655 points.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tOE6gDKEk7xwWhaJB4GGDPg&output=html

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Had Federer Lost to Soderling at the US Open...

The following streaks would have been broken:
* 11 consecutive wins over Soderling (now 12-0)
* 21 Grand Slam semis in a row (now 22)
* 38 straight US Open match wins (now 39)
* 151 consecutive wins in a Grand Slam match after winning the first two sets (now 152-0)

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

US Open Update: Murray Eliminated in Round-of-16

With No. 2 seed Andy Murray going out in the round-of-16 against Croat Marin Cilic one day after top seed Roger Federer advanced to the last eight, here is how the rankings of the "Big 4" are shaping up:

* Roger Federer will keep his No. 1 ranking even if he loses in the quarters against Soderling
* No. 3 Rafael Nadal will reclaim the No. 2 ranking with a win over Monfils in their round-of-16 match tonight, but only if Djokovic doesn't win the US Open. By reaching the semis, Nadal will be No. 2 regardless of Djokovic's results
* Murray could drop all the way down to No. 4 if Djokovic wins the US Open

Complete ranking projections:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=twd5Zm1VGWhcmwrGFBsY6ug&output=html

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Cincy Update: Big 4 Into The Semis

What a week it's been in men's tennis! Murray is the new No. 2, beating Tsonga and Del Potro en route to the Montreal title. In Cincinnati, the "Big 4" are through to the semis, with Federer-Murray facing off in one semi and Nadal-Djokovic in the other. The last time these guys all made it to the semis was at last year's US Open, when Murray was still ranked No. 6.

Nadal can reclaim the No. 2 ranking if he wins the Cincy shield, but only if Murray loses to Federer in the semis. A No. 2 ranking will guarantee a No. 2 seed in this year's US Open, which means not having to face five-time defending champion and top-seed Federer until the finals.

Now, if Murray ends up winning Cincy, he only needs to win the US Open to dethrone Federer from No. 1. It's a tough proposition, but the way things are going, this could be Murray's year.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Murray One Win Away From No. 2

With Rafa Nadal's quarterfinal defeat in Roger's Cup, Andy Murray is one win away from reaching a career-high No. 2 ranking. Standing in the way is Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who upset top-ranked Roger Federer. Murray is the only member of the "Big 4" who made it through to the semis, one day after all top eight seeds won their round-of-16 matches.

The other semifinal match features a rematch between Juan Martin Del Potro and Andy Roddick. Del Potro edged Roddick in the final of last week's Legg Mason Classic in Washington, DC.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Montreal Update: Top 8 Seeds Advance To Quarters

The top 8 seeds at the Rogers Cup are through to the quarterfinal round!
It could be a first on the men's tour, where upsets almost always happen.

Here are the match-ups:

Top half:
[1] R Federer (SUI) vs [7] J Tsonga (FRA)
[3] A Murray (GBR) vs [8] N Davydenko (RUS)

Bottom half:
[2] R Nadal (ESP) vs J [6] Del Potro (ARG)
[4] N Djokovic (SRB) vs [5] A Roddick (USA)

In contrast, only four out of the top eight women's seeds advanced to the quarterfinal round in Cincinnati (WTA).

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Murray Will Be No. 2 With Montreal Title

World No. 3 Andy Murray is four consecutive wins away from reaching a career-high No. 2 ranking. A title in Montreal guarantees that the Scot will finally break the Federer-Nadal four-year stranglehold on the Top 2 in Men's tennis.

No. 1 Federer and No. 4 Djokovic are staying put regardless of the tournament's outcome.

Here are the "Big 4" ranking projections for Montreal:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tswsboKuAjeMrQLksaMHS7Q&output=html

Here is the detailed breakdown of ranking points as of 8/10/2009:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=t8WWP3rEJTVB4tuVM7AhzlA&output=html

Friday, August 7, 2009

Rogers Cup Draw Is Out

The draw has been set for the Rogers Cup in Montreal. The "Big 4" will be in action for the first time this hard court season. Here are the potential quarterfinal pairings:
[1]Federer vs. [7]Tsonga
[2]Nadal vs. [6]Del Potro
[3]Murray vs. [8]Davydenko
[4]Djokovic vs. [5]Roddick

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Federer-Nadal Duopoly Four Years Running

Exactly four years ago today, Rafa Nadal assumed the World No. 2 ranking. Since then, Nadal and World No. 1 Roger Federer have occupied the top two spots in men's tennis, exchanging places for 46 weeks when Nadal was No. 1.

At Wimbledon, Andy Murray came within two victories away from breaking this duopoly, while Novak Djokovic came even closer earlier this year, needing just one more win at Sydney to clinch the No. 2 spot.

Murray and Djokovic will have more chances in the coming months, but Federer and Nadal are poised to keep the status quo at least until the end of the year.

Friday, July 24, 2009

"Big 4" Ranking Points Update

Since Wimbledon, we have not seen any of the "Big 4" in action, but the ranking points did change this week for #3 Andy Murray. His 0-pointer from last year's Indy tournament has been replaced by 250 points he earned by winning Queens.

Looking ahead to the North American hard court season, #2 Rafa Nadal has announced that he is back in practice and will aim to defend his Rogers Cup title in Montreal. Roger Federer just became a father (of twin girls) and has not announced whether he will skip Montreal, which starts in two weeks. Murray and #4 Novak Djokovic have Montreal as their next tournament as well.

Here is the updated ranking points breakdown:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=ttV7Vopq2h8aHG93VJpHLoQ&output=html

Monday, July 20, 2009

North American Hard Court Season Underway

Today marks the start of the Olympus US Open Series, a string of tournaments leading up to and including the final Grand Slam of the year. This includes a couple of ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events: The Rogers Cup in Montreal and the Cincinnati Masters.

$1M in bonus prize money will be awarded to the first place finisher of the US Open Series if said player also wins the US Open.

Here is the complete schedule of tournaments:

Monday, July 13, 2009

Of Lucky Losers And The Davis Cup Quarters

Top-seed American Mardy Fish withdrew from Newport last week to answer to Davis Cup duties for the United States, who had a quarterfinal tie against Croatia. Fast forward to today, and 32-time Davis Cup winner Team USA was eliminated by Croatia 3-2, as Fish lost his singles rubber while James Blake lost both his singles rubbers.

All is not lost for the US, however, as one lucky loser in American Rajeev Ram, a 25-year old pro then ranked 181st in the world, replaced Fish in the Newport draw. To the uninitiated, a lucky loser is a player who lost in the final qualifying round of a tournament, only to be entered into the tournament's main draw because of a late withdrawal. How lucky Ram turned out to be, as he beat fellow American Sam Querrey in the finals at Newport to win his first ATP World Tour singles title. The victory earned Rajeev 250 ranking points and allowed him to move up 73 spots to a career-high 108th in the world.

As for the rest of the Davis Cup World Group 2009 quarterfinal results, Israel shocked Russia 4-1, The Czech Republic bested Argentina 3-2, and Spain beat Germany 3-2. Israel will battle holders Spain while The Czech Republic squares off against Croatia in the semifinals scheduled in September.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Federer Eyes Year-End No. 1

After reclaiming the No. 1 ranking with back-to-back Grand Slam titles at the French Open and Wimbledon, Roger Federer aims to finish the season at the top. You can't blame him - after all, Pete Sampras still owns a couple of records Roger might want to break: the most number of weeks at No. 1, and the most number of ATP World Tour Championships (a.k.a. Year-end No. 1)

Sampras spent a record 286 weeks at No. 1; Federer, currently fourth on the all-time list, is at 238 this week. It is safe to assume that he will keep his No. 1 ranking in the next four weeks. By then, he only needs 45 more weeks to break Pete's record. To put it in perspective, Rafael Nadal spent 46 weeks from the time he assumed the top ranking in August 18, 2008 until the time he slipped back to No. 2 this week.

Sampras was ATP World Tour Champion for a record 6 straight years; Federer will earn his 5th if he ends this year at No. 1, tying Jimmy Connors for second all-time. Can he do it? Rafael Nadal (and the rest of the "Big 4") will surely put up a fight. This should make for an exciting finish!

Here is the updated ranking points breakdown for the "Big 4":
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tPoi00asXtiDAw75YOaAl2A&output=html

Monday, July 6, 2009

Congratulations, Roger!

Records are like pie crusts; they are meant to be broken.

Aussie Roy Emerson's then-record 12 Grand Slam singles titles stood for 33 years until it was broken by Pete Sampras at Wimbledon 2000 for his 13th major. Sampras brought his tally up to 14 when he won his last Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2002.

Along came Roger Federer, who won his 15th major at Wimbledon 2009 and broke Pete's record which only lasted a mere 7 years. Federer also became the third man in almost 30 years to win the French Open-Wimbledon double, following Rafael Nadal's feat in 2008, and Bjorn Borg in '80. This helped Federer to regain the No. 1 ranking which he relinquished to Nadal last year.

How many more Grand Slam titles will Roger win before he hangs up his racket? And how long will his record stand? Now that he has 15 under his belt, 19 looks to be a good number to target. Why 19? It's the number of majors Federer's good friend Tiger Woods needs to achieve in order to break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 Grand Slam titles in professional golf. At the moment, Woods has 14. After outpacing Roger the last few years, it's his turn to keep up with his buddy!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Federer Extends Grand Slam Semis Streak To 21

Five-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer extended his record Grand Slam semifinals streak to 21 after beating Ivo Karlovic in the quarterfinals at the All England Club. Federer is now only two wins away from simultaneously regaining the No. 1 ranking he lost to idle Rafael Nadal on Aug. 18, 2008 and more importantly, collecting his 15th major. First up for Federer is a semifinal match against German Tommy Haas. The other semifinal pits Britain's hope Andy Murray against American Andy Roddick.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Gentlemen's Round-of-16 All Set At Wimbledon

The field of 128 is down to the last sixteen after an eventful first week at
the All England Club. Here are the match-ups:

Top Half:
[3] Andy Murray (GBR) vs [19] Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI)
[6] Andy Roddick (USA) vs [20] Tomas Berdych (CZE)
[8] Gilles Simon (FRA) vs Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
[23] Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)

Bottom Half:
[2] Roger Federer (SUI) vs [13] Robin Soderling (SWE)
[4] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs Dudi Sela (ISR)
[7] Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs [22] Ivo Karlovic (CRO)
[24] Tommy Haas (GER) vs [29] Igor Andreev (RUS)

Easily the biggest match-up among the eight ties is the rematch between French Open champ Roger Federer and French Open runner-up Robin Soderling, who are meeting for the 11th time. Soderling, who has never won against Federer, joked that he doesn't lose to anyone 11 times in a row. But then again, he also joked that he doesn't lose to anyone 10 times in a row. Coincidentally, it was also in the fourth round when Soderling took out top-ranked Rafael Nadal in Paris last month.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Wimbledon To Stage Potential "Battle for No. 1"

With current World No. 1 and reigning Wimbledon champ Rafael Nadal announcing his withdrawal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray are in line for the Wimbledon final, with the No. 1 ranking on the line. If Murray wins, he won't be No. 1 right away, because he will still be 5 points shy of Nadal's tally right after Wimbledon. But by July 20th, when his 0-pointer drops off and is replaced by 250 points he earned by winning at Queen's last week, he will be 245 points clear at the top. If Federer wins, he will be No. 1 on July 6th, but more importantly, he will earn his record-breaking 15th Grand Slam singles title. If neither player wins Wimbledon, Nadal gets to keep his World No. 1 ranking, at least until July 26th.

What of World No. 4 Novak Djokovic? He can be as high as No. 2 if he wins it all, provided that Federer and Murray flop.

Wimbledon will not be the same without Nadal in the draw, but it bodes well for the future of tennis if his decision to skip this tournament will make him fit and well for the upcoming North American hardcourt swing leading up to the US Open. After all, Nadal is one US Open title away from achieving his own career Grand Slam.

Wimbledon "Big 4" Ranking projections:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rIndxXT8XNfC8Onnk2ZNT6w&output=html

Pre-Wimbledon Ranking points breakdown:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rSq_oDRrgKoFbyYL9Pwe0Ww&output=html

Monday, June 8, 2009

Nadal Could Lose No. 1 Ranking After Wimbledon

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal could lose his No. 1 ranking next month if he skips Wimbledon (or loses in the early rounds). Nadal already announced that he is skipping his Wimbledon tune-up at Queen's because of a knee injury, and will announce later this week whether he can defend his Wimbledon title or not, pending results of medical tests.

It's not just No. 2 Roger Federer knocking on the door - even No. 3 Andy Murray can clinch the top ranking if he wins Wimbledon (ranking points projections post to follow). What a storyline it will be, if Nadal withdraws from Wimbledon: Federer and Murray will be the top two seeds and barring any upsets, will face each other in the Wimbledon final, with the No. 1 ranking on the line. We all know what's at stake for Federer - one more Grand Slam trophy and he will be the all-time leader with 15 Grand Slam titles. For Murray, he will just carry the weight of Great Britain's hopes and dreams - a Grand Slam title 73 years in the making and the first-ever British World No. 1 in the Open era. Talk about pressure.

Anyhow, I'm still hoping Nadal will be fit enough to defend his Wimbledon title. I want to see Rafa-Roger IV at Wimbledon. It won't be as dramatic as last year's classic though, with the retractable roof at Centre Court tested and ready to go. No more rain delays!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Federer Wins Grand Slam No. 14

World No. 2 Roger Federer beat Robin Soderling at the French Open final to win his 14th Grand Slam title, tying the record of Pete Sampras and becoming the sixth man to achieve the career slam.

Federer ranks Grand Slam#14 as important as Grand Slam#1, which he won at Wimbledon in 2003.

Here's the ranking points update for the "Big 4":
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rTde0SDImZ37_Uo7Sg0BtFg&output=html
With Federer's win and Nadal's early exit at Roland Garros, only 2,070 points separate them at the top of the rankings.

As a footnote, I didn't like how John McEnroe (one of the commentators in the US broadcast) kept calling Federer the greatest of all time as if mocking the guy. Could McEnroe, a seven-time Grand Slam winner himself but never won the French and Australian Open, be jealous of Federer's achievements? Mary Carillo (a commentator in the US broadcast as well) handled the "issue" differently by reserving judgment until after the end of Rafael Nadal's career.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Federer Reaches 20th Straight Grand Slam Semis

World No. 2 Roger Federer reached his 20th straight Grand Slam semis, extending his own record. Federer defeated Frenchman Gael Monfils in straight sets to reach the last four at Roland Garros. He will be up against Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, who will be playing the first Grand Slam semifinal of his career.

To put Federer's astonishing record in perspective:
* He has been in the semifinals of every Grand Slam since Wimbledon 2004. Before Wimbledon '04, he reached the semifinals twice and went on to win both times (Wimbledon '03 and Australian Open '04)
* In the same period, current World No. 1 Rafael Nadal made 10 non-consecutive semifinals (including 5 straight).
* The player with the second longest Grand Slam semis streak (Open era) is Ivan Lendl, with 10.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Men's Quarterfinals All Set at Roland Garros

It has been an upset-filled weekend at the French Open as four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal and two-time semifinalist Novak Djokovic were eliminated. Nonetheless, the last eight are all seeded players, with three-time finalist Roger Federer the highest seed left in the draw and the favorite to win his first-ever French Open title in eleven tries.

Here are the quarterfinal match-ups:

Top half:
[3] A Murray (GBR) vs [12] F Gonzalez (CHI)
[10] N Davydenko (RUS) vs [23] R Soderling (SWE)

Bottom half:
[2] R Federer (SUI) vs [11] G Monfils (FRA)
[5] J Del Potro (ARG) vs [16] T Robredo (ESP)

Sunday, May 31, 2009

French Open '09 Federer's For The Taking

The path to the French Open title which Roger Federer needs to complete a career Grand Slam is clear all of a sudden - thanks to yesterday's elimination of potential semifinal opponent Novak Djokovic and today's shock defeat of four-time defending champion and "sure bet" Rafael Nadal, his projected opponent in the final.

Djokovic lost to Philipp Kohlschreiber in straight sets while Robin Soderling stunned Nadal in four.

Nikolay Davydenko, who beat Fernando Verdasco to reach the last eight, might pose the biggest challenge to Federer if the Russian reaches the final. But first up for Federer is a fourth-round tie against Tommy Haas, followed by a quarterfinal match against either Andy Roddick or Gael Monfils.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

French Open "Big 4" Ranking Projections

The French Open is underway! Here are the ranking projections for the "Big 4" of Nadal, Federer, Murray and Djokovic:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rPrjCEZhVrWVnORnA0LNTdw&hl=en

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Federer Wins First Title of '09 At Madrid Masters

World No. 2 Roger Federer beat top-ranked Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 6-4, at the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open to earn his first title of the season and his first shield since 2007. Nadal was attempting to do an unprecedented sweep of the three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events on clay after winning both Monte Carlo and Rome earlier this year. It was the rivals' 20th meeting overall, with Nadal leading Federer 13-7.

Here is the breakdown of "Big 4" ranking points after Madrid:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rtFdvMEiG063DTpzjKTYfmA&output=html

Friday, May 15, 2009

Top Three Seeds Advance to Madrid Masters Semis

Top three seeds Nadal, Federer and Djokovic advanced to the semifinals at the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open. It could have been the "Big 4" in the semis if not for No. 5 Juan Martin Del Potro's upset over fourth-seed Andy Murray. The "Big 4" as a group has never advanced to the semifinals of the same tournament.

Here are the quarterfinal results:
[1] R Nadal (ESP) def. [7] F Verdasco (ESP), 6-4, 7-5
[2] R Federer (SUI) def. [6] A Roddick (USA), 7-5, 6-7(5), 6-1
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) def. [W] I Ljubicic (CRO), 6-4, 6-4
[5] J Del Potro (ARG) def. [4] A Murray (GBR), 7-6(4), 6-3

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal is looking for a sweep of all three ATP World Tour Masters events on clay. He will face Novak Djokovic in the semis, whom he has beaten in two previous ATP World Tour Masters finals. Meanwhile, Roger Federer is looking for his first trophy of the season, and will be the favorite against Juan Martin Del Potro.

The last time the top four seeds advanced to the semifinals of an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event is at the 2008 edition of the Monte Carlo Masters, where then No. 1 Roger Federer, No. 2 Rafael Nadal, No. 3 Novak Djokovic and No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko all advanced to the semis.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Men's Quarterfinals All Set at Madrid Masters

The top seven seeds have advanced to the last eight at the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open. Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick made it to the quarterfinals after having played only one match each, earning walkover victories in their respective third round matches.

Here are the match-ups:

Top half:
[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [7] F Verdasco (ESP)
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) vs [W] I Ljubicic (CRO)

Bottom half:
[2] R Federer (SUI) vs [6] A Roddick (USA)
[4] A Murray (GBR) vs [5] J Del Potro (ARG)

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Madrid Masters "Big 4" Ranking Projections

The "Big 4" of Nadal, Federer, Murray and Djokovic are entered at the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open with 1,000 ranking points at stake. Here is a look at the ranking projections for Madrid:


All Murray needs to do to move up another spot in the rankings is to win this tournament. It's not an easy task, since the new World No. 3 has to beat Federer in the semis and Nadal in the final on clay (assuming no upsets).

Monday, May 11, 2009

Djokovic Wins Hometown Title, Slips to No. 4

Despite winning the inaugural Serbia Open in his hometown of Belgrade, Novak Djokovic slips to No. 4 in the ATP World Tour rankings this week. Andy Murray is the new World No. 3.

Here is the ranking points breakdown of the "Big 4" as of May 11th:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rNnsny1yD0FnYSBe6k1oVSg

Only 1,180 ranking points separate Murray and World No. 2 Roger Federer at the moment, with Murray defending a meager 300 ranking points (compared to Federer's 2,100) through the French Open.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Nadal Reclaims Rome Masters Title

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal won a record fourth Rome Masters shield by beating defending champion Novak Djokovic on Sunday.

Here are some fun (and not-so-fun) facts at the conclusion of Rome Masters:

* Nadal replaces Roger Federer as No. 2 on the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 winners list, earning his 14th and 15th shields in Monte Carlo and Rome. American Andre Agassi is the all-time leader with 17.
* Federer has been stuck at 14 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles, continuing his 2008 slump where he did not win a single shield. Federer has not advanced passed the semifinal round in four tries this year.
* Djokovic will lose his No. 3 ranking to Andy Murray on 11-May-2009 when last year's Rome ranking points drop off. Djokovic has been the losing finalist for the third straight ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament.
* Nadal has already won three shields this year (Indian Wells, Monte Carlo, Rome), while Murray has one (Miami). All four ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament finals so far featured either Nadal, Murray or Djokovic.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Quarterfinals All Set at Rome Masters

There were several upsets in the second round, including Juan Monaco's win over fourth-seed Andy Murray, but six seeded players made it through to the last eight anyway.

Here are the quarterfinal match-ups:

Top half:
[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [6] F Verdasco (ESP)
[12] F Gonzalez (CHI) vs J Monaco (ARG)

Bottom half:
[2] R Federer (SUI) vs M Zverev (GER)
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) vs [5] J Del Potro (ARG)

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Rome Masters "Big 4" Ranking Projections

The clay-court season is in full swing leading up to the second Grand Slam of the year at Roland Garros next month. The "Big 4" of Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray are entered at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia with 1,000 ranking points at stake. Here is a look at the ranking projections for Rome:



World No. 3 and Rome Masters defending champion Novak Djokovic needs to repeat his 2008 performance if he wants to keep his current ranking. But even if Djokovic defends his title, World No. 4 Andy Murray can still overtake him at No. 3 (on 11-May-09) if Murray reaches the semis at Rome. Murray can even overtake Roger Federer at No. 2 (on 11-May-09) if Murray wins the tournament and Federer fails to make the quarters.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Nadal Five-Peats at Barcelona

Duplicating his feat at last week's Monte Carlo Masters, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal won his fifth straight Barcelona title on Sunday by beating fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in straight sets. Nadal will attempt to win his fifth straight French Open title in June.

Here is the updated ranking points breakdown for the "Big 4". The points from last year's Monte Carlo Masters dropped off this week, hence the ranking points changes for Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray who were all idle last week. Barcelona has two entries for Nadal because of the change in the ATP World Tour calendar this year. Ranking points from last year's Barcelona tournament will drop off next Monday.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rz6RBRHTh1haPR3oqHqMcgQ

Monday, April 20, 2009

Post-Monte Carlo "Big 4" Rankings Update

This week's edition of the rankings looks strange, as there are two entries for Monte Carlo - this year's and last year's results. Last year's points get to stay an additional week because of the ATP World Tour scheduling changes in 2009.

That said, World No. 1 and Monte Carlo winner Rafael Nadal now leads World No. 2 Roger Federer (who was eliminated in the round-of-16) by a whopping 4,630 points:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7B6JwEslHXptjJ8oGmyUQA

World No. 3 Novak Djokovic gets to keep his current ranking with a finals appearance at Monte Carlo despite World No. 4 Andy Murray's semifinal result. Djokovic currently leads Murray by 570 points:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7B6JwEslHXqJoavSQJY0RQ

The points will "normalize" next week when last year's Monte Carlo ranking points drop off.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Nadal Claims Fifth Straight Monte Carlo Title

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal defeated Andy Murray in the semis and Novak Djokovic in the final en route to winning his fifth straight Monte Carlo championship. Nadal's title defense did not come easy though, as both Murray and Djokovic presented Nadal a formidable challenge. Murray pushed Nadal to a second set tiebreak, while Djokovic took a set from Nadal and for a moment in the final looked like he was going to deny Rafa his 27th consecutive win at Monte Carlo.

And so the European clay court season has begun, producing a familiar champion in the World No. 1, but posts this question - can anyone upstage Nadal in this part of the season which he has dominated in the past four years?

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Former Number Ones Win Clay Court Titles This Week

Former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain won his first title in more than five years in the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca, beating fifth seed Florent Serra of France in straight sets.

Aussie Lleyton Hewitt, another former World No. 1, won his first title in 25 months by defeating American Wayne Odesnik in the final of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships in Houston.

Hewitt, who is currently ranked 88th in the world, is also entered as a wild card at the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters tournament. With Sunday's victory, he is expected to rise by at least 30 spots in the rankings.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Federer Playing at Monte Carlo Masters After All

World No.2 Roger Federer acccepted a last minute wildcard to play at Monte Carlo, the third ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event of the season and the first on clay. He lost in the final last year for the third time in a row to four-time defending champion and World No. 1 Rafael Nadal.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Murray Wins Miami Title

World No. 4 Andy Murray beat World No. 3 Novak Djokovic to win at Miami. This is Murray's third title of the season, the most of any player to date.

Only 170 points separate Djokovic and Murray in the rankings:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7B6JwEslHXo8ebViYkVYFg

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Federer Upset At Miami Masters

A day after World No. 1 Rafael Nadal was eliminated at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, World No. 2 Roger Federer followed suit, losing his semifinal match against Novak Djokovic.

When the rankings are updated on Monday, Nadal will have a 3,450-point lead over Federer:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7B6JwEslHXqmrTQJFlD1VA

Federer is expected to lose a handful of points in the coming weeks because of his intention to skip Estoril and Monte Carlo this year.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Del Potro Upsets Nadal at Miami, Will Rise to #5 Ranking

Top South American Juan Martin Del Potro upset World No. 1 Rafael Nadal in their quarterfinal match at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. He will face Andy Murray in the semis. The other semifinal pits former Miami champs Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

After a quarterfinal appearance in Indian Wells, and now at least a semifinal berth in Miami, Del Potro will be the new World No. 5 when the rankings are published on Monday. It's a career-best for the 20-year old Argentine who has five ATP titles under his belt. He replaces Nikolay Davydenko, who will drop all the way down to No. 9 because of skipping Miami due to injury.

Del Potro earned his first victory against the "Big 4" on his 13th attempt. And what a way to do it, taking out the top-seeded Nadal who was seeking an Indian Wells-Miami double.

Here is Del Potro's head-to-head record against the "Big 4":

1-4 vs Nadal
0-4 vs Federer
0-2 vs Djokovic
0-2 vs Murray

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

"Big 4" Through to the Quarters Yet Again

The quarterfinals cast is complete at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, and the "Big 4" of Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray are in it for the second straight Masters event. Not all of them made it through to the semifinals at Indian Wells, though. Will it be different this time around?

Here are the match-ups:

[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [6] J Del Potro (ARG)
[4] A Murray (GBR) vs [8] F Verdasco (ESP)
---
[2] R Federer (SUI) vs [5] A Roddick (USA)
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) vs [10] J Tsonga (FRA)

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

#5 Ranking Up For Grabs in Miami

At the conclusion of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, a new World No. 5 will be known, replacing idle Nikolay Davydenko, who was not able to defend his Miami Masters title due to a foot infection.

It could be anyone of the the four players currently ranked sixth through ninth: Andy Roddick, Jaun Martin Del Potro, Gilles Simon or Fernando Verdasco. All four made it to the round-of-sixteen in Miami.

Here are the ranking projections:

Men's "Sweet 16" All Set at Miami Masters

The Men's Draw at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami has not seen a major upset so far.

All top ten seeds have advanced to the 4th round, and there are only two unseeded players left in the draw.

Here are the match-ups:

Top half:
[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [16] S Wawrinka (SUI)
[4] A Murray (GBR) vs V Troicki (SRB)
[6] J Del Potro (ARG) vs [11] D Ferrer (ESP)
[8] F Verdasco (ESP) vs [18] R Stepanek (CZE)

Bottom half:
[2] R Federer (SUI) vs T Dent (USA)
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) vs [21] T Berdych (CZE)
[5] A Roddick (USA) vs [9] G Monfils (FRA)
[7] G Simon (FRA) vs [10] J Tsonga (FRA)

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Murray Closing In On #3 Ranking

With Andy Murray's strong showing at Indian Wells, he has moved to within 570 points of World No. 3 Novak Djokovic. At the Sony Ericcson Open in Miami (an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Event), Murray will surpass Djokovic if Murray wins it all, and Djokovic doesn't reach the final. Both players lost in the second round last year.

Here is the breakdown of the "Battle for Number 3":
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7B6JwEslHXqw-7Pry_PnOA

Monday, March 23, 2009

Nadal Wins Indian Wells Title

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal dominated Andy Murray on Sunday to win his 2nd Indian Wells trophy and 13th overall shield. Nadal will attempt to win his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Miami later this month. He was a finalist there twice, losing to Federer in 2005 and to defending champion Nikolay Davydenko last year.

Nadal extends his lead to 4,080 ranking points over second-ranked Roger Federer:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7B6JwEslHXoFoyY_IAIbIQ

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Men's Quarterfinal Match-ups All Set At Indian Wells

Seven seeds have advanced to the last eight, including the "Big 4".

Here are the quarterfinal match-ups:

Top half:
[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [6] J Del Potro (ARG)
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) vs [7] A Roddick (USA)

Bottom half:
[2] R Federer (SUI) vs [10] F Verdasco (ESP)
[4] A Murray (GBR) vs I Ljubicic (CRO)

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The "Best of the Rest": Indian Wells Edition

With the "Big 4" of Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and Murray firmly secured on top of men's tennis, it remains to be seen if another player on the ATP World Tour can consistently compete at a high level, especially in the Slams, and be a fifth member of the tennis elite.

Nikolay Davydenko has occupied the #5 ranking since November, but he is about to lose that spot sooner or later with his recent withdrawal at Indian Wells due to injury. He is the defending champion at the next ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Event which begins later this month in Miami, so he is bound to lose more ranking points if he continues to struggle because of his lingering left heel injury.

By winning the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, sixth-ranked Juan Martin Del Potro or No. 7 Andy Roddick can displace Davydenko as World No. 5. If either of them wants to be a contender, they need to improve on their 2008 big tournament results, as both of them didn't reach a Grand Slam final or a Masters Series final last year.

And then, there are the promising French trio of No. 8 Gilles Simon, No. 9 Gael Monfils and 2008 Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who already has two titles this year. However, all of them have been eliminated at Indian Wells.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Indian Wells Ranking Projections

The top seeds who got a first round bye at Indian Wells will see action beginning on Saturday. Here's a look at the "Big 4" ranking projections for this year's first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event:



Whatever happens, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will keep their respective places in the rankings, while defending champ Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will be tied at third with identical 8,250 ranking points only if Djokovic suffers an unlikely shock exit in the second round AND Murray wins it all.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Men's Big 4 Reunited At Indian Wells

For the first time since the Australian Open, the "Big 4" are playing on the same tournament - at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. With the exception of World No. 4 Andy Murray whose best showing here is a semifinal appearance two years ago, the men's top players have won in the desert. No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic is the defending champion, top-ranked Nadal won in 2007, while World No. 2 Roger Federer achieved a three-peat from 2004-2006.

Nadal and Djokovic could meet in the semis, while Federer and Murray are in the same half of the draw.

Federer, who just announced in his official website that he and girlfriend Mirka are expecting their first baby this summer, is playing his first tournament after losing the Australian Open final to his rival Nadal. As of March 9th, Rafa leads Roger by 3,360 ranking points:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7B6JwEslHXoUeC5eW8euYA

Tennis-fun predicts that Federer is going to win at Indian Wells. He is the lone member of the "Big 4" without a title this year. Murray already has two titles, adding Rotterdam to his collection where he beat an injured Nadal in the final last month. Djokovic won his first title this season at Dubai earlier this month.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Nadal Wins First Hardcourt Major

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal beat 13-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer at the Australian Open in five sets to win his first hardcourt Grand Slam trophy and his sixth overall. He is the first Spaniard to win in Melbourne. Sunday's victory also marks the first time when Nadal won a tournament as the top seed.

Federer missed the chance to match the all-time Grand Slam titles record of 14 held by Pete Sampras. He has now lost five major finals in his career, all to his rival Nadal. In contrast, Sampras lost in four major finals against four different men.

At the moment, Rafa leads Roger by 3,260 ranking points:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7B6JwEslHXpo5-6SPWa3Ew

Friday, January 30, 2009

Rafa-Roger I (Hard-court Slam Edition)

The final is set at the Australian Open 2009, with 13-time Grand Slam winner and World No. 2 Roger Federer taking on World No. 1 Rafael Nadal, who has 5 Slam titles of his own. After all the buzz created by the up and coming players in men's tennis, Rafa and Roger are left standing - the old guard if you will - as if to tell the world that their domination of the sport is here to stay.

The two have met in six previous Grand Slam finals before, but never on a hard court. From 2006 through 2008, Nadal won all three battles on the red clay of Roland Garros, while Federer won the first two out of three grass court finals at Wimbledon. Last year's Wimbledon final, arguably the best tennis match of all time, saw Nadal beat Federer in an epic five-set marathon which ended in near-darkness, denying Federer his 6th straight Wimbledon title. Can this year's Australian Open final between these two tennis heavyweights be even better?

More Trivia
* Federer is trying to match Pete Sampras' all-time Grand Slam titles record of 14. He has already matched Sampras' Grand Slam finals appearances of 18 by reaching the Australian Open final this year. (The record is held by Ivan Lendl, who has 19)
* Federer is 8-for-8 in Hard-court Grand Slam finals (3-for-3 in Australian Open finals)
* This is Nadal's first appearance on a Hard-court Slam final
* Nadal owns a 12-6 career record against Federer (2-3 record on hard courts)
* Federer and Nadal competed in four finals last year, all won by Nadal

The Federer-Nadal rivalry lives on! May the best man win.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Australian Open Ranking Projections

With the third round singles matches completed, the top four seeds are still on pace to reach the semifinals. If there are no upsets, top seed Rafael Nadal will take on Andy Murray while Roger Federer will face Novak Djokovic in a rematch of last year's Australian Open semifinal (which Djokovic won en route to his first Grand Slam trophy).

Let's take a look at the "Big 4" ranking scenarios with projected results from the first Grand Slam of the year:

* Nadal will remain at No. 1 regardless of the tournament's outcome.

* No. 2 Federer and No. 3 Djokovic will switch places in the rankings only if Djokovic defends his title and wins his second Aussie Open crown.

* Murray will be No. 3 if he wins the tournament AND Djokovic fails to reach the semis. Otherwise, Murray will just remain at No. 4.

The second week of action is heating up Down Under. The round-of-sixteen is a strong field of players, with only one unseeded player left in the men's draw (2006 Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis), and the top eight seeds all poised to reach the quarterfinals!

Monday, January 19, 2009

Argentines Sweep Titles Last Week

David Nalbandian beat Jarkko Nieminen in the final at Sydney while fellow Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro defeated Sam Querrey to win in Auckland. Del Potro moves to a career-high sixth in the ATP World Tour rankings.

World No. 3 Novak Djokovic fell one win short of surpassing Roger Federer in the rankings, failing to reach the final at the Medibank International in Sydney. As of 1/19, Djokovic trails Federer by 50 ranking points:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7B6JwEslHXr0Dk6pWgRmdg

Monday, January 12, 2009

Djokovic Playing at Medibank International

World No. 3 Novak Djokovic was granted a wild card entry at Sydney and is the tournament's top seed, while second-ranked Roger Federer is playing at an exhibition in Kooyong. The other members of the "Big Four" are idle this week.

At the moment, Federer leads Djokovic by 110 ranking points at the number two spot. If Djokovic reaches the final at Sydney, he will be World No. 2 when the rankings are published on 1/19:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7B6JwEslHXorj3SzeIzOVg

Murray, Stepanek, Cilic First Tournament Winners of 2009

World No. 4 Andy Murray defended his title at Qatar Open in Doha, beating Andy Roddick in the final. World No. 2 Roger Federer lost in the semi against eventual winner Murray, while top-ranked Rafael Nadal was beaten by Gael Monfils in the quarters. Nadal won the doubles title at Doha with partner Marc Lopez.

Marin Cilic defeated World No. 202 Somdev Devvarman to win at Chennai while Radek Stepanek beat Fernando Verdasco to win the title at Brisbane. World Number 3 Novak Djokovic was eliminated in the first round at Brisbane, missing the opportunity to surpass Federer at number two. He gets another shot at Sydney this week.

Monday, January 5, 2009

ATP World Tour 2009 Season Underway

Happy New Year from Tennis Fun!

The ATP World Tour 2009 Season has begun with three ATP World Tour 250 events being played in Doha (Qatar), Brisbane (Australia) and Chennai (India). The spotlight is on Qatar Open, where three of the big four are playing. If the seeds prevail, it will be (1)Nadal-Roddick in one semi and (2)Federer-Murray in the other semi. Djokovic is the top seed at Brisbane.

Let's take a look at the big four going into the 2009 season:

(1) Since assuming the number one ranking on August 18th last year, Rafael Nadal has not won a tournament. For him to retain his ranking, he has to go back to his winning ways. He will also try to win his first hard court slam in 2009.

(2) A healthy Roger Federer looks to reclaim his spot at the top of men's tennis, and will attempt to tie (and then break) Pete Sampras' record of 14 slams.

(3) Novak Djokovic will be looking for more consistency in the middle part of the season, and has a ton of ranking points to defend early in '09 -- 2000 points from Australian Open and 1000 points from Indian Wells (ATP World Tour Masters 1000).

(4) 2008 Breakout player Andy Murray looks to win his first slam this year. He beat Nadal and Federer in an exhibition last week.

As of January 5th, the ranking points have been doubled. World number two Federer has a slim 20-point lead over Djokovic, and they could switch places by the end of this week if Djokovic wins at Brisbane and Federer falters at Doha:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p7B6JwEslHXpgnllw2h4vJg