By Dustin Dow
Enquirer staff writer

MASON - Considering what Marlene Weingartner has been through lately, she needed something good to happen for her.

And something good did happen when she and teammate Jill Craybas won the doubles title at the Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Sunday's action

They defeated Emmanuelle Gagliardi and Anna-Lena Groenefeld 7-5, 7-6 (2) in their fourth tournament together.

For Weingartner, it was the end of a three-week period in which she was left off the German Olympic team and then forced out of her Florida house by Hurricane Charley.

"It was a great, positive week this week," Weingartner said. "It really helped me."

All week, Weingartner had been aware of the ongoing Olympics for which she had qualified but was denied a chance to play in because of higher German standards.

Sunday's win was her first career title, singles or doubles, on the WTA Tour.

"I was really nervous, because I really wanted to win," Weingartner said.

"It shows some guts to come out here," Craybas said of her teammate's decision to play during theOlympics.

"She stayed out here and focused on this tournament. We just won. That's more important (than theOlympics) right now."

Weingartner and Craybas said they plan to play together in the U.S. Open and probably will stay together until at least the end of the season.

"Why not?" Weingartner said. "Why stop now?"

They first teamed at the French Open after Weingartner initially asked Craybas to play together in early May.

"It's hard to find someone you enjoy playing with," Craybas said. "So in that regard, I think we're lucky."

WINNING SEASON: Lindsay Davenport's singles championship was her sixth of the season, the most for any player on the WTA Tour. She has the second-best hard-court record at 27-2.

Olympic champion Justine Henin-Hardenne is 28-1 on hard courts.

MONEY GAMES: Davenport earned $27,000 for winning the tournament, which translated to $9,000 a match. She played only three matches because she received a first-round bye and a semifinal walkover when Marion Bartoli withdrew because of a blister/cyst injury.

CHARITY DRIVE: The Barrett Cancer Center is the charitable beneficiary of the W&S Women's Open and will receive a donation of about $30,000 from tournament proceeds.

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E-mail ddow@enquirer.com