The Quarterfinals--How They Line Up

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.

The Australian Open 2009 Quarterfinals

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)

Komusubi, not Ozeki, for Andy Murray

.
Andy Murray entered the 2009 Australian Open as a strong Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I), with the US Open 2008 final under his belt and repeated wins over top players like Dai-Yokozuna Roger Federer. A semi-final participation down under and Murray would have been the 28th Ozeki (=Champion) of the open era.

In the event, Murray didn't even reach the quarterfinals, as he fell in five sets to an inspired Fernando Verdasco (Maegashira 5E). Murray gets therefore demoted to Komusubi (=Junior Champion II). Murray remains in a strong position though: a quarterfinal at the French Open and he'd be back at Sekiwake, a final and he would get the Ozeki promotion at Roland Garros. Given Murray's obvious talent and increasingly mature attitude, it may be that we just have to wait a little longer for the first male British Ozeki of the open era (there have been female British Ozeki -- Anne Haydon-Jones, Virginia Wade,and Sue Barker).

But not now. The only male players left in the tournament with a remoted chance of an Ozeki promotion are Juan Martin del Potro (M2E, Komusubi-promotion secured) and Andy Roddick (K1E). Either would have to win the tournament, however.

Murray's conqueror Verdasco will meet M1E and former Sekiwake Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals, who demolished M2W James Blake in three sets. The winner is guaranteed a promotion to Komusubi. The quarterfinal line-up is completed by Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) rafel Nadal, who had little trouble with M4W and ex-Sekiwake Fernando Gonzalez and will now play the aspiring Frenchman Gilles Simon (M1W).

On Retirement Day, Dementieva Edges One Closer to Regaining Ozeki Status

.
Three of today's five completed 4th round matches were decided because a player had to call it quits.

In the mens' tournament, M1W Gilles Simon moved to his first grand grand slam quarterfinal after M4E and former Komusubi (=Junior Champion II) Gael Monfils had to give up with an injured wrist, being 1-2 sets down. The other three remaining 4th-round matches are still to be played.

In the ladies' tournament, Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) Serena Wiliams lost the first set to M4E Victoria Azarenka, but Azarenka could not complete the second set. Serena will now meet M1W and former Ozeki (= Champion) Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals, who got free passage against M8E and former Komusubi Jie Zheng.

A clean win was recorded by the young, unseeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro, who beat copatriot Annabel Medina Garriques (M7W) in two sets. Suarez, who had eliminated Yokozuna Venus Williams in the second round, enters her second grand slam quarterfinal after the French Open 2008. She will face Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I) Elena Dementieva, who blasted past M6E Dominika Cibulkova. Dementieva came into the Australian Open with semifinal participations at Wimbledon and the US Open, and is therefore only one win way of regaining Ozeki status that she last held at the French Open of 2005.

Del Potro Secures First-Time Sanyaku Promotion, Jankovic's Ozeki is Run Off

.
The 2009 Australian Open are entering the decisive phase.

Maegashira M2E Juan Martin del Potro reached the quarterfinals by beating M7W Marin Cilic in four sets. Together with his quarterfinal participation at the 2008 US Open this secures del Potro's promotion to Komusubi (=Junior Champion II), his career-first sanyaku rank. Another win in the quarterfinals and the Argentine is Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I). Three more wins and the 2009 Australian Open title and he is Ozeki (=Champion). In the quarterfinals, del Potro will meet Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) Roger Federer, who had more trouble than expected with M8W Tomas Berdyrch.

Also in the quarterfinals is Komusubi (and former Ozeki) Andy Roddick, where he will probably face the defending Australian Open champion, Ozeki Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is two sets up against the unseeded ex-Sekiwake Marcos Baghdatis as this is written.

In the ladies' tournament, Jelena Jankovic's Ozeki run got derailed by a clear defeat to M5E and former Sekiwake Marion Bartoli. Jankovic drops to from Sekiwake to Komusubi, together with fellow Serb and former Ozeki Ana Ivanovic. All is not lost though: a final at the French Open in June and Jankovic can still become Ozeki.

Still on track is Dinara Safina, however, after surviving a scare against M4W Alice Cornet in a hard-fought three-set victory. Safina has therefore already defended her Sekiwake rank; two more victories in the quarter- and seminfinals and Safina will be the ladies' 29th Ozeki of the open era. Next she will meet the unseeded former Komusubi Jelena Dokic, who -- frenetically supported by the Australian audience -- is having an impressive combeack after a three-year absence from Grand Slam tennis.

Also through to the quarterfinals is top-ranked Maegashira 1E Vera Zvonareva. Her quarterfinal opponent will be Bartoli; with the winner being guaranteed to get promoted to the sanyaku ranks for the French Open.

Hope to see you back, Maria

.
With the withdrawal from the 2009 Australian Open, long-term Ozeki Maria Sharapova will drop out of the Sanyaku (=Championship) ranks for the first time since 2004, when the burst onto the scene by winning Wimbledon and gaining an immediate promotion to Ozeki.

Sharapova's career achievements to date make her already one of the strongest Ozeki (=Champions) of the open era. After Wimbledon 2004, Sharapova won two more slams, the US Open 2006 and the Australian Open 2008. She has therefore collected as many open titles as the Yokozuna Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay Davenport. Among female career-high Ozeki, only Virginia Wade matches her achievements.

Sharapova entered 15 grand slam tournaments as Ozeki. At one point -- the Australian Open 2007 -- she was only one victory away from a Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) promotion, when she lost the final to a spirited Serena Williams. Sharapova had lost Ozeki rank before -- after sub-par performances at Wimbledon and the US Open 2007 -- but regained it brilliantly by winning last year's Australian Open. Thereafter Sharapova's game fell apart due to injuries, however, forcing her to miss the last two slams altogether.

It's easy to forget over these achievements that Sharapova is still only 21: almost two years younger than world #1 Jelena Jankovic, one year younger than Dinara Safina, and just 7 months older than Ana Ivanovic. If healthy and motivated, Sharapova should be able to enjoy many more years at the top.

And ladies' tennis needs her. Since Justine Henin's retirement, the scene has again been dominated by the ageing but, on their day, still overwhelming Williams sisters, both established Yokozuna. Other than them, no female player has managed to even establish herself as Ozeki recently, a short-lived interlude by Ana Ivanovic last year notwithstanding. What a contast to the mens' game, where Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have closed in on the phenomenal Yokozuna-double Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, and where other exciting players -- del Potro, Tsonga, Monfils -- are breathing down the leaders' neck.

Ladies' tennis needs badly the starpower and brilliance Sharapova can produce. Get healthy, Maria, and hope to see you back.

Maria Sharapova

Career-High Ozeki
Born April 19, 1987 in Nyagan, Russia
Grand Slam Achievements
	Australian	French	Wimbledon	US	Total
Titles	1	0	1	1	3
Finals	1	0	0	0	1
Semifinals	2	1	2	1	6
Quarterfinals	0	2	0	0	2
Career points	11	4	8	6	29
Tournament rank	O	K	O	O	O
Career Timeline
Year	Tournament	Rank Pre-T	Result	Rank Post-T	Career points
2003	A	-	R1	-	0
2003	F	-	R1	-	0
2003	W	-	R4	-	0
2003	U	-	R2	-	0
2004	A	-	R3	-	0
2004	F	-	QF	-	1
2004	W	-	Win (1)	O	5
2004	U	O	R3	O*	5
2005	A	O*	SF	O	7
2005	F	O	QF	O	8
2005	W	O	SF	O	10
2005	U	O	SF	O	12
2006	A	O	SF	O	14
2006	F	O	R4	O*	14
2006	W	O*	SF	O	16
2006	U	O	Win (2)	O	20
2007	A	O	F	O	23
2007	F	O	SF	O	25
2007	W	O	R4	O*	25
2007	U	O*	R3	S	25
2008	A	S	Win (3)	O	29
2008	F	O	R4	O*	29
2008	W	O*	R2	S	29
2008	U	S	-	K	29
2009	A	K	-	-	29

* Kadoban

Australian Open 2009: Banzuke and Preview

.
The Australian Open 2009 start with an unusual banzuke on both the mens' and the ladies' side, and with a great chance to see the first Ozeki promotion since the US Open 2007.

• Only five male players enter the Australian Open with Sanyaku (championship) rank, a record low that attests of the dominace of the top dogs: the Yokozuna (=Grand Champions) Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and Ozeki (=Champion) Novak Djokovic



• The ladies' banzuke is headed by the seasoned Yokozuna sisters Serena and Venus Williams. There is no Ozeki: both Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova lost Ozeki status in 2008, and there has been no Ozeki promotion since Wimbledon 2007.



• There is a great chance that the Australian Open will produce a new Ozeki. On the men's side, a semifinal participation would make shooting start Andy Murray the 28th male Ozeki of the open era. On the ladies' side, Jelena Jankovic also needs a semifinal for an Ozeki promotion--the 29th of the open era--Dinara Safina a final. Safina would therefore attain the same career rank as her brother, Marat Safin. Also, former Ozeki Ana Ivanovic and Elena Dementieva could regain champion status if they reached the semis.



• Several Maegashira are worth having and eye on for a possible first time Sanyaku promotion. On the mens' side, Juan Martin del Potro and Gilles Simon have convinced with strong performances in late 2008. Del Potro comes into the Australian Open with a quarterfinal participation at the US Open, hence another quarterfinal would propel him to Komusubi (=Junior Champion II). Simon needs a seminfal. On the ladies' side, US Open quarterfinalist Flavia Pennetta is a player to watch out for.



• Komusubi and long-time former Ozeki Maria Sharpova had to withdraw once again with injury. She will therefore drop out of the Sanyaku ranks for the first time since 2004.

The table below shows the top banzuke ranks. The Sanyaku ranks are determined by the Yokozunatennis ranking system, the Maegashira ranks are filled up according to the seeding list. The full banzuke is published here.

Men

Career rank 1/	Seed	East	Current Rank	West	Seed	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Champion Ranks)
Y	2	Roger Federer	Y	Rafael Nadal	1	Y
O	3	Novak Djokovic	O	-	-	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
S	4	Andy Murray	S	-	-	-
O	7	Andy Roddick	K	-	-	-
High Maegashira
S	5	Jo-Wilfried Tsonga	M1	Gilles Simon	6	-
-	8	Juan Martin del Potro	M2	James Blake	9	-
S	10	David Nalbandian	M3	David Ferrer	11	S

Women

Career rank 1/	Seed	East	Current Rank	West	Seed	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Champion Ranks)
Y	2	Serena Williams	Y	Venus Williams	6	Y
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
S	1	Jelena Jankovic	S	Elena Dementieva	4	O
S	3	Dinara Safina	S	Ana Ivanovic	5	O
K	14	Patty Schnyder	K	Maria Sharapova	(wd)	O
Maegashira
-	7	Vera Zvonareva	M1	Svetlana Kuznetsova	8	O
K	9	Agniezska Radwanska	M2	Nadia Petrova	10	S
-	11	Caroline Wozniacki	M3	Flavia Pennetta	12	-

1/ Career-high Sanyaku rank, if applicable.