Indian Wells ATP 1000

[stroke]

https://www.sportskeeda.com/amp/tenn...p-paribas-open

Medvedev is getting a tough one in his 1st match in the 2nd round, vs the winner of Alcaraz and RBA. Both are very tough.

[jimlosaltos]

Call this L'Affaire Djokovic, take two, Indian Wells edition.

BNP Paribas was forced to do the draw with Djokovic's name and, from their online posts, is "trying to contact his team". Literally, he's either waiting on the CDC, or they don't what he's decided, apparently.

Here is what I "think" is happening. Please correct me or update this.

By rule top ATP players are obligated to play in the Masters 1000s, so they appear on the "entry lists" automatically. If there is a problem, they then "withdraw" as Ash Barty and Barbora Krejcikova, have done. Since Djokovic never withdrew, BNP held the draw with him in the number two seed. Then if he doesn't show they end up subbing a qualifier leaving one quarter lopsided and also denying entry to a second qualifier. If Djokovic had withdrawn they would have substituted for him. But now that person doesn't get a chance.

BNP implied Djokovic is looking for an "exemption". Whether they know that or not is unclear. In interviews, Djokovic had strongly implied that immigration rules would have to change, NOT that he was seeking a special exemption.

Djokovic's first match would be Saturday or Sunday {since he gets a bye in the first round} but he isn't even in the US now.

On the women's side both the top two women pulled out. Krtjcikova at the last minute, Barty in advance. Barty's withdraw seems a bit odd. Both finalists, Daniel Collins and Barty withdrew citing the need to recover from the Australian Open final. While Collins had some tough matches, Ash only spent 7 hours 30 minutes on court over two weeks and never showed any sign of injury I noticed.

As for ATP world number one, Medvedev will potentially have to beat Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Rafael Nadal -- just to make the final. I don't know if he likes the glacially-slow IW courts.

If Novak's out, that opens that quarter for wild card Andy Murray, although he doesn't have a great record here.

With Krejcikova out, the top seed in that quarter is Pliskova, but it also opens up for Coco, Halep and --- Emma Raducanu in the quarter below, who's already proven she can exploit a depleted draw at a little event in NYC.


Men's Draw

https://bnpparibasopen.com/score-center/draws/


Here are the men's projected quarterfinal match-ups on seed:
No. 1 Daniil Medvedev vs. No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas
No. 4 Rafael Nadal vs. No. 8 Casper Ruud
No. 2 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 7 Andrey Rublev
No. 3 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 5 Marcos Berrettini

and


Women's Draw

https://bnpparibasopen.com/score-center/draws/

Potential QFs Based On Seed
(1) Krejcikova Out so Cori Gauff (16) has big opportunity, vs Pliskova (7). Halep also in top.
(3) Swiatek vs Muguruza (8)
(5) Badosa vs Kontaveit (4)
(6) Sakkari vs Sabalenka (2

[jimlosaltos]

2:25 PM PT BNP "Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the BNP Paribas Open. As the next player in line to be seeded, Grigor Dimitrov will move into Djokovic's space in the draw and a Lucky Loser from qualifying will move into Dimitrov's space in the draw once qualifying is complete"

There is no truth to the rumor that this was all a ruse to promote this month's TPN Tour Portrait of --- Grigor Dimitrov. But here's a link <g>
https://www.tennisplayer.net/members...igor_dimitrov/

BNP's wording is confusing to me, but my interpretation is that Grigor gets Novak's slot in the draw but a Lucky Loser will be added to the main draw, perhaps in Grigor's slot.

Consternation begins from those noting that if Djokovic had withdrawn one day earlier, Joao Sousa would have gone straight in. Now, he has to win another match after his 3 hour match yesterday. Not a big deal, but unnecessary with a little courtesy, I suppose.

[jimlosaltos]

Naomi Osaka back! Naomi, Nick Kyrgios, and Amanda Anisimova all on one day this early in the event.
Wish I was there.

https://bnpparibasopen.com/score-center/order-of-play/

I read a while back that Darren Cahill was doing a trial with Amanda at Aussie, where she made a good run, and won a tune-up for her first title in a while. Hope that pairing works out. Like to see her do well again.

[stotty]

2:25 PM PT BNP "Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the BNP Paribas Open. As the next player in line to be seeded, Grigor Dimitrov will move into Djokovic's space in the draw and a Lucky Loser from qualifying will move into Dimitrov's space in the draw once qualifying is complete"

There is no truth to the rumor that this was all a ruse to promote this month's TPN Tour Portrait of --- Grigor Dimitrov. But here's a link <g>
https://www.tennisplayer.net/members...igor_dimitrov/

BPN's wording is confusing to me, but my interpretation is that Grigor gets Novak's slot in the draw but a Lucky Loser will be added to the main draw, perhaps in Grigor's slot.

Consternation begins from those noting that if Djokovic had withdrawn one day earlier, Joao Sousa would have gone straight in. Now, he has to win another match after his 3 hour match yesterday. Not a big deal, but unnecessary with a little courtesy, I suppose.

Struggling to get my head around this. So Novak got automatic entry though event organisers knew he was very unlikely to play? Did no one phone Novak up to check if his vaccination status had altered? Mind-boggling that Novak would automatically appear on the drawsheet.

Looking forward to the tournament. It's always been one of my favourites.

[jimlosaltos]

Struggling to get my head around this. So Novak got automatic entry though event organisers knew he was very unlikely to play? Did no one phone Novak up to check if his vaccination status had altered? Mind-boggling that Novak would automatically appear on the drawsheet.

Looking forward to the tournament. It's always been one of my favourites.

I'll be there for finals weekend. Looking forward to it.

The one positive thing I can say regarding the draw was that Novak was up front. He isn't going to get vaccinated and couldn't come unless US border/ flight rules changed. Everyone including BNP Tournament Director Tommy Haas knew this.

The thing is M1000s are mandatory for the top ranked players. So, those names go on the entry list automatically. It's not up to the event. It's an ATP and WTA rule. I get the impression (haven't seen a rule on this) that the event can't simply erase someone. They have to withdraw. Which Djokovic did but 2 days too late to avoid messing things up. There is a fine for withdrawing without an injury ($20,000 plus suspension from the next event). I imagine some tennis bureaucrats will find an exemption for Novak, tho.

[jimlosaltos]

Today's BNP order of play features some intriguing matches for such an early day.

Andy Murray could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the draw being messed up. He's in the extra soft section and starts to Taro Daniel.

USO nova Emma Raducanu faces Caroline Garcia. Lots of question marks here. Apparently, Emma is dealing with hip issues. Some wags blame this on her forehand, for reasons I can't decipher.

Iga Świątek and Simona Halep could benefit from a parallel draw disturbance, but a legitimate withdraw for an injury by top seed Krejcikova. Personally pulling for both of them.

Perhaps amusing note from last night's play: Very windy and cool; Nick Kyrgios asked the chair "What's going on? It's not like this in Indian Wells."

Oh, yes it is, Nick. Yes it is. I saw that vet Vera Zvonareva was back ( but lost in the first round). I remember when she was the victim of the most bizarre ace I've ever seen on the pro circuit or anywhere in the women's final here many years ago. Her opponent, whose name escapes me, hit a serve into a gust so strong it literally blew the ball back from near Vera into the service box. Vera was "aced" while falling on her face -- full face plant -- trying to suddenly change direction to run forward and catch up with the serve which was traveling away from her back toward the net.

I suspect Nick, with his underhand and underhanded serve, could have real fun with that kind of wind <g>.

[jimlosaltos]

I like this: "She's had great last year for such a young age" Amanda Anisimova, 20, French open semifinalist couple of years ago, talking about her next opponent, leylah Fernandez who's 19

[stroke]

Great matches today, Nadal vs Korda, Tsitsipas vs Sock. Alcaraz vs McDonald, Khachanov vs JB, Wolf vs RBA, Bash vs Fabio.

[jimlosaltos]

Correction: On further review, Cressy's serve wasn't windblown. It literally never touched his strings. Complete shank. Here's a vid. Thanks stroke for correcting me.
https://www.atptour.com/en/news/cres...ian-wells-2022

On cue, after my post here about the "retreating serve" Ace in the women's final vs Zvonareva, Cressy got one not quite as extreme last night. Serving 15 3-4 vs Eubanks last night, it backed up, then bounced sideways off the court. Hawkeye tracked it at 26 mph. Some say it was 131 mph slower than Isner's ATP record 157.2 mph, but that's apples and oranges (since the 26 mph can't be the exit speed off Cressy's racket). But, hey, never let the facts get in the way of a good story!

filedata/fetch?id=96845&d=1647106825&type=thumb

[stroke]

On cue, after my post here about the "retreating serve" Ace in the women's final vs Zvonareva, Cressy got one not quite as extreme last night. Serving 15 3-4 vs Eubanks last night, it backed up, then bounced sideways off the court. Hawkeye tracked it at 26 mph. Some say it was 131 mph slower than Isner's ATP record 157.2 mph, but that's apples and oranges (since the 26 mph can't be the exit speed off Cressy's racket). But, hey, never let the facts get in the way of a good story!

filedata/fetch?id=96845&d=1647106825&type=thumb

I saw the replay on that serve. It looked like a complete unintentional mishit on his serve, off the very top of his racquet. I have seen that on overheads, have done that myself on a completely shanked overhead, but that was a first for me on the serve.

[stroke]

Wolf really has a big game, but what a tough ask vs Novak lite RBA.

[stotty]

I just love Alcaraz. He sensationally good to watch...quite explosive at times.

[jimlosaltos]

I saw the replay on that serve. It looked like a complete unintentional mishit on his serve, off the very top of his racquet. I have seen that on overheads, have done that myself on a completely spanked overhead, but that was a first for me on the serve.

Ah, didn't know that. The serve that "aced" Vera was, as I remember it, a normal serve that got blown back. Thanks.

[stotty]

Great matches today, Nadal vs Korda.

Korda was swatting the ball away as if it was a pesky fly in set 2 and much of set 3...until it came to the moment of truth. He's a wonderful shotmaker but his forehand just fell away right when he need it most. By contrast, Rafa's forehand sprung into action right when he needed most...coupled with his trusty resolve. Amazing match. Really enjoyed it from both players.

Korda shoots from the hip, just like his father used to..