Bob Larson's Tennis News | Monte-Carlo Thursday Summary

Singles - Third Round: (1) N Djokovic def. (16) A Dolgopolov 2-6 6-1 6-4
No, this is not another hint that Novak Djokovic isn't quite the player this year that he was last year. Rather, he was distracted by word that his grandfather had just died. Still, he survived (despite playing on a day which featured multiple rain delays, including in this match). After he finished, he left the court in tears. He leaves Alexandr Dolgopolov right around #20.

Singles - Third Round: (2) R Nadal def. (Q) M Kukushkin 6-1 6-1
Rafael Nadal continues to take the pressure off his knee by winning fast. He takes the pressure off himself in another way, too: With this victory, he has earned enough points to stay ahead of Roger Federer in the contest for #2.

Singles - Third Round: (3) A Murray def. J Benneteau 6-5, retired (right ankle)
This seems to be the story of Julien Benneteau's career: Just when he is on the brink of something big, something goes wrong. He hits the Top Thirty, but just barely.

Singles - Third Round: (4) J Tsonga def. (13) F Verdasco 7-6(9-7) 6-2
A good win for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, considering the surface. He can't move above #5 this week, or any time soon, but the more clay points he earns, the better his chances later in the year. He leaves Fernando Verdasco probably right at the bottom of the Top Twenty.

Singles - Third Round: (6) T Berdych def. (12) K Nishikori 2-6 6-2 6-4
Another step toward the #6 ranking for Tomas Berdych. He needs a final. Kei Nishikori will not rise above his current #17.

Singles - Third Round: (9) G Simon def. (7) J Tipsarevic 6-0 4-6 6-1
Gilles Simon moves past Gael Monfils to become the #2 Frenchman (behind Tsonga). Janko Tipsarevic was going to be #8 no matter what happened here, but this will make it much harder for him to climb later in the year.

Singles - Third Round: S Wawrinka def. (8) N Almagro 6-3 6-3
Nicolas Almagro had no real chance at the Top Ten this week, but now it's official: He cannot rise above his current #12. Indeed, he will fall to #13 if Gilles Simon win his next match. We show Stanislas Wawrinka at #22; if he can somehow beat Rafael Nadal, he will be Top Twenty.

Singles - Third Round: R Haase def. T Bellucci 6-2 6-3
Strange indeed. Thomaz Bellucci could beat David Ferrer but can't handle Robin Haase? That costs him his chance to move much above #40. Right now, we show him at #39 -- but with Haase, who is up to #45, needing only one more win to pass him.

Doubles - Second Round: (1) Bryan/Bryan def. Murray/Murray 7-5 6-4
The Bryans' lead in the contest for #1 is very thin, so their result here matters a lot. This is a fairly solid start...

Doubles - Second Round: (2) Mirnyi/Nestor def. Cilic/Melo 7-6(8-6) 3-6 10-5 (Match TB)
...but Mirnyi/Nestor keep the pressure on.

Doubles - Second Round: Mayer/Melzer def. (4) Fyrstenberg/Matkowski 6-4 6-4

Doubles - Second Round: (5) Paes/Stepanek def. Cabal/Schwank 6-3 6-3
Paes/Stepanek continue to be the best team of 2012. So far, anyway.