[Lefty Noob]

Sportsticker says that Rafael Nadal "is the best player in tennis at the moment" and it sounds like the ATP might agree. Federer was upset in the second round of the Rogers Cup, while the 22-year-old Nadal is looking to win his fifth straight tournament. If he can knock off Igor Andreev in the third round and proceed deeper into the tourney, he is expected to knock Federer out of the top spot in the rankings for the first time since February 2004. Will it happen?

Nadal looks to keep cruising at Rogers Cup - Tennis - Yahoo! Sports

[Bette]

Yes, I think it could. I think Federer is looking around with a stunned expression lately wondering, "What happened?"

[blueandwhite]

yes I agree too - it's Nadal's time.
he earned it.

[blueandwhite]

he won the Rogers Cup, beating German's Nicolas Kiefer in two sets, 6-3 6-2 (bit too easy).
He's won 29 matches in a row, and becomes the third youngest player to win 30 ATP titles.
Bjorn Borg (21 years, seven months, nine days) and Jimmy Connors (22 years 20 days) got to 30 wins sooner.
If he wins next week in Cincinnati, he will be number one.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

If he wins next week in Cincinnati, he will be number one.

He should be #1 right now, if you ask me.

[Lefty Noob]

Good article by Pa. Sportsticker on Nadal.

Nadal seeks 31st straight win - Tennis - Yahoo! Sports
CINCINNATI (TICKER) —Rafael Nadal is making winning on the ATP Tour look almost too easy.

The second-seeded Spaniard guns for his 31st consecutive win on Thursday when he faces unseeded German Tommy Haas in the third round of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters.

Nadal is attempting to capture his sixth consecutive tournament played in and showed no signs of slowing down during Wednesday’s second-round action when he crushed Frenchman Florent Serra, 6-0, 6-1, in just 48 minutes.

Ranked second since July 2005, Nadal is in position to overtake Roger Federer as the world No. 1 if he wins here and the Swiss star loses before the semifinals.

There is no question Nadal is the best player in tennis at this moment. Why is it so hard for him to overtake Federer? Seems like every time you turn around, they keep adding 'ifs' to the scenario. If he wins this tourney... if he wins the next one... if he wins and Federer is eliminated before the semis... it's silly. Federer is one of the greatest tennis players I've ever seen, but there's no doubt in my mind Nadal should be #1.

[blueandwhite]

It's all about points, though, and federer has been the supremo number one for a long time, and dominant for most of that time. It's tough to dethrone a king like that.

[blueandwhite]

He lost in Cincinnati to Djokovic in the semis - 6-1, 7-5 - so he remains Number 2.
Now 3rd seed Djokovic will play Andy Murray in the final.
interesting note from thestar.com:
By reaching the semifinals of the $2.6 million (U.S.) ATP Western & Southern Financial Group Masters, Nadal piled up enough points to overtake Roger Federer as the world's No. 1 player. Given the way points accrue – the last 52 weeks are counted – he will surpass Federer in the Aug. 18 rankings.
Federer has been No. 1 for a record 235 consecutive weeks. He and Nadal have been ranked 1-2 since July 25, 2005. Nadal will become the third Spaniard to hold the No. 1 spot, joining Carlos Moya (1999) and Juan Carlos Ferrero (2003)
personal note: I loved Juan Carlos.

[azrael492]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

It's all about points, though, and federer has been the supremo number one for a long time, and dominant for most of that time. It's tough to dethrone a king like that.

I believe you are right. If I remember correctly, the points are added up for a year. Federer has dominated for a while. It is going to take a while to accumulate points enough to overtake him even though he is playing better tennis.