18th week

Perhaps achievement of German football teams (Bayern Munchen & Borussia Dortmund advanced to the Champions League final) inspired German players in Munich: four made through to the quarterfinals, three of them to the semifinals – the most Germans in the ATP semifinals since 1999 (Hong Kong: Boris Becker, Hendrik Dreekmann, Bernd Karbacher). The final was an all-German affair (first in Munich since 1965). Tommy Haas [14] obtained his 14th title beating defending champion Kohlschreiber. Haas debuted in Munich in 1998, but only once played a final (2000). Anyway, it was a breakthrough tournament for him last year when ranked 134 destroyed No. 5 Tsonga which helped him to regain self-confidence. Haas is the third man in the XXI Century to win an ATP title at the age of 35 # “It’s a sensational feeling to be quite honest,” said Haas. “It was another one of those milestones that I hoped for, to maybe win this title one year. To have done that, this late in my career, is a big highlight for me. Every time you win a title, it’s a reflection of putting everything together the whole week. It doesn’t happen that often. You’re really proud of those moments.”
Stanislas Wawrinka captured his 4th title at the Portugal Open (the tournament changed its name this year from Estoril to Oeiras, even though the location is the same). The Swiss player started the tournament losing his opening set 1-6, but since then, he was in full command to the end of the week, stunning Ferrer in the final (it was a revenge for a final loss in Buenos Aires earlier this year). “It feels great to have won a title again, as it was one of my goals at the start of the year,” said Wawrinka. “It was a challenge against a Top 4 player. I am very happy with the way I played today. I was really focused and I made it difficult for him on my serve.” Revelation of last few weeks, Pablo Carreno-Busta reached his first ATP semifinal in fourth main-level tournament. The 21-year-old Spaniard jumped from No. 654 to 169 within four months this season.

On May 3, at the age of 54, Brad Drewett, an ATP Executive Chairman & President, passed away… Drewett as a tennis player won two main-level tournaments in singles (Cairo 1982, South Orange 1983) and seven doubles titles, playing professionally in years 1976-1990. He had reached Australian Open quarterfinal in his main-level debut (1976), but never advanced to the last eight in any Grand Slam tournament afterwards. His highest singles ranking: 34 in 1984. Drewett was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in January 2013, which led him to take a transition period as the President: “It has been a privilege to serve as Executive Chairman and President of the ATP, an organization that I’ve been a part of for more than 35 years since I became a professional tennis player. I hold the ATP very close to my heart, and it’s with sadness that I make the decision to enter this transition period due to my ill-health.”

Finals

Munich (250)
S: (3)Tommy Haas d. (4)Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 7-6(3)
D: J.Nieminen/D.Tursunov d. M.Baghdatis/E.Butorac 6-1, 6-4

Oeiras (250)
S: (2)Stanislas Wawrinka d. (1,WC)David Ferrer 6-1, 6-4
D: (3)S.Gonzalez/S.Lipsky d. (1)A.Qureshi/JJ.Rojer 6-3, 4-6, [10-7]

Choker of the week:
Evgeny Donskoy, who led 5:3 in the 2nd set tie-break against Denis Istomin (Oeiras, 1R). The Russian led also 4:3* in the decider, but lost 6-2, 6-7(6), 4-6. A couple of days later he lost also in Madrid (qualifying round) being two points away from victory which made his third loss of this kind within two weeks (the first one to Nieminen in Bucharest).

# Oldest players to win ATP titles in the XXI Century:

35 years, 7 months: Fabrice Santoro (Newport 2008)
35 years, 3 months: Andre Agassi (Los Angeles 2005)
35 years, 1 month: Tommy Haas (Munich 2013)