Davis Cup to count towards rankings

As the quarter finals of this years Davis Cup gets underway, it has been announced that from 2009 ATP ranking points will be awarded to players for their participation in Davis Cup matches.

The points can be attained from the four rounds of Davis Cup, and also the play off stage. The accumulated points then count as one result, which can be eligble as one of the players best results from the year.

Up to 500 points are on offer, with an additional 125 bonus points for any player who manages to win all eight live singles rubbers as well as lifting the trophy at the end. To find out more about how the rankings work, look here.

In my opinion this should have been introduced a long time ago. Over recent years we have seen a decrease in competitive Davis Cup play from the top players,mainly because they simply do not want to risk their health by competing in matches which have no bearing on the world standings.

This was shown clearly when Andy Murray opted out of Great Britains crucial away tie against Argentina because he didnt want to risk injury, much to the dismay of British tennis fans. This new set-up should re-ignite many players desire to compete for their countrys and could take Davis Cup back to its deserved stage as one of the most imporant tournaments in the tennis year.

Murray slips out of the top 20

With the latest update of ATP Rankings, Britains Andy Murray has found himself outside the world’s top 20 players for the first time since August 2006.

Murray had made his best ever start to a season (10-1 win/loss) but has since struggled, winning only four out of his last eight matches.He has slipped nine places to 22nd, and along with Guillermo Canas also dropping nine places, it has allowed Spaniards Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya back inside the top 20.

However the Murray camp (Andy now has an entourage to rival Jennifer Lopez) will not be overly worried with the situation. Coming up next is the clay court season, and whilst this may not be Murray’s best surface, he should be able to move back up the rankings. This is because he has no points at all to defend, having missed the whole clay and grass court season last year with a wrist injury.

This should see a swift march back up the table for Murray, and as long as he can stay injury free up to Wimbledon, and play to the standard we know he can, it is not unrealistic for him to be challenging for a place in the top 5 by the time the tour reaches the All England Club again.

Murray’s make a mess of Miami

Yesterday was a day to forget to British tennis, as both Murray brothers crashed out in their opening matches.

I had always believed Andy’s chances of beating Mario Ancic to be slim after his lacklustre American hardcourt season so far. The Croatian has been in fantastic form since making his comeback from glandular fever, and it was not a huge shock to see him come through 6-2 2-6 7-6.

Murray was apathy itself in the first set and it was painful to watch such a talented player descend into childish sulking. However one thing Murray will never lose is his will to win, and despite all the mutterings under his breath, the Scot stepped up his game to take the second set. Unfortunately he levelled off again in the third set, and whilst he made a fight of it, Ancic deserved the win that came his way.

It was no better for older brother Jamie, who’s first round loss with Max Mirnyi comes as a much greater surprise, given that they have been in excellent form of late, notching up two wins over the Bryan brothers. The pair went out rather tamely to Frenchmen Marc Gicqeul and Fabrice Santoro 6-4 6-4, a team unlikely to progress far in the tournament.

Maybe now that Jamie has some time off he might be able to find a barbers to cut his ever inflating hair!

Miami Master Series preview

This week will see the second Masters Series event of the year get under way in Miami.

The top two players in the world are yet to win a title this season, and will both be looking to change that here. However Federer has lost the air of invincibility he has been shrouded in for the last three years, whilst more and more opponents seem to be finding ways of hitting through Nadal’s heroic defense.

Novak Djokovic is without a doubt the form player in the world at the moment, and he has an excellent chance of defending the title he claimed here last year. Andy Roddick, who started the season so well, will be hoping to avenge his early loss at Indian Wells by having a good run in Miami, and if he finds his serve there are not many who can stop him.

On the British side of things, both Alex Bogdanovic and Anne Keothavong failed to make it through qualification. A-Bog went out to Serbian Victor Troicki 6-4 3-6 6-1 in the first round, whilst Keothavong made it to the second round before going out to the number four seed Anastasia Rodinova 6-1 3-6 6-3.

So, once again Andy Murray is our only British hope, and the Scot has been handed a very tough draw. He has a bye into the second round, but is likely to find himself up against the in form wildcard Mario Ancic. But, if he make it through that match he will fancy his chances of making it through to the semi-finals, where he could meet Roger Federer.

Indian Wells update

Its third round time here at the Pacific Life Open, and we have seen some interesting results already, none more so than Andy Roddicks early departure.

The American No.1, who has been in blistering form of late, was routinely beaten by Tommy Haas 6-4 6-4 in a shock result.

Roddick, who was expected to challenge for his third title in a row, was comfortably dispatched by Haas, the former world No.2, in their second round clash. The German now goes on to play Fernando Verdasco, who overcame a spirited challenge by Victor Hanescu, to progress to the third round.

Elsewhere, Andy Murray came through unscathed over Jurgen Melzer (3-6 6-3 6-3), and now meets 6ft 10inch Ivo Karlovic for a place in the fourth round. All the big guns moved into the third round with ease, Roger Federer looking particularly intense, as he calmly dismantled Guillermo Garcia-Lopez’s best game 6-3 6-2.

Perhaps the most interesting result so far has been the emergence (finally) of the young American Donald Young. The 18 year-old, who was heralded by the American press (and notably John McEnroe) as being their next great tennis hope, beat compatriot Bobby Reynolds, before defeating the number 32 seed Feliciano Lopez. However he now faces the toughest test of his blossoming career, as he squares off against Rafael Nadal, in what is sure to be a fascinating encounter.

3rd round matches in full:

Top Half: R.Federer (1) vs. N.Mahut; I.Ljubicic (23) vs. T.Robredo (15); A.Murray (11) vs. I.Karlovic (20); F.Verdaso (30) vs. T.Haas; N.Davydenko (4) vs. M.Fish; L.Hewitt (24) vs. M.Youzhny (18); M.Ancic vs. J.C.Ferrero (22); R.Stepanek (28 ) vs. D.Nalbandian (7)

Bottom Half:D.Ferrer (6) vs. H.Lee; M.Bagdahtis (18 ) vs. S.Wawrinka; G.Canas (16) vs. J.Monaco (21); P.Kohlschreiber (27) vs. N Djokovic (3); R.Gasquet (8 ) vs. J.Chela (28); C.Moya (19) vs. J.Blake (8); P.Mathieu (14) vs. J.Tsonga (17); D.Young vs. R.Nadal (2)

Indian Wells Masters Series preview

So we come to the first Masters Series event of the year, always an exciting time, and this year even more so, now that it appears Roger Federer is human after all.

The world No.1 has not made his usual perfect start to the year, losing to Novak Djokovic at the Austrailian Open, and then being dumped out of the Dubai Open unceremoniously by our own Andy Murray.

Some believe this will spark the decline of Federer, but there are those (myself included) who believe that he will come back stronger than ever, and that is why he is my pick for the tournament. I just cant see that his pride will let him be beaten once again.

Elsewhere in the exceptionally strong draw, which can be viewed here, Novak Djokovic and defending champion Rafael Nadal will both fancy their chances, and could find themselves up against one another if they make it to the semi’s. If that happens, I would fancy Nadal to edge it; the courts have a high bounce, and the Spaniard’s extravagant topspin forehand will simply be too high for Djokovic to handle.

Flamboyant Frenchman Richard Gasquet has said that he likes the courts at Indian Wells, and with his explosive backhand, he could be a force this week. Gasquet has a relatively easy path to the quarter finals, where he could meet Nadal, who he has not beaten in four meetings.

Andy Murray has been playing well by and large this year, but the Scot has a tough draw. He is likely to face the huge serving Ivo Karlovic in the third round, and then the equally huge serving and in form Andy Roddick in the next. Then if the British number 1 can make it through all of that, he will probably find himself up against Roger Federer. No problem then Andy.

Elsewhere his older brother Jamie is in doubles action with the Beast from Belarus, Max Mirnyi. The pair have played well since coming together at the start of this season, and could be an outside shout for the title this week.

Let play commence!