Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori Top Winners and Losers at Rotterdam, Memphis
The main action at Rotterdam saw Stanislas Wawrinka move through a deep field to capture his first level-500 title. Japanese star Kei Nishikori had an easier draw in Memphis, but he had a much tougher time trying to capture his third straight title there.
Brazil also hosted its first of two important tournaments, and this warm-up act at Sao Paulo generated an inspiring story of journeymen aspiring for their version of a dream title.
We will begin with an Andy Murray update. The Scot continues to generate headlines in his fight back to the top of the tennis world. He's been at the heart of tennis action and speculation, and he will most certainly figure into the biggest tournaments of 2015.
Winner: Peter Bodo's Profile of Andy Murray
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Roger Federer is as quiet as ever. Rafael Nadal is recycling his usual comeback story. Novak Djokovic keeps winning. Right now Andy Murray is the most interesting story in tennis.
Longtime and respected tennis writer Peter Bodo (Bodo wrote the definitive book on the early years of the Open era entitled The Courts of Babylon, a colorful account of early stars and the entanglements of professionalism) wrote a thoughtful article about Murray this past week for his ESPN tennis blog.
The article, entitled "The Andy Murray Problem," examines Murray's implosive behavior that saw him get steamrolled in the third and fourth sets to lose the 2015 Australian Open. Bodo argues that on the one hand, Murray is true to hisself, genuine and unafraid to bear his Scottish soul. It's so much, Bodo argues, of what made him a two-time major winner.
However, Bodo concludes: "But as seductive as some of these rationalizations and their implications are, the bottom line is that Murray made a hash of his most recent Grand Slam opportunity. An awful, embarrassing mess."
Any of us who watched Murray's meltdown at Australia, can take the easy path to point to his lack of control as not a symptom, but a cause of his poor play. Major finals results magnify the winner and loser, fair or not.
What do we make of Murray's future opportunities in big matches? Probably more of the same. Nobody can deny that his competitive spirit has matured, even if his emotions can seethe and boil. For the most part, he wins because of his hard work and talent, and typically against anyone outside of the Top 10, he is able to control the match and play the role of the calm Jedi hero.
Against his greatest rivals in the most crucial matches, Murray will face more emotional tests, as much to challenge his tennis resolve as his composure. Somehow, he will have to ride through the storms and turbulence, not giving into his Sith self, confident that his skills and attrition will persevere and win the day.
Murray will always look more fitting in black attire, a reflection of his occasional dark ambivalence, but for all fans of tennis, he is a fascinating champion who will play a strong role in more major clashes. Enjoy him while you can.
Loser: Andy Murray
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If you're tired of hearing about Andy Murray, well, he is out there competing and placing himself in mid-level tournaments like Rotterdam. He gets the coverage right now.
Rotterdam was a very competitive bracket, every match worthy of at least being an uppercard if not featured event. So it may not have been a complete shock that World No. 4 Murray lost to World No. 19 Gilles Simon, but it was a disappointment for Murray.
Simon is more of a poor man's Murray, his game resembling the Scot's to a degree; but he is softer and more timid. He had lost to Murray 12 straight times since 2007 and would have stood a better chance on red clay than Rotterdam's hard courts.
This one was on Murray because he got doubled up, 6-4, 6-2. His serving was awful—the second serve his perpetual problem—and he was climbing uphill from the opening coin toss.
This week will soon be forgotten. More time to regroup could be what Murray needs. Momentum can be found in his very next match, and he has another week to get ready for Dubai. There he can look forward to possible tests against Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic.
Winners: Pablo Cuevas and Luca Vanni
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OK, so Sao Paulo's indoor clay tournament was hardly a power lineup of tennis stars. You needed to buy a program and refer to it time and again to try to sort through a pool of mostly South American and Spanish clay-courters who represent an alternate world to the frontliners on the ATP Tour.
There was 29-year-old Luca Vanni, a late replacement to fill the No. 1 bracket slot, and he took full advantage of his opportunity. He scored his first ever ATP World Tour match win and polished off two more wins to land in the final. There he battled back and had the unthinkable chance to serve at 5-4 in the third set and win this astonishing title.
Vanni is the unknown world-class player—the fringe of the Top 100 that many never know—but he has talent. He's a good server at least, but the difference in getting to the top 30 is often shoring up a glaring weakness and having a secondary weapon. Nevertheless, he is one of the best in the world.
Not to be denied was Pablo Cuevas, who outlasted Vanni in the final tiebreaker, securing his third title and moving up to a career-high No. 23. Vanni will move up from No. 149 to 108.
They deserve their moment in the sun, proving that journeymen can grind away from the limelight, make a living and go after a few dreams. Cuevas in particular can build his momentum into the spring and European tours.
Clay-court tennis is important to these athletes and a unique niche for others besides Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer and Tommy Robredo.
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Loser: Grigor Dimitrov
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What's wrong with Grigor Dimitrov? He went out meekly in Rotterdam's second round, 6-2, 7-6(8) to Gilles Muller.
The Bulgarian star has his flirtations with the Top 10 and has bagged a semifinal showing at Wimbledon, but the transition from 2014 to 2015 has been frustrating.
Bleacher Report tennis writer Joe Kennard crunched some of Dimitrov's ugly serving numbers, showing that he is only 40th on the ATP Tour in serving. (Sidenote: If this were fantasy tennis, we could create a hybrid of Dimitrov and Milos Raonic by gifting the former with the latter's serve, thereby salvaging the expectations for one of their careers.).
Progress is fickle with her timing. Many want Dimitrov to succeed because of his talent and flair, or comparisons with other stars. He moved ahead a few steps last year, and now has been pushed back one pace. It no doubt frustrates his fans who want a breakthrough to stay at the top.
It's understandable that tennis fans feel his roller-coaster ride, but it's still trending up. Maybe they can take a page from Maria Sharapova and stick with him for awhile. Good times are ahead.
Winner: Kei Nishikori
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The Memphis Open was all about Kei Nishikori. This is not that it was was easy for the Japanese star to win this title for the third straight year. He needed three three-setters and a ton of resilience before a much easier 6-4, 6-4 final win over Kevin Anderson.
Critics could point out that Nishikori struggled against inferior competition, but the reality is that he must work extra hard to defeat any opponent. Lacking a huge serve or major weapon, he must set up his opponents with quick-strike action, requiring him to take the ball early, carve out angles and still grind his way to a win.
It's more difficult for his style of play to roll over and blank an opponent the way players like Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal can when they are clicking against inferior players.
Furthermore, Nishikori often has to face big servers like Milos Raonic, Marin Cilic and Kevin Anderson. He's learned to focus on precious few break point opportunities and to hold his own.
He keeps winning mid-level titles and is still poised to be one of the dark horse grand slam title winners. He's tougher, more physical and ready for a great spring.
Loser: Wawrinka vs. Raonic
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There was nothing flashy about Rotterdam's semifinal between Stanislas Wawrinka and Milos Raonic. It was full-board power and strength, with service bullets from Raonic and big guns from Wawrinka. To outsiders it might have been frightful, veritable trench warfare hearkening back to the Great War one century ago.
Credit Wawrinka for being Raonic's near-equal with the serve, as he tossed up 10 aces to stay within the field of Raonic's 15 aces. The difference was Wawrinka's ability with clutch serves to save all six break points he faced. Raonic defended his only break-point threat from Wawrinka but fell in both tiebreakers, 7-6(3) and 7-6(7).
In one regard, the match was tense and competitive, neither player able to break the other, a slight replica of Pete Sampras vs. Goran Ivanisevic at Wimbledon 20 years ago. As entertainment, it was predictable and bland, with neither player able to dent the other's second serve (Wawrinka only 40 percent and Raonic 41 percent). It was like watching two people club each other to death with clubs, not bothering to put up a defense.
There will always be grumbling when people feel that courts play too fast or too slow, but if power tennis becomes too overwhelming, there will be more empty seats. It will be up to the organizers once again to decide just how much to slow down the courts.
Winner: Stanislas Wawrinka
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Stanislas Wawrinka's Rotterdam title came at the expense of Tomas Berdych. They are nearly even at No. 7 and No. 8 in the World Rankings with 4550 and 4460 points respectively. Berdych will have to defend a final appearance in Dubai in a week, and Wawrinka's big defense will be Monte Carlo in April.
But it feels like these two players are worlds apart.
Berdych has been the better prospect and more consistent player for over a decade. He's almost always good for a second week at a major, and he has doled out thousands of beautiful groundstrokes with the kind of consistency to be a second-tier star.
Wawrinka's road has been more rocky, but the past two years he has leaped past Berdych. Yes, there's Wawrinka's 2014 Australian Open title, but most of all he has fought the top stars with a no-holds barred attitude. He is unafraid to hit his way to a win, to challenge the very best and even relish it. He emulates the toughness of coach Magnus Norman.
Seeding does matter. Many important tournaments are ahead, and the difference between Wawrinka and Berdych could be a few easier matches and thousands of dollars, not to mention all-important bids to win a major.
Preview: This Week's Attractions
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Here comes Rafael Nadal to defend his 500-level title at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He will compete for the first time since his defeat to Tomas Berdych at the Australian Open. Nadal will be the primary focus of the tennis world this week, and fans will have a chance to measure his status before bigger tournaments like Indian Wells and Miami.
The indefatigable David Ferrer and mercurial Fabio Fognini hope that their best tennis is good enough to fight past Nadal, if necessary, and take the title for themselves. This is the best clay-court tournament of the year until April, when Monte Carlo turns up the heat.
There will also be a solid field at France's Open 13, featuring Stan Wawrinka, Milos Raonic, Ernests Gulbis, Gael Monfils, David Goffin and others. Wawrinka is a solid favorite, and Raonic certainly needs a good title to bid more as a contender for bigger tournaments ahead. Gulbis and Monfils should provide a great show.
Enjoy the tennis!
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