Three ATP finals will be contested on Sunday in Stockholm, Vienna, and Moscow. A two-team panel makes its picks.
If Stockholm Open: (1) David Ferrer vs. (7) Grigor Dimitrov
Steen Kirby:Ferrer has squeaked by Jack Sock and Ernests Gulbis in the two matches he has played in Stockholm, and otherwise he has had a rough second half of the year as he tries to retain a top-three ranking. He is winning but winning ugly. Surprisingly, Dimitrov rolled his way past three opponents in straights then beat Benoit Paire in three to make the final. Though Ferrer has a 3-0 head-to-head edge, Dimitrov is in better form and should snag his first title in his second final this year. Dimitrov in 3.
Ricky: Ferrer’s 3-0 record against Dimitrov includes two victories on hard courts. The surface may be slightly advantageous for Dimtrov, but it does not appear to be playing fast enough to give the underdog more than an outside chance. Gulbis could not win quite enough free points and he eventually wilted mentally and physically under Ferrer’s pressure (and thanks to a meltdown of his own mind). Ferrer certainly isn’t on fire right now, but his mental toughness and consistency from the baseline will work similar magic against another talented youngster. Ferrer in 2.
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Erste Bank Open: Robin Haase vs. (2) Tommy Haas
Steen: Haas has found good form in Vienna and he may not have much trouble with the similarly-named but less talented Robin Haase in this final. Haas has dropped just one set in three matches–to Lukas Rosol in the semis. Haase, meanwhile, edged past all but his semifinal opponent, needing three sets against his first three and upsetting a hobbled Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semis. To his credit, Haase has improved his woeful tiebreak record this week. Haas in 2.
Ricky: Haase with an ‘e’ is showcasing a rare alacrity for pressure-packed matches this week, which should serve him well in the final. Of course, Haas without an ‘e’ has done the same, including in a third-set tiebreaker win over Rosol on Saturday. Haase is 2-1 lifetime in ATP finals so he is not a complete stranger to this situation, but both of his triumphs have come on outdoor clay. Haas has been a part of 26 of these things and his 27th ATP final appearance should net him his 15th title. But it will be another tough one. Haas in 3.
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Kremlin Cup: (1) Richard Gasquet vs. (Q) Mikhail Kukushkin
Steen: Gasquet dropped a set to Evgeny Donskoy but otherwise has blasted his way past a weak field in Moscow. As he lasers in on the title, he will face the rejuvenated Kukushkin–who has made a memorable comeback run and has notched his second career ATP final and his first since being sidelined with injury issues. Kuku has also tore up the Challenger circuit this year and upset both Alex Dolgopolov and Andreas Seppi this week. Gasquet should prove too much, however. The Frenchman won their lone head-to-head meeting in 2012 in straights. Gasquet in 2.
Ricky: Kushkin is an underrated shot-maker who can really get hot when he is on top of his game. That is the case this week, during which he has won seven matches–six in straight sets. This is, of course, a massive step up in competition for Kukushkin. Gasquet is wrapping up the most consistent season of his career and what better way to cap it off (at least prior to a possible World Tour Finals appearance) with a 10th title in his 20th final appearance? Kuku should make it entertaining, but Gasquet’s experience will be the difference. Gasquet in 3.
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I love how only the first names were put up for the voting poll with Haas and Haase! Much less confusing.
I really like it when we have more than one prediction write up on the site. I like getting one or different opinions.
Although Ferrer has not been playing well, I think he will get the win over Dimitrov. He has the experience and toughness. I just don’t know if Dimitrov is mentally tough enough to win. I don’t know that he will have a dramatic meltdown a la Gulbis, but he just doesn’t seem to have that killer instinct. It’s not out of the realm of possibility for him to get the win. He has a dangerous game when he’s on. But I think that Ferrer will be just a bit too much for him here. I see Ferrer getting the win in three sets.
I also like Tommy over Robin in three sets.
Finally I think it will be Gasquet in three over Kuku.
Sorry, I meant to say that I like getting one or two different opinions!
^^^ that IS what you said….
I said one or different opinions. I left out the word “two”.
Think about it NNY. Ricky’s right.
As in …….. Ricky is right: NOT ……….. it is his right.
OTOH: it’s ALSO his right to point out errors of syntax.
Talking of one – or different opinions – I find having only one person in the commentators’ box such a welcome relief from the two-men teams.
I’ll spare you all one of my rants on this subject 😉
Tommy Haas in 3
Richard Gasquet in 3
Win or lose in the final, Gasquet overtakes Tsonga in the Race until Paris points kick in.
Correction: until Basel points kick in.
Basel draw is out. He is in the same half as Delpo and Wawrinka. Federer has a fairly soft path to the SF where he most likely will face Berdych.
ed251137@October 20, 2013 at 8:52 am
If Gasquet:
– wins today, he’ll be 65 points ahead of Tsonga,
– loses today, he’ll remain 35 points behind Tsonga.
David Ferrer in 3
I was forgetting Tsonga is not playing at Basel which pretty much puts him out of the equation for London. No wonder he looked so devastated when he lost to Haase.
@ 9:29 am
Guss: I’ll take your maths over mine any day ?
I dont know why I go on trying. I NEVER come up with the right answer ?
ed251137@October 20, 2013 at 9:42 am
I am surfing the Internet. 🙂
The points players can earn are in the table below the draw:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2013/438/mds.pdf
(I’ll put a link to the Race into a separate comment, because a post containing multiple links might not go through)
The Race to London, updated on Oct.19
http://www.atpworldtour.com/
Thanks Guss. I was looking at the updated Race points but made the mistake of adding
all 150 finalist or 250 winner points to the current points total instead of the difference – if you see what I mean. In future I will leave it to the ‘experts’ to extrapolate…………..
Kukushint is pushing Gasquet very hard. He as takes the first set.
apologies for the typos
Ricky was right it was an entertaining match. And Gasquet’s experience pulled him through. He needed an MTO in the third set so one wonders if he will now pull out of Basel rather than risk further injury.
Congratulations to Reeshar
what was it for?
Right leg. Dont know what the specific problem was but he looked as though he was in quite a bit of pain while it was being massaged and he was moving awkwardly for a few games but then seemed to recover.
Ferrer-Grigor is really good….
Now that I have seen the Ferrer/Dimitrov match, I have to say that Ferrer kind of let that one get away. He won the first set 6-2, but Dimitrov stayed in the game and then capitalized with a break to win the second set. I think it was in the third set that Ferrer double faulted away the break of serve. That’s not something you normally see him do. Dimitrov kept it together and stayed strong to get his first title.
I have been watching the Gasquet/Kuku match. It’s late in the third set 4-3 Kuku with Gasquet trying to break serve. Okay, Gasquet got the break. He really had to tough out this win.
That was the fifth consecutive final Ferrer has played and lost. Prior to that he’d won 6/6 finals he reached. That’s a trend in the wrong direction 🙁
wow that’s bad
but a good start
Nevertheless an excellent match and a gutsy performance from Grigor who will gain huge confidence from that win.