Federer Dominates Halle for Seventh Time, Dimitrov Becomes All-Surface Champion
ATP Halle
Roger Federer did what he usually does in Halle: take the title. This time it was a 7-6, 7-6 victory over surprise finalist Alejandro Falla, who, at age 30, was contesting just his second career ATP level final. He drops to 0-2 in his career in ATP finals.
Federer needed 3 sets against Joao Sousa in round 2, then got a walkover against Rendy Lu, and beat Kei Nishikori in straights before the final. Falla beat Lukasz Kubot in 3 sets, Robin Haase and Peter Gojowczyk in straights and Philipp Kohlschreiber in 3 from a set down to reach the final, his big upset coming against the German on home soil.
Andre Begemann and Julian Knowle beat Marco Chiudinelli and Federer to take the doubles title, as Fed was denied the sweep by the German/Austrian duo in a close 3 set match.
All-Surface Champion
ATP London Queens
Grigor Dimitrov won his first grass court title, and completed the trifecta of titles across all the surfaces this season. The Acapulco and Bucharest champion added the Queens club hardware to his trophy case with Maria Sharapova in the crowd, slipping past Feliciano Lopez 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 and 8-6 in the final set tiebreak in a nail-biting, very competitive final.
Grisha beat James Ward and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in straights this week, got a walkover against Alex Dolgopolov and won 2 and 4 over Stan Wawrinka to reach the final. Lopez, who found some renewed form this week, reaching his first final since this time last season, beta Julian Benneteau in 3 sets, Lleyton Hewitt in an upset in straights, Kenny De Schepper in 3 sets, Tomas Berdych in straights and Radek Stepanek in the same fashion to reach the final.
In both tournaments this week, the player who played the fewest matches en route to the final was the champion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2C0BM2eHpY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WZ572AWZgY
Alex Peya/Bruno Soares beat Jamie Murray/John Peers to capture the doubles hardware.
—Steen Kirby, Tennis East Coast
Tennis Atlantic 