Novak Djokovic, Simona Halep Reign Supreme In Madrid - Mondays with Bob Greene

Mondays with Bob Greene

STARS

Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray 6-2 3-6 6-3 to win the Mutua Madrid Open men’s singles in Madrid, Spain

Simona Halep beat Dominika Cibulkova 6-2 6-4 to win the Mutua Madrid Open women’s singles in Madrid, Spain

Zhang Kai-Lin beat Peng Shuai 6-1 0-6 4-2 retired to win the Anning Tennis Tournament in Anning, China

Konstantin Kravchuk beat Daniel Evans 6-4 6-4 to win the Busan Open Challenger in Busan, South Korea

Thiago Monteiro beat Carlos Berlocq 4-6 6-4 6-1 to win the Open Du Pays D’Aix in Aix En Provence, France

Magda Linette beat Carina Witthoeft 6-3 7-5 to win the Engie Open de Cagnes-Sur-Mer Alpes Maritimes in Cagnes-Sur-Mer, France

SAYING

“I don’t know how I dug my way out, but that’s how it happens when you play against one of the best in the world. I’m just happy to have overcome this challenge.” – Novak Djokovic, after beating Andy Murray to win the Mutua Madrid Open.

“It’s a shame I could not come back and defend the title. It wasn’t to be today. But Novak showed that he is doing great things.” – Andy Murray, following his loss to Novak Djokovic in Madrid.

“It was amazing on court. I just want to keep that feeling for long time.” – Simona Halep, following her victory over Dominika Cibulkova to win the women’s title in Madrid.

“I don’t want this loss to get into the great feelings of this week.” – Dominika Cibulkova, after losing to Simona Halep in the Madrid Open women’s final.

“To beat him in Spain on a clay court is obviously a big, big challenge for any player.” – Andy Murray, following his Madrid Masters victory over Rafael Nadal for the second straight year.

“I didn’t play my best, but I also didn’t play badly. I was at a middling level, which wasn’t enough to beat (Andy) Murray.” – Rafael Nadal.

“The biggest reward was the first dessert of the week. Here at buffet it’s amazing, and we are very proud – (we didn’t) touch any sweet things, which is very, very good. But we did now.” – Caroline Garcia, after she and Kristina Mladenovic won the Madrid Open women’s doubles.

“Although I only played on match in Madrid, I am satisfied with the week and how things are going. This is a tournament I like, where I did very well in the past, and is on clay.” – Sara Errani, who lost her first-round match 7-5 7-5 to fellow Italian Camila Giorgi.

“I don’t care about that match point. Would you care if you were 23 and worth over $10 million?” – Bernard Tomic, responding to a journalist who questioned the 23-year-old Tomic using his racquet handle to hit a serve on match point.

“Every year I only play one tournament before Australia. Don OK there. So I’d like to think positive. I don’t play anything thinking I’m going to lose. I always just play thinking I’m going to do the best I can. For me, that’s winning.” – Serena Williams, when questioned about playing only one clay court tournament – the Italian Open – before the French Open.

SETS RECORD

Novak Djokovic is going where no man has gone before. The world’s top-ranked player won a record 29^th Masters title by defeating Andy Murray in three sets. It was Djokovic’s fifth title of the year and his 12^th victory over Murray in their last 13 matches. “It was such an intense match,” Djokovic said. “I started well, but had a slow start in the second. Andy also changed his game to take advantage. The third set was very even. I just managed to stay tough.” Murray was the defending champion on the clay courts in Madrid. And he knocked off Rafael Nadal to reach the title match. But Djokovic proved to be just a little bit better. “It was a fantastic win for Novak, congratulations to him,” Murray said. “I’ve had a lot of success here the last two years.” Djokovic has now beaten Murray in all four of their clay-court meetings. The 28-year-old has now won 33 of the past 35 sets against Top 10 opponents in a stretch of 15 matches. He’s also won five of the past six and 10 of the last 14 Masters tournaments. “It was a great match to be part of,” Djokovic said. “Congratulations to Andy for a big fight. I was all decided by just a few points at the end.

SIMONA FINALLY WINS

For the first time in 14 months, Simona Halep has won a tournament. The Romanian captured the Madrid Open women’s singles for her first title since Indian Wells, California, USA, last year. “The most important thing is that I played good tennis here,” Halep said. “My best actually, my best level.” She only needed two sets to stop Dominika Cibulkova, showing off the form that took her to the world number two ranking last year. And, as upsets spread throughout the field, Halep didn’t have to face a Top 10 player on her way to the title. “Day by day I played better tennis,” she said. “That helped me a lot of improve mentally and to be more confident. That’s why maybe I could win almost in two sets all the matches.” The winner grabbed a 5-1 lead to start the match before Cibulkova found the range with her ground strokes. After closing out the opening set 6-2, Halep broke her opponent to begin the second. Cibulkova had a chance to break back in a marathon 16-point fourth game, by Halep held, then completed her 12^th career title with a match-ending ace. “I just want to get some rest and prepare for Roland Garros because my game on clay really came together,” said Cibulkova, who at 38^th in the world was the lowest-ranked player to reach a premier mandatory WTA tournament in seven years. “I didn’t get into Rome because there was my old ranking – 56 before I won Katowice – so I stayed last out and I withdraw from qualifying.” Roland Garros is just two weeks ago.

STELLAR PERFORMANCE

Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau are beginning to fill in the blanks. The two already have won a Grand Slam tournament – Wimbledon last year – and the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, also in 2015. Now they have their first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, stopping Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea in the Mutua Madrid Open final. The winning pair didn’t drop a set on their way to their first title of the season. They have never lost to Bopanna and Mergea in five career meetings. “I want to thank my partner for having another great week,” Tecau said. “We were struggling for a few weeks, couldn’t win a lot of matches. … It feels great to play well together and get another title.”

The four finalists know each other well. Last month, Tecau and Mergea partnered together in their native Romania to win the BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy in Bucharest. The same week, Rojer and Bopanna teamed to lose in the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open. “They are a great team and also friends,” Rojer said of the losing duo. “It’s never easy to play these matches, difficult for all four guys.”

STANDING TALL

Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic are emerging as a doubles duo to be reckoned with. The French women defeated the world’s top-ranked team, Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis, to capture the doubles title at the Mutua Madrid Open. Since joining forces, the winners have reached five finals in the eight tournaments they have played, winning their last three. “It’s definitely a great period for us,” Garcia said. “Three finals, three titles, and two times against number one in the world, Martina and Sania, and once against Bethanie (Mattek-Sands) and Lucie (Safarova). So it’s only great matches every single time.” Garcia and Mladenovic won all their matches in straight sets. The winners didn’t have time to celebrate, however. “We basically have 12 more minutes before catching our car to get to the airport,” Mladenovic said. It’s on to Rome and the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

SECOND WIN

Andy Murray will long remember his semifinal win at the Madrid Masters. That’s because he beat Rafael Nadal on clay for just the second time. The Scottish star also beat Nadal on the same court a year ago to win his first clay-court Masters title. “I think it was a better win for me this year than last year,” Murray said. “Not loads of players have won against Rafa on clay throughout his career.” The defeat ended Nadal’s 13-match winning streak on European clay this season, a stretch that saw the Spaniard win titles in Monte Carlo and Barcelona. After converting only two of 13 break points, Nadal said Murray was the better player on the big points. “It was an open, competitive match which in the end was decided by a few points,” Nadal said. “The one that played the big points better won.”

STRAIGHTEN UP OR ELSE

Two young stars – Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios – have been told to straighten up or be left off Australia’s Olympic team for this summer’s Games in Rio de Janeiro. Tomic was heavily criticized after he held his racquet by the strings and attempting to hit Fabio Fognini’s serve with the handle on match point at the Madrid Open. “I think it was appalling behavior,” Australian chef de mission Kitty Chiller said. “It goes against every value that all the Olympians live by, it goes against everything that we’ve been trying to build in this team.” Kyrgios has a history of abusing opponents, umpires and fans. “I would not want to see any of our Olympic team members behave in that way,” Chiller said. “Every athlete is under the microscope now.” Kyrgios was ranked 21^st in the world, one spot ahead of Tomic.

When he heard of the edict, Kyrgios replied with humor. “Someone tell that Kitty Chiller to watch that tweener lob, then she will understand why I’m on watch for the Olympics lol,” Kyrgios posted on Twitter.

According to an Australian newspaper, Tomic has signed up to play in a tournament in Los Cabos, Mexico, the same time at the Olympic competition.

SHORT STAY

Bernard Tomic can’t seem to get started. His stay at the Rome Masters lasted just eight minutes. The Australian was leading Frenchman Bernoit Paire 2-1 when Tomic called for a medical timeout. He then ended the match, citing an unspecified illness. Tomic has won just one match on clay this season with French Open, the only Grand Slam tournament played on clay, just two weeks away.

STRAIGHT IN

Taylor Townsend has a spot in the French Open women’s singles main draw. That’s because she compiled the top results in a series of United States Tennis Association Pro Circuit clay-court tournaments. The 20-year-old won in Charlottesville, Virginia, and reached the finals at Dothan, Alabama, and Indian Harbour Beach, Florida. She will be making her third consecutive appearance in the main draw at Roland Garros, which starts May 22. In 2014, she reached the third round, beating 20^th-seeded Alize Cornet of France.

SISTER, SISTER

The Williams sisters must be getting ready for Rio. Serena and Venus Williams are playing doubles this week at the Italian Open, the first time they’ve played together since the US Open two years ago. They already have won three Olympic gold medals in doubles – in 2000, 2008 and 2012, the winningest team in Olympic tennis history. “Obviously we would love to play in the Olympics,” Serena said. “I love playing with Venus. She’s the best partner, and hopefully she feels the same about me. We make a great team.” When questioned, Serena said she had not been asked by any of the American men to play mixed doubles in Rio de Janeiro, and said she really isn’t focusing on that possibility. “It’s just one at a time,” she said. “Hopefully I can be chosen for the doubles. That would be the best opportunity. And then after that we’ll see.”

SHARED PEFORMANCES

Aix En Provence: Oliver Marach and Philipp Oswald beat Guillermo Duran and Maximo Gonzalez 6-1 4-6 10-7 (match tiebreak)

Anning: Wang Yafan and Zhang Kai-Lin beat Varatchaya Wongteanchai and Yang Zhaoxuan 6-7 (3) 7-6 (2) 10-1 (match tiebreak)

Busan: Sam Groth and Leander Paes beat Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana 4-6 6-1 10-7 (match tiebreak)

Cagnes-Sur-Mer: Andreea Mitu and Demi Schuurs beat Xenia Knoll and Aleksandra Krunic 6-4 7-5

Madrid (men): Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau beat Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea 6-4 7-6 (5)

Madrid (women): Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic beat Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza 6-4 6-4

SURFING

Rome: www.internazionalibnlditalia.com/

Bordeaux: www.atp-primrosebordeaux.com/

Trnava: www.empireslovakopen.sk

Geneva: http://banqueericsturdzagenevaopen.com/