All-Aussie Final at WTA Sydney; Dementieva, Massu Added to Injury List

It is the career-first final for Minar, who entering the event had only won one career ATP match.

“Last year was good. I began last year, I start 500 and I was 160 on the end year. I was two times in final in the challenger," said the 20-year-old Minar, who had nine aces during the match. "I was in one tournament in ATP in Kitzbuehel...Last year I played, I think, same tennis like all this tournament. But I began last year at 500. I couldn't play ATP
tournaments.”

In facing Minar for the first time, Hewitt says he will do much of his scouting on the fly.

“I don't even really know what he looks like," Hewitt said. "So, yeah, (coach) Roger (Rasheed) would have scouted a bit, though. I've got to go out there and play my game, and I'll work it out in the first couple of games, you know, what to expect from him.”

The doubles final will be unseeded Frenchmen Clement/Llodra vs. (3)Bhupathi/Woodbridge.

Gonzalez Against Surprising Rochus in ATP Auckland Final

Chilean No. 5 seed Fernando Gonzalez utilized a deft slice and pounding forehand to subdue No. 6 Juan Ignacio Chela 6-4, 6-2 Friday at the ATP stop in Auckland.

"I think today was really tough to play, it was very windy and me, and Chela we know each other really good because we played each other a few times before," Gonzalez said. "I was playing with confidence and my slice was working really good and that made me feel much better on the court.”

In the final "Gonzo" Gonzalez will face unseeded Belgian Olivier Rochus, with "The Roach" overwhelming Czech qualifier Jan Hernych 6-3, 6-1 in under an hour. The Roach is appearing in his first final since Copenhagen in 2003.

It will be the first meeting between Gonzo and The Roach.

In the doubles final the duo of Simon Aspelin and Todd Perry will play in an ATP final for the second week in a row, facing the Swiss/German pair of Yves Allegro and Michael Kohlmann.

Molik and Stosur in First All-Aussie Final in 13 Years at WTA Sydney

Aussie wildcard Sam Stosur reached her second consecutive WTA Tour final Friday at Sydney when No. 3 seed Elena Dementieva withdrew from the semifinal due to heat illness.

"I couldn't go on the court to do my warm-up, I couldn't even hold my racquet," said Dementieva who suffered dizziness and nausea after a week of long matches in the Australian heat, with her fitness for next week's Australian Open in doubt. "I don't know how many days it will take to recover."

For Stosur it was the second consecutive walkover she received after world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport withdrew with bronchitis.

"Having one walkover is a bit strange, but having two is ridiculous," Stosur said. "I'm in the final, I'll take it, but it's certainly not the way I wanted to get there."

The No. 6-seeded Molik defeated Chinese qualifier Shuai Peng 6-4, 6-3 to reach the first all-Aussie final since 1992.

Stosur also collected the doubles title with countrywoman Bryanne Stewart when Dementieva, who partnered with Ai Sugiyama, withdrew from the final due to heat illness.

Zheng Wins Second-Ever Chinese Title at WTA Hobart

China's Jie Zheng routed Argentina's Gisela Dulko 6-2, 6-0 for the title Friday at the WTA Tour stop in Hobart, the country's second WTA title after Na Li won at Guangzhou in 2004.

The 21-year-old Zheng reached the final after a 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 win over countrywoman Li Na in the semifinals.

Zheng also collected the doubles title with countrywoman Yan when the Chinese pair beat the Spanish/Russian combo of Medina Garrigues/Safina.

Qualifiers Ivanovic, Czink in WTA Canberra Final

Ana Ivanovic, who beat Melinda Czink last weekend in the Canberra qualifying, will again face the Hungarian today in the final of the WTA Tour stop at Canberra.

Czink was ready to leave for the Australian Open qualifying tournament after losing in the Canberra qualies but gained the main draw at the last minute as a lucky loser after the withdrawal of another player.

Czink reached the final with a 7-6, 7-6 win over American Lindsay Lee-Waters in the semifinals, while Ivanovic beat the Ukraine's Yuliana Fedak 6-1 6-2.

"It feels pretty strange knowing that I played her just a few days ago," Ivanovic said of again facing Czink. "It's never easy to play twice against the same player but having won last time should give me some confidence."

TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Did you know that a computer program fills out the Australian Open draws? The seeds are placed by hand, then the computer takes over and seconds later both draws are produced...Martina Navratilova says Alicia Molik has the best serve in women's tennis, while John Alexander goes so far as to say the Aussie could become No. 1...Andre Agassi's MRI on his hip was negative, and he will face Tim Henman in a Kooyong exhibition practice match to see how it feels for the Aussie Open...Frenchman Cyril Saulnier went five sets in a loss to Tim Henman at the French last year, and won in five sets over Greg Rusedski at the US Open -- now Saulnier gets Henman in the first round at the Aussie Open...Michael Chang has joined to USTA's High Performance Committee to help grow the game in the U.S...Temperatures are expected to cool down in Melbourne this weekend with a likelihood of rain moving in, although play Monday looks to be okay...Did you know that Jiri Novak has reached more grand slam semifinals this decade than Carlos Moya?...Lleyton Hewitt is one match away from becoming the first player since John Bromwich (1937-1940) to win four titles in four consecutive participations in the Sydney event...Roger Federer, speaking to The Guardian about his dedication to the game and kicking ass in general: "I find it hard to stay professional all the time and I'd love to have more time for my friends, my family, my girlfriend, for vacations, but I know that my career won't last 50 years so I might as well do it properly for 10, then I can say I've had enough and take it easy. But I'm young and I love tennis and I'm not here to go on vacation and stay on the practice court. I'm an absolute match player."...Roger Federer (d. Henman in the semis) will face Andy Roddick in the final of the Kooyong exhibition...Nicolas Massu pulled from his match with David Nalbandian at the Kooyong exhibition with foot pain.