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Rafael Nadal candid on his return to hard courts, "worst part" of his knee injury

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By Romi Cvitkovic

NEW YORK, NY (March 4, 2013) – In town to participate in the BNP Paribas Showdown as part of World Tennis Day, Rafael Nadal spoke candidly about his return to the hard court, the “worst part” about his rehabilitation and thoughts on his upcoming schedule. (Full presser gallery at bottom)
Arriving in a room full of media and distinguished guests, including 2013 International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees Cliff Drysdale and Charlie Pasarell, Nadal went for a more dressed-down look in a Nike hoodie and cap.
As Nadal began answering questions, I noticed a new demeanor and focus in him. Despite sometimes being overly-critical or even agitated at post-match press conferences, today Nadal smiled more freely and carried himself with an air of pure joy. He just came off of a title-winning week in Acapulco and truly feels “lucky” to be back on a tennis court and playing competitively again, and it translated in his attitude today.
Nadal admitted that the first half of his 2012 season before injury where he won four titles, including Roland Garros were “the best first half of a season in my career … it was difficult that I could not keep playing (because of) my knee.” Those tough days made his return even sweeter as he smiled that he’s “very excited to be back on the Tour. Last week, I started to feel much better in Acapulco. I started to feel free to run for plenty of balls and that’s fantastic for me.”
Nadal will next travel to Indian Wells, CA for the BNP Paribas Open and is eager to take on the competition there for the first time on the hard courts since his return.
“We will see how the knee answers better next week in Indian Wells when you play an official match. That will be a big test for me. Today I know that I can play on clay – that’s a very important thing to know, for me. I will try next week on hard. I think it’s a process. After a long time without playing tennis, it will be a process to adapt mainly to the competition. I hope I will have chances to play a normal calendar as I did in the past years.”
So, just how difficult was the time away from the court for Nadal?
“ When you are at home working every day at the gym with rehabilitation, with the doctors, and you try different treatments, and you see not the best result possible in a short period of time … it’s not easy to accept sometimes … I think was not an easy time, but at the same time, I had the chance to be with my family, friends. I tried to do different things that I usually cannot. It was tough. Every day you work, every day you wake up, every day thinking ‘How will the knee be today? Is the knee still bad?’ … I didn’t know when I would be back, that was the toughest part.”
Nadal also re-iterated that it’s difficult to plan his schedule much in advance these days any more, as he takes everything “day by day” gauging the pain and feel in his knee. With the BNP Paribas Open starting this coming week for Nadal, it will be a true test to see just what his knee can withstand.
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David Ferrer's shining moment; Trouble in tennis paradise at Indian Wells — The Friday Five

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By Maud Watson

Crowning Achievement

David Ferrer triumphant in Paris

David Ferrer had the dubious distinction of being the player with the most Master Series match wins without a title, but that is the case no more. The Spaniard finally clinched one of the coveted Masters shields when he defeated surprise finalist Jerzy Janowicz of Poland in straight sets. While acknowledging that Ferrer was certainly helped by the withdrawals of Federer and Nadal and the early exits of Djokovic and Murray, it doesn’t diminish the significance of his win. Ferrer is too talented of a player not to have walked away with at least one of premiere titles before he retired, and as it’s the seventh title he’s won in 2012, it’s a testament to just how well he’s playing this season. It’s a great achievement for Spain’s No. 2, and now that he’s gotten that mini-monkey off of his back, perhaps he’ll face the Big Four with a little more self-belief come 2013.

Forgotten Champion

It was a thrilling end to the year for Russian Nadia Petrova. She and compatriot Maria Kirilenko won the WTA Championships Doubles event in Istanbul, and she followed that up with a run to the singles title in the Tournament of Champions in Sofia by absolutely drubbing No. 1 seed Caroline Wozniacki. Petrova has always had a beautiful game. She possesses one of the best serves on tour as well as great hands that have garnered her so much success in the doubles arena. The biggest hurdle throughout her professional career, however, has been her mental toughness, and her victory in Sofia doesn’t necessarily mean she’s greatly improved in that area. The field at the Tournament of Champions is essentially the JV squad of the WTA’s top crop of talent, which is why that tournament doesn’t generate nearly the amount of headlines as Istanbul. It’s that lack of a spotlight that helps a player like Petrova. So props to her for a tremendous 2012 finale, but I wouldn’t yet bank on that translating into more consistent results or frequent upsets of the sport’s best come 2013.

Czech Them Out

For the second straight year, the Czechs are Fed Cup champions, becoming the third consecutive team to successfully defend a Fed Cup title. They defeated Serbia 3-1, with the former Yugoslavian nation’s only point coming courtesy of Ana Ivanovic. Kvitova, who recovered from bronchitis just in time to help her squad defend their 2011 crown, went 1-1 over the weekend, but it was her teammate, Lucie Safarova, who defeated both Ivanovic and Jankovic to give her team the unassailable lead. Kvitova, and to a slightly lesser extent Safarova, have always exhibited plenty of talent with flashes of brilliance, but both have also struggled to produce it consistently on the biggest stages. Here’s to hoping that unlike this past season, they’re able to draw upon their experience in winning the 2012 Fed Cup to produce their best tennis when it counts next year.

Still the One

Roger Federer may have come into the ATP World Tour Finals knowing that he would finish behind Novak Djokovic in the rankings, but not surprisingly, the Swiss remains number one in the hearts of many a fan. This was proven earlier this week when Federer was presented with the ATPWorldTour.com Fan’s Favorite Award for a record tenth consecutive year. With his smooth style and grace, it’s easy to see why fans from all over the world continue to enjoy what the Maestro can do with a tennis racquet. In addition to the love from the fans, Federer also received love from his fellow ATP pros. They voted him the recipient of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the second straight year and eighth time overall. Not a bad haul for a guy that many were writing off a little over a year ago.

Say What?!

Yes, in case you were wondering if you read the headlines correctly, the ATP Tour Board of Directors passed on an $800,000 prize money increase at Indian Wells. The increase was to have been primarily distributed to winners in the first three rounds. Thus far, the official reason given by the ATP for declining the offered increase is that the proposed distribution is not in line with the ATP rules that both players and tournaments have agreed to and to which every other tournament on tour follows. One suspects the latter part of that explanation is the real reason behind the decision to decline the generous offer. Earlier this year, Indian Wells already upped the prize purse by one million dollars, and it didn’t follow the normal ATP distribution rules either. Larry Ellison has done a lot to upgrade the status of Indian Wells, and has broached the idea of looking into adding mixed doubles. This may have some tournament organizers nervous that he’s looking to try and take away any arguments of eventually upgrading the event to Grand Slam status (which is somewhat hard to imagine given how much it would upset the historic status quo). It may also have them nervous that players will expect them to cough up more dough at their own events. Whatever the reasons, the fact that sources claim it was the three tournament representatives who voted against the increase, while the player representatives were in favor, means this topic of discussion isn’t likely to go away any time soon. Stay tuned.

Andy Murray answers tennis fans' funny questions on video

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On the heels of several news-making tennis stories, including title sponsorship updates from the Washington, D.C., Cincinnati, and Atlanta events in the U.S., take a break and enjoy this fun video Andy Murray did with adidas. Back in March, Tennis Grandstand teamed up with adidas to do a similar video with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga answering Tennis Grandstand’s fan questions. Now check out Murray answering some quirky and funny fan questions just before this year’s BNP Paribas Open in California.
In the video:

  • Murray spills about his favorite childhood video of himself when he was four or five years old and mistook a bowl of custard as shampoo while taking a bath. I will only believe it if my eyes have seen it. We need proof, Judy!
  • his face contorts into all sorts of strange smiles when asked what three words describe him best. Can you guess?
  • he admits his favorite stop on the ATP Tour is his “home away from home … with nice weather, good food… I’ve got a lot of friends there.” What city could it be, Murray fans?
  • What is Murray’s fitness coach Jez Green doing in the background?!

While you’re thinking hard about these questions, take a look at the video and see if you were right!

(Video courtesy of adidas Tennis)

Azarenka Takes Hold of WTA; Federer as Strong as Ever — The Friday Five

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By Maud Watson

Answering the Call

Victoria Azarenka wins the BNP Paribas Open

After the 2011 WTA season saw a slew of different winners (including three first-time Grand Slam champions), there was a real question as to whether or not there was a candidate who could muster some staying power at the top of the game.  It would appear that at the start of 2012, Belarusian Victoria Azarenka has emphatically answered that query in the affirmative.  She left Indian Wells with her perfect record intact, and what a run she had in the desert.  After nearly being bounced out in her opening match, she went on a tear.  She allowed only two games to Aggie Radwanska in the quarters, weathered nasty conditions better than Kerber in the semis, and trounced Sharapova in the final.  Her improved abilities to retrieve and improvise, as well as her skill to just outright outwit the opposition on the court have all paid dividends in her success.  Not bad for a player who almost walked away from the sport early last season.  The powers-at-be are surely grateful that she opted to stick it out, as irrespective of what many may think of her controversial shrieking, she is exactly what the WTA has so desperately needed.

Still in the Mix

The newer and arguably more exciting rivalry in men’s tennis may now be that of Djokovic vs. Nadal, but only a fool would discount Federer’s chances of upsetting the apple cart and wrestling big titles from those two.  The Maestro proved as much with his victory at Indian Wells.  It may not have been a major, and he didn’t have to go through both 1 and 2 to hoist the trophy, but this was a huge win for Federer.  He became the first man to win Indian Wells four times, and he tied Nadal for most Masters 1000 titles at nineteen.  But perhaps the most important aspect for the Swiss was that he defeated Nadal en route to the title.  The terrible weather conditions take nothing from the significance of his victory over the Spaniard either.  It is an experience he will look to draw on should they meet again at a slam.  Interestingly, Federer’s run puts him less than a 1000 points behind Nadal.  It’s still a long way to go, and even further to reach the summit of the rankings, but with less to defend than either Djokovic or Nadal, Federer may just find a way to defy the odds, reclaim the top ranking, and add yet another enthralling chapter to his storybook career.

Serving Notice

John Isner may have fallen short at the final hurdle twice this past Sunday, but the towering American served notice to spectators and his fellow competitors that he is going to be a tough customer for anyone on tour.  Isner has shown promise in the past, such as his five-set loss to Nadal in the opening round of Roland Garros last year and his shock defeat of Federer this past February in Davis Cup.  But his definitive breakthrough came when he played the best match of his career to knock out Djokovic in the semis of the BNP Paribas Open last week.  Unfortunately for Isner, his serving wasn’t as stellar in the final against Federer, but it doesn’t diminish what he accomplished.  For his efforts in reaching the final, he earned a spot in the Top 10 for the first time in his career, and with little to defend in the coming months, he’s poised to climb even higher.  Does he have what it takes to win a major?  That’s debatable.  The high level he sustained against Djokovic is most likely the exception rather than the norm, but if he finds himself in the zone and gets some help from the draw, it could happen.  With that serve, nobody should count him out.

A Good Break

Tennis players are always looking to get a break, and the British Government is giving them one.  It comes in the form of a tax amendment amidst several complaints from international sports superstars.  Under the law, foreign athletes are taxed on prize money, appearance fees and their endorsement earnings.  It was enough to convince some to seek their match play elsewhere before competing at Wimbledon.  The British Government has since altered the current rule to include training days, meaning a smaller portion of an athlete’s endorsement earnings would be taxable.  Hopefully this latest move will sway some players back to competing in the British Wimbledon warm-ups once again.

Hello, Goodbye

Miami and the tennis world said welcome back to both Venus Williams and Alisa Kleybanova.  Williams showed no mercy and no rust from a seven-month layoff against Date-Krumm, while Kleybanova had to battle to overcome Larsson in three.  It was great to see them back out and competing once again and an added bonus that they both advanced to the second round.  Unfortunately, tennis fans had to say good-bye to the popular Fernando Gonzalez, who will now go into retirement after his opening round loss to Nicolas Mahut.  The Chilean put forth a valiant effort, saving three match points before ultimately falling in a third set tiebreak.  He was a joy to watch, he will be missed, and here’s to hoping he stays involved with the game.

Vania King: A Model of Consistency

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Vania King, ranked No. 54 in the world, will take on the 15th seed Ana Ivanovic in the second round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, FL.

Call it the Vania King generation.
With the Williams sisters seemingly nearing the end of their careers and the focus of American tennis turning to young rising stars such as Christina McHale and Sloane Stephens, King remains one of the standout players who fits neither group – the other being 26-year-old Bethanie Mattek-Sands, a former American No. 1.
The oft-overlooked King has reached success mostly as a doubles player – winning the 2010 Wimbledon and U.S. Open women’s doubles titles with partner Yaroslava Shevdova – but has enjoyed a consistently strong singles career as well.
The 23-year-old southern California native turned pro at the age of 17 in July 2006. She would go on to reach a career high of No. 50 in the world a few months later. Since then, King has never finished a season ranked lower than No. 129. She is now the third ranked American behind Serena Williams and McHale at world No. 54.
And she is just getting started.
“I think my game has evolved a lot,” King told Tennis Grandstand. “Most importantly, my motivation and my confidence have been good. I’ve been happy with playing. Obviously, I feel like my tennis has improved. I feel like I have a lot to improve still. It’s always a good thing to know that you can be better – I’ll have something to look forward to.”
When speaking of her current status in the game, King turned philosophical.
“I’m trying not to worry too much about the ranking; I’m trying to focus on each match and my game itself,” she said. “I feel like if you’re playing well, the results will come. It’s not a reflection of the number that you have, it’s more of a reflection of the work you’ve done before.
Although her only WTA title came in 2006 at the now defunct PTT Bangkok Open, King has experienced a recent surge in success at the big stages. A run into the third rounds at last year’s French Open and U.S. Open was followed by a third round finish at the 2012 Australian Open – her best results at the majors.
At the BNP Paribas Open last week, King came down with the stomach virus that affected many other players and was forced to withdraw after posting two strong victories over higher ranked opponents. Still not feeling 100 percent, she defeated Laura Pous-Tio to open her Sony Ericsson Open campaign in Miami. She takes on 15th seed Ana Ivanovic, who defeated her earlier this year in Melbourne, in the second round.
Even with the success on court, King has never been one to let tennis consume her life. The youngest of four children of Taiwanese immigrants – her brother Phillip was also a professional tennis player – King has found passions in other outlets. A very talented singer, she has performed at baseball stadiums and night sessions at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Additionally, King has been taking online classes for the past half year.
“I think I’d be something like a guidance counselor for kids, that’s something that I want to pursue,” she said, when asked what career she would have chosen aside from tennis. “I haven’t declared my major yet, but I’m studying online right now. I’d like to work in something like elementary education or psychology.”
King may not be the headline American player at tournaments or have experienced a notable break out match that some of the younger players have, but she has been a stalwart of the U.S. contingent ever since turning pro.
If it feels like Vania King has been around the pro tennis circuits for a long time, it is because she has. And she is not going anywhere, anytime soon.
(Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images North America)

Friday’s Action at the BNP Paribas Open

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Federer Eases Past Del Potro 
Federer and del Potro had already met three times this season, prior to yesterday’s encounter, with Federer winning all of these meetings. Their last match, in Dubai, was an incredibly close one, ending 7-6, 7-6. Today in his press conference, Juan Martin said he would, “take my match in Dubai, not this one, because I played worse than Dubai and Roger played always in the same level.” That was certainly true, del Potro showed none of the powerful game, which won him the US Open in ’09. Things were looking up when the opening game, on Federer’s serve, lasted over ten minutes. However, disaster struck when an errant serve by Federer was called in and hawkeye was unavailable to make the challenge. The internet servers had gone down and the video could not be transmitted. In this case, the rule states that the original call stands. While the original call was in, it seemed like all the parties involved saw the ball out, including Federer. In the end, del Potro lost the point, and the game, and went on to lose the next game as well, on his own serve. It was clear from the get go that the call had distracted del Potro. He wasn’t playing well at all and that game seemed to stick with him throughout the entire match. He went, as far as to admit, “I can’t be focused during all the match I don’t feel comfortable playing the match,” after the call was made.” He made sure to give plenty of credit to Federer, who played some phenomenal tennis despite still not feeling 100%, and was happy to consider the fact that he may still have lost the match even if he had won that game.

Federer is notorious for his dislike of the hawkeye system. Asked about the incident, he brought up a similar incident for him in the 2008 Wimbledon final against Rafael Nadal, “when I played Rafa in Wimbledon, at 6‑All in the fifth Hawk‑Eye wasn’t available anymore because of the light. That was great for us to know, you know, for the players.  It wasn’t such an important match.  Who cares?” His response was met with laughter from the media, many of who consider that the greatest match of all time. While hawkeye has its limitations, overall, it has likely been an improvement to the game. When line judges are dealing with balls that land just millimeters on or off the line, there’s such a huge opportunity for human error. In fact, Indian Wells just instituted the challenge system on all its courts this year, but they must still be working out the kinks.
In the end, del Potro could not overcome his frustration, never really finding his focus in the match, and losing 6-3, 6-2.
Nadal Tested by Nalbandian
Most people considered the first match up on Stadium 1 to be the most competitive of the day when the schedule was released. Federer and del Potro have had several close encounters so it was only natural to believe this would be the same. On the other hand, few people, myself included, gave David Nalbandian any chance against Rafael Nadal. The Argentine needed a wildcard to get into the tournament after his ranking dropped due to injuries. The 2002 Wimbledon finalist was once ranked as high as No. 3 in the world, but it has been a long time since he was a threat in the later stages of large tournaments like Indian Wells.

Interestingly, it seemed like vintage Nalbanian came out to play in the early stages of the match. He kept pace with Nadal and even had looks at several of his early service games. To everyone’s surprise Nalbandian managed his first break at 4-all in the first set, giving him the chance to serve for the set, which he did. There was a notable flurry of panic amongst the crowd when David won the first set. However, they didn’t need to work. Nadal roared back to win the second set 7-5 to even the match. At this point it pretty much seemed over. How could Nalbandian possibly keep fighting? When he went down two breaks in the third set, it was nearly certain that the match would be over in a matter of moments. Just when everyone thought it was over, Nalbandian managed to once again break Nadal’s serve, but he was still down one break, which gave Nadal the chance to serve for the match. Shockingly, Nalbandian carved out another break points on Rafa’s serve, which would have evened up the match. But, it was not in the cards. An ill-fated drop shot cost Nalbandian the set and the match.
Most people were surprised that Nadal had such a hard time defeating the Argentine, but Nalbandian has always been an opponent that troubled Rafa. Who said, “that probably make me feel a little bit not safe before the match.  That’s why probably I had more mistakes than usual.” Nadal can’t afford to make these kind of mistakes in his next match because Roger Federer will not beat himself. Fortunately for Nadal, he has played Federer 27 times before and has won 18 of those matches.
Ivanovic’s Run to the Semifinals Ends in Tears

Ana Ivanovic has had a bit of a fairytale run to the semifinals here in Indian Wells, her first at a tournament of this scale in a long time. She beat last year’s champion, Caroline Wozniacki, as well as last year’s runner-up, Marion Bartoli en route to her meeting with Maria Sharapova, who she last played in the 2008 Australian Open final. For the first several games, it was a close match, but Sharapova managed to get the first break of the match and it looked like things would be all over. When Sharapova was leading 5-4, Ivanovic left the court for a lengthy medical time out and it seemed things could only go downhill from there. It was not immediately apparent what was wrong with the Serbian, but she obviously wasn’t feeling well.
After losing the set, Ivanovic called her coach, Nigel Sears to come to the court. He told her that only she knew how bad it was and that if she couldn’t play good tennis, she shouldn’t keep playing. Regardless of Nigel’s warning, Ana tried to take the court again, but it was just too much. After the first game of the second set, she walked over to the chair umpire and said she couldn’t keep going. The trainer came out to examine Invanovic, and a couple minutes later she walked over to shake Maria Sharapova’s hand and concede the match.
According to Ivanovic it is some kind of glute strain, something that, “gradually got worse and worse.” She will get an MRI tomorrow to check the extent of the injury. Putting the injury aside, Ana called this an “amazing two weeks,” saying, “I really felt like I have been playing the best tennis probably played in a very, very long time. It wasn’t only one match. It was very consistently. “ Consistency is something that has plagued the Ivanovic since winning the French Open in 2008.

Women’s Semifinal Previews at the BNP Paribas Open

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After an exciting day of tennis on Thursday, the women’s semifinal matches have been set and will be played during the evening session on Friday. Only two of the top four seeds remain in action, leaving two unexpected semifinalists, one on either side of the draw. In the quarterfinals, top seed Victoria Azarenka demolished Agnieszka Radwanksa, while No. 2 seed Maria Sharapova took was seriously tested by her Russian compatriot, Maria Kirilenko, winning a very long three set encounter. US Open surprise semifinalist, Angelique Kerber, caused another upset, taking out Li Na on Wednesday night. To round out the last four, Ana Ivanovic continued her stellar run here by defeating last year’s runner up, Marion Bartoli.
Victoria Azarenka vs. Angelique Kerber
Not before 6pm, the world No. 1 and Australian Open champion, Victoria Azarenka will take on the German, Angelique Kerber. It’s absurd to think that just a few months ago, no one had ever heard of Kerber. She somehow quietly made her way into the US Open semifinals, testing eventual champion Samantha Stosur. However, she wasn’t just a one hit wonder. Since September, she had posted fairly consistent results, winning her first tournament last month in Paris by defeating Marion Bartoli. By reaching this stage of the tournament, she will enter the WTA Top 15. Asked to talk about her impending match against Azarenka, she said, “Yeah, I have nothing to lose in the next match, so I will go out there, try to play really my tennis and focus on me like today, enjoy it, and, yeah, try to beat her, of course.” It’s true that Kerber will have nothing to lose, not having often made it to this stage of tournaments in the past. This has already been a stunning week for her, but a victory would only add to that feeling.

Kerber will have her work cut out for her as she faces the undefeated world No. 1 tonight. Azarenka has started the season very similarly to Novak Djokovic last year, quickly running to a 21-0 record. As impressive as that record is, Azarenka is not allowing her self to get complacent. With regards to working on continuing to improve her game, she said, “if I relax my butt a little bit, somebody’s gonna come and kick it.” Early on this week, she struggled in her opening match, but since then has cruised through to the semifinals in fine form. She did not have much to say when asked about potentially playing Kerber, who at the time had not yet won her quarterfinal. According to Azarenka, they have not played since juniors, but, “there are no easy matches in semifinals.”
While Azarenka thinks there are no easy matches in the semifinals, and Kerber has proven capable of causing all kinds of upsets, it is unlikely that Azarenka’s record will be challenged. She absolutely rolled against Agnieszka Radwanksa, a player who often gives her trouble, and has gotten progressively better with each match she has played this week. It will be a tall task for Angelique Kerber to topple the world No. 1 this time around.
Ana Ivanovic vs. Maria Sharapova

Following the Azarenka/Kerber semifinal, two Grand Slam champions will take the stage to battle for a spot in the finals. Early Thursday, Ivanovic scored her second major victory of the week, defeating Marion Bartoli in two sets, backing up her victory over defending champion Caroline Wozniacki. Ivanovic has yet to reach the level she was at in 2008, when she won the French Open at 21 years old. Since her post Slam slump, she has been gradually working her way back into contention for major titles, only recently finding stronger form. This has debatably been her best week in the last couple of years. Undoubtedly gleeful after yesterday’s win, Ivanovic could barely contain her smile during her post match press conference. Reminded of the last time she played Sharapova, in the 2008 Australian Open final, she laughed, admitting that the ill fated drop shot from that match still haunts her, “it still hurts me so much.  Silly dropshot forehand.  I know.  I was like, Why?  Seriously, why?” Any Ana Ivanovic fan will tell you that they too still remember that drop shot. Luckily, she claims to have learned from her mistakes and is looking forward to the challenge of taking on Maria Sharapova again four years later, a much different situation for both players. Ivanovic’s new coach, Nigel Sears, has seemed to be a steadying force for the volatile Serbian, helping to dramatically improve her forehand, and more importantly, her mental game.

Coming in as the No. 2 seed, Maria Sharapova was generally expected to make it through to this stage of the tournament. Knocked out in the semifinals last year, Sharapova’s game has become considerably more consistent than it used to be and she is certainly deserving of the No. 2 spot. However, Sharapova was in real trouble yesterday against fellow Russian, Maria Kirilenko, when she went down a set and a break. Things looked just about over, before Sharapova magically pulled out the second set 7-5, possibly with a little help from a hindrance call against Kirilenko. After securing the second set, Sharapova had very little trouble overpowering her opponent, quickly rushing to a 4-0 lead. Even after being broken, she was able to close out the set at 6-2. Sharapova won her last encounter against Ana Ivanovic four years ago, but those results are almost negligible, as both women are completely different players today. Asked about what she thought of the impending match, she said, “I think we’re in both very different stages in our careers.  She’s been playing really well this week.  It’s good to see. I mean, we have had tough matches in the past; I’m sure that this one tomorrow will be tough, as well.” It will be tough, as Sharapova played a significantly more grueling match than Ivanovic. Since they’re on last, recovery shouldn’t be too much of an issue, but it still has the potential to play a role. Based on their form this week, either player has the capacity to win this match and it will likely be much more of a mental battle than a physical one. If Ivanovic can keep her nerves in check, there’s a real possibility she could cause the upset.

Murray, Wozniacki Suffer Early Losses in Indian Wells — The Friday Five

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By Maud Watson

Big Setback

Just when many of us thought that Andy Murray was poised to step it up and perhaps legitimize his place in what some have dubbed “The Big Four,” he goes and loses in his opening match at Indian Wells.  It’s no disrespect to his opponent, Garcia-Lopez, who played a solid match beginning to end.  But no matter how you slice it, this was an unacceptable defeat for Murray if he wants to take that next step and win a major.  It was also a surprising loss to say the least.  He entered Indian Wells in a much more positive mindset than in 2011, and he was certainly in better form.  The only positive for him is that he lost in the same round last year, so he’s not losing any points.  Then again, he missed the opportunity to gain some ground on Federer.  All eyes are sure to be on him in Miami, which marks the first real test of Lendl’s influence.  The Scot needs to bounce back immediately, or he’s apt to revert back to the Murray of old.

Hang the Rulebook

Michael Llodra’s actions and words spoke much louder in Indian Wells than anything coming off of his racquet, with the Frenchman garnering a $2500 fine for verbal abuse towards some fans and officials.  While it’s understandable that the governing bodies of tennis have a need to be uniform when doling out punishments, it’s still time to look at upping the fines for this type of behavior.  It’s one thing for a player to swear in general, and it’s another thing when they’re leveling their anger at someone else.  It also shouldn’t matter, as some have argued otherwise, whether the abuse is directed at an official on court or a fan.  Nobody should have to put up with that, and unfortunately, it seems to be becoming a more frequent occurrence.  Until the powers-at-be start handing down larger fines that will get more attention from the players, this type of behavior is likely to continue.

Freefall

Caroline Woznicki loses to Ana Ivanovic in Indian Wells, California (REUTERS/Danny Moloshok)

She’ll still solidly be ranked inside the Top 10 come Monday, but a teary-eyed Caroline Wozniacki appears to be falling apart at the seams.  Her latest defeat comes at the hands of 2008 Roland Garros Champion Ana Ivanovic.  An in-form Ivanovic has more than enough game to defeat the Dane, but the drubbing she handed her fellow former No. 1 was still surprising.  It’s as though Wozniacki is unsure of what to do out there, and if she hasn’t figured it out already, that defense that took her No. 1 isn’t going to cut it anymore.  The game is quickly passing her by, and she should take a page out of her friend Aggie Radwanska’s book by biting the bullet and letting her dad go in favor of a new coach.  If she doesn’t do something soon, her ranking will only continue to slide.

Resurgence

It’s taken a few years, but Ana Ivanovic may be truly on her way to returning to the upper echelons of the game.  After dismissing Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets, the Serb turned around and did the same thing to No. 7 seed Marion Bartoli.  Ivanovic showed signs of returning to her top form at last year’s US Open, and she’s backing it up nicely here at Indian Wells.  It’s difficult to imagine her getting back to the very top, but there’s no reason to think she can’t get back into the Top 10, or even Top 5, and earn a few more Grand Slam singles titles along the way.

The Invisible Opponent

It’s amazing that the BNP Paribas Open has been as enthralling as it has been, given that it has unfortunately been hit with a rash of withdrawals.  The cause of the pullouts is a nasty virus that has attacked the men and women in equal measure, making itself felt in more ways than one.  Fortunately, we’ve all continued to be treated to some world-class tennis, and fingers crossed that the virus hasn’t traveled with any of the sick players as they make their way to Miami for the second Masters 1000 event of the year.  With a few more of the sport’s top stars signed up to compete, Key Biscayne is likely to be as exciting, if not more so, than Indian Wells.

Headlines from the Round of 16

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Azarenka Plows Past Radwanska for a 21-0 Record
Perhaps the most anticipated match on the WTA side of the draw, everyone was hoping for a squeaker between Agnieszka Radwanska and Victoria Azarenka. Going into this match, Radwanska and Azarenka had already met three times this year, with Azarenka winning all three encounters. The two used to be good friends, but after their last encounter in Dubai, Radwanska seemed to have some qualms with the world No. 1. Their three previous encounters had been incredibly close and the suspected animosity between the two only built the tension leading up to yesterday’s match. From the get go, things did not go so well for Radwanska. She immediately fell down a break, and then two, and in what seemed like no time at all had been bageled in the first set and was down 5-0 in the second. While Radwanska managed to salvage two games, there was just no way to come back from that kind of deficit. Asked about her feelings after going down 6-0 in the first set, Radwanska did not hold back, “pretty much I was pissed, yeah, in the first set especially ‑‑ you know, losing 6‑Love, you know, is not fun, right?” Clearly frustrated, she claimed there were only two options, “What you can do?  I said, Either have fun or cry.” Relatively cheerful for such a crushing loss, she obviously opted for fun, a great attitude from the Aga, who will move up to No. 4 in next week’s rankings. In the mean time, Azarenka keeps extending her winning streak, now 21-0 and this season, and feeling strangely similar to Novak Djokovic about this time last year.

Isner Becomes Last American Standing
Poised to become the highest ranked American in the next few months as Mardy Fish struggles to defend points, John Isner is now that last American man standing in the singles draw after Ryan Harrison lost a close encounter with Gilles Simon. When Isner was asked about the situation in his press conference, Harrison was still playing Simon, but, Isner described the experience of being American and playing here as “very, very special,” knowing that, “the crowd is definitely behind, you know, us Americans.” He was looking forward to a matchup with Harrison, which would have guaranteed at least one American in the semifinals, but he will play Frenchman Gilles Simon this evening.
Bryans Felled by Coachella Virus
Prior to any official tournament announcements, Bob Bryan tweeted the following yesterday morning.
“I’m sorry to announce that Mike and I are withdrawing from our quarterfinal match @BNPPARIBASOPEN. Mike has been struck with a severe stomach virus since late last night. Unfortunately, he is too weak and nauseous to get out of bed. We apologize to the tournament, staff, but more importantly, our fans. We love you, thank you for the support, and we look forward to making another run at it next year.”
The Bryans were forced to pull out of their match against Fyrstenberg/Matkowski after Mike Bryan came down with virus that has claimed so many players this week.
Federer and Djokovic Survive Scares
Both the world No. 1 and No. 3 were tested yesterday against much weaker opponents. It became clear early on that Federer was not at his best. He has been feeling a little off, but it was very unlike him to drop the first set against a clay court specialist like Thomaz Bellucci. Federer seemed to right the ship in the second set, which he won 6-3 The Brazilian managed to stay with Federer for most of the third set, before being broken. Federer admitted he was “surprised,” but that he “found a way, and you know, dug deep and came through…At the end of the day, these are the wins that sort of almost feel better.” Federer played a three set night match on Tuesday against Milos Raonic, and his fourth round match was scheduled for Wednseday afternoon, leaving little time for recovery. Next up, Federer will face Juan Martin del Potro, who has given him trouble in the past, but not since returning to the tour last year after wrist surgery.

Novak Djokovic had a much different encounter Wednesday morning. After easily winning the first set 6-0, suddenly his opponent, Pablo Andujar of Spain, seemed to find his bearings, managing to hang in through the second set, making it all the way to a tie break. More impressively, Andujar won the tiebreak, and forced the match into a third set, which he lost 2-6. Djokovic attributed the second set loss to both a drop in his game and an improvement from Andujar, saying, “For some reason I didn’t move as well as. I was holding on my service games very closely, and he was winning comfortably. So we got to the tiebreak, and I though that there is my chance. I didn’t use it when it was presented.”

Federer Survives Raonic Threat to Reach the Fourth Round

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When last year’s draw for the BNP Paribas Open was released, it seemed nearly sure that we would be watching a surging Milos Raonic battle a not so surging Roger Federer in the fourth round. Ryan Harrison denied us that viewing pleasure, but provided his own, by beating Raonic in a very tight third round match, and proceeding to challenge Federer in the fourth round. When the draw came out this year, once again, it seemed almost certain we would see the first match between these two players, one thought to be the greatest of all time and one clearly on his way to greatness.

Probably the most anticipated match of the early rounds, it didn’t disappoint, or should I say, Milos Raonic didn’t disappoint. It’s so easy for a young player like Raonic, someone who likely grew up watching Roger Federer play, to go out there nervous, not truly believing he can win a match like this. When asked about playing someone so well respected, he said, “There is a lot of people going out against a player like Federer that are tight or just have a big respect for him and sort of get caught up in that.” Milos did not allow himself to get caught up in the hype. He may not have won this one, but he clearly believed he could.
Taking out a player of Federer’s caliber is like a right of passage, welcoming young players to the big league. Of course Milos Raonic has already won three ATP titles and cracked the Top 25. Some already count him as part of the big league, but he has yet to beat a Top 5 player. Granted, he has never played Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray. Tuesday night may have been a shot at the big time, but he’ll have plenty more. At this point he has proven he deserves his spot in the rankings, but he has real Top 10 potential, and maybe more. To get there, he will need to win matches like this, at least some of the time.

I first saw Raonic in Memphis last year, fresh off his first ATP title in San Jose, and a relatively unknown name in the tennis world. There was a lot of buzz surrounding the young Canadian, but everyone was wondering whether his San Jose title was a flash in the pan performance, or whether he was the real deal, able to compete with the top players. That week, it turned out to be the later. He plowed his way through the Memphis draw and into the final, where he lost to Andy Roddick. There were a few things that struck me about Raonic in person. First was Raonic’s stature. Much like Juan Martin del Potro, Milos Raonic seemingly tries to make himself look smaller, but it doesn’t work. At 6’5”, with powerful legs, and one of the biggest serves in today’s game, it would be hard to miss this gentle giant. Second, I was shocked how composed he was for just being 20 years old, both on court and off. He controls his emotions incredibly well, something a lot of young players struggle with. Off court, he handled the press with the ease of someone who had been doing this for years.
I was no less impressed last evening. Raonic did not cave under the pressure of serving for the first set. He did not give up when he when down a double break in the second set and fought hard until the end of the third. Federer had mostly complementary things to say about Raonic’s game, even going as far as to say that his serve is, “probably gonna be top 10 of all time at one point.” However, he did not that Raonic still has a ways to go before he enters that realm.

Perhaps not his best match of the season, Federer did one of the things he does best. He won a match he was supposed to win. Even after dropping the first set, he seemed to have no doubts. This seems like such a simple concept, but so many players can easily fall victim to the upset. Add in that Federer has been feeling a little under the weather and he’s “still not 100%” and the loss of the first set tie breaker and he was ripe for the upset.
That being said, Federer will face another first time opponent today in Thomaz Bellucci, who received a walkover when Nikolay Davydenko was forced to withdraw with the Indian Wells virus that’s been going around. Bellucci is generally known as a claycourter, but Federer is ready for whatever challenges the match may bring. Asked about the matchup, Federer said he is “looking forward to that kind of a challenge.  It’s different.  I hope to feel better again tomorrow so I will be able to last through long rallies.  I haven’t seen him play at all actually lately, but I know he’s chosen to play more of a hard court schedule the last year or so instead of just playing on clay when he could.” Kind words from Federer for his next opponent, but it’s unlikely Bellucci will be able to push the 16 time Grand Slam champion the way that Milos Raonic did.