Mladenovic and Nestor Collide Again

French hope Kristina Mladenovic and Canadian veteran Daniel Nestor teamed up again at this year's Australian Open to conquer their second Grand Slam mixed-doubles title together. The popular tandem cruised through the draw to collect their second major crown after Wimbledon last year.

Although they were not seeded at the start of the tournament, Mladenovic and Nestor enjoyed a relatively easy ride Down Under going all the way without dropping a set. They beat  the likes of Su-Wei Hsieh and Raven Klaasen, Lisa Raymond and Mariusz Fyrstenberg, Daniela Hantuchova and Leander Paes, Jie Zheng and Scott Lipsky, respectively Sania Mirza and Horia Tecau in the final.

After the final, the experienced doubles specialist was very complimentary of his partner: "She's very good at returning the men's serve," Nestor confessed. "I'm sure a lot of girls aren't afraid to return the men's serve out there, but whether they're able to do it is another story." "The first thing is not to be afraid of returning the men's serve, because obviously it's going really fast," Mladenovic commented. "And the second thing is that I like the challenge. I like going for it and trying to return it. They get crazy when the return comes back or even comes back as a winner."

The pairing is having great fun both on and off the court. Kristina actually confessed she'd been approached by other players and asked to play with them. "Now that we're starting to get good results, a few players are asking me when he's going to retire! I tell them no, I'm playing with Danny forever now," Kiki assured Daniel. "They say, 'Okay, we can play once he stops. We hope it's going to be soon.' Pretty much all the teams we beat joke about it!"

I love this dynamic duo, and now that the Canadian has announced his big plans of sweeping the majors to achieve the Grand Slam this year, I totally cheer for them! You go guys! 

Kiki Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor are strengthening their credentials as the best mixed-doubles team of the moment by winning their second major crown at the Australian Open. They beat Indian Sania Mirza and Romanian Horia Tecau in the final.

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Stan's One Moment in Time

What a transformation a year makes! In 2013 in Melbourne, the ever-talented Stan Wawrinka pushed two-time defending champion and world No.1 Novak Djokovic to the limits in an epic encounter that finished 10-8 in the fifth for the Serb. The loss broke Stan's heart, but as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. That's exactly what happened to the Swiss, who found inspiration in the defeat to produce a breakthrough season. He reached his second Masters 1000 final, in Madrid, the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, the semifinals at Flushing Meadows, as well as the semifinals at the ATP Masters Cup in London. 

Funny enough, that loss to Djokovic also increased Stan's self-belief. He emerged tougher both physically and most important, mentally after last year's Australian Open. Although throughout the upcoming months he would frequently lose battles with the elite, Wawrinka slowly gained confidence and began to unleash his game.

Stan started 2014 with a title in Chennai, one of his favourite ATP stops. Continuing the solid form Down Under, the Swiss barely broke a sweat in his first two matches, seeing off injured Kazakh Andrey Golubev and Columbian Alejandro Falla. He didn't even take the court for this third round encounter, as his opponent, Canadian Vasek Popsipil, withdrew injured. Fresh and eager to advance deep into the tournament, the Swiss overcame a stiff resilience from Spaniard Tommy Robredo to set up a mouth-watering clash with now three-time defending champion, Novak Djokovic.

This time around, the Swiss made things right. He hanged in there when Djokovic leveled at two-sets apiece and broke his opponent for the decisive break at 8-7 in the decider to emerge victorious. This was a well-deserved revenge for Wawrinka who finally beat Novak in a Slam. Playing in his second Grand Slam semifinal, he then dominated Czech Tomas Berdych to win 6-3,6-7,7-6,7-6. 

In the final against Nadal, Stan was the underdog. Not only there's a considerable difference in ranking (Nadal is the current world No.1), but he lost all twelve meetings with Rafa. Throwing caution to the wind the Swiss played his finest tennis for a set and a half. Midway through the second act, Nadal injured his back and required medical intervention. Although he lost that set too, the ferocious Spaniard came back strong in the third reducing the deficit. Wawrinka remained mentally strong. He served to perfection, and although he gifted away what looked like a decisive break, he continued to push Nadal breaking again to seal victory with a huge forehand down the line. “I still think that I'm dreaming,” said the stunned Swiss. “It's a strange feeling. I saw so many finals. I always try to watch the final of Grand Slam because that's where the best player is playing. Before today, for me, wasn't a dream. I never expected to play a final. 

“It’s quite crazy what's happening right now. I never expected to win a Grand Slam. I never dreamed about that because, for me, I was not good enough to beat those guys.” Wawrinka becomes the first player since Sergi Bruguera in 1993 who defeats both world No.1 and No.2 to win a major. 

The victory takes him to a career-high No.3 when the rankings will be released on Monday. He will also become the new Swiss No.1, finally stepping out of the shadow of good friend and compatriot, the all-time great, Roger Federer. “To win a Slam, to be No. 3, both is a big surprise. I saw Roger winning so many Grand Slams in the past, so now it's my turn to win one. If you look the 10 past years, except del Potro, it's only the top four guys who have won all the Grand Slams,” said a thrilled Wawrinka. 

I honestly hope this huge triumph for Stanislas will open the door to all the talented players who cannot quite cope mentally with the likes of Nadal or Djokovic. Congrats, Stan! #youcandoit #letsbeatNadal #letsbeatDjokovic

Wawrinka announced himself as a contestant for the title following a magnificent victory over three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals. The triumph marked a much-deserved revenge following the heart-breaking loss to the Serb last year.

The Swiss booked his place in his maiden Grand Slam final by beating Czech Tomas Berdych 6-3,6-7,7-6,7-6 in the semis.

Facing an injured Rafael Nadal for the title, Stan remained mentally strong. He played aggressive tennis to overcome the Spaniard 6-3,6-2,3-6,6-3.

Here it is: Stan Wawrinka crowned himself a Grand Slam champion, becoming the second Swiss to achieve the feat after his good friend, Roger Federer. Stan will also get to a career-high No.3 on Monday.

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Third Time Lucky for Li

Na Li is one of those players who always felt at ease in Melbourne. Judging by her results, we can even say that this is her best Grand Slam. The Chinese star had has great results here, reaching the semifinals in four of the last five seasons. She even came extremely close to winning the title in 2011 and 2013, losing two epic battles to Kim Clijsters, respectively to Victoria Azarenka. This year though, she was not to be denied. 

After a great start in Shenzhen, where she successfully defended her crown, Li arrived in Melbourne determined to improve last year's runner-up showing. After quick dismissals of young guns Croat Ana Konjuh and Swiss Belinda Bencic, the Chinese trailblazer run into deep troubles against Czech Lucie Safarova. Safarova easily bagged the first set and even had match point in the second, before Li marched on an extraordinary comeback to triumph 1-6,7-6,6-3. Once she dug herself out of the rabbit hole, Na Li was untroubled as she finally got to lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup. Taking advantage of an open draw, she saw off Russian Ekaterina Makarova, Italian Flavia Pennetta, Canadian darling Eugenie Bouchard, and surprising Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova to add a second Grand Slam trophy to her cabinet. None of these player took a set of Li; only Cibulkova stretched her to the limits in the opening set of the final, but Li remained mentally strong to close that out in a tiebreak. 

With favourites Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and Maria Sharapova failing miserably, Na Li proved she is a true champion. Playing sharp tennis and remaining focused throughout the fortnight, she backed up her 2011 Roland Garros triumph to shake off the 'One-Slam Wonder' tag.

Li's current coach, the legendary Carlos Rodriguez, plays an essential role in Li's recent success. In her interview, the Chinese talked about how much Carlos, Justine Henin's former coach, has helped her fight the inner demons and start believe in herself: "Before the match he was telling me to relax, just think it's a match, don't think it's a final. When he was coaching me, he always say 'believe in yourself.' He always believed in me, I never believed in myself. That was my problem."

A fan-favourite all over the world, Li won a few more hearts with her humorous speech. She first thanked her agent "for making me rich," her coach, and then her husband, Shan Jiang. She told him he was "even famous in China." "So thanks for him give up everything just traveling with me to be my hitting partner, fix the drinks, fix the racket. So thanks a lot, you are a nice guy," she said, to the delight of the crowd. "Also you are so lucky, find me." [sic]

With two titles already to her name, Na Li is undefeated so far this season. She is leading the race to Singapore.

Shaking off some early nerves, Na Li eventually proved too strong for Cibulkova, winning the match 7-6,6-0 to wrap up a magnificent fortnight Down Under.

The win against Cibulkova brought Li her second Grand Slam title and her first in Melbourne, following heart-breaking runner-up showing in 2011 and 2013.

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Halep Starting to Enjoy the Good Life

Following her spectacular second half of 2013, it was just a matter of time before the million dollar Romanian would break into the top 10. She did it in extraordinary fashion by reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, her best result in a Grand Slam.

There have been a few question marks as to whether she would be able to back-up her breakthrough season. Those got even more intense after her early exit in Sydney, where she lost in straight sets to young American Madison Keys in the opening round. Fortunately, the loss proved just a fluke and Simona was back to her winning ways just in time for Melbourne.

She was quick to adjust to the extreme Australian heat, crushing Polish qualifier Katarzyna Piter 6-0,6-1 in the first round. She then overcame American Varvara Lepchenko and Kazakh Zarina Diyas. The stiffest test came in the fourth round where she met former world No.1, Jelena Jankovic. Simona had defeated the Serb a couple of times in the past, but this time around she really had to dig deep for the victory. The first game of the decider was key, the Romanian won it and run away with the match 6-4,2-6,6-0. 

The mental effort took its toll and Simona was drained when she took the court for her quarterfinal clash with Dominika Cibulkova. The Slovak was playing the tennis of her life, putting forth a lethal combination of aggression and precision that left Halep with no answers. 

Although she lost a disappointing final battle, the Romanian has plenty to cheer for. The result was enough to guarantee she'll break into the top 10 for the first time on Monday. She becomes just the third Romanian to achieve the feat. The season has just started, so I am sure there are many great things ahead for Simona in 2014. Well done, girl!

Although she was crushed 6-3,6-0 by Slovak Dominika Cibulkova in the quarterfinals, Simona achieved her best showing at a Grand Slam. The result is enough to see her break into the top 10.

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Bouchard Shows 'Genie' Powers

Although she lost to Na Li, Canadian darling, Eugenie Bouchard, proved a maturity well beyond her years to make her first Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open. 

Genie signaled her intentions last seasons when she reached her first final in Osaka, semifinals in Strasbourg and Quebec, as well as the third round at Wimbledon. As a result she was named the 2013 WTA Newcomer of the Year. 

In Melbourne, she cruised through the first three rounds without dropping a set, beating Chinese Hao Chen Tang, Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano, and American Lauren Davis. Things got a bit more difficult in the fourth round when she met home-hope, Casey Dellacqua. Although she's just 19, Bouchard showed her star quality, recovering from the loss of the first set to dismiss the Aussie 6-7,6-2,6-0. 

She played the biggest match of her career in the quarterfinals, when she faced resuscitated Ana Ivanovic. Even though the Serbian was sky-high on confidence following her shock win over world No.1 Serena Williams, she couldn't quite manage Genie's inspired performance. I was quite impressed on how this fierce teenager handled the situation. Ivanovic was playing very close to her best, but she somehow was outplayed by her opponent's aggressive display. The Canadian once again overcame a slow start, laboring her way to a sensational 5-7,7-5,6-2 victory.

Probably a bit overwhelmed by the media hype, she couldn't quite play her game in the semifinal against Li. The Chinese was too strong mentally and physically to be denied and she emerged victorious 6-2,6-4. Although the Canadian's ream run ended here, she totally won my heart with her superb performance. She's uninhibited, aggressive, bold, enthusiastic about being on court, and determined to play her best tennis.

I am sure this is just the beginning of the journey for Genie. There's so much potential here, so watch out because she will confirm. GO #GenieArmy!

In a battle of the big hitters, Eugenie Bouchard overcame resuscitated Ana Ivanovic to book her place in her maiden Grand Slam semifinal.

Genie made the delight of the Aussie crowd by confessing in the on-court interview that she would go on a date with teen idol, Justin Bieber.

Playing in her first major semifinal, Eugenie was no match for Chinese Na Li, who cruised through 6-2,6-4.

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Baby Dimitrov Rises to the Occasion

Although he is one of the biggest young talents in men's tennis, so far Grigor Dimitrov has failed to deliver on the big stages. It all changed at this year's Australian Open where the Bulgarian took his chance and advanced to his maiden major quarterfinal.

The signs were there. Last season, Grigor stunned world No.1, Novak Djokovic, in Madrid, plus he won his first ATP title in Stockholm defeating the ever-dangerous Spaniard, David Ferrer. 

In Melbourne, Dimitrov unleashed his potential to obtain his biggest career achievement. He came through a tricky path, beating American Bradley Klahn and Yen-Hsu Lu from Taipei to set a mouthwatering clash with fellow young gun, Canadian Milos Raonic. The stakes were high as these two are considered the outstanding players of their generation. While Raonic relies on a powerful serve and whipping forehand, Dimitrov's game is a bit more complex and his shot selection is wider. Although I feel the latter is more gifted, it was the Canadian who tasted success first. Milos, a multiple winner on the ATP tour, broke into the top 10 last summer following his dream run to the final of the Masters 1000 in Montreal. However, he, just like Dimitrov, was still searching for his Grand Slam breakthrough. The match was intense, but the Bulgarian hold his nerve to close out a tense fourth set tiebreak to win 6-3,3-6,6-4,7-6. 

Disputing his first fourth round at a Slam, Grigor took advantage of an open draw, defeating Spanish sensation, Roberto Bautista Agut, who stunned Argentinean Juan Martin del Potro in the second round. It was again a difficult encounter, but Dimitrov controlled the proceedings, winning 6-3,3-6,6-2,6-4. Next up for him is a clash with world No. 1, Rafael Nadal. Go Dimitrov!

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The 2014 Fashion Scoop from DOWN UNDER

Every January, the Australian Open sets the fashion trends for the upcoming season. Disappointingly enough, this year there weren't many highlights. The outfits were relatively boring, with just a handful providing some kind of excitement. The standout piece came from Venus Williams' EleVen line, the clean-cut zebra dress being both edgy and classy. In the men's camp, Roger Federer continues to set the tone, looking sharp and fresh in his signature RF attire. 

In terms of colours, light blue and pink dominated the scene. While Adidas put forth a light blue-orange combo, Nike opted for shades of pink for its main collection. Again nothing spectacular here. Stella McCartney tried to spice things up and selected a sunny, vintage-looking print. She failed miserably. Her garments looked overdesigned and dusty. Wozniacki's dress is again a hot mess—so many weird things going on there, plus the use of green in addition to the heavy yellow print and the orange.

I was pleasantly surprised by Lacoste. They're line is always fresh and has that expensive feel to it. Also, Maria Sharapova chose turquoise to make her look better than I've seen her in ages.

The Queen of Style

Venus Williams - EleVen

Although she toned down her eccentricity, Venus remains the most exciting tennis fashionista. Although the dress is simple, the zebra print makes it interesting and exciting. This was my favourite piece from this year's Aussie Open. The garment is the perfect example that the American found the great balance between making fashion statements and creating clothing appropriate for the tennis court. 

I'm Blue da ba dee da ba die

Ana Ivanovic - AdiZero

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - AdiZero

Although I do not like the blue-orange combo, AdiZero continues to be the definition of coolness on the tennis court. However, while Ivanovic and Tsonga can look good wearing a plastic bag, the same does not stand for some of the other players—and this collection can easily highlight that. The overall proposition is relatively weak (boring design, uninspired colours, same cut as in previous seasons), but the clothes do maintain the line's trademark cool vibe.

Angelique Kerber - Adidas

Boooring … this Adidas look is so dull it's not even worth the bother. Please, I know you can do better! 

Maria Sharpova - Nike 'Maria Sharapova' Group

I am not a fan of Sharapova's on-court style these days, but there are a few positives about her Australian Open garment. First, the colour—the vibrant turquoise, which looks great in contrast with her skin tone. Second, the attempt to spice things up with the crazy printed underpants. Third, the cutout in the back, which is nice. Not sure why, but I actually like how this outfit looks on her. It's probably due to the colour, which does wonders against her skin, but I think this is the best I've seen her look in quite a while. 

Jelena Jankovic - FILA

Julia Goerges - FILA

I've always been a fan of Fila. They constantly produce great clothes that are sharp and expensive-looking. I particularly like this year's colour palette with the mix of turquoise, purple, and black. Although Jankovic's dress is interesting, I prefer the separates that Goerges is wearing—the colour blocking works better there.

Genie in a Bottle

Eugenie Bouchard - Nike 'Maria Sharapova' Group

Eugenie Bouchard is the latest tennis sensation. The young Canadian is quickly emerging as one veritable fashionista. As a consequence, she was given an upgrade in style by Nike, being among the exclusive few to wear Sharapova's limited signature line. Although the clothes stand out, they're not always the most flattering. Take this garment for example. It's the same problem that Vika had at the US Open. The skirt should probably be a few inches shorter and pulled a little lower, but Genie is one of those players that would look good in basically anything. She can do no wrong.

The Master

Roger Federer - Nike RF Group

I strongly believe that Roger Federer is the best dressed tennis player. Although his signature line is relatively classic in the approach, the Swiss always finds a way to look fresh and cool. In Melbourne, he wore checked shorts, part of a nicely balanced airy outfit. The greatest thing about Federer's attire is the detailing—the red touches providing a nice pop of colour.

Pink Overdose

Serena Williams - Nike

Serena came to Melbourne determined to win the crown. The overwhelming favourite, the American opted to make a load fashion statement wearing a bright pink, polka dot dress. The dress has an interesting colour blocking, the front and upper part being pink, while the back is all black. I wasn't blown away by the garment. It is a pretty safe choice—the cut is the standard V-neck, plunging neckline the American so loves—but in true Serena manner, she upped the styling by adding a pink blazer and matching pink-black nails to the ensemble. When she steps on to the court she is truly a presence, so I applaud her for that.

Victoria Azarenka - Nike

Worrisomely Vika did not just lose her mojo on court, but she's also gone astray with her fashion choices. The pink ensemble does not do her justice. This is just a pretty dull, too pinkish top and skirt that does not live up the expectations. The hip Belorussian should be wearing bold, edgy clothes. Let's relight the magic, Vika! Let's go back to Melbourne 2011. 

Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci - Nike

Boooring again. Nice palette, but I feel the colour blocking is exaggerated. I was confused when I first saw this outfit.

Sloane Stephens - UnderArmour

As I said a couple of times before, I strongly believe that Sloane Stephens is the shiniest fashion prospect in tennis at the moment. Although extremely young, the American has a cohesive style. She is classy, but extra hip and fresh. She loves daring colours—like pink, fuchsia, neon yellow or orange—which perfectly complement her dark skin tone. In Melbourne, she wore a vibrant peach dress, which had a looser fit than what she's usually wearing. While I like the change, I feel this cut is not the most flattering for her. The bottom part is too wide and it opens too much, adding a few extra kilos to the hip area. She should stick to wearing fitted clothes.

Stella's Sunny Disaster

Laura Robson - Adidas by Stella McCartney

Andrea Petkovic - Adidas by Stella McCartney

Flavia Pennetta - Adidas by Stella McCartney

Caroline Wozniacki - Adidas by Stella McCartney

Oh my, oh my! What a mess did miss Stella McCartney put together here?! Not really sure where to start, but I cannot quite digest this whole collection. OK, she chose a vintage print, which could have been wow, but she kept adding until the end result became yow (made up the word to rhyme). Let's take the separates. The sunny skirt is nice. The top though is crazy. There's so many things going on. First, it's the use of the print in blocks—something I cannot quite understand—it looks like she run out of fabric and found no other solution to fix the problem. Second, the orange waistline stripe. Third, the sheer upper part and the heart-shaped breast line. Four, the busy back. However, regardless of the numerous flaws, this garment still looks fresher than Wozniacki's grandma dress. The use of the print on the lambada skirt makes the dress seem dull and dusted. Plus, the top part comes from a completely different story. The mint waistline strip and the use of the green do not match with the sunny print. Sorry, Stella dear, but this is a hot mess. A failed experiment. I am confident you can do better. Pretty please, show us something designer worthy!

Classy Lacoste

Dominika Cibulkova - Lacoste

Alize Cornet - Lacoste

Simona Halep - Lacoste

As said, I like Lacoste. The cut is clean, the fabrics are rich, the clothes seem comfortable, and the design is nice, without being exaggerated. Plus, the colour palette is warm. 

Pijamas made in Japan

Novak Djokovic - UNIQLO

Since signing with Japanese producer, Uniqlo, Novak Djokovic seems to be playing in his pajamas all the time. Might sound mean, but it's the truth. The design is always the same, thus it looks dated, while the colours are dusted, especially the ever-present rat grey. The Serbian is in desperate need of a fashion make-over.

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