Mondays with Bob Greene
STARS
Novak Djokovic beat Milos Raonic 6-2 6-0 to win the BNP Paribas Open men’s singles in Indian Wells, California, USA
Victoria Azarenka beat Serena Williams 6-4 6-4 to win the BNP Paribas Open women’s singles in Indian Wells, California, USA
Misaki Doi beat Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-4 6-2 to win the San Antonio Open in San Antonio, Texas, USA
Marcel Granollers beat Aljaz Bedene 6-1 6-1 to win the Irving Tennis Classic in Irving, Texas, USA
Malek Jaziri beat Stephane Robert 5-7 6-3 7-6 (5) to win the Jalisco Open in Guadalajara, Mexico
SAYING
“It’s sad to have the finals like this in one way, but I played a great tournament. I’ve got to be happy with what I’ve done from my side today.” – Novak Djokovic, who won the men’s singles at Indian Wells by crushing Milos Raonic 6-2 6-0.
“You are an amazing competitor who changed the game. If it wasn’t for you and how hard you work and seeing you play so well, I wouldn’t be as motivated to come back and work so hard. Thank you on behalf of the sport.” – Victoria Azarenka, praising Serena Williams after upsetting the world’s top-ranked player to win the BNP Paribas Open women’s singles.
“The last moment I had here wasn’t the greatest moment, so thank you so much. Thank you so much for the cheers, I can’t tell you how much it means to me.” – Serena Williams, talking to the crowd after losing to Victoria Azarenka.
“There is always opportunity (to be number one), but it’s not about one or two tournaments. To be number one you really have to play the whole season very (well), and obviously catch Serena. But she is also playing very good tennis and she will want to play good and be there at number one.” – Agnieszka Radwanska, who will be number two in the world in the next rankings and before she lost to Serena Williams in the semifinals at Indian Wells.
“Definitely didn’t think I would be in another final here, ever. Then, last year — just really, really bad luck. I felt devastated that I wasn’t in the final or at least even being able to play. After the last final I had here, I never pictured myself being back. So it’s an interesting feeling.” – Serena Williams, after reaching the Indian Wells finals by stopping Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 7-6 (1).
“It’s our first tournament together. There is no better test than playing against the Bryans. They are unbelievable frontrunners. We played a great second set, and this [Match Tie-break] was just a miracle, the way we pulled it out.” – Nenad Zimonjic, after he and Edouard Roger-Vasselin rallied from a 2-9 deficit in the match tiebreak to beat bothers Bob and Mike Bryan.
“In my next life when I come back I want to be someone in the WTA because they ride on the coattails of the men.” – Raymond Moore, BNP Paribas Open tournament director.
“Disappointed in (hashtag) Raymond Moore comments. He is wrong on so many levels. Every player, especially the top players, contribute to our success.” – Billie Jean King, in a statement.
“What women do best is rise above those comments. You don’t hear complaints or bad comments towards men. If we rise above that and keep working hard in everything we do, we’re better. We’re better at taking opportunities and being graceful. It’s our duty to keep just working hard through whatever comments there is. We’ve got to rise above that.” – Victoria Azarenka.
“I made comments about the WTA that were in extremely poor taste and erroneous. I am truly sorry for those remarks, and apologize to all the players and WTA as a whole. We had a women’s final today that reflects the strength of the players, especially Serena and Victoria, and the entire WTA. Again, I am truly sorry for my remarks.” – Raymond Moore.
SERENA STUNNED
For the fourth time in her career, Victoria Azarenka knocked off Serena Williams in a tournament final. “I couldn’t control how she was going to play and she was throwing some bombs there,” Azarenka said. “But I stayed tough because it’s the only way to win, to stay strong, to keep doing what’s been working. I just wanted to work hard, give it my all, and it worked.” It worked very well for the former world number one as she won her second BNP Paribas Open, her first coming in 2012. Williams, a bundle of errors in bid to win at Indian Wells for the first time in 15 years, lost her serve once in the opening set and twice more in the second as Azarenka wrapped up the victory in just under 90 minutes. “I had no doubt in my mind that I will give everything I can,” said in her post-match courtside interview. With the win, her 19th WTA title, Azarenka returns to the Top 10 for the first time since the summer of 2014.
SUPER SERB
Novak Djokovic had no problems at all adding his fifth BNP Paribas Open title to his rapidly growing trophy room. The victorious Serb ripped through the first four games of the match against an overmatched Milos Raonic. “Best match of the tournament for me today and probably the worst for Milos,” Djokovic said after the trophy presentation. “He was not feeling his best and I wish him a speedy recovery.” Raonic missed the month of February because of an adductor injury, and he left the court for treatment at the end of the first set. When he returned seven minutes later, Djokovic put his game in high gear, sweeping through the second set without dropping a game. “Every time he would miss the first serve, I was on top of the second serve,” Djokovic said. “I was not allowing him to control the pace from the baseline, I moved him around the court. Tactically, I did everything right.” The tournament’s top seed won his third straight title at Indian Wells and his sixth successive victory over Raonic. It was Djokovic’s 27th ATP 1000-level title, tying him with record-holder Rafael Nadal.
SLIP OF THE LIP?
Women pro tennis players “ride on the coattails of the men,” said BNP Paribas Open tournament director Raymond Moore, a former touring pro. “They don’t make any decisions and they are lucky. They are very, very lucky. If I was a lady player, I’d go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born, because they have carried this sport.” Moore’s remarks were immediately criticized by a number of players, including the world’s top-ranked male, Novak Djokovic. “I have tremendous respect for what women in global sport are doing and achieving,” Djokovic said. “I’m completely for women power.” Serena Williams, world number one in the women’s rankings, called Moore’s remarks “very much mistaken and very, very, very inaccurate.” In comments to reporters before Sunday’s two singles finals, Moore city Eugenie Bouchard of Canada and Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain as being among the attractive prospects on the women’s tour. Asked what he meant by attractive, Moore said, “They are physically attractive and competitively attractive. They can assume the mantle of leadership once Serena decides to stop. They really have quite a few very, very attractive players.” Moore’s longtime colleague at Indian Wells and his predecessor as tournament director is Steve Simon, who is now the WTA’s CEO. Moore later apologized in a written statement.
SPANISH REVIVAL
He lost to Novak Djokovic for the sixth straight time, but Rafael Nadal is leaving Indian Wells on a positive note. Nadal was beaten 7-6 (5) 6-2 in the semifinal by his Serbian opponent. Still, the Spaniard feels there are a lot of positives for him to build on as the clay-court season approaches. “I am going to try to follow this to keep going at this level,” Nadal said. “If I am able to play weeks in a row at this level, then I can start to think about competing for everything. … I had my chances in the first set. I felt for a moment that I was competing at the highest level possible. I played well during the week. I won very interesting matches, good ones, fighting. (The match) was closer than the last couple of times against the best player of world, so was a very positive week for me.”
STEEP CLIMB
Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Nenad Zimonjic, playing together for the first time, saved seven consecutive match points and eight in all to shock brothers Bob and Mike Bryan in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open. The American twins led 9-2 in the match tiebreak when Roger-Vasselin and Zimonjic began their victorious run. “We tried to focus on each point, down 2-9,” Roger-Vasselin said. “Of course, we didn’t believe we could win, but this is the beauty of the sport. We kept trying every point and we got through. Amazing feeling.” The winners also saved four match points in their 17-15 match tiebreak win over Czechs Mark Michalicki and Ivo Minar in the first round.
SECOND IN WORLD
It’s been nearly four years, but Agnieszka Radwanska is back at number two in the world rankings. She moved up a spot from number three after reaching the semifinals at Indian Wells. “It’s always a good feeling to be back in this position,” Radwanska said. “I wasn’t long last time, but I think that was a few years ago. It’s always good to be back in that position.” The last time the Pole was ranked second in the world was after she reached the Wimbledon final in 2002. In the BNP Paribas Open semifinals, though, Radwanska lost to top-ranked Serena Williams 6-4 7-6 (1).
SET TO RETURN
Following knee surgery, Roger Federer is returning to the ATP World Tour at the Miami Open. The Swiss star has not played since the Australian Open in January. He had said his comeback would begin at the Monte Carlo Masters in April. Federer underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in Switzerland last month to repair a torn meniscus. He withdrew from the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, California, USA.
STREAKING
Belgium’s David Goffin is showing he is a legitimate threat on the tennis court. The 25-year-old right-hander knocked off two major players in his run to the semifinals at Indian Wells. After taking out third-seeded Stan Wawrinka, a two-time Grand Slam tournament champion, Goffin followed it by upsetting former US Open champion Marin Cilic. Goffin saved 11 of 12 break points against Cilic. “Maybe I’m quicker. I think I can take the ball earlier,” Goffin said. “I have other weapons. That’s why tennis is a nice sport.” Goffin’s run ended in the semifinals, where he fell to another big server, Canadian Milos Raonic 6-3 3-6 6-3.
SPONSOR SPEAKS
Trevor Edwards, global brand head of Nike Inc., says the sportswear company believes disgraced athletes can redeem themselves. Nike suspended its sponsorship of Maria Sharapova after the Russian tennis star admitted she had failed a drug test at the Australian Open. “Each time those situations happen, you are saddened and disappointed,” Edwards said. “At the same time, there are many athletes that inspire us.” Speaking in New York, Edwards hinted that Sharapova could return to the Nike fold, as did American sprinter Justin Gatlin did after he twice served doping suspensions. “At the end of the day, athletes are humans just like the rest of us, and they have the same frailties that the rest of us have,” Edwards said when asked about Sharapova. “And sometimes those moments become teaching moments.”
SUSPENDED
The United Nations has suspended Maria Sharapova as a goodwill ambassador after she admitted testing positive for the banned substance meldonium. The U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), for which Sharapova became a goodwill ambassador in February 2007, suspended the Russian until the outcome of the investigation into her case is known. “In light of Ms. Sharapova’s recent announcement, we … suspended her role as a Goodwill Ambassador and any planned activities while the investigation continues,” the UNDP said in a statement to the news agency Reuters. “We wish Mr. Sharapova the best.” The highest-paid player in women’s tennis, the 28-year-old Sharapova faces a ban of up to four years pending the outcome of an investigation by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
SPORTS BAN
Several major American sports leagues are considering adding the drug meldonium to its banned list, following in the footsteps of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova failed a drug test for meldonium, which was added to WADA’s banned substance list in January. WADA concluded meldonium improves blood flow and boosts exercise capacity. Most North American sports groups must negotiate with unionized players before adding any drugs to their respective banned lists. Only the U.S. Olympics Committee (USOC) and Major League Soccer banned the drug when WADA did. The PGA Tour said it plans to add meldonium to its banned list, while Major League Baseball (MLB) said it has raised the issue with its players. The National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) all plan on exploring a possible ban. Baseball said the drug is already banned in its minor leagues, where the sport does not have to negotiate with the players.
SHARED PERFORMANCES
Guadalajara: Gero Kretschmer and Alexander Satschko beat Santiago Gonzalez and Mate Pavic 6-3 4-6 10-2 (match tiebreak)
Indian Wells (men): Nicholas Mahut and Pierre-Hughes Herbert beat Jack Sock and Vasek Pospisil 6-3 7-6 (5)
Indian Wells (women): Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Coco Vandeweghe beat Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova 4-6 6-4 10-6 (match tiebreak)
Irving: Nicholas Monroe and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi beat Chris Guccione and Andre Sa 6-2 5-7 10-4 (match tiebreak)
San Antonio: Nicole Melichar and Anna-Lena Groeenefeld beat Klaudia Jans-Ignacik and Anastasia Rodionova 6-1 6-3
SURFING
Miami: www.miamiopen.com/
Raanana: www.ita.co.il/
TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK
MEN
$6,267,755 ATP World Tour Masters Miami, Miami, Florida, USA, hard (first week)
WOMEN
$6,267,755 Miami Open, Miami, Florida, USA, hard (first week)
TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK
MEN
$6,267,755 ATP World Tour Masters Miami, Miami, Florida, USA, hard (second week)
$125,000 Israel Open, Raanana, Israel, hard
WOMEN
$6,267,755 ATP World Tour Masters Miami, Miami, Florida, USA, hard (second week)