TennisToday

ATP & WTA Weekend Winners for August 7, 2011

Washington, DC ATP 500 - Final

Radek Stepanek d 1 Gael Monfils - 64 64

John Isner needs a mention here - he kept Gael on court til 1AM in the Sf's.

Radek wins his 5th career ATP title & 1st since San Jose in '09.

His ranking moved from #53 to a lofty #27.

Radek: It’s my biggest win in my career so far and...

It’s coming in the later stage of my career, so it means so much to me...

That I’m capable even in this age to play such great tennis...

Beating the guys from the Top 10 and winning the title.

It’s really an amazing feeling.

Not bad for the old guy.

***

San Diego WTA - Final

3 Angieszka Radwanska d 1 Vera Zvonareva - 63 64

Aggie wins her 5th career WTA title & 1st in over three years.

Her ranking got a one-spot bump up to #12.

Aggie: Everything was working... I played very well today.

I really wanted to win this tournament so I was really focused...

Winning a tournament with a lot of great matches against top players...

Is very special.

Welcome back to the winner's circle girl.

***

Kitzbuhel ATP 250 - Final

Robin Haase d Albert Montanes - 64 46 61

Another week another 1st time ATP titlist. Well done Robin.

The 24 year-old Dutchman improves his ranking from #53 to #44.

Robin: It’s an amazing feeling. I’m really happy that I won.

It was one of the goals this year to make it into a semi-final or final...

And maybe win it.

I was close a few times when I played good but actually lost to good players.

To win this match and beat good players this week was really great.

Now get your butt to the States.

Photos: Reuters/AP

Svetlana Kuznetsova Wins WTA Title in San Diego

San Diego WTA Winner

Svetlana Kuznetsova d 4 Agnieszka Radwanska - 64 67(7) 63

Sveta Sveta Sveta... that should have been straight sets.

She served for it at 5-4 in the 2nd & had 3 match points in the breaker.

That meltdown was really hard to watch. It would have been a crazy loss.

With the win she earns her 14th title & 1st of the year.

And she will move back into the top 20 once again...

Sveta finished '09 at #3 - this has been the only bright spot in her year.

Short celebration: Sveta plays Sharapova in the 1st round Tuesday in Cincy.

Photo: Reuters

Radwanska & Kuznetsova to Play for WTA San Diego Title

San Diego WTA Final

4 Agnieszka Radwanska vs Svetlana Kuznetsova - H2H: 3-6

Sveta won the last 2 which were both played in '09.

Sveta hasn't come close to a sniff at a title since she won Beijing in Oct '09.

In fact, yesterday was her first semifinal of the 2010 season.

Agnieszka is also looking for her 1st title this year - to add to her other 4.

Bottom line is: Nice to see tennis back in San Diego.

Photo: AP

Dinara Safina Finally Wins a Match - in San Diego

San Diego WTA - 1st Round

Dinara Safina d Alona Bondarenko - 61 76(2)

Dinara'a win last night snapped a 6 match losing streak: 6-8 W/L for '10.

That back injury cost her dear as she's watched her ranking slide...

10 minutes ago she was the #1 ranked player - she is currently #35.

Hopefully she is all healed-up and ready to get back into weekend play.

She may struggle to regain form tho - let's hope she's ready for a strong '11.

Photo: Getty Images

Svetlana Kuznetsova Hits San Diego Y'all

Sveta tweetedthis pic earlier today. She's such a dork. Love her.

Sveta has drawn #8 seed Yanina Wickmayer in the 1st round in San Diego.

She has seen her ranking dropped to its current #21 amid a terrible year.

Sveta has played 11 tournaments in '10 and been to the Qf's once - & lost.

She finished '09 at #3 - she's 12-13 so far in '10. C'mon Sveta - do this.

Jelena Jankovic: 'Teniska Diva' Tentative about San Diego

Jelena posted this on her Facebook today...

Some mag somewhere doin' some puff piece on someone we know.

Current World #2 is the top seed in San Diego this week.

It's still up in the air as to whether she'll actually play tho.

She tweeted yesterday that she'll have an MRI today & make the decision.

Stupid injured ankle.