Wk.40- Novakancies Here, Jo-Wilfried

Hey Y'all. Galileo here.

And, yes, you're correct, I will be coming up with very cheesy puns as titles from here on in. Also, we have a race for year-end number one despite the fact Andy Murray has probably had a better year then then any of the big three albeit one in which good fortune smiled upon him. This week I attended a big family gathering with Uncles, Aunts and Cousins and some even coming from Queensland, Australia. Also, I watched the amusing it-could-only-come-from-the-eighties movie "Back to the Future" which is 23rd on Empire Magazine's "500 Greatest" list. But my movie of the week is the epic movie "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," in which one of my favorite actors (and actresses) ever starred. The amazing Jack Nicholson. For me, personally, only Morgan Freeman and Sigourney Weaver are even equal to him. But I've rambled on too much. Today's recommended song is in keeping with the eighties theme as mentioned above and it's Alison Moyet's Yazoo with "Only You."

P.S. - Due to the aforementioned family gathering I can't write loads. Sorry, I'm cooking dinner for 6.



I wanted to pick Raonic as the POTW and had he not been bagelled in the last set, he would have been. Raonic survived two final set tiebreakers and beat the defending US Open Champion, the Wimbledon Finalist and the Olympic Gold medal holder, not to mention the defending champion at this event. He saved match points against him. He also bullied Murray's second serve in that semi, too. He made it cry. He took its lunch money and laughed in its face. It was amazing to watch. I mean he was playing out of his skin. He got all the way to the semis and only faced one break point. He beat Tipsarevic in three. 9 points to 7 in the final set breaker.

...Nishikori routinely defeated Berdych and smashed Baghdatis away like he was nothing, BUT he did struggle against Soeda and he could have lost in the Final to Raonic. However, overall, he had an excellent week and it's hard to win at home -- just ask Slammin' Sammy Stosur -- but he worked under the Moniker Pressure is Privilege and thus won his first title at a 500 level after being dismissed by his Majesty Federer at Basel last year.

He now has bagels against Robredo, Djokovic, Ferrer and Raonic, to name but a few, in the past year. He played well and will be very dangerous for the remainder of the year, and next year the Top 10 is an achievable goal for him, for sure. I'd love to write more, I really would, but just like Rupert Murdoch and Venus Williams' career, time is not on my side.



*Wk. 40 CHAMPIONS*
BEIJING, CHINA
S: Novak Djokovic/SRB def. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga/FRA 7-6/6-2
D: Bryan/Bryan d. Berlocq/Istomin
TOKYO, JAPAN
S: Kei Nishikori/JPN def. Milos Raonic/CAN 7-6/3-6/6-0
D: Peya/Soares d. Paes/Stepanek


PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Kei Nishikori, JPN
...he played excellent tennis from the start of the week to the end. He hit cute drop shots and devastating forehands, got so many balls back and hit amazing returns and pretty much nullified Milos's main weapons. He played so well that if he played like that every match he'd be Top 10 before you could say Peerakiat Siriluethaiwattan. I think he will make a grand slam semi next year and do well on the hard-court Masters. Tangent: I want a grass court Masters. It needs to happen because grass courts are cool and you know it would be interesting. Can you imagine it? It would be fab. But anyways, he won and Raonic came a close second in the PTOW competition. And I have to really hurry this, which is a shame but you get the picture I hope.
=============================
RISERS: Peya/Soares, AUT/BRA
...two titles in a row and they are going up the rankings pretty swiftly. They are even outsiders for a spot at the WTF doubles event. All in all, it's a very impressive display from them. And there's no reason for their form to stop now. Today Asia, tomorrow THE WORLD! Ahem. Sorry. Anyways, the mixed doubles US Open champion Soares is having a brilliant year and both will be a a big threat in the remainder of this year.
=============================
SURPRISE: Berlocq/Istomic, ARG/UZB
...they shouldn't have even been there. They were alternates and yet they upset second seeds Mirnyi/Nestor (world number 2's) and beat the strong pairing of Bhupati/Bopanna of India and beat Fleming/Hutchins of Great Britain in the semis before being beaten easily by world number #1's the Bryans.
=============================
VETERAN: Marcos Baghdatis, CYP
...he had a career year in 2006 and has now been relegated to the always dangerous but never wins group of ATP players. With him is Hewitt, Nalbandian, and Gasquet.
=============================
COMEBACK: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, FRA
...well, I wanted to pick him as PTOW but he bombed out against the Djoker. He had an excellent week and has come back from a disappointing US Open in brilliant style. If he'd won then I couldda gone with the title "Wake Me Up Before You Jo Jo," which would have been a win for everyone.
=============================
NEW FACE: Florian Mayer, GER
...I don't think he's been to a semifinal this year but he did make the QF at some tournament called Wimbledon. Apparently it's on grass and this guy called Roger and a pair of Dames called the Williams Sisters do quite well there. Welcome to the semis, Mayer. It's a pity Djokovic put him away handily really.
=============================
DOWN: Bernard Tomic, AUS
...I'm a big fan but he needs to pull himself together. Seriously, Bernie, get your act together, mate.
=============================
CHALLENGER CIRCUIT: Ricardo Hocevar, BRA
...he won the clay tournament, the 2012 Campeonato Internacional de Tênis do Estado do Pará. 32 in the singles draw, and 18 were Brazilian. The unseeded Ricardo came through in fine colour, beating the second and third seeds and not dropping a set.
=============================


1. TOKYO SF - Raonic d. Murray
...6-3 6-7 7-6. He lost the second set breaker 7-5, but won the third by 7-4 and is a candidate for Match of the Year.
=============================
2. TOKYO QF - Raonic d. Tipsarevic
...6-7/6-2/ 7-6. Despite losing the first set in the breaker by 7 points to 5, he bounced back to batter Tipsy into submission in the second before finishing it 9-7 in the third set breaker.
=============================
3. CHINA QF - Lopez d. Querrey
...4-6 6-4 6-4. Querrey had a point for 6-4/4-1 and what was pretty much a match point for him, but he blew it and Lopez came storming back to take it.
=============================


SHANGHAI, CHINA
=QF=
#1 Federer d. Monaco 7#
#3 Murray d. Gasquet 11#
#14 Nishikori d. Tsonga 5#
#2 Djokovic d. Tipsarevic 6#
=SF=
#1 Federer d. Murray 3#
#2 Djokovic d. Nishikori #14
=FINAL=
#1 Federer d. Djokovic #2

...it's a big one. It's a 1000, so I'm going to pick QF, then SF and the final. Also, I predict the Bryans to win against Lindstedt and Tecau.


I am so sorry I didnt have more time to do this y'all, but families are important and stuff. And now for our "Feel Good Moment of the Week." Well done to the Australian Women and the Windies Mens teams, who won the twenty twenty cricket competition this week. Also, well done Vika. You kicked my darling Sharapova's ass again, but who cares because she has her own candy line. So Ha! But our "Feel Good Moment of the Week" is the All Blacks Rugby side winning the Rugby Championship after thrashing the Argentinians.

Read more!