The Week In Winners Of Tournaments I Sort Of Ignored.

Congratulations to Nicolas Almagro and Lourdes Dominguez Lino, who picked up South American clay titles this week.

This was Dominguez-Lino’s second WTA title, her first also coming in Bogota in 2006. That’s a long time to keep plugging away, so well done to her. She caught a break in the semis when Petra Martic withdrew due to gastroenteritis, but she did well to beat Mathilde Johansson in three sets after Johansson beat Suarez Navarro. Big congratulations to her.

As for Almagro, thanks to the rain falling in BA this week, he had to defeat Acasuso (who still plays tennis, apparently) and Robredo back to back yesterday before taking on Juan Ignacio Chela and beating him 63 36 64 tonight. So well done there. He joins Soderling in the circle of those winning back-to-back titles this week.

Monday’s Results: Dubai, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Marseilles, Memphis

No time wasted in getting going in Dubai, where probably the biggest upset was qualifier Chanelle Scheepers (apparently pronounced ‘Skeppers’, at least according to the Eurosport commentators) upsetting Maria Kirilenko in straight sets. Scheepers was on really sharp form and Kirilenko … was wearing shorts, which looked nice.

Jeepers creepers.

Alisa Kleybanova came back from the brink of defeat against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, in what was an all-too-familiar Pavs tale; unable to close out the match from a commanding position, she utterly collapsed in the third set. I still think Pavlyuchenkova has all the game in the world, but she has to improve her movement so that she can defend her way through a rocky patch, otherwise this is just going to happen again and again and again. Here endeth.

Speaking of improved movement, a back-from-injury Marion Bartoli beat Kimiko Date-Krumm. And we all know how an in-form Marion can lend a frisson to things. Go Marion.

Memphis saw a seed massacre in a not-particularly-strong draw, as lucky loser Alexandra Stevenson accounted for second seed and defending finalist Sofia Arvidsson, fifth seed Olga Govortsova went down to a qualifier (in what could be a stroke of luck for Heather Watson, now facing Foretz Garcon in the second round), and top seed Barbora Zahlalova Strycova lost to big-serving Michaella Kraijcek.

On the plus side? Wins for Melanie Oudin, Rebecca Marino and last year’s semi-finalist Anne Keothavong. Up the British.

In Bogota, I talked up Simona Halep and she promptly lost to Mathilde Johansson. And Annabel Medina Garrigues lost too, to Colombian wildcard Catalina Castano. What has happened to AMG of late?

Not much to report on the men’s side. Grigor Dmitrov lost rather disappointingly to Dmitry Tursunov in Marseilles, and that’s about it.

Full results under the cut.

WTA Week Ahead: Dubai, Bogota, Memphis

Dubai

Premier; Venus Williams defending; draw here.

Top 8 seeds: Caroline Wozniacki, Vera Zvonareva, Francesca Schiavone, Samantha Stosur, Li Na, Jelena Jankovic, Victoria Azarenka, Agnieszka Radwanska

Points of Interest: The amazing thing about the WTA is that, with a half-decent draw, you are never short for things to say in this category. To start with, Wozniacki could get the no. 1 ranking back if she reaches the semi-final – a tough prospect given her draw. Although her probable second and third round opponents (Hantuchova and Kvitova) could be expected to be weary from their exploits this week, there’s also Yanina Wickmayer and Li Na in her quarter. Both Kaia Kanepi (who’s played well in Dubai in the past) and Andrea Petkovic have a good shout in JJ’s quarter, if the perennial wait to see Ana Ivanovic come up with something in a big tournament isn’t over and Sam Stosur isn’t feeling it. I have a feeling about Vera Zvonareva and/or Svetlana Kuznetsova, though. Just saying.

Bogota

International; Mariana Duque Marino defending; draw here.

Top 8 seeds: Julia Goerges, Polona Hercog, Simona Halep, Arantxa Parra Santonja, Carla Suarez Navarro, Edina Gallovits-Hall, Lourdes Dominguez Lino, Annabel Medina Garrigues

Points of Interest: I’m all about the young guns this week (and most weeks). Let’s see if Polona Hercog and Simona Halep can come up with something. I have major hopes for the latter, who was in fine fettle in Auckland. Still, someone with more than one surname will probably win this one.

Memphis

 

International; Maria Sharapova defending; draw here.

Top 8 seeds: Barbora Zahlalova Strycova, Sofia Arvidsson, Melanie Oudin, Alla Kudryavtseva, Olga Govortsova, Rebecca Marino, Renata Voracova, Vania King

Points of Interest: This … is not a good draw. And yet I’m perversely excited. Two words: Heather Watson, who has already beaten Andrea Hlavackova in the first round and will face Olga Govortsova (probably) in the next. Two more words: Rebecca Marino, who is a lot like Delpo, only female and Canadian. And higher-ranked.  

Hometown Triumphs

Two winners in their home countries this week. Mariana Duque Marino beat my one-to-watch Angelique Kerber 64 63 for the Bogota title. She was adorably happy about it, as she should be, considering she hadn’t won a WTA tour match in nine months before this.

Enjoy your testicular trophy, Mariana. And in Marseilles, Michael Llodra defeated Julien Benneteau 63 64 for the title. Still a good week for Lamb, even if he wasn’t able to back up his defeat of the defending champion, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, in the semifinals.

One To Watch?

So … what do we know about Angelique Kerber of Germany? I was really impressed with her game during the Australian Open when she beat Aravane Rezai and then came close to upsetting Svetlana Kuznetsova. She’s been bouncing around the top 100 for a few years, but she’s only 22; maybe she’s close to putting all together. Just putting it out there. Anyway, she upset top seed Gisela Dulko 75 63 to reach the Bogota final.

She’ll face Mariana Duque Marino of Colombia, who hadn’t won a tour match in nine months before this week.

WTA Week Ahead: Bogota, Memphis, Dubai

Bogota

Draw here.

Top Seeds: Gisela Dulko, Carla Suarez Navarro, Sara Errani, Polona Hercoq

Dubai

Draw here.

Top Seeds: Caroline Wozniacki, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Venus Williams, Victoria Azarenka, Elena Dementieva, Jelena Jankovic, Agnieszka Radwanska, Li Na

Memphis

Draw here.

Top Seeds: Maria Sharapova, Melanie Oudin, Kaia Kanepi, Lucie Hradecka