Google Down the Line!: WEEKEND WINNERS: Federer, Serena, + Kirilenko


Monday, April 21, 2008

WEEKEND WINNERS: Federer, Serena, + Kirilenko

Two ballers looked to get their games back on track while another continued her march towards the top.

Estoril - Roger Federer + Maria Kirilenko

Top-ranked Fed, who had been mired in a slump this year, entered Estoril with a new look: Jose Higueras in his back pocket and an ugly blemish on his usually flawless face. But it seems the Swiss stylist finally made the right moves, making his first final this year and earning his first title when Nikolay Davydenko retired with a leg injury in the second set trailing 6-7 (5), 2-1. But with the mid-tier field and a title win over a limping opponent, I'm not sure Fed has silenced speculation about the state of his game...onwards to Monte Carlo!

The other Maria, Kirilenko that is, had a career week on the red clay of Estoril earning both the singles and doubles titles. Could the Russian finally earn the same respect for her on-court play that she gets for her beauty and spot-on fashion? Friend-for-now Maria "Shriek"apova may have something to say about that.

Charleston - Serena "ReRe" Williams

Word to Justine Henin: watch your back. ReRe made a statement this week, earning her first Bausch + Lomb title with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 over feisty Russian Vera Zvonareva and showing she's ready to challenge for the top clay titles including Roland Garros. But the 26-year old also displayed some mental fits in the second set, berating her game for no apparent reason. Nerves? Perfectionism?? Common on the brain??? It's hard to say, but ReRe's surely moving closer to the top of her game.

(images via AP)

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