Rafael Nadal is the first man to win Monte Carlo five years in a row. Some saw his falling to the terre battue in joy as an excessive celebration. Others saw it for what it was - celebrating the red dirt that he's once again taken the measure of. Congratulations to Rafael and his team.
There were American men in Monte Carlo. Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan made the finals of the doubles competition losing to the team of Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic. Congratulations to Nenad and Daniel.
Meanwhile in Barcelona defending champion Maria Kirilenko went down to defeat at the hands of journeywoman Roberta Vinci. Roberta has been playing very well of late. Congratulations to her.
German teenager Sabine Lisicki made some noise on the tour last year but her play was inconsistent and she was looked at as a work in progress by many tennisheads. Long time fans of Venus Williams looked askance at their favorite having to face Lisicki, the type of opponent that has given Venus problems in the past. After Sabine beat Venus some thought she would, like others, promptly lose her next match. Sabine had other plans though and beat Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets. And trust me she beat her. It wouldn't have mattered if Caroline had had sufficient rest. Sabine came to take names and she did.
The competition moves to the red clay of Europe now. Let's see if Sabine delivers on the promise she showed today.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Nadia Petrova won the Doubles Championship at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston.
6 comments:
Caro vs. Sabine reminded me a bit of Rafa vs Tsonga at the AO last year. I love my curly blonde moonballer from Denmark, but I was already expecting Sabine to wipe the floor with her. Sabine is a power hitter with the sort of game that, when on, can make anyone look ordinary, especially retrievers with mediocre serves like Caro.
Am happy for her, though. She seems like such a sweetheart.
It's amazing that two teenagers delivered one of the best WTA matches of the year isn't it?
I think if Caro had not had to fight like hell to beat Elena Dementieva yesterday her level of play would've been better. I'm a fan of Caro too by the way.
Welcome to you Anna. Don't make yourself a stranger.
Sabine will soon realize, as did Marion Bartoli, that she is one of the hunted now. Some people never adjust to that mentally.
Here's an absolutely awesome article about Monte Carlo from Steve TignorYay, Clay!
All of a sudden everyone is in love with clay court tennis. Funny this is happening after the USTA got it's way with the ATP and got Monte Carlo downgraded to "special" status so that the present crop of clay phobic American players would not be penalized for staying away. Rafa's parting words to the MC fans -"See you next year" was not a throw away comment.
As you know I'm a clay court fanatic and have said for as long as this blog has been in existence that the US tennis establishment was going to have to get over it and start training it's youngsters on clay. It's going to take another 5-10 years IMHO for this wrong to be righted.
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