Barcelona Open: Nadal in seventh heaven, Ferrer in fourth hell
David Ferrer had hoped that this day would prove to be a special one for him. Ahead of the 60th edition of the Barcelona Open…
Marianne Bevis Archives: 04/2012
Barcelona Open: Evergreen Ferrer to face nemesis Nadal once again
When the tennis gods handed out fighting spirit, they gave the biggest helpings to two Spanish men. Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer are the kind…
Barcelona Open: Raonic beats Murray to join Spaniards in semis
In beautiful Barcelona, the weather reflected a certain gloom. For a city so passionate about sport, the resignation of Pep Guardiola, coach and former player…
Stuttgart Premier: Petkovic falls, Barthel rises for Germany
Everything about the only German tournament on the women’s tour whispers understated class. From the sophisticated design of its website to the redolent name of…
Wimbledon prize money: Top four help boost earnings for lower ranks
The news that the most famous tennis tournament in the world had increased its prize money for this year’s players was not, of itself, unusual.…
Monte Carlo Masters 2012: Nadal beats Djokovic to the title
Eight, 20, 30, 33, 42, 236…They could be lottery numbers, but luck has little to do with it when it comes to Rafael Nadal and…
Monte Carlo Masters 2012: Djokovic & Nadal to meet in final
There had been ups and down en route to the semi-finals of the first clay tournament of 2012, the Monte Carlo Masters, for the two…
Monte Carlo Masters 2012: Berdych Czech-mates Murray
Quarter-finals day, Friday, at the tennis club poised above the Mediterranean sweep of Monte Carlo could not have dawned more differently than its subdued predecessor.…
Monte Carlo Masters: Dolgopolov delights as Djokovic & Nadal cruise
Three days of main draw action have been and gone and the suspense was becoming almost tangible. But finally, on Day Four in Monte Carlo,…
Monte Carlo Masters 2012: Short, sharp start for Andy Murray
Andy Murray made his return to clay in Monte Carlo this week for the first time since his best-ever performance on the red dirt at…
Monte Carlo Masters 2012: Spain’s Armada sets sail
One name has become synonymous with the Monte Carlo Masters – and it is a Spanish one. Rafael Nadal has not been defeated on the…
Nadal, Djokovic, Murray: who will master clay and Monte Carlo?
The hard courts have done their best and their worst. The first three months of 2012 began in the opening week of January with the…
Rafael Nadal’s magical place: the clay of Monte Carlo
For Rafael Nadal, the coming of the burnished clay of Europe’s spring season must seem like sinking into a warm bath—quite simply, like coming home.…
Davis Cup: Del Potro, Tsonga, Ferrer, Berdych head QF line-up
Easter 2012 holds a unique position in the tennis calendar. This year, it is the bridge that takes the players from three full months of…
Sun sets on tennis’s Golden Condor, Fernando Gonzalez
Born, raised—and now retired—in Santiago, one of Chile’s most famous sporting sons has ended his tennis career where he began it 12 years ago, in…
The Masters 2012: Player predicts Augusta glory for McIlroy
The date is the first week in April. The location, the Augusta National Golf Club, is one of the most beautiful in sport. The competition…
Miami Masters 2012: Djokovic beats Murray to win 30th title
Ten days can be very long time in tennis. The final of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami came down to the very men that…