All-Argentine Final in Basel, Rubin Takes on Clijsters in Luxembourg

Posted on October 27, 2003

ATP REVIEW/PREVIEW
David Nalbandian found revenge sweet Saturday in Basel, taking out top-seeded Andy Roddick in straight sets and avenging his horrible loss a few months back at the US Open. In the all-Argentine final, Nalbandian will face Guillermo "El Mago" Coria, who subdued the monster serve of Ivan "A-Rod Fan Club President" Ljubicic in straights. "I'm very happy to be in the final here for the second time, I like to play here," said Nalbandian, who goes into the best-of-five final against The Magician with an 0-2 career mark. "It's going to be a very tough match with long rallies. He is a great player, he can beat anyone. We know each other so well, we have been playing each other since we were ten years old." The doubles final will be Knowles/Nestor vs. Arnold/Hood.

Unseeded Armenian Sargis Sargsian shocked top-seeded Rainer Shuettler at St. Petersburg Saturday, setting up a final confrontation against No. 3 seed Gustavo Kuerten (d. (WC)Corretja). "I was just frustrated to see that everything I tried, Guga returned it better," said Corretja, who has now lost six straight to the former No. 1. "Guga today served really well and he didn't give me any chances. I
didn't lose, I feel like he beat me which is a big difference." In the doubles final, Knowle/Zimonjic meet Kohlmann/Schuettler.

In Stockholm Sunday the home crowd will be pumped, cheering on 19-year-old wildcard Robin Soderling (d. Sangui-nutty), who will face No. 5 seed Mardy Fish (d. (WC)Enqvist) who has struggled with an 0-3 mark in finals this year. "With this win I can make the main draw of most ATP events next year, which is really important for me," said the teen Soderling, appearing in his career-first final, and his first meeting with The Fish. The doubles final will be a Masters Cup preview in Bjorkman/Woodbridge vs. Aussies Arthurs/Hanley.

WTA REVIEW/PREVIEW
Top-seeded Kim Clijsters sent Russian Maria "Orgasmo" Sharapova a message Saturday in the semifinals at Luxembourg, and that message was "You're weak." The world No. 2 spanked the No. 5 seed 6-0, 6-3 to reach the final, where she will face No. 2 seed Chanda Rubin (d. Weingartner). Lleyton's girlfriend is 5-0 career versus Rubin, and has won three of the last four Luxembourg titles -- time to put some Internet jack on this match. The doubles final will be Tatarkova/Weingartner vs. Sharapova/Tanasugarn.

No. 2 seed Ai Sugiyama busted up the potential all-Russian final in Linz Saturday, outlasting No. 3-seeded Vera "Warren" Zvonareva in three sets. In the final she will face Russian and No. 4 seed Nadia Petrova, who pounded No. 8 Patty Schnyder in straights. It is the career- first final for Petrova, who leads Sugiyama 1-0 in their career meetings. The doubles final will be (1)Huber/Sugiyama vs. Bartoli/Farina Elia.

NOTES, QUOTES, AND BARBS
Both Coria and Nalbandian are playing in their first indoor event of the season...With Andy Roddick's loss, looks like ATP No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero made a good move to skip Basel and rest-up for the big points at Paris...Is Mardy Fish this good?...Since Wimbledon, Guillermo Coria is 26-3 with lone losses to Feliciano Lopez (ret.), Max Mirnyi and Andre Agassi...Venus Williams was a no-show at the Philadelphia draw party on Friday. However, Venus is expected to show up for the event...Snippets from the Paris draw: potential semifinals pit Ferrero vs. Coria; Roddick vs. Federer. Roddick could get Nalbandian in the quarters. Also Blake vs. Gonzalez; Fish vs. Kuerten...In Stockholm today, Todd Woodbridge is vying for his 78th career ATP doubles title, which would tie him with Tom Okker for the Open Era lead...Marat Safin withdrew from Paris citing blisters on his right foot.