The Hunt for Houston

kat — Sat, 26 Jul 2003 06:50:02 +0000

25 July 2003

The top three players in the ATP Champions Race — Roger Federer, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Andre Agassi — are separated by 75 points going into the North American summer hard court circuit. All three players have captured a Grand Slam title this year, marking the first time in the history of the ATP Rankings (since 1973) that the Top 3 players in the post-Wimbledon ranking have accomplished the feat.
Who’s Who In the Hunt for Houston
(Statistical information correct as at July 21)

1st. Roger Federer (547 points)
Networthy: The 21-year-old Swiss native leads the ATP circuit in titles (5), match wins (53) and has the longest winning streak (15) this year…Should eclipse his previous career-high match wins total of 58 set last year…Came into this season with four career ATP titles from 1998-2002 and at the halfway point of this year, he already has five titles…Has an 11-2 record in Grand Slam action and 11-4 mark in Tennis Masters play with a runner-up in Rome…Will lead his country into the Davis Cup semifinals against Australia in September.

TMC Tidbit: Made his TMC debut last year by reaching the semifinals in Shanghai, losing to eventual champion Lleyton Hewitt in three sets.

Pre-US Open schedule: Washington (July 28), Montreal (Aug. 4), Cincinnati (Aug. 11).

2nd. Juan Carlos Ferrero (537)
Networthy: The 23-year-old Spaniard has turned in a consistent first half of the season by winning at least one round in all 11 tournaments he has played…Has captured three titles, including his first career Grand Slam crown at Roland Garros (d. Verkerk) in June…Has turned in career-best Grand Slam showings at each of the three Grand Slam tournaments — advancing to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, winning the title at Roland Garros and reaching the Round of 16 at Wimbledon…Has a 14-2 record in Slam competition and 12-3 in Tennis Masters action, repeating his title in Monte Carlo (d. Coria)…Owns the best winning percentage on clay (.933, 28-2 record).

TMC Tidbit: Has played well in the Tennis Masters Cup the last two years, reaching the semifinals in Sydney in 2001 and the final in Shanghai last year, losing both times to eventual champion Lleyton Hewitt.

Pre-US Open schedule: Kitzbuhel, Sopot (July 28), Montreal (Aug. 4), Cincinnati (Aug. 11), Long Island (Aug. 18).

3rd. Andre Agassi (472)
Networthy: The 33-year-old Las Vegas native captured four titles in the first four months of action, a personal best, highlighted by his eighth career Grand Slam title and 16th career Tennis Masters Series crown…He became the oldest player to hold No. 1 ATP Entry Ranking at 33 years, 13 days on May 11…He took over as ATP Champions Race leader following his third straight Australian Open title (d. Schuettler)…Also won titles in San Jose (d. Sanguinetti), a tournament record sixth title in Miami (d. Moya) and clay court crown in Houston (d. Roddick)…

Has a 14-2 mark in Grand Slam play and 6-1 in Tennis Masters action.

TMC Tidbit: The veteran has participated in 11 year-end championships, winning the title in 1990 and reaching finals in 1999 and 2000.

Pre-US Open schedule: Washington (July 28), Montreal (Aug. 4), Cincinnati (Aug. 11).

Snapping At Their Heels
While the Top 3 players have virtually secured a spot in the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Houston in November, here’s a look at the rest of the contenders battling for the remaining five spots:

4th. Guillermo Coria (422)
The 21-year-old Argentine has already surpasssed his previous best match wins total of 2001 (26) by compiling a 37-11 match record, including 28-5 on clay…He captured his first Tennis Masters title in Hamburg (d. Calleri) and added another German title in Stuttgart (d. Robredo)…He was also a finalist in Buenos Aires (l. to Moya) and Tennis Masters Monte Carlo (l. to Ferrero)…He turned in his best Grand Slam result at Roland Garros where he reached the semifinals (d. Agassi, l. to Verkerk)…Has progressed on hard courts with a 9-5 mark, advancing to the quarterfinals in Auckland and 4th RD at Australian Open and TMS Miami.

TMC Tidbit: The last Argentine to finish in the Top 10 was No. 9 Alberto Mancini in 1989 and the last Argentine to participate in the year-end championship was Jose-Luis Clerc in 1983.

5th. Andy Roddick (370)
The 20-year-old is the only player on the ATP circuit this year to reach the semifinals at two of the three Grand Slam tournaments, accomplishing the feat at the Australian Open (l. to Schuettler) and Wimbledon (l. to Federer)…A winner on clay in St. Poelten (d. Davydenko) and on grass at the Queen’s Club in London (d. Grosjean) while reaching finals in Memphis (l. to Dent) and Houston (l. to Agassi)…Tied for the fastest serve ever (149 mph) at Queen’s in June…Working with new coach Brad Gilbert (since June) and has compiled a 10-1 record under his tutelage, 35-12 overall on the season.

TMC Tidbit: If Roddick qualifies for the Tennis Masters Cup, he would be the youngest American at 21 years, 2 mons. in the year-end championship since Michael Chang (20 years, 9 mons.) in 199

6th. Rainer Schuettler (357)
The 27-year-old German has been among the Top 8 every week in the ATP Champions Race since reaching his first career Grand Slam final at the Australian Open in January…Has compiled the most consistent season of his career with a 38-19 record…Should surpass his previous career best of 41 match wins from last year this summer…

Has lost in the first round only once in 17 tournaments…Despite not winning a title, he reached the Australian Open final (l. to Agassi) and advanced to the semifinals in Sydney and TMS Indian Wells and quarterfinals in six other tournaments…Also turned in personal-bests finishes 4th RD at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

TMC Tidbit: Schuettler is looking to become the first German to participate in the year-end championship since Nicolas Kiefer reached the semifinals in Hannover in 1999.

7th. Carlos Moya (334)
The 26-year-old Spaniard is compiling another consistent season with ATP titles in Buenos Aires (d. Coria) and Barcelona (d. Safin) and runner-up at TMS Miami (l. to Agassi)…While compiling a 39-13 match record, has lost in the first round only once in 13 tournaments…Also advanced to the semifinals at TMS Monte Carlo and Bastad and quarterfinals at Roland Garros…Last year’s Tennis Masters Cup semifinalist is on course to finish in the Top 10 for the second straight season and fourth overall in his career.

TMC Tidbit: In three previous Tennis Masters Cup appearances, Moya was a semifinalist in 1997 and last year and runner-up in 1998, losing to countryman Alex Corretja.

8th. Mark Philippoussis (245)
The 26-year-old Aussie climbed into contention after reaching his second career Grand Slam final at Wimbledon (l. to Federer)…Afterwards, climbed from 34th to his current position…Fired 178 aces en route to the final, including a co-tournament record 46 aces in his five-set fourth round victory over Agassi…Also fired 30 or more aces in two other matches…Has compiled a 25-12 match record, already surpassing his combined match wins total (24) from the last two years…His other best results were a runner-up in Scottsdale (l. to Hewitt) and quarterfinal at TMS Hamburg (d. Federer, l. to Coria)…Has a 3-0 Davis Cup record this year to lead his country into the SF vs. Sweden.

TMC Tidbit: An Australian has qualified for the year-end championship the last three years — Lleyton Hewitt (2000-2002) and Patrick Rafter (2001).

T9th. Felix Mantilla (235)
The 28-year-old Spaniard climbed into the Top 10 in May following his first Tennis Masters title in Rome (d. Federer)…Along the way, he also defeated David Nalbandian, ’02 Roland Garros champion Albert Costa and ’96 Roland Garros winner Yevgeny Kafelnikov…He followed with a 4th RD showing at Roland Garros…Early in the season, he jumped off to a 12-6 start with a semifinal in Auckland and Acapulco and quarterfinal in Vina del Mar and Buenos Aires…Also turned in a 4th RD showing at the Australian Open…Has a 25-14 match record, 18-8 on clay.

TMC Tidbit: A Spaniard has qualified for the Tennis Masters Cup in five of the past six years (except 1999).

T9th Martin Verkerk (235)
The 24-year-old Dutchman is one of the most improved players on the ATP circuit, having captured his first career ATP title in Milan (d. Kafelnikov) and reaching his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros …In Paris, defeated three consecutive Top 10 players in Race — Schuettler (4th), Moya (QF) and Coria (SF) before falling to Ferrero in straight sets…Afterwards, jumped from 30th to 8th in Race…His other season highlights include a semifinal in St. Poelten and quarterfinal at TMS Rome (d. Roddick)…Last year compiled a 7-11 match record and has a 20-18 mark this season.

TMC Tidbit: The last Dutchman to qualify for the year-end championship was Richard Krajicek, who reached the semifinals in 1996.

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The Hunt for Houston