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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.

Rafael Nadal & Gael Monfils to Play for Title in Tokyo

Tokyo ATP 500 - Men's Final Preview

1 Rafael Nadal vs 5 Gael Monfils - H2H: 5-1

Gael won his match just last year - Rafa got him back in Madrid this year.

This match has the potential to be a shot-makers dream.

Rafa is looking for title #7 on the season and #43 in his career.

Gael has only 2 ATP titles & none in 2010. This is his 2nd final this year.

Rafa is lucky to be in the final needing to save 2 MP's in his Sf with Troicki.

In fact Troicki actually won more points in that match: 110-105. Tough loss.

Rafa's Facebook: I didn't play well but important to be in the final anyway!

Photos: Getty Images

Rafael Nadal Leads Semifinalists at Tokyo ATP 500

Tokyo ATP 500 - Men's Semifinal Preview

1 Rafael Nadal vs Viktor Troicki - H2H: 3-0

This is Rafa's 12th Sf of 2010: 7-4 - and Viktor's 3rd: 0-2.

Viktor has never taken a set off of Rafa but has managed a tie-break.

Encouraging: Viktor ranked is #54 - last week Rafa was beaten by #53.

***

5 Gael Monfils vs Radek Stepanek - H2H: 3-2

They played a match earlier this year - Radek won in a blowout.

This is Gael's 4th Sf of 2010: 1-2 - and Radek's 2nd: 1-0.

Tired? Gael saved a MP against Roddick in the 3rd set tie-break.

Not tired: Radek got a wolk-over in his match yesterday.

Photo: Getty Images

Dmitry Tursunov Rising - Wins 2-in-a-Row in Tokyo

Tokyo ATP 500 - Men's Second Round

Dmitry Tursunov d Richard Gasquet - 76(2) 16 64

Dmitry is on the comeback trail - having been out from USO.09 to RG.10.

When he left the tour he was ranked #36 - he is currently #432.

He has been playing challengers and qualifying wih a few direct accepts.

Since his return at RG he is W/L 3-5 - including 2 matches in Tokyo.

Rising: With this win he will move up about 200 ranking spots.

In the Qf's he'll play #1 Rafael Nadal - H2H: 2-0/RN.

Twitter: He is easily the best tennis player tweeting. Love following him.

Well, except that he can start tweeting photos already!

The photo below I took of him in the quallies in Los Angeles in July.

Top photo: Getty Images

Gael Monfils Bartending in Tokyo?

Oh, silly me. I'd be on line for a Corona.

***

2nd round tomorrow 5th seed Gael vs Andreas Seppi (below) - H2H: 2-0/GM.

Hey, where did all the beer go?

Photos: Getty Images

Juan Martin Del Potro Loses Again in Comeback

Tokyo ATP 500 - Men's First Round

6 Feliciano Lopez d Juan Martin Del Potro - 63 60

Following his 1st round defeat in Bangkok JMDP has now lost two straight.

Now I fall into the 'let's cut him some slack' group but three games?

I never expected this type of a beat-down.

He needs match play. I say he returns to solid form in Australia.

I, for one, was hoping he'd discover sleeves while he was away.

Photo: Getty Images

Rafael Nadal has Arrived in Tennis-Crazed Tokyo

First he is greeted at the airport by actress Maiko Ito who gifted him flowers.

Then he went to practice - in front of 5,000 fans! Someone is big in Japan.

(Pardon that unintended pun.)

Photos: Facebook

Andy Roddick Orders Room Service in Tokyo

Andy sure knows how to make me laugh. Earlier today he Tweeted:

1. just ordered breakfast from room service...

the guy couldnt have been nicer.. 40/60 chance we understood each other...

fingers crossed.

2. pretty close. ordered 5 eggs... got 2... asked for mixed berries...

got snow peas.... they got the coffee right!!! i'll take it!!

Then he re-tweeted a followers hilarious response:

3. if you consider that close you should never be a line judge...

you'd kill yourself!

***

Andy opens in Tokyo against Japanese wildcard Tatsuma Ito.

Andy is currently ranked #10 but he should be able to move up...

He has all of 10 points to defend through the end of the year.

I'd say he's a great bet to make his 8th straight year-end tour finals.

Photo: AP

ATP Men's & WTA Women's Title Count for 2010

WINNER'S TODAY

Kuala Lumpur: Mikhail Youzhny (above) d Andrey Golubev - 67(7) 62 76(3)

Bangkok: Guillermo Garcia-Lopez d Jarkko Nieminen - 64 36 64

2010 MEN'S TITLISTS

SIX titles: Rafael Nadal

FOUR titles: Sam Querrey

THREE titles: Juan Carlos Ferrero

***

TWO titles: Nicolas Almagro, Juan Ignacio Chela, Marin Cilic,

Roger Federer, Mardy Fish, Michael Llodra, Albert Montanes,

Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Mikhail Youzhny

***

ONE title: Marcos Baghdatis, Thomaz Bellucci, Juan Ignacio Chela,

 Nikolay Davydenko, Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez

Richard Gasquet, Andrey Golubev, Ernests Gulbis, Lleyton Hewitt,

John Isner, Ivan Ljubicic, Feliciano Lopez, Andy Murray,

David Nalbandian, Gilles Simon, Robin Soderling, Stanislas Wawrinka,

WINNER TODAY

Caroline Wozniacki d Elena Dementieva in Tokyo yesterday - 16 62 63

2010 WOMEN'S TITLISTS

FIVE titles: Caroline Wozniacki

FOUR titles: Kim Clijsters

TWO titles: Elena Dementieva, Justine Henin, Alisa Kleybanova,

Anastasia Palyuchenkova, Aravane Rezai, Maria Sharapova,

Francesca Schiavone, Agnes Szavay, Serena Williams, Venus Williams

***

ONE title: Victoria Azarenka, Iveta Benesova, Alona Bondarenko,

Anna Chakvetadze, Alexandra Dulgheru, Julia Goerges,

Jarmila Groth, Jelena Jankovic, Kaia Kanepi, Alla Kudryavtseva,

Svetlana Kuznetsova, Kateryna Makarova, Mariana Duque Marina,

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Li Na, Tamira Paszek, Flavia Pennetta,

Anastajia Sevastova, Sam Stosur, Yanina Wickmayer, Vera Zvonareva

Photos: Getty Images

Caroline Wozniacki Wins WTA Title at Tokyo

Tokyo WTA - Women's Final

1 Caroline Wozniacki d 7 Elena Dementieva - 16 62 63

This is Caro's 11th WTA title & 2nd in Tokyo - she also won in '08.

This is also her 5th and tour-leading title of 2010.

With Serena and Kim out and possibly only playing in Doha next month...

Looks like the race for year-end #1 will boil down to Caro & Vera Zvonareva.

It's a battle of non-Slammers. Caro has a clear lead tho.

This ought to get the broadcasters in a twisted mess...

You know that "fans just don't understand the rankings" nonense.

Sure we do, Serena hasn't played since Wimbledon. Kim is part-time.

See, not so hard to figure out, is it?

Photo: Getty Images

Wozniacki & Dementieva to Play for Tokyo WTA Title

Tokyo WTA - Women's Final

1 Caroline Wozniacki vs 7 Elena Dementieva - H2H: 3-3

They've played once this year - a Sf in New Haven - 76(5) in the 3rd.

Revenge: Today Elena defeated Francesca Schiavone (64 75) to advance.

It was a retirement in the Sf's at Roland Garros that got Fran to that final.

Caroline is looking for a tour-leading 5th title for 2010 - Elena her 3rd.

Caro played a 3 hour Sf in beating Victoria Azarenka - could be a factor.

She is also 1 of 5 contenders playing to finish the year at #1.

If not for that injury at RG Elena would be in the hunt as well.

Should be an entertaining affair - watch it live on Tennis Channel tonight.

I've already turned down a dinner party for this...

Photos: Getty Images

Ana Ivanovic Attends Kids Tennis Clinic in Tokyo

One thing you'll learn from this video is that she has big feet.

Kimiko Date Krumm Celebrates 40th Birthday with Upset Win over Maria Sharapova in Tokyo

Tokyo - Women's Singles First Round

WC Kimiko Date Krumm d 12 Maria Sharapova - 75 36 63

Ok, so her birthday is actually tomorrow but happy early birthday!

Kimiko thrilled her home crowd while upsetting the defending champion.

After an 11 year absense Kimiko has been back on tour since January '09.

From '94-'96 she made the Sf's once at the Australian, French & Wimbledon.

Kimiko is currently ranked #67 but has been as high as #4 in '95.

She has won 8 career titles including here in Tokyo 5 times: '92-96.

Well done birthday girl!

Photo: Getty Images

Jelena Jankovic will go all NINJA on your ass!

Jelena is in Tokyo preparing to play Toray Pan Pacific Open.

This girl will slice and dice up the field one way or another...

Check out that killer two-handed death grip!

Don't be surprised if this photo resurfaces in a year-end recap.

Photos: Getty Images