stan wawrinka

Davis Cup Needs To Embrace Change In Order To Be “World Cup of Tennis”

February 24, 2015 by Admin

by Andrew Eichenholz

Followers compare the Davis Cup to the World Cup of the tennis world. That is far from the truth, as Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka have proven with both of their withdrawals from Switzerland’s upcoming tie against Belgium, and Federer’s decision to take the year off from the annual competition.

Keep this in mind: Switzerland was crowned as the top nation for men’s tennis just months ago. Now, with two of the best players on the planet out, the odds are heavily stacked against them to even get by a David Goffin-led Belgium squad.

In a sense, it is not much different than if Germany’s soccer team were to head to Russia for the 2018 World Cup without Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer, possibly bowing out in the group stage.

That sounds silly because it simply will not happen.

World competitions in individual sports between every and all nations is meant to conjure a sense of national pride, not a fight to determine which country has the best athletes who feel like they have the time to show up.

This is not to blame tennis players. Compared to athletes who compete in other sports, tennis players do not have a break. Even their month-long “vacation” is full of anticipation and getting ready for the next year. It is not always easy to throw a way a week of time to risk fatigue or loss of form on a given court surface just to play for national honor.

Switzerland defeated Serbia, with Federer and Wawrinka in their native red to win their opening tie in 2014. The first thing that pops to mind is that they took down the man who was world No. 2 at the time, Novak Djokovic.

Wrong. Djokovic did not play, in need of rest ahead of a long season. The world missed out on a clash between three top-five stars.

That is why the Davis Cup needs to change, and do so quickly, while the sport is in its golden age.

If every player in the sport of tennis chose to partake in Davis Cup this season, there would be a fairly good chance that Switzerland would repeat as champions. Who would not want to see a Federer-Wawrinka against a Nadal-Ferrer led Spain in the final?

The wealth in tennis is spread around so much, that once nation never dominates for years on end. There is always a country that has extreme talent on the doubles court that sways a tie in one direction as well, giving them a chance for a major upset.

Then again, some of the sport’s best players do not even get a chance on the biggest stage, because the World Group only consists of 16 teams.

To give every nation a fair chance to truly enjoy the experience of world competition, why not make the annual tournament every three years, instead?

If the decision makers for the International Tennis Federation and the ATP World Tour were to find a major block of time, say a couple of weeks after the U.S. Open, therefore skipping the fall swing prior to the ATP World Tour Finals once every three years, why would players not get in on the action?

Much like January’s Hopman Cup uses a round robin style before culminating it all in a knock out round, why not find a format to expose some of the lesser-known countries a chance to show what they can do on the court, and make a spectacle for the world to see?

In Group II, the third tier of Davis Cup play, Bulgaria is scheduled to play Latvia. Both team’s stars, Grigor Dimitrov and Ernests Gulbis, respectively, are unlikely to play ahead of Indian Wells, one of the year’s biggest tournaments, just a week later.

Perhaps if that match came in a format highlighting all the teams rather than an elite few, fans would have a chance to see a matchup between a couple of the most talented athletes in the sport.

This annual competition will continue to find little attention and popularity if its best players are not involved. Forcing them to play Davis Cup three times in four years, when they may not even want to, does not enhance the attraction of the event.

John F. Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

If the world wants to see exciting nation-based tennis competition in the future, success starts by getting together and thinking about it now.

Stan Wawrinka Captures His First Indoor Title – Mondays with Bob Greene

February 16, 2015 by Admin

Mondays with Bob Greene

STARS

Stan Wawrinka beat Tomas Berdych 4-6 6-3 6-4 to win the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Andrea Petkovic won the BNP Paribas Fortis Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium, when Carla Suarez Navarro withdrew with a neck injury

Kei Nishikori beat Kevin Anderson 6-4 6-4 to win the Memphis Open in Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Pablo Cuevas beat Luca Vanni 6-4 3-6 7-6 (4) to win the Brasil Open 2015 in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Daniela Hantuchova beat Ajla Tomljanovic 3-6 6-3 6-4 to win the Thailand Open in Pattaya City, Thailand

SAYING

“The important thing for this year is to focus on the day-by-day. I need to keep working and try to improve. When I do that, I know the results will come. Hopefully I can play well all the year, not have any big ups and downs.” – Stan Wawrinka, after winning the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament.

“I was in control in the beginning and the small differences decided it.” – Tomas Berdych, following his loss to Stan Wawrinka.

“Anytime you make it to the weekend, you are playing well. It hasn’t happened too often in my career, so when it happens I am very excited.’” – Donald Young, after beating Bernard Tomic to advance to the semifinals of the Memphis Open.

“I woke up in the morning and I felt this pain in my neck. I went to the physio to great treatment and tried to play at 11:30, then had physio again and tried to play again at 2:15, and I just couldn’t serve. I couldn’t play like I wanted. So I had to pull out of this final.” – Carla Suarez Navarro, after withdrawing from the final of the BNP Paribas Fortis Diamond Games.

“I hope you don’t take any offense Kim, but I’m glad you are done playing on tour.” – Andrea Petkovic, after losing a 5-3 exhibition match against Kim Clijsters.

“It means so much to me to win this tournament three times. I’ve never done that in my career and never thought I’d be able to. It’s always a special feeling playing in Pattaya. I’ve felt great here since the first match, and I’m very proud I kept it up all week.” – Daniela Hantuchova, who captured her third Thailand Open title.

“At the end I couldn’t believe it was over because I thought in my head it was over so many times before it actually was. So to be honest, when I finally won the match I was so over celebrating.” – Aja Tomljanovic, after outlasting Monica Puig 7-6 (4) 5-7 7-6 (7) to reach the PTT Thailand Open final.

“We were both very nervous. I think it was the first time I played a final as the favorite. I thought that I couldn’t lose when that happens, but the matches become more difficult. In front of me I had someone that was playing with a lot of confidence and with a great serve. I think we both failed at some moments: a double fault, a volley. There were many mistakes at the end and the winner was the one who fails less than the other.” – Pablo Cuevas, following his victory in Sao Paulo.

STAN THE MAN

By continuing his domination of Tomas Berdych, Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka has captured his first indoor tournament trophy and first 500 series ATP title. “I’m very happy in winning my first 500 title, especially indoors. It’s always amazing to win trophies, it’s the best feeling,” Wawrinka said. The 29-year-old beat Berdych, the defending champion, for the sixth straight time. “I’m disappointed with how it finished today, but there can only be one winner,” Berdych said. “I can still see some positive things. The last time I played him it was completely different. I could not deal with him,” said the Czech, referring to the World Tour Finals in London last November when Wawrinka triumphed 6-1 6-1. After dropping the first set, Wawrinka took a 5-3 lead en route to leveling the match at a set each. The led 4-1 in the third set before Berdych broke back and held for 4-3, Berdych saved one match point when serving at 5-3 down before Wawrinka clinched the victory on his next serve.

SLOVAKIAN WINNER

It’s becoming a habit for Daniela Hantuchova. The Slovak won her third WTA Pattaya Open by edging her 21-year-old Croatian rival, Ajla Tomljanovic, in three sets. Ten years older than her opponent, Hantuchova dropped the opening set before winning the next two 6-3 6-4. She had previously won the title in 2011 and 2012. “Today was very tough because Ajla was playing some great tennis,” Hantuchova said. “I had to really fight for it. At the end I felt maybe I was a little fresher and sharper, and that decided the match.” Hantuchova barely made it back to the final. She saved two match points to beat Marina Erakovic in the semifinals. In the title match, she won eight of nine games to close out the second set and take a 3-0 in the third. Tomljanovic battled back, knotting the set at 3-all and 4-all before Hantuchova captured the last two games for the crown. Tomljanovic had never reached a WTA semifinal before Pattaya, let alone a final. “There are too many positives from the week,” Tomljanovic said. “There are things I can learn from this match and the week. Overall I think this was a really big step forward for me in Pattaya.”

SAO PAULO CHAMPION

Once Pablo Cuevas gets to the final, he’s unbeatable. The Uruguayan bested a qualifier, Luca Vanni, to win the Brazil Open in Sao Paulo. It was the third time Cuevas has reached an ATP title match – and his third ATP title. All three victories have come on clay. It wasn’t that easy, however, as Vanni served for the match at 5-4 after breaking his foe. Cuevas broke right back and sent the match into a tiebreak, where he won 7 of the last 10 points. Vanni had never won an ATP World Tour match prior to his run to the title match. “I’m so happy,” said Vanni, who was the first qualifier to reach the Brazil Open final in the tournament’s 15-year history. “It was a close match. I fought hard against Cuevas. … I’m so proud of myself.”

SLIPS INTO TITLE

Andrea Petkovic has never won a final so easily. The third-seeded German won the Diamond Games without stepping onto the court as fifth-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain pulled out of the title match with a neck injury. “You can never really enjoy the win when you don’t fight for it,” Petkovic said. “I had a great week and I’m leaving as the champion, but definitely mixed emotions.” Suarez Navarro said she woke up with severe neck pains. After twice undergoing therapy, she decided she was unable to play. “I just couldn’t serve,” the Spaniard said. “I couldn’t play like I wanted.” Also she didn’t have to step onto the court to win the title, Petkovic had to struggle to reach the final. She staved off eight match p0ooints in a second-round win over Belgian wildcard Alison Van Uytvaqnck, and she took well over two hours to beat unseeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the semifinals. With her sixth career title, the 27-year-old Petkovic moves back into the top 10 in the WTA rankings.

SUCCESS IN MEMPHIS

Kei Nishikori winning in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, is becoming habit-forming. Nishikori became the first player to win the Memphis title in three consecutive years since the tournament’s inception in 1975. “It feels great, of course,” Nishikori said of the win. “Today’s match was much different than (the past) couple of matches. I played really solid from the baseline and returned really well.” Anderson slammed 12 aces, but it wasn’t enough as Nishikori broke his South African opponent once in each set. Nishikori clinched his first title of 2015 on his fourth match point. While he sailed to victory in the final, Nishikori struggled earlier in the tournament. He squeezed past Sam Querrey 5-7 7-6 (5) 7-6 (5) in the semifinals after also being forced to go three sets in his first two matches against qualifiers Ryan Harrison and Austin Krajicek.

SWISS STARS MISSING

Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka led Switzerland to its first Davis Cup title last year. The Swiss will play their first-round tie against Belgium in March without either star. A Swiss Tennis Federation statement confirmed the pair “have decided to not make themselves available” for the March 6-8 competition. “I’m the first to understand that priorities change in the year after a Davis Cup victory and that it isn’t that easy to get back into the fray,” Federation president Rene Stammbach said. Wawrinka has been a mainstay of the squad. “I have been a part of this Davis Cup squad for 11 years and this is the first time I have decided not to play,” said Wawrinka, who explained that 2014 had been “a very long year, rich in emotion and with some incredible moments.” While deciding to skip the first-round tie, Wawrinka said he may be available for later in the tournament if Switzerland qualifies.

SIMON TRIUMPHANT

It had been nearly eight years between Gilles Simon’s victories over Andy Murray. The Frenchman last beat Murray on clay at the Rome Masters. Then Murray won 12 straight matches before Simon surprised Murray again in the quarterfinals of the World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Simon saved four of the six break points he faced and capitalized on Murray’s flurry of unforced errors to win 6-4 6-2 on his third match point.

SICK BAY

Two of the world’s top players – Australian Open champion Serena Williams and Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard – have pulled out of this week’s Dubai Tennis Championships. Tournament organizers said Williams is still trying to get over a persistent, nagging cough. The American didn’t play the reserve singles match in Fed Cup play last week because of the cough. No reason was given for Bouchard’s withdrawal after she was given a wild card into the event. However, she was upset in Antwerp, Belgium, when she double-faulted nine times in a 4-6 6-1 6-2 loss to Germany’s Mona Barthel.

SUSPENDED

Italy’s Potito Starace and Daniele Bracciali have been provisionally suspended for 40 days pending a corruption inquiry. In a statement, the Italian Tennis Federation (FIT) said, “Bracciali and Starace are suspected of having distorted the result of certain matches in order to make illicit gains through betting.” Both players have already served shorts suspensions – six week for Starace and three months for Bracciali – in 2008 in another better scandal. Starace is suspected of having thrown his ATP Casablanca final in 2011 when he lost 6-1 6-2 to Spain’s Mariano Andujar. Italian media reports the FIT decided to act because of the “repetition of illicit behavior by the two players.”

SURFACE SURPRISE

The King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, was surprised when the Rio de Janeiro Olympics decided to play the tennis competition on hard court and not clay. “I am surprised that in a country which has clay specialists the Olympics are going to be on hard court,” Nadal said. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said the choice was based on the fact the tournament, which will be held August 6-15, will be just two weeks before the US Open, which is also played on hard court. “Brazil was able to pull off successfully something as complicated as a World Cup and I am sure the Olympics are going to be a success,” said Nadal, who won the singles competition at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

SET AS CAPTAIN

Former doubles player Michael Kohlmann has been named the new captain of the German Davis Cup team. The German Tennis Federation also announced that veteran Niki Pilic will return to the squad as adviser. Kohlmann replaces Carsten Arriens, who stepped down last week. Germany plays France in a first round tie March 6-8 in Frankfurt, Germany. The 75-year-old Pilic was captain when Germany won three Davis Cup titles with Wimbledon champions Boris Becker and Michael Stich on the team. Pilic also helped his native Croatia and Serbia win Davis Cup titles, in 2005 and 2010, respectively.

SEEKING HONORS

Four players, including Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, along with the Swiss Davis Cup team are in the running for the Laureus World Sports Academy honors. Compiled from a ballot of the world’s sporting media, selected six nominees in each of seven categories, the winners are voted for by the Academy, a jury made up of 50 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen headed by chairman Edwin Moses. Djokovic is in the sportsman of the year category with the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rory McIlroy. The Serb won the award in 2012 after winning three Grand Slam tournaments and five Masters in 2011. Williams and Li Na are both in the sportswoman of the year competition. Williams is seeking her fourth Laureus Award, having won this competition in 2003 and 2010 and the Comeback Award in 2007. Li Na won her second Grand Slam tournament women’s singles title in 2014 before retiring later in the year. Marin Cilic is seeking to win the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year category, an award captured by Andy Murray in 2013 and Rafael Nadal in 2006. Switzerland’s Davis Cup team, starring Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, is shortlisted in two categories: Team of the Year and Breakthrough of the Year. The winners will be revealed at the Awards Ceremony in Shanghai, China, on April 15.

SPONSORSHIP

Godiva Chocolatier, a Belgian luxury chocolate manufacturer, has signed Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki to an endorsement deal. “So excited to announce that my dream partnership is here,” Wozniacki wrote on a popular phot-sharing social networking application. “@Godiva is now officially feeding my sweet tooth.” She is Godiva’s first sports personality as an endorser. The deal’s cost was not revealed.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Antwerp: Anabel Medina Garrigues and Arantxa Parra Santonja beat An-Sophie Mestach and Alison Van Uytvanck 6-4 3-6 10-5 (match tiebreak)

Memphis: Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Santiago Gonzalez beat Artem Stak and Donald Young 5-7 7-6 (1) 10-8 (match tiebreak)

Pattaya City: Chan Hao-Ching and Chan Yung-Jan beat Shuko Aoyama and Tamarine Tanasugarn 2-6 6-4 10-3 (match tiebreak)

Rotterdam: Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau beat Jamie Murray and John Peers 3-6 6-3 10-8 (match tiebreak)

Sao Paulo: Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah beat Paolo Lorenzi and Diego Schwartzman 6-4 6-2

SURFING

Dubai: www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com/

Rio de Janeiro: http://rioopen.com/

Delray Beach: www.yellowtennisball.com/

Marseille: www.open13.fr/

Acapulco: www.abiertomexicanodetenis.com/

Bueno Aires: http://argentinaopenatp.com/atp/

Doha: www.qatartennis.org/tournaments/index/64

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

MEN

$1,549,230 Rio Open presented by Claro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, clay

$549,230 Delray Beach Open by The Venetian @ Las Vegas, Delray Beach, Florida, USA, hard

632,840 Open 13, Marseille, France, hard

$100,000 Wroclaw Open, Wroclaw, Poland, hard

$100,000 Delhi Open 2015, New Delhi, India, hard

WOMEN

$2,212,250 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, hard

$226,750 Rio Open presented by Claro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, clay

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$2,503, 810 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, hard

$1,548,755 Abierto Mexicano Telcel, Acapulco, Mexico, hard

$573,750 Argentina Open presentado por Buenos Aires Ciudad, Buenos Aires, Argentina, clay

WOMEN

$665,900 Qatar Total Open 2015, Doha, Qatar, hard

$226,750 Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, Acapulco, Mexico, hard

A Look Back At The Last Month In Men’s Tennis – And A Look Ahead

December 12, 2014 by Admin

As the 2014 calendar year comes to an end, tennis fans have an opportunity to recover from the excitement and thrills of the Davis Cup final and the ATP World Tour Finals. Both events, which took place in November, supplied all the suspense and exhilaration that tennis aficionados have come to expect from these events – and more. Now it’s time for players, fans and bettors to recharge their batteries and to look ahead – 2015 tournaments are right around the corner.

At the ATP World Tour Finals in London, England, Novak Djokovic became only the third player to win three season finale titles in a row (and the first in close to 30 years). This was Djokovic ‘s fourth crown overall, an impressive accomplishment that cements his place as one of the strongest players in the game’s history. However, Novak’s victory will forever be accompanied by a pesky asterisk; he won when number-two Roger Federer of Switzerland withdrew from the match due to a back injury, leaving many fans disappointed at the anti-climactic finale.

To the delight of the world, and some bettors for sure, a few weeks after Federer’s withdrawal, he, along with Davis Cup teammates Stan Wawrinka, Marco Chiudinelli, and Michael Lammer, stunned the French national team – in France! – and triumphantly took home Switzerland’s first Davis Cup in history. A fit-looking Federer beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet in straight sets to clinch the championship, leading to celebrations in Switzerland and joyous tears from an emotional Federer. Federer played like the champion he is to attain the only major tennis title that has evaded him thus far. It was thrilling tennis and fans around the world cried right along with the crowd-pleasing Swiss superstar.

As 2014 transitions into 2015, tennis betting fans will feel the excitement mount as the first Grand Slam of the year approaches. The always-great Australian Open kicks off in Sydney on January 19 following a number of warm-up tournaments Down Under. Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka is the reigning Australian men’s champion and all eyes will be on him following the Swiss team’s Davis Cup victory. On the women’s side, China’s Li Na won last year’s women’s event before retiring later in 2014, so the field is wide open (as has been the case in women’s tennis of late).

Throughout the tennis season – this year and every year – tennis betting fans can boost their pleasure by betting on tennis at William Hill, the biggest names in sport betting. William Hill covers major and minor tennis tournaments and makes sports betting easy and convenient.

Roger Federer Wins To Give Switzerland Its First Davis Cup Title – Mondays with Bob Greene

November 24, 2014 by Admin

Mondays with Bob Greene

DAVIS CUP

World Group Final

Switzerland beat France 3-1 at Lille, France

OTHERS

Diego Schwartzman beat Guilherme Clezar 6-2 6-3 to win the Challenger Tour Finals in Sao Paulo, Brazil

An-Sophie Mestach beat Shuko Aoyama 6-1 6-1 to win the Dunlop World Challenge Tennis Tournament in Toyota, Japan

SAYING

“This one is for the boys. It’s not for me. I’ve won enough in my career and did not need to tick any empty boxes. I’m just happy for everybody else. I’m happy we could live a great tennis historic moment in our country.” – Roger Federer, when asked what the Davis Cup title meant for him personally.

“I’ve been dreaming of this Davis Cup for years. I’ve been trying everything I can to win this competition. This year, maybe, was the ideal year. It started off very well in Serbia. It ends up perfectly well here in France. We made many sacrifices during the years to be able to win it. We did it now. We are very happy.” – Stanislas Wawrinka.

“He was not unbeatable today, but he only made a few mistakes. It’s a shame I could not get any break points.” – Richard Gasquet, whose loss to Roger Federer clinched Switzerland’s Davis Cup victory.

“I always said that it was very good for Federer to win the Davis Cup and very good for Davis Cup to have Federer’s name engraved on it.” – Francesco Ricci Bitti, International Tennis Federation president.

“Stan has put in so much effort over the years and played an unbelievable weekend that gave me the opportunity today.” – Roger Federer, noting Stanislas Wawrinka had a hand in two of Switzerland three points, winning the first singles match and teaming with Federer to win the doubles.

“We saw how quickly things changed. At the start of the week, the papers were full with stories about Roger’s back and the French team being ready to go to war. At the end of the day, we saw the opposite. We handled the tie as usual, with a lot of discussions between us.” – Stanislas Wawrinka, who teamed with Roger Federer to give Switzerland its first Davis Cup title.

“Let’s be serious, they are stronger, it would have been quite an achievement to beat them.” – Arnaud Di Pasquale, France’s technical director.

“Arnaud Clement has our confidence and our trust as a captain. Of course we lost, but many teams would like to be in the final. If every time we lost we should change captains, many captains would be fired in the world.” – Jean Gachassin, French Tennis Federation president, when asked if he would replace Clement as France’s Davis Cup captain.

“At the end, it’s a tennis match, you feel great emotions. You’re unbelievably happy and relieved. We wanted this clearly very badly, especially being up 2-1. You inch yourself closer and closer. Clearly seeing Stan (Wawrinka) out there, the rest of the team supporting you, gives you an extra push. It was definitely one of the better feelings in my career, no doubt about it. So much nicer to celebrate it all together.” – Roger Federer.

“It’s an amazing feeling. The best. We all know how it’s great to watch such an amazing player when he’s playing good tennis.” – Stanislas Wawrinka.

“He was playing fast. He was very focused and making very few mistakes. I was not even able to have a break point. It was difficult for me to give him problems. We are all disappointed. I would have liked to do more for the team because the crowd was ready, ready to support me to the end. In that situation, the only thing you want to do is play a fourth or fifth set just to please the crowd.” – Richard Gasquet, after losing to Roger Federer.

“I think I’m getting really close. I beat Roger (Federer) this year and also Novak (Djokovic), too. It’s not like I can’t beat them.” – Kei Nishikori.

“I hope to use December to prepare well. I’ll have a month before things start in Australia. I hope and believe that’s enough to get me to my best level.” – Rafael Nadal.

“As highly committed players and leaders among the French tennis players, Henri Leconte and Guy Forget played a pivotal role in building the success of the French Davis Cup team. As we gather here in France for another dynamic Davis Cup Final, it is a pleasure to honor Henri and Guy for their important contributions over the years by presentation of the Davis Cup Award of Excellence.” – Francesco Ricci Bitti, International Tennis Federation president.

SWISS CAPTURE CUP

Roger Federer was at his best when the Davis Cup title was the prize. Producing a vintage performance, Federer crushed Richard Gasquet 6-4 6-2 6-2 to give Switzerland its first Davis Cup title with a 3-1 win over France. There were no signs of the back problems that forced him to default the ATP World Tour Finals title match a week ago. And there were no signs of any reported conflict between Federer and teammate Stanislas Wawrinka. Instead, the world’s second-ranked player showed how he had won 17 Grand Slam tournament titles as he dominated his French opponent before a record crowd of 27,448 at Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille, France. “It’s the first time Roger plays at this level against me,” said Gasquet, who has only beaten Federer twice in 15 career meetings. Switzerland becomes only the 14^th nation to win the Davis Cup in its 115-year-old history. And with his title-clinching victory, Federer becomes the most successful Swiss player in Davis Cup history, recording his 50^th Davis Cup victory in both singles and doubles. What possibly made it even sweeter was that Federer lost his opening singles to Gael Monfils in straight sets. But Wawrinka had started the tie with a victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, then teamed with Federer to win the doubles, beating Gasquet and Julien Benneteau, and set the stage for Federer’s title-clinching win over Gasquet. The fifth match between Wawrinka and Monfils was canceled. “I’ve been playing this game for almost 15 years and clearly I had never come as close than this past weekend,” Federer said.

SUBS FOR TSONGA

When Roger Federer took to the court for the first reverse singles, he expected to face France’s Jo-Wilfred Tsonga. Instead, his opponent was Richard Gasquet, who had beaten Federer only twice in 14 matches. Of course, one of Gasquet’s wins over Federer came at the 2011 Rome Masters on clay, the same surface the Davis Cup final was contested on. French Tennis Federation president Jean Gachassin said Tsonga was suffering from pain in his elbow. Arnaud Clement, the French captain, said Tsonga had aggravated an existing injury in his right arm. “I was just not able to go on the court and be the best chance on the court,” Tsonga said. Federer gave the French another pain by crushing Gasquet 6-4 6-2 6-2 to clinch Switzerland’s first Davis Cup title.

SIBLINGS’ COACH HELPS

Although he had two of the world’s top four players, Switzerland Davis Cup captain Severin Luthi felt he needed a little more help. So he hired the coach of American twins Bob and Mike Bryan to help the Swiss prepare for the doubles. Dave Macpherson, who had helped the Bryans finish atop the doubles rankings for a record 10^th time this year and for the sixth consecutive season, may have played a big part of Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka’s straight-set victory over Frenchmen Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet. “I think he’s been very helpful for us,” Federer said about Macpherson. “We had a good long conversation about doubles. Not just yesterday and today, but in previous days.” Although Federer and Wawrinka had teamed to win the Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Games in 2008, they had not won a Davis Cup doubles match since 2011. “I think we were perfectly prepared,” Federer said after the Swiss beat the French duo. “Obviously you have to be able to execute it. I think Stan did that unbelievably well today. I tried to keep up.”

SMILES IN LOSS

Although Roger Federer was battered in his opening singles match by Gael Monfils, the Swiss star still found something to smile about. Monfils, playing marvelously, routed Federer 6-1 6-4 6-3 to knot the best-of-five contest at one match apiece. Federer, however, wasn’t worried. “It wasn’t all negative,” he said. “I started to feel better as the match went on. That’s very encouraging.” Federer had suffered a back injury last week and had to default the ATP World Tour Finals title match against Novak Djokovic. The Monfils match proved to Federer that his back was much better. “You don’t have to be in unbelievably excruciating pain, but it takes a while for it to leave your mind,” he said after the loss. “It’s like a ghost. But that’s why it was good for me to play three sets today. It definitely gives us a lot of information. I would think that I’m going to get better as the weekend goes on. … So I’m making myself available for the team as much as I can, 100 percent, not only as a player but in whatever role I can play.” The next day, Federer teamed with Stanislas Wawrinka to win the doubles in straight sets. Then he gave Switzerland its first Davis Cup title by crushing Frenchman Richard Gasquet in straight sets in the reverse singles.

SET FOR JANUARY

Recovering from an appendicitis operation, French Open champion Rafael Nadal says he hopes to be ready for the Australian Open in January. “As ever after a period when things haven’t gone well, you’re a bit more eager to (prepare) well, although there is uncertainty about how things will go,” the 28-year-old Spaniard said. “I hope to use December to prepare well. I’ll have a month before things start in Australia. I hope and believe that’s enough to get me to my best level.” Nadal last played in October and underwent the surgery at the beginning of this month. He said he would start 2015 with an exhibition event in Abdu Dhabi before defending his title in Doha, then go to the Australian Open.

SEES NEW CHALLENGE

Katrina Adams has been a player, a television analyst and executive director of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program in New York City. Beginning in January she will become the new president of the United States Tennis Association (USTA). A native of Chicago, Illinois, USA, Adams played on the tour from 184 to 1999 and was ranked as high as eighth in the world in doubles, winning 21 career WTA doubles titles. She has served on the USTA board of directors for 10 years and is currently completing a two-year term as First Vice President. She will become the first African American and first former professional tennis player to serve as the association’s Chairman of the Board, CEO and President. She also serves on the board of directors of the USTA Foundation and the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHoF), and is a member of the Grand Slam Board and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Davis Cup Committee.

Also nominated were Alexander Boyd (Andy) Andrews IV as First Vice President; Thomas S. Ho as Vice President; Donald L. Tisdel as Vice President; Patrick J. Galbraith as Secretary-Treasurer; David A. Haggerty as Immediate Past President; Fabrizio Alcobe-Fierro, Joan E. Baker, Mark D. Ein, Michael J. McNulty III, Andrew A. Valdez, Kathleen J. Wu and Lauren Barnikow, Directors at Large; Todd C. Martion, Elite Athlete and Director at Large; and Chanda R. Rubin, as an Elite Athlete and Director at Large.

SUCCESSFUL TEAM

The heroes of France’s recent rich Davis Cup history – members of its winning teams of 1991, 1996 and 2001 – were honored just before the reverse singles rubbers of this year’s final. Arnaud Boetsch, Olivier Delaitre, Nicolas Escude, Guy Forget, Henri Leconte, Cedric Pioline, Guillaume Raoux and Fabrice Santoro participated in the ceremony before a crowd of 27,000 at the Stade Pierre Mauroy. The most memorable of those three victories came in 1991 when Forget and Leconte combined to defeat the United States 3-1 to clinch France’s first Davis Cup title in 59 years. Forget and Leconte were earlier honored with the Davis Cup Award of Excellence by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHoF). Boetsch, Raoux, Pioline and Forget led France over Sweden in 1996, a tie noted for being the first Davis Cup final to be decided in the fifth set of the fifth match. That was when Boetsch saved three championship points in the decisive rubber against Niklas Kulti, winning 10-8 in the fifth set to complete nine hours of play on the final day. In 2001, Escude won the decisive fifth rubber to give France a victory over an Australian team featuring Lleyton Hewitt and Patrick Rafter.

SERGIO’S CADDIE

Former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero has a new job in his retirement. He will be the caddie for fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia when he attempts to defend his title at next month’s Thailand Golf Championships. Also in the field will be Bubba Watson, a two-time US Masters champion, US Open champion Martin Kaymer and former world number ones Lee Westwood and Ernie Els. Ferrero was ranked number one in the world in tennis in 2003 and retired two years ago after 14 years on the ATP World Tour. “I’ve played golf with him many times, but he never caddied for me before,” Garcia said of Ferrero. “We just talked about it and he mentioned about it and we decided to do it. He is excited about it. … It is good fun to be able to enjoy golf and have a good time with a good close friend.”

SELECTED

Geneva, Switzerland, will be the site of an ATP World Tour 250 tournament beginning next year. The tournament, which had been held in Düsseldorf, Germany, will be staged at the Tennis Club de Genève at the Parc des Eaux-Vives, the oldest and largest tennis club in Switzerland. The Geneva Open will be held May 16-23, 2015, returning to the Swiss city for the first time since 1991.

SYDNEY BOUND

Three of the top six women in the world will in the battle at the Sydney International in January. Romania’s Simona Halep, ranked third in the world, Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic and Australian Open semifinalist Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland will headline the field. Kvitova is ranked fourth and Radwanska sixth. The Sydney International will be held January 11-17 at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre.

SERENA THE MODEL

Tennis champion Serena Williams has shown another side of her talents. The 33-year-old is part of a new television advertising campaign for an Australian lingerie company, Berlei. Her photo shoot came in Miami, Florida, USA, right after she captured the WTA Finals Championships in Singapore last month. The 33-year-old American said she felt comfortable while posing for the underwear ads. “I’m a normal woman,” Williams said. “I can get self-conscious. But I think that is just natural for women to feel that way. I have learned to be proud of my curves and to embrace them. It’s important to love who you are and realize that you’re beautiful, no matter what society says.” Kellie Warwick, senior marketing manager of Berlei, said Williams was a natural model. “She was without a doubt a natural behind the camera and was an absolute delight to work with,” Warwick said. “She is such a professional.” The ad is scheduled to be released in time for Williams’ appearance at the Australian Open in January, when she will be seeking her 19^th Grand Slam tournament singles title. It is the first ad Williams has done for the label since signing on as a sports bra ambassador in 2013.

SAD NEWS

Pablo Llorens, former president of the Spanish Tennis Federation, died on November 18. Llorens was an honorary International Tennis Federation (ITF) vice president. He also served as chairman of the ITF Olympic Tennis Committee and along with former ITF President Philippe Chatrier was instrumental in re-establishing tennis as an Olympic sport in Seoul, South Korea, in 1988. Llorens had been a member of the Spanish Olympic Committee since 1971 and in 1975 founded the European Tennis Association together with federation presidents of France, Switzerland, Germany and Great Britain. In 2001, Llorens was awarded the ITF/International Tennis Hall of Fame Golden Achievement Award.

Arturo Grimaldi, president of the Argentine Tennis Association, is dead at the age of 63. He had been suffering from cancer. A lawyer, Grimaldi was ranked number one in the junior under 14 category in 1963 and was Argentine’s seventh-ranked junior in the under 18 age group in 1967. After serving as president of the Tenis Club Argentino, Grimaldi became a board member of the Argentine Tennis Association (AAT) in 1996 and AAT president in 2009. He also was president of the South American Tennis Confederation (CASAT) between 2011 and 2013. “We at the ITF worked closely with Arturo and his team on successful Davis Cup and Fed Cup ties over many years and we thought of him as both friend and colleague,” said Francesco Ricci Bitti, ITF president. “He will be missed by all of us in the tennis family and we send our condolences to his family and his friends around the world.”

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Toyota: Eri Hozumi and Makoto Ninomiya beat Shuko Aoyama and Junri Namigata 6-3 7-5

SURFING

ATP: www.atpworldtour.com

WTA: www.wtatennis.com

ITF: www.itftennis.com

World Tennis Magazine: www.worldtennismagazine.com

TOURNAMENTS WEEK OF JAN. 5, 2015

(All money in USD)

MEN

$1,195,500 Qatar ExxonMobil Open, Doha, Qatar, hard

$511,825 Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, Brisbane, Australia, hard

$459,140 Aircel Chennai Open, Chennai, India, hard

WOMEN

$1,000,000 Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, Brisbane, Australia, hard

$500,000 Shenzhen Open, Shenzhen, China, hard

$250,000 ASB Classic, Auckland, New Zealand, hard

Record Gap Between Titles for Mirjana Lucic-Baroni – Mondays with Bob Greene

September 15, 2014 by Admin

Mondays with Bob Greene

STARS

US Open

Men’s singles: Marin Cilic beat Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-3 6-3

OTHER

Mirjana Lucic-Baroni beat Venus Williams 6-4 6-3 to win the Coupe Banque Nationale in Québec City, Quebec, Canada

Sabine Lisicki beat Karolina Pliskova 7-5 6-3 to win the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open in Hong Kong, China

Karin Knapp beat Bojana Jovanovski 6-2 7-6 (4) to win the Tashkent Open in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

DAVIS CUP

World Group Semifinals

France beat Czech Republic 4-1 at Paris, France

Switzerland beat Italy 3-2 at Geneva, Switzerland

World Group Playoffs

(Winners will be in World Group in 2014)

Serbia 3, India 2, at Bangalore, India, hard

Brazil beat Spain 3-1 at Sao Paulo, Brazil

Argentina beat Israel 3-2 at Sunrise, Florida, USA

Canada beat Colombia 3-2 at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

United States beat Slovakia 5-0 at Chicago, Illinois, USA

Australia beat Uzbekistan 5-0 at Perth, Australia

Croatia beat Netherlands 3-2 at Amsterdam, Netherlands

Belgium beat Ukraine 3-2 at Tallinn, Estonia

Group 1 Playoffs

Americas Zone, 2^nd Round: Uruguay beat Venezuela 4-1 at Caracas, Venezuela; Asia/Oceania Zone, 1^st Round: South Korea beat Chinese Taipei 3-1 at Kaohsiung City, Taiwan; Europe/Africa Zone, 1^st Round: Romania beat Sweden 3-1 at Bucharest, Romania, clay; Austria beat Latvia 4-1 at Valmiera, Latvia; Europe/Africa Zone, 2^nd Round: Russia beat Portugal 4-1 at Moscow, Russia

Group 2 Playoffs

Americas Zone, 3^rd Round: Barbados beat Mexico 3-2 at St. Michael, Barbados; Asia-Oceania Zone, 3^rd Round: Thailand beat Pakistan 4-1 at Nonthaburi, Thailand; Europe/Asia Zone, 3^rd Round: Lithuania beat Bosnia/Herzegovina 3-2 at Sarajevo, Bosnia/Herzegovina; Denmark beat Moldova 3-2 at Kolding, Denmark

SAYING

“It was so long ago, I don’t even remember what it’s like to hold a trophy in my hands. It’s just incredible.” – Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, after beating Venus Williams to win the title in Québec City, her first title in a WTA-record 16-year, four-month span.

“She swung as hard as she could on every shot and hit so many lines. It’s not typical that when you go for every shot they almost all go in. I think I played pretty well, but she just played better than me. She just had the magic today.” – Venus Williams, on Mirjana Lucic-Baroni’s game.

“I’m so happy I can’t really find the words right now to explain how happy I am.” – Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, after beating Venus Williams to win the title in Québec City, Canada.

“It’s fabulous to share in this moment.” – Roger Federer, after clinching a tie that put Switzerland into the Davis Cup final for only the second time.

“I always fight for every single point, no matter what the score is.” – Sabine Lisicki, after rallying from a 1-5 deficit in the first set to win the Hong Kong title in straight sets.

“I’ve had five surgeries, so many months of layoffs in the last six years, in and out of tennis the last two years due to bad knee problems. But I knew it was possible for me to win a WTA event one day, and I’m so happy I could do it here in Tashkent.” – Karin Knapp, after winning her first WTA title six years after undergoing heart surgery.

“I mean, it seems completely unreal to be called Grand Slam champion. I was dreaming about this all my life, and suddenly last four, five days everything started to change. And with my tennis especially. I started to play absolutely unbelievable starting with the fifth set with Simon. After that I had unbelievable run of the matches against these top guys. And what it means to me, it means everything. … This is just the peak of the world.” – Marin Cilic, after winning the US Open men’s singles title.

“I just could never have imagined that I would be mentioned with Chris Evert or with Martina Navratilova, because I was just a kid with a dream and a racquet.” – Serena Williams, after winning her 18^th Grand Slam tournament singles title, tying her with Evert and Navratilova.

“We were mentioning that. They were saying 13 years passed since he (Goran Ivanisevic) won his Wimbledon title, and that happened on Monday, and now none of the Croatians can lose at the final on Monday.” – Marin Cilic, responding to Ivanisevic, his coach, telling him no Croatian player has ever lost a Grand Slam tournament final played on a Monday.

“I’m more surprised with (Marin) Cilic, to be honest, because he’s older. I think he is, anyway. He’s been around for longer but he’s really been able to make a nice transition in the last few years in his game. There is a significant difference in how he plays. Whereas with Kei I always thought unbelievable talent way back when I played with him for the first time when he was 17. Just wasn’t quite sure that in a best-of-five-set tournament if he could get all the way to the back end of the tournament. But he’s beaten myself twice already, other top guys before. He was destroying Rafa in the finals of Madrid. He’s shown what he can do, and that’s why with Kei I’m not surprised, really.” – Roger Federer, on the surprising US Open men’s singles finalists.

“You’re making it sound like I went through, I don’t know, that I almost died and there was 10 sharks and I got attacked and I survived. And I saved a dolphin, as well. It’s not that complicated, really. You know, what I enjoy is to play tennis.” – Victoria Azarenka, saying she is tired of being asked questions about her recent injuries.

SURPRISE

Playing some of the best tennis of her career, Mirjana Lucic-Baroni upset Venus Williams to win her first WTA title in 16 years and four months. That’s the longest gap in WTA history between titles. Before her surprising run in Québec City, Lucic-Baroni fashioned a sensational run to the fourth round at the US Open, including a victory over second-ranked Simona Halep. She did not drop a set as she reached her first WTA semifinal since Wimbledon in 1999. It was her first final since Bol, Croatia, in 1998. “I’m so happy I can’t really find the words right now to explain how happy I am,” Lucic-Baroni said. “I played such a great match today against one of the best players in the world, such a champion. It’s been so long. I’m finally playing the great tennis I always knew I could play, but it had been so long that I kind of lost a little bit of the belief in myself.” Williams began the match by winning three of the first three games. But Lucic-Baroni then won 11 of the next 15 games to capture the crown. “Now, after starting with my new coach, Julian Alonso, winning matches and really getting that belief back, I’m just so ready to keep going,” Lucic-Baroni said.

Lucic-Baroni’s day got even better. After winning the singles, she teamed with Lucie Hradecka to capture the doubles, beating Julia Goerges and Andrea Hlavackova 6-3 7-6 (8). It was Lucic-Baroni’s first WTA doubles title since the Pan Pacific in Tokyo, Japan in 1998 – a gap of 16 years and seven months.

SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD

There’s something about Monday finals at Grand Slam tournaments and Croatian men. Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon on a Monday in 2001. Marin Cilic became the second Croat – behind Ivanisevic – to win a major when he captured the US Open on a Monday, stopping Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-3 6-3. Cilic’s coach? Ivanisevic. “There has been a lot of hard work in these last few years and especially this last year,” said Cilic, who missed the US Open last year while serving a controversial doping ban. “I think my team has brought something special to me, especially Goran.” Seeded 14^th in this year’s final major, Cilic is the lowest-ranked champion since Pete Sampras won in 2002 while ranked 17^th in the world. Not only was it the first Grand Slam tournament final for either Cilic or Nishikori, it was the first major title match not to feature either Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal since the 2005 Australian Open. Nadal was injured and didn’t play this year’s US Open. Nishikori beat Djokovic and Cilic beat Federer in the semifinals. Cilic wasn’t surprised at who reached the title match. “I feel that for all the other players that are working hard, I think this is a big sign that if you’re working hard things are going to pay off,” the champion said.

STANDING TALL

When Kei Nishikori returned to Japan after losing in the US Open final, more than 200 fans were there to welcome the first Asian man to reach a Grand Slam tournament title match. “It was obviously hugely frustrating to lose the final,” Nishikori said. “But in terms of my tennis career I’ve taken a very important step. It feels like I’ve moved a little bit closer to realizing my dream of becoming the world number one.” With his run to the final in the year’s final major, Nishikori is not ranked sixth in the world. “This is the most amazing welcome I’ve ever had,” he said. “To have so many well-wishers come out like this is really gratifying and really underlines the scale of what I did. It doesn’t guarantee I will win a Grand Slam – and it’s too late this year now of course – but I’ll train hard to get there.” On his way to the title match, Nishikori posted victories over three players ranked in the Top 10 in the world – Milos Raonic, Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka and top-ranked Novak Djokovic. “Getting through those tough matches and beating three players in the top 10 is the stuff I can draw confidence from,” he said. “It’s important I gained the confidence that I could deal with the physical demands and still play my style of tennis. The goal now will be for me to win a major next year for sure.”

SAYING SAYONARA

Doubles specialist Ross Hutchins has retired from tennis at the age of 29. The native of Great Britain returned to the sport in January after recovering from Hodgkin Lymphoma. “After much deliberation I feel it is the right time for me to stop playing professional sport and pursue new goals as I enter the next phase of my career,” Hutchins said. “I feel strong and healthy and I look forward to moving on to the next chapter of my life.” He won five ATP World Tour doubles titles in his career – the last with Colin Fleming at Eastbourne in 2012 – and reached the US Open mixed doubles semifinals this month with partner Chan Yung-Jan of Chinese-Taipei. “Tennis has enabled me to do something which I love every day, to travel the world and along the way form some incredible friendships,” Hutchins said.

SECOND TO QUALIFY

Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic are the second doubles team to have clinched a spot in the 2014 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, to be held in London, Great Britain, Nov. 9-16. The Canadian-Serbian tandem will be seeking their third season finale trophy, having won in both 2008 when the event was held in Shanghai, China, and in London in 2010. The two ended their doubles partnership after the 2010 season, but reunited at the start of this year. American twins Bob and Mike Bryan were the first to qualify for the season-ending event. Six doubles spots remain up for grabs at the 2014 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

SABINE SUCCESSFUL

After falling behind 1-5 in the opening set, Sabine Lisicki rallied to win seven straight games and beat Karolina Pliskova in straight sets to win the Hong Kong Open. It was the German’s fourth WTA title, but her first in more than three years. “After being in three finals last year and losing them closely, this is a big step forward for me,” Lisicki said. “I’ve won titles in doubles, but obviously the main goal is to play well in singles and get these trophies.” The champion was a last-minute entry into the Hong Kong Open, grabbing a wild card berth after China’s Peng Shuai and Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard pulled out of the tournament. “Coming here was a spontaneous decision – we literally decided three or four days before the tournament – and I felt very well all week in Hong Kong.” Not that she overwhelmed the field. Lisicki rallied from 6-3 4-2 down to beat Monica Niculescu in the first round and rallied from a break down in the third set against Francesca Schiavone in the semifinals. But her poor start in the final provided her biggest escape of all. She finished by winning 12 of the final 15 games.

Pliskova did come away with a title, however. She teamed with her twin Kristyna to capture the doubles, defeating Patricia Mayr-Achleitner and Arina Rodionova 6-2 2-6 12-10 (match tiebreak). The Pliskovas are the only twins in the history of women’s tennis to win a WTA doubles title together – and now they have three, Linz, Austria, last year and Bad Gastein, Austria, and Hong Kong this year.

SWEET VICTORY

Six years ago Karin Knapp underwent heart surgery and feared her tennis career was over. Now the Italian is a WTA champion, winning the Tashkent Open with a 6-2 7-6 (4) victory over Serbia’s Bojana Jovanovski. “I can’t say how happy I am right now,” the 27-year-old Knapp said. Knapp was ranked 35^th in the world in 2008 when she had surgery for a longstanding heart condition. Later, knee injuries and other problems caused her ranking to plummet to 616. Last year she got back into the Top 40. And now she has the first WTA title of her career. She did it by not dropping a set all week, although she needed 65 minutes to win the second set in the title match. “I was up 4-2 in the second set and I was feeling a little stressed after she got back to 4-all,” Knapp said. “But I decided to stay mentally tough and keep going for my strokes, and it worked.”

SEETHING

Tournament organizers of the Moselle Open are seething over Stan Wawrinka’s withdrawal from this week’s event. The 29-year-old Australian Open champion was to be the top seed. Instead, he pulled out of the event, citing tiredness. “The tournament directors did not welcome the news at all of the withdrawal of Stan Wawrinka,” the organizers said in a statement. “He notified us simply by email that he would not be competing as he is fatigued. The directors are extremely disappointed and angry. They won’t take this lying down.” Wawrinka’s image was liberally used in advance publicity for the tournament after he agreed right after he won the year’s first Grand Slam tournament to play in the Metz, France, event.

SPECIAL AWARD

Two former Grand Slam tournament champions – Lleyton Hewitt of Australia and Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil – are among the latest group of players to be presented with the Davis Cup Commitment Award. The award was conceived as part of the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) 2013 Centenary celebrations and is presented to Davis Cup players who have shown long-standing dedication to representing their country in the prestigious international team competition. Each award recipient will have competed in a minimum of 20 home-and-away ties or 50 ties at any level of the competition during their career. The latest presentations were made during Davis Cup ties last weekend. Besides Hewitt and Kuerten, others honored were Carlos Kirmayr, Luiz Mattar, Cassio Motta and Jaime Oncins, all of Brazil; Frank Dancevic, Canada; Ti Chen, Chinese Taipei; Pierre Darmon, France; Rohan Bopanna, India; Victor Hanescu, Romania; Andrei Chesnokov and Andrei Olhovskiy, Russia; Sanchai Ratiwatana, Sonchat Ratiwatana an Danai Udomchoke, Thailand; and Sergiy Stakhovsky, Ukraine. A total of 320 players have already qualified to receive the award.

SINGLES AND DOUBLES

Despite retiring with cramps and heatstroke in her US Open semifinal singles match, China’s Peng Shuai says she still plans on playing doubles as well as singles in future tournaments. But she did admit that she needs to improve her fitness. “What I learned at the US Open was that in future I have to take care of my body,” Peng said. She has won two Grand Slam tournament doubles titles, Wimbledon in 2013 and Roland Garros this year. But this year’s US Open was her best showing in singles in a major. She is ranked 21^st in the world in singles, and had previously become the first Asian ever to be ranked number one in the world in doubles. “You know I was asked after the French Open if I’m just a doubles player, but I’m still really focused on both,” Peng said. “I’ll definitely play both next year.”

STILL SIDELINED

Juan Martin del Potro still isn’t ready to return to the ATP World Tour. The 25-year-old Argentine is still sidelined after undergoing wrist surgery in March. He says he will miss tournaments in China, Japan and Malaysia over the next two months. The 2009 US Open champion has played just four matches at two tournaments since losing in the second round at the Australian Open in January. “I would like to take this opportunity to tell you, my fans, that although the recovery of the wrist is progressing very well, I need a little more time to reach the competitive level necessary to compete week after week,” del Potro said on his Facebook page. “I worked hard to be ready to make my comeback in Asia, where I had great results last year, but unfortunately it was not possible. I’m going to miss my fans in Malaysia, Tokyo and Shanghai who always gave me tremendous support. I will keep working hard on my recovery to play the European season at the end of the year.”

SIGNED

Eugenie Bouchard will play in the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, in January. The 20-year-old will partner Vasek Pospisil for the Canadian team in the January 4-10 event. “I had a great time this year and I think it’s a great event to kind of transition from the off-season to competitive playing,” Bouchard said of the mixed teams event. Bouchard reached the semifinals at the Australian Open and Roland Garros before gaining a spot in the final at Wimbledon this year. Others who have already have announced they are playing the Hopman Cup include Great Britain’s Andy Murray and Australia’s Nick Kyrgios. The round-robin event will include teams from Australia, Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, United States, France, Great Britain and Canada.

SELECTED

American Todd Martin is the new CEO of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. The former top-five player has been serving as CEO-designate since April of this year. Martin succeeds Mark Stenning, who had been with the Hall of Fame for 35 years, serving as CEO since September 2000. Unanimously elected to the position at the Hall of Fame’s annual meeting, Martin also is a member of the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) Board of Directors. In addition to serving as CEO, Martin will be the tournament director of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.

Ten new individuals were elected at the annual meeting to serve on the Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors. They are: Chris Combe, Phil de Picciotto, Russ Fradin, Anthony Godsick, Anne Hamilton, Hall of Famer Peachy Kellmeyer, Hall of Famer Monica Seles, Lee Styslinger, Kristian Tear and Todd Martin.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Hong Kong: Karolina Pliskova and Kristyna Pliskova beat Patricia Mayr-Achleitner and Arina Rodionova 6-2 2-6 12-10 (match tiebreak)

Québec City: Mirjana Lucic-Baroni and Lucie Hradecka beat Julia Goerges and Andrea Hlavackova 6-3 7-6 (8)

Tashkent: Aleksandra Krunic and Katerina Siniakova beat Margarita Gasparyan and Alexandra Panova 6-2 6-1

SURFING

Guangzhou: www.guangzhouopen.org/

Moselle: www.moselle-open.com/

Metz: www.moselle-open.com/

Tokyo: www.toray-ppo.com/

Seoul: http://html.gethompy.com/servicestop.html?id=izec9050

Kuala Lumpur: www.malaysianopentennis.com/2014/

Shenzhen: www.shenzhenopen.com/

Wuhan: www.wuhanopen.org/

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

MEN

$531,123 Moselle Open, Metz, France, hard

$137,895 Izmir Challenger, Izmir, Turkey, hard

WOMEN

$876,900 Toray Pan Pacific Open, Tokyo, Japan, hard

$426,750 Guangzhou International Women’s Open 2014, Guangzhou, China, hard

$426,750 Kia Korea Open 2014, Seoul, South Korea, hard

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$910,520 Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, hard

$590,230 Shenzhen Open, Shenzhen, China, hard

$137,895 Open d/Orléans, Orléans, France, hard

WOMEN

$2,139,320 Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, Wuhan, China, hard

Shockers Shred Women’s Draw, Swiss Men at Roland Garros – Mondays with Bob Greene

June 1, 2014 by Admin

Mondays with Bob Greene

STARS

(French Open – First Week)

Garbiñe Muguruza beat top-seeded Serena Williams 6-2 6-2

Kristina Mladenovic beat second-seeded Li Na 7-5 3-6 61

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez beat third-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4 5-7 6-2 6-0

Ajla Tomljanovic beat third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 6-4

Ernests Gulbis beat fourth-seeded Roger Federer 6-7 (5) 7-6 (3) 6-2 4-6 6-3

Svetlana Kuznetsova beat fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova 6-7 (3) 6-1 9-7

Eugenie Bouchard beat eighth-seeded Angelique Kerber 6-1 6-2

Martin Klizan beat ninth-seeded Kei Nishikori 7-6 (4) 6-1 6-2

Samantha Stosur beat ninth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova 6-4 6-4

SAYING

“I’m going to go home and work five times as hard to make sure I never lose again.” – Serena Williams, after losing to Garbiñe Muguruza.

“I just couldn’t kind of figure it out.” – Roger Federer, after losing to Ernests Gulbis.

“I think it was the biggest, probably, win of my career.” – Ernests Gulbis.

“I was trying to find my game, trying to find to be aggressive, trying to find anything – and I didn’t. – Stanislas Wawrinka, the Australian Open champion after losing his first-round Roland Garros match.

“Always wanted to play him on clay and see how good he is. He showed me a lesson today.” – Robby Ginepri, after losing to Rafael Nadal 6-0 6-3 6-0.

“I think that tennis is a sport where we should be able to think. This is really truly what I think. It’s physical, it’s mental, there are strategies. Otherwise, you know, it’s just about keeping an eye on the clock.” – Rafael Nadal, complaining that chair umpire Pascal Maria is a stickler for a rule that limits players to 25 seconds before they must serve.

“That’s a surprise for everyone,” – Simona Halep, after it was mentioned that at number four she is the highest seeded player remaining in the women’s singles.

“The performance was great from the start till the end. I came with the exact level of intensity that I was looking for before the start of the match.” – Novak Djokovic, after his easy 6-1 6-4 6-1 fourth-round victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“I really believe in my skills. I believe I can play with the best girls out there.” – Eugenie Bouchard, an 18-year-old Canadian who was still in the running for the Roland Garros women’s singles title when the second week started.

“I’m so happy to be back in the quarterfinals. It’s such a special tournament for me. It’s a big step, but when you get there it will get more difficult. Hopefully I will raise my level.” – Maria Sharapova, after beating Samantha Stosur in a fourth-round match.

“Mentally I have already switched to the grass, to be quite honest. For me, it’s like, ‘OK, clay-court season was fun, but we are moving on.’” – Roger Federer.

“I’ve had ups and downs (since the Australian Open). That’s why I’m saying I am not at the level of (Novak) Djokovic, (Rafael) Nadal, (Roger) Federer, because they have been around for many years and they win everything. I know I’ll have the level. I could defeat them, but it’s different. I need to put the puzzle back together, find solutions, because the pressure is different.” – Stanislas Wawrinka.

“You care. I don’t care. I don’t have to write. … So write whatever you want, whatever you feel. Because for me, the only thing that matters to me is I won today.” – Rafael Nadal, when asked after his first-round match if he or Novak Djokovic was the man to beat at Roland Garros this year.

“After eight times that he has won here, I think he deserves that role.” – Novak Djokovic, when asked if Rafael Nadal was the favorite to win Roland Garros.

“It doesn’t go week by week. I don’t know who’s talking all the time, but Rafa is the favorite, and then Novak, and then the rest. It’s very clear.” – Roger Federer, when asked who should be the favorite to win the men’s singles at Roland Garros.

“You know, my playing memories end at Wimbledon. My last point was the ace on match point. The rest of the hard drive is erased.” – Marion Bartoli, who played three more matches after winning Wimbledon last year and before retiring from tennis.

SCENE OF THE FUTURE?

The face of women’s tennis changed dramatically on the Parisian red clay of Roland Garros. In a week like no other in Grand Slam tournament history, four of the top five women in the world rankings were sent off to prepare for their grass-court campaigns, having been ousted from the year’s second major event. Gone were top-ranked Serena Williams, number two Li Na, number three Agnieszka Radwanska and number five Petra Kvitova. Also eliminated before the second Monday of the two-week tournament were eighth-seeded Angelique Kerber and ninth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova.

The first three rounds included the ousters of former French Open champions Serena Williams (2013 and 2002), Li Na (2011), Francesca Schiavone (2009) and Ana Ivanovic (2008), as well as former world number ones Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki.

The new faces going into the second week include 18-year-old Eugenie Bouchard of Canada, 20-year-old Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain, 21-year-old Sloan Stephens of the United States and 22-year-old Simona Halep of Romania. The veterans are led by Maria Sharapova, who won Roland Garros two years ago, former number one Jelena Jankovic and 2009 French Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova. But only one will be standing when the red dust settles on Saturday.

The men’s seeds were also thinned in the first eight days of play, just not nearly as much as the women. But missing are Switzerland top two players – Australian Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka, who was seeded third at Roland Garros this year, and 17-time major winner Roger Federer. Also gone was ninth-seeded Ken Nishikori of Japan, who played in Paris despite an injured hip.

With the losses of Wawrinka and Li Na, it was the first time in history that both the men’s and women’s Grand Slam singles championships lost in the first round of the next major. And it was the first time since tennis turned professional in 1968 that the top three seeds in the women’s draw have failed to qualify for the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament.

SERENA VS. VENUS KAYOED

This year’s draw could have resulted in the Williams sisters meeting each other in the third round, bringing back memories. In 2002, the two met in the final at Roland Garros, with Serena winding up with the bigger trophy. This year, however, neither reached the third round. “I felt like this was a match that I was most likely going to win,” Venus said. “I’m sure – I don’t know how Serena felt, but I’m sure she feels like that every time she goes on the court. So I think our expectation was to play in the next round.” Instead, it was their conquerors – Garbiñe Muguruza beat Serena, 19-year-old Anna Schmiedlova of Slovakia ousted Venus – who met in the third round with Muguruza winning 6-2 6-4. “I think she played really well and she played really smart,” Serena said of Muguruza. Asked about her 2014 campaign so far, Serena said: “My first few months I don’t think have been great at all. I haven’t gotten past the fourth round of a Grand Slam this year. I have a couple words to describe it, but I think that would be really inappropriate so I’m going to leave it at that.”

STREAK ENDS

One by one, Roger Federer’s incredible records are coming to an end. His streak of nine consecutive quarterfinals at the French Open was ended by Ernests Gulbis of Latvia, who pounded out a 6-7 (5) 7-6 (3) 6-2 4-6 6-3 victory over the fourth-seeded Swiss. It was Federer’s earliest exit from Roland Garros since he was beaten in the third round by Gustavo Kuerten in 2004. Since then, Federer had reached the quarterfinals in a record 36 consecutive major tournaments, a streak that ended at Wimbledon last year when he was ousted in the second round. The Swiss master also has Grand Slam tournament streaks of 10 consecutive finals and 23 straight semifinals. Even Gulbis was humbled by his victory over the 32-year-old Federer. “I’m sorry I had to win,” Gulbis told the crowd following the match. “I know all of you like Roger.”

SAY BYE-BYE

With the top two players, Serena Williams and Li Na, sitting on the sidelines, the road to the Roland Garros women’s singles title appeared to be wide open for the tournament’s number three seed, Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. But those earlier upsets proved to be the boost the 21-year-old Ajla Tomljanovic of Croatia needed. “After seeing the two first seeds go out, you kind of feel you can do this too,” Tomljanovic said after knocking off Radwanska 6-4 6-4. “I grew up with these girls who are beating them. I went into the stadium for the first time, and she (Radwanska) kind of feels like home there, because she’s been there a lot more than I have. I went out there and inside I really thought I could win. I think that showed and it is why I won.”

STUMBLE BY STAN

He is the reigning Australian Open champion, a player who has posted victories over the top two players in the world this year. But the brilliant playmaking that has taken Stanislas Wawrinka to number three in the world was missing when he took to the court for his first-round match at Roland Garros. Two hours and 23 minutes later, Wawrinka had fallen to unheralded Spaniard Guillermo Garcia Lopez 6-4 5-7 6-2 6-0. Wawrinka became the highest seeded man to lose in the opening round at Roland Garros since third-seeded Andy Roddick lost to Igor Andreev in 2007. He also was the first Australian Open champion to lose in the first round of the subsequent Roland Garros since Petr Korda in 1998. Before the year’s second Grand Slam tournament began its two-week run, Wawrinka had been tabbed as possibly the first man to win the Australian Open and French Open back-to-back since Jim Courier in 1992. Instead, it was Wawrinka who self-destructed, making 62 unforced errors to just 28 for his opponent. “Now it’s a different picture for my career,” Wawrinka said. “I need to put the puzzle back together, but differently than in the past, because now, after winning a Grand Slam, a Masters 1000, being number 3 in the world, everything is different, and I still didn’t find all the pieces.”

SEESAW RESULTS

Li Na has a somewhat strange relationship with Roland Garros. It seems to be all or nothing. The Chinese star showed almost no clay-court prowess until she won the French Open in 2011, her first Grand Slam tournament title. Since then, however, she’s been backsliding in the only major tournament played on clay. She was ousted in the fourth round in 2012 when she was attempting to defend her title, then was upset in the second round last year. This year, Li Na was ousted in the first round by Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic 7-5 3-6 6-1. “I think doesn’t matter who plays today against me, I always lose the match today, because I don’t think she was put a lot of pressure from me,” Li said. “I think today just I gave it away for the match.” It was a career-best victory for the 21-year-old Mladenovic, whose ground strokes were consistently deep, keeping her opponent pinned behind the baseline. “I just tried to believe in myself and working really hard every day just to achieve and believe where she is and try one day to be up there,” Mladenovic said. “I had to be really calm and take my chances and being mentally strong … it was such a nice feeling to have such a big win here in front of my crowd.”

STANDING TOGETHER

The upsets weren’t limited to the singles draw in the first week at Roland Garros. French wildcards Julie Coin and Pauline Parmentier knocked off the defending women’s doubles champions Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina 6-3 5-7 6-3. In their two previous French Opens, Parmentier and Coin had never gone beyond the second round. Their win over the third-seeded team of Makarova and Vesnina put the French pair into the third round.

SINGLES FINALE

Michaël Llodra’s singles career ended at Roland Garros. The Frenchman lost to Spain’s Fernando Verdasco 6-2 7-6 (4) 7-6 (3). The 34-year-old reached the doubles final on the red clay at Paris a year ago with countryman Nicolas Mahut, and is still in this year’s doubles draw. He’s also playing mixed doubles at Roland Garros. But Mahut has announced that this will be his final year on the ATP World Tour, singles or doubles. “It’s not like I’m stopping after Roland Garros,” Llodra said. “I decided to play until the end of the year, so I didn’t think I’d feel a lot in terms of my emotions. But then people saw my emotion on the court, I probably am one of the most Parisian of all the French; I was here when I was five years old. At the beginning, of course, probably not to come and watch tennis, but to make paper airplanes on center court. And then I started as a junior, and then my first senior match. Then an incredible number of matches where it turned around and the tremendous pleasure shared with the crowd and the family.” His first main-draw match at Roland Garros was in 1999 against two-time champion Sergi Bruguera of Spain.

STRANGE FLAG

When Victor Estrella Burgos took to the court in his first-round match at Roland Garros, he became the first player from the Dominican Republic in more than a half-center to compete in a Grand Slam tennis tournament – and only the second to do so. The only other Dominican to compete in the main draw of a major was Manuel Morales, who lost in the first round of the 1956 French Open. “This day, I’ll remember. I’m never going to forget,” Estrella Burgos said of this year’s tournament. “When I get into the court I almost want to cry for the first time. There are so many people from the Dominican who come to see me.” In March, Estrella Burgos, who plays mostly on the lower-level Challenger tour, became the first Dominican to break into the top 100 of the ATP rankings. He turned pro in 2002, then stopped playing to work as a coach. After resuming his career, he considered retiring after injuring his right elbow two years ago. His first Grand Slam tournament appearance ended in a 6-1 6-4 6-7 (6) 6-4 loss to Jerzy Janowicz of Poland.

SURFACE SWITCH

Stanislas Wawrinka wants to atone for his surprising loss on the red clay of Roland Garros. But he’s seeking his atonement on the grass courts of The Queen’s Club in London. After his brief stint in Paris, Wawrinka accepted a wild-card entry into the Aegon Championships, a grass-court warm-up event for Wimbledon. The Australian Open champion, Wawrinka joins a field in the London tournament that includes Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, Tomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Grigor Dimitrov and four-time winner Lleyton Hewitt. “I love London,” Wawrinka said. “I love the atmosphere, it is an important tournament with a lot of history, and playing at The Queen’s club gives me the best possible chance to become comfortable on grass.”

SHARING A SEAT

Like all tennis professionals, when he’s on the court during a match Novak Djokovic is unrelenting in trying to beat his opponent. But when rain suspended play in his match against Joao Sousa, Djokovic sat down while a ball boy stood over him with an umbrella. Djokovic had the young man join him on the bench, then held the umbrella over them both while the young man held the Serb’s racquet. When play resumed, the two shook hands and Djokovic went to the baseline while his most recent companion returned to ball boy duties.

SICK BAY

Kei Nishikori probably shouldn’t have even tried to play Roland Garros this season. After all, he had suffered a hip injury in the Madrid Open final two weeks ago. He underwent treatment in Florida before flying back to Europe for the year’s second Grand Slam tournament. His movement was visibly hampered in his 7-6 (4) 6-1 6-2 first-round loss to Slovak Martin Klizan. “I’m actually happy to finish the match,” Nishikori said. “I was really disappointed that my performance was – I mean, not very bad, but it wasn’t a perfect match for me today. And I didn’t have much practice. So I knew this is going to be happen.” The first Japanese man to be ranked in the top 10 in the world, Nishikori had appeared to be a strong challenger for this year’s Roland Garros title. After all, he won his first clay-court title last month, the Barcelona Open, and reached the Madrid Open final by defeating David Ferrer in the semifinals. In the title match he led Rafael Nadal by a set and a break, 6-2 4-2, before retiring with the injury. It wasn’t the first time injuries have derailed Nishikori’s career. He had right elbow surgery in 2009 and an abdominal injury forced him to skip Roland Garros in 2012. “It’s tough for me, but I guess this is my tennis life, you know,” he said. “I have to take care of my body and injury will come again, for sure. So I have to mentally be ready. I have to do whatever I can do to get healthy.”

SOLACE, PERHAPS?

Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki found a way to forget about their quick exits from the French Open. The two players – Williams the current number one and Wozniacki a former number one – flew from Paris to Miami, Florida, USA, where they attended Game 6 of the National Basketball Association’s Eastern Conference playoffs. The Miami Heat beat the Indiana Pacers 117-92 to return to the NBA Finals for the fourth consecutive year. After the game, Wozniacki posted a photo of her and Williams posing with the Heat’s Greg Oden.

SURFING

Paris: www.rolandgarros.com

Prostejov: www.czech-open.cz

Marseille: www.tennisclubmarseille.fr

Halle: www.gerryweber-open.de

London: www.lta.org.uk

Birmingham: http://www.lta.org.uk/

Caltanissetta: www.atpcaltanissetta.com/

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

MEN

Roland Garros, Paris, France, clay (second week)

$145,242 UniCredit Czech Open, Prostejov, Czech Republic, clay

WOMEN

Roland Garros, Paris, France, clay (second week)

$100,000 Open Féminin de Marseille, Marseille, France, clay

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$968,182 Gerry Weber Open, Halle, Germany, grass

$968,182 Aegon Championships, London, Great Britain, grass

$145,021 Caltanissetta, Italy, clay

WOMEN

$644,900 Aegon Classic, Birmingham, Great Britain, grass

Stan Wawrinka Beats Roger Federer In All-Swiss Final at Monte-Carlo: Mondays with Bob Greene

April 20, 2014 by Admin

Mondays with Bob Greene

STARS

Stanislas Wawrinka beat Roger Federer 4-6 7-6 (5) 6-2 to win the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters in Monte-Carlo, Monaco

Donna Vekic beat Dominika Cibulkova 5-7 7-5 7-6 (4) to win the BMW Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Nick Kyrgios beat Filip Krajinovic 7-6 (10) 6-4 to win the Sarasota Open in Sarasota, Florida, USA

FED CUP

World Group

(Semifinals)

Czech Republic beat Italy 4-0 at Ostrava, Czech Republic

Germany beat Australia 3-1 at Brisbane, Australia

World Group Playoffs

Russia beat Argentina 4-0 at Sochi, Russia

Canada beat Slovak Republic 3-1 at Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

France beat United States 3-2 at St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Poland beat Spain 3-2 at Barcelona, Spain

World Group II Playoffs

Romania beat Serbia 4-1 at Bucharest, Romania

Netherlands beat Japan 3-2 at ’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands

Sweden beat Thailand 4-0 at Lidkoping, Sweden

Switzerland beat Brazil 4-1 at Catanduva, Brazil

SAYING

“I can see that when mentally I’m there and I’m fighting, I can play tennis, I can beat all the players. I did an amazing job.” – Stanislas Wawrinka, after beating Roger Federer in the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters.

“Of course, I’m very happy for Stan. It’s a huge win for him after winning his first Grand Slam this year, also to win his first Masters 1000. To take the opportunities when they’re there, that’s key in a tennis player’s career. So I’m very happy for him.” – Roger Federer, following his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in Monte-Carlo.

“It’s always special to play Roger. We know it’s always a strange match, especially being in the final here. He’s my best friend on the tour. We respect each other so much. I’m just trying on the court to win the match. Before and after, we are still very good friends. During the match, we just try everything to win. Today I’m really happy to take that one.” – Stanislas Wawrinka.

“I have had to wait 10 years to beat him on clay. It was a long wait but I am pleased with the win and the way I played.” – David Ferrer, after beating Rafael Nadal on the clay in Monte-Carlo.

“I didn’t play the right way. I didn’t play with the right intensity with my forehand. I played too short. I gave him the chance to have the control of the point almost all the time.” – Rafael Nadal.

“I just rest now. I cannot play tennis for some time. How long, I don’t know. It’s really not in my hands anymore. I’m going to rest and see when it can heal 100 percent, then I will be back on the court.” – Novak Djokovic,

“Rafa’s not a machine. Sometimes he can play not so good. Maybe today he didn’t play his best tennis, and I played very good.” – David Ferrer.

“I was frustrated, let’s be honest. I did chuck a ball out of the stadium, I did scream sometimes. I was aggravated to a degree, but not to the extent where I totally lost it.” – Roger Federer, after hitting a ball out of the stadium in frustration during his match with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“It’s amazing to hit triple digits. It’s a great milestone to say that you have a hundred, to be the first player to hit a hundred titles. Kind of snuck up on us pretty quick. Last few years we’ve been really hot. We always wanted to beat the Woodies’ record of 61. Then trying to clip Todd Woodbridge’s 83 titles. All of a sudden I’m at 99. It will feel a lot better when we do it as a team. We’ve always looked at our career as team titles, doing it together. That’s the huge goal for this year, to do it together.” – Mike Bryan, who won his 100 career doubles title and teamed with his twin brother Bob to capture their 98^th crown.

“I think of myself as two different people. There’s the Serena Williams that everyone knows: She’s crazy. She can’t make a mistake. And she’s angry and just not nice, to be honest. I’m only that person for three hours a day, when I’m on the court. The rest of the time I’m just Serena. I’m the class clown.” – Serena Williams, in comments she told Fitness Magazine.

SWISS SWITCH

Stanislas Wawrinka has shown that being ahead of Roger Federer in the ATP Tour Rankings is no fluke. The “other Swiss” beat Federer for only the second time in their careers to capture his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. “When I came here, for me it was more like a test. I knew I was playing good tennis, but I didn’t expect to win because the draw was so strong,” Wawrinka said. Instead, the 29-year-old Wawrinka came on strong in the second half of the final to capture the Monte-Carlo crown to go along with the Australian Open title he won in January. “When you win a match like this, it’s only one or two points, especially in the tiebreak,” Wawrinka said. “But I think I did a great tiebreak. I was serving big and being really aggressive. Then I took the advantage at the beginning of the third set. I saw that he was a little bit tired. Me, I was playing better and better, especially moving better.” Federer, who has never won Monte-Carlo, agreed with Wawrinka. “I think it’s one of those finals that I could have won,” Federer said. “But Stan was tougher at the end. I think he deserved it just a little bit more.” It was the first all-Swiss final on the ATP World Tour in 14 years, and was the fourth time Federer had reached the final at Monte-Carlo and lost, the first three times to Rafael Nadal. “I would have loved to have won a second title (this season) because I’ve come close a few times,” Federer said. “That’s my next objective, that I get to the very end more frequently. But clearly I’m happy that the clay court season started so well for me.”

SIDELINED

Fresh off from winning two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events, Novak Djokovic’s season is on hold because of an injury to his right wrist. With his right arm heavily taped, the Serb was visibly hampered in his semifinal loss at the Monte Carlo Masters to Roger Federer. The injury severely hampered Djokovic’s serve and backhand. “I just rest now,” Djokovic said. “I cannot play tennis for some time. How long, I don’t know. It’s really not in my hands anymore.” Ranked second in the world, Djokovic said there was one positive thing about his injury. “The good thing is I don’t need to have a surgery,” he said. “I don’t have any rupture or something like that.” He had complained earlier in the week about the pain, but said he felt better after taking a day off from playing and training. But a long quarterfinal win over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez aggravated the injury. “Long match, long rallies, heavy balls, definitely did not help the state of my arm,” said Djokovic, who was seeking to win his fifth straight Masters title. “The pain was there every single day from 10 days ago. At some stages it was very painful.”

STRUGGLING

A back injury and defeat in the Australian Open final has cost Rafael Nadal his confidence. At least that’s what the world’s top-ranked player is saying. “I don’t have to lie to anybody,” Nadal said. “After what happened in Australia it was little bit harder for me to find again the intensity, the confidence, the inside power that I always have.” Although he won a clay court tournament in Rio de Janeiro after the Australian Open, Nadal fell in the third round of the Indian Wells Masters and lost the final of the Miami Masters. Then came the Monte-Carlo Masters where Nadal lost in the quarterfinals to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer. Asked if his back was still bothering him, Nadal said: “No, no, the back is not an excuse. The back is in good shape. The physical performance is fine. No problem about that.” The left-hander vowed: “I’m going to fight to try to find that solution soon.”

SUCCESS, FINALLY

It took 10 years, but David Ferrer has finally posted a win over fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal on clay. Ferrer’s 7-6 (1) 6-4 win snapped Nadal’s 30-match clay-court winning streak and came in the quarterfinals in Monte-Carlo. The last time Ferrer beat Nadal on clay was in their first ATP World Tour meeting in Stuttgart, Germany. “I have had to wait 10 years to beat him on clay,” Ferrer said. “It was a long wait but I am pleased with the win and the way I played. I spoke with my coach and we had a clear game plan. But with Rafa, it’s always tough because he doesn’t allow you to follow it. The good thing was I was able to deal with his attacks and stay strong physically for the whole match.” Nadal said he failed to stay with his own game plan. “I didn’t play the right way,” the world’s top-ranked player said. “I didn’t play with the right intensity with my forehand. I played too short. I gave him the chance to have the control of the point almost all the time.” Nadal has won Monte-Carlo eight straight years until he lost to Novak Djokovic in the final last year.

SIBLING POWER

The records keep falling for the Bryan brothers. Mike Bryan became the first player to win 100 tour-level doubles titles when he and twin Bob Bryan captured the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, defeating Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 6-3 3-6 10-8 (match tiebreak). It was the 98^th team title for the Americans. It was the fifth title in a row for the Bryans and extended their winning streak to 21 matches. The 35-year-olds have not lost since the Memphis, Tennessee, USA, final in February. The brothers’ goal now is to win 100 titles together. “I will feel a lot better when we do it as a team,” Mike Bryan said. “We’ve always looked at our career as team titles, doing it together. That’s the huge goal for this year, to do it together.” Brother Bob said their goal is to hit the century mark before Roland Garros. “We’ve got two tournaments or three coming up before the French,” Bob Bryan said. “It’s incredible to see what he’s done. I guess I’m knocking on the door. The Californian pair have now won the Monte-Carlo Masters four times and lead with 29 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles together.

STAR ARISING

Donna Vekic is out to prove she belongs with the best players on the WTA tour. The 17 year old from Croatia won her first WTA title – the BMW Malaysian Open – by posting her first win over a Top 10 player, Dominika Cibulkova. “I’m so happy – I don’t know what to say, I’m so, so happy,” Vekic said. She was runner-up in her first two WTA finals – at Tashkent in 2012 and Birmingham in 2013. And she was close to losing at Kuala Lumpur as she trailed Cibulkova 7-5 5-4. But Vekic reeled off seven straight games to take the second set and grab a 4-0 lead in the third. Cibulkova, herself a young player on the rise in the rankings, did not go down easily. She staved off three match points at 5-2 and eventually forced a tiebreak. When Vekic closed out the 5-7 7-5 7-6 (4) victory with a forehand winner, she finished the match by winning one more point than her Slovakian opponent, 122 to 121. Vekic also had 11 aces to just two for Cibulkova. At 17 years, 10 months and 23 days old, Vekic is the first player under 18 to win a WTA title since American Vania King captured Bangkok in 2006. “It was a very tough match,” Vekic said. “She played very well throughout the whole match. I was up 5-1 in the third set and she came back out playing insane. So I’m happy I was able to get through in the end.”

S’IL VOUS PLAIT

Not surprisingly, the French Open will pay out more this year than ever before. The men’s and women’s champions will each earn 1.65 million euros (USD $2,277,640), an increase of 150,000 euros (USD $207,059) from last year. Gilbert Ysern, tournament director at Roland Garros as well as French Tennis Federation director, said “this notable increase in Roland Garros prize money is part of the plan that was put in place for 2013 until 2017.” In all, total prize money for the clay court Grand Slam tournament increased by 3 million euros (USD $4.1 million) from last year. The biggest increases have come for those losing in the early rounds.

SKIPPING PARIS?

Being with his wife when she gives birth is Roger Federer’s top priority. Consequently the Swiss star could possibly miss this year’s French Open. The day before Christmas Federer announced he and his wife Mirka were expecting their third child, although they have not said when. The 32-year-old Federer says he still does not know the due date. “So we’re just waiting,” Federer said. “It’s a priority for me trying to be there, trying to support my wife. I’ve played enough tennis matches. Missing a tournament or missing a match wouldn’t change anything for me.”

SHORT PROBLEM

Normally when Rafael Nadal misses his first serve, he just reaches into his pocket for the second ball. At Monte-Carlo, however, he had to get the second ball from a ball person. That’s because of a problem the Spanish ace had with the pockets in his shorts. “The ball comes out of the bottom of them and gets in the way,” the world’s top-ranked player told Teledeporte. “We’ll try to sort it out for the next tournaments, but here it won’t be possible.” Pete Sampras always had just one ball at a time, as does Serena Williams. But Nadal, like many of today’s male players, grabs two balls and puts one in his pocket. “When you have been doing something the same way for so many years, when there is a change you have to think about it and it makes things a bit more difficult,” Nadal said. “But it’s better to do it that way than have the ball popping out of the bottom of your shorts, which is quite uncomfortable.”

SIDELINED

Great Britain’s top woman player, Laura Robson, has decided to undergo surgery on her left wrist, meaning she will miss both the French Open and Wimbledon. She was plagued by the left wrist problem throughout this year, playing just one match, and losing that to Kirsten Flipkens 6-3 6-0 in the first round of the Australian Open. She had retired because of the long-standing injury I her opening match against Yanina Wickmayer at a warm-up event in Hobart, Australia. Currently ranked 64^th in the world, Robson announced on her Facebook page that she will have the operation, which will be performed by the same Minnesota-based doctor who operated on the wrist of former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro. “I wanted to inform my lovely supporters that I have decided to have minor wrist surgery at the Mayo clinic with one of the best wrist doctors in the world, Dr. Richard Berger,” Robson wrote. “Dr. Berger is very confident that I will be able to return to the tennis court pain free before you even have time to miss me.” The 20-year-old Robson won the Wimbledon girls’ singles title in 2008 and reached a career-high of 27thin the rankings last year.

SEEKING A COACH

Andy Murray hopes to have a new coach by next month’s French Open. The 26-year-old Murray won the London Olympics singles gold, the US Open and Wimbledon with Ivan Lendl as his coach. But the two announced their split last month and Murray is seeking a replacement. “The plan is to think exactly what I need over the next week, two weeks,” Murray told BBC Sport. “There’s a lot of factors you need to look at and I would hope I would have someone in place by the French Open, but I don’t want to rush it. I don’t want to get someone just because they’ve won a lot of tournaments or were great players.”

SAID WHAT?

No one was more surprised than Donald Young when an umpire assessed him a warning for what he said in a first-round match at the Sarasota ATP Challenger tournament in Sarasota, Florida, USA. What Young muttered after putting a backhand into the net was “son of a biscuit.” After being given the warning for his comment, the former world junior number one told the umpire: “Come on Keith, don’t give me crap for that, man, I said ‘son of a biscuit.’ That’s a problem? That’s a problem now?” Despite the warning, Young won his first-round match, beating Alexander Zverev, a 16-year-old qualifier from Germany. He then beat Zverev’s brother, Mischa, in the next round before losing to Nick Kyrgios of Australia. Kyrgios went on to win the Sarasota tournament, stopping Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic 7-6 (10) 6-4 in the final.

SENT PACKING

The men’s tournament in St. Petersburg, Russia, is moving to Tel Aviv, Israel. The ATP Board of Directors, meeting in Monte-Carlo, approved the tournament’s move, and now needs only a final agreement of conditions between the tournament and the ATP World Tour. “After 19 memorable years in St. Petersburg, the time has come for us to take the tournament in a new direction,” said Ruslan Linkov, a tournament representative. “We are very excited about the opportunities that lie in Tel Aviv and look forward to hold a successful event in September.” The tournament will be held at the Israel Tennis Centre at Ramat HaSharon this September and will offer USD $1,000,000 in prize money. It will be the first ATP World Tour event held in Israel since 1996.

STALWARTS ALL

Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, Romania’s Simona Halep, Brazil’s Teliana Pereira and Uzbekistan’s Sabina Sharipova have been named the first four winners of the 2014 Fed Cup Heart Award. The four recipients were decided more than 60,000 fans casting ballots on FedCup.com and FedCup.com/es. The winners will receive a check to be donated to their chosen charity. It is Radwanska’s second career Heart Award for her performance in the World Group and World Group II first-round category. The other three were Zone Group I winners. The Fed Cup Heart Award recognizes players who have represented their country with distinction in Fed Cup competition.

STARTING YOUNG

The top eight ranked boys and girls on the 18-and-under International Tennis Federation Junior World Rankings at the end of the year will compete in the ITF Junior Masters, a new event that be held next April at the Sichuan International Tennis Centre in Chengdu, China. According to the ITF announcement, the competition will consist of two knock-out singles events, with each player guaranteed three matches to determine their final finishing position. The Sichuan International Tennis Centre, which was built in 2008, has already hosted a number of international events. The new competition will be played three match courts, including a 6,000-seat stadium court.

SPLIT ENDS, TOO?

When Danish star Caroline Wozniacki showed up to caddy for her fiancé Rory McIlroy at a par-3 hit and giggle event prior to The Masters, she had dyed her hair pink. By the final round other the golf major, Wozniacki’s hair was its normal blonde. But returning to her natural color may not have been easy. The tennis star posted on social media: “Does anyone know if semi-permanent hairy dye from the brand Manic Panic washes off completely after a little while?” Gold Digest writer Dan Jenkins wrote on social media: “High-level talk on Augusta National veranda: ‘Exactly what color is Caroline Wozniacki’s hair?’ I’m going with a blend of violet and stupid.”

SALUTED

The chairman and CEO of the WTA, Stacey Allaster, is the first person from the tennis industry to be given the Great Wall Friendship Award. The award, established by the Beijing Municipal Government, acknowledges global professionals and experts who have played instrumental roles in facilitating the development of China’s capital. “It is an honor to receive this award, and this is an accomplishment to be shared with the entire China Open team,” Allaster said. “Together we shared a vision to build the China Open into one of the world’s most exciting sports entertainment events in the world. With the success and growth of the China Open, the WTA will host 10 events in China in 2014 as women’s tennis continues to grow and develop within the region.” Since the Great Wall Friendship Award was first given in 1999, 176 honorees from 30 countries have been selected. Of those 176, only three have been from the sports industry: Allaster; Hein Vergruggen of the Netherlands, chairman of the International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games; and American basketball star Stephen Marbury, who now plays for the Beijing Ducks. Besides Allaster, 14 other foreign experts received the Great Wall Friendship Award.

SCHOOL TIME

Paul Annacone, an Australian Open doubles champion and coach of both Roger Federer and Pete Sampras; Judy Murray, mother of Andy Murray and Great Britain’s Fed Cup captain, and Patrick McEnroe, USTA Player Development general manager, will be among the keynote speakers at this year’s Tennis Teachers Conference, which will be held in New York City in conjunction with the US Open. The four-day conference, beginning August 22, will bring together the leading tennis teaching professionals and coaches to share best practices. The event offers educational resources, facilitating innovative teaching techniques and creating networking opportunities among the members of the various associations. The conference also will include a series of interactive on-court sessions and presentations.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Kuala Lumpur: Timea Babos and Chan Hao-Ching beat Chan Yung-Jan and Zheng Saisai 6-3 6-4

Monte-Carlo: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan beat Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 6-3 3-6 10-8 (match tiebreak)

Sarasota: Marin Draganja and Henri Kontinen beat Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo and Franko Skugor 7-5 5-7 10-6 (match tiebreak)

SURFING

Barcelona: www.barcelonaopenbancsabadell.com/

Bucharest: http://brd-nastase-tiriac-trophy.ro/2014/

Stuttgart: www.porsche-tennis.de

Marrakech: www.lallameryemtennis.com/

Ostrava: www.prosperitaopen.cz/

Munich: http://bmwopen.de/

Qeiras: www.portugalopen.pt/

Tunis: www.tct.org.tn/

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

MEN

$2,562,150 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain, clay

$592,239 BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy, Bucharest, Romania, clay

WOMEN

$644,900 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart, Germany, clay

$250,000 Grand Prix De SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, Marrakech, Morocco, clay

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$590,148 Portugal Open, Qeiras, Portugal, clay

$590,148 BMW Open by FWU AG, Munich, Germany, clay

$125,000 Tunis Open, Tunis, Tunisia, clay

$117,586 Prosperita Open 2014, Ostrava, Czech Republic, clay

WOMEN

$250,000 Portugal Open, Qeiras, Portugal, clay

Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka

Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka

By Bob Greene

STARS

Australian Open

Men’s singles: Stanislas Wawrinka beat Rafael Nadal 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3

Women’s singles: Li Na beat Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 (3) 6-0

Men’s doubles: Lukasz Kubot and Robert Lindstedt beat Eric Butorac and Raven Klaasen 6-3 6-3

Women’s doubles: Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci beat Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina 6-4 3-6 7-5

Mixed doubles: Kristina Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor beat Sania Mirza and Horia Tecau 6-3 6-2

Boys’ singles: Alexander Zverev beat Stefan Kozlov 6-3 6-0

Girls’ singles: Elizaveta Kulichkova beat Jana Fett 6-2 6-1

Boys’ doubles: Lucas Miedler and Bradley Mousley beat Quentin Halys and Johan Sebastien Tatlot 6-4 6-3

Girls’ doubles: Anhelina Kalinina and Elizaveta Kulichkova beat Katie Boulter and Ivana Jorovic 6-4 6-2

Men’s Wheelchair singles: Shingo Kunieda beat Gustavo Fernndez 6-0 6-1

Women’s Wheelchair singles: Sabine Ellerbrock beat Yui Kamiji 3-6 6-4 6-2

Men’s Wheelchair doubles: Stephane Houdet and Shingo Kunieda beat Gordon Reid and Maikel Scheffers 6-3 6-3

Women’s Wheelchair doubles: Yui Kamiji and Jordanne Whiley beat Marjolein Buis and Jiske Griffioen 6-3 6-7 (3) 6-2

Quad Wheelchair singles: David Wagner beat Lucas Sithole 3-6 7-5 6-3

Quad Wheelchair doubles: Andrew Lapthorne and David Wagner beat Dylan Alcott and Lucas Sithole 6-4 6-4

OTHERS:

Peter Gojowczyk beat Igor Sijsling 6-4 7-5 to win the Heilbronn Open in Talhelm, Germany

SAYING

“I still think that I’m dreaming. It’s a strange feeling. I’ve seen so many finals. I always try to watch the final of Grand Slams because that’s where the best players are playing. Before today for me, it wasn’t (even) a dream. I never expected to play a final. I never expected to win a Grand Slam. And right now I just did it.” – Stanislas Wawrinka, the 2014 Australian Open champion.

“Finally I got her. Last two times was very close.” – Li Na, holding the Daphne Akhurt Memorial Cup given to the Australian Open women’s singles winner.

“I’m so proud of you, and it’s only the beginning.” – Carlos Rodriguez, Li Na’s coach, to the Australian Open champion.

“It has been a very emotional two weeks – I’m sorry to finish this way. I tried very, very hard. This year was one of the more emotional tournaments in my career.” – Rafael Nadal, who injured his back during the men’s final.

“I was surprised how well I started the match. In the beginning he was good, he was fit, he wasn’t injured. And I was playing amazing tennis.” – Stanislas Wawrinka, after beating Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open men’s final.

“It was my first Grand Slam final and I’m just proud with the way I handled it. It wasn’t easy against her because she was playing extremely well. So I’m quite happy.” – Dominika Cibulkova, after losing to Li Na in the women’s title match.

“So thanks for him give up everything just traveling with me to be my hitting partner, fix the drinks, fix the racquet. So thanks a lot, you are a nice guy. Also you are so lucky, find me.” – Li Na, thanking her husband, Shan Jiang, during on-court ceremonies after she won the Australian Open singles title.

“He’s an amazing champion, he never gives up. I’m really, really, really, really, really, really happy.” – Stanislas Wawrinka, after upsetting defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.

“These are kind of matches that you work for, you live for, you practice for. Unfortunately somebody has to lose in the end. This year it was me. I lost to a better player.” – Novak Djokovic, following his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka.

“It’s not easy playing such a champion … but she is also just a human. I just went out there swinging.” – Ana Ivanovic, after upsetting top-ranked Serena Williams in a fourth-round match.

“I don’t want to blame anything. I feel like Ana deserves all the credit. I feel she played unbelievable today. I think she went for her shots. It’s not like I gave her the match.” – Serena Williams, when asked if a back injury was responsible for her upset loss to Ana Ivanovic.

“When we were starting the match and they were talking about all her Grand Slam titles, it was quite impressive. But I didn’t think much about the occasion and who I was playing, because it can get overwhelming.” – Ana Ivanovic, on her thoughts before her match against Serena Williams.

“It’s tough. I will be genuine about it. It’s never easy (but) it’s moments like this that ultimately shape you and make you who you are.” – Maria Sharapova, following her 3-6 6-4 6-1 fourth-round loss to Dominika Cibulkova

“I was so lucky.” – Rafael Nadal, after getting past Grigor Dimitrov in a quarterfinal, 3-6 7-6 (3) 7-6 (7), 6-2.

“I’m a bit shattered. It’s tough losing that match, my first (Grand Slam) quarterfinal. I came out expecting nothing less than to win.” – Grigor Dimitrov, after losing to top-ranked Rafael Nadal.

“It’s not the end of the world, but I’m not happy with what I did today.” – Victoria Azarenka, after losing in the quarterfinals to Agnieszka Radwanska.

“It’s frustrating. We like coming down here and starting the year hot. I don’t think we played terribly, just the margins are really small. We’re a front-running team and (if we won the tiebreak) we probably win that in straight sets. But all credit goes to those guys. They served tough.” – Mike Bryan, after he and brother Bob were upset in the third round by Eric Butorac and Raven Klaasen, 7-6 (9) 6-4.

“It’s been by one point and one break, that’s it.” – Tomas Berdych, following his semifinal loss in which Stanislas Wawrinka won 143 points and Berdych 142.

“She’s brave. She’s young. She has nothing to lose. I think she’s a very great player with a bright future.” – Ana Ivanovic, explaining her quarterfinal loss to 19-year-old Eugenie Bouchard of Canada.

“I wouldn’t say I exceeded my expectations, but I’m happy with how I did. I always want to do better. To me it’s not a surprise. I’ve been working hard my whole life to do this – play at Grand Slams and do well. It’s not an overnight thing.” – Eugenie Bouchard, after her semifinal loss to Li Na.

“I miss the game, but I don’t miss the stress of it. I feel like I walked away at the right time.” – Pete Sampras, a 14-time Grand Slam tournament singles winner who presented the trophy to the men’s champion.

STAN THE MAN

With his first Grand Slam tournament title, Stanislas Wawrinka proved he belongs. Wawrinka beat defending champion and second-ranked Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals and top-ranked Rafael Nadal in the final to capture the Australian Open men’s singles title and become Switzerland’s top player, jumping ahead of Roger Federer. “I never expected to win a Grand Slam,” Wawrinka said. “I never dreamed about that because for me, I was not good enough to beat those guys.” But the 28-year-old did beat everyone he faced Down Under and became the 36^th man in the Open Era to win his first major title in his maiden final. Playing an aggressive brand of tennis, Wawrinka took the opening set and was up a break when Nadal hurt his back. Despite that, however, Nadal won the third set before Wawrinka closed out the victory. “It was bad luck what happened to me today, but he really deserved it,” Nadal said of his conqueror. By winning his first major title in his 36^th Grand Slam appearance, Wawrinka is behind only Goran Ivanisevic in most Grand Slam appearances before winning. It also was the first time in his career that Wawrinka had recorded three consecutive wins over Top 10 players.

SUPER JOB

In her third trip to the final Down Under, China’s Li Na finally came away as the Australian Open women’s singles champion. The 31-year-old became the oldest woman to capture the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup as she won her second Grand Slam tournament title, her first coming at the French Open 2011. “At last I made it,” Li said. “Not like the last two times, always feeling one more step. But this time I did it, so I’m really so proud of myself.” Li lost in 2011 to Kim Clijsters and to Victoria Azarenka last year, both times after winning the first set. This time she struggled to a first-set tiebreak, where she jumped out to a 5-1 lead. But it was a relaxed Li who zoomed through the second set by pounding winners off both sides. Cibulkova beat four Top 20 players en route to the final, including former champion Maria Sharapova.

SOMETHING SPECIAL

In winning the Australian Open men’s title, Stanislas Wawrinka became the first man to defeat the top two seeds at a Grand Slam tournament since Sergi Bruguera did it at Roland Garros in 1993. It was also only the ninth time it has happened in the Open Era. In 1993, Bruguera beat Pete Sampras (ranked No. 1) and Jim Courier (No. 2). At the 1991 Wimbledon, Michael Stich beat Stefan Edberg (1) and Boris Becker (2). At 1990 Wimbledon, Edberg beat Ivan Lendl (1) and Becker (2). At Wimbledon in 1989, Becker beat Lendl (1) and Edberg (2). At Roland Garros in 1985 Mats Wilander beat John McEnroe (1) and Lendl (2). Wilander did the same thing at the 1983 Australian Open, beating McEnroe (2) and Lendl (1). On his way to the 1976 Australian Open title, Mark Edmondson beat Ken Rosewall (1) and John Newcombe (2), and Manuel Orantes captured the 1975 US Open with victories over Guillermo Vilas (2) and Jimmy Connors (1).

With his win, Wawrinka will rise to a career-high third in the world in the Emirates ATP Rankings and will usurp Roger Federer as Switzerland’s top player for the first time. Federer has slipped to eighth in the world after losing in the semifinals at Melbourne. Federer had held the top Swiss ranking since 2001.

Wawrinka is the first player outside the Top 4 to win the Australian Open since 18^th-ranked Thomas Johansson captured the year’s first Grand Slam tournament title in 2002, and he is the first player to win his maiden major title by defeating a World number one player since Juan Martin del Potro upset Federer in the 2009 US Open final.

SIGNED BUT PLAYING?

Serena Williams has entered the Indian Wells, California, tournament this year for the first time since 2001, when she vowed never to return. It was in 2001 when older sister Venus withdrew with an injury just 20 minutes before she was to play Serena in the semifinals. Serena went on to win the tournament as fans booed them. Serena recently said she was considering returning to Indian Wells after she watched a movie about the late South African president Nelson Mandela. Venus Williams is not on the list of entries released for the BNP Paribas Open, which will be played March 3-10. Other women who have entered include Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova, while leading the men’s entries are defending champion Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Roger Federer.

SWAT-MEISTER

Roger Federer is continuing to rewrite the record books. By reaching his 41^st Grand Slam quarterfinal, Federer has equaled a record set by Jimmy Connors. His 6-3 7-5 6-4 win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga put Federer into the Australian Open quarterfinals for the 11^th straight year. He ended up reaching the semifinals before losing to Rafael Nadal.

SURGE TO VICTORY

Just when it appeared they would not repeat as Australian Open winners, Italians Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci rallied to win the women’s doubles and retain their co-world number one ranking. Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina had beaten the Italian pair in their last two meetings. And in the doubles final, Makarova and Vesnina took a 5-2 lead in the decisive third set. “It was very strange, very difficult,” Errani said. “We went from 2-0 up in third set to 5-2 down in the third set, and we weren’t really playing very well at that time. But from there we knew we had to keep going and we were able to make it.” Errani and Vinci won the next five games to capture their 17^th doubles title as a team and their fourth Grand Slam tournament title together.

SET FOR PLAY

Five teams will be home to the inaugural International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), which is scheduled to begin this season. According to Mahesh Bhupathi, a doubles specialists from India and co-founder of the league, cities that will be host to the new league will be Bangkok, Singapore, Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur and a city in the Middle East. The players’ draft for the league will be held March 2 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The league will play November 28 through December 20. Australian Lleyton Hewitt, a former number one, confirmed that he will play. Bhupathi said every team will have six to 10 players and there will be a USD $10 million team salary cap. The league’s structure will be similar to the World TeamTennis league held every July in the United States.

SAYS WHO?

Ana Ivanovic listened while the announcer told the crowd about her opponent, Serena Williams. “When we were starting the match and they were talking about all her Grand Slam titles, it was quite impressive,” said Ivanovic, who had never won a set against Williams in four previous meetings. A five-time Australian Open champion, Williams was also introduced as the winner of 17 major singles titles, playing in her 70^th match at the Australian Open, an Open Era record, and the fact that she had won 78 of her 82 matches in 2013. “I didn’t think much about the occasion and who I was playing, because it can get overwhelming,” Ivanovic said. And she wasn’t overwhelmed. In fact, she won the fourth-round match, beating the top-seeded Williams 4-6 6-3 6-3. “I think she’s done so much for the sport, and she’s still doing it,” Ivanovic said in praise of Williams. “She’s such a great athlete and a great person to have on tour. We want her because it pushes us.”

SITTING TARGETS

Both defending champions – Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka – were bounced from the Australian Open in the quarterfinals, Djokovic to eventual champion Stanislas Wawrinka 2-6 6-4 6-2 3-6 9-7 and Azarenka to Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1 5-7 6-0. It was the first time in the Open Era that both defending champions have lost in the Australian Open quarterfinals. The last time the two defending champions lost in the quarterfinals at any Grand Slam tournament was at Roland Garros in 1997 when Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Steffi Graf were both eliminated. It also happened at the 1991 US Open with Pete Sampras and Gabriela Sabatini being ousted, and at Wimbledon in 1974 when Jan Kodes and Billie Jean King both lost.

SQUEEKER

Rafael Nadal lost the Australian Open men’s final to Stanislas Wawrinka. But the Spaniard almost didn’t get to the final. Earlier in the year’s first Grand Slam tournament he was almost eliminated by 22-year-old Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria. “I was so lucky,” Nadal admitted after squeezing past Dimitrov 3-6 7-6 (3) 7-6 (7) 6-2 in a quarterfinal match. “I’m a bit shattered,” Dimitrov said. “It’s tough losing that match, my first (Grand Slam) quarterfinal. I came out expecting nothing less than to win.”

SHARED TITLE

Playing in just their third tournament as a team, Sweden’s Robert Lindstedt and Poland’s Lukasz Kubot won the men’s doubles crown, defeating the surprising duo of American Eric Butorac and South African Raven Klaasen. “I think everybody could see after the match what it means to me,” Lindstedt said. “I cried like a schoolboy. It means the world to me. I even messed up the speech and everything.” The champions had never won a match together before the Australian Open. As individuals, they both won their first Grand Slam tournament doubles title. Lindstedt had lost three consecutive Wimbledon finals. “It’s a childhood dream come true, and I’m probably not going to believe it until I finish my career,” Lindstedt said. “It means absolutely everything to me.” Butorac and Klaasen were playing their sixth tournament together and made huge waves as they battled into the final. They started with a first-round victory over Lleyton Hewitt and Patrick Rafter, then upset defending champions Bob and Mike Bryan before surprising Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic.

A 31-year-old, Kubot became the first Polish man to win a Grand Slam tournament doubles title since Wojtek Fibak at the 1978 Australian Open. The 36-year-old Lindstedt is the first Swedish player to win a major doubles title since Simon Aspelin teamed with Austria’s Julian Knowle to win the US Open in 2007.

SHOWING UP

Marion Bartoli is considering playing at Wimbledon this year. But she is not planning on defending her title. Bartoli said she may play in the invitational legends’ doubles event, “so I will play the second week,” the 29-ye3ar-old Frenchwoman said. Bartoli retired suddenly just weeks after winning Wimbledon last year. She was in Melbourne for the Australian Open doing commentary for French television. “I’m still so passionate about tennis,” she told a news service. “Unfortunately I can’t play anymore because of my body, but the passion is still inside, definitely.” Bartoli said her shoulder is the reason she stopped playing. “The shoulder is basically damaged forever and I can’t serve anymore,” she said. While she loves the game, she has no regrets about her decision to retire. “Don’t expect me to cry or have tears in my eyes,” Bartoli said. “I have the luxury to say I walked out of the game as t4he Wimbledon champion, and believe me, that’s not happening to everyone.”

SHOVE

Spain’s David Ferrer played down the fact he shoved a line judge during his quarterfinal loss to Tomas Berdych. “It was nothing,” Ferrer said. After losing the first two sets, the Spaniard had just broken Berdych to take a 4-2 lead in the third set. Ferrer wiped his face with a towel and started to toss it onto a courtside chair. A line judge was in the way, so Ferrer pushed him, causing the man to stumble a few steps. “It was a nervous moment, but nothing,” Ferrer said about the incident, which prompted a negative reaction from the crowd. “I said ‘Excuse me’ to him after that. Nothing special.”

SOWETO OPEN

The Soweto Open tennis tournament is off again because of a lack of sponsorship. The department of sport and recreation, which sponsored the revived tournament at the Arthur Ashe Complex in Jabavu, South Africa, last year, will not bankroll the Soweto Open in 2014. “The department of sport have informed us that the hosting of the current Chan (African Nations Championship) tournament … had drained their finances and they were unable to carry on sponsoring the Soweto Open,” said Bruce Davidson, the South Africa Tennis Association’s media consultant. The tournament for both men and women was considered pivotal in the development of tennis in South Africa. The Soweto Open was first held in 2009, but was not played in 2012. Government money enabled it to be revived in 2013. “There is simply no sponsor to foot the bill, no matter how important it is to ensure the future of the sport in the country in a wider sense,” Davidson said.

STAYING HOME

Great Britain’s top women’s player, Laura Robson, will missed the team’s Fed Cup tie in Hungary because of a wrist injury. Replacing Robson will be 22-year-old Jocelyn Rae, who will join Heather Watson, Johanna Konta and Tara Moore. Great Britain has been drawn against Hungary, Latvia and Romania in the Europe/African Group Zone I competition in Budapest. The Fed Cup will be held February 4-9.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Talhelm: Tomasz Bednarek and Henri Kontinen beat Ken Skupski and Neal Skupski 3-6 7-6 (3) 12-10 (match tiebreak)

SURFING

Davis Cup: www.daviscup.com

Fed Cup: www.fedcup.com

Paris: www.opengdfsuez.com/

Pattaya City: www.pentanglepromotions.com

Montpellier: www.opensuddefrance.com/

Zagreb: www.zagrebindoors.com

Viña del Mar: www.royalguardopen.cl

Dallas: www.challengerofdallas.com

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

WOMEN

$710,000 Open GDF Suez, Paris, France, hard

$250,000 PTT Pattaya Open, Pattaya City, Thailand, hard

DAVIS CUP

First round

World Group

Czech Republic vs. Netherlands at Ostrava, Czech Republic, hard

Japan vs. Canada at Tokyo, Japan, hard

Germany vs. Spain at Frankfurt, Germany, hard

France vs. Australia at La Roche sur Yon, France, clay

United States vs. Great Britain at San Diego, California, USA, clay

Argentina vs. Italy at Mar del Plata, Argentina, clay

Kazakhstan vs. Belgium at Astana, Kazakhstan, hard

Serbia vs. Switzerland at Novi Sad, Serbia, hard

Americas Zone Group I: Ecuador vs. Venezuela at Guayaquil, Ecuador, clay; Dominican Republic vs. Uruguay at Santo Domino, Dominican Republic, hard

Asia/Oceania Zone Group I: China vs. New Zealand at Tianjin, China, hard; India vs. Chinese Taipei at Indore, India, hard

Americas Zone Group II: Barbados vs. Chile at Bridgetown, Barbados, hard; Paraguay vs. El Salvador at Asuncion, Paraguay, clay; Bolivia vs. Peru at Trinidad, Bolivia, clay; Guatemala vs. Mexico at Guatemala City, Guatemala, hard

Asia/Oceania Group II: Sri Lanka vs. Philippines at Colombo, Sri Lanka, hard; Thailand vs. Hong Kong China at Nonthaburi, Thailand, hard; Kuwait vs. Indonesia at Mishref, Kuwait, hard

Europe/Africa Zone Group II: South Africa vs. Monaco at Centurion, South Africa, hard; Norway vs. Lithuania at Oslo, Norway, hard; Finland vs. Bulgaria at Helsinki, Finland, hard; Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Greece at Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, carpet; Belarus vs. Ireland at Minsk, Belarus, hard; Moldova vs. Egypt at Chisnau, Moldova, hard; Morocco vs. Luxembourg at Rabat, Morocco, clay; Denmark vs. Cyprus at Copenhagen, Denmark, hard

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$577,845 Open Sud de France, Montpellier, France, hard

$577,845 PBZ Zagreb Indoors, Zagreb, Croatia, hard

$426,605 Royal Guard Open Chile, Viña del Mar, Chile, clay

$100,000 Challenger of Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA, hard

FED CUP

First Round

World Group

United States vs. Italy at Cleveland, Ohio, USA, hard

Spain vs. Czech Republic at Seville, Spain, clay

Slovak Republic vs. Germany at Bratislava, Slovak Republic, hard

Australia vs. Russia at Hobart, Australia, hard

World Group II

Canada vs. Serbia at Montreal, Quebec, Canada, hard; Sweden vs. Poland at Boras, Sweden, hard; France vs. Switzerland at Paris, France, hard; Argentina vs. Japan at Buenos Aires, Argentina, clay

Europe/Africa Zone Group I at Budapest, Hungary, hard; round-robin with two nations advancing to World Group II playoffs in April: Pool A: Belgium, Croatia, Luxembourg, Netherlands; Pool B: Great Britain, Hungary, Latvia, Romania; Pool C: Austria, Israel, Ukraine, Slovenia; Pool D: Belarus, Bulgaria, Portugal, Turkey

Americas Zone Group I at Lambare, Paraguay, clay: round-robin with one nation advancing to World Group II playoffs in April: Pool A: Mexico, Paraguay, Venezuela; Pool B: Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador

Asia/Oceania Zone Group I at Astana, Kazakhstan, hard: round-robin with one nation advancing to World Group II playoffs in April: Pool A: Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Thailand; Pool B: China, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Uzbekistan

Asia/Oceania Zone Group II at Astana, Kazakhstan, hard: round-robin with one nation advancing to Asia/Oceania Zone Group I in 2015: Hong Kong China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan, Vietnam

Europe/Africa Zone Group III at Tallin, Estonia, hard: round-robin with two nations advancing to Europe/Africa Zone Group II in 2015: Armenia, Botswana, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Madagascar, Malta, Moldova, Namibia, Norway

stan wawrinka

Footer

Contact Us

Recent

Search