The Register's columnist Dave Solomon spoke with tournament director Anne Worcester to look back at the 2009 tournament. His column ran in today's paper.

The weekend was a trying time for so many, from tournament officials, television big wigs, representatives from the ATP and WTA, players still alive in the tournament and even the media. As Pilot Pen Tennis president and CEO Mike Davies said to me on Friday "it's never good for anybody, a rainy day at a tennis tournament." Truer words have never been spoken.

I will say this, as I watched the final few points played and former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic lose in the first round of the U.S. Open, I couldn't help but think she had a scheduling error in not requesting a wild card into the Pilot Pen. It's obvious she needed some fine tuning before the Open.

The women's doubles final is drawing to a close and the attendance drew 78,480 which is the lowest number since it became a combined event, down nearly 3,000 from last year.

The tournament took a huge hit in attedance with the rain hitting the area over the weekend. Likely it would have broken the 80,000 mark once again.

Second-seeded Fernando Verdasco fought off three set points in the second set to win the Pilot Pen men's singles title with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Sam Querrey.

Querrey rallied from an 0-2 deficit in the second set and had two break points when Verdasco was attempting to send the set into a tiebreaker. Verdasco answered with four straight points setting the stage for the tiebreaker.

Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer won their first title of the year, defeating Bruno Soares and Kevin Ullyett 6-4, 7-6 in the Pilot Pen men's doubles final.

It is the Austrians' first title together since winning in Casablanca in 2006.

The first champion of the 2009 Pilot Pen Tennis tournament was crowned when Caroline Wozniacki defeated Elena Vesnina 6-2, 6-4 to win her second straight women's singles title in New Haven.

The men's doubles match was moved to the Grandstand Court. Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer won the first set against Bruno Soares and Kevin Ullyett 6-4.

The men's singles final between Fernando Verdasco and Sam Querrey is set for 7 p.m. on Stadium Court followed by the women's doubles final.

The women's final has started - outdoors. Caroline Wozniacki broke Elena Vesnina in the opening game. The plan is still to have the men's final at 7 p.m.

In a match that seemed to go on forever....

Tennis fans were treated to a very tight match between two evenly matched players as No. 2 seed Fernando Verdasco survived a 7-6(4), 7-6(6) win over No. 7 seed Igor Andreev in the second men's semifinal played indoors this afternoon.
Verdasco will face No. 6 seed Sam Querrey in the final scheduled for tonight at 7 on Stadium Court.