Sveta Gets Back to Business

She may have lost her quarterfinal clash with world number 1, Victoria Azarenka, but during the fortnight Svetlana Kuznetsova produced a vintage display to announce her return to top form, following a knee injury that forced her to miss the second half of 2012. In just her third tournament back, Sveta equalled her best showing at the Australian Open, where she has been a quarterfinalist twice before, in 2005 and 2009.

"After a long break, not such a long preparation, I did quite well I think," declared the rejuvenated Russian. "In the important moments I just knew I had to go one ball at a time, and just try to do my best. It's amazing. It's my best result. I have been to the quarterfinals here two times, so I'm just kind of replaying that."

Kuznetsova experienced quite a good run Down Under, battling through qualies in Sydney before stunning Julia Goerges and Caroline Wozniacki en route to the last eight. The Dane was her victim again in Melbourne, as Sveta put forward some of her best tennis to overcome her opponent's stiff resistance, 6-2,2-6,7-5 in their fourth round encounter. "If you asked me before coming to Australia if I would be in the quarterfinals, I would say - well I would laugh, definitely. I wouldn't be so sure about it," she said.

Asked about her love for the game and the tough recovery months that followed her surgery, she declared: "I never thought of stopping tennis," the Russian explained. "I was just laying in bed, and I was thanking my knee so at least I could rest. When the knee was sore it was so annoying to walk with the crutches all day long. I went to Thailand, I went to Bali, on the beach with crutches, all day long, and I had blisters on my hands. That was the most annoying thing, then doing the recovery afterwards too. But anyway, I had time at home and refreshed my mind, and I just knew that I want to play this game. I always loved it, but I wanted to have this desire to bring me back. That's what happened."

Even though she's currently ranked at no.75 in the world, the Russian is no stranger to Grand Slam success. She became the first Russian to win the US Open in 2004, before collecting a second trophy at Roland Garros in 2009. In Melbourne, she gave defending champion a run for her money, rising to a 4-1 lead in the first set. Azarenka got back into the match though and won the tight opener, before cruising through victory in the second act.
Although she bowed out of the tournament, Kuznetsova remains positive for the rest of the season: "It's a very good result for my first Grand Slam tournament back. I played a lot of matches in Sydney, and played quite good matches here too, and that's all I needed. I feel like I have game. I can play. But I need to improve my fitness, my consistency, my serve - there's a lot. And then we'll see where I can be at."

photo: GETTY IMAGES

FILA Assembles an A-Team

The beginning of 2012 saw a rejuvenation of the Italian manufacturer, Fila, which signed some very respected tennis ambassadors, thus strengthening its presence on the tennis courts. Armed with its newly acquired spokespersons, the Australian Open provided an excellent opportunity for the brand to increase its visibility, especially on the women's side. What I like about this company is the fact that it does not rely on big names only, their team of designers putting forward another collection which maintains the vintage playful vibe, while being cool, vibrant and fresh. The strategy proved successful and, although it cannot compete with giants Adidas or Nike, Fila is gaining ground on smaller sportswear rivals such as Sergio Tacchini, Asics, Lacoste or K-Swiss.
The recent rise of Italian providers is also emphasized by Lotto, which now relies on three prime female competitors, i.e. veteran Francesca Schiavone, Pole Agnieszka Radwanska and Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli, all ranked inside the top 15 players of the world.

Oldies but goldies

Kim Clijsters is by far the biggest name in Fila's portfolio. She has been the leading lady for more than a decade now, carrying the brand's name throughout most of her illustrious career. The collaboration was interrupted by the Belgian's two year hiatus, but she showed her loyalty, resuming the deal in 2009 with even more success. She reinforced her credentials once more in Melbourne, being their only representative still left in the competition.

Another member of the old squad is Australian Jelena Dokic. The former world number 5 has been a loyal Fila endorser throughout the years. After enduring months of trials and tribulations, she is also gathering momentum in her comeback after an encouraging 2010 season. Jelena's dress is, in my opinion, once of the greatest pieces of their 2012 collection.

Svetlana Kuznetsova is another Fila household name. Even though she is struggling with some poor performances lately, the two times Grand Slam champion remains a key figure in women's tennis. Style wise, the Russian is by far not the greatest asset, but in her case, her popularity and achievements are enough to generate the desired brand awareness.

The Latest Additions

Jelena Jankovic

Nadia Petrova

Vera Zvonareva

At the start of the new season, Fila made three important conquests, as they signed Russians Nadia Petrova and Vera Zvonareva, as well as Serbian Jelena Jankovic. Each member of the trio possesses a Grand Slam pedigree, having made at least the semifinals in such a tournament. While Petrova has been struggling to find a long-term sponsor for years and Jelena's collaboration with Chinese manufacturer Anta has led to a fashion disaster, Zvonareva has had a lot of success under K-Swiss. Although her switch can seem surprising, she managed to remain one of the best dressed players, keeping true to her trademark consecutive style.

Under construction!

Janko Tipsarevic

What is really lacking for Fila is having some strong men performers under their wing. Although Janko Tipsarevic has proved an excellent ambassador lately, cracking into the top 10 and getting a lot of publicity after becoming the front-face of Jesen’s Extreme Intimo underwear collection, he is still in a No Man's Land. Benefiting from strong legacy in men clothing (i.e. legendary names such as Borg, Becker or Vilas are amid past sponsored players), the company is probably keen on recapturing its position atop of the top men's apparel providers.

photos: GETTY IMAGES