Fireworks lit up the imposing Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in New Delhi. The crowd packed themselves to the rafters and roared their approval each time the willow struck leather. And it was once too often on a placid track, made to order for the lustful pleasures of its boundary hungry customers. If there were dark grey clouds hanging over the game, they were barely felt under the glaring neon lights. Chasing a stiff 193 run target, Mumbai Indians faltered in their chase to be dismissed for 144 and stumbled to a humiliating 48-run loss at the hands of the Chennai Super Kings.

The win enabled CSK to reach their fifth final in six editions of the IPL tournament with a commanding performance against an outmatched Mumbai Indians team. The Mumbai team lacked the application and depth needed to challenge the imposing 192-1 posted by the Chennai team. A stellar 140 run partnership between Michael Hussey and Suresh Raina helped Chennai control the outcome of the first play-off.

Dwayne Smith (68 off 28) and Keiron Pollard briefly threatened to challenge the former champions, but wickets at regular intervals brought the chase to a stuttering stop. Ravindra Jadeja stepped in to snap up important wickets to shut down Mumbai’s chase before Dwayne Bravo completed the last rites. Mumbai failed to last the full 20 overs, as Chennai romped to victory with plenty to spare to reach their fourth consecutive IPL finals.

Dhoni’s decision to bat first after winning the toss paid rich dividends. Michael Hussey, in plundering form this season, sent the first ball scurrying to the boundary to set the tone for a blistering Chennai innings. Murali Vijay proved an equal foil to the Aussie as he struck a couple of boundaries off the second over.

Twelve runs came off Munaf Patel and he was forced off the attack after just one over. But then Lasith Malinga fared no better and Rohit Sharma had to turn to spin after three overs. There was barely any pace or movement off the track. Harbhajan Singh came on and conceded just two off his first over.

Any hopes that the wicket might aid the slower bowlers were dissipated quickly though as Chennai coasted along nicely to 50 in the seventh over. Vijay fell in the next over though when he was deceived by a slower one from Keiron Pollard.

The CSK opener failed to get enough on it and Dwayne Smith lapped up an easy catch at deep midwicket. That brought Suresh Raina to the middle and what followed was a well-crafted century partnership that took the match away from the blues.

Raina and Hussey stabilised for a little bit before launching into a scathing attack in the eleventh over. The 23-year-old sent Pragyan Ohja into the midwicket stands to propel the innings forward with fifteen runs plundered in the twelfth over.

Chennai raced past the 100-run mark in the next over as Raina helped himself to a couple of sixes off a shocked Bhajji and a very miffed Johnson. The Aussie gave Raina a mouthful, but the young man was too busy planning the onslaught to even bother looking.

Even as 38 runs came off the three over stretch, Hussey completed his sixth fifty this IPL season to inch closer to the Orange cap. Hussey pulled one over square leg, when Pollard offered a juicy delivery just short of a length. With no bowler spared, Mumbai was facing the brunt of the heat in Delhi.

The Orange cap switched loyalties when Hussey took a couple of runs later in the same over to help Chennai to 125-1. There were five overs left in the bank, and the air thickened in anticipation of a sizeable target.

Raina took maximum off a juicy slow full toss from Pollard to bring up his fifty in 29 balls. A couple of balls later, Smith put down a difficult catch after grabbing the ball in both hands at midwicket. Mumbai’s misery was compounded by the fact that Raina stole a couple to take his team past the 150 mark.

A good over from Malinga turned bad when Raina drove through extra cover for a boundary off the last ball in the 18^th over. Twelve runs came off the penultimate over from Johnson, who was lucky not to have been taken for more.

Raina got the final over off to a blistering start with a six over midwicket. Hussey got underneath a Malinga delivery that drifted down the leg-side to score another maximum. Hussey ended the innings exactly the way he had begun, with a boundary.

Raina murdered the bowling for a stunning 82 in 42 balls and Hussey was stellar yet again in his 86 off 58 balls. Hussey has been in imperious form and his 732 runs in 16 matches have been vital to CSK’s success this season.

Mumbai responded with belligerence but they were stifled by a length delivery from Albie Morkel in the second over. Aditya Tare, who has done a commendable job of filling in for the absent Sachin Tendulkar, paid for his aggression. Vijay snapped up an easy catch at mid-on to send the opener back to the bench.

Dinesh Karthik has been a pillar for MI this season and his presence provided much needed assurance to Smith at the other end. The West Indian continued to plunder runs at will as Mohit Sharma, Morkel and Chris Morris took turns to soak in the punishment.

Smith reached his fifty off just 21 balls with a brutal lofted six off Morris that landed in the upper stands. With Mumbai at 72-1 after just seven, it was the Super Kings that needed the two and a half minute strategic timeout to discover a means to upend Smith.

Ravichandran Ashwin was thrust into the attack to halt the juggernaut. Smith invited him to the barbecue with a blistering straight six and a boundary that needed barely a feather to sweep it past the ropes.

MS Dhoni relies on Ravindra Jadeja every time he needs some magic. And the bearded youngster did a mighty trick in the ninth over. Jadeja lured Smith into mistiming a quickish delivery and Raina snapped up the catch in the covers to end a threatening 68. Smith’s runs came of just 28 balls.

The man with the Midas touch, Jadeja broke Mumbai’s back when he had Karthik plumb in front after he swept a little too soon. The ball struck on the thigh as Karthik knelt down to sweep and the umpire had no hesitation in sending the dangerous batsman back to the dugout.

The pressure was mounting and Rohit went after Morris, only to launch an easy catch for Dwayne Bravo at the long off boundary. At 101-4, Mumbai were only left with 8 overs to get nearly a hundred runs to win the match.

The search started to turn desperate and a couple of towering sixes from Pollard immediately after the second time-out seemed to ignite Mumbai’s hopes. But it only turned out to be a false dawn, as a rash of lost wickets put paid to their chase.

Pollard fell to a catch at square leg by Hussey off the bowling of Jadeja who was picking a bagful with his innocuous left arm spinners. Bravo built on Jadeja’s success by snapping up Harbhajan, Johnson and Malinga in quick succession. Bravo’s 3-9 helped him past James Faulkner to the Purple cap with 28 wickets.

At the end, it was only fitting that the most consistent team in this edition of the IPL is the first team to the reach the finals. CSK will now enjoy a well-deserved four day rest as they wait to find out their opponent in the finals at the Eden Gardens this weekend.

The second play-off is tomorrow between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the same ground. The winners of that match will play Mumbai Indians on Friday for the right to play CSK on Sunday.

The curse of deceit has dealt another crushing blow to the heart of cricket. The IPL might only be a poor imitation of cricket at its finest, but it is the richest cousin. And we found out yet again that the deviant devil has shattered the peace of the devout. The revelations of spot-fixing levelled by the Delhi police struck at the very heart of the devastated sect. As if torn apart by a Gerber Mark II, the body of cricket lay motionless, slipping slowly into the precipice of darkness.

The clamour to nail S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chadila and Ankeet Chavan is very understandable. But it is downright stupid and dangerous to even consider it as a solution to the malaise. The disease runs deep and dealing with fools treats nothing but the lamest symptoms.

Whispers about connivance have lingered around the IPL shindig ever since its inception. If we do not fix the malaise now, cricket is at risk of losing its character forever. Punish the guilty in the severest manner possible, but that must just serve as an appetiser.

While greed seems to be the overwhelming factor driving this behaviour, it is also important to understand if fear has played a role. Greed could indeed be the reason, but given the intricate involvement of seedy criminals it is only fair to examine whether there are other factors forcing the hand of these players.

The gentleman’s game is fast mutating into a 21st century monster. And even its mother, if there was one, might have a tough time recognising its ugly face. The thrills and spills of the shortest version of cricket almost ensure that T20 shall represent the future face of the game.

We could become the generation that oversaw the departure of cricket from a fine sport into a mean machine meant for mindless entertainment. Unless we address the situation with a firm hand and an honest conviction, we would be simply handing the game to demons.

Money has flooded cricket, but then it is never enough for men who fail to see beyond the day. It is increasingly important to invest in measures that enhance awareness and responsibility among players. Cricket is a team game, but much of IPL’s celebration is concentrated in the individual.

As a result, the stars in the team live in a parallel universe while the rest languish on the kerb without any guarantees about their fate for the next season. IPL needs to discover an equitable means to reward teams rather than individuals.

The mad clamour from sponsors to associate their name with witless rewards (nayi soch or maximum sixes for instance have no context or place in a team sport) is fostering selfishness rather than promote team effort. The syndicates are finding it easy to prey upon the disenfranchised players who play in the same team for a fraction of the winnings of their star team-mates.

Far too often in the past, players have been caught fixing only to be rehabilitated without any significant damage to their livelihood or reputation. Examples abound, but the most glaring let down has been former captain Mohammad Azharuddin. Banned for life, the Hyderabadi has been more than rehabilitated – occupying a seat in the hallowed parliament of our great nation.

Incidents such as these inspire little confidence in the system. And with star power increasing with each passing day, the marginalised men are inclined to make hay while the going is good enough. The disenchanted are easy prey for the seasoned men who run these rackets based on script and ingenuity.

The funds generated from the event need to be ploughed back into the game to create respect and tradition for the league. Still in its nascent stages, the IPL and its ill-conceived fellowship with commerce are threatening to deface what was considered a gentleman’s endeavour.

Avarice and urgency have meant that the event gains neither loyalty nor success, each season turning into a fresh adventure. The IPL teams need to be held accountable for the business from the league. There is an urgent need to bring about transparency into the administration of each team so that fans understand and respect the state of their favourite team. Player transactions need to be coordinated in an orderly manner during the designated periods.

Speaking of transparency, the problem has its source in the parent body. BCCI is notorious for its lack of strict action, despite several incidents of dishonour in the recent past. The president N Srinivasan would do well to institutionalise change and bring about structural transformation. There will not be a bigger travesty if the board isolates this incident as an aberration.

As the central body governing cricket in India, BCCI has an obligation to the people of India. If the Board is unwilling to accept its responsibilities, it is time for the government to force their hand. There is no place for corruption in sport – be it in the form of betting, inducements or doping. Evil has to be dealt with sternly. Loss of face is not enough any more; each indulgent fool should be made to serve time behind bars and suffer significant financial damage.

It is obvious that these men and women aren’t driven by the love for sport. Nothing but the fear and experience of penury will drive some remorse out of these tainted souls. Swift, reasonable and stern action is an immediate need. An event like the IPL has the potential to drive sport and therefore it is necessary to institute a framework within which hardworking men can pursue their passion for sport.

The ministries of home and sport should combine forces to initiate an independent professional investigation. The team should be given a broad mandate and a specific timeline to accomplish a thorough understanding of the nexus. The efforts of the investigators should be appropriately rewarded through stringent action against the culprits.

Inaction even after the detection of cancer will not only worsen the situation, it could prove fatal to the game of cricket.

Bull of the Pampas: Guillermo Vilas, pictured here at the 1982 US Open. (Getty Images)

Long before the reign of the ruthless Rafael Nadal, there was another left hander who stole a million hearts with his flowing mane and a game to match. The young man was heralded as the “Bull of the Pampas.” Fans swooned over him as if he belonged on a stage with Reggae artist Bob Marley. With the French Open around the corner, it is in the fitness of things to remember the man whose accomplishments provide context to those of the reigning king of clay.

Over thirty five seasons ago elated fans paraded Guillermo Vilas on their shoulders, moments after he had dealt a bagel in the fourth set to defeat Jimmy Connors  2–6, 6–3, 7–6, 6–0. In the last US Open held at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills in 1977, Americans found it fit to celebrate the defeat of their own. The southpaw surprised Connors on that epochal day by making frequent forays to the net to clinch victory with a brilliant stratagem. The crowds erupted in joy with spontaneity and affection that transcended national pride and embraced the forthright Argentine. Vilas had an uncanny ability to evoke passion by indulging the fans in his brilliance.

Vilas’ memorable victory at the US Open came during a spell of immense success. The Argentine won 17 titles in 33 tournaments during the year, including his only French Open title. Nearly 29 years later, Nadal emulated Vilas’ mark of 53 consecutive match victories on clay. The Mallorcan defeated Roger Federer 6–7 (0), 7–6 (5), 6–4, 2–6, 7–6 (5) in the sensational final of the 2006 Rome Masters to match the feat. Nadal extended the streak to an incredible 81 matches, before Federer finally intervened in Hamburg 2007.

But then, as Vilas himself reminded, he established the mark in a single season. But for the controversial spaghetti string racket Vilas may have gone on to win as many as 82 matches in a row. Even as he seemed destined to extend his run, Vilas was tripped up under unusual circumstances. Ilie Năstase bothered Vilas with spin and variable bounce, aided by a specially strung racket, in the finals of the Aix-en-Provence tournament in October that year.

The Argentine resisted with spirit but struggled to find any rhythm. Năstase took advantage of heavy spin and uneven bounce to clinch the first two sets – 6-1, 7-5. Peeved by the undue advantage from the racket, Vilas walked off the court in protest. The match may have been lost, but Vilas’s bold and honest response empowered the establishment. The ATP banned the spaghetti strung racket soon after the incident, vindicating the stand of Vilas. He went on to win the Australian Open in 1978 and 1979 to account for his haul of four major titles.

Friend or foe: Villas (L) and Ilie Nastase (R), pictured here in 2009, watch the action during the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France. (Getty Images)

Nadal’s victory in Madrid last week was his 40^th clay court title and 55^th overall. Vilas notched 46 clay court titles in a career haul of 62 titles. In an era when rackets were only tools to aid the expression of the artist holding it, Vilas could extract heavy spin. His guile and skill with his supple wrist and clever use of the angle on the racket head helped him tease and taunt his opponents. Vilas’ accomplishments came during an era when players spent the time between points adjusting their strings. The Argentine had a formidable forehand for attack and a reliable slice for defence. In time, Nadal is bound to surpass Vilas’s haul of titles. The numbers shall perish, but his legacy will prevail.

The materials on the racket head and the nature of strings have undergone drastic change in the past two decades, turning it into a weapon. The modern day racket strings are capable of shifting back against the ball to impart spin before sliding back into their place. Vilas’ allure is heightened by the fact that he could achieve monstrous amounts of spin with the equipment of his time. While Vilas was never as consistent as Nadal, he was always a feared opponent on the red shale of Europe and the ugly green variant in the USA. In one grand season, he accomplished more than many do in an entire career waltzing from one victory to another.

The Argentine also had to deal with the brilliance of Bjorn Borg during much of his prime. Vilas defeated Borg in the round robin phase of the 1975 Masters (year-end tournament), but had to suffer 12 straight losses after that. The pain of losing two finals at Roland Garros (1975, ’78) and the quarters at Wimbledon (1976) only accentuated the edginess, each time he confronted Borg. Unlike the rivals of today, who suffer a homogenous civility amongst themselves, the 70s was a time of upheaval. Even then Borg and Vilas were friendly rivals in a departure from the rancour between players of that era.

Typically though there were no real friends on the road. The brooding Vilas was no exception. For all his success, Vilas was a deep thinking loner, who indulged himself in philosophy and poetry. The southpaw dealt with the emptiness in life in his book Ciento Veinticinco. At least that is one thing that neither Borg nor Nadal can usurp from the Mar del Plata native. Even during his heyday, the book of poetry made Vilas more money than his time on the court. The book’s dark, brooding reflections hardly earned a mention from critics, but his adoring fans could not have cared less.

Legends: Bjorn Borg and Vilas pose before the men’s singles final at the 1978 French Open. Borg would go onto win the match. (Getty Images)

Vilas’s closest pal was Ion Tiriac, who became his coach in 1977. The contract between the two preceded the Argentine’s unmatched run of results that year (145-14). Many believe that the burly Romanian brought some much needed focus to Vilas, besides helping him improve his serve. The adventurous Romanian was also able to convince Vilas to volley more often. It was these tactics that enabled Vilas to own the tour in that grand season and upend Connors in his own lair. But the Argentine was a sought after star and beautiful women were never too far away to distract him at every turn. Besides, Vilas treated tennis as one of many callings in life. It is this streak in him that sought a life as much as it did tennis that might have prevented a larger legacy for the Argentine.

Guillermo Vilas was a pirate who invaded with success, yet could never really reign like a king. As good as Vilas was on the court, it was his introspective streak and soulful reflections on life that endeared him to his adoring fans across the world. The collection of four majors in eight finals did no justice to the brilliance of the South American. While the grand parade of 1977 all but cemented his legacy, it was his emotional honesty that left an imprint on the soul of tennis. So much so that any narration on clay court tennis would be incomplete without a chapter or two on the “Bull of the Pampas.”

File Photo: P.V. Sindhu (Getty Images)

Sindhu took time from her busy schedule, preparing for the Sudirman Cup and other events lined up for her this May. In an engaging conversation she spoke with us about her aspirations and reflected on her young and promising career. You can read part one of the interview here.

You’re done with your first Golden Grand Prix. At 17, it is a fantastic achievement. What are your immediate plans?

Every year we have many tournaments. I have just played three tournaments and now we have the Sudirman Cup in 2 weeks’ time. And then we have Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. The coaches decide which tournaments to play. Endurance and strength are also very important, so we need to manage the schedule to ensure we can play at our best at each event.

What would keep you happy at the end of the year?

I am currently world No. 13 and will bag a few points for winning in Malaysia. My goal is to make the top 10 by the end of the year. For each tournament, I would like to reach the semi-finals or at least the quarters. I would like to play consistently well through the rest of the year.

Do you have a favourite tournament?

I do not have any particular tournament. If I win, it is my favourite tournament. (chuckles)

You took out two Chinese players in a row at the Yonex Sunrise India Open 2013, how did you feel going into the semis?

These two I have played last year, qualifying rounds and I lost easily. My second round opponent (Yu Sun) – I played her twice earlier; this was my third match against her. First time I lost, second time I won. Beating both the Chinese was good, especially after losing the first game. Even my first round opponent (Yao Xue), she’s a very good player. The last time we played, she took me out 9 or 10, now I could beat her. I’ve improved and I hope to improve more and more.

Going into the semis, you must have felt confident of winning. Were you lacking energy?

She played really well (3^rd seeded Ratchanok Intanon) and my strokes were constantly going out or sitting up in the middle. She finished the points quickly and I didn’t really get a chance. (Sindhu lost the semis 12-21, 6-21)

Again, you’ve done very well in India. Does it feel different playing at home and how different is it from playing overseas?

In India, the crowd support is really good. But outside India too, we have plenty of support. In Indonesia, they were supporting me. It depends, Indians support a lot and even outsiders support the Indian players.

Tell us a little bit about your management company, Universal Collectibilia?

I signed with them recently, I’m very thankful and I hope that the relationship brings more success.

You’re associated with the Olympic Gold Quest. How does the relationship work? What does the program bring to you?

The OGC picks up promising players aspiring for an Olympic medal. They encourage the player by providing financial support for travel and tournaments. They also help by providing professionals such as Physios, Doctors and Psychologists etc. Their support gives us the freedom to choose and play more tournaments if required.

Can you tell us about your practice routine?

Our day at the academy starts at 4.30 in the morning – 04:30 hrs to 06: 0o hrs, then 07:00 hrs to 08:30 hrs. We have a midday session from 11:30 hrs to 12:30 hrs and one in the evening between 16:00 hrs and 17:30 hrs. We do multiple forms of training – playing opponents, on court drills, weights, endurance and running.

Can you tell us about the physical training part?

Sometimes we do weights; we do agility, shadows, running and core ab-works to strengthen the abdomen.  It is important to have strength and endurance. Stamina is very crucial in badminton as there are too many rallies and long matches.

Anything over an hour is a long match, how do you recover?

Our training at the academy is pretty good. Some of the players, when they play a long match, they just drop dead. We have enough strength and stamina to play long matches. Besides, each time we play a tournament, sir asks us how we played and why we lost. Honestly, when we play other country players, we’re the stronger ones. Some players get too tired – I still remember in Lucknow when I played against the Indonesian girl (Lindaweni Fanetri) – I lost against her and she was totally dead. I had enough stamina, that wasn’t a problem.

After a match, any set routine to cool off?

We do stretching, parts become stiff and our legs don’t move and they start paining. We get cramps, so we need to do proper stretching and relax ourselves. Sometimes our physio gives us a massage; it depends on the state of the body really.

What do you think of line call review coming up?

Yeah, it is a good option. Recently, Saina lost because of an umpiring decision. Bad luck for her. It is useful.

Have you seen it work?

No, I haven’t, only while watching tennis on television. I think it helps and could be beneficial.  Every call matters and in those crucial moments in a match, it gives us an option.

Do you miss being a normal teen?

Not really. I love playing Badminton. It is more fun being on the court that anything else. I also get to travel a lot, which is fun. And then I have so many friends in the game too. But I am just very happy playing Badminton.

You travel a lot.  How do you like spending your spare time?

I love talking to my sister. She is in the US doing her medicine. I also love going out to movies with family and friends.

Do you have a favourite city?

Overseas, I like Switzerland. But I love Hyderabad mostly.

Who is your idol?

Gopichand.

Do you have any heroes outside Badminton?

No. But I do like Mahesh Babu and Prabhas in the movies.

On that sweet personal note, Sindhu, we at Sportskeeda would like to thank you for your time during a very busy week. We wish you the very best on the road ahead.

File Photo: P.V. Sindhu (Getty Images)

William Faulkner, the much acclaimed Nobel Laureate, had written, “Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” A 17-year-old girl from Hyderabad is already living by that adage.

Pusarla Venkata Sindhu might only be a teenager, but she is already a towering presence on the badminton court. The lanky teenager measures 5’10” and packs a mean smash that has derailed even the most dreaded Chinese players. The world No.13 is enjoying a brilliant year on tour, taking victory and defeat in her elegant stride with a disarming smile.

Sindhu met up with Anand Datla of Sportskeeda for an exclusive conversation on her journey so far. Sindhu took time from her busy schedule for this engaging conversation in which she discussed her aspirations and reflected on her young and promising career.

We bring you this insightful conversation in two parts.

Sindhu, many congratulations on your recent victory in Malaysia. We really hope that you keep up the success and do well for many years to come. 

Thank you.

Let us start with your time as a child. It was a long ride, getting to the practice courts, wasn’t it?

Yeah, we used to stay in Secunderabad. It is 27 kilometers one way from my home to Gachibowli. Sometimes, we used to go up and down twice a day (108 km). So I would stay back and return home only late in the evening. We did that for like 2 ½ years when I was small. Later on I spent about a year and a half living at the academy. I used to return home for the weekends. A few years down the line my parents bought a home near the academy, so now it’s only 5 minutes away.

So your parents used to drive you every morning to the academy?

Yeah, I used to have my training at 5:30 am. There were many young kids of my age; it was a big group.

Sindhu, can you tell us about the influence of your first coach?

My first coach was Mohammad Ali and I used to go to practice to a railways facility near my home. He passed away a few years ago. After playing there for a while, we shifted to Lal Bahadur Stadium.

Eventually, I enrolled at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Gachibowli. I have been learning there for more than five years now. I have picked up a lot of skills under the guidance of Gopi sir. There are several coaches there, including some Indonesians.

How much does the win in Malaysia mean to you?

The last time I had a shot at a Grand Prix was at the Syed Modi India International at Lucknow last year. The final was on the day of my sister’s marriage. I could not attend the wedding as I stayed back for the match and then lost (to Indonesian Lindaweni Fanetri). It was an emotional day. So this victory comes as a great relief, everyone was very happy. My coaches, my family, everybody congratulated me.

Tell us about your most memorable victory?

I was very happy to defeat Li Xuerui. She is the world No. 1 and the Olympic gold medallist, so it was a big day for me. I will always remember that match. (She gets very excited as she starts to recount the details of the match).

Talk us through the match against Li Xuerui: 

First, I didn’t think I’d win because (she was an) Olympic gold medallist. The coaches told me – just go and play your game; you’ve got a chance to play against a senior player. Don’t get tensed, you’re a good player, play your 100%. When we started, I won the first game. It gave me a bit of confidence, but then I lost the 2nd game very easily. In the third game, you know, we were going level before I took the lead and won. Unbelievable!  My coaches were very happy too.

Did you sense the possibility of victory as the match progressed?

I was not too overconfident because you know these senior players can pull it back. They can come back very quickly because they’re experienced players. So I didn’t think about the win. Just took it one point at a time. Even towards the end, I was 20 and she was 16. She rallied to 18 and I was praying in my mind for that one point. I got it and won the match, so I was very happy after that.

What was going through your mind through that second game? You lost eight points in a row during a stretch there.

Yeah, one side of the court was very fast, everything was going out. It was hard to control my strokes.

Why was that?

Because in every tournament there is a little drift or wind. We can’t complain because even the opponent has the same problem. You know it is because of the air conditioning flow from one side or the other. You just need to adapt to it and adjust the power behind your strokes.

Who’s had the biggest influence on you?

First and most important is Gopi sir. He teaches me very patiently. And then there are all the other coaches too. At any tournament, they come and share tips. 2-3 coaches come with us to the international events.

Talk to me about Gopi sir, how much of an influence is he, as a coach and as a person?

I’m very grateful to him. He tells me everything, even when I am making mistakes. He’s very patient too; I could make the same mistake 10, 11 or 20 times, but he speaks in the same tone and teaches me the right approach. Seriously, I’m very thankful, he’s a great coach, a champion – training under him is wonderful. Whenever we do practice, he encourages and suggests how you can improve.

As a person, outside the court, he’s really nice and on court, he’s sincere and serious. Off court, he’s fun.

How does it feel to be following in the footsteps of Saina Nehwal?

Saina is a very good player; I did wish that I could play like her when I was a junior. There are a lot of people who say say I’m the next Saina. I feel very happy about that, but you need to work hard to live up to these expectations. I would like to just do well as Sindhu.

You can read part two of the interview here.

One cannot quite fathom if it is fear or reverence. But David Ferrer has this disappointing habit of holding the door open with a bent knee to allow Rafael Nadal free passage into his mind and soul. The embattled Spaniard capitulated yet again, embracing defeat despite standing at the doorstep of victory. All Ferrer had to do, at 4-2 in the second set, was to hold serve twice to earn what seemed like a deserving victory. Instead, it was Nadal who slowly worked his way back into the contest. The Mallorcan overturned the deficit with typical resilience before rolling over his compatriot for a 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-0 victory to reach the semi-finals of the Mutua Madrid Open.

Nadal fell to 0-40 in the fourth game of the first set, making three straight errors. He did work his way back to deuce, but was too erratic to prevent the break. As always, help is at hand for Nadal when Ferrer is across the net. A mistimed backhand cross court from Ferrer opened the door ever so slightly at 15-30 in the seventh game. Nadal barged in without the least courtesy, hammering a couple of eloquent backhand down the line winners to get the set back on serve.

The set was poised on edge at 30-30 in the tenth game, with Nadal serving to stay in the set. For once, the world No.4 proved equal to the task. Ferrer struck a couple of purposeful forehand winners to seal the break and take the first set. Imagine the relief that must have passed through Ferrer’s veins – it was his first set against Nadal after losing the previous twenty.

An incensed Nadal went after Ferrer in the very first game of the second set. Ferrer hung by the skin of his nails, to somehow survive the 14 point game – holding serve despite two break points and four deuces. The reprieve though proved to be temporary, as Nadal won eight points in a row to swallow the second and third games.

Battling toe to toe, with the determination of a mocked warrior, Ferrer took the next three games to grab the initiative at 4-2 in the second set. Stung by the assault, Nadal responded in kind to take the next three games. At 5-4 for Nadal, the storyline started to seem familiar. But then, Ferrer showed remarkable resolve to break at the brink and prolong the set.

At one point in the twelfth game, Ferrer stood two points from clinching a rare victory over Nadal. Almost half the court was open for the taking, but incredibly Ferrer chose to feed a short ball straight at Nadal. The Mallorcan responded with an inch perfect lob that destroyed Ferrer in one fell swoop. It was to be a point that proved decisive in the context of the game. A deflated Ferrer lost the next two points quickly to push the set into a breaker.

The first five points went against the serve, as both players battled with ferocious urgency. Nadal finally broke the jinx, when he took both service points to take control of the breaker at 5-2. An untimely double fault was the perfect giveaway of the demons that haunt Ferrer each time he sees Nadal across the net. At 6-3, Nadal wasted no further time, clinching the set with a service winner.

The damage was done and as Nadal raced away to a 4-0 lead in the decider. It was obvious too that Ferrer had vacated his mind for Nadal to run riot as he pleased. Ferrer had a break point in the fifth and a couple of game points on his serve in the sixth, but none of that really mattered. Ferrer had lost his faith and soul and nothing could really retrieve his situation.

The bagel to finish the match underlined the frailties of Ferrer, just as much as it showed the resilience and ruthlessness of Nadal. The two hour 38 minute match took Nadal one step closer to an impressive seventh final in as many attempts since his return to the tour. Nadal struck 38 winners to only 27 from Ferrer in clinching a painstaking victory over his compatriot.

Ferrer managed a meagre 49% on his first serve, while Nadal kept it at a relatively comfortable 71%. It also did not help that Ferrer threw in five double faults during the match. One look at the breakpoint numbers will tell you that both players had plenty of chances – Nadal saved 6 of 11 breakpoints, while Ferrer could only manage to cover 5 of 13 chances on his serve.

Nadal will face the winner between Kei Nishikori and Pablo Andujar in the semi-finals. Given the beastly brilliance of Nadal on clay, neither of those players inspires any confidence. It will now take a miracle to stop Nadal from contesting for his third Madrid title on Sunday.

The 39^th Players Championship at the Tournament Players Club (TPC) at Sawgrass got off to a blistering start on Thursday. Unheralded and unheard of, Roberto Castro set the course alight with a sensational 63 to take the first round honours in his maiden effort at the tournament many consider as the fifth major. The richest tournament in golf also featured solid performances from Rory McIlroy (66) and Tiger Woods (67) – both posting impressive rounds to lurk within striking distance from the first round leader. McIlroy was in a tie for second with Zach Johnson, while Woods is a further stroke behind in a group of six that includes Webb Simpson, Hunter Mahan and Steve Stricker. The defending champion Matt Kuchar had to be content with a 71.

Castro had an unbelievable outing that helped him tie Fred Couples (1992) and Greg Norman (1994) for the best score on the par-72 course. The 27-year-old secured his place in the gallery, with a spectacular bogey-free round. The Texan finished with a flourish – birdies on 16^th, 17^th and 18^th capping off a round that contained an eagle at the second besides seven other birdies.

Woods looked set to accomplish his first bogey free round at TPC at Sawgrass, when he made the fairway at the 18^th hole. Earlier in the day, Woods had strung together birdies from 9^th through 12^th. Par on the 18^th should not have been too hard. But his chip landed short and the 14-time major winner was forced to tap in for bogey. An opening round 67 marked the best ever start at the TPC for the 2001 champion at a course that has tormented him more often than not.

“This is a tricky golf course,” said Woods. “It doesn’t take much to make a bogey around here. I think that’s kind of what Pete (architect Pete Dye) had intended, and I’m sure that most of the guys through their careers really haven’t had too many days that are spotless on their cards.”

McIlroy was assured a peaceful night’s sleep, after posting a bogey-free 66 that left him just three strokes off the leader. The Irishman showed why he is such a rage with a perfectly time tee shot at the “Island Green” – that iconic patch on the 17^th hole. The tee shot left McIlroy less than six feet to the pin and he birdied without fuss. It is hard to see him out of the mix this weekend. Only it was hard to believe that this was McIlroy’s only sub-par round at the event.

“I adopted maybe more of a conservative strategy off the tee this year,” said McIlroy, who has never made the cut at this fearsome course. “But once you put your ball in the fairway that means you can be more aggressive into the greens. So it sort of balances itself out.”

Zach Johnson is collecting 66’s at the Players Stadium course. As he had during the final round in 2011 and on Friday last year, Johnson carded a 66 to join McIlroy in second at the end of the first round. McIlroy’s playing partners – Steve Stricker and Masters Champion Adam Scott  – enjoyed a pleasant outing too. Stricker, who made a steady 67, could have tied with McIlroy but for a bogey at the fourth. Not bad for a 47-year-old veteran. Scott was the laggard of the group, reaching the clubhouse in 69.

The day though belonged to Castro. In only his second year on the tour, in his first appearance at TPC, the 27-year-old from Houston had the round of a lifetime. Castro dazzled with his irons – ten of his approach strokes landed within five feet from the pin. The longest putt he needed was not even ten feet from the pin. There is no telling if lightning can strike twice, but if he can make another round like that, Castro can outshine the bright Florida sun.

Select Scores

-9: R Castro (US)

-6: R McIlroy (NI), Z Johnson (US)

-5: T Woods (US), C Wittenberg (US), H Mahan (US), S Stricker (US), R Palmer (US)

Kei Nishikori of Japan celebrates after winning his match against Roger Federer of Switzerland on day six of the Mutua Madrid Open at the Caja Magica on May 9, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)

The sun shone brilliantly on one side even as the clouds thickened over the other half. Japanese star Kei Nishikori threw Roger Federer’s clay court preparation into disarray with a spirited three set victory over the seasoned Swiss. The defending Madrid Masters champion burnt bright midway through the match, but Nishikori extinguished the flames with authority. The 14^th seeded Japanese prevailed in three sets 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 to avenge his defeat at the hands of the Swiss in Basel two seasons ago. The sensational upset left the tournament without its top two seeds – Novak Djokovic was knocked out by Grigor Dimitrov on Tuesday.

There was no such hiccup for Rafael Nadal. The King of Clay was more than a handful for the meagre challenge from Mikhail Youzhny. The Russian barely mustered five games in a two set rout that ended 6-2, 6-3 mainly because Nadal was afforded the luxury of being on autopilot for much of the contest. The 76-minute thumping took Nadal into the quarters of the Madrid Open for the eighth time in his career. The Spaniard though hasn’t won this tournament since taking a second Madrid title in 2010.

The Federer upset was a disaster that came without adequate warning. After a fluent start to the match, when Federer dealt in service winners to hold at love the first smell of trouble struck the Swiss when he overcooked his forehand cross court twice in a row to slip to 0-30. A backhand that sailed wide helped Nishikori take a 3-2 lead.

Nishikori’s surging confidence received a boost when he consolidated the break with a thundering forehand cross court winner. The Japanese had the set in the bag four games later, Federer helping an easy hold in the tenth game with a couple of backhand errors. The set lasted 33 minutes, creating a buzz of anticipation inside the packed Manolo Santana court.

Federer barely made an impact on the Nishikori serve in the first set. A forehand cross court winner from the defending champ forced deuce in the second game of the second set. But the Swiss failed to take advantage of a couple of break points. Nishikori completed a laboured hold when Federer made three straight errors off his elegant racket.

Federer’s intentions were underlined by a hold to love in the next game. The Swiss won seven points in a row to have Nishikori on the mat at 0-40 in the fourth game. The 16^th ranked player fought back to deuce, only to negate the good work with a couple of forehand errors. Federer finally had his first break of the match.

An aesthetic down the line gem off the Federer backhand forced the sixth game to deuce. Nishikori wilted under the pressure to succumb to a second break as the Swiss took a comfortable 5-1 lead. Federer worked his forehand effectively to hold at love and push the match into a decider. It was a 32 minute set that captured the essence of Federer’s brilliance, captivating both viewer and victim.

Federer had a window of opportunity at 15-30 on the Nishikori serve in the third game of the final set. But the diminutive Japanese player served bullets to shut the door. The Swiss was returning from a two month break and the effects showed up in the next game. Unseemly errors proved costly, as the Swiss surrendered a vital break to slip to 1-3.

Nishikori coasted from there, holding at love to take a commanding 5-2 lead. Serving to stay in the match, Federer sank a forehand in the net to offer match points to Nishikori at 15-40 in the eighth game. He repeated the error on the next point to hand Nishikori a deserved victory. The Japanese grew up admiring the great Swiss and the victory will be a treasured memory.

“I’m going to go back to the practice court, train hard, and make sure I don’t have these kinds of days anymore,” said the disappointed Federer. “I was lacking control from the baseline, and that pretty much carried through from start to finish. I’m pretty disappointed with my play.”

Federer trudges off after his match against Nishikori on day six of the Mutua Madrid Open at the Caja Magica on May 9, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. (Getty Images)

Nadal on the other hand marches on unaffected, posting another easy victory to reach the 55^th ATP World Tour 1000 event quarter-finals of his flourishing career. The Spaniard broke Youzhny five times to rout the Russian 6-2, 6-3 in an hour and 15 minutes of utterly dominant tennis. The Mallorcan is now two wins away from a seventh final in as many tournaments since his return to the tour in February.

His opponent in the quarters is compatriot David Ferrer. The world No.4 had his hands full dealing with the Tommy Haas, who has been doing a fine job of rolling back the years. Ferrer needed well over two hours to overcome Haas 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 to book his spot in the last eight. The quarterfinal is going to be an uphill climb for Ferrer. He has managed a solitary victory in fifteen meetings against Nadal on clay.

In the match of the night, for sheer excitement, Andy Murray showed remarkable resilience and desire to overturn a massive deficit against Gilles Simon. The Scot was down by a set and a break in the second, before working his way back into the match. Murray completed a scintillating 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(6) victory in nearly three hours, on a night when he was far from his best.

The match turned after a titanic 14-minute duel for the fourth game in the second set. It was an 18 point game that saw seven break points and went to deuce six times. Eventually Murray broke serve and got the set on even keel at 2-2. At the death, Simon saved as many as five match points – three to force the breaker and two more in the tie-break – but ran out of steam in the end to slump to an eleventh defeat in twelve matches against Murray.

In the quarters, Murray will play Tomas Berdych. The world No.6 was in trouble in the first set, when Kevin Anderson served for it twice, but somehow found a way out to force the tie-break. Berdych faced stiff resistance throughout the match before prevailing 7-6(5), 7-5 in just under two hours. The Czech was runner up last year to Federer. Berdych and Murray have a 4-4 career record, but the Czech has won both their matches on clay.

Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning his men’s singles third round tennis match against Mikhail Youzhny at the Madrid Masters on May 9, 2013. (Getty Images)

The other quarterfinal will feature a thrilling battle between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Stanislas Wawrinka. The two had also met at the same stage in Monte-Carlo last month. The Frenchman needed three sets to end the resistance of Fernando Verdasco, who is battling to bring his career back on the rails. Tsonga came back strongly from a first set loss to clinch a spot in the last eight with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over the Spaniard.

Wawrinka, the winner in Portugal last week, took down the Djokovic slayer Grigor Dimitrov 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a match that turned progressively lopsided. As does happen most happen, the Bulgarian disappointed by not wasting the massive victory over Djokovic. The other surprise package of the week, Pablo Andujar kept his wildcard alive without too much effort. The Spaniard was 5-5 against Daniel Gimeno-Traver, when the later was forced to retire with a leg abductor injury. Nishikori awaits him in the quarters.

Quarter-finals

[5] Rafael Nadal (ESP) v [4] David Ferrer (ESP)

[WC] Pablo Andujar (ESP) v [14] Kei Nishikori (JPN)

[3] Andy Murray (GBR) v [6] Tomas Berdych (CZE)

[15] Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) v [7] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)

It was near the end of the 2008 season. Manchester United took a mind numbing 6-5 victory in sudden death to snatch the Champions League from the feet of those devastated men from Chelsea. Long years from now, it will be one of those celebrated moments that shall enrich the folklore around this storied football boss.

I was up late into the night – watching two of the finest clubs in the world kick a ball around on an under-prepared surface on a rainy night in faraway Moscow. That the circumstances of the game, the poor surface or the wet weather did little to dampen the spirits of the players or those watching the action is a richly deserved tribute to this great sport called football and a persevering manager called Sir Alex Ferguson. It was a triumphant night that adorns the old man’s crown like a spectacular ruby.

Sport is generous, yet unforgiving. And that special night mirrored the many faces of sport, as it unravelled itself in a thousand hues to fill the hearts of the many millions watching, even as it ripped open the hearts of those that dreamt of a Chelsea triumph.

The Champions League Final was a game to remember – two English clubs in a European final is a rarity despite the exemplary standards of the Premier League. One of the men at the head of the chariot was a Man United legend – already European Champion and a serial winner at home. The other man was a manager by default – Chelsea dismissed their much celebrated coach, Jose Mourinho earlier in the season. Man United has been there and done it before, for Chelsea though, this was their first visit to the summit clash. But Chelsea had the Man United number – they have beaten them more often than not.

The game started with a dominant United driving play and controlling the pace. Cristiano Ronaldo, in Manchester then, rose to the occasion literally, meeting the ball in the air and making no mistake. He had scored an astounding 42 times for his club that season; eight of them came in European matches. Would it be enough to clinch the deal?

Well, it looked exactly like that as United continued to dominate before dropping guard at the stroke of half-time. A terrible mistake in defence was preyed upon by Lampard as he slotted home the equaliser. Sport is uplifting, and Lampard was drawing all he can from the deep well. After losing his mother in April that year, he had his game to provide him peace and joy.

Chelsea walked out of the locker room invigorated and hopeful as they took the game to United in the second half. The English champions were forced to dance to the tunes of Chelsea as they started to compose the music. The tension was palpable, but neither team would find a decider.

Didier Drogba was all set to leave Chelsea, and if Abramovich was concerned about it, he would not be after that tardy night. First a fantastic shot from his magical right foot beat Van der Sar, only to meet the woodwork. He connected with his hand, as if to make up, slapping Nemanja Vidic in the second half of extra time. He was promptly sent off the pitch by the alert and understated referee.

It was an ugly mess as both teams jostled and jousted, with neither purpose nor piety. A red card and a couple of yellow cards did enough to inject some sense, even as the not-so-beautiful side of the sport was exposed to the witness and the waiting.

Lampard threatened to put Chelsea ahead at the very beginning of extra time, but ended up striking the crossbar. By now United were finding it tough to breathe as Chelsea suffocated their free flowing game, but they started to find their range as the game wound on. Ryan Giggs who came on in the 87th minute, overtook Bobby Charlton as the most capped United player ever. He came close to capping the occasion with a goal, but found Terry equal to the task on the goal line after beating Cech. What a pity. Giggs should have put that away.

With extra-time played out, this game had to be decided on a lottery. Such a shame these penalty kicks. And as it always turns out, the most prolific come a cropper in front of an open goal. Ronaldo missed the third and Chelsea could smell their medals, almost. John Terry, Chelsea’s brilliant leader, walked up to the spot knowing he was seconds away from handing his beloved club its first European triumph. He slipped, the ball went off target, and Ronaldo must have started breathing again.

As if lottery weren’t bad enough, we had to deal with a decision by sudden death. The first shots were converted and Ryan Giggs stepped up to take Man United’s second shot. He converted with the ease of a veteran and out came Nicolas Anelka. His shot was far more intelligent than Ronaldo – who had made an art out of missing penalties, with his almost stupid stop and start routine – but Van der Sar guessed right and made good with the save. United were European Champions yet again. It was a match to remember at the end of an unforgettable night of teasing and taunting football.

John Terry was gutted, Avram Grant did all he could to console his captain. But it was difficult to tell if the manager’s coat was wet from the tears or the rain. A few metres away there was another man lying flat on the ground and sobbing in relief. Ronaldo knew how close he came to throwing away his golden season, and in tears he found a friend. Ferguson was hopping and halting with the enthusiasm of a spring chicken, soaking in the adulation of his exultant team.

Ah sport, how much could it give you, if only you gave it your time.

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Rafael Nadal made a breezy start to his campaign, needing less than 90 minutes to oust Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-4 to reach the third round of the Madrid Masters. Tomas Berdych had a relatively complicated time earning his spot in the last 16. The Czech had to come from behind for a scratchy 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jerzy Janowicz in two hours and 18 minutes. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga needed two tie-breakers to get past Robin Haase 7-6(5), 7-6(2) in an hour and 48 minutes.

Nadal earned his first break points in the second game, but Paire fought off three deuces and two break points to start the match with a laboured hold. The Frenchman though, could not hold off Nadal for too long. After squandering two more break points in the sixth game, Nadal finally converted his next opportunity to take a 4-2 lead.

Paire held serve in the eighth game at love to force Nadal to serve out the set. The first set point came at 40-15 in the ninth game. Even though the first set point was saved, Paire could not protect against the next and Nadal closed the set in the ninth game. Paire earned his first break point of the match in the fourth game, only for Nadal to snatch it away immediately. It was Paire’s birthday but Nadal was in no mood for generosity.

The decisive break came in the ninth game and Nadal converted his first match point to seal his place in the round of 16. “That’s an important victory today,” said Nadal. “Each match in this kind of tournament is very demanding from the first round. He was a very uncomfortable opponent. He makes you play quite badly. He doesn’t give you any rhythm. He has one of the best backhands in the circuit, without any doubt.”

In an earlier contest, Berdych ran away a 4-1 lead only to be reigned back spectacularly by the 24^th ranked Janowicz. The Pole surrendered a break in the fourth game, but got one back on Berdych in the seventh game. In the ensuing tie-break Janowicz broke twice to take a commanding 6-2 lead over Berdych. The Czech managed to save a set point, but the Pole served out to bag the first set.

In the second set, Berdych flew away quickly winning four games in a row from 2-3 to take the second set in 37 minutes. Unfettered by the loss of the second set, Janowicz sought to force the issue in the decider. Berdych had to survive a couple of deuces and a break point in the opening game of the third, before holding serve.

The Pole held to love in the fourth game to assert his readiness for battle. Berdych strung together a sequence of four games from 2-2 in the decider to clinch his place in the last 16 of the tournament. There was a stutter at the end, with Janowicz saving three match points, but Berdych won a fourth to seal the deal. The Czech also claimed his 400^th career victory, just a day after Andy Murray had accomplished the same feat.

Berdych will play Kevin Anderson for a place in the quarters. The 14^th seeded Kei Nishikori set a date with Roger Federer in the next round, when he defeated Victor Troicki 7-5, 6-2. Tommy Haas defeated Tommy Robredo 6-3, 7-5 and has a past Juan Monaco. 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga took out the qualifier Robin Haase 7-6(5), 7-6(2) to set up an intriguing battle with Fernando Verdasco.

Grigor Dimitrov celebrates after winning his match against Novak Djokovic at the Madrid Masters at Caja Magica in Madrid on May 7, 2013. Dimitrov won 7-6, 6-7, 6-3. (Getty Images)

Madrid came alive to the strains of a dramatic ensemble from a determined Bulgarian and a stoic Serbian on Tuesday night. The two of them turned the Manolo Santana court inside the Caja Magica into a theatre, as they played out a three hour thriller. There were twists and turns; some of the bends coming without warning. There was trauma and drama as Grigor Dimitrov and Novak Djokovic enthralled the eager crowd with some painfully brilliant tennis. Cramps for the Bulgarian and the sprained ankle of Djokovic added to the intensity inside the theatre. The Serbian even seemed offended by the rousing cheer that accompanied each for his opponent’s points. In the end, neither Djokovic’s indignation nor Dimitrov’s cramps in the second set could prevent the man, who many believe has the key to grand destiny, from causing a sensational upset. Dimitrov earned the biggest win of his nascent career, with a hard fought 7-6 (6), 6-7 (8), 6-3 victory to reach the third round of the Mutua Madrid Open.

At 3-2 in the first set, it was Djokovic that made the first move. A brilliant forehand down the line winner forced Dimitrov to deuce. But the Bulgarian pulled out an ace from his bag to stay even with the world No.1. Just when it appeared like the Serbian was ready to push forward, he made three straight errors to fall to 0-40 in the seventh game. The smell of danger aroused the fighter in Djokovic as he clawed back and staved off three deuces before eventually taking a 4-3 lead.

Serving to stay in the set at 4-5, Dimitrov sank a backhand in the net to offer a set point to Djokovic. The Bulgarian stubbed out the opportunity immediately, with his favourite stroke – a backhand down the line winner that was beyond the reach of Djokovic. The kid was hanging tight and it was Djokovic who blinked first. At 30-30 in the eleventh game, the Serbian made a couple of unforced errors to allow the 21-year-old to serve out the first set.

Playing with renewed urgency, Djokovic struck a forehand cross court winner to earn break point in the twelfth game. The set trailed away into a tie-breaker when a backhand from Dimitrov failed to sail past the net on the next point. The world No. 1 appeared to be on course, when he rode an early mini-break to take a 4-1 lead.

Djokovic receives treatment to his right ankle in his match against Dimitrov during day four of the Mutua Madrid Open at the Caja Magica on May 7, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. (Getty Images)

Surprisingly, Djokovic lay to waste a couple of set points at 6-4 and the crowd rallied behind the determined upstart. A scathing forehand down the line winner brought up set point for Dimitrov at 7-6. He made it four in a row, when Djokovic failed to return a kick serve on the next point to bag the set against all odds. The set lasted an hour and five minutes.

It was all too clear that Djokovic had more than a match on his hands. The situation turned grim for the world No.1 when he twice dumped his forehand in the net to fall behind 2-4 in the second set. The ankle flared up too, to compound his deepening misery. But then you would not be the leading player, if you did not know how to respond.

Djokovic took advantage of a double fault from Dimitrov and layered it with a brilliant forehand cross-court winner to earn three break points at 0-40. Even though the 21-year-old fought back to deuce, a forehand volley sealed the break back. The second set was back on serve. With the ankle taped and danger averted, Djokovic stamped his authority in the twelfth game when he held to love to force a second tie-break.

It was Djokovic again who took the mini-break straight away. The Serbian built on a 3-0 start to retain a three point gap at 5-2, catching the line with a backhand winner. Yet again Dimitrov showed remarkable resilience as he clawed his way back to even terms by winning three points on the trot. After saving a set point at 6-5, Dimitrov drew out an ace to earn his first match point. But Djokovic responded with a high kick serve that allowed him to move into the net and force the error. It took two more set points, before Djokovic eventually forced the match into a decisive third set.

Unfortunately for the Serbian, he failed to ride the swing in momentum. The world No.1 made four unseemly errors in the very first game of the third set to surrender the break. When Dimitrov staved off immediate pressure to consolidate the break despite being forced to deuce, it was finally beginning to dawn on the Madrileños that the young Bulgarian was in mood to vacate the court.

At 15-30 in the ninth game, Djokovic was serving to stay in this engaging contest. The moment of reckoning came sooner than expected. The Serbian drowned a forehand in net to offer two match points to the Bulgarian. Another forehand error from Djokovic sealed the defeat. It was a mighty upset by Dimitrov, who is finally beginning to grow into the shoes that have been kept warm just for the young man.

“It’s a great win for me. Good day at the office. I know it’s a big thing, of course. But you got to stay on the ground. Hopefully you’re going to face these guys for years,” said the poised Bulgarian. “You never know how it’s going to be next time. You got to be ready and try to work at it every day and see it as just another test to do and something exciting to look forward.”

It remains to be seen if Dimitrov can indeed live upto those mature words and add substance to the upset by staying on in Madrid through the weekend. For now though, we should all enjoy the transition of Dimitrov from prodigious talent into a promising professional.

Roger Federer was smooth as silk on his return to the courts after a self-imposed hiatus, which lasted nearly eight weeks. The emperor of aesthetic magnificence was an assured 6-3, 6-3 winner over Radek Stepanek at the Mutua Madrid Open. Andy Murray was stretched to the limit by Florian Mayer, but the Scot prevailed in two tense tie-breakers – 7-6(11), 7-6(3) in two hours and six minutes to record his 400th career victory.

Federer, the defending champion, got off to a rousing start. The Swiss maestro strode out purposefully to clinch the first game with four service winners. It almost felt like he was never away. The first break point of the match came in the fourth game, when Stepanek sliced his backhand outside the court. The Swiss only had to watch, as the Czech veteran sailed a forehand long this time to gift the break.

The 34 year old troubled Federer in the very next game, but the world No.2 saved both break points to consolidate the break at 4-1. Stepanek held to 5-3 with an ace, forcing Federer to serve out the set. The maestro over cooked a backhand to squander the first opportunity, but Stepanek responded with a similar error to hand the set to the Swiss player.

Roger was staring an immediate bounty at the start of the second set, but Stepanek recovered from 0-40 to somehow hold serve. The 48^th ranked Czech committed hara-kiri in the third game, when he made four straight errors from 40-15 to surrender the break. The match seemed all but over, when Stepanek courted the net twice in a row with his backhand. Federer was only to serve out the match with a comfortable 5-2 cushion.

But as has happened so often in the recent past, Roger struggled at the finish line in an extended eighth game that needed twenty points to settle the score. And it ended in favour of the Czech as he clung to slim hopes after recovering one of the two breaks at 5-3 in the second set. Stepanek though undid the good work, starting the ninth game with a double fault.

He was quickly down 0-40, and Stepanek only extended his stay on court by staving off the first two points. He slumped to defeat when a backhand down the line sailed wide to help Federer into the third round.  “I didn’t think I played incredible, but that’s not what I was expecting myself to do here,” said an assured Federer.

“So I’m very happy with how things went today. Stepanek is a player who can cause a lot of difficulties in the game,” added the world No.2. “He has caused me difficulties in the past. Today that wasn’t the case. I thought I was pretty much in control.” Federer converted four of ten break points and struck 23 winners, but he was also aided by as many as 30 unforced errors from his struggling opponent.

It took two entertaining sets of tennis to determine the winner between Murray and Mayer, but it seemed like they played all three. In the first set, Mayer was the only man to face break points – one in the fourth and two in the eighth – but the German saved each of them to force the tie-breaker.

Incredibly, Mayer squandered five set points even as both men stumbled on their serve. Murray wasted his first set point at 11-10 by throwing in a double fault, but a forehand cross court winner helped him eventually close out the first set after an hour and 10 minutes of riveting drama.

The match took a turn towards Mayer, who took advantage of a double fault from Murray to earn an early break and run up a 3-0 lead in the second set. But in a knuckle headed seventh game, Mayer gifted back the initiative when he made four straight unforced errors to surrender the valuable break. Mayer faced two more break points in the eleventh game, but held on to force a second breaker.

The German offered three mini-breaks and Murray helped himself to a commanding 6-2 lead. A forehand cross court winner from the German saved the first, but a thumping forehand down the line winner clinched the deal in favour of Murray. Murray had 34 winners including six aces, whilst Mayer nullified an impressive 12 aces by making 27 unforced errors. At times Murray seemed to clutch at his back, but we do not have further insight. One can only hope that he is fine.

Murray will play Gilles Simon in the next round. The Frenchman defeated his compatriot Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 7-6(5) in the second round. The 19^th seeded Juan Monaco scored an early upset when he ousted Janko Tipsarevic 7-6(5), 6-3 to reach the third round. Meanwhile, Mikhail Youzhny defeated the form player Fabio Fognini 7-6(4), 2-6, 7-6(5).

The Oeiras champion, Stanislas Wawrinka had an easy 6-4, 6-4 victory over Marius Copil to advance to the round of 16. Daniel Gimeno-Traver upset the French player Richard Gasquet 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 to cut short his preparations for the French Open. Tommy Haas seems to have gained with age – he proved too good for the Italian Andreas Seppi. The German veteran came through 6-1, 6-2 in just 52 minutes of dominant tennis.

Fernando Verdasco proved he could still stand the scrutiny of his countrymen with a brilliant 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(7) victory over Milos Raonic. Tommy Robredo stamped out Marcos Baghdatis 6-4, 6-2 to book his place in the last 16. The pick of Wednesday’s matches is the contest between Jerzy Janowicz and Tomas Berdych. Rafael Nadal will also open his campaign against Benoit Paire.

If sport were raw battle, Novak Djokovic would be a marauding warrior galloping intently towards the fortress at Roland Garros. It is the only remaining realm, standing between Djokovic and unhindered domination. With less than three weeks to the start of the 112^th French Open, Madrid and Rome are playing host to the inevitable skirmishes ahead of the actual combat. The world No.1 has established a firm grip over vast tracts of the tennis empire. But there is still a long reigning Spanish King who is holding firm from the dust bowls of Europe to thwart the Serbian’s campaign for undisputed supremacy.

The French Open is the only major title missing in the bulging collection of Djokovic. Even though the Serbian won his maiden grand slam at Melbourne in 2008, he had to wait till the US Open in 2010 for his next appearance in a grand slam final. By then though, Djokovic had begun to plot his assault on the crown. And his desire was stoked into a raging firestorm inspired by that sensational Serbian triumph in the Davis Cup finals of 2010.

After all, he was stymied long enough by a couple of steadfast men at the helm of the tour. The Serbian had already adopted a scientific, minutely detailed training regimen in 2010 to reinvent himself into a mean machine capable of taking on the collective might of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The duo had established an oligarchy that had a stranglehold over the big events on the ATP World Tour. Djokovic stormed into their bastion with vigour to break their duopoly with definite authority.

A consistent Andy Murray added to the texture even as the tour reveled in the new found wealth of the Serbian’s exuberance, resolve and assurance. But then there was one piece of the puzzle that wouldn’t fall in place for Djokovic. Even at the height of his powers in 2011, he met with an inspired Federer who took down the Serbian in four hard fought sets to deny him a place in the finals of the French Open.

Eventually, Djokovic reached his first final at Roland Garros last year. Incessant rain and an obdurate Nadal combined to deny the Serbian again in four sets over two miserable days. An intense desire to plug the only real hole on his resume is beginning to gnaw away at Djokovic. The fact that he won both Madrid and Rome in convincing fashion in 2011 underlined the Serbian’s comfort on the European shale.

After an incessant battle for elusive answers, Djokovic must have experienced a sudden surge of confidence in Monte Carlo last month. On a surface, that is deemed slower than Paris, Djokovic stamped out Nadal with disparaging ease. At a club that the Spaniard literally owned, the world No.1 nearly routed the King of Clay. It was a convincing argument, but the debate is still raging.

As the big four line up at Madrid, there is more at stake for Djokovic than the other three. He has Nadal on the ropes, now can he bruise him? Can he induce doubt into the unshakeable mind of the Spaniard as they roll into Paris? Like heavyweight boxers lining up for the quintessential weigh in, the onus is on the Serbian to jostle for space. And nudge Nadal just enough to shake him off his steady feet.

There is no questioning the weapons at his disposal – Djokovic has a lethal backhand that has troubled Nadal more than any other stroke in tennis, especially on clay. The sheer bestial brilliance of the tussle between Nadal’s forehand and Djokovic’s backhand has ignited Europe. The flames of excitement are only fuelled by Djokovic’s willingness to step in on the ball and whip it on the raise. It is a venomous response that is depriving Nadal the crucial seconds needed to run around the deuce court and bring his forehand into play.

The long reign of Nadal is under stress. The spectators are licking their lips in anticipation of the pleasure from watching these gladiators strain every sinew possible. In Melbourne at the beginning of the year and in Flushing Meadows later last year, Nadal and Djokovic fought with primal urgency for hours on end. It is these enduring battles that characterised the growing intensity of their definitive rivalry.

And even as Roland Garros assumes the contours of a coliseum, the road to the amphitheatre leads them through the by lanes of Madrid and Rome. It will be important for Djokovic to strike a telling blow or two, most importantly in Rome. The Serbian made a dent in Monte Carlo, but he needs to excavate deeper in the next two weeks. Nadal is after all a seven time champion in Paris and the familiar flavours of Paris always bring the best out of the Mallorcan.

The layered narrative is made even more complicated by the rankings – if Nadal remains world No.5 there is a possibility that the two best men at the moment could even meet in the quarters or semis in Paris. As anti-climaxes go, it could not get any worse than that for the expectant fans. It would be entirely ironic for these men to indulge in a battle of attrition with no prize in sight.

After years of procession like certainty about the clay season, the air is pregnant with possibilities – will Nadal enhance his reputation even further or Djokovic complete his career grand slam? The script is being readied even as we dwell on these thoughts and irrespective of the outcome a thrilling story is waiting to be told.

Roger Federer of Switzerland, pictured here during his BNP Paribas Open quarterfinal on March 14, 2013, reacts after losing a point against Rafael Nadal of Spain in Indian Wells, California. Nadal won 6-4, 6-2. (Getty Images)

At 31 – the best part of 25 years spent on tennis courts – Roger Federer is dealing with the poignant effects of time. The soul is dancing alright, even though the body seems out of step at times. A genius still resides in his fecund mind, but the limbs do not always resonate to its strains of brilliance. Of course, he is still a magician who can set ice on fire. Unfortunately his wand isn’t as reliable as it once was, often letting its master down just at the moment of reckoning. The final chapter in the brilliant saga of Federer could still prove to be a climax worthy of a magnum opus, but the ice in the champagne bucket is fast melting.

Federer, no doubt, can feel the water under his feet. As a seasoned practitioner with a firm grip on the nuances of his craft, the Swiss is already carving himself a suitable space to avoid sinking the boat. Federer seems to have embraced a moderate schedule interspersed with rest and vacation as the mantra in his quest to prolong his prolific career. And the rules of the ATP World Tour are coming to the aid of the ageing genius.

The ATP allows players to drop a Masters Series event without inviting penalty when they meet any of the following criteria –

a)      Complete 600 matches on the ATP World Tour

b)      12 years of service on the tour

c)      31 years of age

A player who meets all of these three conditions is allowed an unconditional exemption. It means that the player could only opt to play the tournaments of his choice, without inviting a financial penalty. Federer is the first professional to meet these three requirements. And the Swiss is not loath to scheduling his calendar to nurse himself into shape. After all, longevity has always been one of Federer’s barometers for success.

Federer’s plans for 2013 include a seven week break between Indian Wells and Madrid this week, four weeks of rest between Wimbledon and Montreal and a further four between the US Open and Shanghai. The world No.2 has already skipped two Masters series events this year – Miami and Monte Carlo. The rest is well deserved and could even help the maestro rejuvenate and stay fresh. But life on the tour is a demanding circus and the Swiss is all too aware of its many foibles. To preserve or persevere – this in essence is the dilemma facing Federer.

The consistency of the Swiss maestro is a tough act to emulate, even if the maestro himself tried all over again. And that awareness is nudging Federer to take an unconventional approach to sustain his brilliant aura. It remains to be seen whether the results stack up well for the genius from Basel, whose first foray on clay this season will be on Tuesday. With only Madrid and Rome left to go before the pilgrimage to Roland Garros, Federer will hope for a deep run at both tournaments.

The Swiss ace has taken time off to go on vacation with his family and also watch football club FC Basel in action. Federer watched on from the grandstand during their UEFA Europa League semifinal First Leg against Chelsea at St. Jakob Stadium on April 25, 2013. (Getty Images)

By Federer’s lofty standards, 2013 has been a modest year thus far. The Swiss has a 13-4 record and is still searching for a first final this season. The downside of Roger’s limited schedule is the constant pressure on his ranking. With the top players consistent most of the time, Federer is at risk of sliding down the ladder if he suffers a couple of poor results. Andy Murray is hot on the heels of Federer, only 100 points adrift in the rankings released this Monday.

Rafael Nadal hasn’t withered one bit despite being away from the game for seven long months. In fact the Spaniard has reached the finals of each of the six events since his comeback in Chile. Nadal is the only man to have won four times this season. David Ferrer is also 31, but he is showing no signs of cooling down as he keeps up his gruelling playing schedule. Unless Federer keeps up with his neighbours, he could very soon face the prospect of facing Novak Djokovic, Nadal or Murray at the quarter-final stages of the big tournaments.

Federer though seems to believe that the rest is exactly what the doctor ordered. The Swiss player’s hypothesis will be put to test this week in Madrid and then in Rome. If Federer can make the weekend at these events, it would vindicate his thought process. If not, the Swiss will expose himself to intense scrutiny about his declining fortunes.

“I’ve just been home and practising hard as I was hoping to. I feel good now,” emphasised Federer to the press corps in Madrid. “It took me a little time to get over my back issue from Indian Wells. But at the same time, that collided with my vacation anyway, which was okay, so I didn’t lose much time there. For me, it was important to take a bit of a rest – not too long – just enough so I’m really sort of tough to beat in the next few months,” added Federer while describing his immediate aspirations.

Over the next few months, we will learn plenty of things about Federer just as he might about himself. It will be interesting to see how he responds to the growing demands of his family alongside a waning career on the winding path towards the Olympics in 2016. Federer will be almost 35 in Rio. It will be nothing less than educating to experience how Federer deals with his career as he keeps himself on the winding road to the next Olympics. No matter where the journey takes him, it will be an enthralling sight to watch the maestro deal with the inescapable effects of time.

File Photo: Bethanie Mattek-Sands (L) of the United States, pictured here during the 2013 Australian Open, talks tactics with Sania Mirza of India. (Getty Images)

Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands overcame stiff resistance from Daniela Hantuchova and Anabel Medina-Garrigues to reach the pre-quarters of the Mutua Madrid Open, a WTA Premier event inside  La Caja Mágica. The fifth seeded Indo-American duo overcame their unseeded opponents 7-6 (3), 4-6, 10-4 after an hour and 46 minutes of an erratic yet thrilling battle in Madrid.

Hantuchova and Medina-Garrigues courted trouble early in the match, after squandering both break points in the third game. The Slovak-Spanish combination fell to 0-40 in the sixth game, but staved danger with a determined effort to keep level at 3-3.

As if rattled by the spirit of their opponents, the Indo-American duo surrendered the first break of the match at love in the seventh game. The mishap set off a numbing sequence of six breaks of serve including a vital break to love by Mirza and Mattek-Sands with their opponents serving for the first set at 6-5.

Hantuchova and Medina-Garrigues blinked first in the tie-break, but Sania and Bethanie returned the compliment soon to leave the breaker evenly poised at 3-2 on the serve. However, the Slovakian and Spaniard gifted two mini-breaks at vital junctures to surrender the first set.

Once again, it was Sania and Bethanie that lost their serve in the second set to fall behind 1-3. The next two games also saw a further exchange of breaks as Hantuchova and Medina-Garrigues fought hard to retain a 4-2 advantage. But the Slovakian and Spaniard failed to serve out the set at 5-3, when they succumbed to the break at love.

But Sania and Bethanie accounted for a fifth break in the second set, when Hantuchova and Medina-Garrigues took their first set point at 30:40 to push the match into a decisive match tie-break. The unseeded pair of Hantuchova and Medina-Garrigues played a loose breaker, conceding four service points to succumb to a narrow defeat.

The Indo-American pair saved only four off ten chances to break serve while their opponents saved seven off twelve points. But then Sania and Bethanie combined well in the match tie-break to run away with a well earned win. Another victory could pit Sania and Bethanie against the 3^rd seeded Ekaterina Makarova  and Elena Vesnina in the quarters of this event that offers €203,000 to the winners of the women’s doubles event.

A ruthless champ: Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning the final of the 2013 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell against Nicolas Almagro on April 28, 2013 in Barcelona. Nadal won 6-3, 6-4. (Getty Images)

Rafael Nadal must be one of those esoteric beings that lumbered into the path of our planet by accident. Maybe it was the smell of the red soil or its soft embracing nature. Either way, the southpaw took a special liking to it, so much so that he slides and rides on it as if he were born only to inhabit the red dirt he surveys with such majestic authority. The glorious sight of Nadal lifting the bulky Trofeo Conde de Godó was a timely reminder of the heavyweight credentials of the Spaniard while the tennis season winds its way through the dirty part of the woods. The 12 kilo trophy, made from Silver and American Oak, bore him down under its weight even as the fact that Nadal won eight of those elevated him into a rarefied league of serial winners whose consistency defies human logic.

In a sport where defending a title is considered a mighty honour, the act of doing it for multiple years defeats the prose of even the most celebrated writers. But then, who could keep up with the persistent and relentless ways of men such as Nadal who can never tire of repetition whether it is lining up his bottles, hopping over lines or biting at trophies. The Mallorcan has dominated the red dirt with an iron fist for nearly a decade and his spoils from the efforts on the grime can fill rooms with barely enough space left to even walk around them without tumbling into a heap of metal.

Nadal’s effort this year is worth a special mention, considering that he was returning from a seven month lay-off due to the knee injury that is just as persistent as its incurable master. Andre Agassi, who is celebrating his 43^rd birthday on Monday, knows a thing or two about comebacks. The iconic American had worked his way back from a lowly 141^st before recovering enough to win grand slam titles and become the oldest world No.1 in the history of the ATP World Tour rankings.

Speaking to The Age after Nadal had withdrawn from the Australian Open this January, Agassi urged patience from Nadal and his fans.“I found whatever time you take away from the game you need that time to double to be fully where you were when you left, that’s my experience,” vouched Agassi at that time. ”If he comes back in the first half of the year, you won’t see him at his best, historically speaking with my experience, until this tournament next year.” Nadal has essentially thrust a dozen eggs into his face, enough to bake his birthday cake, with a stellar effort since his comeback.

Of course, an equally merciless Novak Djokovic denied a ninth title at Monte Carlo with a consummate performance. But Nadal already had eight of those elegant trophies stashed away in his bulging trophy cabinet. Guillermo Vilas, for so long the benchmark in clay court tennis before the arrival of Nadal, is the only other male player to own so many titles at a single tournament during the Open Era.

But one has to remember that Vilas only won his titles at an ATP World Tour 250 event, the ATP Buenos Aires, which typically attracts a collection of players with relatively lower pedigree. Eight consecutive titles at an ATP World Tour 1000 Masters event is probably one of those monster records that might retain a ghostly existence even after the mortal departure of its creator. No other human being, male or female, has ever won eight consecutive times at a single tournament.

Nadal (L) and compatriot Almagro pose with their trophies after the final of the Barcelona Open tennis tournament Conde de Godo in Barcelona on April 28, 2013. (Getty Images)

The beastly man could have made that number nine, but for a precautionary withdrawal due to fatigue from Barcelona in 2010. Nadal’s victory on Sunday over Nicolas Almagro earned the world No. 5 his eighth title at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona, where the Spaniard has only lost 2 of 82 sets in the ATP World Tour 500 event. It is a colossal effort that has brought Nadal 39 straight victories at the Catalonian capital since 2005. Rafa also has a collection of six trophies from the ATP World Tour 1000 Rome Masters, where he is the defending champion.

The most impressive number for Nadal has to be the seven titles at the French Open that have so defined his greatness and secured his place in the pantheon of tennis legends. Only time will tell how far Nadal will further these numbers, blazing a trail that will only seem like a surreal plume of smoke on the horizon for most professional tennis players. Searching for anything better would mean a quick trip to the world war period when Jean Borotra won an impressive eleven titles (1926-1949) at the British Covered Court Championships, an indoor event that was discontinued in 1971. By a strange coincidence, even the next best effort is at a tournament that has been discontinued. William Johnston won SAP Open ten times between 1913 and 1927.

No conversation over Nadal can be complete without the mention of Roger Federer, just as it is the other way round. The presence of one has enhanced the other, magnifying the brilliance of their unsurpassed achievements. So too it is with the discussion on serial winners – Federer emulated Pete Sampras last year when he won his seventh Wimbledon title with a victory over Andy Murray. The aesthetic genius of Federer has also accounted for five straight titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open, a staggering feat during this era of brutally powerful tennis. The Swiss also has six titles at the intensely competitive ATP World Tour Finals, a feat that has only been bettered by John McEnroe (8) and Ivan Lendl (7) in the era of World Championship Tennis.

In fact, the most decorated man in tennis has five trophies from five different events including the US Open, the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Swiss Indoors in Basel, Dubai Tennis Championships and the ATP World Tour 1000 Cincinnati Masters. But unlike Federer, who has collected his trophies at different times of the season, Nadal’s success is magnified by the fact that he has dominated the European summer for almost a decade with a determined stranglehold that will be difficult to surpass. Nadal has a record 22 ATP World Tour 1000 Masters Series titles – interestingly 17 of these have come on the red shale of Monte Carlo, Hamburg, Madrid and Rome. In 2010, Nadal swept the clay season taking titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid, Rome before crowning himself in glory with his fifth French Open title.

Tradition: Nadal bites the trophy after winning the final against Almagro.  (Getty Images)

All said and done, the 26-year-old is clearly far from finished even as the tennis community looks on in amazement at the Manacor man’s run on clay. There is no real challenger in sight, with the exception of Djokovic, and it is this aspect that fills one with trepidation at how much farther Nadal could drive his success on the European clay. If success affords players the luxury of making a tennis court their home, Nadal is like a spoilt millionaire with castles built on every meaningful clay court on the European circuit.

As serial winners go, Nadal’s accomplishments have to count amongst the most formidable records not just in tennis, but in sport overall. If you are still in doubt, ask those beleaguered compatriots of Nadal who are often the victims of his savage brilliance. Not convinced? Well, remember then that Nadal disrobed the true blue emperor of tennis – Roger Federer – on four miserable occasions inside Court Philippe Chatrier with primeval ruthlessness. What is even scarier is that there could be so much left in the implacable guts of Nadal before he hangs his dirty socks to dry by some Mediterranean beach.

Rafael Nadal beat Nicolas Almagro for the tenth straight time, recovering from an early flutter with characteristic grit to clinch his eighth Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell title with a relatively simple 6-4 6-3  victory in an hour and 30 minutes on the Pista Central at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona. A couple of months ago, there were questions swirling over the ability of Nadal to make an impact after returning from a seven month layoff due to a knee injury.

Nadal has answered most of these questions with an emphatic fourth title in six tournaments since his return to the Tour in February. The victory marked a 54^th career title for Nadal and a 39^th trophy on his favourite red clay. In doing so, Nadal became the only man this year to have already won four events. The indefatigable Spaniard has also made at least the finals in each of his appearances since returning from a lengthy absence due to a recurrent knee injury.

A couple of backhand cross court winners handed the initiative to Almagro at 15-40 in the first game on the Nadal serve. The world No.5 sailed a forehand wide to gift a break at the start of the set, just as was the case against Milos Raonic in the semis. The big difference on this occasion was that the second break in the set did not belong to Nadal.

Nadal found the net with a sliced backhand to offer another break point in the third game and Almagro took it eagerly with a forehand cross court winner to assume control of the set at 3-0. It would only be a few minutes before Almagro learnt that his grasp of the situation turned out to be rather too transient.

In his typically resilient style, Nadal started to repair the situation without the least concern for the situation. Almagro helped his opponent by floundering with his backhand twice in a row to slip to 0-40 in the fourth game. Almagro saved the first two, but Nadal ran past the ball to take it on the forehand and smack a crisp down the line winner to snatch one of those two breaks.

Almagro ran out of savings in the bank, when he produced an untimely double fault to surrender the second break as Nadal clawed back to 3-3. Serving in the ninth game, Nadal was tested again by a determined Almagro. But despite earning three break points to serve for the set, Almagro failed to convert any. It was partly also due to some big serving from Nadal, who pulled out an ace and a service winner to save the moment.

Serving to stay in the set at 4-5, Almagro chose an inopportune moment to make a costly forehand error. At 30-30, with his nerves jangling, Almagro rattled the net with a cross court forehand to offer set point to Nadal. The King of Clay showed Almagro how it is done, with a thumping forehand cross court winner to clinch the set. Nadal had won six of the last seven games, clearly occupying acres of space inside the scarred Almagro head.

Nadal held serve with ease to begin the first game of the second set, before finding himself seated on three break points in the second game. The 12^th ranked Almagro showed great resilience to win five points in a row to prove that he was not nearly deflated from that painful loss in the first set. But then, Rafa’s ability to grind relentlessly can sap the last ounce of energy from the best prepared men.

Almagro was serving with a degree of comfort at 40-15 in the fourth game when the counter punching abilities of Nadal rattled Almagro into going for extra in search of the elusive winner. In the bargain, Almagro ended up making a series of forehand errors to gift-wrap a break of serve to his formidable opponent.

A comfortable hold in the next game took Rafa to 4-1, within a couple of games of his eighth title in nine years in the Catalonian capital. Almagro clung to slim hope, holding a tight eighth game to force Nadal to serve out for the championship. Rafa earned his first match point when Almagro failed to control his return against a serve that spun and kicked at him with vicious ferocity.

Nadal did not need any more as he struck with raw power on the next point to push Almagro deep behind the baseline. Almagro, stuck in defence, could only send back a loopy response that was met with a disdainful smash from the middle of the court to end the match.

Nadal’s weapons against Almagro were his constant companions – unshakeable faith in his own game, despite trailing by two breaks in the first serve was one of those demonstrable tools. The Mallorcan also ran wide off his deuce to bring his forehand into play. It also helped that Nadal never hesitated to push back his opponent with loathing power before bringing the drop shot into play with telling effect.

Another factor that played into Nadal’s hands was the incessant drizzle midway through the first set, just when Almagro was painting the lines with some ferocious winners. The moisture made the balls heavier and the pace slower, helping Nadal gain more time to construct the points. Almagro sought the umpire to suspend play at a point, but the referee would have nothing of his plea and that affected Almagro during a crucial phase of the match.

With only two key tournaments remaining in the run up to Roland Garros, the injury woes of Nadal are a long forgotten topic. Rafa has been building up nicely ahead of his favourite Grand Slam tournament and with each passing match, it appears that the only man who could mount a meaningful hurdle in the path of an eighth French Open title is a certain Novak Djokovic. The event in Madrid is next, where Roger Federer will return from two months of working on his game in an effort to ensure he remains equally relevant.

Lukas Rosol made a name for himself by trouncing Rafael Nadal in the second round of Wimbledon last year. The Czech proved he was worth more than a sensational upset by handing Guillermo Garcia-Lopez a clay court lesson to clinch his maiden career title at the BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy in Bucharest. The 48^th ranked pro from Brno notched an easy 6-3, 6-2 victory in just 67 minutes to capture the title on his debut as a finalist.

Rosol continued from where he left it against Gilles Simon in the semis, with another consummate performance in the finals. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Czech, who faltered to a break at love in his first game as an ATP Tour finalist. But Rosol recovered his wits immediately to break back in the next game and prevent any damage.

Rosol proved that his nerves were settled when he made the move in the critical eighth game to break Garcia-Lopez after saving a couple of game points for a 5-3 lead. The Czech packed the first set into his bag, taking his first set point after 37 minutes on the court.

The Spaniard courted trouble very early in the second set, when he trailed 15-40 in the first game. Garcia-Lopez saved both the break points, but could not prevent a third break point which Rosol lapped up to gain the upper hand.

The Czech took control of the set in the third game, when Garcia-Lopez fell to 0-40 in the third game. The first couple of chances went begging, but Rosol converted at the third time of asking to take a commanding 3-0 lead. Time was running out quickly for the 87^th ranked Spaniard, as he was left trailing 0-4 when Rosol consolidated a double break.

Garcia-Lopez held serve twice after that, but it was Rosol who was serving for the match at 5-2. The Czech had two match points at 40-15 and even though the first was turned down, Rosol took the second to clinch his maiden tour title at the age of 27.

“It could not be better this week,” said Rosol. “I came here from a full two weeks of practice. I didn’t know what to expect of myself. So I’m pretty satisfied with this result.” He added, “I will remember this week. It was very emotional for me and is something special. I found a way to beat some good players and succeed.”

In clinching the title at Bucharest, Rosol joined Bernard Tomic and Horacio Zeballos as first time winners this season. Tomic had taken his first title at Sydney, while Zeballos embellished his career with a fine victory over Nadal at Vina del Mar in Chile.

BARCELONA, SPAIN – APRIL 27: Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning his semi-final match against Milos Raonic of Canada during day six of the 2013 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell

The rains festered for far longer than their opponents in the semi-finals. The brutally dominant Rafael Nadal and an equally impressive Nicolas Almagro swiped past their hapless opponents like they were unwelcome visitors to their own dwelling. Yet again, Nadal made a slow start before recovering to annihilate the completely outmatched Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-0 to reach his eighth final in nine years at the Barcelona Open BancSabadell. Almagro joined his compatriot in the final with 6-2, 6-1 thumping of Philipp Kohlschreiber in just 51 minutes to reach the finals in Barcelona for the first time in his career.

Nadal was broken to love in the second game, but Raonic courted trouble when he fell to 15-40 in the next game. A couple of volleys bailed Raonic back to deuce, but the Canadian botched a third attempt at the net to offer Nadal a third break point. This time, Nadal decided to foray to the net and recover the break with a feathery touch that dropped dead on the other side.

Nadal nullified a double fault in the sixth game with a thundering ace to hold serve at 3-3, just before Raonic’s backhand decided to take leave of him. The Canadian made three unforced errors off his backhand in the next game to suffer a second break. Raonic forced Nadal to deuce in the eighth game, but a forehand cross-court winner helped the Spaniard to a 5-3 lead.

Raonic forced Nadal to serve out the set, but the world No. 5 had no trouble wrapping up the set with another delectable forehand drop shot at the net. It took Nadal 41 minutes to remind Raonic of his limitations on the slow surface, running him ragged around the court and attacking the second serve with painful regularity.

Raonic slipped to 15-40 at the start of the second set, when he dumped a cross-court backhand in the net. For once, the backhand worked for Raonic – a volley winner followed by an angled cross-court enabled the Canadian claw back to deuce, but a forehand settled in the net to cost Raonic the break. It was all Nadal from there as the Spaniard went on to take seven games in a row to take his appointed place in the finals with a fourth straight career victory over Raonic.

“I think it was my best match of the whole week,” said Nadal. “He played a fantastic second game on the return. I won the third game, which was very important for the match, because if you are 3-love down against a big server like Milos, you’re in big trouble.”

In the other semi-final, Nicolas Almagro, playing on the adjacent Pista One at the Real Club de Tenis, had a fluent outing too. The 12^th ranked man from Murcia reached his second ATP Tour final of the year, with a couple of breaks in each set to reach the final for the first time in 10 appearances at Barcelona.

Spanish player Nicolas Almagro celebrates his victory against German player Philipp Kohlschreiber during the Barcelona Open tennis tournament Conde de Godo in Barcelona on April 27, 2013. Almagro won 2-6, 1-6.

Almagro did not offer a single break point and converted four of seven opportunities to dismiss the 8^th seeded German. The Spaniard, who lost in Houston at the hands of John Isner, will need a first victory in ten meetings over Nadal to clinch his 13^th career title. All of Almagro’s success has come on clay.  “I think I played one of my best matches here in Spain,” said an even more pleased Almagro. “I felt really good all the time during the match. I’m really happy to be in my first final in Barcelona”

But his opponent in the final is in the middle of a wonderfully rewarding comeback from a seven-month injury layoff. Nadal came back in February at Vina del Mar where he lost to Horacio Zeballos, but then won titles in Sao Paulo, Acapulco and Indian Wells before losing to Novak Djokovic in the title match at Monte Carlo last week. Nadal will be bidding for his 39^th title on clay and a 54^th career triumph on Sunday.

Rafael Nadal celebrates his victory against his compatriot Albert Ramos

Barcelona taught us a little something on Friday – the morning, it seems, isn’t Rafael Nadal’s favourite time to be on a tennis court battling foes. The Majorcan seemed all at sea in the morning against Benoit Paire before collecting himself to enjoy a rather smooth ride through the rest of the day. In a match of two parts, Nadal took control in the first set tiebreaker before overwhelming Paire 7-6(2), 6-2 to reach the quarters. With rain washing off much of Thursday, Nadal and Albert Ramos-Vinolas – who beat Kei Nishikori in another third round match – had to return to the court and play for a second time. Eager to preserve himself for the weekend, Nadal made short work of his compatriot 6-3, 6-0 to secure his spot in the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

The promise of a Nishikori – Nadal quarterfinal was laid to waste by an efficient Ramos, who cleared the path for his countryman with a clinically narrow 6-4, 7-6(4) victory in an hour and 43 minutes. Unfortunately for Ramos, that did not earn him any favours from his ruthless opponent in the quarters, who packed him out of Barcelona with a crushing defeat that ended with the world No.5 winning seven games in a row. By the end of the match, Nadal was literally toying with his opponent, controlling points with his lethal forehand.

“I played much better this afternoon than in the morning,” Nadal said. “I’m very happy to be in the semi-finals another time in a very important tournament. I’m enjoying the week playing here. I love the tournament. I know everybody well. It feels like home, always.”

In the semis, Nadal will face Milos Raonic – the Canadian came through an intensely competitive quarter-final battle against an energised Tommy Robredo. Raonic needed two hours and 23 minutes to subdue the Spaniard 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(2) to set up a date with the deity of red dirt. Just a few hours earlier, Robredo enjoyed his biggest success in more than two years when he made a remarkable turn to oust Tomas Berdych 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 in a yo-yo contest lasting two hours and 15 minutes. Berdych courted trouble early in the second set, surrendering a couple of breaks to trail 1-5. But the Czech won four in a row to erase the deficit and edge closer to what might have been a straight set victory.

Robredo halted the march by forcing the tie-breaker, which he took at the third time of asking to push the match into a final set. Berdych compounded his problems by surrendering a break in the first game and Robredo made him pay by breaking again in the ninth game to take the match. The Spaniard appeared on course for a showdown with Nadal, when he took a closely-contested first set in a breaker, before Raonic turned the tide with a break in the fourth game of the second set. The third set was a close affair, both men playing safe and steady, but 30-year-old Robredo ran out of legs in the ensuing tiebreak to surrender tamely towards the end. Raonic had an easy outing in the third round, when he ousted Ernests Gulbis 6-2, 7-6(6) to reach the quarters.

Milos Raonic in action

Nicolas Almagro continued playing flawless tennis as he coasted into the last four, saving all ten break points faced to oust another player in fine form, Juan Monaco, 6-3, 7-5 in an hour and 45 minutes. Philipp Kohlschreiber was spared any exertion when his opponent Thomaz Bellucci withdrew due to an injury without stepping on the court. Earlier in the day, the German began proceedings to complete his spilt-over match from Thursday. Kohlschreiber completed his come-from-behind effort to deny Martin Klizan 1-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(5) to reach the quarters.

Results

QF (4) N Almagro d. (7)  J Monaco                             6-3, 7-5

QF (2) R Nadal   d. A Ramos                                         6-3, 6-0

QF P Kohlschreiber d. (16) T Bellucci                        Walkover

QF M Raonic d. T Robredo                                           6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(2)