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Shanghai Masters
Samuel Aas has company. For the second time less than a year and a half, we have an unseeded Masters champion as Il-Sung Jung defeated Ali Solberg in a most unexpected final, 7-6(5), 6-3. Just when you think you have things figured out … nope. Jung got a very narrow SF win over John Hart, following up victories over De Jong and Lucas Perez. The Korean tosses his hat into the crowded ring of inconsistent, talented wanna-bes officially with this title. For his part, Solberg got revenge on Nicolas Perez with a QF upset he didn't quite deserve, the same way he'd lost in Flushing Meadows - final-set tiebreak. Emilien Mathou was his semi-final victim, after the Frenchman had ousted newly - and very temporarily - crowned world no. 3 Srba Dogic early in the week. In other words, all bets were pretty much off all over the place. L. Perez knocked out Seamus Hughes in the third round, the last member of the constantly shifting royalty.
Amrik Kasaravalli continued the Finding a Way to Fail Fall Tour as he got another shot at Consantino Gonzoles after the debacle a few weeks back in which he got blasted. Slightly overmatched, he started strong but eventually faltered 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Gonzoles would go on to beat Wentz in the next round. Amrik is still improving, but even on his good days he's just not quite good enough.
Sushant Chiba did his job, getting past Abinati and Gulley to lose against N. Perez in the third round. That was pretty one-sided despite a 6-4, 6-4 scoreline, but he couldn't expect to win there and it's better than a first-round bye and second-round upset loss from a year ago. He's narrowly hanging onto the #16 spot.
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