Rogers Cup Day 3; the Day of Surprises – Tennis news
After some thrilling tennis action at the grass courts of Wimbledon last week, tennis’ elite performers turn to the hard courts of Montreal, Canada, to be a part of the Rogers Cup. The ATP Masters Series event is one of the most
crucial stops in the US Open Series and features the top class athletes in the professional circuit.
A number of big guns are missing out the Rogers Cup this season, including the likes of the world number one, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick. With the absence of Federer and Nadal, it was expected that the tournament
has opened up for the other relatively lower ranked players. However, the third day’s play brought a series of upsets which have literally changed the entire odds of the tournament.
The biggest shocker of Wednesday came when the third seeded Frenchman, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, bowed out to his fellow compatriot, Jeremy Chardy, in the second round clash. The world number 47, Chardy, took one hour and 28 minutes
to wrap up victory in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6(4), to dispose of the hot favourite world number six in the most assertive manner.
Next big surprise came later that afternoon when the reigning world number eight, Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina, suffered a terrible beating at the hands of the 40th ranked Czech veteran, Radek Stepanek. The 33-year-old
registered victory at 6-4, 7-6(5), taking one hour and 50 minutes of play to attain a 3-1 lead in the head-to-head series against the Argentine number one. Del Potro was in supreme form at the London Olympics, winning the Bronze medal for his country after
defeating the second ranked Novak Djokovic. Perhaps the shifting to hard courts didn’t buy him enough time to get settled and he lost his very first match of the tournament.
Former top-tenner and current world number 14, Gilles Simon of France, was also among the victims of the luck on Day 3 of the Rogers Cup. He fell to the 34-year-old German veteran, Tommy Haas, in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, taking
barely 77 minutes of play.
13th seed promising Japanese contender, Kei Nishikori, also failed to sustain his form in Montreal and lost his second round match to the local boy, Sam Querrey, 2-6, 3-6, on Wednesday afternoon.
Germany’s Florian Mayer came last in the list of the seeded players to have exited on the third day of the tournament. He was outplayed by the unseeded Spaniard, Marcel Granollers, 3-6, 4-6.
The Day 3 of the Rogers Cup has indeed been the day of surprises but it has made the path much easier for Djokovic to successfully defend his Montreal title.
Tags: