Notable Results:
- Moscow 2R: Ricardas Berankis d. Milos Raonic 3-6, 4-6, 6-3
- Moscow 2R: Vitalia Diatchenko d. Dominika Cibulkova 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
- Stockholm 2R: Adrian Mannarino d. Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(4)
- Luxembourg QF: Denisa Allertova d. Varvara Lepchenko 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
News and Analysis:
Nikolay Davydenko announced his retirement from professional tennis:
“I am 33 years old,” began the Russian, who has won just six tour-level matches this season after struggling to come back from injury. “I won 21 ATP World Tour tournaments, including three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments, and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London. I don’t have any regrets about not winning a Grand Slam or not being No. 1 in the world. I was in the Top 10 for some years.”
“Unfortunately, for some years now, I have been struggling with injuries. It’s hard for me to talk about it. I have been thinking when to announce it. The time has come. I have my whole life to live. I officially announce my retirement from professional tennis.”
Over at SI, Courtney Nguyen took a look at Davydenko’s amazing run at the 2009 World Tour Finals, in which he beat Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Juan Martin del Potro.
Italian ATPers Potito Starace and Daniele Bracciali are facing allegations of match fixing:
In a July 2007 conversation on Skype between Bracciali and an accountant who was arrested in 2011, it is reported Bracciali discusses arranging a match in Newport, Rhode Island, against American player Scoville Jenkins.
Jenkins won 6-2, 6-1.
In 2011, an owner of a betting parlor who was later arrested is heard saying that former world No 27 Starace agreed to sell the final of a tournament in Casablanca.
Rafael Nadal will play Basel for some reason, despite suffering from appendicitis, and then maybe Paris and the World Tour Finals. He will need surgery in the offseason.
My favorite hockey player, Jake Voracek of the Philadelphia Flyers, is a pretty big Federer fan:
I asked the Philadelphia Flyers right wing who his favorite athlete to watch is and he replied instantly, “Federer. I know just about everything about him.” He added that he travels to watch him play, attending the US Open semifinals and finals for the last five years. He enjoys the action so much at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center that he plans to continue to visit Flushing Meadows more times in the future. The six-foot-two, two hundred fourteen pounder also said he was at Roland Garros in 2009 and witnessed Federer win his first and only French Open title vs. Robin Soderling.
Tennis on Twitter:
#TBT Exactly 14 years ago today, a young @RafaelNadal won the Tennis Europe 14&U #juniormasters title pic.twitter.com/zRxx5Ec0gG
— Tennis Europe (@TennisEurope) October 16, 2014
https://twitter.com/sabinelisicki/status/522794651628339200
For some unknown reason @MelissaJoanHart follows me and it's like all my childhood dreams come true. #sabrina
— Laura Robson (@laurarobson5) October 16, 2014
Who would say no after seeing this beauty! Gotta get used to calling @TyVickery29 my fiancé from now on! pic.twitter.com/JtoOULCnLG
— Arina Rodionova (@arinarodionova) October 15, 2014
I still have no idea why Rafa is playing right now. It’s extremely unlikely for him to regain #2 in the world at this point, and… Well, playing with appendicitis seems like a horrible idea. Unless he really thinks he has a shot at winning the World Tour Finals or something, but… With how Federer and Djokovic have been playing as of late, that seems pretty doubtful to me…
Jeez, I loved watching Davydenko play. Mr. Agassi-Lite, but with better wheels. No moaning, minimal groaning, and rarely a bad shot selection.