Wimbledon - Finals preview

Time to make history in Wimbledon. After 12 days of tennis, this weekend will be decided the next winner of the elder Grand Slam tournament. And, there's a certain: last year's winner won't take the trophy again.

Starting for women's final. The Polish Agnieszka Radwanska and the North-american Serena Williams will fight today for the title. If this is Aga's debut in Wimbledon (and any other Major) final, for Serena there's nothing new today as long as she already won for four times there in SW19.

It will be a great match, although I'd prefer Angelique Kerber or Sabine Lisicki to reach this match. However, there was Radwanska who took advantage from Maria Sharapova's loss in 4th round - she'll lose either first and second place next week and if Aga wins today, the Polish will be the new top-ranked. She's playing very well this season with her varied and consistent game, so it will definitely be a tough one for Serena.

About the North-american, after her early loss in French Open she reacted quite well and is undoubtedly the favorite for winning the title for the 5th time. She seems to be (slowly) back and after losing last US Open final due to some over-confidence, she has everything to win this time. It's my bet.

In men's draw, it's the first time since Australian Open'2010 (10 Slams ago) that neither of the finalists is both Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal - actually, last four Slams were a Rafole final. 

Roger Federer defeated the top-ranked (and my favorite) Novak Djokovic and will meet Andy Murray in the final; after three years in a row losing to Rafael Nadal in the semis, the British took advantage of Rafa's elimination in the 2nd round and defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to become the first British player since 1938 to reach the final in All England Club.

It will be another top match, I hope. Andy is one of the few players that has a positive head-to-head with Federer and now that he already is able to play a match in Wimbledon on Sunday his pressure may be almost all gone. Of course there's the 6-times winner Roger Federer on the other side of the net, who knows that will comeback to the #1 if he wins his 7th tomorrow. 

I think I'll root for Murray because I'd like him to win a Slam and I don't want Nole to lose the top-ranking; however, Fed is one of my faves as well and I'd be pleased if he wins again in Wimbledon.

Cheers,
Pedro Mendes

Wimbledon semi-finals preview

And here we are, with just six more matches left in All England Club. It has been an week and a half full of surprises - as it always happens, specially in ladies' draw -, so we can look at the draws and assure that we'll have a first time-finalist in both draws.

First, women's semis. The clashes will be Angelique Kerber vs Agnieszka Radwanska and Serena Williams vs Victoria Azarenka.

Despite the title itself, one of the main goals for players likes Radwanska and Azarenka is their possible comeback/debut for the top of the ranking. As long as Maria Sharapova lost in 4th round (vs Sabine Lisicki, who is specially "apt" for defeat the previous Roland Garros champion in the following Wimbledon tournament), both Polish and Belarus can possibly start next Monday as world number 1.

At the moment Vika is the one that has more chances of reaching the top again, after losing the #1 following Masha's victory in Paris. Azarenka just needs to reach the final or even if she loses in the semi, if Radwanska does the very same it will be the Australian Open champion who'll start July as top-ranked. Aga "just" has to win the Championship and her debut in the first place will become a reality; if she loses in the decisive match, she moves to the second place.

Well, let's talk about the semis. The first match is between the German Angelique Kerber - player with more wins this season - and the Polish Agnieszka Radwanska, already mentioned.

I watched Kerber's match versus Sabine Lisicki in the quarters. Both blonde Germans were very close of winning - Sabine even saved 3 MPs in the second set to force a third - and Angie used to be 3-5 down in the decisive. However, maybe due to an excess of confidence by Lisicki, Kerber was able to turn the match up and winning. I don't like very much her presence on court but she's really a top-10 player by now.

It's hard to predict this match; both players started very well the season but then Aga dropped her shape a few, when Kerber keeps winning. I think I'll go for Angelique, if she keeps focused she makes the final.

About the other match, it's a very interesting clash. Both former number ones Serena WIlliams and Victoria Azarenka will fight for the other place. Serena is getting her shape back and Vika isn't by now the player that dominated WTA in the first four months of the year, so I guess Serena will make her return to Wimby's final - after her last win two years ago.

In men's, the matches will be Novak Djokovic vs Roger Federer and Andy Murray vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The main surprise is the absence of Rafael Nadal there; the last year runner-up lost in 2nd round to Lukas Rosol (first time since 2006 Rafa loses so early in a Major) and then it's now a certain that we'll have a first time-finalist in Wimbledon.

About the first match, it's almost impossible to predict. If Djokovic is the #1 and current champion, Federer is the former number and former 6-times champion, looking for the 7th. Nole is doing a good year but didn't win a single title in clay or grass so far, while Federer won in Madrid and reached the final in Halle. And there's another thing: if the Swiss wins his 7th, he'll be the world number one again!

It'll be a great match, no doubt. I'll go for Nole because he's my favorite and is the last year champion.

The second one will be less interesting at first sight, but it's also a very important one. Now that Rafael Nadal isn't there for defeating Murray like he did in the last three editions, the Great-Britain #1 needs to make the finals this year!!! However, there's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the other side of the net - he repeats last year semi-final, when he defeated Federer after being 0-2 in sets. It'll be very interesting to watch also, and I'll root for Murray to reach his 4th Slam final.

That's all. Cheers,
Pedro Mendes

Wimbledon preview

The third Slam of the season is about to start in All England Club. In these last two weeks players started to prepare themselves on grass courts and now it's time to make a preview about the following (and last) tournament on grass.

We've had many grass tournaments. Queen's (men's only), Birmingham (women's only) and Eastbourne (this one the only combined in English soil) are probably the most renewed ones but some top players also competed in Halle (men's), Bad Gastein (women's) and Den Bosch, the other combined tour.

In Queen's Club, this year's season was quite awkward. Top-ranked players got eliminated in earlier rounds; players like Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 2011 finalists, and also the four-times winners Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt didn't even made the quarters and the winner was the Croatian Marian Clic, former top-10 and with zero titles in grass till this month. Even the final was bizarre, with the runner-up David Nalbandian kicking a line judge's leg.

In Halle, both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer competed but none of them won. The Spaniard lost too early for 2011 runner-up Philip Kohlschreiber and Roger Federer - five-times winner in a city that as a street named after him - lost in the final against veteran former no2 Tommy Haas, upsetting the Swiss to win a title three years later (he also had won in Halle 2009, versus Novak Djokovic).

Women's tours were won by Melanie Oudin and Alizé Cornet, respectively in Birmingham and Bad Gastein. Those were both upsets but Oudin's one is the most outstanding; the young north-american, former top-35 in 2009, was through a lack of good results in WTA circuit (nine consecutive losses) but after going through the qualifying she did a championship by defeating former top-ranked Jelena Jankovic in the decisive match. That's the most important title in singles for Melanie, the current US Open champion in mixed doubles. About Cornet, former top-15, that's her first title in four years, second overall.

This week the main tours were the combined AEGON International 2012 in Eastbourne and Unicef Open in Den Bosch.

In Eastbourne, we could watch Andy Roddick back on old times. The former number one entered the tour due to an wild-card and using his 6th-seed status won the title by easily defeating 2011 champion Andreas Seppi in straights. This was A-Rod's 601st win and first title in 2012, which makes him the second player in activity with most wins and the 20th ever. Also, the north-american is winning at least a title since 2001 - equaling Federer. Women's title was won by Tamira Paszek in a dramatic final versus Angelique Kerber; the Austrian saved five championship-points and defeated the 8th ranked and women player with more wins in 2012. That's Tamira's first title of the season, 3rd overall.

Finally, Den Bosch. It was an easy victory by top-seed David Ferrer. The 6th ATP only lost a set (versus Paire, on semis) and won his 4th title of the season, 14th in his whole career. First title on grass for Ferru since 2008 in this same city.

In women's draw, the main attraction was Kim Clijsters' comeback. However, the former top-ranked had to withdraw in semis and the title was won by former top5 Nadia Petrova - defeating Urszula Radwanska instead of Clijsters in the final. First title on grass for Petrova, his 11th in her (long) career.

And this is what happened in the world these past two weeks. My prediction to Wimbledon? I'd bet in Djokovic and Sharapova. Nole won last year and I think he'll be too motivated to prove that his recent losses against Nadal just happened due to the surface; about Masha, she's too motivated right now and in a great shape, which makes me believe she can possibly win in the All England Club for the second time.

That's all. Cheers,
Pedro Mendes

Final de Roland Garros

E terminou a edição de 2012 do Open de França, commumente chamado por Roland Garros. A final feminina foi disputada no sábado e a masculina começou ontem a ser jogada mas, depois de uma interrupção por causa da chuva, à segunda paragem acabou por ser adiada para hoje e por volta das 13h30 portuguesas terminou.

Vou começar por falar da final feminina. Foi um encontro disputado entre a russa Maria Sharapova e a italiana Sara Errani, esta última a grande revelação do torneio ao chegar à final. Foi uma final até mais ou menos disputada mas, como se previa, foi mesmo a Sharapova quem ganhou sem dificuldades de maior.

E com esta vitória, a russa completou o Grand Slam de carreira! Com as vitórias em Wimbledon'2004, US Open'2006, Australian Open'2008 e agora no French Open'2012, aquela que é a desportista mais mediática do planeta tornou-se na 10ª tenista da história a vencer pelo menos uma vez cada torneio do Grand Slam - neste caso, é a primeira a fazê-lo com apenas quatro triunfos.

Este feito, como disse, foi alcançado por mais nove tenistas mas no caso da Masha tem um significado ainda mais especial depois da grave lesão que teve há quatro anos e que quase a fez acabar a carreira. Só mesmo muita força de vontade e amor ao desporto - sim, porque de certeza que a Sharapova não anda no circuito por causa do dinheiro depois de tanto que ela já faturou entre prize-money e anúncios/sessões fotográficas.

Espero que agora tenhamos uma nº1 mundial que lidere mesmo o circuito e mostre em campo quem é a melhor! Não é que a Azarenka não o estivesse a fazer, mas ainda não tem o "mental" necessário para se impor a todos os níveis nos courts de todo o mundo.

E, finalmente, vou deixar a minha opinião sobre a final masculina. Foi um jogo bastante intenso, marcado pelo tempo que ajudou a mudanças de ascendentes durante a partida.

O encontro começou logo com um break a favor do Nadal, que até voltou a quebrar no terceiro jogo do encontro. O espanhol parecia encaminhado para uma vitória tranquila no primeiro set, mas depois o Djokovic acordou e ainda igualou a 3-3! No sétimo jogo, o Nole foi quebrado (depois de tanto trabalho, e com uma dupla-falta...) e aí o Nadal não deslargou mais.

Na segunda partida, outra vez o break inicial a favor do Rafa. O maiorquino adiantou-se a 2-0 mas aí o Nole voltou a subir e recuperou o break, ficando a vencer por 3-2 e pela primeira vez no encontro; porém, voltou a ser sol de pouca dura porque a seguir o Nadal voltou a quebrar e estava 5-3 nesse set quando começou a chover pela primeira vez. No reatamento, o Djokovic re-entrou mal e com um break entregou o set de bandeja.

Tudo antevia uma fácil vitória em 3 sets para o King on Clay, e ainda para mais com o break inicial. No entanto, o Djokovic venceu de seguida os seis jogos seguintes (!) e venceu esse set por 6-2, levando a partida a um quarto parcial onde iniciou com um break! Era normal pensar num futuro quinto set mas depois voltou a chuva... e o encontro foi adiado para hoje. Antes disso já o Nadal havia ganho um jogo ao confirmar o seu saque, interrompendo essa série de 8 jogos ganhos pelo Djkovic.

No reatamento, tudo correu mal desde o início para o Nole. Foi logo quebrado, devolvendo o break ao espanhol, e nunca mais voltou a ficar em vantagem no set, sofrendo o segundo break para perder o encontro - e com outra dupla-falta.

Muito embora estivesse a torcer para que o Novak Djokovic completasse o Grand Slam de carreira neste Roland Garros e se torna-se no primeiro da Era Open a vencer os quatro Majors de seguida, há que dar os parabéns ao grande Rafael Nadal, que com a sua 7ª vitória em Paris se tornou no tenista que mais vezes venceu o Open de França. Só um podia fazer história hoje, e esse foi o espanhol - que depois de tantas finais perdidas para o Djokovic já merecia uma pequena "desforra". Indubitavelmente o melhor de sempre em terra batida!

E é tudo. Para Wimbledon devo voltar a escrever em inglês.
Cumprimentos,
Pedro Mendes

Antevisão das finais do Open de França

Ontem e hoje realizaram-se as meias-finais do Open de França, sendo que só faltam dois encontros para acabar a edição de 2012 de Roland Garros - a final feminina e a masculina.

No quadro feminino, foi mais um torneio repleto de surpresas. Começando pela eliminação de Serena Williams para Virginie Razzano na primeira ronda, passando pela queda de Agnieszka Radwanska frente a Svetlana Kuznetsova e de Victoria Azarenka frente a Dominika Cibulkova na quarta ronda e finalmente chegando à eliminação de Samantha Stosur por Sara Errani nas meias-finais, apesar de achar que a Stosur jogou bastante bem mas pecou pelos erros que fez frente a uma tenista a jogar "à italiana", com se diz na gíria futebolística.

Esta mesma Errani, nº2 italiana (que segunda-feira entra no top-10 e torna-se na mais bem cotada italiana no ranking WTA) irá disputar a final de sábado frente à nova nº1 mundial Maria Sharapova - que vulgarizou Petra Kvitova nas meias-finais, a fazer um ano aquém do que prometia no ano passado.

Penso que vai ser uma final disputada, e espero que caia a favor de Sharapova. Apesar de a prestação da Errani até agora ser digna de vencer em Paris, a "Masha" merece este título - e consequente Grand Slam de carreira - depois de tudo o que passou desde 2008. E tem estado mesmo muito bem em terra, portanto o triunfo na capital francesa era algo deveras merecido.

Quanto à final masculina será, pela 4ª vez seguida em Majors - pode-se dizer que esta dupla já fez o Grand Slam (piada mais sem graça). Novak Djokovic e Rafael Nadal venceram hoje com muita facilidade Roger Federer e David Ferrer, mais do que talvez esperavam, e encontram-se agora na final do Open de França.

Penso que aqui vai ser totalmente diferente das finais de Wimbledon, Nova Iorque e Melbourne; primeiro, porque é em terra e aí Nadal manda e segundo, nas outras 3 finais o sérvio ia com uma motivação enorme pois estava invencível frente ao Rafa... Ivencibilidade essa quebrada, por duas vezes em Monte Carlo e Roma - ambos torneios de terra.

Claro que é possível ganhar, Djokovic provou o ano passado que o Nadal não é invencível em terra. Mas a questão é mesmo essa, foi no ano passado quando o Nole estava numa forma espetacular; este ano já não é bem assim. E Nadal ainda não cedeu qualquer set. Porém, penso que se o Djokovic for inteligente consegue  fazer o Djoko Slam neste ano de 2012... Só terá que acabar o jogo rapidamente, pois quanto mais ele se arrastar mais capacidade de resposta terá o Nadal para o Nole.

Tudo. Cumprimentos,
Pedro Mendes