Nadal Legend Grows with Masters Series Monte Carlo Title
Posted on April 18, 2005
Nadal Powers Past Coria for First Masters Title at ATP Monte CarloNot yet ranked in the world's Top 10, Rafael Nadal nonetheless reinforced his standing as the favorite for next month's French Open with a 6-3, 6-1, 0-6, 7-5 victory Sunday over defending champion Guillermo Coria in the final of the Masters Series-Monte Carlo.
It was the second consecutive appearance in a Masters Series final for Nadal after Miami, where the Spaniard lost to Roger Federer after leading by two sets to love and a service break. Monte Carlo was the first career Masters Series title for Nadal.
Nadal now holds a 20-2 record on clay for 2005 and has won 23 of his last 25 matches. Nadal was also the second-youngest Masters Series winner at 18 years, 10 months after Michael Chang (18 years, 5 months) won in Toronto in 1990, and the youngest winner in Monte Carlo since Mats Wilander in 1983 (18 years, 7 months).
"I don't see myself as the favorite for Roland Garros," Nadal said. "I only think about my next tournaments -- Barcelona, where I really want to do well, and the Masters Series in Rome and Hamburg."
The punters will vote otherwise next month, with Nadal's game far out in front of Coria, who is not 100 percent after coming off shoulder surgery and a groin injury; Roger Federer who has all the tools but plays sporadically on the dirt; Juan Carlos Ferrero, who is clearly lacking confidence and the ability to close big matches; Carlos Moya who has become a non-factor in 2005; defending Roland Garros champ Gaston Gaudio, who was fed a bagel by Nadal last week; and Marat Safin, who...well, who knows what the hell is going on there.
Coria complained that rain during the match made the court too slow to put the ball away against the speedy Spaniard.
"I think the conditions didn't help me, because it rained, the court became really slow, the balls heavy and it was impossible for me to win a point against him because he is so fast," Coria said. "I came really close to turning the situation around, when I came back from 1-4 in the fourth set, but unfortunately it didn't work."
In the doubles final, No. 5 seeds Leander Paes and Nenad Zimonjic won by walkover when American twin brothers Bob and Mike Bryan withdrew due to a shoulder injury by Mike. It was the first title of 2005 for Paes/Zimonjic.
"Mike's shoulder is so sore he cannot raise his arm or swing the racket at all," said Bryan clan patriarch Wayne. "He hurt it in the last couple of games in their semi yesterday evening in the cold and damp conditions. He's had ever kind of treatment possible, including several shots and he just isn't able to do it...They both hope Mike will be able to give it a go in Houston on Wednesday."
Henin-Hardenne Wins in Second 2005 Appearance at WTA Charleston
Former world No. 1 Justine Henin-Hardenne took a big step toward reclaiming the top spot by year's end in 2005, on Sunday defeating No. 2-seeded Elena Dementieva 7-5, 6-4 for the title at the WTA stop in Charleston.
"I won 20 tournaments in my career and this one is very special because it is after such a long, hard time," said Henin-Hardenne, playing in only her second tournament of the year. "It's been very emotional for me today because I come from something really bad, very bad experience last year."
Henin-Hardenne is now 11-0 in Charleston after winning in her last appearance in 2003, and rose to No. 22 on the WTA Rankings.
Dementieva, the perennial bridesmaid who was runner-up last year at the French and US Opens, was again let down by her freakishly-bad serve.
"She was playing unbelievable today. In the second set, you know, I just missed a great chance to make it 5-4 for me on my serve," Dementieva said.
In the doubles final, No. 2-seeded Spaniards Martinez/Ruano Pascual spanked Czechs Benesova/Peschke 6-1, 6-4 for their first title of the year.
Top-seeded Safin Will Struggle with Favorite Role at ATP Barcelona
Top-seeded Marat Safin will be tested by a bevy of claycourt talent this week at the ATP stop in Barcelona, where all eyes will be on dirt wunderkind Rafael Nadal, coming off the Masters Series title at Monte Carlo.
The Top 8 of the sixteen seeds receive byes in Barcelona, with Safin joined by current French Open holder Gaston Gaudio, former French winner Carlos Moya, last year's French runner-up Guillermo Coria, Guillermo Canas, Tommy Robredo, Nikolay Davydenko and Nadal.
Opening-round matches of note are the clay-challenged (15) Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan vs. Dane Kenneth Carlsen, French teen qualifier Gael "Force" Monfils vs. Argentine Agustin Calleri, (14) Juan Ignacio "The Spitting Snake" Chela vs. Spanish qualifier Albert "The Dropshot Dragon" Portas, (9) Thomas Johansson vs. grinder Stefan "Tony" Koubek, (16) Igor Andreev vs. Juan "The Principality" Monaco, Max "The Beast" Mirnyi vs. former Roland Garros champ Al Costa, former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. Spanish countryman Al Montanes, (12) Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez vs. Spanish countryman Nicolas Almagro, and (13) Dave Ferrer vs. Spanish countryman Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco.
Potential quarterfinal match-ups are (1) Safin vs. (5) Canas, (4) Coria vs. (8) Nadal, (3) Moya vs. (7) Davydenko, and (2) Gaudio vs. (6) Robredo or Ferrero.
In last year's almost-four-hour final, the No. 8 seed Robredo outlasted the future French Open winner and No. 13 seed Gaudio 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
Returning champs in this year's field are Robredo (2004), Moya (2003), Gaudio (2002), Ferrero (2001), Safin (2000), Mantilla (1999), and Costa (1997).
On court Monday in Barcelona are Koubek vs. (9) T.Johansson, Max "The Beast" Mirnyi vs. Costa, Almagro vs. (12) Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez in an all-Spanish, Carlsen vs. (15) Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan, Xavier "X-Man" Malisse vs. Kohlschreiber, (16) Andreev vs. Juan "The Principality" Monaco, Mantilla vs. Llodra, Acasuso vs. (WC) Vicente, Saulnier vs. Peter "Nuclear" Wessels, (10) Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty vs. Haehnel, "You Say" Potito Starace vs. (Q) Gabashvili, (Q) Wawrinka vs. Guillermo "G-Lo" Garcia-Lopez, H.-T. Lee vs. (Q) Nieminen, and (Q) Fogues vs. C.Rochus.
Former Champs Roddick, Agassi, Haas Head Houston
Former No. 1s Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi head the field this week at the ATP claycourt stop in Houston, joined by fellow seeds Tommy Haas, Nicolas Massu, Taylor Dent, Sebastien Grosjean, Jurgen Melzer, and Luis Horna.
Also taking refuge from the claycourt-specialist heavy field this week in Barcelona are notables Mardy Fish, Robby Ginepri, 15-year-old boy-among-men Donald Young, Thomas Enqvist, and the hot-handed Mariano Puerta.
Opening-round matches of note are (1) Roddick vs. a qualifier (winner to face Fish or Ginepri), (8) Horna vs. Enqvist, (7) Melzer vs. Puerta, and (5) Dent vs. fellow American Kevin Kim.
In last year's final the unseeded Haas defeated (1) Roddick 6-3, 6-4.
Returning champions in this year's Houston field are Haas (2004), Agassi (2003,'88), Roddick (2002-01), and Enqvist (1995).
On court Monday in Houston on the dirt are Puerta vs. (7) Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, Calatrava vs. (WC) "The" Donald Young, and (6) Sebastien "The Skateboard Kid" Grosjean vs. Phau.
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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Maria Sharapova, telling the New York Post how she can kick with her left hand: "I'm naturally a lefty but I play right-handed tennis. I kick and throw with my left hand. I used to write with my left hand when I was younger, but now I write with my right."...15-year-old "The" Donald Young, 0-4 in ATP play this year, takes to the court today with yet another wildcard at the ATP stop in Houston. U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe says enough is enough, drop this kid to the challenger circuit. "In my opinion, he's played too many of the bigger events," McEnroe told the Washington Post. "You can't let a kid go out there and lose 1-and-1 10 times in a row. That's no fun. It can start to have a detrimental effect on his mental state." Elder brother John speculates on other issues involved in the 15-year-old taking his lumps with wildcards lined up by management agency IMG: "He's not fully developed, and I don't think he should be professional now, personally. But on the other side of the coin, I don't know his parents' financial situation. If someone is going to pay him, a Nike, a million dollars -- I'm just throwing out a number -- to use rackets or clothes or sneakers, who am I to say not to do it?"...Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal joined teen Masters Series winners Andrei Medvedev (Hamburg, Monte Carlo 1994), Michael Chang (Canada 1990), and Andre Agassi (Miami 1990) with his win at Monte Carlo...Congrats to the ATP Houston stop for not having their red claycourts ready this weekend, with the qualies (and top seeds forced to practice) on the green claycourts...Goran Ivanisevic defeated Pat Cash 6-2, 6-4 in the final of the ATP senior tour stop in Hong Kong. "It's nice to win," Ivanisevic said. "These guys are all great players. I was a ball boy to Pat in Croatia in 1985, so it's nice."...Doubles matches to watch this week in Houston are American wildcards Andre Agassi and Jim Courier against Luis Horna/Martin Garcia, and wildcards Andy Roddick and Tres Davis against James Blake/Mardy Fish in an all-American. Courier has not played an ATP match since 2000 and has never partnered Agassi in doubles...Former NCAA champ Amer Delic won the Mexico City Challenger over the weekend.