Things Learnt From the China Open

As the covers are pulled over the China Open for another year, we ar eleft with just enough time to reflect on another intriguing tournament as the tennis world heads towards the end of year Finals.

Beijing really is Novak Djokovic's home from home... or is it Shanghai?

There is just something about the hard courts of Beijing that Novak Djokovic has warned to. Twenty-nine matches, six titles, not a single defeat. That is a pretty sensational record, but perhaps more worringly for his opposition is that nobody even came close to him this week...

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Sports Ladder (8th - 14th July)

UP - Lewis Hamilton - Last weekend's British Grand Prix has reopened the race for the Championship after a mesmerising drive from Lewis Hamilton coupled with a gearbox failure for Nico Rosberg left the Mercedes pair just four points apart. Hamilton worked his way from sixth up to first after an excellent start before the red flags emerged following Kimi Raikkonen crash. This leaves a very tasty looking second half to the season.

UP - Novak Djokovic - A second Wimbledon title and a sixth Grand Slam ensured that Novak Djokovic had a week to remember. What he may lack in the elegance of Roger Federer or the relentlessness of Rafael Nadal he more than makes up for with his gritty determination and is more of a complete player than either of those two. He is perhaps yet to fully win the support of the British public but if he keeps going at this rate it can only be a matter of time.

UP - James Anderson - In a period of instability and disappointment in English cricket it was welcoming this week to see a moment of brief, record-breaking success. Jimmy Anderson alongside Joe Root set the record for the highest last wicket stand as the pair of them made 198 runs, including 81 from Anderson himself, also a record for an English closing batsman. Could this be the start of a change in fortune? It seems unlikely, but we may as well enjoy it while it lasts.

UP - Horse-Racing Seagull - I just couldn't ignore the cheeky antics of an audacious seagull in Brighton this week. In a photo-finish between Jewelled and Sagesse it emerged that there was in fact a third competitor when a seagull photo-bombed, sticking his neck out and just losing to Jewelled by a few beaks. It is not known whether the animal is merely confused about its origins or fancies himself as a bit of a racer but unfortunately the bookmakers refused to pay out on any bets on the unfancied bird.


UP - Rory McIlroy - Considering his sporting prowess it does surprise me how rarely, if ever he has actually made my weekly ladder. The Northern Irishman has had mixed success in recent times but this week shot a phenomenal round of 64 to break the course record in the first round of the Scottish Open at Aberdeen. As well as they he also took advantage of a strong tail wind to slog a drive 436 yards to set the record for this year.

DOWN - Rory McIlroy - And yet sport is a world of swings and roundabouts and just the next day Rory undid all his good work by carding a shocking 78 to plummet down the leaderboard. More depressing is the fact that this is the second time he has collapsed this year after an astounding first round where he shot a 63 then a 78 at the Memorial Tournament in May. With the youngster struggling for consistency and struggling off the course after ending his engagement to Caroline Wozniacki, should he take a break from golf?

DOWN - Blackpool - The recruitment staff at Blackpool seem to have been spending too much time watching the World Cup and not enough time finding some players to don the tangerine kit next year as they currently have just eight registered first team players. Now for those of you with any knowledge of football you will be aware that eleven players are needed just to field an actual team so probably you see the dilemma. I'll keep my phone on loud for the next few days waiting for the call from Barry Ferguson.

DOWN - Chris Froome - After the recent Tour de Triumphs of Chris Froome and Sir Bradley Wiggins in the last two years we have become accustomed to success in the greatest cycling race on the planet. However after the loss of Mark Cavendish last week we were treated to more disappointment as defending champion Chris Froome also departed with multiple wrist injuries. Very sad to see him go but Bradley Wiggins must be gutted he wasn't given the call by Team Sky. Will they live to regret not including him?

DOWN - Paris Saint-Germain - Don't you hate it when you pay over the odds for something such as a t-shirt or a pint? Well imagine how Paris Saint-Germain feel after watching the simply shocking performances of everyone's favourite Sideshow Bob lookalike, David Luiz, their £50 million summer acquisition. The 'defender' has a tendency to wander aimlessly and was largely at fault for numerous of the ten goals conceded in Brazil's last two games. Let's hope they've kept the receipt somewhere safe.


DOWN - Brazil - A record-breaking 7-1 loss in the semi-finals of your home tournament. No more words are needed.



Disclaimer: This was written before the finale of that football tournament that everyone seems to be talking about.

Federer and Djokovic To Miss French Open?

This year's French Open may lose two of its recognisable faces as both Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are doubts for this years second Grand Slam.

Djokovic will be in a race against time to return from a wrist injury which left him weak and limp in his defeat to Roger Federer in the semi-finals of this weeks Monte Carlo Masters. Federer on the other hand, may have to miss the tournament to be with his wife as she gives birth to the couples third child.

Djokovic began suffering heavily from his wrist injury in the quarter-finals of this weeks masters, labouring to a lengthy three set victory against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez before tumbling out to Roger Federer 7-5 6-2. The loss brought an end to an exceptional run in Masters tournaments after winning the last four.

Speaking to BBC Sport after the match, Djokovic said, "I just rest now. I cannot play tennis for some time. How long, I don't know". However, unlike Laura Robson and Juan Martin Del Potro, Djokovic confirmed that he would not need surgery as there is no serious damage.

Djokovic went on to say, I'm going to go see doctors tonight and then tomorrow again have another MRI, to see if anything changed in the seven days since I had the last one. It's really not in my hands any more. I'm going to rest and see when it can heal 100%, then I will be back on the court."

On the other side of the court, Roger Federer has confirmde that, should his wife give birth he would abandon the French Open to be at her side as she gives birth to their son. It is not known how far into the pregnancy Mirka is, but in an interview with BBC Sport Federer hinted that he would have no qualms missing the French Open if he had to.

"It's a priority for me trying to be there, trying to support my wife. I've played enough tennis matches. Missing a tournament or missing a match wouldn't change anything for me." When asked specifically about the French Open he replied, Yeah, let's talk about it when it would happen."

Today, Roger Federer takes part in the first all-Swiss final since 2000 when he takes on Stanislas Wawrinka, the victor taking both the Monte Carlo title and also third place in the rankings.

Published on SEaT Capital.

Andy Murray Set For Coach Discussion

Andy Murray is set to sit down with his whole team for the rest of the week and begin discussions on who should be his next coach as he seeks to have someone in place before the French Open.

Murray's decision to hire a new coach comes after the split with previous coach Ivan Lendl. The partnership had been in full flow for over two years and in that time the Scot had won both his Grand Slams and an Olympic Gold medal.

But last months the pair brought an end to their glorious relationship as Lendl was no longer able to commit to Murray's schedule as he sought to compete more regularly on the senior tour.

Murray's partnership with a high-profile former player also paved the way for a new trend in tennis coaching, as Stefan Edberg returned to coach Roger Federer and Boris Becker likewise to work alongside Novak Djokovic.

However, Murray is not necessarily looking to repeat the trend that he started, telling BBC Sport, "There's a lot of factors you need to look at and I would hope I would have someone in place by the French Open, but I don't want to rush it. I don't want to get someone just because they've won a lot of tournaments or were great players."

Murray went on to say, "[A new coach] needs to be the right fit for you and they need to get on well with your team too, because otherwise it's very hard to make it work. It's going to be an exciting few weeks because getting a new coach can make big differences, as you saw with Ivan."

Murray was speaking at the press launch of this years AEGON Championship at the Queen's club after returning from the weekend's narrow Davis Cup loss to Italy.

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Williams Beats Li For Miami Title

Serena Williams retained her Sony Open title with a 7-5 6-1 victory over world number two Li Na.

Williams recovered from a double break in the first set at 5-2 to win eleven of the next twelve games on her way to her second title of 2014 after victory at Brisbane in January.

The victory ensured Williams moves ahead of Agassi in titles won in Miami after claiming her seventh title, twelve years after her first in 2002.

After her slow start, Williams was quick to praise her opponent, telling BBC Sport, "It was a really important victory, especially against Li Na. She started so well and if it hadn't been for the fans I don't think I could have pulled through."

"At 5-2 down in the first set, I felt I had nothing to lose. I started to relax and, when I relax, I play my best tennis."

Williams was unusually sluggish in the opening stages of the final, being broken in the first game by a fearless looking Li. However, the Chinese second seed was not done there, breaking again to find herself 5-2 up.

At this point Williams relaxed, swinging freely and taking the next five consecutive games to claim the opening set 7-5.

In the second set Williams raised her game significantly, completely shutting out Li and racing to a 5-1 lead. It was representative of her second set display that it took the world number one just one match point to claim victory.

This continued her run of fifteen consecutive victories against top-10 ranked opponents as she now turns her attention to the Family Circle Cup in Charleston this week.

As with the women's final the world one and two will contest the men's final later today after both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic received walkovers in their semi-finals.

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Djokovic, Nadal Into Miami Semi's

Rafael Nadal's hard-fought three set victory over big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic completed Friday's semi-final line-up at the 2014 Sony Open in Miami.

Victory for the world number one means he will face seventh seed Tomas Berdych whilst the other semi-final sees Novak Djokovic do battle with rising star Kei Nishikori.

Nadal advanced to the semi-final with a narrow 4-6 6-2 6-4 victory over Milos Raonic as he seeks to claim his first Miami Masters title. The Spaniard has reached the final three times but is yet to win the title.

His opponent Berdych is also a beaten finalist in Miami, succumbing to the now-retired Andy Roddick in 2010. The Czech has not beaten Nadal in any of his last seventeen attempts but will take solace knowing that the man he beat in the quarter-finals, Alexandr Dolgopolov, beat Nadal in Indian Wells earlier this month.

On the other side of the draw Kei Nishikori provided the upset of the quarter-finals, toppling a resurgent Roger Federer 3-6 7-5 6-4. The tenacious twentieth seed won his second consecutive match over Federer after also beating him last year in Madrid.

Nishikori will face Novak Djokovic after the Serb controversially defeated defending Miami champion Andy Murray. The two former champions were battling toe-to-toe until a controversial net infringement was missed by the umpire, causing a slip in concentration from Murray and ultimately a 7-5 6-3 loss.

Elsewhere in the women's side of the draw, the tournament final will conform with seedings as the top two seeds Serena Williams and Li Na will meet for the first time this year.

Serena Williams continued her decade-long unbeaten run against Maria Sharapova in the semi-finals, toppling her 6-4 6-3 for her fifteenth consecutive victory against the Russian.

Li Na met with Dominika Cibulkova for the third time already this year as she reached her first ever final in Miami after claiming a 7-5 2-6 6-3 victory, extending her unbeaten run over the veteran.

The pair will meet in Saturday's final as Na seeks to claim her first victory over the dominant American since her walkover in Rome 2012, whilst Williams will be looking to win her seventh Miami title.

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Djokovic Beats Federer To Claim Indian Wells Title

Novak Djokovic won his first ATP Tour title of 2014 on Sunday, overcoming Roger Federer 3-6 6-3 7-6 in a hard-fought encounter at Indian Wells.

The Serb recovered after a careless first set, winning the second before achieving his third Indian Wells title after battling through a deciding tie-break in the final set.

Djokovic was understandably pleased to claim the title and gain revenge for last months loss to Federer in Dubai, telling the BBC, "It was a proud achievement. It was not just winning the trophy but the way I came back from a set down in a couple of matches. That gives me a lot of confidence."

The match did not start well though for Djokovic as he looked sluggish in the opening set. A recently resurgent Roger Federer fully capitalized, needing just one break point to take the lead before eventually claiming the first set 6-3.

However, as the match progressed Djokovic began to assert himself, a strong defensive performance keeping Federer at bay. Much the same as the first set it was a single break that separated the pair, Djokobic this time taking the lead to win the second set 6-3.

The third set saw the two former champions burst into life, trading blow after blow as each sought to take the upper hand. It was Djokovic who claimed the advantage, breaking mid-way through the set to find himself serving for the championship at 5-4.

Despite getting every first serve in Federer was ruthless, a number of huge  forehands ensuring the match continued as he broke back, forcing a deciding tie-break to separate the pair.

Once there however, the Swiss seemed to run out of steam, quickly finding himself 3-0 down and with a mountain to climb against the gritty Serb. Federer saved one match point with a powerful ace but could not stop Djokovic at the second attempt, a limp backhand into the net ensuring his defeat.

Both players will now turn their attention to the second Masters tournament of the year, Miami, which begins this week as Britain's Andy Murray seeks to defend his crown.

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Wildcard Ward Progresses In Dubai

James Ward fully exploited his wildcard entry to the Dubai Tennis Championships with a first round victory over World number 60 Teymuraz Gabashvili.

In a topsy-turvy match, Ward battled from a set and a break down to eventually win 2-6 6-4 7-6(6). This was Ward's second impressive upset of the year after defeating American Sam Querrey in a five-set thriller during the Davis Cup.

The match did not start well for Ward who quickly found himself a set down after being broken twice. Gabashvili then broke early in the second set to leave Ward staring at a first round exit.

However the British number three rallied, breaking twice to take the second set 6-4 and force a decider.

By this point the momentum was firmly in the British corner, Ward racing to a 3-0 lead before Gabashvili took a medical time out. At 5-1 and with two opportunities to serve the for the match the victory looked to be sealed.

However Gabashvili refused to buckle, winning the next five games to leave Ward serving to stay in the match. Ward successfully held serve to force a tie-break decider.

At 6-4 Ward had two break points but failed to convert either of them. It was a case of third time lucky though as he sealed victory moments later.

In the second round Ward will face the veteran Mikhail Youzhny for a possible quarter--final date with Novak Djokovic.

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Murray Falls in Rankings Shake-Up

As the curtain falls on this years Australian Open we have been treated to the first winner since Juan Martin Del Potro's US Open in 2009 who isn't one of the so-called 'Big Four'; Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

Perhaps more interestingly though, Stanislas Wawrinka's maiden Grand Slam title has well and truly splintered the dominance held between these four over the last five or six years as the updated rankings were released today. His victory moves him up to a career-high ranking of third and he becomes the highest seeded Swiss player, a feat previously held by Roger Federer since 2001. Meanwhile, Federer tumbles to eighth, his lowest ranking in twelve years.

Nadal and Djokovic maintain their place occupying the top two spots but Nadal's runner-up spot has meant a gap of nearly 4,000 points has opened up between the pair. Despite a disappointing second-round defeat, Del Potro moves up to fourth whilst David Ferrer drops two places to fifth.

However, it was a hugely unsuccessful tournament for the British trio of Andy Murray, Laura Robson and Heather Watson. Murray's quarter-final loss to Roger Federer means he falls to sixth, his lowest ranking since 2008. With no Grand Slam's or Masters tournaments until March, it seems unlikely that he will begin climbing again for a number of months.

In the women's rankings, first-round losses for Robson and Watson meant neither were able to defend significant ranking points earned the year before. Robson slips ten places from 48th to 58th whilst Watson, who missed a large section of last season through glandular fever, tumbles to 161st, her worst ranking in a number of years.

Elsewhere in the women's draw, Australian Open victor Li Na moves up to third in the rankings, only eleven points away from number two seed Victoria Azarenka. Serena Williams holds onto top spot whilst Maria Sharapova falls to fifth.

The big mover was beaten finalist Dominika Cibulkova, who leaps eleven places to thirteenth. Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard continues her ascendancy, breaking into the top twenty for the first time after reaching the semi-finals in Melbourne. Sloane Stevens falls five places to eighteenth whilst Venus Williams tumbles to 49th.

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