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Andy Murray's Hat-Trick in Asia Earns Him #3 Ranking

Andy wins title Bangkok over Donald Young - check.

Then he takes the Tokyo trophy away from defender Rafael Nadal - check.

Then he makes it a hat-trick in Shanghai over David Ferrer - checkmate.

His reward - Andy will take over as the #3 player in the ranking.

Dumping Roger Federer outside the top 3 for the 1st time since 2003.

This is Andy's 2nd Shanghai title ('10) and 8th Masters 1000 title.

He has now won 2 Masters 1000's titles per year for 4 years running.

And if 3 titles weren't enough - he won the dubs in Tokyo with his brother.

Ok dude, time to win a Slam in 2012.

Andy Murray's Bestie Greets Him Upon Return Home

Andy tweeted: Very clever girl coming to pick me up at the airport!

Hey, dad also bought you home a nice new chew toy:

Photo: top from Andy's Twitter, bottom from Getty Images

Andy Murray Wins Masters 1000 Title at Shanghai

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 Final

4 Andy Murray d 3 Roger Federer - 63 62

Andy improves his H2H against Roger to 8-5 in winning his 2nd title of '10.

He also beat Roger in the final at Toronto. This is Andy's 6th Masters title.

Andy becomes the player with most Masters 1000 titles with no Slam.

This is Andy's 16th ATP title in 24 final round appearances.

This was Roger's 91st final - his loss today leaves him at 63-28.

There is good new for Roger fans - he will finish the year at #2.

Andy post-match: I enjoy playing him. I don't find it easy at all. It's incredibly difficult every time. But I love the challenge of playing against him. I don't fear playing him. Every time I go on, I know I need to play great tennis to win against him. I don't know if my game matches up well against his or not. But I've played some of my best tennis against Roger."

Photo: Getty Images

Roger Federer & Andy Murray Play for Shanghai Title

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 - Men's Final Preview

3 Roger Federer vs 4 Andy Murray - H2H: 5-7

Andy is one of the few players Roger has a losing record against.

They've played twice in '10: Aussie final to Roger - Toronto final to Andy.

Roger advances to his 29th Masters final: 17-11, Andy his 7th: 5-1.

Roger is looking to tie Rafael Nadal with most Masters titles with 18.

Hey, has Roger pulled from next week's Stockholm tourney yet?

***

Semifinal Results

3 Roger Federer d 2 Novak Djokovic - 75 64

With his win Roger will move back up to #2 dropping Novak down to #3.

Looking at the rankings Roger should stay at #2 until the Aussie Open.

I jinxed him: I woke up at 5-all in the 1st - just when Novak fell apart.

4 Andy Murray d Juan Monaco - 64 61

Juan's result here will move him up to about #30 on Monday's rankings.

No matter the result tomorrow Andy is still stuck (forever) at #4.

Photos: Roger from Reuters, Andy from Getty Images

Semifinals Set at Shanghai ATP Masters 1000

3 of the 4 Qf's were so boring today I couldn't even talk about them. Sad.

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 - Men's Semifinal Preview

4 Andy Murray vs Juan Monaco - H2H: 1-1

They played twice last year - Andy won on hard court, Juan on the clay.

Both matches were long tough 3-setters - in Miami & Rome.

Juan reached his 1st Masters 1000 Sf today - and it's not a clay event.

Today Andy skunked Tsonga while Juan needed 3 over Melzer.

***

2 Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer - H2H: 6-10

They've played 2 thrillers in '10 - Roger winning Toronto, Novak at US Open.

Telling match: Roger is trying to steal the #2 ranking back away from Novak.

Today Roger killed #5 Robin Soderling in under an hour. #5, really?

Um, can Robin come out to play? Where the hell were you?

Simalarly, Novak needed just over an hour to trounce Garcia-Lopez.

This had to be the worst Qf day in Masters 1000 history. Seriously.

Just wow.

Photos: Getty Images

Andy Murray Advances in Shanghai - Qualifies for Tour Championships in London

Shanghai ATP Master 1000 - Men's Third Round

4 Andy Murray d Q Jeremy Chardy - 63 64

With the win Andy qualifies for London & get's to go paintballing.

Andy improves his year to 38-14 with a single title coming in Toronto.

Post-match: I think it's a great achievement to qualify for the Finals.

Today, actually, was a good match. I was happy with the way I played...

Andy will next face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - H2H: 3-1/AM.

Photo: Getty Images

ATP's Top 5 Players All in Action Tomorrow in Shanghai

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 - Men's Third Round

1 Rafael Nadal vs 13 Jurgen Melzer - H2H: 3-0

Rafa brushed past Jurgen in the Roland Garros Sf's.

2 Novak Djokovic vs Richard Gasquet - H2H: 2-1

Remember when Richard was suppose to be a contender along with Novak?

3 Roger Federer vs Andreas Seppi - H2H: 6-0

Ok, I was worried about Isner - not so Seppi.

4 Andy Murray vs Q Jeremy Chardy - H2H: 2-0

Andy is trying to stay at #4, ahead of Soderling.

5 Robin Soderling vs 11 David Ferrer - H2H: 7-3

David won their match last week & could help Murray with that #4 thing.

Photo: Getty Images

Novak Djokovic Advances in Shanghai - Goes Paintballing

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 - Second Round

2 Novak Djokovic d Ivan Ljubcic - 63 63

Novak: I'm playing well, moving well, motivated mentally & full of energy.

Now that's a statement coming from a place of pure confidence.

It's been awhile Novak. I like it.

Last week he became the 3rd player to qualify for the tour champships.

Of course a paintball poster was on its way.

Photo: Chris Cone

Roger Federer Advances (with Another 'Tweener) at Shanghai Masters 1000

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 - Second Round

3 Roger Federer d John Isner - 63 64

Of the matches yesterday this was the one in which I had the most interest.

I figured this match would show us just where Roger 'was at'.

Turns out I was left wondering just where John 'is at'...

Post-match: It wasn't easy but it wasn't one of these very, very difficult days.

Roger will next play Andreas Seppi in the 3rd round - H2H: 6-0/RF.

Roger is still the king of the 'tweener:

Photo: Getty Images

Andy Roddick Withdraws from Match in Shanghai for a Second Straight Year

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 - Second Round

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez d 10 Andy Roddick - 36 32 ret.

Andy retired with a thigh injury sustained while trying to change directions.

Post-match: ...moving at all felt like I was getting stabbed in the leg.

Last year he retired in the 2nd round while playing Stanislas Wawrinka.

And that was it for 2009. This again may cost him a trip to London.

And a 9th consecutive year finishing inside the top 10.

Forget it: He may want to skip Shanghai next year.

Photo: Getty Images

Top 6 Men's Players in Action Tomorrow in Shanghai

Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 - Men's Second Round

1 Rafael Nadal vs Stanislas Wawrinks - H2H: 6-0

Stan has never taken a set from Rafa.

2 Novak Djokovic vs Ivan Ljubicic - H2H: 6-2

They are 2-1 for Novak on 2010.

3 Roger Federer vs John Isner - H2H: 1-0

Easily the match of the day.

4 Andy Murray vs Yan Bai - H2H: 0-0

Bai is ranked #465.

5 Robin Soderling vs Janko Tipsarevic - H2H: 1-0

They played once in 2006.

6 Nikolay Davydenko vs Mischa Zverev - H2H: 0-0

Nikolay is the defending champ.

***

There are some potential great matches on tap tomorrow.

Damn good day to have a ticket.

Roger Federer in Shanghai Without Wife & Kids: "Bored"

Here are a couple photos of Roger at the Swiss Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010. The first is a lift that is big enough to hold the wife, kids and a nanny. The second is with the Expo mascot Haiboa.

In a presser he had this to say about travelling alone: It's bored, yeah. It's a bit slower, that's for sure. But I have friends here. We have a good time, you know. It's busy here anyway. I have a lot of things to do with some of my great sponsors. Also media I'm doing quite a bit. For that side I'm kept busy.

Further: But clearly it's a different week this time around that they're not here. I do miss them, yes, of course.

Oh hey, how about a video too?

Fernando Verdasco: Disastrous Asian Swing

This has to be the most frustrating 3 weeks Fern has had in awhile.

He played all 3 weeks of the Asian swing. Didn't win a match. Or even a set.

In Bangkok he lost to Becker, Beijing: Kohlschrieber & Shanghai: De Bakker.

Long way to travel for nothing.

He is in a real dog-fight to earn a spot for the tour finals in London.

He's going to have to do something special in Valencia & in Paris.

Interesting: Add all the points of #2 & #3 and you still don't equal #1.

He may have lost today but he still managed to give me us a shirt change!

Photo: Getty Images - Ranking Chart: ATP - Shirt Change: My TV

Roger Federer Updates Facebook Page from Shanghai

Roger posted this photo on his Facebook page with the caption:

Just arriving for practice in Shanghai...

at one of the coolest tennis stadiums in the world.

He has a 1st round bye & will play John Isnor or Lukasz Kubot in the 2nd.

A Federer/Isner 2nd round match sure would be interesting...

This Week the ATP Tour Heads to Shanghai

Nikolay Davydenko is the defending champion in Shanghai.

Top Seeds - Best Result

1. Rafael Nadal - Finalist '09

2. Novak Djokovic - Semifinalist '09

3. Roger Federer - Debut

4. Andy Murray - Debut

5. Robin Soderling - Quarterfinalist '09

6. Nikolay Davydenko - Winner '09

7. Tomas Berdych - Round of 16 '09

8. Mikhail Youzhny - Debut

***

Potential Quarterfinal Match-ups

1 Rafael Nadal vs 6 Nikolay Davydenko

Seeds within: 9 Fernando Verdasco, 13 Jurgen Melzer

Floaters: Gilles Simon, Stanislas Wawrinka, Mardy Fish, Juan Monaco

***

4 Andy Murray vs 8 Mikhail Youzhny

Seeds within: 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 16 Nicolas Almagro

Floaters: Radek Stepanek, Marcos Baghdatis, Feliciano Lopez

****

3 Roger Federer vs 5 Robin Soderling

Seeds within: 11 David Ferrer, 14 Marin Cilic

Floaters: John Isner, Janko Tipsarevic, Michael Llodra, Thomaz Bellucci

***

2 Novak Djokovic vs 7 Tomas Berdych

Seeds within: 10 Andy Roddick, 15 Gael Monfils

Floaters: Richard Gasquet, Ivan Ljubicic, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez

Photo: Reuters

Roger Federer Practice Session in Shanghai

Roger Updated his Facebook: Great to be back in Shanghai! I missed being here last year and I am looking forward to playing in front of my Chinese fans next week. Fbook is tough to access in China but I will try and post a few pictures if I can. Thanks!

  

Roger is playing the Shanghai Masters 1000 event for the 1st time (last year was its debut) but let's not forget that he won the year-end championships twice when they were played here. 

He has a 1st tound bye and will open against either John Isner or a qualifier. He is in Robin Soderling's quarter and Novak Djokovic's half. He can only meet Rafa should they get to the final.

Roger also has an opportunity to tie Rafa's record of 18 Masters 1000 titles should he raise the trophy on next Sunday.

Now let's get back to his first match which I'll asume will be against Isner. I've bitched about this a few times already in previous posts but Roger's decission to skip all warm-up tournaments continues to puzzle me and Isner is the reason why...

Isner, having reached the Sf's in Beijing, will have played 5 matches in Asia by the time he he gets to Roger on Tuesday/Wednesday. Roger will not have played a tour match since his Sf loss at the US Open a month ago.

For me, it just feels like poor planning. Isner is due a big scalp. Couple that with a lot of players taking care of the 0's in their H2H this year (and last) and Fed Fans might be justified in their worry.

I know I am.

Roger Federer: "I have no idea what it means either."

Roger's schedule says that his next tournament is in Shanghai which begins Oct 10th. Boy, I am in the camp that feels like part of his problem the last couple of years is that he's not playing enough. Most of the rest of the tour is already in Asia or heading there next week - getting Shanghai ready. I feel that he should really be playing in Tokyo or Beijing to prepare better for Shanghai. This is surely a recipe for disaster as the Masters 1000 events haven't been too kind to him the last few years. Yea, yea, he won the last one in Cincy but he has only won 3 of the last 24 Masters 1000 events he's entered. Mmm.

Here's the latest of the outtakes from his Wilson BLX commercial.