US Open Virtual Rankings

I now have my spreadsheet set up to track the virtual rankings during the 2010 US Open.  I will provide a link to this spreadsheet on Monday morning after the actual rankings for that week become available.  Several of the top women are competing in New Haven and this may affect the rankings to some extent.  Hardly any of the top men are playing New Haven so their rankings will be basically unchanged.

I will be keeping this up-to-date as much as possible daily though my Labor Day weekend is very full so I won't guarantee anything over those days.

Here are the defending quarterfinalists and above from last year, who will have the most at stake, rankings-wise.

Men
Defending Champion:  Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG).  He is injured and cannot defend his title.  The best finish he can hope for is #32.
Finalist:  Roger Federer (SUI).  Needs to have a good result to keep Nadal in his sights for next year's clay season.
Semis:  Rafael Nadal (ESP) and Novak Djokovic (SRB).  Djoker still 1000 points ahead of Murray.  Nadal 4000 points ahead of Federer.
Quarters:  Robin Soderling (SWE), Fernando Verdasco (ESP), Marin Cilic (CRO), Fernando Gonzalez (CHI).  Only Gonzalez really has lots to lose in the rankings though Verdasco needs to keep his points to try and qualify for the year end championships.

Women
Defending Champion:  Kim Clijsters (BEL).  Not being able to add points, Clijsters rank will suffer due to other ladies jumping over her.  Several players in the top 10 and 20 have few points to defend.  An early loss could send her crashing out of the top 15.
Finalist:  Caroline Wozniacki (DEN).  Caro has built up enough points in the last few weeks so that she won't fall very far with an early loss.  But titles in New Haven and Flushing Meadows could grant her world #1.
Semis:  Serena Williams (USA) and Yanina Wickmayer (BEL).  Wickmayer needs a solid result to stay in the top 20. Serena, out of the US Open because of injury, will begin the tournament 1900 points ahead of Wozniacki and Jankovic, and 1999 points ahead of Venus in the virtual rankings.  If she wants to keep the top spot in the rankings, someone else must win the title.
Quarters:  Flavia Pennetta (ITA), Na Li (CHN), Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR), Melanie Oudin (USA).  Due to "gaps" in ranking points, Pennetta's and Li's ranking could absorb an early loss.  Not so for Bondarenko and Oudin; they'd end up back in qualifying and International level tournaments.

Looking forward to the fortnight.  Comment if you have further questions.