TennisToday

ATP Title Winners for July 31, 2011

Los Angeles ATP 250 Final

Ernests Gulbis d 1 Mardy Fish - 57 64 64

Ernie captures his 2nd ATP title - interstingly, both on American soil.

Heading back up: The win bumps him up 29 ranking spot to #55.

A year ago he enjoyed his highest ranking of #21.

Let's see if he can keep it going - I think he belongs in the top 20.

Ernie: It means a lot to me. It's my second title.

It gives me a huge boost in confidence.

***

Gstaad ATP 250 Final

8 Marcel Granollers d 4 Fernando Verdasco - 64 36 63

Marcel also captures his 2nd ATP title - and first since Houston in '08.

It’s very important for me because I won my first tournament in 2008...

Which was a little unexpected, and three years later I won here.

So there is a lot of work behind today and I feel amazing.

The win bumps him to a career high ranking of #33.

DomiNation: Another Spaniard winning another title.

***

Umag ATP 250 Final

2 Alexandr Dolgopolov d 4 Marin Cilic - 64 36 63

Big congrats to Alexandr on winning his maiden ATP title.

2nd times a charm: He lost his first final in February at Costa Do Sauipe.

He becomes the 6th first-time titlist of 2011.

Alex rises 5 spots in the rankings to #21 - 1 spot below his ranking high.

Alex: I was first in the rankings in Ukraine, but I hadn’t won a title...

And everyone was talking about that a bit. It’s a good moment.

I’ll keep on working and try and get higher and higher in the rankings.

Photos: Reuters/AP

Two Spaniards Win Ugly ATP Trophies in Gstaad & Umag

Gstaad ATP 250

2 Nicolas Almagro d 7 Richard Gasquet - 75 61

Nicolas wins his 2nd title of '10 and 7th on the ATP tour.

The win will bump him up a couple spots from his current #18.

He's is not playing DC next week but Gasquet is - um, good luck with that.

***

Umag ATP 250

4 Juan Carlos Ferrero d Potito Starace - 64 64

JC wins his 3rd title of '10 and 15th on tour.

He has gone a whopping 28-7 on clay this year which includes 3 titles.

With King taken you'd have to call him the 'Prince of Clay'.

JC will take next week off before heading to begin his US Open Series.

Photos: Getty Images

Finals are set for ATP tournamants in Gstaad & Umag

Gstaad ATP 250 Final

2 Nicolas Almagro (above) vs 7 Richard Gasquet - H2H: 1-0

These 24 year-olds went to a 3rd set tie break this year in Acapulco.

Both are looking for their 2nd titles of 2010 & both a 7th career title.

Rare to see 2 one-handed backhands go at it - much less in a final. Nice.

Semifinal Results

2 Nicolas Almagro d Daniel Gimeno-Traver - 76(7) 36 63
7 Richard Gasquet d Q Yuri Schukin - 63 64

*****

Umag ATP 250 Final

4 Juan Carlos Ferrero vs Potito Starace - H2H: 5-1

They have a history in Umag - Ferrero won their meeting here last year.

JC is looking for his 3rd title of 2010 & 15th overall - Potito his 1st ever.

#64 Potito will be right around the top 50 either way after tomorrow.

Semifinal Results

4 Juan Carlos Ferrero d Andreas Seppi - 64 62
Potito Starace d 8 Juan Ignacio Chela - 67(4) 63 62

Photo: Reuters

Semifinals are set for ATP 250 stops in Gstaad & Umag

Gstaad ATP 250 Semifinals

7 Richard Gasquet vs Yuri Schukin - H2H: 0-0

Exactly 100 points serepate the pair in the rankings - Gasquet is #47.

This is Gaquet's 3rd Sf of '10: 1-1. He went on to win the title in Nice.

2 Nicolas Almagro (above) vs Daniel Gimeno-Traver - H2H: 1-1

Both Spaniards are 24 years-old - Daniel is 14 days older.

In fact, they will both enjoy a birthday in the coming weeks.

Daniel also won the last match and only one in '10 in Buenos Aires.

Nicolas is looking for his 2nd title on the year & 7th of his career.

***

Umag ATP 250 Semifinals

8 Juan Ignacio Chela vs Potito Starace - H2H: 3-2

They haven't played since '07 so the H2H really doesn't mean much.

They are closely ranked (JIC #56, PS #64) & both have lost 17 matches in '10.

4 Juan Carlos Ferrero vs Andreas Seppi - H2H: 1-2

Juan Carlos' year on clay just keeps getting better: 27-7.

They played in Umag in the Sf's last year with JC winning 7-5 in the 3rd.

This is Seppi's 2nd week in the Sf's - he lost last week to Melzer in Hamburg.

Photo: Reuters