Open Question: Which players will win the last 3 spots for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals?
These are the contenders: 1 Roger Federer 11255 *QUALIFIED* 2 Rafael Nadal 8845 *QUALIFIED* 3 Andy Murray 8390 *QUALIFIED* 4 Novak Djokovic 7330 *QUALIFIED* 5 Juan Martin Del Potro 6555 *QUALIFIED* 6 Andy Roddick 4920 7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 3690 8 Nikolay Davydenko 3665 9 Fernando Verdasco 3460 10 Gilles Simon 3250 11 Robin Soderling 3020 12 Fernando Gonzalez 2775

Resolved Question: Who rules the lower weight classes, Asia or Latin America? Check these matches and decide?
Asians and Latinos absolutely rule the lower weight divisions from junior welterweight division to strawweight. That is more than half of all boxing weight divisions! What do you think of these match ups of the best in each weight class? Strawweight: Roman Gonzalez (Nicaragua) Vs Oleydong Sithsamerchai (Thailand) Jr. Flyweights: Ivan Calderon (Puerto Rico) vs Brian Viloria (Filipino American) Flyweight: Daisuke Naito (Japan) vs Omar Narvaez (Argentina) Jr. Bantamweight: Nonito Donnaire (Philippines) vs Hugo Casarez (Mexico) Bantamweight: Hozumi Hasegawa (Japan) vs Fernando Montiel (Mexico) Jr. Featherweight: Poonsawat Kratingaenggym (Thailand) vs Celestino Caballero (Panama) Featherweight: Chris John (Indonesia) vs Steven Luevano (Mexican American) Junior Lightweight: Ji Hon Kim (Korea) vs Humberto Soto (Mexico) Lightweight: Saddam Kietyongyuth (Thailand) vs Edwin Valero (Venezuela) Junior Welterweight: Manny Pacquiao (Philippines) vs Juan Manuel Marquez (Mexico) What do yall think, who wins this match ups? I picked two best fighters in each weight divisions, each from Asia and Latin America based on their current rankings. Nissaguillen, who do you think would win in these matches? @ Kliky, I didnt forget about JuanMa Lopez. But heis ranked second behind Caballero in the junior featherweight division that is why I picked Caballero over him to represent the jr. featherweight for Latin America.

Resolved Question: Two uber-talented players, Safin and Gulbis, playing up to their potential?
I was up at 5 AM watching Marat Safin play Fernando Gonzalez in Beijing, and I was in for a treat. Safin played easily his best match in perhaps the past 12 months, beating Gonzo in straight sets 6-3, 6-4. This is only the third time this year Safin has managed to win back-to-back matches (beating Acasuso 2 and 4 in the first round). I couldn’t believe what I was seeing; I was watching the Safin of old play. He had to save only one break point, hit 12 aces and no double faults, and was dominating the entire way. This was against a usually top-10 player whom he had lost to six straight times. It sets up a mouth-watering quarterfinal match with Nadal. Do you think the big Russian could win? Nadal just came through a tough match against Blake while Safin barely broke a sweat, being on court just over one hour. Maybe I’m being a bit optimistic, but I haven’t seen Safin play like this for a long time, and certainly not at any point this year. He was 0-6 against top 20 players this year until beating the Chilean. And he showed absolutely no signs of choking (which he has done several times this year, going on to lose several matches after holding match points). Another player oozing with talent is Ernests Gulbis, and he has now won seven out of his past eight matches (including Davis Cup and qualifying) and has just won back-to-back matches for the first time this year. He upset Radek Stepanek in the first round and disposed of Juan Monaco, who had to retire down 4-1 in the second set. Gulbis has fallen all the way to 98, and he was in the 100s for some part of this year. Is this the kind of stuff that could turn his career around? Ironically he just hired Safin’s coach, Hernan Gumy, and that seems to have jolted him out of his major slump. He plays Tsonga next, whom he had just lost to in three tiebreak sets in Bangkok (neither player was broken). Can he get the better of Tsonga this time around? JBP: Yes, über is an awesome word. As for Vera, I’ll be slow to admit it, but she’s kind of fallen out of good terms with me. I have to say, though, that she was completely undeserving of that horrendous ankle injury, which probably prevented a true breakout season after an Australian Open semifinal appearance. Her US Open match against Pennetta was painful and embarrassing to watch; it was really a match she would have won, but ended up losing in more ways than one. I’m more forgiving now, and I definitely prefer her in Doha over JJ or Azarenka, who both annoy me (JJ seems to feign injuries too much and Azarenka is a classic headcase). So it’s nice to see her doing well again; I’m surprised she’s dominated Bartoli 8-1 (whom I also dislike), and Serena just lost to Petrova, which is actually not so surprising because this isn’t a slam. So she may just end up replacing Szavay for me, who’s become a nobody. Then we’ll be the only Vera fans on Y!A. =) JBP, did you know James Blake has a new coach, Kelly Jones? I was beginning to think Blake would work with Barker forever…

Open Question: recent prospects who are busts?
Yankees: Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Eric Hinske, Sergio Mitre Red Sox: Daisuke Matsuzaka, Casey Kotchman, Clay Buchholz, Brian Anderson, Rocco Baldelli, Michael Bowden, Joey Gathright Devil Rays: B.J. Upton, Dioner Navarro, Willy Aybar, J.P. Howell, Lance Cormier Jays: Edwin Encarnacion, David Purcey, Casey Janssen, Brandon League Orioles: Felix Pie, Michael Aubrey, Jeff Fiortieno, Matt Albers, Chris Lambert, Chris Ray, Sean Henn Twins: Carlos Gomez, Delmon Young, Francisco Liriano, Boof Bonser, Justin Huber, Jon Rauch Tigers: Jeremy Bonderman, Joel Zumaya, Dontrelle Willis, Ramon Santiago, Armando Galarraga White Sox: Josh Fields, Brent Lillibridge, Jayson Nix, Alex Rios, Ramon Castro Royals: Alex Gordon, Luke Hochevar, Mark Teahen, Kyle Davies, John Buck, Juan Cruz, Mike Jacobs, Josh Anderson, Bruce Chen Indians: Andy Marte, Trevor Crowe, Anthony Reyes, Jeremy Sowers, Chris Perez, Fausto Carmona Angels: Brandon Wood, Jeff Mathis, Reggie Willits Rangers: Brandon McCarthy, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Matt Harrison, Dustin Nippert, Taylor Teagarden Mariners: Brandon Morrow, Endy Chavez, Garrett Olson, Ian Snell, Jason Vargas A’s: Daric Barton, Joey Devine, Scott Hairston, Travis Buck, Eric Patterson, Ryan Sweeney, Bobby Crosby, Eric Munson, Gio Gonzalez, Santiago Casilla Phillies: Ben Francisco, Chad Durbin Marlins: Dan Meyer, Jeremy Hermida, Cameron Maybin, Gaby Sanchez, Annibal Sanchez, Ronny Paulino, Andrew Miller, Chris Volstad Braves: Jordan Schaefer, Brandon Jones Mets: Mike Pelfrey, Lance Broadway, Jeff Francoeur, Jeremy Reed, Daniel Murphy, Anderson Hernandez, Fernando Nieve, Oliver Perez Nats: Austin Kearns, Scott Olsen, Willie Harris, Elijah Dukes, Sean Burnett Cards: Colby Rasmus, Joe Thurston, Khalil Greene, Jason Motte Cubs: Micah Hoffpauir, Mike Fontenot, Jeff Stevens, Sean Marshall, Aaron Heilman, Tom Gorzelanny, Jeff Samartzdija Brewers: JJ Hardy, Carlos Villanueva, Rickie Weeks, Corey Patterson, Jody Gerut, Corey Hart, Claudio Vargas, Felipe Lopez, Manny Parra, Seth McClung, Dave Bush Reds: Micah Owings, Kip Wells, Johnny Cueto, Laynce Nix, Willie Taveras, Wladimir Balentien, Darnell McDonald Astros: Kaz Matsui, J.R. Towles, Jeff Keppinger, Felipe Paulino Pirates: Zach Duke, Neil Walker, Steve Pearce, Andy LaRoche, Ronny Cenedo, Lastings Milledge, Brandon Moss, Delwyn Young, Craig Hansen, Jeff Karstens, Kevin Hart, Phil Dumatrait Dodgers: Scott Elbert, Blake Dewitt, Chin-Lung Hu, Tony Abreu, Jason Repko Rockies: Greg Reynolds, Matt Murton, Chris Ianneta, Omar Quintanilla, Garrett Atkins, Ian Stewart, Franklin Morales Giants: Kevin Fransden, Merkin Valdez, John Bowker, Fred Lewis, Juan Uribe, Justin Miller Padres: Chase Headley, Tony Gwynn, Shawn HIll, Kevin Kouzmanhoff, Eliezer Alfonzo, Sean Gallagher D-Backs: Chris Young, Connor Jackson, Stephen Drew, Max Scherzer, Yusmeiro Petit

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