The way he is going, Djoko is very likely going to be number 3 seed at the FO. Does it mean he will be on Fed's side? Nadal's? I guess we are going to have an electronic sorting system again...

Gasquet will hopefully do well in Rome and Hamburg too. He looks like he has found some form since MC.

So we are going to have a new , solid, number 3 soon and nobody cares?

Can he dislodge Rafa and Federer from their own spot? Knowing he is pretty complete on all surfaces. The number 2 spot is pretty strategic as whoever has it, will not meet Federer until finals and this has helped Rafa secure a healthy ATP ranking points lead over the number 3 (I am not saying this is the only reason).

Tenez you know that I care a lot about Djoko career: as I have stressed already several time in the past for me this guy is the best 'reality" among the young guns.. ;) Gasquet being the second and Murray the third (even if Berdy have certainly something to say on that)..

I really hope Djoko will be able to reach the final on clay this week and this with Richard on the other side; He will be very nice to see both of them fighting for a title: BTW on the dirty i give a little advantage to Mr. Gasquet...

B) Whatever: These are just great news...Given Davy and I guess also Lubo and Nalbi going down this year it is just great that we have in the same time these young guns who start to perform...

RG will be very interesting for sure...

BTW; Tenez, What about your forecast in terms of the last 8 at RG?

Here my list:

1. Nadal
2. Federer

then the most likely candidates:

3. Canas
4. Ferrer
5. Robredo
6. Nalbandian
7. Djokovic
8. Ferrero

Still, proving this is an era with a great amount of good players (at more or less at the same level and that can create problems to all the players already listed)- I will consider for the 8 position either:

Gonzalez or Gasquet or Berdych or Safin or Davydenko or Murray or a BIG surprise like a AROD finally pushed by Connors and helped by a good BIG star. :rolleyes:

Ciao

I know you care TV. ;)

Agree Looking forward to a Gasquet Djoko Final. Also agree that on clay, I'd give the advantage to Gasquet.....but maybe on grass too.

Here are my last 8 on Clay.

Fed
Rafa

then, Djoko, Gasquet, Blake, Nalbandian, PHM, Davydenko if fully recovered.

Hi-Djokovic is without doubt, imho, the best of all the talented younger generation, and a well-deserved no.3.

Still think Gasquet is 2nd as regards raw talent, but he really needs to translate that into some important results and soon.

Murray - not a fan -but appreciate he's doing well, but his injury prone physique has to improve

RG final 8:

Nadal
Federer
Djokovic
Ferrer
Canas
Ferrero
Nalbandian
...still deciding 8th!

BTW I will add an additional name for my last 8...I continue to believe (and I like as well) on the Tennis of Mr. Mikhail Youzhny..So let's hope :ok: :ok:

Admin note:

topic moved to general as this was about Djoko rather than Andy Murray :)

Well done to Djokovic on his third title of the year, taking out Gasquet 7-6(7), 0-6, 6-1.

However I'm fairly certain he will remain in the No 5 spot when Monday's rankings are out, due to the vagaries of Best of 18. His lowest points in his 'other countable' tally were the QFs in Dubai at 75 points, so he only adds 125 from the Estoril title's 200 to make 2700. Meanwhile even though Davydenko entirely dropped 140 finalist points from last year with his first-round exit, he still had 120 finalist points from Bastad (implausibly sitting outside his best 'other countable' results, the virtue of playing so many tournies) to replace them for a net loss of 30 and a total of 2795 to maintain him at the No 4 spot. Still it's obvious he's in a precarious position and it's likely the young Serb will overtake him in short order.

He's certainly continuing to make waves in the ATP Race, as well, where he consolidates his hold on the No 3 spot. In fact, at 327 to 348, he's breathing down Federer's neck for the No 2 spot, although Rome will surely salvage the latter.

Thanks Manzikert for the precision. I am not very good at working those ranking points out.

Well done Dijko :bow: :bow: you are definitely the best one among the young guns...As I said a while ago BTW...Congrat :clap: :yahoo:

Great..Now, here some remarks by Dijoko on his possibilities against Rafa (the monster on clay) on clay...Well the man is becoming realist:

"Beating him on clay is nearly impossible, but he cannot be... unbeatable all his life. I beat him in Miami this year, but on clay court it is different," Djokovic said.

Nadal has gone 72 matches without a loss on clay. "Now there are two very important Masters Series and I have to recover as best I can. I know that I face a tough group starting in Rome on Monday, but every time I enter a tournament, I do so with the intention of winning," he said.

More details here

Well done to Djoko - interesting scoreline too!