Today’s Men’s & Women’s News – Madrid Update

Written by: Staff on 12th May 2012

Today's Men's & Women's News - Madrid Update

Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland celebrates after winning her women's singles fourth round match against Julia Goerges of Germany at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 22 January 2012. EPA/MAST IRHAM |

Today’s Women’s News

Madrid

Singles – Semifinal: (1) Victoria Azarenka def. (4) Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-4

We frankly expected this to be closer. The lopsided nature of this result may be an indication of how mentally strong Victoria Azarenka is these days. If so, the rest of the Tour really needs to watch out…. Agnieszka Radwanska will keep the #3 ranking, but she loses her shot at #2. For the moment.

Singles – Semifinal: (9) Serena Williams def. (Q) Lucie Hradecka 7-6(7-5) 6-0

May 12 marked the two hundredth birthday of the poet and nonsense writer Edward Lear. Thinking about Lear and blue clay and Serena Williams’s fashions inevitably reminded the author of “The Jumblies”:

Far and few, far and few

Are the lands where the Jumblies live;

Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,

And they went to sea in a sieve.

Lucie Hradecka probably felt like she was playing with a sieve, not a racquet, in that second set. Still, she improved her ranking by about fifty places. As for Serena, if she can win the title, she will rise all the way to #6. As it is, we show her tied with Marion Bartoli for #7.

Doubles – Final: (5) Errani/Vinci def. Makarova/Vesnina 6-1 3-6 10-4 (Match TB)

Let’s hope this doesn’t mean that Elena Vesnina’s title-itis is starting to affect her even in smaller doubles events…. To be fair, she was playing with a new partner; they still had an impressive week. More impressive, in terms of teams beaten, than Errani/Vinci.

But it’s Errani/Vinci who pick up the hardware. It’s their fourth title already this year, and by far the biggest. Finally they’ve broken out of their International rut! And, by so doing, they have finally put themselves in the Top Ten. It’s going to be very interesting to see how they do at Rome and Roland Garros.

Elena Vesnina was already Top Ten, so she doesn’t move much. But Ekaterina Makarova, #41 coming in, should hit the Top Thirty.

*****

Today’s Men’s News

Madrid

Singles – Semifinal: (1) R Federer def. (7) J Tipsarevic 6-2 6-3

The other semifinal was dramatic, but this, frankly, wasn’t. Roger Federer simply rolled over Janko Tipsarevic. That leaves Tipsarevic still at #8 — but in danger of losing it next week. As for Roger Federer, he’s still at #3 — but he is truly on Rafael Nadal’s tail now. Win the title and he is back to #2.

Singles – Semifinal: (6) T Berdych def. (10) J del Potro 7-6(7-5) 7-6(8-6)

Except for the result, this could hardly have been closer: 79 points each. Two breaks each. Even their serve statistics were almost the same. But Tomas Berdych gets the ranking points. He’s now right on the brink of overtaking David Ferrer in the contest for #6. Juan Martin del Potro will have to settle for #9; he’ll have a shot at #8 next week, but he’ll have to earn it.

Doubles – Semifinal: (4) Fyrstenberg/Matkowski def. (2) Mirnyi/Nestor 6-7(3-7) 7-6(8-6) 12-10 (Match TB)

A small consolation to the Bryans, at least: Mirnyi/Nestor will remain #1, but they won’t build an overwhelming lead.

Doubles – Semifinal: (6) Lindstedt/Tecau def. (7) Bhupathi/Bopanna 6-4 1-6 10-7 (Match TB)