Rafael Nadal Back In Winner’s Circle With Ninth Monte-Carlo Title - Mondays with Bob Greene

Mondays with Bob Greene

STARS

Rafael Nadal beat Gael Monfils 7-5 5-7 6-0 to win the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters in Monte-Carlo, Monaco

Irina Falconi beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-2 2-6 6-4 to win the Claro Open Colsanitas in Bogota, Colombia

Mischa Zverev beat Gerald Melzer 6-4 7-6 (2) to win the Joey Grafton Sarasota Open in Sarasota, Florida, USA

FED CUP

WORLD GROUP SEMIFINALS

Czech Republic beats Switzerland 3-2 at Lucerne, Switzerland

France beats Netherlands 3-2 at Trélazé, France

WORLD GROUP PLAY-OFFS

(Winners in World Group in 2017)

Belarus beats Russia 3-2 at Moscow, Russia

Spain beat Italy 4-0 at Lleida, Spain

Germany beats Romania 4-1 at Cluj-Napoca, Romania

United States beats Australia 4-0 at Brisbane, Australia

WORLD GROUP II PLAY-OFFS

Belgium beats Serbia 3-2 at Belgrade, Serbia; Slovakia beats Canada 3-2 at Bratislava, Slovakia; Chinese Taipei beats Poland 4-1 at Inowroclaw, Poland; Ukraine beats Argentina 4-0 at Kiev, Ukraine

GROUP II

Asia/Oceania Zone: Philippines promoted to Group I in 2017; Europe/Africa Zone: Bosnia/Herzegovina and Austria promoted to Group I in 2017, Egypt and Finland relegated to Group III in 2017

GROUP III

Europe/Africa Zone: Luxembourg and Norway promoted to Group II in 2017

SAYING

“I was able to raise my level yesterday in the second and in the third, and today again in the third (set). That’s something I missed a lot recently. This week I was able to do it.” – Rafael Nadal, after winning the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters for a record ninth time.

“He increased his intensity and changed the way he was playing. I simply couldn’t find an answer.” – Gael Monfils, following his loss to Rafael Nadal at Monte-Carlo.

“It’s the dream of every single player to beat a world number one. For me, it’s definitely a dream come true.” – Jiri Vesely, who upset Novak Djokovic at the Monte-Carlo Masters.

“He can make you go for winners from uncomfortable positions. You have to not allow that to happen.” – Andy Murray, about Rafael Nadal.

“He is still a major player on clay.” Roger Federer, talking about Rafael Nadal.

“I am very proud of my team. We left everything out on the center court and I don’t think there is any question or any doubt in anyone’s mind that we did that. You can’t ask of a team anything more than that.” – Heinz Guenthardt, captain of the Swiss Fed Cup team that lost 3-2 to defending champion Czech Republic.

“It’s difficult to get so close to your goal and then lose. It’s hard to take.” – Paul Haarhuis, captain of the Netherlands Fed Cup team that lost 3-2 to France.

“In Serena and Venus’s case, Olympics is a big goal for them, they have (already) qualified. The U.S. has the luxury, they have a lot of top players, but I think it just really points out that we here in Australia have players who are really committed to our country.” –Alicia Molik, Australian Fed Cup captain commenting on sisters Serena and Venus Williams not playing for the United States.

“The last 24 hours we’ve just been praying constantly for all the families and the children. I knew there’s a lot of people who’ve been killed already. We’re sending over a lot of prayers.” – Irina Falconi, an American who dedicated her first WTA title to her native Ecuador, which suffered an earthquake.

SUPER VICTORY

Rafael Nadal’s latest triumph is just confirmation that he has found his game. The Spaniard stopped Gael Monfils to win his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title since 2014. “The victory here confirms that I am better and I am very happy,” Nadal said after his three-set triumph in the final of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. “It is a very, very emotional week for me at a very important event. Monte-Carlo is one of the most important places in my career without a doubt. To win again here after three years is something so special for me.” It was an unprecedented ninth title on the clay at Monte-Carlo. And it was Nadal’s 28^th Masters title, equaling the record of top-ranked Novak Djokovic. “I worked hard to have this trophy with me,” Nadal said. “I am enjoying this moment. It is an emotional moment after some tough moments. But that’s part of life. It is part of sport in general.” Monfils had never won a set against Nadal on clay and had lost 11 of their 13 previous matches. This time, however, it was different. The Frenchman matched Nadal winner for winner and, as it turned out, unforced error for unforced error. Actually Monfils came out way in front on the latter, making 51 unforced errors to 36 for Nadal. And where Nadal had four double faults, Monfils double faulted seven times. “We will see how things are in the next six months (but) I have to enjoy this moment,” Nadal said. “Tomorrow I will start to think about Barcelona.”

SPECIAL WIN

Excuse Irina Falconi if she got a little emotional after capturing the Claro Open Colsanitas crown. “I’m so happy and I even started to cry a little bit,” Falconi said. “I was overwhelmed with emotions. Just trying to take in every moment and enjoy it.” It was Falconi’s first WTA final and her first title as she became the first American to win the clay court event in Bogota, Colombia. Then there was the earthquake in neighboring Ecuador. Falconi dedicated her victory to her native Ecuador. “My father is there right now, actually,” Falconi said. “He wanted to come here and watch me play, but obviously with the earthquake travel became complicated. First of all, thank God all my family is fine. But I know it’s a very difficult situation for so many people over there.” Trailing 3-4 0-30 in the decisive third set, Falconi broke Soler-Espinosa to pull even, then broke her opponent again to win the title on her third championship point. “This morning I felt nervous, but nerves are always nerves,” she said. “I was talking to my boyfriend about it and what we kept saying was, ‘It’s just another match. Doesn’t matter if it’s a final, doesn’t matter if it’s a Grand Slam, it’s just another match. That’s how I lived it, and that mentality helped me a lot.”

SHOCKER

Jiri Vesely finally got to play top-ranked Novak Djokovic. And the 22-year-old Czech came away with the victory. “When I went on court, I was hoping to win a game or to do well,” Vesely said. “But I really had no idea that I really would be able to beat Novak today. I still can’t believe it happened.” The second-round ouster was Djokovic’s earliest tournament loss in three years. In recent months the Serb had won nine of his last 10 tournaments, with the only blemish coming when he retired from a match because of an eye problem. It was Djokovic’s earliest loss in an event since he fell in the second round of the Madrid Open in 2013. Still, Djokovic took the loss in stride. “It’s been a tough four or five months, so I need time to recharge,” he said.

SURGICALLY FIT

Roger Federer may have lost at Monte-Carlo, but he says it was a successful return to the ATP World Tour following knee surgery. “It was good to play back-to-back, yesterday and today, good to play 2 hours 10 (minutes) today,” Federer said. “It was nice to play an intense match. I’m happy how the body reacted.” It was Federer’s first tournament since missing more than two months following knee surgery. He was two points from victory while leading 5-4 15-30 in the final set before losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 3-6 6-2 7-5. “In this tournament, (it) really doesn’t matter at all if I missed those chances,” the Swiss star said.

STARRING

Four players are the first winners of the 2016 Fed Cup Heart Award. They are Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus, Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine, Hsieh Su-Wei of Chinese Taipei, and Nadia Podoroska of Argentina. The four Heart Award recipients were selected in a public vote on FedCup.com and FedCup.com/es. Ten players were initially selected by a panel consisting of International Tennis Federation (ITF) president David Haggerty and a group of former Fed Cup players and members of the international media. All the winners will receive a check to be donated to their chosen charity. Sasnovich will donate her check to the National Research Center for Paediatric Oncology, Haematology and immunology in Minsk. Bondarenko will give her money to a children’s orphanage in Kryvyi Rig; Hsiesh Su-Wei to the Maria Social Welfare Foundation in Taiwan; and Podoroska to the Comedor Los Conejitos food center in Rosaria. The Fed Cup Heart Award recognizes players who have represented their country with distinction, shown exceptional courage on court and demonstrated outstanding commitment to their team. A total of six players will be recognized this year.

STRAIGHT TO THE BANK

Prize money for this year’s French Open will increase by 14 percent, with the total purse for the 2016 tournament at Roland Garros rising to just over 32 million euros (USD $36,110,900). The winners of the men’s and singles’ singles title will each take home USD $2,255,700, an increase of USD $225,570 over last year. “This noticeable increase in prize money at Roland Garros is the final raise mentioned in the four-year plan drawn up for 2013 to 2016,” tournament director Guy Forget said in a statement. “In total, the tournament’s prize money will have increased by a historic 70 percent during this four-year period, with a particular focus on those players who are eliminated in the first week, who have seen their earnings double.”

STILL FACES HEARING

Although the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) says players who have tested positive for meldonium could have their bans overturned, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said Maria Sharapova still faces a hearing. The Russian star tested positive of the drug at the Australian Open in January after it was added to WADA’s list of banned substances. WADA now says it has been unable to establish how quickly the drug clears the human body. The ITF isn’t moved. “In light of the recent notice from WADA regarding the process for dealing with cases involving meldonium, the ITF can confirm that the Tennis Anti-Doping Program case involving Maria Sharapova will proceed to a hearing in accordance with WADA’s recommendations,” the ITF said in a statement. “The ITF does not intend to make any further statement until completion of this process due to the confidentiality of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program.”

SQUEEZING INTO THE FINAL

The Czech Republic is back in the Fed Cup final for the fifth time in six years. France will play for the title for the first time since 2005. Yet both had to struggle to reach the title round. Karolina Pliskova and Lucie Hradecka had to win the deciding doubles to edge surprising Switzerland. Caroline Garcia won her reverse singles to pull France even with the Netherlands, then teamed with Kristina Mladenovic to win the doubles and a spot in the final. “The key was the depth of our team today,” Czech captain Petr Pala said. “It gave me more opportunities to make the doubles team. It is a great feeling for the camp. The spirit is there, everybody want to win the Cup.” Garcia had lost her first singles match to Kiki Bertens, who won both of her singles, also downing Mladenovic to give the Netherlands a 2-1 lead. “There was a lot of frustration (after Saturday), but then it was as if an energy rose up, a desire to gain my revenge,” Garcia said. “The fact that Amelie (French captain Mauresmo) had confidence in me gave me a lift.”

SAYS NO RESPECT

During a heated exchange in a semifinal match at the Monte-Carlo Masters, umpire Damien Dumusois accused Andy Murray of having “zero respect for what I do.” The exchange came after Murray hit at least two balls in the direction of the umpire during his semifinal loss to Rafael Nadal. “That’s enough, Andy,” Dumusois said as Murray approached the chair. “You have zero respect for what I do. So that’s fine, you can disagree, but no respect, I cannot accept that.” Dumusois continued, “I go there, I check the mark, you hit the ball to me. (It is) the second time you do it. You did it again before in the chair, so that’s enough.” In his post-match news conference, Murray acknowledge he had lost his cool. “There were a few things that happened in the match,” Murray said. “You guys were watching. And, yes, you can draw your own conclusions from it.” Nadal beat Murray 2-6 6-4 6-2.

STANDING NOT GOOD

A feud with the Italian Tennis Federation will keep Camila Giorgi from competing in the Olympic Games this summer. “The ITF (International Tennis Federation) rules say that players must be “in good standing” with their federation to qualify for the Games. For me, right now Giorgi is not in good standing,” Italian Tennis Federation president Angelo Binaghi said. Giorgi announced last month that she was cutting relations with the federation and would not play on Italy’s Fed Cup team that lost 4-0 to Spain. Because the federation also is the organizer of the Italian Open, Giorgi is expected to miss that event. “It’s not a friendly place for Camila and us,” said Sergio Giorgi, Camila’s father and coach. “Camila needs to be at ease.” Sergio Giorgi also said his daughter is no longer training at a federation facility in Tirrenia, Italy. “They’ve barred us from entering Tirrenia,” he said. Binaghi said he has sent a letter to Sergio seeking 160,000 euros (USD $180,000) for broken contracts. He also said the federation is likely to open disciplinary proceedings against the Giorgis.

SEEKING CHANGE

Mary Joe Fernandez believes the Fed Cup format must change if the world’s best players are to find time for the women’s international competition. Although missing its top three players – sisters Serena and Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens – the United States crushed Australia 4-0 in Fed Cup play over the weekend. But the absence of the biggest names has raised questions over whether the tournament can retain its prestige. Fernandez, captain of the American Fed Cup squad, said the format and scheduling of the tournament made it difficult for top players to easily commit. “We didn’t find out we were coming to Australia until the second week of February,” Fernandez said, noting the top players had mapped out their schedules by the start of the year. “It’s not the most convenient thing to do, come to Australia when everyone’s heading to Europe or in the States.” Fernandez said she has expressed her feelings to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and believes a format more like the men’s Davis Cup could make it “a little bit easier to follow and it will be a lot more convenient for the players.”

SAD NEWS

Abe Segal, who teamed with Gordon Forbes in the 1950s and ‘60s to form one of the top doubles teams in the world, has died. When Alex Metreveli and István Gulyás both refused to compete against Segal, a native of South Africa, at Wimbledon in 1964, the International Lawn Tennis Federation passed a resolution prohibiting players from withdrawing from matches except for “health and bereavement.” In 1951, Segal won the Irish Open singles title. He played Davis Cup for South Africa in eight years, compiling a record of 24 wins and 14 losses. After retiring from tennis, Segal became a noted artist.

SHARED PEFORMANCES

MEN

Bogota: Lara Arruabarrena and Tatjana Maria beat Gabriela Ce and Andrea Gamiz 6-2 4-6 10-8 (match tiebreak)

Monte-Carlo: Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut beat Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares 4-6 6-0 10-6 (match tiebreak)

Sarasota: Facundo Arguello and Nicolas Kicker beat Marcelo Arevalo and Sergio Galdos 4-6 6-4 10-6 (match tiebreak)

SURFING

Barcelona: www.barcelonaopenbancsabadell.com/es

Bucharest: http://brd-nastase-tiriac-trophy.ro/2016/

Stuttgart: www.porsche-tennis.de/

Istanbul: http://istanbulcup.kozawos.com/

Munich: http://bmwopen.de/

Estoril: www.millenniumestorilopen.com/en/