Dimitrov Storms to Victory in Rainy Bucharest

A late entry into the main draw, Grigor Dimitrov made the most of his wildcard as he stormed through victory in Bucharest without dropping a set. 

The young Bulgarian has been putting together some solid performances lately, highlighted by the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and the title in Acapulco. Seeded first in Bucharest, Dimitrov was game on since the beginning of the tournament, battling not only his on-court opponents, but also the moody weather—heavy rain showers disrupting play several times throughout the week.
It's been a relatively uneventful ride for Grigor in the Romanian capital, as he claimed straight-sets victories over Jiri Vasely and Sergiy Stakhovski to set a star-studded semifinal showdown with fan favourite Gael Monfils. Unfortunately, the much anticipated clash ended sooner than expected, the Frenchman pulling out because of a twisted ankle while trailing 5-1. 

With his family cheering in the front rows, Dimitrov delivered an exquisite display against defending champion, Czech Lukas Rosol, in the final. He sealed a tense first set tiebreak before cruising through the second act to close out a convincing 7-6,6-1 triumph. “It feels good to have won,” said the Bulgarian. “I lifted my game, not having been happy with my previous matches in the tournament. I knew I had to lift my level, especially after the first set. Lukas is a very good winner, who hit some outstanding winners. It was a pleasure to play in front of Ilie Nastase and other greats.

“I have worked really hard to start winning titles. I have put in enough effort, time and sacrifices to get here,” said the Bulgarian who bagged his second crown of 2014. 

What's next in store for Dimitrov? A first Grand Slam maybe. He is proving stronger as the season progresses, so I wouldn't be surprised to see his take that ultimate step anytime soon. 

Dimitrov put together a solid performance to beat not only his on-court opponents, but also the moody Bucharest weather. The Bulgarian denied defending champion, Czech Lukas Rosol, 7-6,6-1 in the final to bag his second title of 2014.

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Wawrinka Wins All-Swiss Encounter in Monte Carlo

At the beginning of the clay-court season, all eyes were on the Nadal-Djokovic rivalry. The Spaniard, the all-time greatest player on this surface, looked poised to continue his dominance, while the Serb hoped to peg back his nemesis and claim the elusive Roland Garros crown. But, surprise, surprise! The Swiss duo of Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka turned the tables on their rivals, setting up an all-Swiss final in Monte Carlo, Nadal's favourite playground.

Last year, Djokovic denied Rafa a ninth consecutive title and—after the Spaniard's shock exit in the quarterfinals—seemed set for a successful defense. But the two Swiss had another plans. Wawrinka, the reigning Aussie Open champion, bruised aside Ferrer—Nadal's conqueror—to be the first to advance into the final. Federer quickly followed, digging himself out of some early trouble to defeat an ailing Djokovic 7-5,6-2. 

The all-Swiss affair started with Federer in control, the all-time great winning the first set 6-4. Stan has been untouchable in a few matches this year and was able to replicate that form at the start of the second act, giving Roger no chance to break. With both players holding serve, the set was decided in a tiebreak, where a mini-break was all it took for Wawrinka to level the dispute. Back on equal terms, he was not to be denied. Firing winners on both sides, Stan was able to stun Federer, winning 4-6,7-6,6-2 to claim his maiden Masters 1000 crown—following runner-up showings at Rome 2008 (lost to Djokovic) and Madrid 2013 (lost to Nadal).

"It's always special to play Roger," said Wawrinka. "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.

"I can see that when mentally I'm there and I'm fighting, I can play tennis, I can beat all the player. I did an amazing job. I'm really happy after winning my first Grand Slam to win a Masters 1000 so quick. I didn't expect to. 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."
Stan's season keeps getting better. With three titles already to his name, he is now leading the race to London. Federer failed in his fourth attempt to grab the Monte Carlo title, one of the three Masters 1000 trophies eluding him. The Swiss is now 1-3 in finals this season, winning in Dubai, but losing in Brisbane and Indian Wells.

This was the first time that the two best friends have met in an ATP final and I hope it marks just the beginning of a really beautiful rivalry at the highest level. Stan is in the form of his life, while Federer is just rediscovering his winning touch. Chances are we could be in for a first all-Swiss Grand Slam final this season. #Letsdoit! #AllSwiss #BFF

#BFF FOREVER! Wawrinka and Federer and not only compatriots, they are also best friends. Roger has been paramount to Stan's recent success, supporting his friend and always believing in his talent. The two train together and are long-term doubles partners.

Although he started slower, Stan Wawrinka got his act together to stun BFF Federer to win his first Masters 1000 crown. It was an extremely entertaining encounter, which Stan won 4-6,7-6,6-2.

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Cornet Wins Marathon in Poland

After a dream week in Dubai—where she stunned world No.1, American Serena Williams, en route to the final—rejuvenated Alize Cornet confirmed her good run of form with another strong performance in Katowice. A wildcard into the draw, Cornet dramatically dismissed  Italian Camila Giorgi to lift her fourth career title. Although she looked poised for a straight sets victory, the Frenchwoman found herself match point down in the decider. She kept a clear head, fought off the match point, regained control, and managed to turn the match around, ultimately closing out a thrilling 7-6,5-7,7-5 triumph over first-time finalist Giorgi.

If there's one thing Cornet proved recently, that's the fact that she is going to fight until the very end. She has shown it so many times already this season, and she did it again in Katowice. Except for her first round match, all other encounters went the distance. Her most notable performance came in the semifinals where she denied home hope Agnieszka Radwanska in absolutely amazing fashion. Not only did she come back after a nightmare first set, but she regrouped again after going down 0-3 in the decider. Showing extreme mental toughness and fierce determination she sealed out a hard-fought 0-6,6-2,6-4 victory. This was her second straight top 3 win.

I am really impressed by how well she is now able to cope with these big matches. In the past, Alize had developed a sort of reputation for losing on the important occasions. Things changed considerably in the past 12 months and, as a result, the Frenchwoman is now on the verge of breaking into the top 20 again. She has been as high as No. 11 in February 2009 and, provided she maintains this excellent run of form, she can maybe climb even higher till the end of the season.

With young hope, Caroline Garcia, winning in Bogota, this has been a sensational week for French tennis. Allez les bleus!

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Garcia's Big Breakthrough in Bogota

She has been labelled as the next teen sensation for quite a while, but it was only this week that French rising star, Caroline Garcia, came of age. Inspired by a courageous performance against world No.1, American Serena Williams, in Miami—where she barely lost 4-6,6-4,4-6—Caroline caught wings. 

Playing in Bogota, the talented Frenchwoman finally got his big breakthrough, winning her maiden crown in style by defeating world No.9 and defending champion, Jelena Jankovic, in the final. Caroline also won the doubles title, becoming the first player since Serena at the 2012 London Olympics to ensure the singles-doubles sweep at a WTA-level event. 

"I'm very happy to win my first WTA title," Garcia said. "It was a good week for me. It's never easy playing with the altitude—it's hard to adapt, and my level was going up and down throughout the week—but I think I adjusted well and I probably played my best match of the week today in the final.

"I'm also really happy I was able to beat Jelena in the final. She's a really nice girl and a great player - she was the No.1 player in the world—and I had to play the best I could today to beat her.

"To win a WTA title is always a goal. Today is the best day I could imagine."

After a few tough years—years of relative frustration in which she had to adjust to the rigors of the WTA tour and to learn how to cope with the high expectations—Garcia looks to have found the maturity needed to fulfill her potential. Like Simona Halep did last summer, I am positive this is just  the beginning for this talented youngster. We will surely hear more of her in months to come. I bet!

With Alize Cornet winning in Katowice, this was a dream week for French tennis. It seems like French players can win after all ;).

Caroline Garcia won her maiden title by stunning defending Bogota champion, Jelena Jankovic, to score her first top 10 victory. The Frenchwoman also won the doubles crown, becoming the first player since Serena at the Olympics to ensure a clean sweep at a WTA-level event.

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Ana's Revival Gathers Steam in Mexico

After a sensational start to 2014, Ana's season keeps getting better as the Serbian added a second crown in Monterrey. 

Seeded second, Ivanovic played solid tennis throughout the week, beating a few up-and-coming players, as well as former world No.1, Dane Caroline Wozniacki, to reach the final. Having taken out her fiercest competitor, Ana cruised through the final, easily dismissing her compatriot, Jovana Jaksic, 6-2,6-1.

It's been a few tough years for the 2008 French Open champion. A few years spent in the wilderness that have completely destroyed her stunning game and crushed her self-confidence. It took tons of patience, endless hard work, a few of the world's best coaches, plus a burning desire to return to the top, but after all these trials and tribulations, the ever-exciting Ivanovic seems to be finally rediscovering her former self. Monterrey is an international stop, but nevertheless, a title is a title, and with two crown already to her name (also Auckland), a Grand Slam quarterfinal, and wins over both Williams sisters—especially against world No.1 Serena—2014 is shaping out nicely for the Serbian. I still look forward to seeing her back in contention for the biggest prizes in women's tennis. She has it in her to add a second Slam to her resume. Go Ana!

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Petkovic Dances Her Way to Victory

After two years of endless misfortunes, the sun seems to have finally reappeared on Petkovic's street. Extremely popular with fans all over the world, the German saw her great plans put on hold when misery struck in early 2012. A back injury followed by a twisted ankle forced her to miss most of that season, while a knee problem sidelined her for a few months in 2013. An upbeat, positive person, Andrea refused to give in and worked hard on making a fast comeback. The first promising signs were seen last summer when the German reached two finals, in Nurenberg, respectively Washington DC. Although she lost those battles, she remained confident.

The start of the season was not extraordinary, as Petkovic struggled to find her form. After a series of disappointing results, the German caught fire on clay, in Charleston, where she went on to claim the biggest title of her career. 

On the green clay in South Carolina, Andrea was a on a mission. In her first two matches she dropped just one game, double-bageling Spain's Lourdes Dominguez Lino before crushing compatriot Sabine Lisicki 6-1,6-0. Things got a bit more difficult as the tournament progressed, but her fighting spirit came to the rescue when it mattered most. After winning a triller against Czech Lucie Safarova, Petkovic came from behind to dismiss young sensation, Canadian darling Eugenie Bouchard, 1-6,6-3,7-5 to make the final act.

If last year she lost two finals, this time she was determined to make amends. Taking full advantage of an unexperienced opponent, Petkovic played smart in the key moments, fighting off a set point to eventually subdue Slovak Jana Cepelova. The success was so intense that she broke down in tears, tears of joy of course, immediately after closing out the victory. 

"I don't know why but I just sort of broke down," Petkovic said afterwards. "I was happy. Normally I don't cry when I'm sad - I cry when I'm happy, strangely, so it's weird, but I don't know. I was just so relieved and proud that I've come back from all these injuries, and I never thought I would play in the finals of the big tournaments again, and so I was just proud and happy and everything just sort of came together."

The German has a special connection with Charleston—her father went to college and played tennis here—maybe that's what made the triumph even more emotional. "It's a little sad that he couldn't come this year, but I'm just very proud of him and everything he achieved," Petkovic said of her dad. "Coming from Yugoslavia, where it was communism back then, it wasn't easy to get out of it, and he just gave me all the chances that I took in my life, being educated in Germany, being the person I am today, and all the opportunities in tennis I wouldn't have without him and without him going to college here in the United States and learning the western way of living.

"It's funny how destiny plays out sometimes, how I've come to reach the final of such a big tournament here in South Carolina, where my father went to college. It's nice. It's an honor. It's a blessing."

It's so great to see this extremely fun girl back on the tennis court, winning and having fun. She's been through hell in recent years, but her positivity and love for the sport kept her going. Like Pennetta did in Indian Wells, this victory marks the full return to action of a fan favourite worldwide. #Letsdance the #Petkodance!

The feisty German rolled back the years in Charleston beating a slew of worthy opponents. Her fighting spirit came to the rescue against Lucie Safarova and Genie Bouchard, whom she beat in the quarterfinal, respectively the semi. In the final, Petkovic ended the dream run of Jana Cepelova.

The sweet taste of success! After a few missed opportunities last year, Petkovic finally grabbed her third WTA crown in Charleston, a Premier event, that marks the most important triumph of her career.

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The Queen Is Back, Long Live the Queen!

When she made a sudden return to the tour last summer, the world was kinda expecting Martina Hingis to pick up right where she left off when she quit several years ago. I too was among the optimists who envisioned her winning one Grand Slam and after. It wasn't quite a smooth transition though, and the former world No.1 failed to win back-to-back matches in the five tournaments she played alongside Slovak Daniela Hantuchova. Visible hurt by her misfortune, the Swiss Miss decided to skip the Asian swing, casting shadow on the future of her comeback.

Nothing much was heard on this matter until a few weeks ago when Hingis entered Indian Wells with her new trainee, German Sabine Lisicki. The duo once again faced a difficult draw and subsequently were beaten first round by three-time Grand Slam finalists, Aussies Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua. It was all about to change big time in Miami, where the two caught fire.

Again, the draw was harsh. In their opener, Hingis and Liscki faced 6th-seeded Czechs, Lucie Hradecka and Lucie Safarova. Compared to previous encounters, the magic kicked in this time. They won the battle pretty easily to record their first victory together 6-1,6-4. After a quick dismal of Romanian Sorana Cirstea and Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the dream team showed tremendous fighting spirit, surviving seven match points to eventually battle past unseeded duo Medina-Garriguez/Shvedova. This triumph marked the turned point for Hingis. Relieved to have finally won one of these thrillers, the Swiss Miss was able to fully display the stunning tennis that won her the world. Fired up by Lisicki's gusty shot-making, Martina put together a majestic display to lift the 38th doubles career title. It wasn't easy though, but they made it happen. After stopping red-hot Cara Black and Sania Mirza in the semis, the duo came from behind to defeat reigning Roland Garros champions, Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, 4-6,6-4,10-5 to claim the title.

Needless to say it's great to have Martina back on the court. I just hope that this triumph gives her confidence to continue and, why not, maybe even consider a singles return. Asked about her plans, she gave an encouraging answer: "Well, I think two weeks ago if you asked me that question, it would probably be a completely different answer from today! Last week, I was like, 'I'm not sure if I want to put myself out there like this and lose first, second round.' But now, after this victory, definitely things have changed. I would be very happy to continue to play some more doubles."

It's also nice to see such a beautiful relationship developing between Hingis and Lisicki. Hopefully, Hingis, who is also training the German, can help Sabine fulfill her huge potential by improving her mental strength and on-court focus. This duo really seems a match made in heaven and I look forward to seeing more from these two lovely ladies in the near future. A first Grand Slam would be a nice objective for this duo! Let's do some magic, Hingis!

The Swiss Miss is back! My all-time darling rekindled her magic in Miami claiming her 38th doubles title alongside German Sabine Lisicki. Hingis came out of retirement last summer, but failed to win back-to-back matches until this week.

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Flavia's Big Triumph in Indian Wells

What a difference a year makes! Twelve months ago, Italian Flavia Pennetta contemplated retirement following a nasty and lengthy wrist injury that saw her fall out of the top 100. Today, Flavia is marching on her return to the top 10 having won the biggest crown of her career in Indian Wells.

It's been a dream fortnight for Pennetta in the Californian desert. After a tricky opening encounter against young American hope, Taylor Townsend, Flavia upped her level to beat the always-dangerous Australian, Sam Stosur. Things got a bit easier in the quarterfinals—where she ended the hot run of her compatriot, Camilla Giorgi—but then came the stiffest of tests. In the semifinals, she met Australian Open champion and world No.2, Chinese Na Li. Li had just crushed Pennetta a month ago in Melbourne, but this time the Italian was better prepared. Putting forth an aggressive display and relying on her stellar backhand down the line, Flavia got a well-deserved revenge, winning 7-6,6-3 to advance to the final. 

Having earned a golden opportunity, Pennetta knew how not to let it slip away. She played sensationally to stun an injured Radwanska and seal her tenth career trophy. Although Aga injured her knee and wasn't 100% fit, all credit goes to the Italian for the way she dealt with the situation. She didn't waste time, closing out a quick 6-2,6-1 victory. "I'm happy. Really happy," she beamed afterwards. "I think I need a few days to realize this. Right now I'm too calm, I think. I called my dad, and he couldn't breathe. I told him, 'Papa, breathe!'

The win is even more special as it comes after a rather dark period. "For me, this is something I was waiting for a long time," she confessed. "After so many years and so much work and everything, this is the moment I was waiting for. And it comes when you least expect it. In the beginning of the tournament I never expected to be the champion, or even be in the final or semifinal. I was just here trying to play my best tennis."

It's so great to see Flavia play her best tennis again. Although she got overshadowed by Sara Errani, who reached the 2012 Roland Garros final, I strongly believe she is Italy's best prospect for a potential Grand Slam champion. She confirmed it at the last two majors where she reached the semifinals, respectively the quarterfinals. In an era where besides Serena Williams there aren't really many strong second-bests, Pennetta could very well seize the opening. She has the weapons—she's strong of both wings—and provided she is consistent, she could win a Slam. Her biggest chances are in New York and at the French Open, so maybe 2014 will be her year. Congrats on a stunning success in Indian Well! Job well done, Flavia!

Playing aggressive tennis, Pennetta extracted revenge on world No.2, Na Li, to book her place in the Indian Wells final. The Chinese stopped Flavia in the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, but this time the Italian was better prepared. She won 7-6,6-3.

Playing in the biggest final of her career, Flavia took full advantage of Aga Radwanska's knee injury, crushing the Pole 6-2,6-1 to claim her tenth WTA crown.

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Dimitrov's Amor a la Mexicana

He may not have been the early bloomer everyone expected, but Grigor Dimitrov is quickly emerging as a top contestant for the big prizes in men's tennis. Already this year, the Bulgarian got his Grand Slam breakthrough at the Australian Open—where he reached his first major quarterfinal—plus he now won his second career title in Acapulco.

The man responsible for his sudden awakening seems to be his new coach, Australian Roger Rasheed, whom he started working with in October 2013. The move paid off immediately, Dimitrov claiming his maiden trophy in Stockholm, the home of former coach, Magnus Norman, just a few weeks after.

In Acapulco, Dimitrov showed nerves of steel, withstanding the aggressive challenge of reigning Wimbledon champion, Andy Murray, to win their semifinal clash 4-6,7-6,7-6. It's true that the Brit is still recovering from the back surgery he underwent last fall, but I was really impressed by how well Grigor coped with the pressure. He refused to give in and eventually closed out one of the biggest victories of his career. Even more impressive was the follow up. In the final against Kevin Anderson, the young gun once more put on a feisty performance to deny the South African 7-6,3-6,7-6 and seal the crown. "I didn't think I was going to come back after last night's match. I'm really happy. This title means a lot to me," said the excited Grigor. "Every match I played was really tough, especially the last three where I played three sets."

As a result of the great week, Dimitrov will crack the top 20 for the first time, peaking at No.16 on Monday. It might take a few more months, but I am confident we are looking at a future top 10 player, potentially even a top 5-er.

Dimitrov stunned second seeded Andy Murray 4-6,7-6,7-6 in one of the biggest wins of his career.

In the final, the young Bulgarian withstood a stiff challenge from South African Kevin Anderson to win 7-6,3-6,7-6. The Bulgarian claimed his second ATP title.

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Rekindling the Federer Magic

It took a while, but the all-time great Federer seems to have rediscovered his magic. The signs were there since the end of last season, when he reached the semis at the ATP Masters Cup, but the Swiss only reached full capacity in January. He reached the final in Brisbane, beat Tsonga and Murray to make the semis at the Australian Open, and he now stunned Djokovic and Berdych to claim the title in Dubai—his sixth at the event and first since Halle last year. 

Things finally seem to be heading in the right direction for Roger and I wholeheartedly admire the patience, the fight, the drive, and the determination of this monumental player who refuses to give in, despite the emergence of the younger generation. Since his miserable mid-2013, Federer has been working intensely to get back to his vintage form. He changed the racquet—opting for a larger head model—plus he changed tactics, playing more aggressive tennis, coming more often to the net, and relying more on his serve-and-volley game—he hired Swedish legend, Stefan Edberg, to help facilitate the process. The results were quick to show. Not only did he won the title in Dubai, but he impressed in comeback wins over Djokovic and Berdych. These two players have put a lot of problems to the Swiss in recent meetings. However, although they both took the opening act, they could not seal out the victory. Roger played magnificent tennis to eventually overcome them both. Especially against the Czech, the Swiss looked headed for a defeat. Tomas led by a set and a break , but Federer rekindled the magic. 

"I was happy I was able to use momentum, win that second set, and then it was a tough opening period in the third, wasting the Love-40 game on Tomas' first service game," said the Swiss. "Then saving break points myself. Anything could have happened there.

"Things definitely went my way out here tonight, but I have had a lot tougher matches in the last one and a half years, so this is nice to get a lucky break again."

Although this is a really sweet victory for Roger, it's surely not enough to take him back to the top of the game. He needs to ensure he plays consistently at this level for the remainder of the season if he wants to challenge arch-nemesis Nadal for the No.1 position. Plus, he needs to continue to beat the younger constants, especially Djokovic, Nadal, Murray, Berdych, Tsonga, etc. if he wants to give himself a shot at another Grand Slam. Well done, Roger! #thekingisnotdead

Roger Federer reminded the world of his magic when he crowned himself champion in Dubai for a record sixth time. The Swiss put forth a sublime performance to stun Novak Djokovic and Tomas Berdych, in the semis, respectively the final. 

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