Grand Slam Winners Gallery
The men's Final Four consist of Grand Slam champions of the past 5 years. Since 2006, 21 majors have come and gone and no other man has made it into this exclusive club. Federer leads the pack with 10 majors in this period, followed by Nadal with 8. Djokovic has 2 majors while Del Potro has one.
Battle For No. 2
The semifinal match between Federer and Djokovic will determine who gets the No. 2 ranking. Djokovic has gotten the better of current No. 2 Federer in recent matches, and will be trying to maintain a winning streak dating back to last year's Davis Cup finals where he captained Serbia to victory.
Federer-Wawrinka In Doubles Final
The Olympic Gold medal winning duo of Federer and Wawrinka outduelled defending champs Nadal and Lopez last night and will be vying for their first title since the Olympics in Beijing 2008.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Indian Wells Update: Potential "Big 4" Semis
An interesting draw is shaping up at Indian Wells, where a potential "Big 4" semifinals might just happen. We're not talking about the men's singles draw, as we've seen that a few times before already. We're talking about the men's doubles draw! None of the "Big 4" doubles teams are actually seeded, so the odds that they were drawn in different quarters are incredibly low.
The Spanish duo of Nadal-Lopez, the defending Indian Wells doubles champs, have already booked a spot in the semis. It's up to the three other teams to make this fantasy draw a reality. It also helps that the top seeds have already been eliminated from the tournament.
[Top half]
A. Murray-J. Murray vs. A. Dolgopolov-X. Malisse
N. Djokovic-V. Troicki vs. R. Bopanna-A. Qureshi
[Bottom half]
R. Nadal-M. Lopez def. L. Dlouhy-P. Hanley
R. Federer-S. Wawrinka vs. M. Knowles-M. Mertinak
The Spanish duo of Nadal-Lopez, the defending Indian Wells doubles champs, have already booked a spot in the semis. It's up to the three other teams to make this fantasy draw a reality. It also helps that the top seeds have already been eliminated from the tournament.
[Top half]
A. Murray-J. Murray vs. A. Dolgopolov-X. Malisse
N. Djokovic-V. Troicki vs. R. Bopanna-A. Qureshi
[Bottom half]
R. Nadal-M. Lopez def. L. Dlouhy-P. Hanley
R. Federer-S. Wawrinka vs. M. Knowles-M. Mertinak
Monday, March 7, 2011
2011 Thus Far...
Is 2011 going to be much like last year wherein the Rafa-Roger duopoly claimed all the Grand Slam titles and occupied the top two ranking spots throughout much of 2010?
Well, it's only been a good two months and the new season is shaping up to be a little "different".
1. Djokovic Undefeated
The biggest surprise to date is Novak Djokovic's undefeated record in 2011, winning his second Grand Slam title in Melbourne and defending his title in Dubai. The world No. 3 defeated Roger Federer en route to the title on both tournaments. If this trend continues, Djokovic will soon be in the top two. In fact, Novak will be No. 2 if he beats Federer at Indian Wells (should they meet in a potential semifinal or final).
2. Soderling Piling Up Trophies
World No. 4 Robin Soderling has three titles to date, winning his latest trophy in Marseille. Barring an injury, he should be a serious threat in any tournament he enters.
3. Del Potro on the Comeback Trail
Juan Martin Del Potro finally won a tournament (in Del Ray Beach) after returning from the long injury layoff. The victory has brought him back into the Top 100, and if he continues his winning ways, he will be back in the Top 20 in no time. A repeat of his 2009 US Open triumph shouldn't be too far-fetched.
What's Coming:
1. Indian Wells-Miami Double
Who do you pick as a favorite to win this pair of Masters tournaments? Djokovic, if his recent form on the hard courts is any indication. But really, anyone from the Top 5 can easily win either shield.
2. Rafa's "Clay Slam" Title Defense
If Rafa is 100% going into the European clay season, he wouldn't have a very hard time defending his title haul from last year, as well as the 5,000 ranking points that go with them. But Djokovic should give him a run for his money.
Well, it's only been a good two months and the new season is shaping up to be a little "different".
1. Djokovic Undefeated
The biggest surprise to date is Novak Djokovic's undefeated record in 2011, winning his second Grand Slam title in Melbourne and defending his title in Dubai. The world No. 3 defeated Roger Federer en route to the title on both tournaments. If this trend continues, Djokovic will soon be in the top two. In fact, Novak will be No. 2 if he beats Federer at Indian Wells (should they meet in a potential semifinal or final).
2. Soderling Piling Up Trophies
World No. 4 Robin Soderling has three titles to date, winning his latest trophy in Marseille. Barring an injury, he should be a serious threat in any tournament he enters.
3. Del Potro on the Comeback Trail
Juan Martin Del Potro finally won a tournament (in Del Ray Beach) after returning from the long injury layoff. The victory has brought him back into the Top 100, and if he continues his winning ways, he will be back in the Top 20 in no time. A repeat of his 2009 US Open triumph shouldn't be too far-fetched.
What's Coming:
1. Indian Wells-Miami Double
Who do you pick as a favorite to win this pair of Masters tournaments? Djokovic, if his recent form on the hard courts is any indication. But really, anyone from the Top 5 can easily win either shield.
2. Rafa's "Clay Slam" Title Defense
If Rafa is 100% going into the European clay season, he wouldn't have a very hard time defending his title haul from last year, as well as the 5,000 ranking points that go with them. But Djokovic should give him a run for his money.
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