2021 tennis (general, not an Aussie Open thread)

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

It might be inviting a response of "the last one" but when was - if ever - the last Masters series event that had no-one from the top 20 in the semi-finals, on the men's side? Much like the Slams, most of them for 15 years seem to have been hoovered up by one of the big 3, and if not them the other top 10 guys. This weekend feels unprecedented.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

I suspect you're right that it hasn't happened before, although I've only checked back as far as 2017.

The last time a Masters 1000 final had neither finalist from the top 10 was 2019 Monte Carlo I think.

Paris 2017 also had nobody from the top 10 in the final. And nobody from the top 10 in the semi-finals etiher (Isner was seeded 9, but his official ATP ranking at the relevant time, per the ATP website, was 14th).

But that's "top 10". I've found nothing with nobody from the top 20. Having said that, I think it's possible that Norrie might currently be officially ranked inside the top 20 if the ATP were using the traditional "rolling 12 months" method without the COVID extension to include better results from the previous 12 months. He's well inside the top 20 in the "Race" (i.e.YTD) rankings.

[Satchmo Distel]

The season seems like it has been too long, maybe because of the Olympics, but also because Nadal and Federer have broken down before their successors have fully emerged.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Norrie plays his semi final at 9.30 (BST I mean), for those able to view.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

... and he breaks Dimitrov in the opening game, possibly through the cunning tactic of distracting him with his incredibly squeaky shoes, or possibly through superior play.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

... and he quickly takes the first set 6-2. Another brilliant performance so far, Norrie pulling out some great shots and Dimitrov having to take risks which aren't paying off.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Second set slightly more of a contest but he's landed it, 6-2, 6-4. Very well controlled throughout and confidence growing all the time.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

So, Norrie faces Basilashvili in the final. A man with off-court problems in the same general area as Zverev's. May be an innocent victim of defamation of course, the proceedings seem to be outstanding. Does make me inclined to interpret "clues" from behaviour on court a little differently though.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

With the top 5 men above the Finals cut already, and Berretini all but mathematically certain of the 6th place, 2 places are still up for grabs. With Nadal not up for it, that leaves Ruud, Hurkacz, Sinner and (if he wins tonight's final) Norrie in serious contest for those 2 remaining spots.

[multipleman78]

Norrie did it. He looked to be in real trouble with Basilashvili but the Georgian started to miss after an hour of brilliance and Norrie streaked away with it.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

I suspect you're right that it hasn't happened before, although I've only checked back as far as 2017.

I've now checked back just over 18 years, to Hamburg 2003, and it is unprecedented at least in that period.

Hamburg 2003 was notable for all 4 semi-finalists being Argentinian. Was there a bit of a "Russian Olympic" thing going on then in relation to Argentinian tennis (question based on a vague recollection) or is that unfair?

[Etienne]

Not unfair. Puerta (twice) Chela, Coria and Canas all tested positive in a shortish period of time.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Following on from Rogin's speculation about the unprecedented nature of a Masters 1000 event with no top 20 players in the SFs, to the wider topic of unusual tennis records involving Brits this year, I wonder if Raducanu is going to achieve the lowest year end singles ranking ever achieved by a player who has won a Slam in the year in question. The combination of a fairly flat field with her (so far at least, with not far to go) very modest haul of points from other events must make it likely, surely?

Edit: actually, to be fair, it's an apples and pears historical comparison because of the COVID-related changes to when points expire. A fairer question would be - will she get the lowest ever calendar year ranking points total (on the women's side - a comparison with the ATP is unfair because the men get fewer points in early rounds) for a slam champion.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

It would be in extremely poor taste to suggest Monica Seles, who won the Australian Open in 1993 before she got stabbed. And possibly incorrect too, as Seles won another tournament before that incident so probably racked up more points than Radacanu in any case.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Well, I can't compare the points because they seem to have used some utterly bizarre points system back in 1993, but if you look at the table near the foot of this page you'll see Seles was still ranked 8th at the year end.

1993 WTA Tour - Wikipedia

[Satchmo Distel]

It's not really surprising that Raducanu would set that record; she won the last Slam of the year as a qualifier. There's no comparable case. Maybe someone who won the Aus Open in January and was then injured?

[Janik]

So Serena with the 2017 Australian Open then. Unusually for her she actually played a warm-up to the Aussie (Auckland), but lost in Round 2 of that. She won the Slam, pulled out injured from Miami and Indian Wells then announced she was pregnant and didn't play again until Indian Wells 2018. Her end-of-year ranking was 22 on the back of an 8-1 record.

Close to impossible to have fewer points than that as a Slam champion.

[Janik]

Raducanu is currently ranked 24, though. So she may yet finish lower, albeit with a good chunk more ranking points than Serena had that year (which would have been 2030 to Emma's current 2568).

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Thanks Janik, I should have thought of Serena 2017.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Anyway, nice to see Murray chalk up another win - this time against Tiafoe in the first round at Antwerp. 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, so all tie-breaks and the last one going to 10-8, so really could have gone either way. In the second set tie-break, Murray saved four consecutive set points to bring things back to level at 6 points each, but went on to lose the set anyway.

[multipleman78]

Murray is playing at a very good level just now but is ranked 172 in the World as he hasn't built up enough points over the season. It must be a nightmare for the other guys to draw the number 172 in the World and it's an improving Andy Murray.

[Sporting]

Djokovic - and others who are neither double vaccinated or refuse to divulge their vaccination status - will almost certainly be refused permission to play in the Australian open. And in my opinion this is a jolly good thing

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

And in my opinion this is a jolly good thing

I doubt if many (any?) on here would disagree with you on that. I certainly don't.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Raducanu is "coaching herself". I suspect that won't work out brilliantly for her. She hasn't yet ever beaten a top 10 player, and she lost to Harriet Dart in straight sets in Nottingham a few months ago. She might have been able to learn plenty more from either of the coaches she abruptly dismissed earlier this year. If she carries on like this, I can see her failing to reach the QFs in the Aussie Open.

Meanwhile tough matches later today in Vienna for both Murray (Hurkacz) and Evans (Alcaraz).

[multipleman78]

A brilliant win over a top 10 player for Murray. Yet again, he played excellent tennis but still managed to lose another tie break. His recovery from that setback looked laboured, at first, but it soon gathered momentum.

Evans lost, which I don't think was a surprise. Alcaraz is an outstanding talent.