WTA Stanford

(8/WC) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) d. (5) Maria Sharapova (RUS) 64 61

(WC) Davenport/Huber (USA/USA) d. (2) Chan/Zheng (TPE/CHN) 75 67(8) 10-8

Victoria Azarenka played an impressive match to defeat Maria Sharapova in the finals of the Stanford Premier event. The Belarussian played fearless tennis; returning seamessly and striking backhand winners at will and she was clearly the less inhibited of the two players. The first set saw some quality tennis being played as the volume rose, and the difference between the two was Azarenka’s outstanding returning which gave her the upper hand in every Sharapova service game. Eventually the 21-year-old took the first set 6-4 and it seemed to unsettle Sharapova even more as she committed error after error to hand Azarenka the title. A well deserved win for the Stanford champion.

Azarenka wasn’t the only wildcard to win in Stanford as the new pairing of Huber and Davenport romped to victory in the doubles defeating Chan/Zheng in the final. This tournament marked Davenport’s WTA comeback after two years off the tour and so to win the title on her comeback is quite something.

ATP Los Angeles

(2) Sam Querrey d. (1) Andy Murray 5-7 7-6(2) 6-3

The final of the Farmers Classic in Los Angeles was a topsy-turvy affair as Sam Querrey defeated Andy Murray for the very first time to defend his title. Querrey had never previously even won a set against Murray and it showed earlier on as the Scot stayed composed and consistent to close out the first set 7-5. Murray seemed to be closing in on the match but Querrey impressively saved a match point to level the set before taking the tiebreak with the loss of only two games. The missed opportunities of the second set were enough for Murray to spectacularly combust - punching the strings of his racket numerous times and eventually drawing blood as his fist busted open. As the American served for the title, nerves seemed to get the better of him as he double-faulted and missed two routine shots, but he steadied himself with a massive down-the-line forehand to save a breakpoint before finally closing out the match.

ATP Gstaad

[2] N Almagro (ESP) d [7] R Gasquet (FRA) 75 61

J Brunstrom (SWE) / J Nieminen (FIN) d [4] M Melo (BRA) / B Soares (BRA) 63 67(4) 11-9

ATP Umag

[4] J Ferrero (ESP) d P Starace (ITA) 64 64

L Friedl (CZE) / F Polasek (SVK) d [2] F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) 63 76(7)

WTA Istanbul

(3) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) d. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 57 75 64

The match beween Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Vesnina was nothing short of crazy as Vesnina, on her twenty-fourth birthday, managed to let a 7-5 4-0 lead slip to lose in her third career final. After the match the older Russian was inconsolable as she sobbed into her towel.