The week that was… (February 8-15, 2009)
AP
Five accomplished tennis players heated up the global tennis scene after winning their respective tournaments that took place the past week.
Amelie Mauresmo wins first title after two years
There’s no place like home. That’s probably what former world number one Amelie Mauresmo of France felt when she clinched the Open GDF Suez title in Paris on Sunday, beating Beijing Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva in a thrilling three-set match (7-6 (7), 2-6, 6-4). This serves as Mauresmo’s 25th WTA title. The 29-year old Frenchwoman has reportedly been considering retirement after an injury in 2007 affected her performance resulting to a decline in rankings. This time, she will have to reconsider considering that the title win catapulted her back in the top 20.
Andy Murray beats injured Rafael Nadal to win Rotterdam title
For the second time in a row, British world number four player Andy Murray defeated reigning number one Rafael Nadal in three sets to win the ABN AMRO Tournament held at Rotterdam, Netherlands on Sunday. Nadal, this year’s Australian Open champion, was initially perceived to retire from the match after calling for medical timeout during the second set due to a troublesome knee but he eventually decided to continue. He managed to win the set but the injury prevented him from performing at his best thus losing the third set with a bagel score. The score was 6-3, 4-6, 6-0. The last time the duo met was at the 2008 US Open Semifinals wherein Murray triumphed. Despite the win, Nadal still leads the head-to-head match record (5-2).
Tommy Robredo clinches 8th career title
Claycourt specialist Tommy Robredo of Spain won the Brazil Open final last Saturday increasing his career title haul to eight. He defeated Brazilian player Thomaz Bellucci in a three set marathon match 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Bellucci had the support of the thousands of home fans who watched the final but Robredo managed to overcome the partisan crowd and location. Bellucci is currently the number one player in Brazil following the retirement of former world number one and three-time French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten last year.
Vera Zvonareva strengthens hold on number 5 ranking with title win
Russian player Vera Zvonareva is inching her way up to the higher echelons of women’s tennis by winning the PTT Pattaya Open in Thailand last weekend. The top seeded player outlasted Indian player Sania Mirza with a 7-5, 6-1 scoreline. Despite the loss, Mirza is optimistic about her performance in the future tournaments following her brief hiatus in the tennis scene last year due to injury. Her ranking jumped from 126 to 87, thanks to her runner-up finish. Meanwhile, Zvonareva increased her ranking points to 6770, more than 600 points ahead world no. 6 Venus Williams.
Radek Stepanek wins second title of 2009 in California
Czech player Radek Stepanek won his 4th career title and second title for this year after dispatching U.S. player Mardy Fish in a three-set final of the SAP Open held at San Jose, California on Sunday. Stepanek had to fight back after losing the first set, which also happened during his semifinal match against defending champion Andy Roddick. After more than 2 hours of intense tennis action, Stepanek prevailed with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 scoreline. The win propelled him back in the top 20. The 30-year old player’s career-high ranking was number which he achieved in July 2006.
