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ico said:

Go Wawrinka Go.

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Three thoughts on what may very well be the best best-of-three-set match of 2014:

1. In today’s chat, someone asked me who Indian Wells tournament owner and money magnet Larry Ellison wanted to win. I said that Ellison would prefer the match to go as long as possible, so that both men would be forced to pull out of next week's Miami Masters, a la Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal after their 2006 war in Rome. Not only would that hurt his rival tournament out east, but it would further enhance the image of the BNP Paribas Open, which he's built into an event that matches the Grand Slams in everything except the points on offer.

At two hours and 12 minutes, this match won't turn Key Biscayne into Hamburg, but Ellison watched another classic unfold at his wildly successful enterprise. He not only got two of the biggest draws on his second-Sunday marquee, but they played some incredible tennis. Federer was flawless in the first set, mowing through his service games like Andy Murray eats sushi (there's a Nobu at Indian Wells, did I mention that?). Djokovic called Federer's raise in the second set. When the Swiss, down a break and with no room for error at 4-5 in the third, went all-in, the Serb succumbed. But Djokovic still had a chip and a chair in this high-stakes game.

Federer’s shotmaking began to fail him early in the third set, but he rediscovered his form in time to make Djokovic sweat—profusely, perhaps. But perhaps Djokovic's clutch and surprisingly easy hold at 5-6 was telling. He was definitely the better player toward the end, which manifested itself in an ugly, error-filled tiebreaker for Federer.

While the ending wasn't as dramatic as what preceded it, this was a fantastic final and both men should be pleased with their play at what many are calling the fifth Slam—Ellison leading the charge, of course.

2. I thought Federer had to play his best to win this match; I thought Djokovic could get away without a peak performance. Really, I said that.

As it turned out, Djokovic didn't have to be at his apex to get the job done, though we saw flashes of his Slam-winning game today. It surely wasn't there in the first set—too many short balls and tentative shots. But he seemed to will his way into it in the second set, and in the third he looked like the Nole we know: Stingy defense, running winners, easy power.

I don't think it's a stretch to say that things have been very mental for Djokovic of late; look at his sense of relief, rather than outward celebration, he did after winning this strenuous, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) championship bout. It's fitting that he needed to believe before he could achieve.

3. As I said, this result bodes well for Federer. Only an in-form Djokovic prevented him from climbing the title, and many were calling Fed the favorite before the final. Federer isn't just a different player than last year, he's a different player than two months ago, when he struggled in a final-round loss to Lleyton Hewitt in Brisbane.

As many of you know, Federer has now reached seven straight semifinals in tournament play. It's hardly 23 consecutive Grand Slam semis, but this streak should assuage fears that the 17-time major champion is in irreversible decline. As down as Djokovic has looked during his recent struggles, Federer has looked the opposite, invigorated with a renewed zeal. His all-black Wilson, which once looked as awkward as an ill-fitting tuxedo, now appears to be calibrated. Davis Cup and the success of his buddy Stanislas Wawrinka seem to have buoyed him. He's going to be adding to his family soon. Right now, it's good to be Roger Federer.

Not that anyone wouldn't have traded places with the multi-millionaire when he was losing to Daniel Brands and Federico Delbonis last year, of course.

OK, maybe not Larry Ellison

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World No. 1 Rafael Nadal leads the 96-man field at the Sony Open Tennis, where 19 of the Top 20 players in the Emirates ATP Rankings are competing, including last week’s Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic, runner-up Roger Federer and defending Miami champion Andy Murray.
*www.rado.com/tl_files/news/News-of-2013/03_march/03_andy_murray_won_sony_miami_open/Andy%20Murray%20-%20Miami%20Masters%20winner.jpg
Nadal is looking to add the elusive Miami crown to his collection of a record 26 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophies. He is a three-time runner-up at the Crandon Park Tennis Center, most recently in 2011 (l. to Djokovic).

Nadal is set to open his campaign against either Robin Haase or Lleyton Hewitt, who is chasing his 600th tour-level victory. The 33-year-old Australian, who won the Brisbane International title in January, is bidding to become the third active player, behind Nadal and Roger Federer, to achieve the career milestone.


The 27-year-old Nadal is in the top quarter of the draw, which features 12th seed Milos Raonic and No. 19 Jerzy Janowicz - two of the four players born in the 1990s to feature in the Top 30 of the Emirates ATP Rankings - with Gael Monfils and Juan Martin del Potro also in contention. After withdrawing from the BNP Paribas Open due to concerns over his left wrist, del Potro will open his Miami bid against either Federico Delbonis or Ryan Harrison. He is projected to meet Nadal in the quarter-finals.

Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka and 2010 Miami finalist Tomas Berdych headline the second quarter of the draw. The third-seeded Wawrinka could face a third-round contest with the in-form Marin Cilic, who leads the ATP World Tour this season with 20 match wins and two titles. Also in Wawrinka’s section, as a potential fourth-round opponent, is Alexandr Dolgopolov, who knocked out Nadal en route to the Indian Wells semi-finals last week (l. to Federer).

Berdych finds himself in the same section as American No. 1 John Isner, who returned to the Top 10 this week after a run to the Indian Wells semi-finals.

Last week’s Indian Wells finalists Djokovic and Federer and defending champion Murray are the players to beat in the bottom half of the draw.

World No. 2 Djokovic is looking to win the Indian Wells-Miami double for the second time, having first done so during his stellar 2011 campaign. He is one of seven players since 1991 to have won both titles in the same year, with Federer the only player to have achieved it twice. Djokovic, who is a three-time champion in Miami (2007, ’11-12), faces either Jeremy Chardy or Juan Monaco in his opener and could be troubled by Ernests Gulbis in the fourth round. The Latvian reached the quarter-finals in Indian Wells, taking out Grigor Dimitrov en route.

Murray is on a quarter-final collision course with Djokovic. The Scot won the Miami title for the second time last year with victory over David Ferrer and is searching for a return to top form, having returned from back surgery at the start of the season. The sixth-seeded Scot has a 19-6 event record and opens his bid against either Matthew Ebden or Lukasz Kubot.

In the third round, Murray could face another intriguing contest with the 2013 Emirates ATP Star Of Tomorrow Jiri Vesely, who pushed the Scot to three sets in the Indian Wells third round last week. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is his projected fourth-round opponent.

Chasing his third Miami crown, and first since back-to-back triumphs in 2005-06, Federer could face a tricky opener in Ivo Karlovic, should the big-serving Croatian get by a qualifier in the first round. Federer is seeded to meet last year’s runner-up Ferrer in the quarter-finals, but could face obstacles in the form of Richard Gasquet, Dimitrov, Kei Nishikori and Kevin Anderson.

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The Finals are SET..Who's your BET ???

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic will contest the Sony Open Tennis final for the second time after both received walkovers through the semi-finals on Friday in Miami.

Nadal and Djokovic clashed in the 2011 title match at Crandon Park, with Djokovic prevailing in a third-set tie-break. The pair will meet for the first time this season. Nadal leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 22-17, but has lost his past two meetings with Djokovic, losing in the finals in Beijing and at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

Novak & Rafa: The Rivalry - Tennis - ATP World Tour

Three-time Miami champion Djokovic is bidding to win the Indian Wells-Miami double for the second time in his career (also 2011), having beaten Roger Federer in the Californian desert two weeks ago. The Belgrade native lifted the trophy in Miami in 2007, ’11-12.

The 27-year-old Nadal is looking to clinch the elusive Miami crown, having finished runner-up three times previously in 2005 (l. to Federer), 2008 (l. to Davydenko) and 2011.

Djokovic had been due to face Roger Federer’s conqueror, Kei Nishikori, in the semi-finals, but the Japanese player was forced to withdraw with a left groin injury.

Writing on his Facebook page, Nishikori said, “Very sorry to say that I have to pull out today. Very disappointed and I am obviously very sorry for any fans that wanted to come out for this match.

“This tournament is very special to me and I look forward to coming back in the years to come. I will work with my medical team to be back healthy as soon as possible.”

Tomas Berdych then pulled out from his scheduled semi-final clash with Nadal due to gastroenteritis. The Czech is set for a return to the Top 5 in the Emirates ATP Rankings on Monday, having beaten Alexandr Dolgopolov in the quarter-finals.

"I was feeling really in good shape to go and play Rafa," said Berdych, who began feeling unwell on Friday morning. "I'm really very disappointed with the way that I have to be sitting here and talking, not even as the one who lost and didn't even have a chance to hit the ball."

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Novak Djokovic won the Indian Wells-Miami double for the second time on Sunday as he defeated Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-3 in the Sony Open Tennis final.

Djokovic becomes just the second player to achieve the feat, following in the footsteps of Roger Federer (2005-06), whom he beat two weeks ago in the final of the BNP Paribas Open. Djokovic first clinched the back-to-back March ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments during a record-breaking run at the start of 2011, when he went undefeated in 41 straight matches before losing in the Roland Garros semi-finals.

It is the fourth time that Djokovic has won the Miami crown, having previously triumphed in 2007 (d. Canas), 2011 (d. Nadal) and 2012 (d. Murray). The 26 year old has won 18 of his past 19 matches at Crandon Park since 2011, with his only defeat coming against Tommy Haas in the fourth round last year.

"It's been a fantastic tournament, a very enjoyable time as it always is in Miami," said Djokovic. "I played a great match, from the start to the end everything was working really well. It's always a challenge and a pleasure to play against Rafa. Back in 2007 I won my first big title here in Miami and I have the greatest memories from this centre court."

In a devastating display by Djokovic, the Serb clinched victory in 84 minutes. After saving a break point in the first game, he yielded no further chances to Nadal, winning 85 per cent of points behind his first serve, and broke the Spaniard three times, including in the final game of the match. Djokovic maintained his perfect record in tour-level finals after winning the first set.

This Victory marked Djokovic’s 43rd tour-level title and 18th at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level. The Belgrade native is 14th on the all-time title leaders list, one trophy behind Thomas Muster, and passed Andre Agassi for third on the all-time Masters 1000 titles list.

In their 40th meeting – the most frequent Open Era match-up – Djokovic recorded his third win in a row over Nadal and reduced the FedEx ATP Head2Head deficit to 18-22. The Serb has prevailed in 14 of their 21 hard-court meetings. After losing to Nadal in the US Open final, he defeated the Spaniard in the final in Beijing and in the title match at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London. It is Djokovic's most comprehensive victory over Nadal since defeating the Mallorcan for the loss of five games in the 2009 BNP Paribas Masters semi-finals.

Between them, Djokovic and Nadal now hold all nine of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles. Djokovic has won the past four, having closed 2013 with victory in Shanghai (d. del Potro) and Paris (d. Ferrer), and has won 20 matches in a row at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level.

For Nadal, the wait goes on as he looks to finally lay his hands on the elusive Miami title. The Spaniard finished runner-up at Crandon Park for the fourth time, having previously lost out in 2005 (l. to Federer), 2008 (l. to Davydenko) and 2011 (l. to Djokovic). It is one of just three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns (also Paris and Shanghai) that he is yet to win.

"I want to congratulate Novak and his team, he played an amazing two tournaments in a row," said Nadal. "Winning Indian Wells and Miami is very difficult to do. In no other tournament have I lost this many finals, but it's always a very special tournament for me. The energy and passion from the crowd is unforgettable."

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There have been hints, and hopes, of vulnerability at the top of the men’s game in 2014. But so far the Big 3, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer, haven’t yielded much. Between them, they’ve filled every spot in this year's Grand Slam finals except one—Stan Wawrinka’s in Melbourne. And they’ve won five of the seven Masters events played so far.

But as the last major, the U.S. Open, begins on Monday, the vulnerability has become undeniable. One member of the top tier, Nadal, has pulled out with a wrist injury. Another, Djokovic, looked listless at best in the Open’s two tune-ups this month. And the man who once made the Big 3 a Big 4, Andy Murray, hasn’t won a tournament since last year at Wimbledon, and hasn’t reached a final in 2014. That leaves—33-year-old Roger Federer as your U.S. Open favorite?

Let’s see what lies ahead in this most open of recent men’s U.S. Opens—you can find the draw here. The cream, it seems, has risen toward the top.

*****

First Quarter
The last time we saw Djokovic, he was in Cincy, wondering where his game had gone, and hoping he could find it again by the time he got to New York. A month off to get married had obviously taken more of a toll than he thought it would. By the looks of his draw, Djokovic should have a few rounds to find his form—he starts against Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman (they’ve never played), and then gets either Gilles Muller or Paul-Henri Mathieu. The highest seed near him is Guillermo Garcia Lopez.

But Djokovic will have to find his best game sooner or later—this is the most stacked section of the draw. Novak is scheduled to face John Isner, who has beaten him twice on outdoor hard courts in recent years, in the round of 16, and either Murray or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals. Murray beat him here in the final two years ago; Tsonga beat him earlier this month in Toronto.

If we go by the history of August, Djokovic will struggle; if we go by the history of the last decade, he’ll be OK—he hasn’t lost before the semis at the U.S. Open since 2006. And if he showed anything in the Wimbledon final, it was the ability to take his game from shaky to assured in the course of a couple of days.

French Sleeper: Tsonga. Jo beat Murray, Djokovic, and Federer in Toronto. Is anything like that possible in New York? He might have to beat the first two just to reach the semis.

German Nemesis: The No. 1 American, Isner, had his last two Opens ended in the third round by Philipp Kohlschreiber. Can you guess who Isner is scheduled to meet in the third round this time?

Possible second-round match to watch: Murray vs. Radek Stepanek

Semifinalist: Djokovic
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Second Quarter
I asked it a week ago in Cincinnati, and I’ll ask it in New York: Is it time for Stan Wawrinka to shock us again? His run of good form began last year at Flushing Meadows, where he reached his first Grand Slam semifinal. You never know what’s coming next from Stan; he obviously didn’t shock anyone in Cincy, where he lost in the quarters to Julien Benneteau. But on paper at least, he has the draw to make the semis again here. The highest seed in his half of this section is No. 16 Tommy Robredo, and the second-highest seed in this quarter is No. 5 Milos Raonic.

There are other players of interest scattered around, of course. Wawrinka will start against a solid up-and-comer in Jiri Vesely. Another youngster, Nick Kyrgios, is in his half. The sometimes-dangerous Vasek Pospisil is here. And Kei Nishikori, returning from a toe infection, is on Raonic’s side. But overall, this is a quiet section, and an opportunity for someone. Raonic, who opens with a qualifier, would seem to have an especially easy road to the round of 16.

First round match to watch: Wawrinka vs. Vesely

American to watch: Jack Sock. He’s shown signs of progress this summer, and could be a tough match-up for Nishikori in the second round.

Semifinalist: Robredo
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Third Quarter
Talk about quiet sections, and semifinal opportunities: Here is where the absence of Nadal, and the decline of Murray in the rankings, is really felt. The top two seeds are David Ferrer, who is 32 and has just one title in 2014; and Tomas Berdych, who is in the midst of a major slump.

Who, if anyone, can take advantage? Even those names come with major reservations. Ernests Gulbis is the 11th seed, but he still seems to be enjoying his French Open semifinal finish—he’s 3-4 since then. Jerzy Janowicz remains “a guy no one wants to see in their draw,” but he’s also ranked 52nd now. Feliciano Lopez, the 19th seed, has had a very good summer, but he’ll be 33 in a couple of weeks. Marin Cilic, the 14th seed, would seem to be a logical choice for a breakout run, but you could have said the same for him at any tournament in the last decade. Bernard Tomic is...still Bernard Tomic.

Of interest: Dominic Thiem, who opens with Lukas Lacko, and could play his friend and “mentor” Gulbis in the second round.

Young American: Noah Rubin, Wimbledon junior champ and student at the McEnroe Academy in New York, starts against Federico Delbonis.

First-round matches to watch:

Berdych vs. Lleyton Hewitt: An upset is already brewing.

Cilic vs. Marcos Baghdatis: Can the Cypriot draw a crowd one more time?

Tomic vs. Dustin Brown: There's potential for anything, from the sublime to the just plain sad, in this one.

Semifinalist: Ferrer
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Fourth Quarter
Federer and Baby Federer: It’s about time they faced off at a major, no? They’re the two top seeds in the bottom section, and scheduled to play in the quarters. Who could get in the way of this family feud?

Federer, judging by his form and his draw, is the more likely to keep the date. He won his first Masters event in two years last week in Cincy, and the closest seeds to him in his half are Fabio Fognini and Roberto Bautista Agut, neither of whom will strike fear into Federer’s heart.

As for Grigor Dimitrov, he showed with his loss to Janowicz last week that he’s still vulnerable against big servers. Fortunately, they’re don’t appear to be any near him in the draw. Dimitrov will open against Ryan Harrison; their first-round match at Wimbledon this year wasn’t competitive, but you have to think Harrison, the king of the bad draws, will put everything he can into this one. After that, the top two seeds in Dimitrov's half are Gael Monfils and Richard Gasquet.

Young American: 17-year-old, 305th-ranked Jared Donaldson of Rhode Island plays Monfils.

Semifinalist: Federer
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Semifinals: Djokovic d. Robredo; Federer d. Ferrer
Final: Djokovic d. Federer

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