Serena Wraps Up Extraterrestrial Year

Despite some glimpses of brilliance from Azarenka throughout the year, Serena still remains the dominant figure in women's tennis. Since winning Wimbledon in 2012, the American was practically unstoppable. The defeats were few and unimportant, as she went on to collect four Grand Slam titles, two Season-Ending Championships crowns, as well as two Olympic gold medals in the time span. 

She reclaimed the world No.1 ranking in February, in Doha, becoming thus the oldest player to achieve the feat. The success whet her appetite, and the American began playing more to consolidate the position. She contested 15 tournaments, the most she's played in her career, winning 11 of them, and reaching the final in two other occasions. As said, she was basically invincible, and without an utterly motivated Azarenka, there really isn't anyone who can stand a chance against her. 

Although I feel she isn't as dominant as she once was, her will power is from outta this world. As showed during the WTA Championships in Istanbul, her opponents cannot really break through the mental barrier and beat her. The last two encounters were extremely difficult for a fatigued Serena. First, she was required to dig deep to survive the Jankovic assault, to then have to rely on the mental fragility of Chinese Na Li to defend her title. Li completely melted down while leading 6-3,3-0, losing nine consecutive games to gift away the title. It probably wasn't the most straightforward triumph, but the thing that matters most for the American is that she is winning matches, even when she is not playing her best. There are a few who can take advantage of this erratic display though, and I am referring mostly about the younger generation. We saw Sloane Stephens defeat Serena in Melbourne, and Sabine Lisicki stun her at Wimbledon, but unfortunately for the rest, the more experienced ones, beating Serena is a rare feat to achieve.

With an out-of-sorts Vika struggling to find motivation, I was expecting the American to cruised through the Istanbul draw. It wasn't quite a walk in the park though. Her journey could have ended in the semis, but it didn't, mostly because of her astonishing mental strength. Despite the hiccups, Williams successfully defended the title, strengthening her authority at the top of rankings.

With 11 crowns and an amazing 78-4 match record, this was definitely Serena's year. I think that if Vika plays her best tennis more constantly, we might have a completely different story next season. For now though, Williams is the undisputed WTA Queen.

Following her fabulous 2013 season, Serena was crowned this year's No.1 player. She received the distinction during the an Award Ceremony held in Istanbul.

Finding resources only she knew existed, Serena reeled off nine straight games to dismiss Na Li's stiff challenge to secure her second consecutive WTA Championships title. The American won 2-6,6-3,6-0 to successfully defend her Istanbul crown.

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Vika's Nightmare Ending to 2013

Although she started the year superbly, winning her second Aussie Open title and defeating Serena Williams to retain her Doha crown, Vika Azarenka run out of steam as the season progressed. She lost momentum following the nasty knee injury she sustained at Wimbledon, and although she came back strong during the North American period to win in Cincinnati, again after a mouth-watering victory over Serena, she was never quite the same. The heart-breaking loss to the American in the US Open championship match proved the final nail in the coffin. Not 100% fit and struggling to find motivation, Vika won just one of her last five matches, a rare "achievement" for the world No.2.

Azarenka came into the WTA Championships in Istanbul on the back of two early exits in Asia. She lost first round both in Tokyo, to Venus Williams, as well as in Beijing, to Andrea Petkovic. Nevertheless, she started her campaign strongly, beating Sara Errani in straight sets to take the lead in the White Group. This group was relatively easy, so I was expecting her to cruise through it without major difficulties. I was actually anticipating another showdown with Serena in Sunday's final, but the poor mental state she's in surfaced once more when she was dismissed 4-6,3-6 by late qualifier, Jelena Jankovic. 

The shocking result complicated her case, and the Belorussian needed a straight sets triumph over Li Na to guarantee her place in the semis. It was over before it began though, as she sustained a lower back injury while serving at 2-3, which made it impossible for her to compete at a decent level. Li dropped just one more game from there on, as she closed out a commanding 6-2,6-1 victory. Visibly in pain and unable to move, the Belorussian was asked why she hadn't retired. "I just wanted to try to do my best for the fans who came to watch and out of respect for my opponent," she answered. "It was just about trying to do the best I could out there."
These last few months have been tough, but it's important for Vika to shake off the disappointment, find her motivation, and come back stronger in 2014. I stand by my belief that she is the only one capable of stopping Serena from clean sweeping the majors next year. Go Vika! #letsdothis #newstart #newchapter

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Tennis Moods Style: The 2013 Istanbul Fashion Week

At the end of a gruelling 2013, the best eight players in the world got to cap a magnificent season with a trip to the Season-Ending WTA Championships in Istanbul. For the third year running (see 2011 and 2012), the Turkish capital was host to a magnificent week of tennis, which saw Serena Williams, Vika Azarenka, Na Li, Aga Radwanska, Petra Kvitova, Angelique Kerber, Sara Errani, and Jelena Jankovic battle it out for ultimate glory. 

However, this week was not only about tennis. In addition to going head-to-head on the court, the WTA divas also disputed the 'Best Dressed' award, when their stepped on the red carpet at the Draw Ceremony on Sunday, Oct 20. To be honest, I was a little bit disappointed with the fashion on display. None of the players really shone. Serena and JJ had a correct look, Aga opted for the stand-out dress,  but she almost killed it with the shoes, Vika looked like Sister Act gone wild, while Angie's proportions were completely off in the black jumpsuit.

Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)

I don't understand what was she thinking, but Vika looked like a pregnant madame who is going to a soiree instead of the Draw Ceremony in that huuuge black dress. First, it is a few sizes too big for her. Secondly, the upper part adds so much volume to her bust and waist making her look like she's pregnant. Thirdly, the hair is a complete mess. She should've wore in a bun or something. Fourthly, the pearls are too big. She should've chosen something more delicate. The edgy Belorussian went too BIG this time and she failed.

On the other hand though, her on-court garment was the exact opposite. The bold print is sharp. Plus, I love the nice light grey strip on the shoulder. Great turnaround from Vika!

Serena Williams (USA)

Serena was safe in Istanbul. The red, strapless dress will always complement both her curvy body, as well as her skin tone. Although it proved a wise choice, it lacked a bit of excitement. Her on-court apparel too. She's always had some memorable outfits, especially for these big events, so this feels a bit of a letdown. I hope she will not continue on this more commercial pattern. I don't want to see another Maria Sharapova.

Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland)

Aga had the most interesting dress on the red carpet, but she almost killed it with the shoes. The two don't match. I like the color of the peep-toes, but resent the detailing. I would have chosen something more hardcore, or a simple pair of stilettos. I credit her for taking a risk though. The Pole is proving a small fashionista wannabe after all.

Na Li (China)

Na Li is the biggest ambassador for Asian tennis, so I think it's applaudable that she stressed her roots by wearing an ivory cheongsam at the Draw Ceremony. The shoes are a no no and the watch does not match the outfit, but the Chinese was not trying to create a fashion moment, so I'll forgive her :). 

The on-court look was OK-ish. While I like the color combination, I dislike the stripes, the vertical fuchsia stripe on the polo and the horizontal white stripe on the skirt.

Sara Errani (Italy)

Sara Errani finally stepped up a notch and wore something decent on the red carpet. The Italian is usually either too casual or ultra sophisticated, but she got the balance right this time, wearing an interesting cocktail dress and a nice hairdo. I would have liked to see higher heels, but overall a good look from Sara.

Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic)

Kvitova is another hopeless fashion case, but the Czech made some nice progress with her hairdo. Her dress, although flat, is not a faux-pas, but it requires another pair of shoes. You could wear those sandals with jeans and a top, but not on the red carpet. I am not at all enthusiastic with this fall collection from Nike, but it's a generic issue, so no minuses for Petra when picking the on-court apparel.

Jelena Jankovic (Serbia)

Although I am not a fan off the biggest fashionista wannabe, Jelena Jankovic, the Serbian got her game right this time, option for a short, beaded lbd to which she matched a pair of black stilettos. She used a red lipstick for a touch of color, so overall a correct look, perfectly suited for the occasion. 

Angelique Kerber (Germany)

They may be extremely talented, but the Germans are a complete fiasco when it comes to fashion. Although black is a color that slims you, Angelique Kerber managed to look fatter in an all black ensemble. That's because of the low waist that stresses the hips area, adding extra volume exactly where there's plenty. Plus, the proportions are totally off and the accessorizing is poorly done. Throw the necklace and the belt! A big miss for Angie. 

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Dimitrov No Longer A Baby

Bulgarian youngster, Grigor Dimitrov, has long been labelled as the next big superstar in men's tennis. The obvious resemblance in style with Roger Federer brought him the nickname "Baby Fed," as everyone was/is expecting him to follow in the all-time great's footsteps. Dimitrov was pretty vocal when it came to dismissing the prophecy though, showing clear signs that he does not want to live in someone else's shadow. 

Grigor's biggest problem so far is that he did not quite confirm the huge expectations that people have from him. This year there have been some instances when his talent shone through, but he is yet to have that big breakthrough moment. At the beginning of the season, he lost his first ATP final to Andy Murray in Brisbane, and in May he stunned world No.1, Novak Djokovic, in a mouth-watering clash in Madrid. Nevertheless, he was lacking his maiden crown to consolidate the great progress. The wait ended last week when Dimitrov completed a dream run in Sweden. Days after terminating his collaboration with Magnus Norman's tennis academy, the Bulgarian delivered the goods to win the If Stockholm Open.

The Bulgarian started the week strongly, being unbothered en route to the semifinals. In his next clash with Benoit Paire, he was forced to come back from the loss of the first set to defeat the Frenchman 4-6,6-2,6-2. In the final, Grigor once again produced a sensational comeback, recovering from a poor opening act to stun world No.3 and this year's Roland Garros runner-up, David Ferrer. It was a hard fought triumph, but Dimitrov proved he has the mental strength to win big matches like this one. "It's one of my biggest wins," said the ecstatic Bulgarian. "To beat a top guy in a final. It's a great feeling and it's good for your mental state. You know you can hang with these guys and the next time you play against them, especially in the Grand Slams, you will be better prepared."

The title might have come a bit later than expected, but continuing the comparison with Federer, he too was pretty slow off the block. It took the Swiss quite a while to record his first big win, so this success might mark the beginning of a long series of great achievements for Grigor. I believe in him and in his talent, so hopefully he can keep up the good work, relinquish the huge pressure, work on his game, and come back stronger next season. 

The Bulgarian is going through a flourish period off court too, as his relationship with Russian Maria Sharapova is developing quite nicely, the two being rumored to be engaged.

Talented Grigor collected his maiden ATP title by stunning world No.3, David Ferrer, in a very entertaining Stockholm final.

Just when the pressure was starting to build up, and everyone was waiting on him to confirm his huge potential, young Bulgarian slammed the critics by crowning himself champion in Stockholm.

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5-Star Simona Wins in Moscow

Quietly, without stirring too many waters, Simona Halep is building a strong reputation as someone to look out for on the WTA tour. Keeping a clear head, while playing some very aggressive tennis, Simona negotiated her way through the Moscow draw to collect the fifth crown of her breakthrough season.

Although she is a former Roland Garros junior champion, these results were achieved basically overnight, ignited by her dream run at the Italian Open. Nowhere was an indication of what was about to follow, and no one could quite predict Simona's stunning second half of the year. During this period the Romanian beat a slew of top players, won five tournaments, made the fourth round at the US Open, and reached a career-high No.14 in the rankings.

In Moscow, Halep once again sent a clear signal to her rivals that she is a real threat. A counterpuncher turned into an utterly aggressive opponent, the Romanian proved too much to handle for big names like Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Australian Sam Stosur, beating them in a convincing manner. She played her relaxed, beautiful tennis, and managed to win the title without dropping a set.

Because she is such a modest person, the Romanian is not an immediate stand-out, although her performances would entitle her to assume a more prominent position in women's tennis. To me, the most amazing thing about Halep is her effortless display. When she is playing she has such an ease, such a naturalness about her that makes it a pleasure to watch she. Her consistently good results proved she is no fluke, so I expect to see and hear more of her in the future. I am positive she will reach higher heights next season. 

Although she started her assault too late to really stand a chance of qualifying for the Season-Ending Championships in Istanbul, Simona has qualified for the Tournament of Champions in Sofia starting next week. Considering the solid form she showcased in the last couple of months, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Romanian run away with that title also. 

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Classy Haas Wins in Vienna

What a year this has been for rejuvenated Tommy Haas! Following on a stunning comeback in 2012, the talented German put forth one of the most consistent seasons of his career to now stands an outside chance of qualifying for the ATP World Tour Finals in London. 

The 35-year-old Haas is going stronger than ever lately, and on Sunday he proved he has what it takes to compete at the highest level. The German relied on all his experience, as he negotiated his way out of an extremely dangerous situation. In a tight contest, he managed to come back from 2-4 down in the decider to defeat Dutch Robin Haase 6-3,4-6,6-4 to win the title in Vienna, his second crown in the Austrian capital. "I'm very happy. Obviously it's a great feeling to win a title," he said. "It doesn't come around very often. To do it here after (also winning) in 2001, it's special. You don't win tournaments too often and this year I've won in my two favourite cities."

Although his body does not always allow him to be 100% fit, Tommy has succeeded in staying injury-free. He achieved some amazing performances this year, winning two titles, Munchen and Vienna, as well as reaching his first quarterfinal at Roland Garros. He also made the fourth round at Wimbledon.

As said, world No.12 Haas now stands an outside chance of qualifying for London. There are only two tournaments left, so it would take an incredible twist of fate to actually see him achieve the feat, but independent on the result, there are so many positives the German should take from 2013. Keep up the good work, Tommy! Come back stronger next year, I would really want to see you win a Grand Slam.

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A Frenchman in Moscow

With just two weeks left before the ATP World Tour Finals in London, Richard Gasquet improved his chances of grabbing one of the last qualifying spots by winning the ATP 250 event in Moscow.

Although No.1 seeded Richard was not in the best of forms this week, his newly improved mental strength helped his capitalize on a great opportunity. With the stiffest competition coming from second seeded Italian, Andreas Seppi, the Frenchman saw the opening. He started his campaign slowly, dropping a set to Russian Evgeny Donskoy, but he recovered in time, cruising past another Russian, Teymuraz Gabashivili, and giant Croat, Ivo Karlovic, to make the final.

Although he faced qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin, Gasquet had a big battle in front of him. After being outpowered in the opening set, the Frenchman drew in all his experience to level the match with an inspired display. It was another Mount Everest to climb in the decider however, as an uninhibited Kukushkin took charge, breaking to go 4-3 up. The Frenchman was ready for a final assault, winning three straight games to close out a hard-fought 3-6,6-4,6-4 victory. "It was an incredible week here for me and now I have great memories about my playing here," he told reporters. "It is one of the most successful seasons in my career but the race for a place in London is not over yet and I need to concentrate on my further playing to get there."

The Frenchman was reborn at the beginning of the season when he won two titles in Doha and Montpellier. He then reached his second Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open, and now stands a good chance of qualifying for the Final Showdown in London. "I’ll try my best to qualify," he said. "Two big tournaments are coming up, including [the ATP World Tour Masters 1000] in Paris. I’ll try my best. I was close to losing today. But I fought a lot. It’s important for me to qualify for it. But the title here is important for me because my opponent played very well."

The last three places with probably be decided between him, Tsonga, Federer and Wawrinka. I back all of them in their quest, so let the best men win!

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Kerber's Late Awakening

Following a season of near-misses, Angelique Kerber caught fire at the best moment, putting together a consistent couple of months to clinch her place at the WTA Season-Ending Championships in Istanbul for the second consecutive year.

Although she maintained her place inside the top 10, the German did not quite reproduce the breakthrough season she had last year. As said, it's been a season if near-misses. She lost in the last 16th at the Australian Open (to Ekaterina Makarova), Roland Garros (to Svetlana Kuznetsova), and Flushing Meadows (to Carla Suarez Navarro), as well as in the second round at Wimbledon (to Kaia Kanepi), but she had great chances of advancing further in all these occasions. She also lost one WTA final, at Monterrey, where she was again outrun in dramatic fashion, by another Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

The sudden awakening occurred at the beginning of the Asian Swing. In Tokyo, at the Premier Pan Pacific Open, Kerber rediscovered her inner strength to defeat a slew of top players to make the final. Her victories over Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki, respectively Agnieszka Radwanska, provided a huge boost of confidence, and although she fell to former Wimbledon champion, Petra Kvitova, she remained upbeat about her performance. Another good week followed in Beijing. She again had an opportunity to go further, but she stopped in the quarterfinals following a tough loss to Aga Radwanska.

With two weeks to go till the final showdown in Istanbul, Maria Sharapova announced her withdrawal, so her seat was up from grabs. Angelique was the frontrunner in this race, but she needed a strong result in Linz to seal the deal. Although she was the No.1 seed, her week did not start very promising, as she was bagelled in the first set by Romanian Monica Niculescu. After shrugging off the shock, the German made serious adjustments, which made her unstoppable. She cruised through the draw, avenging the heart-breaking US Open loss to Suarez Navarro in an emphatic manner, beating the Spaniard 6-2,6-0. In the final, the German proved she has what it takes to win big matches, dismissing the stiff challenge of rejuvenated former world No.1, Ana Ivanovic. The win marked the perfect ending to a dream week for the German, a week in which she qualified for the Season-Ending Championships by claiming her first title of the year.

Angelique does not have an outstanding weapon, but she is the perfect example of a counterpuncher who can play extremely aggressive tennis. To me, she resembles Kim Clijsters. Plus, she is a lefty, which makes it trickier for opponents to beat her. She lacks a bit the mental strength to close out matches, but on a good day she can defeat anyone. It remains to be seen what she can do in Istanbul, but provided she gets an accessible group, I see her making the semis.

Angelique Kerber capped a dream week in Linz, beating former champion Ana Ivanovic to win her first title of the season. The result was enough for the German to book her seat at the WTA Tour Championships in Istanbul.

Angelique also achieved a great result in Tokyo where she reached the final of the Premier event. Unfortunately for her, she was beaten 2-6,6-0,3-6 by Czech Petra Kvitova.

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