Top awards from Madrid's Premier Mandatory

Every week has its stories of tennis heroics and failures, but Madrid’s Premier Mandatory has produced enthralling memories. So it’s time to pass out some well-deserved awards and a few takeaways heading to Rome and Roland Garros.

Garbine Muguruza

Who would have thought Garbine Muguruza would go out 6-1, 6-3 on clay in Madrid. This might be the low point of the year for the defending French Open champion. But it’s too early to write her off. Some of the pressure and expectations are already evaporating, so maybe she will relax and make a run to the semifinals.

Eugenie Bouchard defeat Maria Sharapova 7-5, 2-6, 6-4

The hype had been building for days, but the match was even better. The first surprise was that Eugenie Bouchard played like it was 2014. That she stood up to Maria Sharapova with inspired toughness is both encouraging and bewildering. Why did she need Sharapova to suddenly inspire her?

Eugenie Bouchard’s forehand stab to the corner

The shot of the week in the match of the week. Take a bow, Genie, you earned it.

Angelique Kerber vs. Bouchard, 6-3, 5-0 (retired)

Clearly Angelique Kerber is not playing like the No. 1 player in the world, but she has been reaping the rewards for the points she piled up in 2016. She’s struggling with a disconcerting trend of flatter energy and the inability to outgrind her opponents. She hardly put up a fight against hungry Bouchard and pulled out with injury with one game left in the match.

Worst of all, Kerber has already checked out mentally for the next month, saying she has no expectations on clay.

Simona Halep

The Romanian started her trip to Madrid by winning a $250,000 purse at the Tie Break Tens title. Then she went after the real deal, extending her win streak to 12.

After surviving a third set tiebreaker against Roberta Vinci In the second round, Halep steamrolled her way to the final. There she battled past an on-fire Kristina Mladenovic for her second Madrid crown.