The Forgotten Champions

Often the players winning titles the week before a slam get overlooked in the all the looking forward in the big tournament.  Therefore, here is a brief on those four players who won last week.

ATP 250 Eastbourne:  Andreas Seppi (ITA) def. 3) Janko Tipsarevic 7-6(5), 3-6, 5-3 ret.
ATP 250 's-Hertogenbosch:  Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) def. 4) Ivan Dodig (CRO) 6-3, 6-2
WTA Premier Eastbourne:  6) Marion Bartoli (FRA) def. 5) Petra Kvitova (CZE) 6-1, 4-6, 7-5
WTA International 's-Hertogenbosch:  7) Roberta Vinci (ITA) def. Jelena Dokic (AUS) 6-7(7), 6-3, 7-5

In the biggest tournament of the four, Bartoli emerges victorious.  She wins her 6th career title and her first since winning Stanford in '09.  Somehow I neglected Bartoli in my Wimbledon preview post but could easily make the second week and go deeper.  Remember she was a finalist there back in '07.  She also has put together a fine season with her IW final and French Open SF, and I don't think she is done.  Kvitova, of course a semifinalist in Wimbledon last year, has warmed up nicely, and will be a threat there as well.

Dmitry Tursunov had his career run off course by an injury in '09/'10 but now is back in the winner's circle.  It is second grass court title and exactly 2 years since his last title, in Eastbourne in '09, bringing the Russian to 7 career titles.  He stopped Dodig, who is enjoying a career year and looking for his second title of the '11 campaign.

Roberta Vinci is enjoying the best tennis of her career, and now has won her 2nd title of the season, and 5th overall.  You would have to think the big names should be wary if they run into Vinci at Wimbledon.  Dokic seems to have refound the form that gave her the title in Kuala Lumpur earlier.

And wrapping up a good week for Italy, Andreas Seppi adds his name to the list of Italians having good years:  Starace and Fognini and even Volandri has had his moments.  Seppi won his first career title, knocking off Tipsarevic in the final.  Tipsarevic had been playing very well and it is a real shame he got injured as I thought he could have made some noise at Wimbledon.

There was some minor Davis Cup action, but I'll probably add that to one of my big DC posts in 2 weeks or so.  I plan to get the Wimbledon live rankings link up tonight.