Two Titles for Germany; Wozniacki and Murray Also Win

It was a good weekend (plus Monday) for German tennis.  Two unseeded players prevailed to win their first titles in a couple of years.  Rain washed out the two finals being contested on Britain's lawns, but Sunday did see two champions crowned on the continent.

At the ATP 250 event in Halle, Germany (an event won several times by Roger Federer), Philipp Kohlschreiber prevailed in the first all-German ATP final in 7 years, defeating Philipp Petzschner who retired down a set and a break with back pain.  It is the 3rd career title for Kohlschreiber, who has been consistently ranked between 25 and 40 for quite some time.  His last title came back in 2008 in Auckland.

At an event which could be termed the Caroline Wozniacki Invitational, the hometown girl did good and remained unbeaten in two years at the WTA International's Copenhagen tournament, downing Lucie Safarova in the final 6-1, 6-4.  It is the 5th title of the year for the world no. 1 and the 17th of her career.  She didn't have much trouble in cruising through the draw, but I only wonder the positioning of this tournament in the calendar, forcing Wozniacki to play on hard courts just days before Wimbledon.

Monday morning saw two more champions, an oft-injured German and the Great British Hope.

At the Queen's Club, an ATP 250 event contested in London, another local boy did good, when Andy Murray survived Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 to win his first title since the Shanghai Masters last fall and his 17th career title, interestingly enough matching Wozniacki (they are perhaps the best two players of their respective genders not to win a major).  This should give the British #1 plenty of forward momentum leading into Wimbledon, while Tsonga, a QF at the All England Club last year, also is looking good, having beat Nadal earlier in the week.

And finally, in maybe the best comback story of the week, at the WTA International event in Birmingham, Sabine Lisicki beat Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 6-2.  It is the second career title for Lisicki, but her first since Charleston in 2009.  She seems to have recovered from her latest injury/ies and is yet another young hard-hitting German to keep an eye on.  She was a one-time Wimbledon quarterfinalist, as an unseeded player in '09.

I'll have a Wimbledon preview in a couple days.