A LOOK BACK

Open De Guadeloupe (Le Gosier, Guadeloupe): In a battle pitting youth against experience, No. 3 seed Malek Jaziri defeated American teenager Stefan Kozlov, 6-2, 6-4. The win gives the 32-year-old Tunisian the fifth ATP Challenger Tour title of his career and his second in the last four weeks. Jaziri also prevailed last month at the $100,000 tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Despite the loss, Kozlov can consider this week a success. He matched his previous best career result, which came in 2014 by reaching the finals of the $100,000 tournament in Sacramento. The 18-year-old is also projected to rise from No. 295 in the Emirates ATP Rankings to a career-high standing of No. 225.

Capri Watch Cup (Napoli, Italy): In a battle of unseeded players, Jozef Kovalik easily prevailed in the championship match against Arthur De Greef, 6-3, 6-2. The win was particularly impressive since De Greef had not dropped a set all week leading into the final.

Kovalik earned his second ATP Challenger Tour singles title, with his first coming at Meerbusch in 2014. He’s also projected to move into the Top 150 of the Emirates ATP Rankings with this week, a huge climb from his ranking of No. 256 at the start of the season.

A LOOK AHEAD

Two tournaments are the on the calendar this week, with the $100,000 event in Sarasota, Florida, taking top billing. This always-popular tournament returns for the eighth straight year and has an illustrious list of past champions including Kei Nishikori, James Blake, Nick Kyrgios and Sam Querrey. World No. 59 Denis Kudla is the top seed, while #NextGen stars Jared Donaldson (No. 8 seed), Frances Tiafoe and Quentin Halys also look to make their mark this week. Another notable name in the draw is former World No. 20 Dmitry Tursunov.

The $50,000 tournament in Barletta, Italy, also returns this week after a four-year absence. This prestigious tournament features an exceptional array of past champions including Rafael Nadal, Richard Gasquet, Sergi Bruguera, Felix Mantilla and Carlos Costa. This year’s top seed is Rogerio Dutra Silva, but he has a difficult opening match in former World No. 33 Andrey Golubev. Adam Pavlasek, who has reached two ATP Challenger Tour finals this year, is the No. 3 seed, while #NextGen star Elias Ymer is the No. 8 seed. Other notable names in the draw include former World No. 25 Julien Benneteau and former World No. 58 Maximo Gonzalez.

A new edition to the calendar this year is the $50,000 event in Gwangju, Korea. World No. 83 Ricardis Berankis is the No. 1 seed, while veteran Japanese players Tatsuma Ito and Go Soeda are the No. and No. 3 seeds, respectively. Other notable names in the draw include 2012 Wimbledon men’s doubles champion Frederik Nielsen and former World No. 39 Marinko Matosevic.

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There was French success on Day 1 of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Sunday as 15^th seed Gilles Simon and Jeremy Chardy both booked second-round berth.

Simon was a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Viktor Troicki, advancing in one hour and 46 minutes. The 31-year-old Frenchman saved six of the seven break points he faced, while breaking Troicki three times to beat the Serb for the sixth time in six meetings.

Simon reached the semi-finals of this ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay-court tournament in 2012, losing to Rafael Nadal.

Chardy defeated Andrey Kuznetsov 7-6(3), 7-5 in one hour and 54 minutes in a match featuring nine breaks of serve. The 29-year-old Chardy bounced back from three opening round exits on the ATP World Tour, claiming his first victory since reaching the Delray Beach quarter-finals (l. to del Potro).

In the final round of qualifying, Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Stephane Robert enjoyed hard-fought wins. Herbert battled back to edge former World No. 8 Mikhail Youzhny 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-4, while Robert finished strongly in a 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 win over Monegasque Benjamin Balleret.

Jan-Lennard Struff set a first-round clash on Monday with Dominic Thiem as he defeated Hugo Nys 6-2, 6-3, while Miami giant-killer Damir Dzumhur, who stunned Nadal last month, qualified with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Thomas Fabbiano. Completing the main draw field are Filip Krajinovic and Taro Daniel.

One of Nadal’s happy hunting grounds, where he boasted an untouchable dynasty from 2005-’12, the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters has been a home away from home for the 29 year old. With a run to the semi-finals at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells at his back, he says he is playing with the right mentality to open what he hopes to be another fruitful European clay-court season.

“It’s always good to be here,” said Nadal. “I always have special feelings and I’m happy to be back. It’s the right place to be to play tennis. I had good practices in Mallorca and here and I hope to be ready for the action… I am here to try my best in every match and I don’t know how far I can go, but I will try my best to play well.

“I don’t have the stressful feelings like I had last year. I’m feeling much better with myself. The confidence is always the same. After Indian Wells, my confidence has been very high. I want to start the competition now and we’ll see how I play here.”

Nadal arrives at the first clay-court ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event of the year seeded fifth, slated to open against either Lukas Rosol or Aljaz Bedene. A potential quarter-final encounter against fourth seed and 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka looms large, but the Manacor native says he is taking it one step at a time in his return to Monte-Carlo. A second-round exit two weeks ago in Miami, having retired against Damir Dzumhur due to illness, was merely a hiccup after what was a very successful campaign in Indian Wells. 

“It was an important tournament and one that I like a lot,” Nadal said about Indian Wells, where he  notched his first Top 10 win of the year over Kei Nishikori. “It always gives me positive feelings and energy. I played well, won a few matches against tough opponents. I had the right result there, but it’s disappointing what happened in Miami. It was an accident and part of sport life. I want to continue going in a similar way.”

As Nadal embarks on his quest to lift the trophy in the Principality for the first time in four years, he admits he is not the one to beat. That honour rests with World No. 1 and defending champion Novak Djokovic.

“Everybody wants to be in his position now. When you win it’s easier to keep winning and when you lose it’s easier to keep losing. It’s always those same dynamics, especially with an unbelievable player like him. It’s difficult to stop. He’s going to be the favourite for every tournament until somebody shows something different. He’s the player of the moment without a doubt. Everyone sees him as the winner.”

Nadal will begin his bid for a ninth Monte-Carlo crown on Wednesday.

Stan Wawrinka’s 2015 season, in which the Swiss went a career-best 55-18 with four titles, is a tough act to follow. But, coming into the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters with a 15-4 record and two titles in 2016, the No. 4 player in the Emirates ATP Rankings is well on his way to duplicating the feat.

“Even if I have a lot of points to defend in this part of the season, the pressure is on all year long,” acknowledged Wawrinka, who retained his Chennai title in the first week of the year before capturing the Dubai crown over Marcos Baghdatis. “My goal is to qualify for the [Barclays ATP World Tour Finals], so I have to win on a weekly basis.”

The clay-court ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events could prove critical for Wawrinka. The 2014 Monte-Carlo champion (d. Federer) is 17-7 at the event, but is only defending a third-round appearance (l. to Dimitrov last year). Consequently, he stands to make up significant ground on the Novak Djokovic-Andy Murray-Roger Federer triumvirate with a strong showing this week.

“Of course I am happy every year to return to clay. It’s a surface that I love. I’m happy with my progress in training so far,” Wawrinka said. “Monte Carlo is a very enjoyable tournament for us, the players. The setting is magnificent. The conditions are ideal. It’s a Masters 1000, so I have to be ready from the start and hope to have good results.”

Last year, Wawrinka ended this clay-court swing with a bang, shocking the tennis world by denying Djokovic’s bid for a calendar Grand Slam in the Roland Garros final. But, for the 31 year old, the Serb is still the gold standard on the ATP World Tour.

“It’s simply impressive, what he’s accomplished. He’s at a level well above everyone else, but that’s nothing new. He’s been dominating for a couple of years.

“If you look at his results, he’s well ahead of the field. Like Roger [Federer] or Rafa [Nadal] had been at other points. He’s winning everything right now.”

Or not quite everything, if Wawrinka has his way once again.

Wawrinka has a first-round bye and will open against Philipp Kohlschreiber or Borna Coric.

For Roger Federer, who had been sidelined since the Australian Open, a series of unfortunate events has its silver lining.

“I am rested mentally and physically. I believe you can add everything to the back end of your career, in terms of being fresher mentally and being able to train harder. Whatever rest it is, it ends up in a canister you can draw from,” said the Swiss, who underwent arthroscopic left knee surgery for a meniscus tear after his semi-final showing in Melbourne. “Tommy Haas, for instance, has been injured for more than three years in his career, and he is still on tour because mentally he is fresh and he still loves it.”

The 34-year-old Federer had been slated to return at the Miami Open, but was forced to pull out due to illness.

“I’m happy to say that I’ve recovered well from the virus in Miami,” Federer said on Sunday during his pre-tournament press conference at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. “At first, I was concerned that it might be something that would last a while, but I was feeling better three days later. I arrived in Monte Carlo nine or 10 days ago and I’ve been training on centre court for the past eight or nine days. Things are going well. I’m happy with how I move; how I’m hitting the ball. I’ve played a lot of practice sets.”

The additional preparation has been a boon for the four-time finalist (2006-08, 2014), who is looking to win the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters for the first time.

“[Monte Carlo] is an opportunity for top guys to play more freely, since there is less pressure and it’s a change of surface for everyone,” Federer, who lost to Rafael Nadal in his first three finals and to Stan Wawrinka two years ago. “I’ve played very well in Monaco in the past, but for now my objective is to make my return to play, gain a good feel and go from there.

“My knee hasn’t bothered me, but the big test will be seeing how it reacts in match conditions. There are no easy draws in a Masters 1000, so I am not underestimating anyone. At the same time, I hope no one is underestimating me just because I’ve been hurt.”

Federer has a first-round bye and will face either Guillermo Garcia-Lopez or Thomaz Bellucci in his opening match.

Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan have returned to the champions’ podium.

The all-time great doubles team won their first title of the year on Saturday night at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, beating Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic and Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico 4-6, 6-3, 10-8. The Americans broke their opponents in the second set and won a back-and-forth point at 8-all in the match tie-break to serve for the match. A Bob Bryan forehand winner down the line gave them the title, which led to their customary chest bump.

“It was a battle from the first point to the last but we feel like we played our best tennis down the stretch,” Bob Bryan said. “It’s nice to pull out some close wins after losing a few tight matches to start the season. We’re looking forward to building momentum through the clay court season.”

The team has now won Houston six times, making the tournament the third event the Bryans have won at least six times (Australian Open and Los Angeles). The win also ups their overall title tally to 110. Saturday’s win ended a title drought for the duo as well. The team had finished 12 tournaments without a title since winning the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 at Montreal in August 2015. They had gone 13 tournaments between titles before winning their fifth at Acapulco in 2002.

“It feels great to get over the hump and win number 110 after a bit of title drought,” Mike Bryan said. “There’s no better place to do it than in Houston, where we’ve enjoyed so much success and had unbelievable fan support. Thanks to the River Oaks Country Club and its members for another fantastic tournament.”

The Bryans will receive 250 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points and split $27,840. Estrella Burgos and Gonzalez were playing in the first ATP World Tour event together. They will receive 150 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points and split $14,630.

Juan Monaco will play for his first ATP World Tour title in almost three years on Sunday.

The Argentine dismissed Spain’s Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-2 during their semi-finals match on Saturday at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston. Monaco will face an American in the championship, either John Isner or Jack Sock. Monaco last won a title in May 2013 (Dusseldorf), and he’ll be going for his second Houston championship (d. Isner 2012).

“I’m really happy to be here again in the final,” Monaco said on court after the match. “I was really focused, consistent from the baseline.”

It will be the 32 year old’s 21^st career title match and likely one of his more meaningful. He missed six months last fall and earlier this year because of a right wrist injury. Monaco slipped in the Emirates ATP Rankings from No. 39 a year ago to No. 146 this week.

But against Lopez, the 6’1” baseliner overcame some nervy play to advance to another Houston final. Monaco had three chances to break Lopez and gain a 5-1 lead but the Spaniard held and then broke Monaco to get back on serve. The Argentine eventually took the first set, though.

In the second, Monaco broke Lopez three times and used his consistent serving – he hit 71 per cent of his first serves for the match – to win in straight sets. “I think I played a great match,” Monaco said.

The former Top 10 player is playing in just his fifth tour-level tournament of 2016, but he’s exactly where he wants to be on the final day in Houston.

Borna Coric will have another opportunity to claim his first ATP World Tour title after edging Jiri Vesely in two tie-breaks on Saturday at the Grand Prix Hassan II.

Appearing in his second final, Coric will look to go one step further in Marrakech after finishing runner-up to Stan Wawrinka in Chennai to open the season. He downed eighth seed Vesely 7-6(5), 7-6(5), marking the fourth time a NextGen player has reached an ATP World Tour final in 2016. Nick Kyrgios won his maiden title in Marseille and Taylor Fritz reached the final in Memphis.

Third seed Coric needed one hour and 57 minutes to dispatch Vesely, firing six aces. After claiming the opening set in a tie-break, he recovered nicely when conceding an early break in the second and falling behind 3-0. Vesely would deny the Croat’s first match point at 6-4 in the ensuing tie-break, putting away a lunging backhand volley. But an exuberant Coric converted his second as a Vesely forehand sailed long.

“It was a very good match for me,” said Coric. “I’m very young and have a lot of space to learn and improve, but also I’ve been on the tour for many years now and I feel quite confident now.”

The 19-year-old Croat is bidding to become the first teenage titlist on the ATP World Tour since Marin Cilic lifted the trophy in New Haven in 2008. He will face a streaking Federico Delbonis in Sunday’s final.

Delbonis will look to make it an all-Argentine winners’ circle in Marrakech after Guillermo Duran and Maximo Gonzalez won the doubles title on Saturday. The red-hot 25-year-old turned aside 2007 runner-up Albert Montanes 6-4, 6-3 to reach his first tour-level final in nearly two years (Nice 2014). The great result on the Moroccan clay comes less than a month after stunning World No. 2 Andy Murray in the Indian Wells third round. It was his third Top 10 victory.

Appearing in his fourth career ATP World Tour title match, Delbonis will face Coric for the first time.