Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic outlasted Jerzy Janowicz of Poland, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5 to take his second career title at the ATP level. Rosol, who is 29 and ranked #33 in the world, left Janowicz disappointed in his attempt to win his first trophy.
[divider]
Cover Photo (Creative Commons License): Marianne Bevis
[divider]
Click here to discuss the Del Potro/Djokovic semifinal with fellow tennis fans.
Click here to discuss the Murray/Janowicz semifinal with fellow tennis fans.
[divider]
In the last shock of a tournament that has left many fans feeling as if they’d be tasered more than a few times, the men’s Number 1 and 2 seeds actually got through to the final. However, the outcome of today’s matches was about the only thing that went as expected.
That Juan Martin Del Potro would even play today against Novak Djokovic was in question, as late as this morning, due to a knee injured and re-injured in two previous rounds. If he did play, the conventional wisdom had it, he’d better serve big and get off the court in a hurry. Instead, they played the longest match ever in a Wimbledon semifinal, with Nole prevailing after 4 hours, 43 minutes: 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-7(6), 6-3. Surely, it was the best match of the tournament. In all of that time, there were only 5 breaks of serve. The ace count was 22-4, but the surprise was that it was the Serbian ace who hit 22 winners, while the Tower of Tandil came up with only 4. Perhaps even more unexpected was that, of rallies that went 9+ shots, it was the 6’9″ Del Potro — he of the gimpy knee — who won more of them, over the fast and flexible Serb. Glancing at today’s match stats, you’d have been forgiven for reversing the names.
In the “marquee” match of the day, when it finally started, many expected that the young Polish hopeful, Jerzy Janowicz, would be intimidated by the moment, in his maiden semifinal of a Major. But his display of nerves lasted about 3 or 4 points into Murray’s first service game. Then he settled in, taking on the Great Scot and the heavily partisan crowd with big serves, shot variety, and a more than a little aplomb. He got the first set to a tiebreaker and dominated it, surprising nearly everyone, it seemed, but himself, and putting all of Britain on its last nerve, after the nail-biter they’d endured against Verdasco on Wednesday.
The next three sets went Andy Murray’s way, but not without a fight. Or controversy. With Murray finding his A-game, and riding a huge wave of momentum to win the third set, the chair umpire decided to close the roof as a preventive measure against impending darkness, which was some 45-60 minutes away. (The only previous set that lasted longer than 43 minutes was the first, at 50.) While it only takes 10 minutes to close the roof, it takes another 10-15 to acclimatize the arena, and then the players have to warm up again — essentially all the time it might have taken to play a fourth set. Additionally, Janowicz had been seeming to campaign for closing the roof since around lunchtime. And no wonder…he had previously beaten Murray in Bercy last autumn, an indoor event. The sometimes curmudgeonly #2 complained, but there’s no getting an umpire to back down.
After carrying on, (and on…) Andy managed to keep calm, and came back to break early in the 4th and close it out: 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
In all, there was much good news for men’s tennis today: Juan Martin Del Potro is still very much a danger; young Janowicz may be the brightest of the up-and-comers, fully willing to stick his chin out; and for the moment, at least, a little order is restored.
Here’s hoping that the final can live up to the semifinals that proceed it, and appropriately cap off a rather astonishing Wimbledon.
[divider]
Click here to discuss the Del Potro/Djokovic semifinal with fellow tennis fans.
Click here to discuss the Murray/Janowicz semifinal with fellow tennis fans.
[divider]
[Scores will be added as known.]
[divider]
Centre Court – 1:00 PM
GENTLEMEN’S SINGLES – SEMI-FINALS
Novak Djokovic (SRB) (1) d Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) (8) — 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-7(6), 6-3
GENTLEMEN’S SINGLES – SEMI-FINALS
Andy Murray (GBR) (2) d Jerzy Janowicz (POL) (24) — 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3
[divider]
No. 1 Court – 1:00 PM
LADIES’ DOUBLES – SEMI-FINALS
Ashleigh Barty (AUS) (12) / Casey Dellacqua (AUS) (12) d Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) (7) / Kveta Peschke (CZE) (7) — 7-6(6), 6-2
LADIES’ DOUBLES – SEMI-FINALS
Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) (8) / Shuai Peng (CHN) (8) d Shuko Aoyama (JPN) / Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) — 6-4, 6-3
MIXED DOUBLES – SEMI-FINALS
Bruno Soares (BRA) (1) / Lisa Raymond (USA) (1) d Jean-Julien Rojer (NED) / Vera Dushevina (RUS) — 6-4, 6-4
[divider]
No. 3 Court
MIXED DOUBLES – SEMI-FINALS
Daniel Nestor (CAN) (8) / Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) (8) d Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) (3) / Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) (3) — 6-2, 6-7(4), 11-9
[divider]
Click here to discuss the Ferrer/Del Potro match with fellow tennis fans.
Click here to discuss the Verdasco/Murray match with fellow tennis fans.
Click here to discuss the Djokovic/Berdych match with fellow tennis fans.
Click here to discuss the Kubot/Janowicz match with fellow tennis fans.
[divider]
Andy Murray ran into an inspired Fernando Verdasco today at the Wimbledon, and had to overcome a 2-set deficit to avoid elimination in this upset-ridden tournament. He eventually overcame the Spaniard in 3 hours, 27 minutes in the (surprisingly) most hotly-contested match of the gentlemen’s quarterfinals.
Verdasco has been ranked as high as No. 7 in the world and has struggled the last couple of years, but he’s regained his form recently, and was having a very fine tournament. He served superbly throughout the match, hit powerfully, and took his chances in a display of nerve and calm that isn’t often associated with him. However, with the crowd in the stadium and on Henman Hill urging him on, Murray found his own nerve and eventually prevailed, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5.
Juan Martin Del Potro had to overcome a tumble in the first game of his match against David Ferrer, hyper-extending his knee and nearly ending a match that had barely begun. Hard to know if the scare focussed his efforts to get through quickly, but the Argentine served very well, and mostly kept the scrappy world No. 3 out of rhythm. Ferrer battled hard to take the match to 4 sets, but lost in the 3rd-set tiebreak. Del Potro won 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(5), and earned the right to play the world No. 1, Novak Djokovic.
In a first-ever all-Polish quarterfinal, Jerzy Janowicz defeated countryman Lukasz Kubot, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4, to become the first Polish man to reach the semifinals of any Slam event. (Another Pole is still in the tournament: Agnieszka Radwanska will play in the women’s semifinals tomorrow against Sabine Lisicki, the German who ended Serena’s run yesterday.) Janowicz is 22 years old, and one of the young players being scrutinized for bigger things. He will face Andy Murray in the semis.
Djokovic got past the powerful Czech, Tomas Berdych in straight sets, though the scoreline is somewhat deceptive, as it could easily have gone longer. After a razor-thin first set, Novak was down two breaks in the second, but fought back to take the set and the match: 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-3. When he faces Del Potro on Friday, it will be knowing that neither of them has dropped a set in the tournament. However, all attention will be on the tall Argentine’s knee.
[divider]
Click here to discuss the Ferrer/Del Potro match with fellow tennis fans.
Click here to discuss the Verdasco/Murray match with fellow tennis fans.
Click here to discuss the Djokovic/Berdych match with fellow tennis fans.
Click here to discuss the Kubot/Janowicz match with fellow tennis fans.
[divider]
[Scores will be added as known.]
[divider]
Centre Court – 1:00 PM
GENTLEMEN’S SINGLES – QUARTER-FINALS
Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) (8) d David Ferrer (ESP) (4) — 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(5)
GENTLEMEN’S SINGLES – QUARTER-FINALS
Andy Murray (GBR) (2) d Fernando Verdasco (ESP) — 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5
[divider]
No. 1 Court – 1:00 PM
GENTLEMEN’S SINGLES – QUARTER-FINALS
Novak Djokovic (SRB) (1) d Tomas Berdych (CZE) (7) — 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-3
GENTLEMEN’S SINGLES – QUARTER-FINALS
Jerzy Janowicz (POL) (24) d Lukasz Kubot (POL) — 7-5, 6-4, 6-4
[divider]
No. 2 Court – 11:30 AM
LADIES’ DOUBLES – QUARTER-FINALS
Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) (8) / Shuai Peng (CHN) (8) d Jelena Jankovic (SRB) / Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO) — 6-4, 7-5
LADIES’ DOUBLES – QUARTER-FINALS
Ashleigh Barty (AUS) (12) / Casey Dellacqua (AUS) (12) d Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) (2) / Lucie Hradecka (CZE) (2) — 2-6, 6-2, 6-4
MIXED DOUBLES – THIRD ROUND
Bruno Soares (BRA) (1) / Lisa Raymond (USA) (1) d Frederik Nielsen (DEN) / Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) — 6-3, 6-4
MIXED DOUBLES – THIRD ROUND
Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) (3) / Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) (3) d Scott Lipsky (USA) (13) / Casey Dellacqua (AUS) (13) — 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-2
[divider]
No. 3 Court – 11:30 AM
GENTLEMEN’S DOUBLES – QUARTER-FINALS
Ivan Dodig (CRO) (12) / Marcelo Melo (BRA) (12) d James Blake (USA) / Jurgen Melzer (AUT) — 7-5, 6-0, 6-7(0), 6-4
MIXED DOUBLES – THIRD ROUND
Marcin Matkowski (POL) (11) / Kveta Peschke (CZE) (11) d Alexander Peya (AUT) (5) / Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) (5) — 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-2
MIXED DOUBLES – THIRD ROUND
John Peers (AUS) / Ashleigh Barty (AUS) d Marcelo Melo (BRA) (6) / Liezel Huber (USA) (6) — 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
[divider]
Court 12 – 11:30 AM
MIXED DOUBLES – THIRD ROUND
Rohan Bopanna (IND) (7) / Jie Zheng (CHN) (7) d Johan Brunstrom (SWE) / Katalin Marosi (HUN) — 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-1
MIXED DOUBLES – THIRD ROUND
Horia Tecau (ROU) (2) / Sania Mirza (IND) (2) d Eric Butorac (USA) / Alize Cornet (FRA) — 6-1, 7-5
LADIES’ DOUBLES – QUARTER-FINALS
Shuko Aoyama (JPN) / Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) d Julia Goerges (GER) (16) / Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) (16) — 7-6(6), 5-7, 6-4
MIXED DOUBLES – THIRD ROUND
Jean-Julien Rojer (NED) / Vera Dushevina (RUS) d David Marrero (ESP) (14) / Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) (14) — 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 7-5
[divider]
Court 18 – 11:30 AM
LADIES’ DOUBLES – QUARTER-FINALS
Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) (7) / Kveta Peschke (CZE) (7) d Nadia Petrova (RUS) (3) / Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) (3) — 7-6(2), 6-3
MIXED DOUBLES – THIRD ROUND
Daniel Nestor (CAN) (8) / Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) (8) d Aisam Qureshi (PAK) (10) / Cara Black (ZIM) (10) — 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Below are ten players age 24 or younger that could be risers in the rankings and bear watching. They are ordered by current official ATP ranking (as of March 4th), and thus before Indian Wells. I’m also including their birth month and year in parentheses.
#16 – Kei Nishikori (12/89) – Kei made a big leap in 2011, going from #98 to #25, but his rise was slower in 2012, finishing the year just six ranks higher at #19. But remember that he missed the French Open, as well as Madrid and Rome, so any points in those three tournaments should help his ranking. Like Milos Raonic, Kei is a good candidate to challenge Janko Tipsarevic and Richard Gasquet for a spot in the top 10 this year and should at least become a player regularly ranking the #10-15 range.
#17 – Milos Raonic (12/90) – Milos cruised up the rankings last year, from #31 to #13. He’s been holding steady in the mid-teens so far this season and hasn’t quite had that breakthrough performance, making it the 4R at the last two Slams and never going past the QF at an ATP 1000. Milos has played seven finals, winning all four ATP 250s and losing all three ATP 500s. Raonic is as good a candidate as any to play spoiler at a Slam or even contend for an ATP 1000, but he doesn’t seem to be able to get over the hump…yet. When he does he could be a similar player to Juan Martin Del Potro at his best.
#22 – Alexandr Dolgopolov (11/88) – Talk about an enigma. Alexandr looked like he was going to rise quickly when he made it to the QF of the 2011 Australian Open, but has been erratic since. Sometimes he looks like a top 10 player, sometimes he goes out in the first round of a tournament. He finished 2011 at #15 and 2012 at #18; he’s now #22, so the trajectory is not a good one. He needs to straighten things out – he’s going to turn 25 at the end of the year, so he should be playing at his best by now. That said, I see him more in the Gasquet/Cilic mold – very talented, but probably not a regular in the top 10.
#24 – Jerzy Janowicz (11/90) – Jerzy bust on the scene last year by making it to the final of the Paris Masters, plowing through Andy Murray and a few other top 20 players before David Ferrer taught the youngster a lesson. He followed up with a solid Australian Open, losing in the 3R to Nicolas Almagro. Jerzy is somewhat similar to Milos Raonic: A big man with a big serve, although his serve isn’t as good as Milos’s. That said, his overall game might be as good or better. Like Raonic, he could be a spoiler this year. I think he’ll have his ups and down but will finish the year in the top 20, maybe higher, and have a chance for big things in 2014.
#29 – Martin Klizan (7/89) – Martin Klizan, you ask? Well, he had a strong performance at the US Open last year – making it to the 4R – and then following it up with an ATP 250 win in St Petersburg, defeating Fabio Fognini. Klizan won’t be an elite player but he could be a perennial top 20 player.
#31 – Grigor Dimitrov (5/91) – Ah, Grigor, what a tease. He still hasn’t gone past the 2R at a Slam, but has risen about 30 spots in each of the last two years, finishing 106, 76, and 48 in 2010-12, and already has risen half that in this early season. Baby Fed is talented, although probably not talented enough to live up to his nickname. But I can’t help but like him – he DOES have some of Roger’s smoothness, and he’ll occasionally offer a backhand and/or dropshot reminiscent of the Great One. But let’s look at Dimitrov for what he is: A rising talent, but probably not an all-time great. At almost 22, it may be a bit too late for that. But I do have high hopes for Grigor. I think he could be one of a few players–along with Raonic, Janowicz, and Tomic, maybe one or two others–that will start taking tournaments from the Big Four in the next two or three years as they begin to age. In other words, a 21-year old Dimitrov might not be a challenge for a 25-year old Djokovic, but a 24-year old Dimitrov might challenge a 28-year old Djokovic.
Expect Grigor to firmly place himself in the top 20 by the end of this year, and perhaps vie for the top 10 next year. He may not be a future #1, but in another two or three years he could be one of the 5-10 best players in the game.
#40 – Benoit Paire (5/89) – For some reason I pair Paire (pun intended) with Klizan. Both will turn 24 in a few months, both seem to have similar upside – top 15-20 at best. Paire hasn’t won a tournament yet, although has made it to two ATP 250 finals, most recently losing to Richard Gasquet in Montpellier. Paire has yet to make it past the 3R at a Grand Slam and most recently went out in the 1R in Australia, so he needs to up his game a bit at the Slams.
#45 – Bernard Tomic (10/92) – The second great tease of this list. Bernard is one of the few players on this list that actually took a slight step back in the rankings, finishing 2011 at #42 and 2012 at #52. But that’s largely due to the fact that he made it to the QF of 2011 Wimbledon, although had an overall slightly better year in 2012 – and certainly played a fuller schedule. i think Tomic is ready to rise up the rankings and, like Dimitrov, could end the year in the top 20. He could suprise, though, and make it to another Slam QF this year.
#54 – David Goffin (12/90) – I can’t help but like David Goffin. He started on the tour late, but made his mark last year by making it to the 4R at the French Open and the 3R at Wimbledon. But he only played in three ATP 1000 tournaments, and only made it past the qualifications once, so this year could see a lot of points added. I don’t see an elite player but, like Klizan and Paire, he could find himself a regular place in the top 20.
#83 – Evgeny Donskoy (5/90) – He’ll be 23 soon, but he bears watching. Why? Well, in his first Slam that he made it past the Qualifications, he made it to the 3R, defeating Adrian Ungur and then Mikhail Youzhny before losing to Kei Nishikori. Yesterday he defeated Tatsumo Ito and will face Andy Murray in the 2R at Indian Wells, so his journey likely ends there. But again, he bears watching. He could rise quickly and enter the top 40-50 in short time.
Bonus player…
#330 – Nick Kyrgios (4/95) – Nick Kyrgios? Well, he’s 17 years old and is the highest ranked teenager in the ATP Race Ranking right now, which isn’t saying much but says something. He won the boys event at the AO and is now on the men’s tour. I know nothing about his skills but it is hard not to take notice of a 17-year old on the tour…let’s hope he does well!
Honorable Mentions – Ryan Harrison, Jack Sock, Rhyne Williams, Matthew Barton.