Mammoth Titlist ... list

I have to apologise for my protracted absence. Life stuff in the first half of the week followed by sustaining a silly and very painful eye injury on Wednesday which required me to lie in the dark being very bored … Well, that’s my excuse.

So who’s been winning while I’ve been away?

Bastad – ATP

Almagro continued his quest for universal popularity by beating Robin Soderling 75 36 62 for his sixth career title and first since Acapulco in 2009.

Bastad – WTA

Aravane Rezai beat Gisela Dulko 63 46 64 for her fourth career title and second this year. She’s now 4-0 in finals.

Budapest

Agnes Szavay defended her title, beating last year’s whipping woman Patty Schnyder 62 64.

Newport

While everyone else was playing Davis Cup last weekend, Mardy Fish won the soup thing.

Palermo

Quarterfinalist at Wimbledon and now defeater of Flavia Pennetta on home clay, Kaia Kanepi, ladies and gentlemen.

Prague

Second title in one post two weeks for Agnes Szavay, this time over Stepanova wedding guest Zahlalova Strycova, and she seems to have just about found her feet on clay for 2010. Never accused of good timing, our Agnes.

Stuttgart

A fifth career title for Montanes, conqueror of Federer earlier this year in Estoril, didn’t quite come the way he would have wanted after Gael Monfils turned his ankle at the end of the first set and was forced to retire 1-2 down in the second. Get better soon, Gael. Incidentally, five career titles and he doesn’t even get a look in on Davis Cup? Sometimes I wish I was Spanish.