Petko, You've Been Missed!

When it comes to the unluckiest players on the tour, Andrea Petkovic is a strong contender for the top spot. The German was struck by a never-ending series of injuries, which saw he drop out of the top 100 just when she was playing the tennis of her life. The latest was a knee injury she sustained during the Hopman Cup in January that ultimately forced her to miss the Australian Open. 

After taking time off to make sure she's properly healed, the charismatic Andrea attempted another comeback a few weeks ago, in Indian Wells. Although she lost in the second round of qualifying, she remained positive and hoped for a better outcome in Miami, where she was given a wildcard into the main draw. She took full advantage of it, battling her way through the third round where she lost a nail-biter against young Croatian, Ajla Tomljanovic. 

Talking about her trials and tribulations, Petko said: "I've changed. My coach actually laughs at me when I tell him I'm a changed person, but it's true. I don't get frustrated on the court anymore. I'm just happy to be back. I'm really enjoying every moment of it. I don't know how long it'll hold up like this - let's talk again in two months!

"But seriously, in my other comebacks I was really so intense and expecting myself to do great and be at the same level as before, but this time I came back with no expectations. A lot of people have approached me and told me they didn't think I would come back again, especially the people who know me, because I have so many other interests and could do other things I'd have a lot of fun with. But I felt deep inside this chapter isn't over."

She is a tough competitor and a great ambassador for the game, so I am really glad to hear she is willing to give it another shot. Her consistency took her to No.9 in the rankings, so I am convinced she can work her way back to the level she was at in 2011. Petko, we're glad to have you back!

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Nadal Completes Stellar Comeback

Rafael Nadal made a much-anticipated return to tennis in February, embarking on a Latin American tour to help his ailing body readjust to competition. The move proved wise, though it would still be a slow start for the Spaniard, who was lacking confidence and was a bit rusty in his first matches. He had to battle his way through the draw, but the drought of big names and the fact that he was playing on his beloved red dirt have helped him make the final. Somehow surprisingly, he lost the showdown to unknown Argentinean Horacio Zeballos, but as they says, you can lose a battle, but still win the war.

That's exactly what Rafa did, though he had to pass a stiff test in Sao Paulo first. Visibly shaken by the state of his knee, Rafa considered retiring at one point, fearing he could sustain another injury on those damaged courts. However, he toughed it out and was rewarded for his braveness. He made the final and this time around he was victorious, defeating his doubles partner, Argentinean David Nalbandian, in straight sets. He continued the winning run in Acapulco, where he completely dismantled his good friend, David Ferrer, in the final. It was such a convincing performance from the Spaniard, that it clearly signalled that the almighty Rafa is back.

Following such a busy schedule, Nadal thought about delaying his hardcourt return by skipping the two Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami. Last minute, he decided to give his body a challenge and he entered the draw in Indian Wells. The Spaniard again took a while to readjust. His fighting spirit was high as always though as he dug himself out of a big rabbit hole in his fourth round tie against rejuvenated teen sensation, Ernest Gulbis. After dropping the opener, he managed to come back, sealing a hard-fought 4-6,6-4,7-5 victory. The win proved a turning point though as it brought out Nadal's best game. Showing glimpses of his vintage best, the Spaniard eclipsed arch-rival, Roger Federer, as well as in-form Czech, Tomas Berdych, to make the final. 

As promising as Nadal's ride has been up to this stage, I actually expected Juan Martin del Potro to claim the crown. The Argentinean was enjoying a dream fortnight in the desert and was riding high following his stunning victories over US Open champion, Andy Murray, and world No.1, Novak Djokovic. Things looked on course for such an ending, but the Giant's inexplicable stumble gave the Spaniard the chance he's been waiting for. In true Rafa style, he did not let this opportunity slip, turning the momentum in his favour. To the disappointment of his opponent, Rafa proved unstoppable as he raced to an impressive 4-6,6-3,6-4 win. The Spaniard broke the record he shared with Federer, collecting his 22nd Masters 1000 crown.

It's been a tough journey, but Nadal has shown he is ready to defend his French Open title, i.e. his main objective for the season. He will take a break now in order to rest before the European clay-court season where he needs to defend titles in Barcelona, Monte Carlo and Rome.

While many were questioning his decision to return to hardcourts so early in his comeback, Nadal got the most of his trip to Indian Wells by winning the title. It was a tough week, but the Spaniard secured a record 22nd Masters crown by defeating Argentinean Juan Martin del Potro in the final.

Nadal made a return to the winners cycle by claiming the Sao Paulo title. In the final, he defeated Argentinean David Nalbandian.

He continued his successful return to tennis, by dismantling compatriot and good friend, David Ferrer, in the final to claim a second consecutive trophy, winning the Acapulco Open.

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No 'Backing' for Federer

2012 was a fairytale year for Federer: he collected his 17th career Slam at Wimbledon, made an emphatic return to world number 1 and hold on to the spot to pass the 300 week mark. However, the Swiss didn't back up the sensational first half of the season, looking out of sorts and uncomfortable in the latter part of the year.

He showed the first signs of rust during the US Open where he lost in the quarterfinals to Tomas Berdych. The poor form continued, and he did not win a title since, eventually losing the year-end No.1 ranking and the ATP Masters crown to Novak Djokovic. In the early stages of 2013, the all-time great played a sensational match Down Under to dismiss Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. He again did not follow it up, losing an epic battle to US Open champion, Andy Murray in the semis. Since then, he failed to successfully defend titles in Rotterdam and Dubai, as well as Indian Wells, where he succumbed to his nemesis, Rafael Nadal.

To be honest, I am not really worried about the fact that he lost to a rejuvenated Nadal. However, the back problems and his inability to close out matches (e.g. the Dubai semifinal against Berdych) are rather disconcerting. At almost 32, the Swiss has recently stressed the importance of a wise schedule, something he has maneuvered extremely well throughout his career. In an attempt to stretch his career as much as possible, he will limit this year to only a few selected tournaments, where he can score the big points. Hoping to properly prepare for the French Open, Roger will take an eight-week break, his next tournament being the Madrid Masters, where he is the defending champion.

Federer has come back swinging so many times, that I don't want to announce the end of his era just yet. If he stays healthy and he is motivated to put in the effort, I am sure he can win at least one more Slam in the coming years. Even so, I cannot but feel that Roger is past his golden age. I mean he should be, right? It would be crazy to assume otherwise and to keep expecting him to win every tournament he enters. It would be inhuman and unfair. And after his stunning Wimbledon victory I feel he has given us more than his fair share of winning. Let's just enjoy him as much as possible from now on. Of course, his big goal is the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, but it remains to be seen how his ageing body will cope with the physical intensity of the tour. You go, Roger!

Troubled by a nasty back problem, Roger was clearly below par in the much anticipated clash with his nemesis, Rafael Nadal, at Indian Wells. He ended up losing the match 6-4,6-2, and will now take a 8-month break to heal and regroup before the French Open.

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Drama Queen Strikes Again

Vika has always been a drama queen. That's probably what drew me to her in the first place. However I now feel that she has developed this tendency to a point where it's becoming annoying. She is prone to exaggerate her injuries. I remember only last year she missed the entire North American summer due to a 'so-called' injury, although she was playing the tennis of her life. Other player have accused her of 'faking' it too, most notably her good friend, Aga Radwanska, who complained she simulated an ankle injury during their match in Doha last year.

However nothing compared to the uproar she caused in Brisbane, in January, where she withdrew 30 minutes before her semifinal clash with arch-rival Serena, citing a 'so-called' pedicure infection. There were many voices accusing her of gamesmanship, but I probably agree that you shouldn't take on Serena Williams when you are not 100% fit. She waited until Doha where she finally broke her losing streak to the American in convincing style.

However, then came Dubai, and a decision I did not get. She had the chance to regain her No.1 ranking, Serena was clearly struggling with injuries, the draw was wide open, and yet she still decided to pull out last minute. It was the second straight year that the Belorussian has opted out of the Middle East event to the despair of the organizers. 

Entering Indian Wells as the main favourite, she seemed on course for a successful title defense, though, shock shock, she withdrew. It's true that she was battling an ankle injury, but she played with it and still won her last match with Urszula Radwanska 6-3,6-1. Therefore, I cannot but wonder how much of it was actually real. Probably that's the thing that makes everyone doubt her: she is dismissing opponents easily, and then, out of the blue, she cites some kind of an injury that takes everyone by surprise. And she does this quite often too, a fact that got her the not-so-popular title of WTA's 'Drama Queen'.

I really hope Vika is playing smart long-term and that she has good reasons to take this questionable decisions. However, I cannot but feel she is missing on some great wins due to her tendency to over-exaggerate things. Hopefully, she will turn it around and come back swinging in Miami. Vika I want you back on court winning! Let's do this!

Azarenka seems to have picked up the ankle injury during her fourth round clash with the younger Radwanska, Urszula. Although she won the match easily, Vika ultimately deciding to withdraw from Indian Wells, where she was the defending champion. She was scheduled to play Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.

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Maria Shows Strength

Maria's good form of late continued at the Premier event at Indian Wells, where the Russian reached the biggest semifinal of her career, stunning Agnieszka Radwanska and Petra Kvitova on her way to the last four.

Having won her first singles titles in 5 years a couple of weeks ago in Pattaya, Kirilenko decided to take a break from doubles and to focus entirely on singles. With a series of promising results, among which a quarterfinal at Wimbledon and a semifinal at the Olympic Games, she is hoping to crack the top 10 for the first time this season.

For me, the most important change I noticed in Maria is her attitude. Before she was a pretty face who hanged out with the big guns, but was unable to beat them. I felt she was giving up easy during tough matches and was lacking the consistency to get the results she wanted. Now she is more composed, more focused on her game, and is starting to show a fighting spirit that helps her win matches even when she's not playing her best tennis.  

Her result this week in Indian Wells is even more impressive as she took out two very difficult opponents. Agnieszka Radwanska has had a superb start to the season with titles in Auckland and Sydney, and she's beaten the Russian in their last five encounters. Hoping to avenge a heartbreaking loss in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last season, Kirilenko started the match really motivated, crushing through the first set. Aga came back, but was unable to dismiss Maria's challenge, who showed nerves of steal to close out a superb 6-1,3-6,7-5 victory.

She followed that up with another stellar performance to end Petra Kvitova's eight-match winning streak. The Czech was finding some of her best form in the Middle East winning her 10th career title in Dubai, but her erratic display cost her the match.

With a newly improved mental game, Kirilenko goes on to face old-foe, Maria Sharapova, for a place in the final. Let's do this!

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Tsonga Redeems with Home Win

He probably did not have the start of the season he was hoping for, but Jo-Wilfried Tsonga made a menace in front of a cheering crowd to capture his 10th career title in Marseille. 

Instead of defending his Doha title, Tsonga started the year in Perth where he represented his country in the Hopman Cup. Consequently, his first tournament of 2013 was the Australian Open where he went on to reach the quarterfinals. Although he pushed all time great, Roger Federer, to his limit before losing a marathon match, the Frenchman's overall performance was clearly below par. His lack of focus became obvious during a stunning first round defeat in Rotterdam, where he succumbed 7-6 in the decider to unknown Dutchman, Igor Sijsling. 

Jo always performs best on home soil however, so he was eager to get back to winning ways in Marseille, a tournament he won once before, in 2009. He was slow off the blocks though and although he survived Russian Nikolay Davydenko, he ran into deep troubles against the hungry-for-success Aussie, Bernard Tomic, in the quarterfinals. Tomic won the first set and benefitted from 5 chances to close out the match, but Tsonga refused to give in, sealing an epic victory 12-10 in the third set tiebreak. The win provided a huge confidence boost and he went on to crush compatriot Gilles Simon to make the final. Facing Czech Tomas Berdych for the title was no easy task for Jo, as he needed to overcome a negative head-to-head record against an opponent who won three of their past four encounters. With the odds against him, he dropped the first set and looked looked to be headed for a straight sets defeat as Berdych created numerous chances on his serve. The Czech had break point at 5 all and then match point in the tiebreak, but Tsonga found the strength to get himself out of troubles, eventually levelling the dispute. In the decider, he broke at the second time of asking, building an untouchable advantage. He went on to hold serve for the rest of the match to complete a come-from-behind 3-6,7-6,6-4 victory. 

"I only focused on survival," he confessed during the press conference. "Nothing was going my way. He played far better than me in the first part of the match. He was serving well and my position on the court was bad. But I deserve credit because I never gave up. A lot of players would have done so."

Hopefully this win will give him confidence for the season ahead, especially as he is trying to recapture some of his wow factor. After his sensational run to the Australian Open final in 2008, when he announced himself as the next big tennis player, the Frenchman failed to really deliver. Although he enjoyed some pretty consistent results in the Slams, the exuberant Frenchman did not reach another final. A slightly more worrying aspect for him is that although he initially seemed to possess an advantage over the likes of Djokovic,  Murray, or Nadal, he watched as their careers took off while his stagnated. Since 2008, Novak won six Slams, Nadal eight, while Murray became a Grand Slam champion after his success at the Flushing Meadows last year. If he can close the gap on these players, Tsonga has a pretty strong chance of becoming France's long-awaited Grand Slam winner. You go Jo!

Exuberant Jo delighted the Marseille crowd coming from behind to win his 10th career title. He saved a match point before eventually subduing Czech nemesis, Tomas Berdych, 3-6,7-6,6-4.

photos: Yohan Brandt

Azarenka Proves to the World

Although she was the stand-out player of 2012, Vika Azarenka was missing something from what has become an impressive resume: a victory over her nemesis, Serena Williams. The two have been battling hard throughout the last nine months, with the American winning most of those disputes relatively easy. The only exception was the US Open final, where the edgy Belorussian served for the title, before being pegged back by her extraterrestrial opponent.

With Williams clearly dominating the rivalry in 2012, Vika was eager to get a new start in 2013. However, after her doubtful withdrawal from Brisbane 30 minutes before their semifinal clash, there were many voices accusing her of deliberately avoiding her biggest rival out of fear. Then Serena's surprising defeat to teen sensation, Sloane Stephens, delayed a mouth-watering match between the two in Melbourne. In Serena's absence there aren't many players who can beat Vika and she proved that by winning her second straight Australian Open crown. As a matter of fact, the world No.1 has only lost four matches to someone other than Serena since the start of the 2012 season (i.e. once to Bartoli, twice to Sharapova and once to Cibulkova). 

The inevitable finally happened in Doha, where the duo qualified for the final, Serena leapfrogging Azarenka as the new world No.1 courtesy of her quarterfinal win over Kvitova. Deprived of her status, Victoria came out firing, forcing he opponent into numerous mistakes of her right side. While the American struggled to find her booming serve, Vika showed a much improvement service to stun a visibly irritated Williams. The set went to a tie-break and the Belorussian proved just how tough mentally she is, holding off a set point to eventually close out the proceedings. Serena came back strong in the second act, winning it 6-2 to level the dispute. Azarenka was not ready to surrender though and she fought back. She broke early in the decider and served superbly to seal off an extraordinary victory to defend her title.

What I loved most about Victoria's performance was her stellar mental strength. She didn't go away in the first set when Williams levelled and, most importantly, she didn't choke when serving for the match, as she did at Flushing Meadows. I think in her case, what's bigger than her tennis is her attitude, an attitude that took her to the top of the game. Compared to Safina, Jankovic, Radwanska or Wozniacki, she isn't afraid of a fierce battle. She is utterly confident in herself, she genuinly believes she can beat anyone and she has the weapons to do so, even when it comes to the intangible Serena Williams. With so many questioning her legitimacy, I am really glad to see Vika turning the tables on her nemesis. Although she dropped to No.2, she is the biggest winner of this week in Doha.

Williams and Azarenka will continue their rivalry for the No.1 ranking in Dubai, where the latter can reclaim her spot if the results work in her favour.

Although she lost the No.1 ranking to Serena this week, Azarenka showed she's the leading female player of the moment, beating the American 7-6,2-6,6-3 to successfully defend her Doha title. This was Vika's just second victory over her nemesis.

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Serena Makes an Official Return to No.1

It's been a long time coming, but Serena has finally made an official return to No. 1 following a marathon win over former Wimbledon champ, Petra Kvitova, in the quarterfinals in Doha. The victory was enough to see her overcome current leader, Victoria Azarenka.
The American was the dominant figure in women's tennis for the past year, winning all the big prizes. Following a shocking first round exit at the French, the all time great went on an outstanding 52-2 win-loss match record, which comprised titles at Wimbledon, the Olympics, the US Open, and ultimately, the Season's Ending Championships. However, the other stand-out player of 2012, Victoria Azarenka, endured a longer schedule and her consistent results eventually did enough to maintain the year-end no.1 spot. At the start of the season though, the edgy Belorussian was under immense pressure to retain her status, but a successful defence of her Australian Open crown kept Williams away. It wasn't to be for long however, as a semifinal berth in Doha would automatically see the American return to the top of the rankings for the first time since 2010.
Visibly nervous and struggling to find her best form, Serena found herself in trouble against the powerful Czech. Kvitova won the first set and was up 4-1 in the decider, but in the trademark Williams style, she hit back. I've always believed that one the stiffest tests in women's tennis is winning that final point against Serena. She is such a great competitor and has such a strong belief in her game, that she can overcome any deficit against any player, so only a selected few can close her off. Unfortunately for Petra, she couldn't and Williams sealed off a marathon 3-6,6-3,7-5 win to officially recapture her undisputed credentials as the world's best player.
"I'm so sensitive nowadays, I'm always crying! I've just been through so much and never thought I'd be here again," Serena confessed during her on-court interview. "I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to get back to No.1. It has been a long road back and it's a great feeling. It has been a lot of hard work but I don't want to stop here."

At 31 years, four months and 24 days, she becomes the oldest woman to top the ranking, eclipsing compatriot Chris Evert, who was 30 years, 11 months and three days when she last held the ranking in 1985. On Monday, February 18, Williams will begin her 124th non-consecutive week at No.1.

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Well Hello, Mona!

Mona Barthel first knocked on the door of fame early last season when she captured her maiden WTA crown in Hobart. However, many remember her for her brave performance at Indian Wells, where she was on the brink of ending the unbeatable run of world number 1, Victoria Azarenka. Although 2012 had many ups and downs, it was a great year for Barthel who also reached two semifinals at Bastad and Quebec respectively. 

Putting her breakthrough year behind her, Mona started the new year strongly, reaching a second consecutive final in Hobart where she lost to Russian Elena Vesnina. After a disappointing first round exit at the Australian Open, the 22-year-old regrouped quickly to lift her first Premier title. The big-hitting German experienced a fairytale run in Paris, recording wins over Italian Roberta Vinci, Frenchwomen Marion Bartoli and Kristina Mladenovic, as well as Vinci's doubles partner, Sara Errani, in the final. 

With two top 10 victories under her belt and a new career best ranking at 28, Mona is edging closer to the top of the women's game. She definitely has the shots to win big matches, so if she continues to improve and adds some consistency to her performances, I am sure she will definitely be among those to watch in the upcoming months.

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Maria Crosses the Finish Line

I confess that I used to suspect Maria Kirilenko of not having what it takes to close out big matches. Although she announced herself as the next big tennis champion, the Russian quickly faded from the limelight, failing to deliver on the big stages. 

Renowned more for her looks and fashion credentials, Maria underwent a major transformation last season, stepping it up a notch. And the results were quick to show. She reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, she stunned Petra Kvitova to make the semis at the London Olympics, and, most impressively, she achieved her highest ranking, peaking at number 12 in August. She also established herself as a force to be reckoned with in doubles, where she teamed up with compatriot Nadia Petrova. The duo won the Olympic bronze medal, as well as the Seasons Ending Championships in Istanbul. Still, she was desperately searching for a crown to end the five year hiatus. 

Asia has always been a special place for Maria, who won three of her five career titles there. Last season the Russian was close to conquering another one in Pattaya City, but she stumble at the last hurdle, losing a marathon final to Slovak Daniela Hantuchova. After that match I reinforced my idea that she is one of those players who cannot complete a victory. This season, wanting to redeem herself, she returned to Thailand as the second seed. Maria has been in control throughout the week, easily booking her place in the grand finale and a showdown with big hitting German, Sabine Lisicki.

After a slow start, the Russian found her grove early in the second set, racing to a 5-2 lead in the decider. Sabine hit back, levelling the dispute at 5 all. At this point, Maria seemed headed for another disappointing loss. She refused to give up though, kept her composure and ended up winning this battle. 

The victory marked a nice change of faith for Kirilenko, who finally beats some of her demons to claim a long-awaited sixth crown. Congrats to Maria for proving me wrong!

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