The first of three Masters 1000 tournaments on clay unfolded this week in Monte Carlo, while women’s action focused on Fed Cup semifinals and play-offs.  Here is a look back at heroes, goats, and GOAT.

Studs:

Swiss men:  In January, Stanislas Wawrinka broke the stranglehold of the Big Four on the majors that had lasted since 2009.  In April, he broke their stranglehold on Masters 1000 tournaments—outside the Paris Indoors—that had lasted since early 2010.  Long overshadowed by Roger Federer, who had won 13 of their 14 meetings, Wawrinka showed that the current rankings are right.  His resilient comeback against Federer for his first Masters 1000 title allowed him to remain at world No. 3 and Swiss No. 1.  Wawrinka has won all six of his matches against the top 10 this year and claimed his last meeting against each of the Big Four.  The rarity of such a late-career breakthrough makes it all the more impressive.

Federer still should feel delighted with his week despite falling a tiebreak short of a Masters 1000 title for the second time this year.  His decision to take a wildcard into Monte Carlo received its reward when he ended the title defense and 23-match Masters 1000 winning streak of Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.  The momentum in that seesawing rivalry now returns to Federer’s corner after Djokovic had claimed it in the Indian Wells final.  With his third victory this year over a fellow member of the Big Four, Federer stands tied with Wawrinka for the ATP lead in victories over top-10 foes. 

David Ferrer:  It seems that nobody beats David Ferrer on clay 18 times in a row.  Vitas Gerulaitis would have been proud of Ferrer’s effort against a man who had throttled him on his favorite surface for nearly a decade, including a resounding loss in last year’s Roland Garros final.  While Rafael Nadal did not produce his best tennis, Ferrer seized the initiative late in each set when the match hung in the balance. His fearlessness in the last few points looked nothing like a man who had not registered a top-10 win this year.  Ferrer might use his semifinal run as a springboard for an impressive clay season, which he needs to retain his elite status.

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez:  Nothing had led onlookers to anticipate the longest winning streak of this Spaniard’s career.  After winning the Casablanca title last week, Garcia-Lopez reached just the second Masters 1000 quarterfinal of his career (and first on clay) by upsetting world No. 5 Tomas Berdych.  A man who has upset Nadal and Andy Murray threatened Novak Djokovic in a quarterfinal, claiming the first set before the Serb restored order.

Pablo Carreno Busta:  So often do lucky losers exploit their second chances.  After losing in the final round of the qualifying draw, Carreno Busta gained entry to the Monte Carlo main draw and made the most of it.  The Spaniard has enjoyed notable success at the Challenger level but has not broken through yet on the ATP Tour.  Two upsets at a Masters 1000 tournament edged Carreno Busta further in the right direction.

Fed Cup finalists:  Neither the Czech Republic nor Germany lost much time in asserting control over this weekend’s semifinal ties.  Both ran up 2-0 leads on the first day that they would not relinquish.  Surface always has defined the clashes between the fast-court Czechs and the clay-loving Italians, two of the competition’s current superpowers.  Since the Czech Republic hosted this tie, Petra Kvitova led her team within one victory of its third Fed Cup title in four years. 

The last remaining resistance to that quest will come from a neighboring nation.  Reaching their first Fed Cup final since 1992, Germany toppled Australia in a battle waged halfway around the world from home.  The Aussies found no answer for German No. 1 Angelique Kerber, who notched two of their three victories in an uneventful sweep.

Kuala Lumpur finalists:  To no surprise, the only elite player in the field made deep inroads at one of the most irrelevant tournaments in the calendar.  Kuala Lumpur is played on hard courts in Southeast Asia immediately before the clay season in Europe.  Still, Dominika Cibulkova found the International tournament worth the long trip, and she made it worth her while by reaching her third final of 2014.  She was stunned there in a three-hour epic by Donna Vekic, who mounted three three-set comebacks en route to the first title of her career.  In her third final, the 17-year-old Vekic pounded 11 aces and edged her far more seasoned opponent in a third-set tiebreak. 

Duds:

Rafael Nadal:  While Ferrer deserves plenty of applause for his dogged effort, Nadal looked several notches below his invincible clay self in Monte Carlo.  A tournament that he has dominated as much as any other witnessed his first quarterfinal loss—anywhere—in nearly two years.  Equally uncharacteristic were the 44 unforced errors that Nadal sprayed on his favorite surface.  The world No. 1 will enter May without a marquee title this year, an ominous sign for his tenure at the top. 

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga:  The former top-10 stalwart saw his record dip to 2-22 against the top eight since the start of 2012.  Tsonga snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against Federer, as he has in many of those matches.  He slumped quickly in the third set after twice coming within two points of the finish line in the second set.  That setback dampened an encouraging comeback win over clay specialist Fabio Fognini in the previous round.

Jerzy Janowicz:  Last year’s Wimbledon semifinalist seemed to have left his game at the baggage claim in Monte Carlo.  Janowicz dropped his opener to Michael Llodra, a fellow fast-court specialist lacking in clay expertise.  This week marked his sixth straight loss and fourth opening-round loss in his last five Masters 1000 events.  Janowicz has too much talent to excuse such a long drought.

Vasek Pospisil:  Injuries have bedeviled this Canadian prodigy with concerning frequency for a man so early in his career.  In seven tournaments this year, Pospisil has issued a walkover and a retirement in addition to five opening-round losses, one at a Challenger event.  The good news is that he still has plenty of breathing room with few points to defend until the late summer.

Samantha Stosur:  Playing at home rarely brings out the best in Stosur, and this Fed Cup semifinal in Brisbane was no exception.  The Australian No. 1 dug her team a deep hole in the opening rubber by falling in straight sets to German No. 2 Andrea Petkovic.  This opponent admittedly rode a wave of momentum into the weekend, but Stosur did herself no favors by failing to hold serve in the first set and coughing up an early lead in the second