Marin Cilic Gets Clay Game Ready for Paris - Mondays with Bob Greene

Mondays with Bob Greene

STARS

Alexander Zverev beat Guido Pella 6-4 6-3 to win the BMW Open by FWU in Munich, Germany

Pablo Carreno Busta beat Gilles Muller 6-2 7-6 (5) to win the Millennium Estoril Open in Estoril, Portugal

Marin Cilic beat Milos Raonic 7-6 (3) 6-3 to win the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open in Istanbul, Turkey

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat Francesca Schiavone 7-5 7-5 to win the Grand Prix De SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem in Rabat, Morocco

Mona Barthel beat Kristyna Pliskova 6-4 7-6 (3) to win the J&T Banka Prague Open in Prague, Czech Republic

SAYING

“It’s always nice to win a title and win any match. A win is a win, I always say. I just love to win.” – Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, after winning the final in Rabat, Morocco.

“This week was a big one for me and a good sign for the rest of the clay-court season. I hope I can improve in these upcoming three tournaments – two Masters 1000 events and the French Open.” – Marin Cilic, after winning in Istanbul.

“The tennis was good and I achieved a lot of the things I would have liked. Of course I didn’t achieve the ultimate thing, but I got a much better understanding of how I need to play on clay and I got to play four matches. These are all positive things at the end of the day.” – Milos Raonic, who lost to Marin Cilic in the Istanbul Open final.

“I’m completed exhausted.” – Mona Barthel, who won the Prague Open after having to qualify for the clay-court event.

“If they are going to be so small-minded about it, there’s nothing I can do.” – Ilie Nastase, referring to Wimbledon’s decision not to invite him to sit in the Royal Box at this year’s tournament.

“I am a hunter and my biggest goal is to find the winning spark on the court again.” – Novak Djokovic, after firing his entire coaching team.

“I didn’t miss a Slam for the last 10 years. It’s hard to think that I’m going to miss that. For the moment, I’m preparing to play and hope that I will be ready to play. But, of course, you can’t predict everything.” – Agnieszka Radwanska, saying she plans to play the French Open after withdrawing from the Madrid tournament with a foot injury.

“I want to be the greatest of all time.” – Cori Gauff, a 13-year-old American who is seeking to earn a wild card entry into the French Open junior girls.

“We definitely didn’t expect to win the final with a score like that. But we played great, didn’t miss many returns and put every ball back. … We deserved to win.” – Jiri Vesely, after he and Roman Jebavy won the Istanbul doubles final 6-0 6-0.

SLUGFEST

Marin Cilic came out on top of a slugfest between two of the game’s big hitters, stopping Milos Raonic to capture the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open. Winning a clay tournament for the first time in five years, Cilic saved all seven break points he faced. “I’m on a good track and feeling very well,” said Cilic. “In these last three or four weeks on clay, it’s never easy, but I’m trying to get better with every match.” Neither player lost serve in the opening set, and Cilic finally edged in front on the fifth point of the tiebreak, pouncing on a second serve and forcing a backhand error. He broke Raonic for the first time to take a 3-1 lead in the second set, then held after falling behind love-40. Cilic closed out the victory with an ace on his second match point. Raonic was appearing in his first clay-court final after returning to the ATP World Tour after recovering from a hamstring tear.

SLOW START

Alexander Zverev lost four of the first six games of the match before winning the Munich Open in straight sets. The German trailed 4-2 to Argentina’s Guido Pello, a qualifier, before winning 10 of the next 13 games, including 10 points in a row to close out the first set. Zverev broke Pella early in the second set and secured the title on his first match point. The start of the final was delayed half a dozen times by rain. The match took just over an hour for Zverev to capture his third ATP World Tour title.

SEEKING SPARK

Saying he needs to rediscover the “spark” in his game, former world number one Novak Djokovic dropped his entire team, including coach Marian Vajda, fitness coach Gebhard Phil Gritsch and physio Miljan Amanovic. “It was not an easy decision, but we all felt we need a change,” said Djokovic, who has not won a major title since the 2016 French Open. “I enjoy this journey. It feels like I am starting something new again and I love this challenge.” Djokovic won six of his 12 Grand Slam tournament titles with Boris Becker on his team. He split with the German Hall of Famer shortly after being replaced atop the ATP rankings by Great Britain’s Andy Murray last November. Following his win in Paris, the Serb was upset in the third round at Wimbledon by American Sam Querrey, lost to Swiss Stan Wawrinka in the US Open final and shockingly beaten by Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan in the second round of the Australian Open in January. “I feel like this is a new chapter in my life,” Djokovic said.

SEIZES TITLE

In a tough battle, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova overcame Italy’s Francesca Schiavone to win the Grand Prix De SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, her second WTA title of the year and 10^th of her career. “It was probably the toughest match of the tournament,” the Russian said. Pavlyuchenkova lost her serve two straight times in the opening set and also dropped serve early in the second set. But it was Schiavone who blinked at the crucial moments and Pavlyuchenkova closed it out on her second set point. “We’ve had really tough matches in the past on clay as well,” Pavlyuchenkova said, “so I knew it would be so tough. And it was.”

SPANISH TINGE

It was a flawless week at the Millennium Estoril Open for Pablo Carreno Busta. The top-seeded Spaniard came away from Portugal with his first ATP World Tour title of 2017, stopping third-seeded Gilles Muller in the final. A five-game run gave Carreno Busta the first set. The Muller settled down and the two battled evenly, holding serve to send the set into a tiebreak. There, it was Carreno Busta again, racing to a 5-2 lead. Muller fought back to level the match 5-5 before Muller took the next two points and the trophy. Although he came out the loser, it was the first clay-court final in the 33-year-old Muller’s career.

SUCCESS IN PRAGUE

Because of her low ranking, Mona Barthel had to qualify for the main draw at the Prague Open. After outlasting unseeded Kristyna Pliskova in three sets to win her first WTA title since 2014, Barthel said: “I can’t believe it. Somehow I made it. I’m completed exhausted.” She should be. Ranked 82^nd in the world before Prague, Barthel had to save three match points in the second round of qualifying before stopping Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2 4-6 7-6 (3). Against Pliskova, Barthel lost the opening set and was down a break in the second before she began her run to the title. On her way to the final, the German beat sixth-seeded Zhang Shuai and third-seeded Barbora Strycova.

SECOND CHILD

Justine Henin is a mother for the second time. “His name is Victor and already fills us with joy,” the former world number one from Belgium said in announcing the birth. Winner of seven Grand Slam singles titles, Henin and her husband, Benoit Bertuzzo, are also the parents of a daughter, Lalie, born in 2013.

SMALL-MINDED?

Because of his verbal abuse to players and a Fed Cup umpire, former Romanian world number one Ilie Nastase has been banned from the French Open and was told he wouldn’t be invited to the Royal Box at Wimbledon. The 70-year-old Nastase was provisionally banned from all International Tennis Federation (ITF) events following his verbal abuse of opposing players when he captained the Romanian team to a Fed Cup victory over Great Britain last month. “What does Wimbledon have to do with what I said about Serena (Williams) and at the match in Romania?” Nastase asked. “If I did something stupid at Wimbledon, then I’d understand. … But in this case, I don’t get it.” Nastase called Wimbledon organizers “small-minded” for their decision. A brief statement on the French Open’s official Twitter account said “following his suspension by the ITF, Mr. Ilie Nastase won’t be accredited” for Roland Garros.

SIZZLING

The team of Roman Jebavy and Jiri Vesely were perfect in the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open doubles final. The Czech duo won their first title by crushing wild cards Tuna Altuna and Alessandro Motti 6-0 6-0 in just 41 minutes. It was the first double bagel in an ATP World Tour final since 2010.

SPECIAL MARK

Marin Cilic joined two other Croatian greats when he reached a special milestone at the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open. Cilic needed only 45 minutes to beat eighth-seeded Steve Darcis 6-1 6-1 and earn his 400^th career match win. Goran Ivanisevic with 599 and Ivan Ljubicic with 429 are the other Croats who have won as many matches on the ATP World Tour as Cilic. “This was the best match for me this year considering how I moved and took the ball early,” Cilic said. “This was the way I need to play.”

SICK BAY CALL

Citing a right foot injury, seventh-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska withdrew from this week’s Mutua Madrid Open. “I’ve been feeling it actually for a few months but now it’s getting worse again,” Radwanska said. “Clay is not helping.” The Polish star said the injury is from overuse. “I just need a rest, and I just didn’t have that rest,” Radwanska said. “I thought it would be good. Maybe, if it was 10 years ago and I had the same injury, it would be good, but not this time.” She said she still plans to play the French Open, which begins on May 22.

SHE’S BACK – MAYBE

Five months after her left hand was slashed by a home invader, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is back on a tennis court. Last month the Czech left-hander revealed she had entered the French Open draw to keep the possibility open. Then last week, she posted a picture of her training in Monte Carlo. “I’m back on the tennis court, hitting with some proper balls and reunited with my dear friend Wilson tennis racquet,” she wrote. The French Open begins May 22.

SPOT ASSURED

Amanda Anisimova has earned the right to return to the scene of her greatest triumph. The American was just 14 years old when she reached the French Open junior girls final last year. This year Anisimova will be in the French Open women’s singles draw after clinching the USTA Roland Garros Wild Card Challenge, a series of USTA Pro Circuit events from which the best performer earns a wild card into the clay court major. She earned the most points of any American woman by reaching the finals of Pro Circuit events at Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, and Dothan, Alabama. At the age of 15, she is still eligible to play the junior girls event at Paris as well.

SOMEONE YOUNGER

At the age of 15, Amanda Aismova might seem to be the “old lady” among the Americans playing the French Open juniors this year. That’s became 13-year-old Cori Gauff won the Rendez-vous à Roland-Garros, in partnership with Longines, at Boca Raton, Florida, USA. With the red-clay title comes an all-expenses paid trip to Paris, where Gauff will compete for a wild card into the French Open juniors. Gauff won the Girls 12 title at the prestigious Orange Bowl international tournament this past December. “Right now I’m just focusing on getting better, so when I become professional I will be ready to compete with the top dogs,” Gauff said.

STOPPED FROM PLAYING

Konstantinos Mikos of Greece was banned for life after being found guilty of attempted match fixing and other gambling offenses. The Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) said the lifetime ban covers all forms of professional tennis. The 25-year-old Mikos was found to have approached Alexandros Jakupovic at a Futures tournament in Greece in November 2013 and “offered payment in return for agreeing to lose nominated sets and games in a match at the event,” the TIU said in a statement. Jakupovic was banned for life in December 2015. Mikos reached a career-high singles ranking of 933 in August 2014.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Estoril: Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus beat David Marrero and Tommy Robredo 7-5 6-2

Istanbul: Roman Jebavy and Jiri Vesely beat Tuna Altona and Alessandro Motti 6-0 6-0

Munich: Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah beat Jeremy Chardy and Fabrice Martin 6-3 6-3

Prague: Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke beat Lucie Hradecka and Katerina Siniakova 6-4 7-6 (3)

Rabat: Timea Babos and Andrea Hlavackova beat Nina Stojanovic and Maryna Zanevska 2-6 6-3 10-5 (match tiebreak)

SURFING

Madrid: www.madrid-open.com/

Aix en Provence: www.opendupaysdaix.com/

Cagnes-sur-Mer: www.opendecagnes.com

Rome: www.internazionalibnlditalia.com/

Busan: www.busanopen.org/new/main.html