Rafael Nadal is moving ever so closer to the official No. 1 ranking in men's tennis, while the elite of the WTA tour are letting opportunities to seize No. 1 slip away.
Roger Federer lost to Ivo Karlovic today, opening the door for Nadal to take the No. 1 ranking this week, a bit sooner than many predicted. Nadal has his hands full with Tommy Haas, who extended Rafa to a second set tie-break. If Nadal wins the event, he'll be No. 1 when the rankings are released next week. Novak Djokovic is seeded to be Nadal's semifinal opponent, and considering the players left on the other half of the draw (only Karlovic has a chance to hurt Rafa here), the predicted semifinal match with Nole would appear to be Rafa's final hurdle to the top of the ATP rankings.
When the week started, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, and Maria Sharapova were playing for the No. 1 ranking in the WTA tour. Jankovic could have ascended last week, but was D-nied by Dinara Safina, who out-hit and outplayed Jelena, for sure. Jelena's had chances to become No. 1 season and has come up short each time. Has she missed her opportunity for good?
Weelllllll, maybe not: Jelena has tough competition in Cibulkova (quarters) and the winner of Sugiyama/Bartoli in the semi's, but JJ should win those matches. The finals however look tough: either Safina, who just beat JJ in the L.A. semi's, or Svetlana Kuznetsova, a player with the kind of game that gives Jankovic fits.
To her credit, and advantage, though, Jankovic is the last woman standing in Canada. After struggling the other night, Maria Sharapova has withdrawn with a shoulder injury. And today, Ana Ivanovic lost to a resurging Tamira Paszek. The door is open for Jelena. Will she finally walk through?
Rumblings from the sports media and blogosphere:
http://kthanxbye.wordpress.com/2008/07/31/the-doors-wide-open/
http://kthanxbye.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/does-anyone-want-the-1-ranking/
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news?slug=txcanadatennis&prov=st&type=lgns
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news;_ylt=AnGhDSCjbNeY4t5yuMfniDA4v7YF?slug=txtennis notes&prov=st&type=lgns
Original Story:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news?slug=af....
Roger Federer lost to Ivo Karlovic today, opening the door for Nadal to take the No. 1 ranking this week, a bit sooner than many predicted. Nadal has his hands full with Tommy Haas, who extended Rafa to a second set tie-break. If Nadal wins the event, he'll be No. 1 when the rankings are released next week. Novak Djokovic is seeded to be Nadal's semifinal opponent, and considering the players left on the other half of the draw (only Karlovic has a chance to hurt Rafa here), the predicted semifinal match with Nole would appear to be Rafa's final hurdle to the top of the ATP rankings.
When the week started, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, and Maria Sharapova were playing for the No. 1 ranking in the WTA tour. Jankovic could have ascended last week, but was D-nied by Dinara Safina, who out-hit and outplayed Jelena, for sure. Jelena's had chances to become No. 1 season and has come up short each time. Has she missed her opportunity for good?
Weelllllll, maybe not: Jelena has tough competition in Cibulkova (quarters) and the winner of Sugiyama/Bartoli in the semi's, but JJ should win those matches. The finals however look tough: either Safina, who just beat JJ in the L.A. semi's, or Svetlana Kuznetsova, a player with the kind of game that gives Jankovic fits.
To her credit, and advantage, though, Jankovic is the last woman standing in Canada. After struggling the other night, Maria Sharapova has withdrawn with a shoulder injury. And today, Ana Ivanovic lost to a resurging Tamira Paszek. The door is open for Jelena. Will she finally walk through?
Rumblings from the sports media and blogosphere:
http://kthanxbye.wordpress.com/2008/07/31/the-doors-wide-open/
http://kthanxbye.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/does-anyone-want-the-1-ranking/
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news?slug=txcanadatennis&prov=st&type=lgns
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news;_ylt=AnGhDSCjbNeY4t5yuMfniDA4v7YF?slug=txtennis notes&prov=st&type=lgns
Original Story:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news?slug=af....
