A Week for Spain

One week after their Davis Cup team won a big tie at the United States, three Spaniards are crowned champions on clay in Europe.  The nation that led all countries with 21 titles in 2010 now has 15 in 2011.  Five of the eight finalists playing today were from Spain, and only the world no. 5 was able to prevent a complete Spanish sweep.

Robin Soderling won his fourth title of the year putting him behind only Djokovic for titles in 2011.  It is his 10th career title but just his second on clay (both came in Bastad).  He defeated world no. 6 David Ferrer (ESP) 6-2 6-2 in his home country tournament in Bastad, Sweden.  He won that event in '09 but then lost in the final last year to Nicolas Almagro.  Also worth mentioning is that he destroyed the #3 seed Berdych 6-1 6-0 in the semis.

Former French Open champion and world no. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) showed he may be nearing peak form after numerous injuries when he defeated compratriot Pablo Andujar 6-4 6-0 to win the title in Stuttgart, Germany.  It is his first title since Umag 50 weeks ago and bringing his career title haul to 16 including 1 slam and 4 Masters.

In Palermo, Italy on the island of Sicily, Slovene Polona Hercog was bidding for her title in as many weeks but Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) defeated her 6-3 6-2 in the final.  Medina won her second title of the year and 11th of the career.  Perhaps we should now call her the governess of Sicily as this was her 5th title in Palermo.

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP) perhaps has rediscovered the form that found her winning in Rome last spring as she defeated home favorite Patricia Mayr-Archleitner 6-0, 7-5 in the final of Bad Gastein.  It is Martinez's fourth career title but her first since that title in Rome.