The quarterfinal draw of the 2009 Australian Open is complete. Most favorites have made it, with the notable exceptions of Yokozuna Venus Williams and the Sekiwake Andy Murray, Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic. Especially in the ladies' field there are a few new faces. From now on, every match will affect the future sanyaku line-up (=championship ranks).
Nadal, Federer and Serena Williams are Yokozuna (=Grand Champions) and hold the rank for life. Defending AO champion Djokovic has already secured Ozeki (=Champion) status until at least Wimbledon 09 by reaching the quarterfinals. He could start a Yokozuna run if he wins the tournament again.
Safina and Dementieva have already defended Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I)rank. Dementieva is just one victory away from regaining the Ozeki status she held last in early 2005. Safina needs to win both her quarter- and semifinal to get a first-time Ozeki promotion.
Former Ozeki Andy Roddick has already defended Komusubi (=Junior Champion II) status. A win over Djokovic would get him back to Sekiwake, a tournament victory to Ozeki. Del Potro is the other male player with a remote chance for an Ozeki promotion. He would also need to win the tournament, a victory over Federer in the quarterfinals and del Potro is Sekiwake.
Simon, Tsonga, Verdasco, Zvonareva, Bartoli, Dokic, Suarez and Kuznetsova need to win their quarterfinal to enter the sanyaku ranks. For Simon, Zvonareva and Suarez this would be a first-time sanyaku promotion, for Tsonga, Bartoli, Dokic and Kuznetsova a return to champion status. The matches Tsonga vs. Vedasco and Zvonareva vs. Bartoli are guaranteed to produce a Komusubi promotion.
Andy Murray, Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic will be demoted from Sekiwake to Komusubi as a result of their early exits from the tournament. Maria Sharapova and Patty Schnyder will drop out of the Sanyaku ranks.
| Men | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rafael Nadal (Y) | vs. | Gilles Simon (M1) |
| Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (M1, former S) | vs. | Fernando Verdasco (M5) |
| Novak Djokovic (O) | vs. | Andy Roddick (K, former O) |
| Roger Federer (Y) | vs. | Juan Martin Del Potro (M2) |
| Women | ||
| Vera Zvonareva (M1) | vs. | Marion Bartoli (M5, former S) |
| Dinara Safina (S) | vs. | Jelena Dokic (-, former K) |
| Elena Dementieva (S) | vs. | Carla Suarez Navarro (-) |
| Serena Williams (Y) | vs. | Svetlana Kuznetsova (M2, former O) |
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