US Open 2016: Summary, Promotions and Demotions

Wawrinka

The Ozeki (=Champions) Stan Wawrinka and Angelique Kerber won the 2016 US Open titles, winning hard-fought finals over Dai-Yokozuna (=great Grand Champion) Novak Djokovic and new Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I) Karolina Pliskova.

The ladies' final was played in absurd heat and humidity, for men's final an evening later the New York air had cooled down. Still, both Wawrinka and Djokovic were barely able to walk at the end of their match, after two weeks of high-power, high-intensity tennis. Wawrinka in particular had survived many taxing battles en route to the final - in round 3 he even survived match point against the unheralded Dan Edwards, before going through in 5 sets.

Kerber

In the ladies' tournament, the feisty and gritty Kerber confirmed her status as an elite player. But it was Pliskova - a tall and slender Czech with mighty groundstrokes and a cool demeanor - who had her breakthrough tournament, winning not only a first-time sanyaku promotion, but also two Kinboshi (=gold stars) for beating active Yokozuna (=Grand Champions) on the way to the final: Dai-Yokozuna Serena Williams in the semifinal, who got outmuscled (!) by the Czech, and her sister Venus Williams in a thriller in round 4. Pliskova will share Sekiwake rank with ex-Ozeki Simona Halep, who exited in the quarterfinals, just as in Wimbledon.

Pliskova

The female sanyaku ranks are completed by former Sekiwake Carolina Wozniacki, who seems to have a knack for the US Open: 5 out of her six career grand slam semifinals have been in New York. Wozniacki returns to Komusubi (=Junior Champion II).

Pouille

In the mens' game, there is no Sekiwake on the banzuke, but no less than six Komusubi: ex-Ozeki Tomas Berdych and Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic, who both got demoted; the resurgent former Sekiwake Kei Nishikori (semifinalist) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (back-to-back grand slam quarterfinals); returning Komusubi Gael Monfils (semifinal), who played a rather weird match in his semifinal against Djokovic, seemingly overwhelmed by heat, humidity and awe for his opponent; and first-time Komusubi Lucas Pouille (back-to-back quarterfinals). Pouille beat inactive Dai-Yokozuna Rafael Nadal in a gripping five-setter in round 4, before running out of gas in the quarterfinals against Monfils.

Another notable event was ex-Ozeki's Juan Martin del Potro return to the grand slam quarterfinals, after more than 3 years. Del Potro lost to Wawrinka, arguably in part on stamina, but was competitive for two sets. The resurgence of the charismatic Argentine - whose career has been compromised by so many injuries - is excellent news for tennis.
  

US Open Winners:

• Stan Wawrinka (Ozeki)

• Angelique Kerber (Ozeki)

New Career Sanyaku Ranks:

• Karolina Pliskova, the 46th Female Sekiwake of the Open Era

• Lucas Pouille, the 84th Male Komusubi of the Open Era

Sanyaku Rank Changes

Player (career rank if different)	To	From
Promotions
Karolina Pliskova	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Kei Nishikori (ex-Sekiwake)	Komusubi	Maegashira
Gael Monfils	Komusubi	Maegashira
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (ex-Sekiwake)	Komusubi	Maegashira
Lucas Pouille	Komusubi	Maegashira
Caroline Wozniacki (ex-Sekiwake)	Komusubi	Maegashira
Demotions
Tomas Berdych (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Milos Raonic	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Garbine Muguruza (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Elena Vesnina	Maegashira	Komusubi

Kinboshi:
("gold star" - prize awarded to a non-sanyaku ranked competitor for beating an active Yokozuna):

• Karolina Pliskova - for beating Yokozuna Venus Williams in round 4.

• Karolina Pliskova - for beating Dai-Yokozuna Serena Williams in the semifinal.

Other noteworthy developments:

• Simona Halep (ex-Ozeki) holds Sekiwake rank with a quarterfinal participation

• ex-Ozeki Juan Martin del Potro wins his first career point in more than 3 years by reaching the quarterfinals

Sanyaku Ranks Following the 2016 US Open

Men

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Novak Djokovic	Y1	Andy Murray	Y
Dai-Y	Roger Federer	Y2	-	-
O	Stan Wawrinka	O	-	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
-	-	S	-	-
O	Tomas Berdych	K1	Milos Raonic	S
S	Kei Nishikori	K2	Gael Monfils	K
S	Jo-Wilfried Tsonga	K3	Lucas Pouille	K

Women

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Serena Williams	Y	Venus Williams	Y
O	Angelique Kerber	O	-	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
O	Simona Halep	S	Karolina Pliskova	S
S	Caroline Wozniacki	K	-	-

1/ Highest sanyaku rank achieved in a player's career

Inactive Yokozuna: Rafael Nadal (Dai), Maria Sharapova

Wimbledon 2016: Summary, Promotions and Demotions

The Wimbledon 2016 Championship's will probably be most remembered as the tournament when Dai-Yokozuna (=Great Grand Champion) Serena Williams equalized fellow Dai-Yokozuna Steffi Graf's record of 22 open era grand slams (as a side note, Serena reached this number at age 34, Graf at age 29). For the Yokozuna rankings this is irrelevant: Serena has been a Dai-Yokozuna before Wimbledon and will be thereafter (as does Graf, of course). Put differently: Serena has already achieved all there is to achieve.

For the rankings, the main events are Andy Murray's promotion to the 17th male Yokozuna (= Grand Champion) of the open era, and Angelique Kerber's promotion to the 35th female Ozeki (= Champion) of the open era. We reported about both in separate posts.

Murray has the bad fortune of playing is career in the shadow of three Dai-Yokozuna, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal (currently inactive) and Novak Djokovic. Arguably as a result, he could make it to Yokozuna only after 44 grand slam tournaments - no other male Yokozuna has been promoted so late in his career. But his 2nd Wimbledon title, following (lost) finals at the 2016 Australian and French Open, finally did it for Murray.

His opponent in the Wimbledon final, Milos Raonic, has Ozeki - or more - written all over him, with his big serve, accurate ground strokes, and increasingly variable attack game (he brought chip-and-charge back to Wimbledon!). But this time he fell still short by one match and remains at Sekiwake (= Junior Champion I). A semifinal at the US Open is now what is required for a Raonic Ozeki promotion.

Elsewhere in the mens' game, Ozeki Stan Wawrinka went out early - to a resurgent ex-Ozeki Juan Martin del Potro - and goes kadoban, i.e. he needs to reach the quarterfinals at the US Open to defend Ozeki rank. Another ex-Ozeki, Tomas Berdych, reached one more grand slam semifinal and joins Raonic at Sekiwake. The Komusubi (= Junior Champion II) ranks are currently deserted, with Berdych moving up and Richard Gasquet and Dominik Thiem moving down.
  
In the ladies' tournament, Serena Williams outgunned a game Kerber in the final, who well earned her Ozeki promotion, having won the Australian Open earlier this year. As remarkable is that Venus Williams reactivated her Yokozuna status, by reaching her first grand slam semifinal in more than 6 years - while Maria Sharpaova, who is on doping suspension, loses active Yokozuna status.

Simona Halep missed out on an immediate return to Ozeki by one match, losing to Kerber in the quarterfinals, and settles for now at Sekiwake. The ladies' Komusubi ranks are filled by 2016 French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, who went out early, and surprise semifinalist Elena Vesnina. Vesnina thus became the 62nd female Komusubi of the open era.

Sanyaku Rank Changes

Player (career rank if different)	To	From
Promotions
Andy Murray	Yokozuna*	Ozeki
Angelique Kerber	Ozeki*	Komusubi
Tomas Berdych (ex-Ozeki)	Sekiwake	Komusubi
Milos Raonic	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Elena Vesnina	Komusubi*	Maegashira
Demotions
Garbine Muguruza	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Samantha Stosur (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Richard Gasquet (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Agnieszka Radwanska (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Dominik Thiem	Maegashira	Komusubi
Kiki Bertens	Maegashira	Komusubi

* New career high

Kinboshi:
("gold star" - prize awarded to a non-sanyaku ranked competitor for beating an active Yokozuna):

• Milos Raonic - for beating Dai-Yokozuna Roger Federer in the semifinal.

• Sam Querry - for beating Dai-Yokozuna Novak Djokovic in round 3.

Other noteworthy developments:

• Venus Williams re-activates her Yokozuna status.

• Maria Sharapova loses active Yokozuna status.

• Ozeki Stan Wawrinka goes kadoban.

• Sekiwake-Ozeki Simona Halep loses rank protection and competes as a regular Sekiwake at the US Open.

Sanyaku Ranks Following the 2016 Wimbledon Tournament

The banzuke line-up going into the 2016 US Open is as follows:

Men

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Roger Federer	Y1	Novak Djokovic	Dai-Y
Y	Andy Murray	Y2	-	-
O	Stan Wawrinka*	O	-	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
O	Tomas Berdych	S	Milos Raonic	S
-	-	K	-	-

Women

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Serena Williams	Y	Venus Williams	Y
O	Angelique Kerber	O	-	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
O	Simona Halep	S	-	-
S	Garbine Muguruza	K	Elena Vesnina	K

1/ Highest sanyaku rank achieved in a player's career
* kadoban

Rafael Nadal is an 'inactive' Dai-Yokozuna, Maria Sharapova an 'inactive' Yokozuna

Andy Murray, Yokozuna

Andy Murray became the 17th Yokozuna (= Grand Champion) of the open era today, by winning Wimbledon 2016 after reaching the finals at the French and Australian Open earlier in the year. Murray beat Milos Raonic in three sets, a former Sekiwake (= Junior Champion I) who will be promoted back to that rank after Wimbledon, but has "future Ozeki" (= Champion) written all over him.


A series F-F-W is enough for a Yokozuna promotion provided a player has at least two grand slam titles overall. Murray becomes a Yokozuna after 21 tournaments - more than 5 years - at the second highest rank of Ozeki - an open era record. The previous record holder was Stefan Edberg, who became a Yokozuna after 19 tournaments as Ozeki.


With Murray, the fourth of the "big four" - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray - has attained the highest career rank.


More later, including updated Sanyaku rank lists.

So it's Either Andy Murray, the 17th Male Yokozuna...

... or Milos Raonic, the 33rd male Ozeki, after the Wimbledon 2016 tournament.


We will know on Sunday.

Angelique Kerber, Ozeki

Angelique Kerber became the 35th female Ozeki of the open era  by reaching the semifinals at the 2016 Wimbledon Tournament. Together with the Australian Open title Kerber won earlier this year, this suffices to jump the "great hurdle" (this is what "Ozeki" means literally in Japanese) to Ozeki (the Ozeki list will be updated once the Wimbledon tournament is over).

Kerber's success was her quarterfinal opponent's loss: Simona Halep, the 34th female Ozeki, misses out on an immediate re-promotion and thus settles, for now, at Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I). 

Elsewhere, Venus Williams re-activated her active Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) status for at least a year, by reaching the first grand slam semifinal in almost 6 years.

In the men's tournament, long-standing Ozeki Andy Murray is still on a Yokozuna run. His fellow Ozeki Stan Wawrinka though lost early - against Juan Martin del Potro, an ex-Ozeki himself on the comeback trail - and goes kadoban (is at risk of demotion at the US Open). 

Promotions and Demotions Following the 2016 French Open

Of note:

Dai-Yokozuna (Great Grand Champion) Novak Djokovic won his 12th Grand Slam title and his first French Open, beating long-standing Ozeki Andy Murray in four sets, and therefore completing a career slam.

Fellow Dai-Yokozuna Roger Federer had to sit the tournament out with an injury, the first Grand Slam tournament in almost 18 years in which Federer did not participate. Inactive Dai-Yokozuna Rafael Nadal withdrew in the third round due to a wrist injury, therefore missing out on a chance to regain active status (he would have needed to reach the semi-final).

Dai-Yokozuna Serena Williams reached the 28th Grand Slam final of her career, losing only for the 7th time. Fellow Yokozuna Maria Sharapova had to sit the tournament out, as she is expecting a verdict on her use of a banned substance.

Ozeki (=Champions) Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka met in the semifinals - with Murray having the better end for himself - hence both held rank both held rank. Murray is again on a Yokozuna run: the two (lost) finals at the 2016 Australian and French Open plus a 2016 Wimbledon title would be enough for a promotion to the highest rank, given that he has won two grand slams already. Wawrinka, by now, also deplays remarkable consistency as an Ozeki: Wimbledon 2016 will be his 10th tournament at this rank. Behind the Yokozuna and Ozeki, there is no male Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I) at this juncture - the dominance of the top players in the men's game is immense.

In the ladies' game, there is no Ozeki: Simona Halep got demoted to Sekiwake, after losing under somewhat unfortunate circumstances (it was raining cats and dogs) to ex-Ozeki Samantha Stosur. Rank protection is not totally extinguished, however: a semifinal at Wimbledon and Halep will gain back Ozeki rank.

Halep shares Sekiwake rank with he 2016 French Open champion Garbine Muguruza. Muguruza also earned a kinboshi (=gold star) for beating Serena Williams in the final in straight sets. Muguruza is on both an Ozeki and a Yokozuna run: a win at Wimbledon would make her a Yokozuna, a quarterfinal participation Ozeki.

How difficult these steps are was demonstrated by Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber, however, who lost in the first round in three sets to Kiki Bertens. Instead of Ozeki, it is Komusubi (=Junior Champion II) for Kerber - though she still has a shot at Ozeki if she reaches the semifinals at Wimbledon. Also demoted to Komusubi got Agnieszka Radwanska, who lost her 4th round match to former Komusubi Tsetana Pironkova, in similarly unfortunate circumstances as Halep.

Kiki Bertens marched all the way through to the semifinals, thus arning a first-time promotion to Komusubi. She is 61st female Komusubi of the open era. The 83rd male Komusubi of the open era is Dominic Thiem, who made the most of his quarter of the draw opening up with Nadal's retirement to also advance to the semis, where he lost to Djokovic.

The Komusubi ranks are completed by the ex-Ozeki Tomas Berdych (men) and Samantha Stosur (ladies), who both got promoted back into the sanyaku (championship) ranks following to consecutive quarterfinals/a grand slam semifinal, respectively, and by ex-Sekiwake and quarterfinalist Richard Gasquet, who held rank.

Sanyaku Rank Changes

Player (career rank if different)	To	From
Promotions
Garbine Muguruza	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Dominic Thiem	Komusubi*	Maegashira
Kiki Bertens	Komusubi*	Maegashira
Tomas Berdych (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Maegashira
Samantha Stosur (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Maegashira
Demotions
Angelique Kerber	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Agnieszka Radwanska	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Marin Cilic (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Milos Raonic (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Flavia Pennetta (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Roberta Vinci (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Viktoria Azarenka (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Johanna Konta	Maegashira	Komusubi

* New career high

Kinboshi:
("gold star" - prize awarded to a non-sanyaku ranked competitor for beating an active Yokozuna):

• Garbine Muguruza - for beating Dai-Yokozuna Serena Williams in the final

Sanyaku Ranks Following the 2016 French Open

The banzuke line-up going into the 2016 Wimbledon tournament is as follows:

Men

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Novak Djokovic	Y	Roger Federer	Dai-Y
O	Andy Murray	O	Stan Wawrinka	O
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
-	-	S	-	-
S	Richard Gasquet	K1	Dominic Thiem	K
O	Tomas Berdych	K2	-	-

Women

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Serena Williams	Y	Maria Sharapova	Y
-	-	O	-	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
O	Simona Halep	S	Garbine Muguruza	S
S	Angelique Kerber	K1	Agnieszka Radwanska	S
O	Samantha Stosur	K2	Kiki Bertens	K

1/ Highest sanyaku rank achieved in a player's career
* kadoban

Rafael Nadal is an 'inactive' Dai-Yokozuna, Venus Williams an 'inactive' Yokozuna

Promotions and Demotions Following the 2016 Australian Open

Of note:

• Both Dai-Yokozuna (Great Grand Champion) Rafael Nadal and Yokozuna (Grand Champion) Venus Williams lose active Yokozuna status, after failing to reach two quarterfinals or one semifinal in the last 4 grand slams (not listed below, as being moved to "inactive" is not a demotion). Venus' return to active Yokozuna status thus lasted only one tournament.
• Ozeki (Champion) Stan Wawrinka and Simona Halep go kadoban after failing to reach the quarterfinals, i.e. both need to reach at least the quarterfinals at the 2016 French Open to defend Ozeki rank (not listed below, as going kadoban is no demotion - yet).
• Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber moves back up to Sekiwake (Junior Champion I), a rank she held last in 2012. A quarterfinal at Roland Garros or a semifinal at Wimbledon and Kerber is an Ozeki. Also back at Sekiwake is Agnieska Radwanska, who reached her second grand slam semifinal within three tournaments. Her chances for an Ozeki promotion are substantially lower though: Radwanska would need to make the final at the French Open.
• Semifinalist Johanna Konta earns a first-time promotion into the sanyaku (championship) ranks. Konta is the 60st female Komusubi (Junior Champion II) of the open era

Sanyaku Rank Changes

Player (career rank if different)	To	From
Promotions
Angelique Kerber	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Agnieszka Radwanska	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Milos Raonic (ex-Sekiwake)	Komusubi	Maegashira
Johanna Konta	Komusubi*	Maegashira
Demotions
Marin Cilic (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Richard Gasquet	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Flavia Pennetta	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Roberta Vinci	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Eugenie Bouchard (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Garbine Muguruza (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Timea Baczinsky (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi

* New career high

Kinboshi:
("gold star" - prize awarded to a non-sanyaku ranked competitor for beating an active Yokozuna):

• Fernando Verdasco - for beating Dai-Yokozuna Rafael Nadal in the first round

• Angelique Kerber - for beating Dai-Yokozuna Serena Williams in the final
• Johanna Konta - for beating Yokozuna Venus Williams in the first round

Sanyaku Ranks Following the 2016 Australian Open

The banzuke line-up going into the 2016 French Open is as follows:

Men

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Novak Djokovic	Y	Roger Federer	Dai-Y
O	Andy Murray	O	Stan Wawrinka*	O
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
-	-	S	-	-
O	Marin Cilic	K1	Richard Gasquet	S
S	Milos Raonic	K2	-	-

Women

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Serena Williams	Y	Maria Sharapova	Y
O	Simona Halep*	O	-	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
S	Angelique Kerber	S	Agnieszka Radwanska	S
S	Flavia Pennetta	K1	Roberta Vinci	S
O	Viktoria Azarenka	K2	Johanna Konta	K

1/ Highest sanyaku rank achieved in a player's career
* kadoban
Rafael Nadal is an 'inactive' Dai-Yokozuna, Venus Williams an 'inactive' Yokozuna
Updated February 1, 2016