Djokovic, Dementieva go Kadoban

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With the first three rounds played, some Sanyaku ranking decisions have already been taken.

A tired looking Novak Djokovic lost his 3rd-round match to the unspectacular but solid Maegashira (=non-champion) M11W Philipp Kohlschreiber. The young Serb therefore goes kadoban for the second time in his career. Should he fail to reach the quarterfinals also in Wimbledon, he will lose the Ozeki (=Champion) rank that he first earned at the US Open 2007. Also kadoban goes Elena Dementieva, who had re-obtained her Ozeki title only at this year's Australian Open.

An early exit took also long-standing Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) Venus Williams. Thus, In Wimbledon her status as an active Yokozuna is on the line--a loss before the quarterfinals and Venus would be considered inactive. But then, Wimbledon is Venus' best tournament.

The 4th round--starting tomorrow (Sunday) will bring further Sanyaku-rank decisions. Komusubi (=Junior Champion II) Fernando Verdasco battles M2E and former Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I) Nikolay Davydenko. A win and Verdasco earns a first-time Sekiwake promotion, a loss an he drops out of the Sanyaku (=Championship) ranks altogether. Similarly, Andy Murray gets re-promoted to Sekiwake or demoted to Maegashira when he plays M3W Marin Cilic. The winner of the fourth-round match between Komusubi Juan Martin del Potro and former Sekiwake M1W Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will be in the Sanyaku ranks after the French Open. And former Ozeki Andy Roddick has his Sekiwake rank on the line when he battles ex-Komusubi M2W Gael Monfils.

In the ladies' tournament, freshly promoted Ozeki Dinara Safina, who has looked superb thus far, battles unseeded French lady Aravane Rezai to avoid kadoban. If she wins she may meet defending French Open Champion, former Ozeki and current Komusubi Ana Ivanovic in the quarterfinals, who has looked no less impressive but first must get by M1W Victoria Azarenka to stay in the Sanyaku ranks. Komusubi Jelena Jankovic would make it back to Sekiwake if she wins her 4th round match, but her opponent, unseeded Sorana Cirstea, looks like no pushover. Finally, ex-Ozeki M1E Svetlana Kuznetsova would re-enter the Sanyaku ranks if she beats ex-Komusubi M3E Angieszka Radwanska.