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10/10/10 9:24 PM | Ricky Dimon
Rafael Nadal will be in action for the third time in three weeks during this Asian swing when he headlines the Shanghai Masters field as the top seed. Nadal is in a section of the draw that also includes Nikolay Davydenko and Fernando Verdasco.
The world No. 1 and the defending tournament champion are in the same quarter of the Shanghai Masters draw, but that does not necessarily mean it's a tough section.
Rafael Nadal, who suffered a surprising loss to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the Bangkok semifinals but bounced back by winning the Tokyo title, is the overwhelming favorite to reach the Shanghai semis, if not to win the entire tournament. His part of the bracket includes 2009 winner Nikolay Davydenko, but the Russian is nowhere near the form that propelled him last year to both this victory and a triumph at the World Tour Finals.
No. 9 seed Fernando Verdasco, who must be getting tired of being in the same quarters as Nadal, also lurks as a potential threat. However, he is mired an even more substantial slump than that of Davydenko and he faces a tough opener against Thiemo De Bakker. Verdasco and Davydenko could meet in the third round, but Verdasco would have to get past De Bakker and likely Juan Monaco while Davydenko is in line for a tough opener against an in-form Sergiy Stakhovsky.
Nadal's first match of the week will come against a difficult opponent in either Gilles Simon or Stanislas Wawrinka. However, Nadal handled Simon with ease at the U.S. Open and Wawrinka has not played since a quarterfinal run in New York. The No. 1 seed's nearest fellow seed is No. 13 Jurgen Melzer, who is in the midst of his best year on tour at 29 years old. Nadal could run into the Austrian in round three, although Mardy Fish may be an even tougher opponent at that stage.
First-round matchups to watch in this section include Simon vs. Wawrinka, Verdasco vs. De Bakker, and Fish vs. Denis Istomin.
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Given the kind of form Rafa has shown, I am not worried about Davy. Rafa's toughest matches will be in the early rounds. If he gets through and makes it to the quarterfinal, no matter who he faces, I like his chances here.
Congratulations, Rafa, on your great win at Tokyo! Well done!
Nativenewyorker , 10/11/10 4:37 AM
I hope Rafa gets some rest, he looks tired to me - what with holidaying in Bangkok and the tournament there, closely followed by Tokyo, and it's challenging matches, not least of all the SF against Troicki. In the picture on the ATP website holding the Tokyo trophy, he looks like he could do with some sleep.
Another payback time for Rafa with Davy in his qtr. hope he takes Shanghai just as he recovered his ground at Madrid, RG & Wimbledon. This will just be jam on top of the cream he already has on his cake, and a Masters 1000 title on h/c will really put paid to the doubters, who still have niggles despite Rafa winning the USO so emphatically - I notice he is only expected to make the SF in Shanghai.
VAMOS!
nadline , 10/11/10 8:23 AM
If Rafa was fresh, then definitely he was favorite for the title, IMO.
He cud still win it, but it is difficult to predict as he may run out of gas late in the tournament. But the has won 3 clay tourneys in the trot in the past, so he cud surprise us and win at Shanghai.
atul1985 , 10/11/10 9:49 AM
Oh if Nadal was fresh then I am sure he would be fine, but I cannot see it, he must be mentally fatigued and the likes of Fed and Murray the former prehaps more, are fresh both mentally and physically..
afrodite7 , 10/11/10 10:53 AM
@afrodite7 , 10/11/10 10:53 AM
Rafa has said himself that his winning depends on his mental freshness.
From Rafa's press conferences in Tokyo:
After the SF: <<"I played well in the first set, but then I lost my concentration," said Nadal. "The season is long and we compete with a lot of pressure, so it is easy to lose your concentration. That is what happened.">> [AP, TOKYO, October 9, 2010]
After the final: <<"I won a lot this year, but I know it's difficult to keep winning. I'm going to try to play my best in Shanghai (next week) and the rest of the season and the Masters Cup in London, the most difficult tournament for me. "But if I'm physically and mentally OK, I hope to keep having chances to have good matches," he added. >>[AFP, TOKYO, 10 Oct.2010]
Augustina08 , 10/11/10 11:17 AM
Rafa dressed in all white has arrived in Shanghai. :)
http://www.rafaholics.com/2010/10/rafa-arrives-in-shanghai.html
Augustina08 , 10/11/10 2:24 PM
<<Tokyo champion Nadal wastes no time in Shanghai.
Rafael Nadal squeezed in a hectic practice session watched by hundreds of enthusiastic Chinese fans as the winner of the weekend Tokyo title got used to conditions at this week's Shanghai Masters.>>
[ SHANGHAI - Agence France-Presse, October 11, 2010]
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=tennis-tokyo-champion-nadal-wastes-no-time-in-shanghai-2010-10-11
Augustina08 , 10/11/10 3:10 PM
Congrats Rafa on a great win and I think Shanghai is going to be very close to the US Open. I think Novak will eliminate Roger and Rafa will beat Nole in the final in 2 tough sets.
BTW congratulations also to Rafa's Fellow Majorcan Jorge Lorenzo on winning his first MOTOGP World title this weekend in Sepang. "Il Dotore" Rossi won the race but Lorenzo finished third, clinching the Championship over his fellow Yamaha rider.
grafight , 10/11/10 4:39 PM
I noticed that Rafa now has 12 390 points in the ATP rankings. Can anyone tell me what is the highest ranking points that have ever been attained since the establishment of the ATP ranking system?
Monalysa , 10/11/10 4:59 PM
Monalysa, they changed the system a couple of years ago, so it's impossible to tell. Under the new system, I thinl Rafa has had the most points at any one time as far as I can remember before he took his injury time out.
nadline , 10/11/10 5:01 PM
federer won 11 tournaments in a calender year...06 or 07 i guess...3 slams...3 or 4 masters and wtf...in the same year.....he would have set the record i guess...if the ranking procedure has been the same i guess
vrael , 10/11/10 5:10 PM
Monalysa, I've just checked the ATP website, when they changed the system in January 2009 -
Rafa -........... 13,160
Fed -.......... 10,610
In January 2010
Rafa -........... 15,290
Fed -..............10,420
You can check the points if you go into 'Rankings' on the ATP website, and select the dates you want to look at.
nadline , 10/11/10 5:18 PM
Rafa's first opponent is Stanislas Wawrinka. He won't play tomorrow.
Augustina08 , 10/11/10 5:46 PM
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Congratualtions Rafa on winning Tokyo. Wishing you all the best in Shanghai, but even if you dont win, I will never hold it against you cause you have won a lot more than any one can ask of you this season!!!!
VAMOS!!!!
Monalysa , 10/10/10 10:38 PM