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The first Yokozuna-Tennis top 101 ranking of the open era was compiled right after Wimbledon 2008. Two grand slam tournaments have been played since,thus it is time to take another look.
Men’s Ranking
Dai-Yokozuna (great Grand Champion) Roger Federer (13 GS titles—4 finals—3 semifinals—2 quarterfinals) remains where he is, inspite of another grand slam title at the US Open and a lost final down under. Well, as the #2 of the open era he cannot be ranked much higher—only the great Rod Laver remains ahead of him. To pass season-grand-slam-winner Laver, Federer would need to win the French Open or close to 20 grand slam tournaments, both of which seems unlikely.
Just behind Federer follow the other two Dai-Yokozuna Pete Sampras and Bjorn Borg—Sampras because of Federer’s greater versatility across surfaces ad greater peak-dominance; Borg because of Federer’s larger number of GS titles. But I am well aware that these three could be ranked in any order.
The new Australian Open champion, Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) Rafael Nadal (6-2-2-2) moves up one rank to #13, just behind Stefan Edberg, and now ahead of John Newcombe... full article
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Sanyaku Ranks after the Australian Open 2009
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The Sekiwake (= Junior Champions I) Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva get promoted to Ozeki (= Champion), as a result of their consistent strong performances at the recent grand slam tournaments. For Dementieva this is a re-promotion to the rank she already held briefly in early 2005; but Safina becomes an Ozeki for the first time and is the 29th female Ozeki of the open era.
Other notable promotions are: former Ozeki Andy Roddick moves from Komusubi (= Junior Champion II) up to Sekiwake; while Fernando Verdasco, Juan Martin del Potro and Vera Zvonareva earn the first sanyaku (= championship) ranks of their careers at Komusubi. By contrast Andy Murray, Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic (a former Ozeki) lose Sekiwake rank and drop to Komusubi. Maria Sharapova (a long-time former Ozeki) and Patty Schnyder fall out of the sanyaku ranks alltogether.
The Yokozuna (= Grand Champions) -- Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena and Venus Williams -- keep their ranks, of course, as these are for life; Novak Djokovic remains Ozeki.
The full post 2009 Australian Open statisitcs, inclucing the complete new sankyaku line-up and the quarterfinal-through-final results, are published here.
The Sekiwake (= Junior Champions I) Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva get promoted to Ozeki (= Champion), as a result of their consistent strong performances at the recent grand slam tournaments. For Dementieva this is a re-promotion to the rank she already held briefly in early 2005; but Safina becomes an Ozeki for the first time and is the 29th female Ozeki of the open era.
Other notable promotions are: former Ozeki Andy Roddick moves from Komusubi (= Junior Champion II) up to Sekiwake; while Fernando Verdasco, Juan Martin del Potro and Vera Zvonareva earn the first sanyaku (= championship) ranks of their careers at Komusubi. By contrast Andy Murray, Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic (a former Ozeki) lose Sekiwake rank and drop to Komusubi. Maria Sharapova (a long-time former Ozeki) and Patty Schnyder fall out of the sanyaku ranks alltogether.
The Yokozuna (= Grand Champions) -- Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena and Venus Williams -- keep their ranks, of course, as these are for life; Novak Djokovic remains Ozeki.
The full post 2009 Australian Open statisitcs, inclucing the complete new sankyaku line-up and the quarterfinal-through-final results, are published here.
Another One for the Ages
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The two active Yokozuna of mens' tennis play another dramatic 5-set final, and the winner is again Nadal
It does not get much better than this: for more than four hours Roger Federer (Y1E) and Rafael Nadal (Y1W) battled each other last night, with the momentum swinging several times, before Nadal finally imposed himself again and won the 6th grand slam title of his career -- the first on hardcourt. Federer's disappointment was only too visible in end. For a long time he looked more likely to win than his opponent, however: Federer had more chances to break serve (19-16), played more winners (71-50), even gained more points overall than Nadal (174-173) -- but in the end the brilliant Swiss fell again short when his game deteriorated markedly in the fifth set.
For Federer this is a setback in regaining the #1 spot and in equalling Pete Sampras record of 14 grand slam titles. It does not hurt him in my open era ratings though -- there he is already #2, ahead of fellow Dai-Yokozuna (=great Grand Champion) Sampras due to his greater versatility and peak dominance. To become #1 and bypass Rod Laver, Federer would have to either win the French Open or accumulate close to 20 grand slam titles -- both seems rather unlikely.
It is to be hoped that Federer does not lose motivation after this renewed disappointment. Tennis needs Federer. It may be hard for him to regain the #1 spot, but I for my part have little doubt that on his day he still can beat Nadal. Moreover, he still tends to display more dominance vis-a-vis the other players than the Spaniard. Admittedly though, age does not play in his favor. Federer is 27, most great players start to lose consistency at this age.
Nadal moved up one place in my open era ratings and is now #13, just behind Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg and ahead of John Newcombe. But who would doubt that he could move up further soon, his possibly as early as at the upcoming French Open, a tournament he has dominated in the past four years. Given how similar career achievements are between #6 (Rosewall) and 13, Nadal may well be the open era #6 in a year or two.
Fortunately for us, Nadal is still only 22 years old and could have many more years at the top ahead of him -- if his body continues to support his immensly physical game.
The two active Yokozuna of mens' tennis play another dramatic 5-set final, and the winner is again Nadal
It does not get much better than this: for more than four hours Roger Federer (Y1E) and Rafael Nadal (Y1W) battled each other last night, with the momentum swinging several times, before Nadal finally imposed himself again and won the 6th grand slam title of his career -- the first on hardcourt. Federer's disappointment was only too visible in end. For a long time he looked more likely to win than his opponent, however: Federer had more chances to break serve (19-16), played more winners (71-50), even gained more points overall than Nadal (174-173) -- but in the end the brilliant Swiss fell again short when his game deteriorated markedly in the fifth set. For Federer this is a setback in regaining the #1 spot and in equalling Pete Sampras record of 14 grand slam titles. It does not hurt him in my open era ratings though -- there he is already #2, ahead of fellow Dai-Yokozuna (=great Grand Champion) Sampras due to his greater versatility and peak dominance. To become #1 and bypass Rod Laver, Federer would have to either win the French Open or accumulate close to 20 grand slam titles -- both seems rather unlikely.
It is to be hoped that Federer does not lose motivation after this renewed disappointment. Tennis needs Federer. It may be hard for him to regain the #1 spot, but I for my part have little doubt that on his day he still can beat Nadal. Moreover, he still tends to display more dominance vis-a-vis the other players than the Spaniard. Admittedly though, age does not play in his favor. Federer is 27, most great players start to lose consistency at this age.Nadal moved up one place in my open era ratings and is now #13, just behind Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg and ahead of John Newcombe. But who would doubt that he could move up further soon, his possibly as early as at the upcoming French Open, a tournament he has dominated in the past four years. Given how similar career achievements are between #6 (Rosewall) and 13, Nadal may well be the open era #6 in a year or two.
Fortunately for us, Nadal is still only 22 years old and could have many more years at the top ahead of him -- if his body continues to support his immensly physical game.
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