Serena Back to Business, But Federer Upset in Hamburg

The two active leaders in major championships were on tour this week at smaller, but with mixed results.  Serena Williams blitzed through the field in Bastad, Sweden without losing a set, but Roger Federer lost in the Hamburg semis in two tiebreaks to a qualifier.  That man, Federico Delbonis, went on to fall in 3 sets in the final to Fabio Fognini, who now boasts an 11-match winning streak.  Ivo Karlovic won the inaugural event in Bogota (moved from LA this year) at the age of 34, ending a 5 year title drought and showing he has something left in the tank after being derailed by injuries the last couple seasons.  Yvonne Meusburger made the final in Budapest last week, but went one better at her home event in Bad Gastein to capture her first career title at the age of 29.

Good Stories
-Federico Delbonis (ARG), a 22-yr-old qualifier ranked no. 114, made his first ATP semi and final in Hamburg, defeating Federer in two tiebreaks in the semis.  He also beat Chardy and Verdasco there.  He picked up 3 tour wins in the South American swing and will rise 50 spots in the rankings.  Is he an up and coming Argentine or is this a flash in the pan?
-Emilio Gomez (ECU), a 21-yr-old qualifier ranked no. 417, won his first ATP main draw match in Bogota
-Victor Estrella (DOM), a 32-yr-old veteran who can be seen in major qualifying and Davis Cup zonal play, qualified a beat Arguello in the first round of Bogota.  Based on my research, I believe he is the first Dominican to win an ATP match.  His previous career highlight was qualifying for Cincinnati in '08.
-Lisa-Maria Moser (AUT), a 22-yr-old ranked no. 725, defeated Bogdan in R1 and was ahead of Barthel when she retired in R2, to reach the quarters in Bad Gastein.
-Arantxa Rus (NED), ended a very lengthy losing streak, with a win over Torro-Flor in Bad Gastein, and then reached the quarters there.  It was her first WTA win of the year.
-Richel Hogenkamp (NED), a 21-yr-old, reached her first WTA quarterfinal in Bastad.

Bad Stories
-Simona Halep (ROU), winning 3 tournaments in 4 tries over the past month, had her streak end in Bastad because of injury, pulling out during the 3rd set of her second round match with Pennetta.  I would have liked to see her match up against Serena.
-Julia Cohen (USA) continues to play European tournaments, for which I applaud her but she continues to struggle, losing in the first round almost every event, most recently in Bastad.

ATP 500: Hamburg, Germany

12) Fabio Fognini (ITA) def. Q) Federico Delbonis (ARG) 4-6 7-6(8) 6-2

-Fognini wins 2nd career title, 2nd of 2013, last '13 Stuttgart
-He saved 3 match points in the final

Defending champion: Juan Monaco (ARG) - QF l. to Almagro

Quarterfinalists: 1) Roger Federer (SUI)-SF, 2) Tommy Haas (GER), 3) Nicolas Almagro (ESP)-SF, 5) Juan Monaco (ARG), 14) Fernando Verdasco (ESP), Florian Mayer (GER)

Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Haas, Almagro, Haas, Mayer
Locals performance: 8-8, Haas and Mayer reached the quarters; Brands, Kamke, and Struff each won a match; Bachinger, Reister, and A.Zverev lost in R1

Americans performance: none

Third set tiebreaks: Janowicz def. Haase (R2), Berlocq def. Klizan (R2)

ATP 250: Bogota, Colombia

Ivo Karlovic (CRO) def. Alejandro Falla (COL) 6-3, 7-6(4)

-Karlovic wins 5th career title, last '08 Nottingham (5-yr drought)

Defending champion: Sam Querrey (USA) - did not play this week - tournament played in LA last year

Quarterfinalists: 1) Janko Tipsarevic (SRB), 2) Kevin Anderson (RSA)-SF, 5) Adrian Mannarino (FRA), 6) Santiago Giraldo (COL), Vasek Pospisil (CAN)-SF, Matteo Viola (ITA)

Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: none

Locals performance: 6-5, with big guns Giraldo and Falla getting all the wins.  Salamanca drew Giraldo in R1, Barrientos, Gonzalez, and Struvay were the other losers but I've never heard of them.
Americans performance: see above
Other notable winners: James Duckworth (AUS)

Third set tiebreaks: Russell def. Sijsling (QF) (3 tiebreaks)

WTA International: Bastad, Sweden

1) Serena Williams (USA) def. 8) Johanna Larsson (SWE) 6-4 6-1

-Serena wins 53rd career title, 7th of 2013, last '13 French Open
-She is undefeated on clay in 2013, winning 5 titles

Defending champion: Polona Hercog (SLO) - did not play this week

Quarterfinalists: 3) Klara Zakopalova (CZE)-SF, 5) Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP), Flavia Pennetta (ITA)-SF, Mathilde Johansson (FRA), Virginie Razzano (FRA), Q) Richel Hogenkamp (NED)

Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Johansson, Larsson, Zakopalova
Locals performance: 4-3, Arvidsson unfortunately drew Larsson in R1 and wildcards Allgurin and Peterson lost their first matches.

Americans performance: 5-1, besides Serena, Cohen lost to Johansson in R1
Other notable winners: Andrea Gamiz (VEN), a 20-yr-old qualifier ranked no. 299

Third set tiebreaks: none

WTA International: Bad Gastein, Austria

Yvonne Meusburger (AUT) def. Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) 7-5 6-2

-Meusburger wins 1st career title!
-It was her 3rd WTA final, including last week and '07 Bad Gastein

Defending champion: Alize Cornet (FRA) - did not play this week, though this tournament was played between the French Open and Wimbledon last year

Quarterfinalists: 2) Annika Beck (GER), 8) Karin Knapp (ITA)-SF, Elina Svitolina (UKR)-SF, Arantxa Rus (NED), Patricia Mayr-Achleitner (AUT), Lisa-Maria Moser (AUT)

Players reaching QF in '12 and '13: Meusburger

Locals performance: 9-2, tremendous, all made the quarters, see good stories for more on Moser

Americans performance: 0-1, Chiara Scholl was double bageled by top seed Barthel - she had made the quarters here last year
Other notable winners: Victoria Golubic (SUI), a 20-yr-old qualifier, took out 5-Bertens in R1

Third set tiebreaks: none
Double bagels: Barthel def. Scholl (R1), Meusburger def. Tinjic (R1)

In the final Fed Cup action of the year, save the final, Bahamas and Ecuador won their respective group in an 11-country zone (Americas Zonal Group II), so they will be promoted to Group I for 2014.  Bahamas makes an immediate return to Group I after being relegated last year, while Ecuador last competed in Group I back in 2001.