Ranking Difference between players in 3rd Round

With the 3rd round draw now complete, I find it interesting to look at the differences between the rankings of the combatants in each of the 16 matches.

Starting from the top of the draw, the ranking differences in each match:

38 spots: Djokovic v Davydenko (Davy will have to play to his best level here, injury notwithstanding, Djok in 3, 1st set tight one.)
72 spots: Dolgopolov v Karlovic (Toss up here, first serve K? low UE Dolgo? - Dolgo in 4.)
11 spots: Berdych v Tipsarevic (B serves well, he wins easily; not, then in 4.)
74 spots: Granollers v Ferrero (Important match for both, F not played much, 2 cons. 5 sets? either's to win.)

24 spots: Federer v Cilic (Yeah, well F in 3, unless C can really get out to good start and get some doubt going, R's match to win/lose.)
439 spots: Monaco v Haas (H to win in 4 sets, barring injury repeat; M isn't going to give this, H will have to earn it.)
8 spots: Tsonga v Verdasco (Tsonga's match to win, 1st serve %, low UE; if not, Verdasco will rise to this one - V in 4 sets.)
26 spots: Anderson v Fish (A must start well, Fish low on UE's and aggressive; A's going to serve well, and win in 4 sets.)

16 spots: Bogomolov c Isner (Isner takes this in 3 sets, tough 1st and 3rd, easy 2nd.)
6 spots: Del Potro v Simon (DP too much fire power, he'll win in 3 sets.)
60 spots: Young v Chela (D's match to win, he'll want this BIG, so nerves into play? Heart wants Y, head says C in 5 sets.)
21 spots: Lopez v Murray (L serve, 1st strike important here, M's match to win/lose; M in 4 sets, losing 3rd.)

21 spots: Ferrer v Mayer (F has way to much here, 3 sets, last two easy.)
60 spots: Roddick v Benneteau (Ouch, think this is going to hurt here - B in 4 sets.)
2 spots: Muller v Kunitsyn (Hard one here, M 1s serve, K's staying power? K in 4 sets.)
74 spots: Nalbandian v Nadal (Nb has to play match of Life, close 1st, then Ndl pulls away - 3 sets.)

OK, now with the spots thing...just an interst if mine, Haas injured so #475 currently but as posted above, game is solidly higher than that, just depends on conditioning; watch to see if the closeness of results mirrors the closeness in rankings. Of course it's not a linear relationship, but always enjoy having a look at the rankings numbers in these match ups.

Highlight of the Day: Serena v Azarenka: S to demolish A...

It's a shame no-one has commented on this - what a lot of work, and not bad strike rate!

Glad you were wrong about Fish, but disappointed about Tommy Haas

The retirements continue to mount up with both Berdych and Granollers pulling out - the numbers must be approaching record amounts.

I always say posters' names aloud in my head, and I think I am going to turn yours around the right way and call you monopoly cos it's too hard to say the way it is