Tracking the Race to London - 2014 WTF

[GameSetAndMath]

Milos passes David for London. I don't know who is more disliked here, but go Milos.

Not just Milos. Three different players passed David now. They are Berdych, Milos
and Murray. David went all the way to position 10 from position 7 this week.

I don't want Ferrer, Berdych or Milos at WTF. I will take Kei, Murray and Grigor
for the open slots. But, Grigor is even below David right now and he needs to get
his act together very fast if he is still entertaining hopes.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

grigor is playing loads in the weeks ahead (so I heard), he wants to be there at the o2.

plays shanghai masters then a European atp250, then atp500 and then paris masters.

 

[Billie]

I don't think that playing every single tournament is going to be helpful to any player, unless you are extremely fit. A player will get tired, not only physically, but mentally as well from playing all that tennis and it might come back to bite him.

Good luck to Grigor, hopefully he qualifies, and Berdy (did he finally start to find his form?) as well.

 

[Front242]

Guess we'll find out later re Berdych if he manages to beat Klizan.

 

[Billie]

Guess we'll find out later re Berdych if he manages to beat Klizan.

I like both guys, Klizan is Vajda's boy so naturally I root for him, but I like Berdy as well, so whoever wins, I will be happy for him.

 

[herios]

I don't think that playing every single tournament is going to be helpful to any player, unless you are extremely fit. A player will get tired, not only physically, but mentally as well from playing all that tennis and it might come back to bite him.

Good luck to Grigor, hopefully he qualifies, and Berdy (did he finally start to find his form?) as well.

I agree, if they play a lot, in the end it will catch up with them. I was actually happy when Milos pulled out from Kuala Lumpur, just about a week before the event started. He was planned to play there and he changed his mind. I hope it pays off in Tokyo this week.

 

[Billie]

I don't think that playing every single tournament is going to be helpful to any player, unless you are extremely fit. A player will get tired, not only physically, but mentally as well from playing all that tennis and it might come back to bite him.

Good luck to Grigor, hopefully he qualifies, and Berdy (did he finally start to find his form?) as well.

I agree, if they play a lot, in the end it will catch up with them. I was actually happy when Milos pulled out from Kuala Lumpur, just about a week before the event started. He was planned to play there and he changed his mind. I hope it pays off in Tokyo this week.

It looks like Milos vs Kei final, unless Gillu surprises all. It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[herios]

I don't want Ferrer, Berdych or Milos at WTF. I will take Kei, Murray and Grigor
for the open slots. But, Grigor is even below David right now and he needs to get
his act together very fast if he is still entertaining hopes.

I guess you will not be a happy camper comes London then.
There is this general consensus that Dimitrov is the next great player. By almost every fan. I like him too, but he is developing in slow steps, as usually happens these days. Those small steps are actually magnified exactly because of the too high expectations.
You guys already forgot that exactly a year ago he was only barely a top 30 player (ranked 29) and title-less.
At the same time, his main young competitors who also broke into the top 10 only this year, Kei and Milos were long time members of the top 20 club and both with several titles.
My point is that Grigor trailed both Kei and Milos as far as development is concerned and he still does.
He might have higher ceiling, but that has yet to be approached.
Truth to be told, he is younger by 1.5 years than Kei and 0.5 years than Milos.
By the way, Robbie Konig also made a call last night on the race for London and he said the remaining places will be disputed among: Kei, Tomas, Milos and Andy, mentioning that he thinks David probably will not make it this year. He did not even mention Grigor as a contender.

 

[El Dude]

At this point Kei's 300 point edge over the pack is sizeable. If he wins Tokyo, he's going to have an almost 500 point edge over #9.

But you've really got seven players vying for four spots - Kei and Cilic ahead, and then Berdych, Raonic, Murray, Ferrer, and Dimitrov. Grigor is hanging on by a thread and Ferrer is dropping fast, so one of the others will join them. Murray is the best player, but also a bit behind with Berdych and Raonic both in the finals of ATP 500 events (different ones). If they both win they'll be almost 400 points ahead of Andy. Those can be made up at Shanghai and Paris, but it won't be easy.

In other words, this will come down to the wire and probably won't be decided until Paris.

 

[TennisFanatic7]

I'm hoping now that Kei beats Raonic tomorrow to almost ensure his place at the WTF. Then Andy should be able to outscore one of Raonic or Berdych to sneak into the top 8.

The Shanghai draw has Murray seeded to face Ferrer in the last 16, if that match materialises it'll be a big one in the context of the race to London. If Andy was to beat Daveed there and the other contenders score decent results, Ferrer's prospects will become rather bleak - although he has a good record at the Paris Bercy Masters so you never know.

Dimitrov isn't out of it yet of course but he's slipped back a bit and his form has tailed off since Wimbledon so I'm not backing him to make it this year, though ideally I'd like him and Andy to get in ahead of Berdy, Milos and Daveed.

 

[Front242]

Win or lose tomorrow (and I think he'll win 'cos Kei had a much tougher match today) I think Raonic is making the WTF. A lot to be played yet before the final cut and he's likely to make it.

 

[Front242]

Not that I think Novak will lose the Beijing final but worst case scenario for Andy would be if Berdych and Raonic win. I think Nishikori will make the WTF regardless of the Tokyo final as he's well ahead on points anyway with much to play yet.

 

[herios]

grigor is playing loads in the weeks ahead (so I heard), he wants to be there at the o2.

plays shanghai masters then a European atp250, then atp500 and then paris masters.

And you think only Grigor will do that??

Moscow: Raonic and Cilic
Stockholm: Berdych and Dimitrov.

Funny, in Vienna, the highest seed so far is Feliciano Lopez, so no top 20 will go there, while in both Moscow and Stockholm there are other players ranked 11-20.
Of those 3 events, pretty unbalanced fields, in Vienna could have ben so much easier to rack up points .

 

[TennisFanatic7]

Not that I think Novak will lose the Beijing final but worst case scenario for Andy would be if Berdych and Raonic win. I think Nishikori will make the WTF regardless of the Tokyo final as he's well ahead on points anyway with much to play yet.

Definitely - that would leave Nishikori on 4055, Berdych on 3965, Raonic at 3925 and Murray on 3565.

 

[Denis]

Definitely the tightest race to London in years. With Cilic and Stan already qualified it seems that there are only 3 spots left. Who do you guys think will make it?

Im going for:

Nishikori
Murray
Berdych

too bad for Milos, but I think Berdych is a bit better indoors and thats where we're heading.

No Ferrer, Dimitrov, or Tsonga I think.

 

[Billie]

The race for the remaining 3-4 places is really heating up. I don't think Ferrer is making it, he seems to be going in the wrong direction.:nono

 

[Denis]

The race for the remaining 3-4 places is really heating up. I don't think Ferrer is making it, he seems to be going in the wrong direction.:nono

Yup, Ferrer seems to be going rapidly in the direction of his retirement. Well, he defintely got the most out of it. Maybe one more year on tour? I don't see him do a Hewitt and stick around at the 250 level.

 

[Billie]

The race for the remaining 3-4 places is really heating up. I don't think Ferrer is making it, he seems to be going in the wrong direction.:nono

Yup, Ferrer seems to be going rapidly in the direction of his retirement. Well, he defintely got the most out of it. Maybe one more year on tour? I don't see him do a Hewitt and stick around at the 250 level.

Hi Denis

I watched Ferrer in a couple of matches where he just looked spent, maybe his batteries are running low now. But who knows, maybe he had some issues off the court and wasn't as motivated as he could have been. Although I am leaning towards years and play catching up with him.

 

[tented]

Definitely the tightest race to London in years. With Cilic and Stan already qualified it seems that there are only 3 spots left. Who do you guys think will make it?

Im going for:

Nishikori
Murray
Berdych

too bad for Milos, but I think Berdych is a bit better indoors and thats where we're heading.

No Ferrer, Dimitrov, or Tsonga I think.

According to the Live ATP Race Rankings:

http://live-tennis.eu/race

It's looking like Nishikori, Berdych, and Raonic.

Personally, I'd love to see Murray and Dimitrov replace Raonic and Berdych, but I don't think that will happen. There's still Shanghai, Paris/Bercy, and a few smaller ones, but I'm guessing it will remain as it currently is.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

There is going to be lots of ups and down for these contenders and I think there will be
changing fortunes keeping us guessing till the last minute.

However, I believe apart from the top 4, Cilic, Kei and Murray will make it.

Although I would like the last sport to go to Grigor, it will probably go to Berdych.

The three contenders who will miss out will be Ferrer, Grigor and Milos.