View Single Post
Old 03-16-2016, 04:39 AM   #291
Brian Swartz
Grizzled Veteran
 
Join Date: May 2006
Sri Lanka Rankings Update


Anil Mehul -- 1st to 2nd singles. Mehul will probably try to add some points and matches in Monte Carlo, but barring a most unlikely repeat of his Madrid/Rome double last year, the gap with Iglar will only grow again. Frankly, the most important thing here is simply to regain his consistency and edge, which seems to have cracked. Of course, there are far worse things than be the clear #2 in the world.

Girish Girsh -- 5th to 6th singles. After a 15-1 start, Girsh is just 6-4 in his last 10 matches. The competition has been a little better, but it has been a very long time since he beat a player better than himself; on the other side of things, he loses to inferior competition more than his share. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the one-sided(in the wrong direction) matchup with Bjorn Benda. Girsh seems to simply not have that something extra, call it killer instinct or whatever, that all of the top champions possess. He's very good, but will he ever be more than that? Right now, that seems doubtful.

Prakash Mooljee -- 232nd to 162nd singles, 2120th to 2011th doubles. Matched with other players, Mooljee has had pretty horrid results. He remains on an absolute tear in singles competition though, now 15-0 on the year to make him 67-1 going back to the start of '43. There have been plenty of opportunities to break that streak, but even against slightly better competition he's consistently come through. His first challenger title came more than half a year younger than either Mehul or Girsh got theirs, and despite starting off 'raw' or 'behind' he appears to be a hair ahead of their technical skills pace at the same age as well. And the one loss in this stretch, a demolition by Shogo Ko? Even that is looking better, as the Japanese journeyman has vaulted back up into the Top 100.

It's still early of course, but right now Mooljee is doing phenomenally well. At this rate, it may yet be a bit before he hits any kind of ceiling.


Anil Manohar -- rankings aren't really relevant for him, but it's worth noting that's he's almost saved up the necessary trainer payment. That will be finished off in a week or two, freeing him to spend the rest of the year adding a bit to his skills.


Manager Ranking -- 3rd(unchanged), 30.6k to 30.9k points. Over the first quarter I actually fell further behind second-place Hayato.


Coming Up ...

Though not certain, it looks right now like both Mehul and Girsh will be playing in Monte Carlo, with both a bit low on matches right now. First though, it's the final round of group play in the World Team Cup. The Czech Republic are probably favorites to repeat, and unless somebody can knock off Iglar it won't be us that beats them.
Brian Swartz is offline   Reply With Quote