There's No Stopping Fabulous Simona

By winning the girl’s singles title at Roland Garros in 2008, Simona Halep announced herself as a bright prospect of her generation. However, after a few years on the tour, the Romanian was yet to get her big breakthrough. A disastrous start to the season must have rang a bell though, as Simona turned it around almost overnight, going from someone ranked outside the top 50, to making her top 20 debut when she peaked at No.19 on Monday this week. 

A relatively late bloomer, Simona has been one of the hottest players of the summer having won her first four career titles in no more than three months. Since her dream run in Rome, where she came through qualies to beat Kuznetsova, Aga Radwanska and Jelena Jankovic to make her first Premier semifinal, the Romanian has found success on all surfaces, establishing herself as one of the finest all-rounders. She bagged two trophies on clay, Nürnberg and Budapest, one on grass, s'Hertogenbosch, as well as one on hard just last weekend.

After reaching the quarterfinals in Cincinnati where she succumbed to a flawless Serena Williams, Simona scored the biggest triumph of her career by claiming the title in New Haven. During an excellent week, Halep beat four-time titlist, Dane Caroline Wozniacki, in the semis, before disposing of defending champion, Czech Petra Kvitova, 6-2,6-2 in the final.

I think it is really strange how a few good matches can make such an enormous difference, but since that week in Rome, Halep seems a completely changed player. She is utterly aggressive, while still putting forth her sensational defense game, a lethal combinational for most of the world’s best. Victories over the likes of Radwanska, Jankovic, Stosur, Bartoli, Wozniacki, or Kvitova, attest the fact that the Romanian has found the golden recipe. 

For me the biggest transformation as far as Halep is concerned is her newly found mental strength. In the past, she would get a bit tight in key moments, play too safe, not take chances, ultimately allowing her opponent to dictate the play. This attitude would eventually cost her the match. Since Rome she is more composed out there on the court. She doesn't lose her head anymore, takes her chances and remains determined not to give in even when her opponent is raising her level. A good example was the match against Stosur in Cincinnati. Fresh off her triumph in Carlsbad, the Aussie produced a solid display to level at one set apiece. However, Simona kept her cool, and won the contest. Compared to another Romanian on the rise, Sorana Cirstea, Simona does not have an outstanding weapon. She does have consistency on her side though, and this helps her achieve such incredible results.

With only four losses in her last 35 matches, Halep is now setting her sights on the US Open, where she is seeded for the first time. Provided her body lasts, she could be in for a deep run into the last major of the season.

Nürnberg: Simona won her maiden WTA crown defeating home favourite Andrea Petkovic in the final.

s'Hertogenbosch: One week later, the Romanian found success on grass, overcoming soon-to-be Wimbledon semifinalist, Kristen Flipkens, to continue the winning run.

Budapest: After a tough loss to Na Li at Wimbledon, Simona regrouped by winning the title in the Hungarian capital. In the final she disposed of Austrian Yvonne Meusburger.

New Haven: Following victories over tricky opponents, Ekaterina Makarova and Carla Suarez-Navarro, Halep took out the Yale queen, four-time titlist, Dane Caroline Wozniacki in the semis.

New Haven: Simona was untouchable in the final against defending champion, Petra Kvitova, stunning the Czech 6-2,6-2 to claim her fourth title in no more than three months.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Monfils Still Can't Pull It Through

Although he is making steady progress in his attempt to regain his place inside the top 10, Gael Monfils seems unable to put together a winning run. This past week the Frenchman played a solid tournament in Winston-Salem, but when faced with the prospect of winning the title, he once again cracked. It's true that this time he can blame a medical condition, but still, like so many other instances in his career, this is yet another missed opportunity.  

Monfils' run to the final was utterly impressive, the talented Frenchman beating rejuvenated Spaniards Tommy Robredo and Fernando Verdasco, as well as Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov. However, the championship match against Austrian Jürgen Melzer ended in disappointing, Gael deciding to call it quits while trailing 3-6,1-2. "I started to feel it yesterday," the former world No.7 explained. "I had a sharp pain. After about 50 minutes [today], I tried to serve at full speed, and that was it. I felt like something snapped a little bit and it was really painful. It was tough to continue. I will try to get an X-ray tonight and see what's going on."

Monfils, a three time Grand Slam junior champion, has long been considered a strong candidate to one day rule the ATP tour. However, injuries and a lack of mental strength have prevented him to leave up to the expectations. Gael is a show-man and he proved that time and time again. Nevertheless, when it comes to winning the big points, or the important matches, he often falls short. His record in finals is strong evidence to attest this. Out of the 19 finals he played so far, he only won 4, the last coming in Stockholm in 2011. Only this season he has lost already two finals, both accessible, one in Nice, against Albert Montanes, and the one on Saturday, against Melzer.

Gael's case resembles pretty much that of German Andrea Petkovic. Like the Frenchman, Petkovic has been struggling with injuries for most of last year, but in the last couple of months she is starting to get her career back on track with some solid performances. However, just like Monfils, she is missing a happy ending, having also lost two finals already, against Simona Halep in Nürnberg, respectively against Magdalena Rybarikova in Washington DC.

With US Open starting in a few hours, it remains to be seen how well the Frenchman will recover after the unfortunately injury. He really needs to start winning these kinds of matches in order to build confidence when tackling the top guns. For this, he needs to be 100% fit though, so steady recovery Monfils. Hope to see some more winner's stamina from you soon.

Monfils played a pretty solid tournament in Winston-Salem, but his week ended in disappointing as he retired hurt while trailing 3-6,1-2 against Austrian Jürgen Melzer in the final.

While Monfils loses his fifteen ATP final, Austrian Melzer bags his fifth career title.

photos (top-down): GETTY IMAGES (x2), AP, GETTY IMAGES

The 2013 HARD Fashion Scoop

After the traditional all-while Wimbledon fortnight, the tennis world got back to its colourful ways in preparation for the last major of the season, the Flushing Meadows. Fashion wise, this is a less spectacular period, as many players opt for a coloured version of their Wimbledon apparel. However, this year saw some nice surprises as Roger Federer, Victoria Azarenka, and Venus Williams shone brightly on the North American hard-courts. Also, although it showed the same design earlier at Wimbledon, AdiZero lived up to its reputation as the coolest, trendiest line. The electric blue-red dress is one of my favourites this year. 

There were also some disappointments, mainly in the Nike camp, with fashionistas Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova both wearing dull, uninspired, almost home-wearing looking garments. Another big disillusion came from Stella McCartney, the designer putting forth some horrendously coloured pieces. I really do not like the use of electric orange in combination with the beige or the mint green in Petkovic's, respectively Wozniacki's attire. 

Summer Highs

Roger Federer - Nike RF Group

Federer might be struggling with poor form and a nagging back injury, but the Swiss Maestro looked utterly sharp in this fresh, lightly-coloured outfit. I like the whiteness, the cleanness of it, in contrast to the darker accents in the wristband, headband and the collar.

Venus Williams - EleVen

Venus Williams was back on court and in true Venus style she made another bold fashion statement wearing a pink snakeskin print. The dress is cool, stands out from the crowd and it matches the American's overall look, with the crazy hairdo.

Victoria Azarenka - NIKE

Although this may not be the most exciting of outfits, Vika did a great job picking something that is cool, fresh, simple and unique. I like the sleeveless tee, as well as the light green-mint strap on the skirt.

Rafael Nadal - NIKE

I have mixed feelings when it comes to Rafa's style, but the Spaniard's athleticism really shone through in this vivid garment. The yellow tee and the matching bandana are really stand-off pieces. The X on the T-shirt is a cool detail, while the shorts round up nicely the look. Nadal is one player who should not stay away from wearing these electric colours. They really suit his style.

Summer Lows

Maria Sharapova - NIKE 'Maria Sharapova' Group

Serena Williams - NIKE

Na Li - NIKE

In contrast to Azarenka, Nike's other leading ladies proved a big disappointment. Serena Williams looked like she was wearing home-wear attire, Maria Sharapova displayed another lethal combination, a dead boring top and a hideous skirt, while Na Li's top looked taken out of grandma's closet. These ladies really need to up their game at the US Open. 

Summer Coolness

Kristina Mladenovic - AdiZero

Ana Ivanovic - AdiZero

Sorana Cirstea - AdiZero

Angelique Kerber - AdiZero

No surprise I am a huge AdiZero fan. Once again their line is playful, cool, and extremely hip. I particularly love the colour combination, the electric blue dress with those touches of red, as well as the use of white in the separates.

Summer Peaches

Andrea Petkovic - Adidas by Stella McCartney

Caroline Wozniacki - Adidas by Stella McCartney

I got really sad when I saw Stella McCartney's latest line. The cuts are not so off, but the colours are hideous. Wozniacki's garment looks better, but Petkovic's is a hot mess. The beige and the bright orange look horrible together. I miss the vintage McCartney collections. Those were simpler, though really sophisticated and fashion forward.  

Jelena Jankovic - FILA

She may not always get it right, but this time she did. Fashionista-wannabe, Jelena Jankovic, wore a peach dress with an interesting detail on the side. As long as she keeps things simple, the Serbian has a chance of looking decent on the court.

Sloane Stephens - UnderArmour

Sloane Stephens once again looked her age in this cool peach-orange dress. The colour looks stunning on her dark skin, plus, as I already declared, I am a huge fan of her pleaded hand-bands.

photos (top-down, left-right): GETTY IMAGES (x10), Reuters, GETTY IMAGES (x11), ?, GETTY IMAGES, ? (x2), GETTY IMAGES (x9)

Brave Azarenka Not So Frail Anymore

After a cloudy period in which she played briefly, sustained numerous small "injuries," and lost to some not-so-difficult opponents, Victoria Azarenka rebounded in style, edging world No.1 and arch-rival, Serena Williams, to claim the Cincinnati crown. It was a really intense battle, with Vika showing nerves of steel and fierce determination to regroup after a nightmare first set to deliver a superb 2-6,6-2,7-6 victory. 

Serena was majestic in the opening act, winning it in 26 minutes. The American's game crumbled at the beginning of the second set though, and Azarenka put forth a solid display to level the dispute. She also held the upper hand in the decider, sprinting in front to go 4-2 up. In true Serena style, she came back firing on all cylinders to break straight back, before serving for the title at 5-4. Vika was not ready to walk away so easily though. She came up with some incredible shots to push the final into a decisive tiebreak. Although she got lucky in the end, all credit goes to the Belorussian for remaining mentally tough to close out the win. And what a win this can prove to be. With the US Open one week away, the Cincinnati success should give her the best boost ahead of the last Slam of the year. 

"Obviously a big win," she said. "It was a great match. I'm really, really pleased with the way I pulled it out. It was a great battle. Nothing was given away. It was pure fight. I'm really happy. The important thing is how I adjusted after the first set. I really stepped it up. I was fighting hard and changed my game and I just have to take that into consideration the next time we play against each other, to try to be there right from the beginning, because it's crucial. You don't want to give any chances at any point because Serena is such an incredible player that she will take everything."

Last year the two met in the Flushing Meadows final, with Vika serving for the title at 5-3 up in the decider. What followed was a complete meltdown from the then world No.1, who gifted Williams her 15th major silverware. Since that hearth-breaking defeat though, the Belorussian made sure she sees no history repeating. She overcame Williams in two nail-biter encounters, both in finals, at Doha, respectively now in Cincinnati. The American did crushed Azarenka for the Rome title, but still, it is clear that Victoria is closing in the gap rapidly. I stay strong by my opinion that the Belorussian is probably the only player on the tour that can challenge Serena on a regular basis. She has the strokes, the sharp returns, and most important, she is strong enough mentally and not intimidated by her opponent's resume. Go Vika #letswintheusopen!

Vika showed she can challenge world No.1, Serena Williams, overcoming the American in a nail-biter 2-6,6-2,7-6 to win the Cincinnati Open. This is Azarenka's second victory over her arch-rival in finals in 2013.

"Furious" Azarenka was in for some heavy celebration at the awards ceremony.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Time to Say Goodbye: Marion Does It Her Way

Marion Bartoli has always played by her own rules. Never intimidated by the critics who slammer her as unorthodox, bizarre, or quirky, she always stood by what she believed in, never compromising, never giving in. Her work ethics, her on-court behaviour, her aggressive two-handed strokes on both sides, everything about this Frenchwoman was designed to work for her and her only. Having teamed up with her father, doctor Walter Bartoli, at an early age, Bartoli has developed a unique game that I personally have always appreciated. 

It's not easy to put in so much passion, so much discipline and hard work, and to give so much of yourself match after match, week in, week out. With her never-say-die attitude, the Frenchwoman has always fought. Injuries, opponents, the French Federation, media, everyone. However, after winning Wimbledon just a few weeks ago, she felt emptied. There was nothing left to give. No resources to fuel the fight. Playing through so many injuries took its toll and an aching Marion decided she cannot continue anymore. After losing her second round match in Cincinnati to Romanian sensation, Simona Halep, Marion shocked the world by announcing her immediate retirement from tennis. 

It may come as a surprise to many, but it's important to understand just how much effort was required to win Wimbledon. Struggling with injuries since the beginning of the year, Marion saw a chance opening up when the hot favourite crushed out in the early stages. It took all her determination and fight to be able to hold the Venus Rosewater Dish at the end of the fortnight. It was the achievement of her biggest dream, an accomplishment that completed her career. She fulfilled her goal and she can now walk away peacefully and at ease, able to proudly look back at her glorious career. 

Judging by how competitive Marion is, I was actually expecting her to carry on and, why not, to try to win more majors. She knew better though. She knew that would never be. While some questioned her decision, I am pretty convinced she gave it a lot of thought. I am sad to see her retire, but one has to appreciate all she has done for women's tennis and to wish her all the best. For me, Marion represents the best example of a warrior. A fierce and smart warrior that will do anything, work as hard as it takes, to achieve her goals. When people tell you you cannot do something, Marion would go and prove them wrong. Time and time again. Although she was not the most gifted tennis player and some made fun of her peculiarity, Marion had the last laugh by winning Wimbledon and becoming a Grand Slam champion. Congrats Marion, go live your life and always stay true to yourself. At the end of the day, that's what matters the most. Thank you for all the great memories! You will be missed!

Exit interview:

On why...

"My body just can't do it anymore. I've already been through a lot of injuries since the beginning of the year. I've been on the tour for so long, and I really pushed through and left it all during that Wimbledon. I really felt I gave all the energy I have left in my body. I made my dream a reality and it will stay with me forever, but now my body just can't cope with everything. I have pain everywhere after 45 minutes or an hour of play. I've been doing this for so long, and body-wise I just can't do it anymore."

On whether she knew going into the match that it would be her last...

"Well, you kind of never know before the match that it's going to be your last match, but I felt that way after the match. I felt I just couldn't do this anymore. After one set, my whole body was just in pain.

"It's been a tough decision to make. I didn't make this decision easily. I mean, I've been a tennis player for a long time, and I had the chance to make my biggest dream a reality. I felt I really, really pushed through the ultimate limits to make it happen, to be honest. But now I just can't do it anymore."

On whether she had been thinking about it for a while...

"You know, it's hard to explain, but when you dream about something for so long and you've been on tour for many, many, many years and you've been through ups and downs and highs and lows and already a lot of injuries since the beginning of the year, my body was really starting to fall apart, and I was able to keep it together, go through a lot of pain throughout Wimbledon, and still make it happen. That was probably the last little bit of something that was left inside me. It's fine. I have the right to do something else as well. I've been playing for a long, long time, and it's time for me now. It is."

On whether she discussed it with her dad...

"I called him, yes. But my dad knows me enough to know it a bit when he saw me leaving home for the States. He kind of felt I was tired and I was exhausted, and he was not surprised by the decision.

"He said, 'I kind of felt it somehow. I can see it in your eyes and see your body and I know all the work you've done to make it happen. I'm so proud of you. I will support you in anything you're doing.'"

On where the pain is exactly...

"My Achilles is hurting me a lot, so I can't really walk normally after a match like that, especially on the hardcourts when the surface is so hard. And my shoulder and my hips and my lower back. The body of a tennis player, you've been using it for so many years, and, yeah, my body is just done."

On how she went from a really good first set to this decision...

"As a tennis player you have to be at 100%. And I'm this kind of person, when I'm doing something, I'm doing it 100%. If I have to be on the practice court preparing for the next tournament tomorrow, I won't be at 100%, because my mind is not there, my heart is not there, and I just can't lie like that.

"I'm too honest and too true to my values to be there, but kind of not really 100%. I think that would be unfair for all my team, and I don't choose to do that. I don't have those values. That's not the way I've been raised. That's not the way I am. So I prefer to stay true to myself rather than just cheating."

On what she's most proud of from her career...

"I think being the same person, being honest, being loyal to my friends, to my teams, to the people who have been helping me along the way, the people who have been working with us throughout all the years. I always respect them, and I felt I always respected everyone. I think if people ask, 'How is Marion Bartoli?' They will always respond, 'She's a nice person.' That's what I'm most proud of."

On what she will do now...

"Oh, gosh, I don't know. I haven't thought about it so much. There are so many things to do in life rather than playing tennis, so I'm sure I'll find something. I just need a bit of time to settle down. "There is some excitement as a tennis player. There is a lot of excitement as a woman. There is a lot of excitement as a wife. There is a lot of excitement as a mother. There is a lot of excitement to come up.

"I'm excited to live my future, but I will have time to think about it in the months, years to come."

A look back at Marion's golden career

US OPEN 2001: Aged 17, Marion defeated Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova to win the girls singles title at Flushing Meadows.

AUCKLAND 2006: Marion defeated Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-2,6-2 to capture her maiden WTA title. She would go on to two more crowns that year.

WIMBLEDON 2007: Marion stunned the tennis world by shocking hot favourite and world No.1, Justine Henin, to reach her first Grand Slam final. 

WIMBLEDON 2007: Playing the most important match of her career, Marion succumbed to experienced Venus Williams in straight sets.

STANFORD 2009: Marion got revenge on Venus Williams, defeating the American to collect her fifth career title.

INDIAN WELLS 2001: Bartoli reached one of the biggest finals of her career, but fell short to world No.1, Dane Caroline Wozniacki who prevailed in three sets.

ROLAND GARROS 2011: Marion delighted the French fans by reaching her first semifinal at the French. Her dream was eventually ended by defending champion, Italian Francesca Schiavone. 

EASTBOURNE 2011: at one of her favourite tournaments, Marion Bartoli produced a stellar grass-court performance. After quickly disposing of Samantha Stosur in the semis, the Frenchwoman overcame soon-to-be Wimbledon champion, Petra Kvitova, to claim the title.

HOPMAN CUP 2012: Marion partnered Richard Gasquet to reach the final of the team event in Perth. They lost to Petra Kvitova and Tomas Berdych from the Czech Republic.

PARIS 2012: One of the most heart-breaking defeats came in front of her home crowd, in Paris, when she lost an epic final to German Angelique Kerber.

WIMBLEDON 2013: Bartoli achieved her career dream, defeating German Sabine Lisicki to win her first Grand Slam trophy. The Frenchwoman did not drop a set the entire fortnight.

CINCINNATI 2013: Just when she seemed to be on top of world, Marion stunned the world announcing her immediate retirement from tennis.

photos (top-down): GETTY IMAGES, L'Equipe, GETTY IMAGES (x7), AP, GETTY IMAGES (x5), ?, GETTY IMAGES (x3)