Madryt / Rzym 2016

[Lucas]

TOURNAMENT INFO

TIER: Premier
PRIZE MONEY: $4,771,360 SURFACE: Clay
DIRECTOR: Manolo Santana
Total Financial Commitment: $4,785,714. WTA tennis in Madrid dates back to 1996, with an event held the week before the French Open through 2003. Also, the Spanish capital hosted the season-ending WTA Championships in 2006 and 2007. What is now known as the Mutua Madrid Open, one of four Premier Mandatory tournaments on the calendar, debuted in 2009 running alongside the ATP event that launched in 2002.

The venue that hosts the event, La Caja Mágica (The Magic Box), was unveiled in 2009 at a special ceremony attended by the Spanish Prime Minister and Mayor of Madrid. The facility houses three clay courts with retractable roofs. Center Court - Manolo Santana Stadium - can hold 12,500 people, and Court 2 - Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario Stadium - and Court 3 seat 3,500 and 2,500, respectively. That allows for up to three matches to be played simultaneously in the event of rain, a luxury that none of the four majors offer.

Since its inception, the tournament has been a leader in innovations. Those have included having models work as ball boys and ball girls, showing the finals in 3D at Spanish cinemas, having Elena Dementieva and Caroline Wozniacki play 'Underground Tennis' on the tracks of one of Madrid's busiest Metro stations in 2009 and having Maria Sharapova square off with Spanish motorcycle rider Fonsi Nieto in a speed competition of her serve against his bike in 2010. The idea that received the most attention was the event becoming the first-ever to be played on blue clay - switching from its traditional red clay - for 2012.

Back to red clay in 2013, Madrid saw its first repeat winner in Serena Williams. Maria Sharapova was victorious in 2014.

TOURNAMENT INFO

TIER: Premier
PRIZE MONEY: $0 SURFACE: Clay
DIRECTOR: Sergio Palmieri
Two weeks prior to the start of the French Open, the stars of the WTA travel to the Italian capital for the Internazionali BNL d'Italia. Widely considered the second most prestigious clay event after Roland Garros, the Premier tournament's roll of champions reads like a who's who of all-time greats.

Leading the way is Chris Evert, who captured the trophy five times. Following closely behind are Gabriela Sabatini and Conchita Martínez, both of whom won a place in the hearts of the crowd at the Foro Italico with four title runs, and Serena Williams with three. Other winners include Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Kim Clijsters, Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova. Only Evert, Graf, Seles and Serena Williams have netted the Rome-French Open double in the same year.

After spending its first five years at the Tennis Club Milano, the event moved to the Benito Mussolini-built Foro Italico in northern Rome, in 1935, where it has stayed for all but three years since. The complex, which hosts an ATP event the same week, consists of 11 courts, with the jewel the 10,400-seater Centre Court.

[Lucas]

INSIDER PODCAST: HOLA MADRID

Spoiler:

On this Dropshot Edition of the podcast, WTA Insider Senior Writer Courtney Nguyen previews the Mutua Madrid Open draw. Will Victoria Azarenka pick up where she left off and assert her dominance on clay? Or will it be the tour's Road to Singapore leader Angelique Kerber build on her title at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix to breakthrough in Madrid's altitude? If the two most dominant players on tour this season don't end up with the final, who is poised to play the spoiler?

Joining the podcast to help preview the action is René Denfeld, contributing writer for The Tennis Island, who is also in Madrid for the week.

Nguyen on Azarenka's clay court preparation: All eyes are on Victoria Azarenka, 24-1 on the season. I was encouraged by what she said today during All-Access Hour, how this was her first clay court preparation with her new team, and hearing some new advice from her team - new voices. I think the numbers through the season on the hardcourts have shown that she is playing some of her best tennis. She's serving better than she ever has in her career, and on return she's right up there alongside the numbers she was posting in her peak years of 2012 and 2013. In all ways, you think this is Azarenka's season, which is a weird thing today when Angelique Kerber has won Stuttgart and the Australian Open.

Denfeld on comparing Azarenka's season to Kerber's: Kerber put in a tremendous run at the Aussie Open, taking out the two biggest favorites along the way, and backing up a title for the first time in her career. What Kerber's done really well over the last six months is learn from experiences in terms of dealing with pressure. But in terms of consistent performance over the last four months, I put Victoria Azarenka ahead of her, and everyone in Germany is going to throw rocks at me when I come back!

Nguyen on Agnieszka Radwanska's confidence on clay: It's interesting because when I've talked to Aga about her clay issues, it's always a curious thing because she says, 'I grew up on clay; this was the surface I played on.' But then once she started to play on tour, 90% of the tournaments were on hardcourts. She made those adjustments and faster courts became her strength. When I ask her to drill down on the adjustments she made or what makes clay a challenge for here, she never points to the power deficiency issue, or the technical issue, that the ball sits up. She always points to movement; she's said, 'I like sliding on hardcourts, but for some reason, I don't like sliding on a clay court. I need to be able to run to win matches, and if you take the ability to run away from me, it exposes my game.'

Denfeld on Simona Halep: Of all the seeds, I think this might be the most key tournament for Halep, because I'm a little confused as to the state of Simona at the moment. She said she felt fine and that her ankle felt good; I'm just curious what this tournament holds for Halep. She says she has no expectations, and for me that's tough to judge, because with no expectations, what does a first round loss mean? She had some good results in the US, and then that curious end against Laura Siegemund, having breathing problems. It created more questions than answers, but it would be good to see some results to resolve them.

http://www.wtatennis.com/news/article/5 ... ola-madrid

[Lucas]

Drabinka Madrytu:

[1] Agnieszka Radwańska (POL) - Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)
Caroline Garcia (FRA) - Johanna Konta (GBR)
Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
Camila Giorgi (ITA) - [15] Sara Errani (ITA)

[9] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) - Q
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) - Q
Jelena Jankovic (SRB) - [WC] Sorana Cirstea (ROU)
Danka Kovinic (MNE) - [7] Roberta Vinci (ITA)

[4] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) - Laura Robson (GBR)
Alize Cornet (FRA) - [WC] Paula Badosa (ESP)
Q - Monica Niculescu (ROU)
Q - [14] Ana Ivanovic (SRB)

[12] Elina Svitolina (UKR) - Yanina Wickmayer (BEL)
Daria Gavrilova (AUS) - Yulia Putintseva (KAZ)
Q - Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)
[WC] Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) - [5] Petra Kvitova (CZE)

[6] Simana Halep (ROU) - Misaki Doi (JPN)
Karin Knapp (ITA) - Margarita Gasparyan (RUS)
Annika Beck (GER) - Ekaterina Makarova (RUS)
Andra Petkovic (GER) - [10] Timea Bacsinszky (SUI)

[13] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) - [WC] Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP)
Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER) - Christina McHale (USA)
Irina Camelia Begu (ROU) - Eugenie Bouchard (CAN)
Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) - [3] Garbine Muguruza (ESP)

[8] Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) - Timea Babos (HUN)
Sabine Lisicki (GER) - Q
[WC] Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) - Samantha Stosur (AUS)
Coco Vandeveghe (USA) - [11] Lucie Safarova (CZE)

[16] Sloane Stephens (USA) - Teliana Pereira (BRA)
Daria Kasatkina (RUS) - Q
Q - Madison Keys (USA)
Barbora Strycova (CZE) - [2] Angelique Kerber (GER)

[Lucas]

Room to Grow in Madrid

When I contemplated writing the Madrid women’s preview earlier in the week, the theme that jumped out was: “Is it time for Serena Williams to start worrying?” On Friday, Serena pulled out of the Premier Mandatory event citing a debilitating fever, which makes my question both more relevant and harder to answer. Now she’ll have to defend her French Open title having played just one event on clay (assuming she’s entered in Rome next week). And now there’s more room for another player—Victoria Azarenka? Angelique Kerber? Petra Kvitova?—to win a title and build some momentum heading into Paris.

For the next week, though, Serena won’t be the story. Who might be? Let's break down the draw.

Spoiler:

FIRST QUARTER

In Serena's absence, a player I didn’t mention at all in the introduction, Agnieszka Radwanska, becomes the No. 1 seed. In case you hadn’t noticed, Aga, while she’s won just a single small event this year—in Shenzhen in early January—has been steady enough to climb to No. 2 in the world. But that promotion to the top of the bracket hasn’t earned her an easier path through it. Radwanska begins against Dominika Cibulkova, the woman who beat her in the Australian Open semifinals two years ago. The winner of that isn’t exactly out of the woods: She would face either Johanna Konta or Caroline Garcia in the second round.

Also here: Roberta Vinci, Sara Errani, Jelena Jankovic and last year’s Madrid runner-up, Svetlana Kuznetsova. How real was Kuznetsova’s run to the Miami final earlier this month? We’ll find out more this week; she has a chance to do it again.

First-round matches to watch:

Radwanska vs. Cibulkova

Konta vs. Garcia

Semifinalist: Kuznetsova

*****

SECOND QUARTER

Madrid, to a certain degree, has been friendly to Azarenka, but her return this year may bring back more painful memories than pleasant ones. Vika has lost in the final here twice, and in 2015 she held match points on Serena before double faulting her way to defeat. This time Azarenka says she’s determined to show that she can win big on clay, and the quicker courts in Madrid should give her that opportunity.

In theory, Vika should also have been helped by Serena’s withdrawal; it moves her from No. 5 to the seemingly safer No. 4 spot. But it also moves Kvitova from No. 6 to No. 5, and puts her in the same section as Azarenka. Their potential quarterfinal will be the most highly-anticipated match of the week. Vika has lost just one time in 2016, but Kvitova is the defending champion in Madrid, and she beat Azarenka in the final at the Caja Magica in 2011.

Also here: Ana Ivanovic, Elina Svitolina

First-round match to watch: Daria Gavrilova vs. Yulia Putintseva

Semifinalist: Kvitova

*****

THIRD QUARTER

If Azarenka-Kvitova is the most anticipated quarterfinal in this draw, what does that make a possible quarter between Simona Halep and Garbiñe Muguruza? The most un-anticipated? These two have been the WTA’s biggest disappointments of 2016 so far, though they should both feel like they can turn their seasons around in Madrid. Halep was a finalist here two years ago, while Muguruza, who has shown some signs of improvement this month, should benefit from the faster courts and the home-crowd support. Halep has a potentially difficult opener against Misaki Doi, while Muguruza starts against a quality player in Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, and could face Eugenie Bouchard in the second round.

Also here: Karolina Pliskova, Timea Bacsinszky

First-round match to watch: Bacsinszky vs. Andrea Petkovic

Semifinalist: Muguruza

*****

FOURTH QUARTER

Does faster clay help or hurt Kerber? You might think it would help—she has had some of her best results on grass—but it did the opposite last year in Madrid, where she lost in the first round to Sam Stosur. Now Kerber is a year older and a major-title wiser, but her draw isn’t necessarily easier. She starts against Barbora Strycova, and could face Madison Keys in the second round and Sloane Stephens after that. The explosiveness of the two Americans would seem to be well-suited to these courts.

Also here: Carla Suarez Navarro. The Spaniard reached the quarters in Madrid last year.

Potential second-round match to watch: Stephens vs. Daria Kasatkina. Sloane saved a match point in her win over the teenager in Charleston earlier this month.

Semifinalist: Kerber

Semifinals: Kvitova d. Kuznetsova; Kerber d. Muguruza

Final: Kvitova d. Kerber

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2016/04/ ... yXx1tKLSUk

[Lucas]

[Lucas]

[Hankmoody]

Z tej Svitoliny to już chyba nic nie będzie, niby porażka z Darią mi nie wadzi, bo lubię obie, ale spodziewałem się więcej niż zwyciestwa w Baku i Kuala Lumpur. Na rozkładzie z czołowych tenisistek też szału nie ma.

A na Sloane to już chyba trzeba postawić ostatecznie krzyżyk.

[Lucas]

Serbskiej apokalipsy ciąg dalszy. Ana wyeliminowana przez Luisę Chirico, jednego seta przegrała 1-6. "Brawo Ona" (z całym szacunkiem dla rywalki, która grała całkiem solidnie przez te 6 gemów, co je obejrzałem).

Hank, nie przesadzałbym ze Sloane, niedawno wygrała zieloną mączkę w Charlestone, więc nie ma tragedii.

[Hankmoody]

Generalnie jej występy na cegle mi powiewają, ona miała wygrywać poza nią.

[Mario]

Nie rozumiem narzekań na Anę, właśnie uniknęła blamażu z Azarenką (kto wie czy czasem nie podwójnego bajgla). Nic lepszego w tym turnieju nie mogło się przydarzyć.

A co do Sloane, zależy co mamy na myśli. Jeśli chodzi o wielkie granie, a do takiego chyba aspirowała, faktycznie jest stracona, ale karierę a'la Bacsinszky pewnie będzie miała.

[Jacques D.]

Z tej Svitoliny to już chyba nic nie będzie, niby porażka z Darią mi nie wadzi, bo lubię obie, ale spodziewałem się więcej niż zwyciestwa w Baku i Kuala Lumpur. Na rozkładzie z czołowych tenisistek też szału nie ma.

Delikatnie mówiąc. Też liczę już tylko na kilka "większych momentów" w przyszłości ze strony Eliny. Tylko, że to jest problem z całym tym pokoleniem, z którym jeszcze 2 sezony temu wiązano wielkie nadzieje. Żadna z tych dziewczyn nie zgłasza akcesu do bycia w niedalekiej przyszłości kimś, kto tworzyć będzie historię tenisa kobiecego. I nie chodzi tu wyłącznie o kwestie mentalne, tenisowo też żadna z nich nie rozwinęła się w taki sposób, który by pozwalał myśleć o w miarę szybkiej stabilizacji na tym najwyższym poziomie.

Jeśli chodzi o Ukrainkę to tak mniej w kontekście dzisiejszego meczu, a bardziej ogólnie, bo akurat Darii na pewno tego zwycięstwa nie będę żałował.

[Hankmoody]

Jeśli chodzi o pokolenie tych młodych, to aktualnie największe szanse na sukces daje Bencic. Moim zdaniem, jest to taka Wozniacki, tylko z duzo większym potencjałem ofensywnym (Dunka w tym aspekcie w zasadzie nie istniała, poza kontrami). A przecież Caro swego czasu trzymała się długo na jedynce.

No i Muguruza, nie wierzę że Hiszpańska wersja tenisa bum bum czegoś poważnego w swoim życiu nie wygra, obstawiam ja na 4 szlemy.

[Lucas]

Aktualnie Gabi męczy się okrutnie, chyba posiedzę z Nią przez 3 sety.

[Hankmoody]

Daj spokój, gra jakby miała jaja powiązane. Gdyby Begu udało się wyserwować tego pierwszego seta to bylyby już w szatni.
Co gorsze, Rumunia zaraz puści też seta numer 2.

[Hankmoody]

Toż to kwintesencja betonu ATP, Begu prowadzi cały set z przewaga przełamania, serwując na niego przegrywa oczywiście pierwszego seta, z murowanym faworytem wyrzucając minimalnie 2 piłki w aut,
W drugim secie powtórka, prowadzenie z przełamaniem cały set, serwując na seta mało jest 40:0.

[Lucas]

Internet mi fiksuje cały dzień, więc uciekła mi końcówka drugiej partii, ale pewnie nic nowego tam nie było. Muguruza sadzi dziś wielbłądy, jest rozregulowana i apatyczna. Do tego Rumunka często wrzucała Hiszpance takie balony na końcowa, po których ta nie wiedziała co zrobić i dębiała. Będzie teraz ciężko, bo motywacja u Gabi raczej średnia (a szkoda, bo to jednak Jej publika; swoją drogą mogliby widzowie nieco podgrzać atmosferę, niby kibicują, ale jakoś tak skromnie, bez hiszpańskiego ognia).

[Hankmoody]

To się zgadza, Hiszpanka zdecydowanie nie jest dziś w najwyżej dyspozycji, szczególnie mentalnej.

[Lucas]

Chyba hiszpańskie magiczne pudełko okaże się dziś trumienką dla reprezentantki gospodarzy. Nie na takie sztuczki się umawiałem .

Begu jest gotowa wiele oddać, ale mimo to trzeba najpierw samemu coś grać.

[Hankmoody]

Ja tam zdecydowanie za Begu. Hiszpanka słaba, do tego bez większego zaangażowania.

[Lucas]

Koniec męki, zasłużenie wygrywa Begu. Jeśli panna Muguruza zamierza kłopotać swojego utytułowanego rodaka grą mieszaną w Rio to niech lepiej poprawi formę, bo szkoda Jego czasu. Katastrofa totalna, Gabi ogarniaj sie !