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The State of US Men’s Tennis

8 Apr

 The Big Four Help

The US Open is obviously a Grand Slam event.  One third of the ATP’s Masters 1000 events reside inside of the United States.  The Wimbledon and French Open championship start times are designed to get access to some of the television market in the US.  Yet, the US does not currently have a male player ranked within the top 15 in the world.  Under ordinary circumstances, this would mean casual tennis fans would tune out inside the US.  Luckily, Roger Federer has been an incredible ambassador for tennis since 2004.  Rafael Nadal has won over many fans with a different style than Roger’s.  Novak Djokovic has brought a different personality and style of play that has made its way into the US sporting consciousness.  Andy Murray’s Olympic Gold and US Open title in 2012 helped him to make strides as well.  Federer reached his first major final in 2003, Nadal in 2005, Djokovic in 2007 and Murray in 2008.  Their consistency and general affability, along with Andy Roddick’s results, have helped keep tennis relevant for general fans of sports inside the US.

Where Have You Gone Andy Roddick or Aaron Krickstein?

Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open and was runner-up at four other Grand Slam events.  Andy Roddick reached at least a Grand Slam semifinal round on ten different occasions.  His contemporaries James Blake and Mardy Fish have combined for a handful of Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances, but neither has yet reached the final four of a slam.  Younger US  players have combined for a total of one Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance.  John Isner lost in the 2011 US Open quarterfinal round.  Sam Querrey, the highest ranked US player, along with Jack Sock, Ryan Harrison, and Denis Kudla have yet to reach a quarter at a major.

Todd Martin (no relation) was runner-up at both the 1994 Australian Open and the 1999 US Open. Mal Washington was runner-up at the 1996 Wimbledon Championships due in part to defeating Todd Martin in five sets in the semifinal round.  Aaron Krickstein reached a US Open semifinal in 1989 and an Australian Open semifinal in 1995.  David Wheaton reached the 1991 Wimbledon semifinals.  Robby Ginepri’s 2005 US Open semifinal run is the only comprable story in recent years.*

Where Things Stand

No country can ever bank on producing record setting champions such as Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Pete Sampras.  To this point, the current crop of US players has not come close to producing results along the lines of what great players such as Michael Chang, Jim Courier, Vitas Gerulaitus or Andy Roddick achieved.  Few tennis fans remember Todd Martin or Mal Washington as key US players during the 1990s.  However, a male US citizen becoming a Grand Slam finalist would be a welcome site for the USTA.

Silver Linings

Mardy Fish won a silver medal in 2004.  James Blake and Mardy Fish have each appeared in Masters 1000 championship matches.  Blake contested a classic match against Andre Agassi at the 2005 US Open.  We’ve seen Isner compete in a historic marathon while also carving out a lot of success on faster courts and in Davis Cup.  Sam Querrey has rebounded nicely from an injury.  Finally, the very group of uber consistent Europeans known as the Big Four have made second week Grand Slam efforts harder to muster.

The US is becoming increasingly diverse.  A top ten dominated by players from Europe, South America and Asia will find prospective fans living in various parts of the US.  Beyond that, advances in broadcast quality have made tennis easier and easier to appreciate.  A US citizen won at least one slam on the men’s tour from 1989-2003.  Yet, tennis has been enjoying a popularity spike within the US that began in 2006?  Maybe things are not as gloomy as they appear.

In 10 Years?

In a decade Roger Federer will be 41.  Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray will each likely be out of tennis as well.  If the US does not produce a few top ten players over the next decade, I cannot imagine that tennis will be as popular as it is today in my home country.  Federer and Nadal are transcendent champions.  Novak Djokovic has done ballroom dancing en route to an Australian Open title.  Nole is close to joining the ranks of tennis’ pantheon.  Regardless of who the US produces, tennis will need to find some exceptional players to fill the void that the Big Four will leave.  Still, a few US players making runs can only help keep the profile of the sport high.  That is vital for tennis given the events that are held on US soil and the importance of the US television market.

* Since Ginepri is still out there grinding away on tour, he is the only active US citizen on the ATP Tour with a Grand Slam semifinal appearance to his name.

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Thoughts on Wozniacki, Clijsters and Isner

29 Aug

Warning Signs for Wozniacki

The US Open was Even Worse for Caro than SW19

Caroline Wozniacki’s loss at the US Open may have had injury elements thrown into the recipe, but this is an ominous sign.  Last year, many said Wozniacki is uber fit, works hard on her game, and she is the youngest player in the top 10.  The Dane winning a Grand Slam did not seem inevitable, but it also did not seem far fetched.  2012 has been a disaster for Wozniacki.  She could still turn the tide, but she also seems to be the latest victim of the WTA’s Byzantine ranking system frequently rewarding players with the #1 ranking minus a Grand Slam title.  I thought it was bad enough when Lindsay Davenport was routinely claiming the #1 ranking when her most recent slam was years prior.  Wozniacki has only reached one Slam final.  Caroline is a great ambassador for the sport and is popular with existing fans.  Tennis does not need for her to succeed, but success would be a jolt for the sport.  Instead, I worry that she is going to make Dinara Safina look like a dominant #1.  Safina reached 3 major finals and won a Silver medal in singles in 2008.  Wozniacki has time on her side, but she needs to start winning while simultaneously adding a few wrinkles to her game (an improved serve, a few net approaches etc.).  My advice to Wozniacki would be to pick the brain of Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Kim Clijsters.

Clijsters 22-1

Kim Clijsters had one of the most odd winning streaks at the US Open snapped today.  Clijsters won the 2005 US Open and retired shortly thereafter.  She returned to win the 2009 and 2010 US Opens only to miss the 2011 event with an injured ankle.  She won her first round match in 2012 to stretch her winning streak in New York to 22 matches contested over a period of 8 years.  Clijsters’ career ends with 4 Grand Slam singles titles, 2 Grand Slam doubles titles, multiple stints as the #1 ranked player in the world, 3 season championships  and a sparkling reputation.  Clijsters close loss in the 2001 French Open final and a frustrating loss to Jutine Henin at the 2004 Australian Open seemed to doom her to a fate of never winning a slam.  In 2005, she reversed that fortune.  In 2010, Clijsters backed up her 2009 US Open win with another US Open crown.  Clijsters won the season ending title to cap 2010 and won the 2011 Australian Open.  A period of dominance from Clijsters seemed to have arrived.  Injuries put an end to that.  My best Clijsters memory was seeing her daughter on court after both the 2009 and 2010 US Open finals.  She also deftly handled an awkward question from Dick Enberg* during the 2005 award ceremony.

John Isner & the McEnroe Brothers

He did Break Milos Raonic in Canada

I have been fortunate enough to interview John Isner on 2 occasions (after his 2009 Indianapolis loss to Robby Ginepri and after his 2009 Cincinnati win over Tommy Haas).  John struck me as a nice guy with a good perspective on tennis and on his life.  I say this to point out that I personally like and root for John Isner.  The McEnroe Brothers  have put some heavy expectations on Big John in 2009.  I think their predictions are wrong-headed even if I hope that I am wrong myself.

Patrick McEnroe predicted that Isner would make the final weekend at the French Open this year.  He had taken Nadal to 5 sets in Paris in 2011, he had beaten Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gilles Simon on clay in Davis Cup play, he had beaten Roger Federer on an apparently awful indoor clay court in Switzerland in Davis Cup play, and he had finished as the runner-up at the 2012 Houston event on clay.  Patrick McEnroe had some justification for this prediction, but come on … it was not going to happen.

John McEnroe recently asserted that Isner landing in David Ferrer’s quarter at the US Open was an opportunity for Isner to make the final four in New York.  Isner did reach the finals at Indian Wells in March and won Newport and Winston Salem this Summer.  Still, Isner lost a set to Xavier Malisse and needed 2 tie-break sets, & 4th set tie-break heroics to beat a player in his 30′s who last made an impression at the US Open by pushing Andre Agassi to 5 sets in 2005.

Isner’s match vs. Malisse is the perfect example of why he is threat in Davis Cup, but not nearly as much of a threat in Grand Slam play.  Isner’s serve gives him a chance to play a lot of close sets.  In a one or two match situation like Davis Cup, fatigue from earlier matches does not impact Isner.  Also, odd things can happen in one or two matches.  If Isner gets stretched out to needing to win 5 three out of five set matches to reach a semifinal, the odds shift against him.  Isner’s serve may allow him to put scoreboard pressure on elite players and take his chances in tie-breaks, but his lack of a return game makes journeyman players a risk to him.  If Xavier Malisse wins a 4th set tie-break that went 11-9 in favor of Isner, the former Georgia Bulldog is headed to a 5th set.

Isner plays close sets against just about everyone.  That means a lesser player can put scoreboard pressure on him by hanging around.  Then, these lesser-ranked players can take their chances in tie-breaks against him.  Even if Isner disposes of lower-ranked players, long sets and matches take a toll on his conditioning for the next round.  I’d love to see Isner in the semi-final, but I think he will be fortunate to replicate last year’s final 8 appearance (the only Grand Slam quarterfinal finish of his career).

* Enberg asked Clijsters what she was doing 1 year ago when she missed the 2004 US Open.  Kim was in New York in 2004 cheering on her then fiance Lleyton Hewitt in his 2004 US Open (Rusty was runner-up).  Somewhere between September 2004 and early 2005, their relationship had ended in a less than ideal manner.

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Pre-US Open Power Ranking

26 Aug

**** Given that Rafael Nadal is not playing the US Open he will not be ranked, but his 2012 position is either 3rd or 4th in my mind.

Dan Martin’s 2012 Power Ranking

US Open Edition

  1. Roger Federer – If anyone had told Roger Federer that 2012 would include a Wimbledon title, he likely would have taken that deal.  Throw in 3 Masters 1000 titles, 2 other titles, a Silver Medal, a record-setting return to #1, and two Grand Slam semifinal finishes and 2012 has been a banner year for the 31 year old Swiss.  Roger is likely feeling greedy though and sees a chance to add more history with a 6th US Open title as a real possibility.
  2. Novak Djokovic – Nole has won the previous 3 hard court Grand Slam titles and also won Miami and Montreal this year.  Nole has defended all of his hard court points from the summer season of 2011 as well.  His draw makes him the slight favorite to win the title as his path to the final is easier than Federer’s or Murray’s.
  3. Andy Murray – We have not seen a lot from him since winning Gold in London (not to mention a Silver in mixed doubles).  Still, Murray has to have the best vibes he’s had heading into New York since 2008 or 2009.  
  4. Juan Martin del Potro – Delpo knows what it takes to win in New York.  As always his health is a concern, but the Argentine has some momentum from his Bronze Medal.  I think Delpo will set up a massive quarterfinal with Nole.  
  5. David Ferrer – Ferrer could carve out more for his legacy by making the final weekend at the US Open. He’s won 5 titles this year, and the one player he generally cannot grind down is not in the draw.  On one hand, Ferrer is a great value pick as he is unlikely to beat himself; on the other hand, it is hard to envision him going beyond the quarters or semis.  
  6. John Isner – He’s got a huge weapon in his serve.  He has some momentum with 2 titles this summer. He has wins in 2012 over Nole and Federer.  Still, I think his game has taken a step back from where it stood after Indian Wells and his Davis Cup heroics versus France.  Isner needs to take advantage of this opportunity.  Still, his positioning suggests just how shallow the field looks after Delpo.
  7. Tomas Berdych – Big Berd was having a nice season until his loss to JMDP in Paris.  Since then it has been mostly downhill.  If he gained some momentum from his showing in North Carolina, he could be a threat to go deep.  I would not place too much faith in his chances.
  8. Richard Gasquet – His solid play in Montreal places him at #8 on my list.  The last few months have helped to establish Gasquet as a credible player once again.
  9. Juan Monaco – He is a tough baseliner who won’t beat himself or get tired.  That may be enough to reach the final 8.  
  10. Nicolas Almagro – Nico has more firepower than Ferrer or Monaco.  He has also tended to tighten up in big situations.  Almagro may be the biggest beneficiary of Nadal being out as no matter how well he plays vs. Rafa he tends to tighten up at 4-4 or 5-5 in sets vs. Rafa.

*** Jo-Wilfried Tonga – If he is healthy, insert him ahead of Isner.  I am just not sure how healthy he is.

I also think John Isner is the tennis equivalent of Marvel Comics’ Captain Britain who lost strength the further he got from British soil.  Isner has done so well at places such as Newport, Atlanta, Houston, Winston-Salem, and Indian Wells that his lack of success in Melbourne and London has been strange.  Throw in his solid play at the Olympic games and his stellar Davis Cup results this year and Isner seems to play like a top 10 player in the US or when playing for the US.  When playing overseas outside of Davis Cup or Olympic competition, he looks more like a top 50 player.

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Predictions for Atlanta, Gstaad, and Hamburg

22 Jul

Predicted Winners in BOLD

Atlanta Surface – Hard Court

Different tournament, but the same result for these future doubles partners

4 Andy Roddick vs. Gilles Muller

Roddick won Eastbourne and should have a slight edge vs. Muller to win a 2nd title in 3 outings.  Muller has had a knack of upsetting higher ranked players throughout his career.  He beat Andy Roddick in the first round of the 2005 US Open.  Still, Roddick should win this match and head to London with confidence.

Gstaad Surface- Clay Court

1 Janko Tipsarevic vs. Thomaz Bellucci

Janko won last week and should win again this week.  It is nice to see Bellucci playing well as he should be a solid player week in and week out.

Hamburg Surface – Clay Court

Tommy Haas vs. 3 Juan Monaco

I enjoy watching both of these guys play.  Monaco seems like the classic over achiever who competes so well.  Haas is 34 and is the last man to beat Roger Federer on grass.  I think Haas gets the nod as he is playing in Germany and has to be close to the end of his career.  On paper, Monaco has to be favored, but I think Haas wins his second title in Germany for 2012.

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Newport, Stuttgart, Umag and Bastad Predictions

14 Jul

Predicted Winner in BOLD

Hall of Fame Tennis Championships

Newport, RI Surface – Grass

1 John Isner vs. Lleyton Hewitt

Defending champion John Isner has played well to reach the final.  Ivo Karlovic has troubled Lleyton Hewitt in the past.  Still, this grass court season has favored veteran players.  I think that trend continues and Hewitt caps a magical week.  Lleyton will be getting inducted into the Hall of Fame at some point in the future so getting a win here and now will smooth that transition.

Mercedes Cup

Stuttgart, Germany Surface – Clay 

2 Juan Monaco vs. 1 Janko Tipsarevic

I think Janko has more talent than Monaco, but that Monaco is more steady.  On clay, I think steady beats talent so Monaco grinds out another title.  I have to give Monaco credit for pushing along and continuing to fight.  He took two of the most one-sided beatings I have ever seen at the 2011 US Open vs. Roger Federer and the 2012 French Open vs Rafael Nadal.  Monaco’s ranking and winning percentage are solid.

Studena Croatia Open

Umag, Croatia Surface – Clay

Marcel Granollers vs. 2 Marin Cilic

Cilic has been playing much better tennis as of late.  I think a win here could help push Cilic toward fulfilling at least some of the promise he showed at the 2009 US Open and 2010 Australian Open.  Granollers is a tough competitor, and he could take this title.  However, Cilic on home soil should build on recent momentum and win another title.

SkiStar Swedish Open

Bastad, Sweden Surface – Clay

2 Nicolas Almagro vs. 1 David Ferrer

 I love Almagro’s game and he did give Nadal his second toughest match at Roland Garros.  Ferrer is the percentage pick here. David reached the semifinal round at Roland Garros, won a grass court tune-up and then pushed Andy Murray hard in the Wimbledon quarterfinal round.  Ferrer winning another title would help to push him closer and closer to the big 4.

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Newport Semifinal Predictions

13 Jul

Predicted Winner in BOLD

John Isner 1 vs. Ryan Harrison 6

John Isner has stopped some of his recent bleeding by winning some matches in Rhode Island, but I sense that the big man is just not playing very well.  He has accomplished one goal in terms of getting more match play on grass courts prior to the Olympic games in London.  Isner’s second goal of defending computer points and momentum that he earned in winning this title last year may be harder to achieve because Harrison is a talented foe.  I think Harrison is hungry and capable of pulling off a minor upset here to reach the final round.

Lleyton Hewitt vs. Rajeev Ram

Both men have won at least one title on grass.  Hewitt’s 2002 Wimbledon title is a far bigger accomplishment than Ram’s 2009 title in Newport.  Hewitt also has 6 other titles on grass including wins at Queen’s Club over Pete Sampras and Tim Henman in the final round as well as a win at Halle over Roger Federer in the final round.  Still, both men have winning experience on this surface.  Ram’s best memories as a player are at Newport, RI as he improbably won both the singles and doubles events in 2009.  Hewitt should be inspired by seeing Gustavo Kuerten the man he battled for the #1 ranking in 2001 being enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.  My guess is Lleyton wins the semifinal setting up a potentially lively final with Harrison.

 

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2012 Men’s French Open Final: #1 Novak Djokovic versus #2 Rafael Nadal – Can Godzilla Be Stopped?

9 Jun
  

This match is what every tennis fan has been wanting since the conclusion of the 2012 Australian Open.  Nadal pushed Djokovic for nearly 6 hours (6 hours!) in Melbourne.  Can Rafa reverse the tide of 3 consecutive Grand Slam final losses to Novak?  If Monte Carlo and Rome’s results are to be taken seriously, the answer is yes.  If Nadal’s history in Paris is considered, the answer is yes.  In fact, Nadal is the clear favorite in this match despite Nole’s 27 consecutive Grand Slam match wins and 3-0 record versus Rafa in slams during that stretch.

History: Rafa vs. Borg & Nole vs. Laver

Eclipsed?  A commentator on NBC mentioned Rafa having a chance to eclipse Bjorn Borg if he wins the French Open.  This seems kind of like saying a Siberian Tiger eclipses a Bengal Tiger in size.  Still, Nadal owning the most French Open crowns is a unique opportunity for Rafa.

I think Novak Djokovic being the reigning champion at all 4 majors would be there greatest accomplishment in tennis history.  That is all Nole has on the line during the final.

Beyond all of this, Novak can complete a career Grand Slam.  Novak has joined Rod Laver and Andre Agassi for stringing together 4 consecutive Grand Slam finals.  Rafael Nadal is in sole possession of the 3rd best streak of Grand Slam finals with 5 consecutive.  Roger Federer still owns the best streak of 10 and second best streak of 8 consecutive Grand Slam finals.

Why Novak Could Win: Does He Have an Oxygen Destroyer?

I tweeted this at the outset of the French Open,  ”Beating Nadal on clay is like beating Godzilla.  Sure someone might invent an oxygen destroyer, but the odds are against it.”  If anyone has the tennis equivalent of an oxygen destroyer it is Novak.  I think Nole can win if he serves bigger than Rafa and then is willing to pay the price and play a lot of long points.  The reason I say this is that Novak is still the best returner of serve in the world.  This is an edge he could exploit and break serve often enough to win the match.

Why Rafa Could Win: Clay Court GOAT

I am not sure I need to answer this.  Rafa destroyed Juan Monaco who is a top flight clay court player.  Rafa dominated David Ferrer the #6 player in the world.  Rafa is dismantling people on clay this year.  He is also the greatest clay court player of all time.

 Who Wins?

I am going out on a limb here and picking Novak Djokovic.  If he is willing to pay the price, he can win this match.  I think Novak has been pointing toward this opportunity since winning the Australian Open.  I am not going to read anything into Novak’s 2012 losses to Andy Murray and John Isner.  I think Rafa soundly beat Novak in Monte Carlo and Rome.  My pick is based upon the idea that Novak knew he only has one clay court war in his body.  I think he has saved it for this match.  That does not mean Novak will win, but I do think this will be more of a war than Rome or Monte Carlo were.  Logic says that Rafa wins, but I am a nut for tennis history and may be clouded by my desire for seeing something sublime occur.

My Pick Novak Djokovic in 4 Sets

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French Open Predictions for June 2, 2012

1 Jun

Predicted Winners in BOLD

I went 6-2 with my June 1 Picks

2 Rafael Nadal vs. Eduardo Schwank  – Rafa rolls

A big serve during Raonic’s blue period

13 Juan Monaco vs. 19 Milos Raonic – This may be the toughest match for me to predict.  Monaco is a fighter who will spill his guts to win.  Raonic’s serve is the best in the business.  Monaco beat Isner on clay in Houston so he should have some frame of reference.  Still, I am going to pick Raonic in a mild upset.  I don’t think either man can beat Rafa in the round of 16, but I do think each man is unlikely to play frightened if he gets the chance to face Nadal.

12 Nicolas Almagro vs. Leonardo Mayer – In the seco0nd Argentine vs. Spaniard match of the day, I think the Spaniard wins.   Almagro has quietly had a great year to this point, and I think he advances.

29 Julien Benneteau vs. 8 Janko Tipsarevic – I could see this match go either direction, but Tipsy is in the top 10 for a reason.

4 Andy Murray vs. Santiago Giraldo – Murray should win unless his back is in terrible shape.

17 Richard Gasquet vs. Tommy Haas – Gasquet beat the future of one-handed backhands in Grigor.  Haas is the past of one-handed backhand excellence.  I think Gasquet wins even if I have a rule to always doubt Gasquet.

Paul-Henri Mathieu vs. Marcel Granollers – I think if Mathieu has enough left in the tank after his marathon vs. Isner he will win.  Given that Mathieu is a fitness not, I think he will be fine.  Given that Mathieu has an injured (broken?) toe, I think Granollers has a chance.

27 Mikhail Youzhny vs. 6 David Ferrer – This is an intriguing match.  I think Ferrer has to win based on steadiness, fight and fitness.  Youzhny has the game and variety to disrupt Ferrer’s desired metronome-like rhythm for rallying.  Still, in three out of five sets the consistency of Ferrer should prevail.

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Wertheim, Raonic and Other Thoughts

27 Apr

Jon Wertheim’s Mailbag Abides

Jon Wertheim commented on an observation I made about the possible benefits of Rafael Nadal playing slowly in his weekly mailbag.  Here are Jon’s thoughts:

I think Nadal’s slow play does benefit him in one key area. Nadal’s ability to concentrate is a comparative advantage against anyone not named Deep Blue. By lengthening the match, I believe Nadal’s mental focus stays close to 100 percent whereas his opponent can begin to lose some strategic and/or tactical clarity. As you pointed out regarding the Australian Open semifinal matches, a few points can make the difference. I would add that a few bad decisions by the opposition can lead to those very points going Rafa’s way.
– Dan Martin, Park Hills, Ky.

• That’s interesting. And, of course, it’s easy to see how an opponent’s concentration could waver. It’s not simply the extra time. It’s the fact that those extra 10 or 15 seconds are different from conventional rhythms. You can liken this to all sorts of situations. If all of your essay tests in school are an hour, but one teacher gives a 75-minute test, you can see how this could throw off a student. If your match.com date pauses an extra few seconds before answering your questions (“How bad is your commute?” “Do you watch ‘Mad Men?’” “How did people meet before the interweb?”) your whole rap gets thrown off, I suspect.

Krishan of Houston also raised the point that whereas Federer is quick and decisive, Nadal uses this time to recuperate physically and also gather himself mentally for the next point: “If you take that away from him [i.e. "enforce the rules"] he loses a considerable part of his game,” Krishan writes.

Again, a shot clock eliminates this complaint — and a knock on the sport’s top two players — and I don’t really see a downside. It’s another fan-friendly innovation (inasmuch as a device used by other sports for the last half-century innovates.) It’s not prohibitively expensive. And if there were inconsistencies with respect when the chair began the countdown, so what? The players would adjust accordingly.

Milos Raonic Wins a Couple of Big Clay Court Matches

Milos Raonic defeated Nicolas Almagro in straight sets.  That was a nice win on clay.  Today, Raonic who has a top five serve faced a man with a top five return in Andy Murray.  On clay, I would expect this to tilt toward Murray.  However, Raonic beat Murray in straight sets as well.  If Milos can play a bit like Isner does on clay by serving bombs but then also using the extra split second the surface affords to take cracks at returns and groundstrokes, he can be a tough out in 2012.  By 2013 or 2014, who knows.  I like Nadal to win Barcelona, and I think Raonic would be an interesting final opponent for Rafa.

Other Thoughts

  • Part 5 of my GOAT series focusing on Rafa should be up soon
  • Andy Murray is in an odd phase of his new coaching arrangement with Ivan Lendl.  How Murray handles this turbulence will be important.  Can he keep an eye on long term improvement or will losses dent his confidence?
  • I watched some junior tennis players this week and have to say that serve and volley is not just an endangered species on the pro tour.  Everyone I saw more or less played the same heavy baseline game.

 

Power Ranking for the Week of April 22 – April 28, 2012

22 Apr

Dan Martin’s 2012 Power Rankings for the

Week of April 22 through April 28*

1.  Novak Djokovic – Novak is the number one player in the world, but he will face challenges to remain number one in 2012.

2. Rafael Nadal – An eighth consecutive title  at Monte Carlo and a one-sided win over the world number one have Nadal back to number two in my 2012 power rankings.  Change from last week +1

3.  Roger Federer – Fed’s 2012 titles in Dubai, Rotterdam and Indian Wells have him ranked number three.  Change from last week – 1

4.  Andy Murray -  A quarterfinal showing in Monte Carlo is not a bad thing, but Andy is clearly the fourth man in the big four.

5.  David Ferrer – Ferrer has had a strong 2012.

6. Juan Martin del Potro – Delpo has played well prior to the clay court swing, but I think some of his comeback momentum might slow on the soft courts of Europe.

7.  Nicolas Almagro – Almagro needs to capitalize on his solid play in the coming weeks.

8.  Tomas Berdych - A semifinal showing at Monte Carlo that included a win over Andy Murray and pushing Djokovic to three sets has Berdych climbing.  Change from last week +2

9. Juan Monaco – Health is a big part of sports.  I hope Monaco gets healthy so that we can see his Miami and Houston form again soon.  Change from last week – 1

10.  John Isner - Much like Roger Federer, skipping Monte Carlo contributed to his drop.  Change from last week – 1

Gilles Simon is knocking on the door, but given that he has lost twice to Isner in 2012, I cannot rank him ahead of Isner just yet.

* - Given my proximity to Cincinnati, I would love to see my non-binding rankings be the basis for the first 10 seeds at the Cincinnati Masters 1000 event.  One can dream …

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