V is for Viktory: In one of the most bulletproof title runs at a leading non-major in recent memory, Azarenka never lost more than six games in a match as she cruised to the Doha title. Winning all but two of her sets by double-break margins, she never looked seriously threatened in dominant victories over top-eight opponents Radwanska and Stosur in the last two rounds. Although the Australian Open already had legitimized her #1 ranking, Azarenka consolidated her breakthrough in the best possible fashion by winning her first tournament afterwards—something that WTA luminaries like Serena, Henin, and Sharapova did not accomplish. Mauling one of the WTA’s finest serves in Stosur, who won less than half of her service points, Vika’s return illustrated the increasing centrality of that shot in the women’s game. She also recovered impressively from an ankle injury, the type of setback that often derailed her in the past. Outside her still suspect second serve, the new #1 dazzles with her thorough command of every element of the game. Those who have watched Azarenka’s non-linear ascent finally have seen their patience rewarded after years of frustration.
Woe is Woz: Already sagging at the end of 2011, the deposed #1 has witnessed her aura shrink even further a few tournaments into 2012. An abortive experiment with coach Ricardo Sanchez failed to galvanize Wozniacki, who played reasonably well at the Australian Open without showing any significant signs of improvement. But she plunged below that standard in an opening-round loss to Safarova at Doha, where she squandered three match points. Since winning Indian Wells last year, in fact, she has reached only one semifinal (and no finals) at eight Premier Mandatory or Premier Five tournaments, while losing five matches to players outside the top 25. Observers who believed that Wozniacki eventually would win a major formerly cited her success at the most prestigious non-majors and her ability to regularly win the matches that she should win against second-tier opponents. Over the last several months, her results have called both of those traits into question as her fortunes have receded.
Where parity meets predictability: Just as at the Australian Open, three of the top four seeds reached the semifinals (ahem, Caro), and the fifth certainly did not lack familiarity (Clijsters there, the fifth-seeded Bartoli here). Accustomed to the contrast between WTA anarchy and ATP predictability, viewers must have found this alignment between the Tours most uncharacteristic. All the same, anarchy enjoyed its day on Wednesday, when seven of the ten seeds in action exited. And the the quarterfinal paired unseeded players with top-eight opponents in every match, so hierarchy remains far from embedded in the DNA of women’s tennis. On the other hand, most of the upsets possessed a logical explanation, whether injuries, poor 2012 form, or long-term erratic play. The tournament thus balanced late-week predictability not with anarchy but with parity earlier in the week, a scintillating combination to watch.
Federer seeks shelter: Buffeted by yet another semifinal loss at a hard-court major and a dismal performance in Davis Cup, Federer secured a welcome boost to his spirits by winning his 71st title in Rotterdam seven years after winning his 24th title there. Undefeated on indoor hard courts since Paris 2010, he has found this surface’s laboratory-like conditions especially adaptable to his pinpoint serving, quick-strike forehands, and agile forward movement as he ages. All of those three talents burst into full view during an emphatic victory over Del Potro in the final, when Federer saved all seven break points on his serve and ruthlessly attacked the Argentine’s second serve. To be sure, one can draw few meaningful conclusions from any title won by a member of the big four at a tournament where none of the other three participated. Nevertheless, this minor triumph provided Federer with a valuable jolt of positive momentum before the Masters 1000 tournaments next month.
Home away from home: From legends to journeymen, many players develop a special affinity for certain small tournaments where they consistently produce results above their normal standards. Sometimes this affinity makes sense, as in the dominance of Gonzalez over his home tournament in Chile or the stranglehold of Nadal over his local event in Barcelona. At other times, the connection seems more puzzling, such as Federer’s string of titles in Cincinnati, far removed from his homeland in both distance and climate. Somewhere between the two lies Raonic’s title defense in San Jose, where he has won two of his three career titles. Facing only two break points during the entire week, the Canadian hammered 61 aces and ground down his unnerved opponents into flustered errors. The slick indoor surface in this converted hockey arena protects Raonic’s relatively one-dimensional game from more versatile opponents, and the memories of his debut title there last year probably will elevate his confidence whenever he takes the court in San Jose. With nothing to lose against Verdasco in last year’s final, he acquitted himself just as well with everything to lose against Istomin in this year’s final.
Anxious week for ankles: A trend-setter in many ways, Sharapova may have set the tone for early 2012 with two separate ankle injuries in 2011. Reportedly reinjured during a practice, Serena’s ankle forced her to withdraw from Monterey after clearly hampering her in Melbourne. Hobbled at the Australian Open as well, Clijsters decided to forgo a final visit to Indian Wells. Although she eventually won the title in Doha, Azarenka triggered a few nervous gasps when she twisted her ankle in Doha, recalling similar, more serious injuries to Wozniacki and Murray. After injuring his leg at the Australian Open, Roddick suffered a painful ankle injury of his own in San Jose that appeared to trouble him during his loss. This outbreak of sore ankles seems too widespread for coincidence, so perhaps players and trainers should focus more energies upon this joint, often neglected in comparison to shoulders, elbows, and knees.
Miscellany:
-Before Berdych’s semifinal in Rotterdam against Del Potro, we wrote that he could establish himself as the leading threat to the top four with an imposing performance. Following his 3-and-1 loss to a player who lost 1-and-4 to Federer a day later, the competition for leading dark horses remains very open and the dominance of the aforementioned four as pronounced as ever.
-He may have fallen to the fringes of the top 50, but Davydenko still can provide compelling entertainment with his distinctive sense for the geometry of the court. Like Federer, indoor hard courts may suit him most in the twilight of his career. Credit to him for pushing the GOAT to the brink of defeat despite their intimidating head-to-head record and the disparity in their rankings.
-The ankle injury notwithstanding, Roddick fell well short of distinguishing himself in San Jose, a tournament that often has smiled on him. He won a lower percentage of first-serve points than world #61 Istomin, who defeated him with embarrassing ease, and he faced an alarming number of break points against the unheralded Kudla, even before twisting his ankle. While he saved all but one of them, he cannot survive against top-10 opponents while sustaining such pressure on his serve.
-After a breakthrough 2011, Pavlyuchenkova has endured a disappointing start to 2012, losing four of six matches and three to opponents outside the top 30. Also struggling lately among the young WTA stars is Lisicki, who came within a set of her first career quarterfinal at a hard-court major but since has lost four straight matches. Ironically, both women have enjoyed much better health than for much of their injury-blighted careers. Perhaps the German could advise the Russian on her wayward serve in exchange for tips on maximizing her unreliable backhand.
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