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Brian Swartz · 10-15-2022, 02:55 AM

It's time for mid-season rankings update, but I've been slacking here so I'll do this in briefer summary format to catch up on what's been happening.

Madrid Masters

The Spaniards were a big fat nothing here. Goya Banqueria had a meek 2 & 2 loss to Cananis in the second round, and the others barely did more than belch. Very weird at their home Masters, and a big opportunity missed.

Everyone expected to make the quarterfinals, did so. The only 'upset', which isn't really one, at that stage was Themis Xanthos losing in a third-set tiebreak to Toni Bardales. The semifinals were really competitive, both of them. Renke Cananis lost to Ben Faille 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-3, and Bardales was beaten by Leon Polychroniadis, 7-5 in the third. So they could have gone either way. After an epic first-set tiebreak (15-13!) went against him in the final, Faille rallied to win in three anyway.

It was far from easy, but his second straight Masters made a real statement. At this point, you have to forget the 'power couple' metaphor and admit that what we have is a Big Three. Faille is a legitimate threat now.

Rome Masters

Here we had some party-crashers. Goya Banqueria was back, taking down Xanthos in the second round and then rallying past Jochen Weigle in the quarterfinals for good measure. SF in a Masters isn't bad for an unseeded player. So where were you last week? Raul Ramirez edged past Ballok in the third round, a more traditional barely-an-upset, and then went away against Polychroniadis. Toni Bardales gave Cananis a QF scare, but was beaten 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3.

This time Ben Faille was crushed with only four games won against Cananis in the semifinals, setting up a traditional 1 vs. 2. Leon Polychroniadis maintained some semblance of clay prominence with a 6-4, 6-4 title, his 12th Masters.

10-15-2022, 02:55 AM	#1300
Brian Swartz Grizzled Veteran Join Date: May 2006	It's time for mid-season rankings update, but I've been slacking here so I'll do this in briefer summary format to catch up on what's been happening. Madrid Masters The Spaniards were a big fat nothing here. Goya Banqueria had a meek 2 & 2 loss to Cananis in the second round, and the others barely did more than belch. Very weird at their home Masters, and a big opportunity missed. Everyone expected to make the quarterfinals, did so. The only 'upset', which isn't really one, at that stage was Themis Xanthos losing in a third-set tiebreak to Toni Bardales. The semifinals were really competitive, both of them. Renke Cananis lost to Ben Faille 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-3, and Bardales was beaten by Leon Polychroniadis, 7-5 in the third. So they could have gone either way. After an epic first-set tiebreak (15-13!) went against him in the final, Faille rallied to win in three anyway. It was far from easy, but his second straight Masters made a real statement. At this point, you have to forget the 'power couple' metaphor and admit that what we have is a Big Three. Faille is a legitimate threat now. Rome Masters Here we had some party-crashers. Goya Banqueria was back, taking down Xanthos in the second round and then rallying past Jochen Weigle in the quarterfinals for good measure. SF in a Masters isn't bad for an unseeded player. So where were you last week? Raul Ramirez edged past Ballok in the third round, a more traditional barely-an-upset, and then went away against Polychroniadis. Toni Bardales gave Cananis a QF scare, but was beaten 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3. This time Ben Faille was crushed with only four games won against Cananis in the semifinals, setting up a traditional 1 vs. 2. Leon Polychroniadis maintained some semblance of clay prominence with a 6-4, 6-4 title, his 12th Masters.