Haas Impresses Us At 35, Pavlyuchenkova and Wawrinka Also Win Titles

Stanislas Wawrinka defeated David Ferrer in a clay court final and became the first Swiss to win a title in 2013.  That's not something we say much.  Also a story here is that Ferrer may be slumping a little bit as, while reaching the final, he doesn't win a small clay tournament.  Is he fatigued or playing injured?  Or is the indefatigable Spaniard finally letting age catch up with him?  We'll learn more in Madrid and Rome.  The Germans loved their home cooking in Munich, with three of them reaching the semis.  But it was their elder statesman and no. 1 who prevailed at the age of 35 as Tommy Haas held off Philipp Kohlschreiber in the final.  And in the WTA, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova gave us a second Russian titlist in as many weeks, and she also beat a Spaniard on clay, the rising Carla Suarez Navarro.

Good Stories
-Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP) has been mentioned on this blog recently but he continues to break out, reaching his first ATP quarter and semi as a qualifier in Oeiras with wins over Benneteau, Goffin, and Fognini.  He will be ranked no. 168 after moving 60 spots.
-Gastao Elias (POR), a 22-yr-old, reached his first ATP quarterfinal at his local event in Oeiras and he is now on the fringe of the top 100.
-Daniel Brands (GER), a journeyman, has surged this year and just reached his 4th ATP quarterfinal, making the semis at his local tournament in Munich.
-Monica Puig (PUR), a 19-yr-old ranked #6 among players born in '93, will enter the top 100 after beating Georges and Schiavone to reach her first WTA quarters as a lucky loser in Oeiras.

Bad Stories
-The top two women's seeds in Oeiras, Bartoli and Cibulkova, crashing out in the first round to Peng and U.Radwanska.
-Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) lost in the first round of Munich to qualifier Korolev of Kazakhstan, hasn't been on the radar much this year.

ATP 250: Munich, Germany

3) Tommy Haas (GER) def. 4) Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-3 7-6(3)

-Haas wins 14th career title, last '12 Halle

-It is just his 2nd title on clay ('04 Houston)

Defending champion: Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) - F l. to Haas

Quarterfinalists: 1) Janko Tipsarevic (SRB), 5) Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR), 6) Florian Mayer (GER), Viktor Troicki (SRB), Ivan Dodig (CRO)-SF, Daniel Brands (GER)-SF

Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Haas, Kohlschreiber

Locals performance: 12-6 with the 4 quarterfinalists.  Beyond them Kamke, Kraweitz, and q-Bachinger lost in the first round

Americans performance: none

Third set tiebreaks: Kohlschreiber def. Brands (SF)

ATP 250: Oeiras, Portugal

2) Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) def. 1) David Ferrer (ESP) 6-1 6-4

-Wawrinka wins 4th career title, last '11 Chennai (2-yr 4-mon drought)

-Three of his titles have now come on clay

Defending champion: Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) - did not play this week

Quarterfinalists: 3) Andreas Seppi (ITA)-SF, 4) Fabio Fognini (ITA), 8) Tommy Robredo (ESP), Victor Hanescu (ROU), Gastao Elias (POR), Q) Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP)-SF

Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Wawrinka, though Seppi was the defending champion at the now defunct Belgrade tournament.

Locals performance: 2-3, Elias got two wins while P.Sousa and q-Machado came up empty

Americans performance: none

Third set tiebreaks: none

WTA International: Oeiras, Portugal

3) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) def. 4) Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) 7-5 6-2

-Pavlyuchenkova wins 5th career title, 2nd of 2013, last '13 Monterrey

Defending champion: Kaia Kanepi (EST) - SF l. to Suarez Navarro (rematch of '12 final-played in Estoril)

Quarterfinalists: 7) Elena Vesnina (RUS), Kaia Kanepi (EST)-SF, Ayumi Morita (JPN), Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS), Romina Oprandi (SUI)-SF, L) Monica Puig (PUR)

Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Suarez Navarro

Locals performance: 0-1, Koehler lost to Vesnina

Americans performance: 0-1, 6-Lepchenko lost opener to Kuznetsova (tough draw)

Third set tiebreaks: Pavlyuchenkova def. Vesnina (QF)