Rotterdam
After last week’s first-time titlists, it’s a bit repeato on the ATP tour this week. Robin Soderling successfully defended a title for the first time in his career, beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 63 36 63 in the final. Oddly, it was Philipp Kohlschreiber who pushed him the hardest all week. But with Djokovic withdrawing and Murray losing in the first round to Baghdatis, it always looked like being Soderling’s week.
Costa do Saiupe
Nicolas Almagro won his second Brasil Open title at a tournament which I … didn’t watch. So I will merely post these mildly amusing photos from the trophy ceremony.
It was another solid week for Alexandr Dolgopolov – FYI, I absolutely refuse to call him either the ATP-sanctioned “The Dog” or the popular “Dolly”, sue me – getting to a final. I’m not quite sold on his long-term potential (future top 10, really?) but keeping up the momentum of Australia is a really good sign. I like watching him a lot and I hope he stays healthy.
And so the ‘Golden Swing’ (that just reminds me of a particularly upsetting sex-based episode of geriatric comedy Waiting For God) creaks on to Buenos Aires …