Petrova Comes Alive in Tokyo

Having made it as high as number 3 in the world in 2006, Nadia Petrova struggled to keep up with the times as she dropped out of the world's elite and became a regular presence somewhere outside of the top 20. However, the Russian's momentarily displays of brilliance kept her in contention, making her a fierce rival for all the big guns. The problem with her is her inability to end matches and to obtain the big wins. It all changed at this week's Tokyo Pan Pacific Open though, as Nadia went all the way to winning the biggest trophy of her career.

She started strongly from the very beginning, powering her way through some tricky encounters with the likes of Chinese Shuai Peng, Romanian Simona Halep and Croat Petra Martic before having to dig deep to overcome feisty Italian Sara Errani in the quarterfinals. Having recovered from a set and 4-1 down provided the confidence boost she needed and she approached her next meeting with a totally different attitude. Facing former US Open champion, Sam Stosur, for a place in the final, Nadia was in top form. The Australian stood no chance to her opponent's powerful serves and precise groundstrokes as she bowed out 4-6,2-6 after a relatively straightforward defeat.

Playing for the most important crown of her career, Petrova was determined to not let the chance slip by and her stunning performance completely overwhelmed defending champion, Agnieszka Radwanska, who could not win a single game in the opening set. The Pole, a beaten finalist at Wimbledon this year, showed her tenacity fighting back in style, running away with the second set in a similar convincing fashion, winning it 6-1. In the decider though, the Russian regained her focus and seized the initiative when Radwanska double-faulted two times in the 8th game to hand her the vital break. Nadia went on to serve out her 12th career title and second of 2012, having disposed of Aga's younger sister, Urszula, in the s'Hertogenbosch final.

Is this victory a fluke, or it's the real deal marking Petrova's return to top form? If she can carry the winning momentum for the next couple of weeks, the Russian has a shot of battling her way back to the top 20 by the end of the season.

photo: AFP

Time to Say Goodbye: Kim Takes Final Bow

For almost two decades, Kim Clijsters has been wearing her heart on her sleeve on the tennis courts, winning not only tennis matches, but also a legion of fans all over the world. She lived her career to the fullest, experiencing success and failure, but constantly evolving to ultimately become one of the most loved and inspiring champions of all time. Although she stopped at the peak of her prime to start a family and have a baby, her love for the sport shone through and, in 2009, she starred in one of the most sensational comebacks the sport has ever witnessed. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end, and, following her second round loss to young star Laura Robson, Kim is now taking her final bow, having stepped into retirement at the end of the US Open.

A prodigious junior, Kim made headlines at the 1999 Flushing Meadows where she was a few points from stunning eventual champion, Serena Williams, in the third round. She also won her maiden WTA title that year, in Luxembourg, overcoming compatriot Dominique Van Roost in the final. Her major breakthrough though came at the 2001 French Open, where she made it all the way to the final. After disposing of compatriot Justine Henin in the semis, Kim pushed American Jennifer Capriati to the very end, before losing in dramatic fashion 12-10 in the decider. 

An extraterrestrial 2003 season, in which she got to the semifinals or better in 20 of the 21 tournaments she entered, propelled her to world No.1. On August 4th Kim became the first Belgian, man or female, to top the rankings. However, it was her arch-rivals, Justine Henin and Serena Williams, who divided the glory, winning two Grand Slams each. Nevertheless, Clijsters backed up the phenomenal singles season with an impressive year in doubles where she also got to world No.1, following victories at Roland Garros and Wimbledon with good friend, Japanese Ai Sugiyama.

After a few more missed opportunities, Kim has finally won the elusive Slam at the 2005 US Open. While many were questioning her legitimacy at the top of the rankings, the Belgian keep believing in herself, and, at the end of yet another incredible summer, she slammed the critics by beating Mary Pierce to crown herself the New York queen.

Injuries took their toll, and, desiring to start a family with basketball player Brian Lynch, Kim decided to quit the sport in the spring of 2007 while ranked No.4. After a few years spent away from the tennis courts, tough mamma Clijsters made an emphatic comeback in 2009. In only her third tournament back, the Belgian stunned both Williams sisters, as well as new queen-to-be, Dane Caroline Wozniacki, to win the second Grand Slam under the New York lights in Flushing Meadows. Images of her sharing the special moment with young daughter Jada made the delight of the world, as Kim's popularity skyrocketed. She would go on to successfully defend her crown in 2010 by crushing Russian Vera Zvonareva in the final. 

One of the most emotional triumphs of her career came in 2011 at the Australian Open. Nicknamed 'Aussie Kim' back when she was dating Australia's golden child, Lleyton Hewitt, Clijsters finally fulfilled the prophecy, overcoming Na Li's stiff resilience to win in Melbourne. A few weeks later, in Paris, the Belgian regained the world No.1 spot from Wozniacki, becoming the first mom to top the WTA rankings.
Title #41 obtained at the Australian Open would be the last of her career, as a long set of injuries kept the Belgian away from the court, restraining even more her limited schedule. Kim did get to play the Olympics, one of the main objectives of her return to the tour, but was denied the dream, as poor form and lack of matches saw her succumb to Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals.

Kim's career has been very closely connected to that of her compatriot, Justine Henin. The two Belgians have played catch-ups since early ages, developing one of the most legendary rivalries of the Open Era. These two extremely gifted champions have always pushed each other. Their careers followed similar paths, so in a way it feels natural that now, after Justine quit for a second time in 2011, Clijsters would go on and hang up the racquet for good.
Kim Clijsters, one of the most emblematic figures of the women's tennis ever, leaves behind an impressive legacy. Thank you Kimmie for all the wonderful lessons you thought us on- and off-court, as well as for all the emotional moments you gave us through the years! You will be missed!

A look back at Kim's golden career

ROLAND GARROS 2001: Clijsters became the first Belgian, man or female, to reach a Grand Slam final after overcoming her compatriot Justine Henin in a tough semifinal clash at the French Open.

ROLAND GARROS 2001: Playing in her first Grand Slam final, Clijsters was really close to winning the title, as she pushed American Jennifer Capriati all the way, before finally succumbing 12-10 in the decider.

FED CUP 2001: Kim teamed up with Justine Henin to win Belgium's first, and so far only, Fed Cup trophy.

MASTERS 2002: Kim stunned Serena Williams to win her first WTA Championships.

ROLAND GARROS 2003: In a rematch of their epic 2001 semifinal encounter, Justine Henin extracted revenge on her compatriot, preventing Kim from sealing her first French Open title in two attempts. Justine became the first Belgian to win a Grand Slam.

ROLAND GARROS 2003: Clijsters teamed up with good friend, Ai Sugiyama, to win her first Grand Slam crown.

WIMBLEDON 2003: Kim and Ai quickly became the world's best doubles team. They followed up on their success at the French with a sensational run at Wimbledon, where they won their second consecutive Grand Slam title.

On August 4th 2003 Kim Clijsters became the world No.1 in singles. She was again the first Belgian in history, man or female, to top the rankings.

US OPEN 2003: Although she was ranked No.1 in both singles and doubles, Kim once again fell to her nemesis, Justine Henin, in the US Open final.

MASTERS 2003: Kim successfully defended her WTA Championships title, cruising past Amelie Mauresmo 6-2,6-0.

US OPEN 2005: It's been a long time coming, but Kim finally won the elusive Grand Slam crown in Flushing Meadows.

US OPEN 2005: Clijsters tasted the sweetest victory of her career, beating Mary Pierce 6-3,6-1 to crown herself as the queen of New York.

US Open 2009: Two months after making a comeback to the tour, Kim Clijsters crowned herself the New York queen following her second major title in Flushing Meadows. The Belgian overcame both Williams sisters before ending Wozniacki's dream run to the final.

2009: Kim's story inspired arch-rival Justine Henin to also make a comeback and their rivalry was quickly restored. However this time it was Clijsters that held the upper hand. The two Belgians met three times in 2009, at Brisbane, Miami, and Wimbledon and all those clashes were won by Kim.

US OPEN 2012: Kim proved she is no fluke, successfully defending her US Open title. In the final she crushed Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-2,6-1. New York has become her playground.

MASTERS 2010: Kim ended the 2010 season in style, overcoming world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki to claim her third WTA Championships crown.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2011: Kim fulfilled the prophecy and became 'Aussie Kim' by winning the Australian Open after a tough three sets victory over Chinese Na Li. This was Clijsters' fourth and last Grand Slam trophy.

PARIS 2011: Although she lost the final to Czech Petra Kvitova, Kim made an emphatic return to world No.1, a position she hold for just one week. With this she achieved the missing piece of her otherwise stunning comeback.

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Time To Say Goodbye: The Last of the Mohicans

Labelled by some as a one hit wonder, Andy Roddick, the last mohican of the American squad, was one of the most popular players of his generation. A wonder kid who quickly reached worldwide stardom following his success at the 2003 US Open, Roddick spent most of his career in the shadow of his arch nemesis, Roger Federer. 

Even though he was a later bloomer, Federer quickly established himself as the dominant force in men's tennis winning almost every Slam, leaving the American desperately searching for another crown. He came close on four occasions, but every time he failed to achieve his goal. Responsible for his misfortune was none other than the extraterrestrial Federer, who always got the best of him in those finals. Probably the most heart-breaking of them all was that epic 2009 Wimbledon final when Roddick played the match of his life, but was unable to succumb the almighty Swiss. After a marathon five-setter, Roger won 16-14 in the decider crushing his opponent to pieces. 

It might be that he never recovered from the disappointment, or maybe his body just gave in, but Andy quickly faded into the background making room for new guns such as Nadal, Djokovic or Murray to steal the limelight. 

A constant top 10 figure, the American shone the brightest on the American hardcourts where he always felt at ease. He also performed brilliantly on grass, the surface he loved most dearly, but he never got another chance to the Wimbledon title. Following a series of injuries, Andy missed the beginning of the 2012 season, making an emphatic return to form with a title in Eastbourne. Although he added another crown by winning in Atlanta, he struggled with a lack of motivation, which ultimately led him to announce his retirement at the start of the US Open. Cheered by the partisan crowd, he reached the last 16th, but his run was eventually ended by Argentinean Juan Martin del Potro, who won their clash in four sets. 

Benefitting from his immense popularity, Andy is set to follow on his wife's footsteps, making a transition to television and radio. He married actress Brooklyn Decker in 2009. His retirement leaves a huge void in the American tennis with no one really up to take his place. Following generations of fabulous champions like Connors, McEnroe, Courier, Chang, Sampras or Agassi, the Americans have failed to give another Grand Slam champion since Roddick. Mardy Fish or John Isner can be extremely dangerous, especially on hardcourts, but they are yet to reach the same heights as their predecessors. Consequently, Roddick's retirement is more than a sad news for his numerous fans, it marks the end of an era. 

A look back at Andy's golden career

North American season 2003: A former Australian and US Open junior champion, Andy Roddick made a glorious transition to the ATP tour. The American  quickly establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with, winning back-to-back Masters titles in Montreal and Cincinnati in 2003. 

US Open 2003: Andy's ultimate moment of glory came after a sensational 2003 North American hard court season. Riding on an impressive run of form, the new American wonder kid claimed his sole Grand Slam of his career by defeating Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in the Flushing Meadows final.

2003: Quickly after winning his first Grand Slam trophy, Roddick rose to the top of the ATP rankings. The American maintained his position till the end of the season, securing the year-end number 1 finish.

Wimbledon 2004: Andy's dynamic game made him a very dangerous opponent on grass. Relying on a vintage serve and volley display, Roddick fought his way to his first Wimbledon final in 2004. He was unable to stop Federer from a successful defence though, as the Swiss proved too good for his American opponent.

Wimbledon 2005: Desperately seeking a Wimbledon crown, Roddick got another shot a year later. Unfortunately for the American though, he run into his extraterrestrial nemesis, Roger Federer, again. The Swiss prevailed once more, leaving his opponent broken hearted as he witnessed another opportunity go by. 

US Open 2006: Andy played another Grand Slam final in front of his home crowd, but once again came out empty handed, being defeated relatively easy by Roger Federer.

Davis Cup 2007: Andy established himself as the best American player of his generation, winning all six matches to lead his country to its most recent Davis Cup success in 2007. Roddick also brought in a vital point in the final against Russia, defeating Dmitry Tursunov.

Wimbledon 2009: Probably the saddest memory of Andy's career came on his beloved London grass. In an epic final against nemesis, Roger Federer, the American gave it his all, but he was unable to subdue the powerful Swiss. Having been so close to collecting his first Wimbledon trophy, Roddick was left broken-hearted after losing a nail-biting marathon, which ended 16-14 in the decider. The final will always be remembered as one of the most dramatic battles of all time.

Miami 2010: Andy's last big victory came in front of his home crown in Miami. The American produced a vintage performance managing to overcome Spaniard Rafael Nadal in the semis and powerful young hope, Czech Tomas Berych, in the final to clinch his 5th and final Masters 1000 title.

Miami 2012: Roddick got the sweetest victory of his late career in Miami earlier this year,  defeating nemesis, Roger Federer, to end their legendary rivalry on a high.

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