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Opening the Magic Box: WTA Madrid Draw Preview

May 3, 2013 By 7 Comments

Rare is the non-major that features every woman in the WTA top 10, but Madrid can lay claim to that honor this year.  In another rare quirk, all of the top three women arrive there on winning streaks.  Only one of those streaks can survive Madrid.  Whose will it be?  Or none of the above?  [...]

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What to Watch in the WTA This Week: Portugal Open Preview

April 29, 2013 By 3 Comments

Sandwiched between busy weeks in Stuttgart and Madrid is a lovely smaller event between Lisbon and the ocean.  Formerly known as the Estoril tournament, the Portugal Open has moved to nearby Oeiras and a location more convenient for those traveling from the capital.  It lacks top-ten entrants or other names familiar to the casual fan, [...]

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What to Watch in the ATP This Week: Portugal, Munich Previews

April 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

As consecutive Masters 1000 tournaments in Madrid and Rome loom on the horizon, the 250 events in Portugal and Munich provide a pleasant diversion.  Many of the men entered in each will hope to use their less star-studded surroundings to bounce back from ongoing slumps and build momentum for the rest of the Road to [...]

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WTA Plotlines to Ponder: Clay Season Edition

April 26, 2013 By 1 Comment

Two weeks ago, on the eve of Monte Carlo, my column offered some thoughts on intriguing storylines to follow during the ATP clay season.  Midway through the first key WTA tournament on clay, Stuttgart, this companion article discusses a group of narratives that could prove crucial to the next several weeks in the women’s game. [...]

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What to Watch in the WTA This Week: Stuttgart and Marrakech Previews

April 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

After a weekend filled with Fed Cup, the ladies of the WTA dig into the clay for the first time this year with a prestigious event in Stuttgart that features most of the top ten.  In North Africa, meanwhile, a smaller International tournament attracts a group of clay specialists and younger stars.   Stuttgart:   [...]

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What to Watch in the ATP This Week: Barcelona and Bucharest Previews

April 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

After a week comprised of a single tournament, the Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo, the ATP plows further into the clay season with a 500 event in Barcelona and a 250 in Bucharest.  Three top-ten players appear at the former and just one at the latter as many of the leading figures conserve energy ahead [...]

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A World (Group) to Conquer: Fed Cup World Group Semifinals / Playoffs Preview

April 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Clearing the schedule of tournaments, the WTA turns its spotlight on Fed Cup this week.  Semifinals and playoff ties will decide not only the matchup for the 2013 final but the membership of next year’s World Group in two days filled with action.  Here’s a look at what you might want to know about each [...]

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Rafa’s Redoubt: ATP Monte Carlo Draw Preview

April 14, 2013 By 1 Comment

No man ever has won nine straight titles at an ATP tournament, but no man ever has come close to defeating Rafael Nadal in Monte Carlo during the last decade.  Nadal has lost only two sets in his last six appearances in this principality perched on the Mediterranean, attaining a level of sustained brilliance that [...]

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ATP Plotlines to Ponder: Clay Season Edition

April 12, 2013 By 1 Comment

Having concluded the first hard-court season, the ATP moves on to spend the spring on clay in cities like Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome, and Paris.  Take a look at some of the key narratives that might set the tone during this action-packed span. 1.      Can anyone stop Nadal?  This question has dominated the ATP clay [...]

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What to Watch This Week: Houston, Casablanca, Katowice Previews

April 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment

  Perhaps no man has suffered as star-crossed a season as Nicolas Almagro, who won the first two sets of his Australian Open quarterfinal and served for it three times before succumbing to compatriot David Ferrer.  Almagro also has lost three matches in final-set tiebreaks this year, including both of his losses at the Masters [...]

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