A PERSON
Of all the winners of the past week, the German Philip Kolschreiber is closest to the title of hero. Novak Djokovic and especially Justin Henin hardly surprised anyone with their victories in Estoril and Warsaw. The victory of the unknown 28-year-old German Greta Arn in the female Estoril looks more like a coincidence: not a single sow along the road. But Kolshreiber got his title heroically.
The tournament in Munich this year brought together a good squad. Even after the departure in the first round of Kanyas and Haas, there was someone to argue for the trophy - there remained Grozhan, Nieminen, Berdykh, Bagdatis. Our hopes for this tournament were, of course, connected with Mikhail Yuzhny. And after Yuzhny passed relatively easily in the semi-final of Tomas Berdykh, it seemed that Misha was already in his pocket for the second title of the season.
But who is to blame for the fact that Kolschreiber, who previously did not show anything outstanding, except for a fair amount of stubbornness, got a game cut through this season? This was especially noticeable in his match with Nadal in Monte Carlo. With such a game, Kolschreiber passed without loss in Munich Clement, Nieminen, Grosjean, Bagdatis - an impressive list. And now - the first final and immediately the first title. We can only console ourselves with the fact that the only set in the tournament was lost to the German South.
COUPLE
Mikhail Youzhny and Philip Kolschreiber won the tournament in Munich in doubles. Youzhny played a couple of years with another German, Rainer Shuttler, but did not earn the finals and did not get the titles. And with Kolschiber won the tournament on the first try, and this despite the fatigue of both after the final alone. Nadal in Barcelona, even with a “fresh” partner, could not make a double. All in all, the new couple looks promising.
MATCH
The “Battle of Coatings” between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal . In the game, this is a usual match between Federer and Nadal, beautiful and spectacular, though with a lot of mistakes on both sides. For a nerve, they played a tie-break in the third set, and the one who had to win at home defeated.
Probably, if it was a regular exhibition match, it would not be so interesting. But it turned out a real performance, a show, a circus performance, and all thanks to a double cover. Only endless re-shoes were worth what! And Rafa filed for the match from the ground - as symbolically. As a result, everyone is happy - a sense of celebration, smiles, champagne, women flowers, ice cream for children. Roger and Rafa called the match a great way to kill a couple of hours of time and promise to repeat next year. We wait. It’s almost the same as going to the May Day demonstration in Soviet times — the same thing every year, but still somehow easy and joyful.
STATISTICS
Novak Djokovic and Justin Henin grabbed this week for the third title of the season. Justine, therefore, became the absolute leader of the women's tour - Serena Williams and Elena Yankovich have two titles. But Djokovic caught up with Nadal - both of them had three. Federer with his “miserable” two shares second place with Xavier Maliss.
By winning Estoril, the young Serb also strengthened his position in the ATP championship race. Now he, together with Nadal and Federer, is included in the rating club "for those over 300". It is noteworthy that from this Monday Novak lags behind Federer in the same 19 points that Federer himself lags behind Nadal. Piquant situation.
RETURN
Elena Dementieva returned after two months of absence from the tour due to a stress fracture of the rib. And she returned completely in a Dementievsky way. Take at least her first match in Warsaw with Meilen Tu - the first set was lost in a tie-break, the second was won at zero. And the second match with Venus Williams is from about the same opera - 1: 6, 6: 7, and a total of 6 innings were given for the meeting. Everything is like in the good old days.
Now Lena is going to play up to Roland Garros without stopping. It is clear that I want to pick up points, and I miss the game, I guess. If only I had not bothered again to some kind of stress fracture. And then we cherish the hope of Lena returning to the top ten.
VIDEO
“The Battle of Coatings” is just the case when you should see it once.
NUMBERS
It took 19 days and 1,200,000 euros to lay the court for the Battle of Coatings. Despite this, the grass withered, so a few hours before the start of the match, I had to rush to borrow a lawn in a nearby golf club. Mallorca, apparently, is our sister island. No matter how much money you invest, there is still no guarantee that it will come out humanly.
Ksenia VITRYAK