Walking in Memphis

A late bloomer on the men's tour, Jürgen Melzer, has had some impressive achievements in 2010, his good results carrying him all the way to number 8 in the ranking in April 2011. He struggled to keep it going though, and, as his form started to fade midway through last season, he was eventually pushed outside the top 40 earlier this month. However, after a dream week, the Austrian seems to have finally gotten his career back on track with a surprising run to the Memphis title. 

Melzer embarked on a rollercoaster though, living on the edge in all of his matches. After barely escaping big servers Denis Istomin and Ivan Dodig in the first two rounds by winning the decider in a tiebreak, he went on to tackle number 1 seeded American, John Isner, in the quarterfinals. Showing the kind of display that took him to the semifinals of the 2010 French Open, Jürgen broke decisively in the first set, to then seal a 6-3,7-6 victory with yet another excellently played tiebreaker. Carrying on a great momentum, the Austrian succumbed tricky Radek Stepanek in the last four, qualifying for a final act showdown against red-hot Milos Raonic. The Canadian, a winner of two titles already this year, was the favourite. However, his brilliance in key moments proved vital for Melzer who came out on top after two tight sets, collecting thus his fourth career crown.
An excellent doubles player with three Grand Slam trophies to his name (at Wimbledon 2010 and US Open 2011 with Philipp Petzeschner and at last year's Wimbledon with Iveta Benesova), he strengthens his singles credentials with this result, at the age of 30 making his return into the top 20, at 19th. 

Jurgen Melzer gave another proof of his brilliance, overcoming Canadian Milos Raonic to claim the crown in Memphis.

photos: AP (x2), APA

The Party Spoiler of the French

A rare presence during the European indoor season, Argentinean Juan Martin Del Potro continued his surge up the rankings with another stellar performance in Marseille, at the ATP 250 event. A week after losing the final in Rotterdam to Roger Federer, he found himself fighting for yet another crown, this time against home favourite Michel Llodra. Fresh from his success when the two squared off in the first round in Rotterdam, just a few days ago, the Argentinean carried the momentum into Sunday's final, a break of serve making the difference in both sets. He cruised to a 6-4,6-4 victory, maintaining an impeccable record over Llodra, whom he now defeated in all their three meetings, consolidating thus his return among the world's elite.

En route to collecting his 10th career title, he emerged as the party spoiler of the French, taking out three home hopes, namely Gasquet, Tsonga and ultimately, Llodra. Probably his toughest rival was Tsonga, the number 1 Frenchman putting on quite a stiff resistance in their semifinal clash. A lapse in concentration from Jo at the beginning of the decider was the turning point of the match, shifting the dispute in Del Potro's favour. He went on to win 6-4,6-7,6-3.

This week marked another milestone for the 'Giant', as he recorded his 200th career win after succumbing Gasquet. He goes on to Dubai next, where he hopes to take another step towards regaining his credentials, following the nasty wrist injury that kept him out for most of the 2010 season.

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Wozniacki's Sinking Ship

It's been a while now since Caroline Wozniacki last tasted the sweet joy of success. This may seem odd, as what made her the undisputed queen of the WTA tour for the previous two seasons was her consistency, her ability to win match after match and to collect titles. She might not have conquered a Grand Slam, but for a three year span she was the most awarded player, winning 15 tournaments, most of them Premier events. Something started to go wrong mid last year though, early defeats at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon severely hindering her confidence. She still managed to finish 2011 atop of the rankings, but, after a series of uncharacteristic losses in early rounds, the end of her reign became just a matter of time. 

The switch of guards occurred after the Australian Open, when Azarenka rose to number 1 following her first Grand Slam crown. At that stage, the Dane promised to regain her status, but, so far, her performances failed to make an impression. Falling at the first hurdle in Doha, where she lost a tight affair against Czech Lucie Safarova, Caroline appears to be drifting further apart from her rivals. She seems to have lost her ability to break down their game with her 'annoying' determination to return each and every ball, Azarenka, Kvitova or Sharapova overpowering her with their aggressive ground strokes.

In Dubai, where she is defending champion, Wozniacki was in much need of a reassuring result. Seeded three, she poised some good wins on her way to the semifinals, but she fell short once more. Facing an opponent who beat her in their last two encounters, Caroline proved again that she cannot cope with the big hitters, German Julia Goerges whipping her off the court en route to a 7-6,7-5 victory.

Her run of poor form actually coincided with the beginning of her romance with golfer Rory McIlroy and, while she is extremely happy off court, she surely finds no satisfaction on court. Only time will tell if she can change her game and develop some aggressive weapons, but in the meantime, she should better get back to her consistent self soon, especially as Agnieszka Radwanska is threatening to take her place. Relying on a similarly strong defensive game, the Pole has had some pretty impressive results lately, among which the win over her good friend earlier this year in Sydney.

Her next chance to regain some momentum will be at Indian Wells where she is the defending champion, having disposed of Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli in last year's final.

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She Is TITANIUM

Playing her first tournament as the new world number 1, Victoria Azarenka showed nerves of steel and fierce determination, cruising through the Doha draw without losing a set. Invincible so far this year, the Belorussian collected her third trophy of 2012, taking her impressive record to 17 consecutive wins. By dropping just 19 games in the process, the fewest any player has lost in a WTA event this season, she continues to stamp her authority on the women's tour, leaving up to the huge expectations that are now put on her shoulders. 

The week provided a crucial moment though. Just when everything was going her way, misery threatened to strike, as Vika twisted her right angle while trying to return a drop shot during her semifinal clash with Agnieszka Radwanska. As these injuries are extremely dangerous, most players decide to withdraw, hoping to minimize thus the damage. Azarenka's new found mental toughness enabled her to just hang in there and even though she limped through the court, she was still too strong for her Polish opponent. After a bit of a stumble, she closed out the match avenging a painful loss to Radwanska on the same court at the 2009 WTA Championships. Any worries regarding the seriousness of her injury were dismissed in the final, Victoria destroying Samantha Stosur 6-1,6-2 in just over an hour. 

Having conquered all the big prizes so far this year, i.e. the Australian Open, as well as two premier crowns, Azarenka is without a doubt the queen of the women's tennis. She will look to continue her unbeatable run at next week's Duty Free Dubai Open, where she starts as the heavy favourite. 

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Federer Conquers Rotterdam

Making his first appearance in Rotterdam since winning the title in 2005, Roger Federer was slow of the blocks, struggling throughout the week. His toughest test came in the semifinals, where a rejuvenated Nikolay Davydenko showed some vintage display, dictating the first half of the dispute. Nevertheless, Federer recovered in time, coming back from 1-3 down in the second set to ensure a hard fought 4-6,6-3,6-4 victory.

It was a completely different story in the final though, the Swiss stepping up his game when it mattered most. Facing impressive Argentinean Juan Martin del Potro, who famously beaten him in the 2009 US Open final, Federer brought about all his magic. Even though he cruised in all his matches prior to this one, Del Potro was slow from the get-go, losing the first set 6-1. He never quite managed to come back, as a single break proved enough for Roger to win 6-1,6-4. The success marks his first title of 2012 and his 71st overall.

The victory comes in a crucial moment for the Swiss, who thus shakes off the recent disappointments in Melbourne and the Davis Cup.
Federer's next stop is Dubai, where he lost the two latest finals to Novak Djokovic, while Juan Martin will continue his European journey in Marseille.

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A Pocketful of Tennis - My 2012 Good Friday in Rotterdam

Hosting the biggest ATP tournament since the Australian Open, Rotterdam was once again home to some of the best players in the world. If, in past seasons, the likes of Nadal, Murray or Djokovic headlined the field, in 2012 it was Roger Federer's turn to lead a packed draw. Although the Swiss, a winner here in 2005 at his last showing, overshadowed his opponents with his off court popularity, his on court form was worrying following his recent losses to Nadal at Melbourne and to Isner in the Davis Cup.

For the third year running, I got to attend the World Tennis Tournament on Friday, for the quarterfinal stage. The evening schedule, comprising Federer's clash with Nieminen, Gasquet's duel with Davydenko, as well as an exciting doubles battle, was promising another memorable day at the Ahoy Arena.

The first star to take the court was Argentinean Juan Martin Del Potro. Pairing with German Philipp Petzschner, he tackled the third seeded Horia Tecau and Robert Lindstedt. Considering his long time preference for the American hardcourt events, Del Potro's coming to Europe for the indoor season was surprising. A rare figure on the old continent, he was keen on making the most out of his trip. Therefore, in order to back up his singles experience, he teamed up with last year's defending doubles champion. Facing the two time Wimbledon runner-ups, the duo put on a fierce display, though their lack of experience proved vital in the final stages of the dispute. In the third set super tiebreak, the Romanian-Swedish tandem played some efficient tennis when it mattered most, managing to close out a really tight affair and to advance to the semifinals.

The match was very entertaining, Del Potro's aggressive shots and whipping serve combined with Tecau's doubles magic providing a delightful spectacle for the crowd on Court no.1.

After a short break, we moved on to the Center Court to witness Federer who was trying to maintain his impeccable record against Finn Jarkko Nieminen in the highly anticipated contest. The former world number one, cheered heavily by a partisan audience, was too strong for Nieminen, who fought hard, but fell short at the end of both sets, Federer winning 7-5,7-6.

It might not have been the most convincing performance, but it was the first time I got to see my all time favourite live and it was amazing. His handiness is impressive, though his backhand looked fragile and a bit too defensive. Being one of the wittiest players on the tour, Federer knows exactly how much he has to give to ensure a safe passage to the next round. He did just that against Jarkko, a single break being enough to seal a relatively straightforward victory.

Although he managed to trick his way out of a meeting with fans earlier in the day, the Swiss superstar stopped to sign some on court memoranda and I was the lucky recipient of an autograph I really longed for.

In the last match of the day, Richard Gasquet let a 5-2 first set advantage slip away as he stumbled against rejuvenated Russian Nikolay Davidenko. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a great tennis wonder, the Frenchman's one-handed backhand being not only a superb touch of class, but also a very efficient weapon.

The tournament didn't stop there though. In tomorrow's final, Federer goes head-to-head with Del Potro for the singles crown, while Tecau-Lindstedt will be chasing their first 2012 doubles trophy when they face the Serbian-French duo of Nenad Zimonjic and Michael Llodra.

photos: Sorin Istrate

Falling at the Last Hurdle

They say in tennis winning the last point of a grand finale is the toughest challenge a player gets. This is what distinguishes the winners from the losers. Only the genuine champions have the ability and the nerves to remain strong when it matters most and to win. No matter how someone got to play, or what he/she has achieved, if a tennis player does not win that final point, everything he/ she has done up to that stage is to no avail. Losing hurts. It leaves you miserable and frustration soon takes over. This is why no one likes to lose. Especially not a match you feel you ought to have won or a title you truly deserved after playing unbelievable tennis and giving your utmost best in every match.

I bet this is exactly how Marion Bartoli and Maria Kirilenko felt after they both lost the finals of Paris indoor, respectively Pattaya Open. In Marion's case, her excruciating pain was so intense that uncontrollable tears were pouring down her face for the entire awards ceremony, reminding us a bit of Martina Hingis' 1999 Parisian drama.
Seeded second at her home event, the Frenchwoman struggled all week, but her fierce determination eventually saw her through to the final. Her biggest comeback came in the quarterfinals, where she rallied from 1-4 down in the second set and 2-5 in the third to ensure a spectacular 4-6,6-4,7-6 win over Italian Roberta Vinci. She continued the trend in the semifinals, recovering from 3-5 down in the first set to storm past Czech Klara Zakopalova. Playing in her second final on home soil after the one in Strasbourg in 2011, Marion was ready to take the laurels of a great week. The only thing she needed to do was to defeat in-form Angelique Kerber. She was the heavy favourite though, having beaten the German easily in their last three meetings. Nevertheless, tennis is an unpredictable game and it was Kerber who was the strongest. Although Marion pulled off another astonishing comeback to take the second set, her opponent closed out the nearly three hour epic, leaving the Frenchwoman sobbing her frustration in front of the partisan crowd.
It was more or less the same story with Kirilenko. After fighting off a match point in her inaugural match against Australian Casey Dellacqua and surviving a stiff challenge from Rodionova in the second round, Maria looked well poised for a great result in Pattaya. Having ended the run of veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn, she then succumbed rejuvenated Romanian Sorana Cirstea in the semifinals, Maria set a final clash with defending champion Daniela Hantuchova and looked determined to collect her first title since Seoul 2008. Even though she started well, winning the first set on a tiebreak, the Russian beauty quickly faded away allowing the Slovak to take charge. Hantuchova produced some inspired tennis which enabled her to retain her trophy, leaving Maria to rue on yet another missed opportunity.

After some sensational comebacks, Marion Bartoli run out of luck when she needed it the most, losing the final of the Paris Indoor Open to German Angelique Kerber, 6-7,7-5,3-6.

Maria Kirilenko also let a great chance go to waste, losing the Pattaya final to Slovak Daniela Hantuchova, 7-6,3-6,3-6.

photos: L'Equipe, AFP

Hello World!

Starting with this week, the WTA tour has got a new queen, Victoria Azarenka becoming the 21st world number 1 on Monday, when the new rankings were released. The Belorussian has written a superb story at the Australian Open, giving the world a lesson of hard work, perseverance, fierce determination and self-imposed discipline, as she fulfilled her destiny by capturing a long awaited first Grand Slam trophy.
While many were expecting Kvitova to steal the spotlight in Melbourne, it was Azarenka who ended Wozniacki's much criticized reign. Her success is no fluke though, Victoria knocking on the doors of glory for the past seasons. Confirming the old saying that great things happen to those who wait, a mature Belorussian finally put together a winning run, displaying some stunning tennis, especially when it mattered most. With her victories over Kim Clijsters and Maria Sharapova, she proved the stamina of a true champion, winning those decisive battles just like the best player in the world is supposed to do.
I think it is important for the women's tour to have finally found a leader that possesses this quality, former starring ladies Caroline Wozniacki, Dinara Safina or Jelena Jankovic failing to conquer a Grand Slam title which to attest their status.
Relying on an aggressive game, with powerful and precise shots from both sides, Azarenka is a complete player who can easily transform a solid defense into a sharp attack. Therefore, she has all the weapons to succumb the big guns, being able thus to stamp her authority over the rest of the field. I think that her success at the Australian Open is just the beginning of a long and fruitful journey, as Azarenka looks dedicated to staying atop of the rankings for many years to come.
Her triumph made her a worldwide celebrity and, with the world at her feet, the charming beauty is experiencing the best days of her life, a truly deserved award for her impressive achievement.

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