Stan Wawrinka Captures His First Indoor Title - Mondays with Bob Greene

Mondays with Bob Greene

STARS

Stan Wawrinka beat Tomas Berdych 4-6 6-3 6-4 to win the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Andrea Petkovic won the BNP Paribas Fortis Diamond Games in Antwerp, Belgium, when Carla Suarez Navarro withdrew with a neck injury

Kei Nishikori beat Kevin Anderson 6-4 6-4 to win the Memphis Open in Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Pablo Cuevas beat Luca Vanni 6-4 3-6 7-6 (4) to win the Brasil Open 2015 in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Daniela Hantuchova beat Ajla Tomljanovic 3-6 6-3 6-4 to win the Thailand Open in Pattaya City, Thailand

SAYING

“The important thing for this year is to focus on the day-by-day. I need to keep working and try to improve. When I do that, I know the results will come. Hopefully I can play well all the year, not have any big ups and downs.” – Stan Wawrinka, after winning the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament.

“I was in control in the beginning and the small differences decided it.” – Tomas Berdych, following his loss to Stan Wawrinka.

“Anytime you make it to the weekend, you are playing well. It hasn’t happened too often in my career, so when it happens I am very excited.’” – Donald Young, after beating Bernard Tomic to advance to the semifinals of the Memphis Open.

“I woke up in the morning and I felt this pain in my neck. I went to the physio to great treatment and tried to play at 11:30, then had physio again and tried to play again at 2:15, and I just couldn’t serve. I couldn’t play like I wanted. So I had to pull out of this final.” – Carla Suarez Navarro, after withdrawing from the final of the BNP Paribas Fortis Diamond Games.

“I hope you don’t take any offense Kim, but I’m glad you are done playing on tour.” – Andrea Petkovic, after losing a 5-3 exhibition match against Kim Clijsters.

“It means so much to me to win this tournament three times. I’ve never done that in my career and never thought I’d be able to. It’s always a special feeling playing in Pattaya. I’ve felt great here since the first match, and I’m very proud I kept it up all week.” – Daniela Hantuchova, who captured her third Thailand Open title.

“At the end I couldn’t believe it was over because I thought in my head it was over so many times before it actually was. So to be honest, when I finally won the match I was so over celebrating.” – Aja Tomljanovic, after outlasting Monica Puig 7-6 (4) 5-7 7-6 (7) to reach the PTT Thailand Open final.

“We were both very nervous. I think it was the first time I played a final as the favorite. I thought that I couldn’t lose when that happens, but the matches become more difficult. In front of me I had someone that was playing with a lot of confidence and with a great serve. I think we both failed at some moments: a double fault, a volley. There were many mistakes at the end and the winner was the one who fails less than the other.” – Pablo Cuevas, following his victory in Sao Paulo.

STAN THE MAN

By continuing his domination of Tomas Berdych, Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka has captured his first indoor tournament trophy and first 500 series ATP title. “I’m very happy in winning my first 500 title, especially indoors. It’s always amazing to win trophies, it’s the best feeling,” Wawrinka said. The 29-year-old beat Berdych, the defending champion, for the sixth straight time. “I’m disappointed with how it finished today, but there can only be one winner,” Berdych said. “I can still see some positive things. The last time I played him it was completely different. I could not deal with him,” said the Czech, referring to the World Tour Finals in London last November when Wawrinka triumphed 6-1 6-1. After dropping the first set, Wawrinka took a 5-3 lead en route to leveling the match at a set each. The led 4-1 in the third set before Berdych broke back and held for 4-3, Berdych saved one match point when serving at 5-3 down before Wawrinka clinched the victory on his next serve.

SLOVAKIAN WINNER

It’s becoming a habit for Daniela Hantuchova. The Slovak won her third WTA Pattaya Open by edging her 21-year-old Croatian rival, Ajla Tomljanovic, in three sets. Ten years older than her opponent, Hantuchova dropped the opening set before winning the next two 6-3 6-4. She had previously won the title in 2011 and 2012. “Today was very tough because Ajla was playing some great tennis,” Hantuchova said. “I had to really fight for it. At the end I felt maybe I was a little fresher and sharper, and that decided the match.” Hantuchova barely made it back to the final. She saved two match points to beat Marina Erakovic in the semifinals. In the title match, she won eight of nine games to close out the second set and take a 3-0 in the third. Tomljanovic battled back, knotting the set at 3-all and 4-all before Hantuchova captured the last two games for the crown. Tomljanovic had never reached a WTA semifinal before Pattaya, let alone a final. “There are too many positives from the week,” Tomljanovic said. “There are things I can learn from this match and the week. Overall I think this was a really big step forward for me in Pattaya.”

SAO PAULO CHAMPION

Once Pablo Cuevas gets to the final, he’s unbeatable. The Uruguayan bested a qualifier, Luca Vanni, to win the Brazil Open in Sao Paulo. It was the third time Cuevas has reached an ATP title match – and his third ATP title. All three victories have come on clay. It wasn’t that easy, however, as Vanni served for the match at 5-4 after breaking his foe. Cuevas broke right back and sent the match into a tiebreak, where he won 7 of the last 10 points. Vanni had never won an ATP World Tour match prior to his run to the title match. “I’m so happy,” said Vanni, who was the first qualifier to reach the Brazil Open final in the tournament’s 15-year history. “It was a close match. I fought hard against Cuevas. … I’m so proud of myself.”

SLIPS INTO TITLE

Andrea Petkovic has never won a final so easily. The third-seeded German won the Diamond Games without stepping onto the court as fifth-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain pulled out of the title match with a neck injury. “You can never really enjoy the win when you don’t fight for it,” Petkovic said. “I had a great week and I’m leaving as the champion, but definitely mixed emotions.” Suarez Navarro said she woke up with severe neck pains. After twice undergoing therapy, she decided she was unable to play. “I just couldn’t serve,” the Spaniard said. “I couldn’t play like I wanted.” Also she didn’t have to step onto the court to win the title, Petkovic had to struggle to reach the final. She staved off eight match p0ooints in a second-round win over Belgian wildcard Alison Van Uytvaqnck, and she took well over two hours to beat unseeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the semifinals. With her sixth career title, the 27-year-old Petkovic moves back into the top 10 in the WTA rankings.

SUCCESS IN MEMPHIS

Kei Nishikori winning in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, is becoming habit-forming. Nishikori became the first player to win the Memphis title in three consecutive years since the tournament’s inception in 1975. “It feels great, of course,” Nishikori said of the win. “Today’s match was much different than (the past) couple of matches. I played really solid from the baseline and returned really well.” Anderson slammed 12 aces, but it wasn’t enough as Nishikori broke his South African opponent once in each set. Nishikori clinched his first title of 2015 on his fourth match point. While he sailed to victory in the final, Nishikori struggled earlier in the tournament. He squeezed past Sam Querrey 5-7 7-6 (5) 7-6 (5) in the semifinals after also being forced to go three sets in his first two matches against qualifiers Ryan Harrison and Austin Krajicek.

SWISS STARS MISSING

Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka led Switzerland to its first Davis Cup title last year. The Swiss will play their first-round tie against Belgium in March without either star. A Swiss Tennis Federation statement confirmed the pair “have decided to not make themselves available” for the March 6-8 competition. “I’m the first to understand that priorities change in the year after a Davis Cup victory and that it isn’t that easy to get back into the fray,” Federation president Rene Stammbach said. Wawrinka has been a mainstay of the squad. “I have been a part of this Davis Cup squad for 11 years and this is the first time I have decided not to play,” said Wawrinka, who explained that 2014 had been “a very long year, rich in emotion and with some incredible moments.” While deciding to skip the first-round tie, Wawrinka said he may be available for later in the tournament if Switzerland qualifies.

SIMON TRIUMPHANT

It had been nearly eight years between Gilles Simon’s victories over Andy Murray. The Frenchman last beat Murray on clay at the Rome Masters. Then Murray won 12 straight matches before Simon surprised Murray again in the quarterfinals of the World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Simon saved four of the six break points he faced and capitalized on Murray’s flurry of unforced errors to win 6-4 6-2 on his third match point.

SICK BAY

Two of the world’s top players – Australian Open champion Serena Williams and Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard – have pulled out of this week’s Dubai Tennis Championships. Tournament organizers said Williams is still trying to get over a persistent, nagging cough. The American didn’t play the reserve singles match in Fed Cup play last week because of the cough. No reason was given for Bouchard’s withdrawal after she was given a wild card into the event. However, she was upset in Antwerp, Belgium, when she double-faulted nine times in a 4-6 6-1 6-2 loss to Germany’s Mona Barthel.

SUSPENDED

Italy’s Potito Starace and Daniele Bracciali have been provisionally suspended for 40 days pending a corruption inquiry. In a statement, the Italian Tennis Federation (FIT) said, “Bracciali and Starace are suspected of having distorted the result of certain matches in order to make illicit gains through betting.” Both players have already served shorts suspensions – six week for Starace and three months for Bracciali – in 2008 in another better scandal. Starace is suspected of having thrown his ATP Casablanca final in 2011 when he lost 6-1 6-2 to Spain’s Mariano Andujar. Italian media reports the FIT decided to act because of the “repetition of illicit behavior by the two players.”

SURFACE SURPRISE

The King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, was surprised when the Rio de Janeiro Olympics decided to play the tennis competition on hard court and not clay. “I am surprised that in a country which has clay specialists the Olympics are going to be on hard court,” Nadal said. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said the choice was based on the fact the tournament, which will be held August 6-15, will be just two weeks before the US Open, which is also played on hard court. “Brazil was able to pull off successfully something as complicated as a World Cup and I am sure the Olympics are going to be a success,” said Nadal, who won the singles competition at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

SET AS CAPTAIN

Former doubles player Michael Kohlmann has been named the new captain of the German Davis Cup team. The German Tennis Federation also announced that veteran Niki Pilic will return to the squad as adviser. Kohlmann replaces Carsten Arriens, who stepped down last week. Germany plays France in a first round tie March 6-8 in Frankfurt, Germany. The 75-year-old Pilic was captain when Germany won three Davis Cup titles with Wimbledon champions Boris Becker and Michael Stich on the team. Pilic also helped his native Croatia and Serbia win Davis Cup titles, in 2005 and 2010, respectively.

SEEKING HONORS

Four players, including Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, along with the Swiss Davis Cup team are in the running for the Laureus World Sports Academy honors. Compiled from a ballot of the world’s sporting media, selected six nominees in each of seven categories, the winners are voted for by the Academy, a jury made up of 50 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen headed by chairman Edwin Moses. Djokovic is in the sportsman of the year category with the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Cristiano Ronaldo and Rory McIlroy. The Serb won the award in 2012 after winning three Grand Slam tournaments and five Masters in 2011. Williams and Li Na are both in the sportswoman of the year competition. Williams is seeking her fourth Laureus Award, having won this competition in 2003 and 2010 and the Comeback Award in 2007. Li Na won her second Grand Slam tournament women’s singles title in 2014 before retiring later in the year. Marin Cilic is seeking to win the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year category, an award captured by Andy Murray in 2013 and Rafael Nadal in 2006. Switzerland’s Davis Cup team, starring Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, is shortlisted in two categories: Team of the Year and Breakthrough of the Year. The winners will be revealed at the Awards Ceremony in Shanghai, China, on April 15.

SPONSORSHIP

Godiva Chocolatier, a Belgian luxury chocolate manufacturer, has signed Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki to an endorsement deal. “So excited to announce that my dream partnership is here,” Wozniacki wrote on a popular phot-sharing social networking application. “@Godiva is now officially feeding my sweet tooth.” She is Godiva’s first sports personality as an endorser. The deal’s cost was not revealed.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Antwerp: Anabel Medina Garrigues and Arantxa Parra Santonja beat An-Sophie Mestach and Alison Van Uytvanck 6-4 3-6 10-5 (match tiebreak)

Memphis: Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Santiago Gonzalez beat Artem Stak and Donald Young 5-7 7-6 (1) 10-8 (match tiebreak)

Pattaya City: Chan Hao-Ching and Chan Yung-Jan beat Shuko Aoyama and Tamarine Tanasugarn 2-6 6-4 10-3 (match tiebreak)

Rotterdam: Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau beat Jamie Murray and John Peers 3-6 6-3 10-8 (match tiebreak)

Sao Paulo: Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah beat Paolo Lorenzi and Diego Schwartzman 6-4 6-2

SURFING

Dubai: www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com/

Rio de Janeiro: http://rioopen.com/

Delray Beach: www.yellowtennisball.com/

Marseille: www.open13.fr/

Acapulco: www.abiertomexicanodetenis.com/