Labels:
News
Nadal Turns Up Heat On Federer in No. 1 Battle
It seems like just yesterday that Rafael Nadal was in danger of slipping to No. 3 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings. Twice during the clay court season Nadal needed to defeat No. 3 Novak Djokovic – in the semifinals of Masters Series Hamburg and Roland Garros – to retain the No. 2 position, which he has now held for 155 consecutive weeks.
But after becoming the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to complete the elusive Roland Garros-Wimbledon double, Nadal is poised to usurp the No. 1 ranking from Roger Federer, who has owned the top spot for a record 232 consecutive weeks.
Nadal could seize the No. 1 ranking early next month at the conclusion of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters, the ATP Masters Series tournament in Cincinnati. However, due to a calendar shift this season to accommodate the Olympics, any change at the top is unlikely to happen before August 18 – two weeks after Cincinnati.
Last year, ATP Masters Series events in Canada and Cincinnati were played two weeks later in the season than they will be played this year. Because points earned by players count towards their rankings for 52 weeks, the 850 points Federer earned last year by reaching the Canada final and winning the Cincinnati title will continue to count towards his ranking during the same Masters Series tournaments this year. Normally the points would drop when a player competes at the same event the following year. (The Rogers Cup in Toronto, Canada, will this year be played July 21-27 and Cincinnati will be played July 28-August 3).
But come August 18, those 850 points will no longer count towards Federer's ranking. Should Federer and Nadal perform as well as each other this year in Toronto and Cincinnati (e.g. they each make the semifinals at both tournaments) then Federer's lead on August 18 will be cut to 150 points.
That razor-thin margin is the equivalent of the points difference between winning an ATP Masters Series title (500 points) and finishing runner-up (350). So the performances of Nadal and Federer at the ATP Masters Series tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati will likely determine who holds No. 1 during the Olympics (which will award points) and heading into the US Open.
If the No. 1 ranking has not changed hands before the US Open, Federer will again be under intense pressure. He has 1000 points to defend after winning his fourth consecutive title in New York last year. In contrast, Nadal has just 150 points to defend after losing in the round of 16 last year.
Federer and Nadal have been No. 1 and 2 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings every week since July 25, 2005 when Nadal became No. 2. Federer has ranked a record 232 consecutive weeks at No. 1 (since Feb. 2, 2004) and Nadal for 155 straight weeks at No. 2.
But after becoming the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to complete the elusive Roland Garros-Wimbledon double, Nadal is poised to usurp the No. 1 ranking from Roger Federer, who has owned the top spot for a record 232 consecutive weeks.
Nadal could seize the No. 1 ranking early next month at the conclusion of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters, the ATP Masters Series tournament in Cincinnati. However, due to a calendar shift this season to accommodate the Olympics, any change at the top is unlikely to happen before August 18 – two weeks after Cincinnati.
Last year, ATP Masters Series events in Canada and Cincinnati were played two weeks later in the season than they will be played this year. Because points earned by players count towards their rankings for 52 weeks, the 850 points Federer earned last year by reaching the Canada final and winning the Cincinnati title will continue to count towards his ranking during the same Masters Series tournaments this year. Normally the points would drop when a player competes at the same event the following year. (The Rogers Cup in Toronto, Canada, will this year be played July 21-27 and Cincinnati will be played July 28-August 3).
But come August 18, those 850 points will no longer count towards Federer's ranking. Should Federer and Nadal perform as well as each other this year in Toronto and Cincinnati (e.g. they each make the semifinals at both tournaments) then Federer's lead on August 18 will be cut to 150 points.
That razor-thin margin is the equivalent of the points difference between winning an ATP Masters Series title (500 points) and finishing runner-up (350). So the performances of Nadal and Federer at the ATP Masters Series tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati will likely determine who holds No. 1 during the Olympics (which will award points) and heading into the US Open.
If the No. 1 ranking has not changed hands before the US Open, Federer will again be under intense pressure. He has 1000 points to defend after winning his fourth consecutive title in New York last year. In contrast, Nadal has just 150 points to defend after losing in the round of 16 last year.
Federer and Nadal have been No. 1 and 2 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings every week since July 25, 2005 when Nadal became No. 2. Federer has ranked a record 232 consecutive weeks at No. 1 (since Feb. 2, 2004) and Nadal for 155 straight weeks at No. 2.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Post a Comment