Weekend Winners Federer, Mauresmo Headline Oil Fields in Dubai, Doha

Posted on February 21, 2005

Federer Wins Three-Set Thriller at ATP Rotterdam

World No. 1 Roger Federer showed mental fortitude in the face of Croat Ivan Ljubicic Sunday in the ATP Rotterdam final, coming back from a set down for a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(5) win and his second title of the year.

Federer dropped his serve for the first time in the tournament at 5-5 in the first set, then finally converted on a break point in the second with Ljubicic serving at 5-6. In the third set neither player earned a break point until the tiebreak, with the Croat serving at 4-2 before Federer steeled his nerve for a mini-break and the eventual victory.

"I always expect a tough match but I was hoping it was going to go the way the final in Doha when I won 6-3, 6-1 against Ivan," Federer said. "Indoors, he's more efficient, and he's harder to break. He got off to a good start, got the first break, I didn't play a very good game but anyway he broke me to love, which was good for him. From then on I just had to fight and stay in there."

With the win the Swiss improved to 15-1 in 2005, and has now won 15 consecutive finals dating to Vienna in 2003, an Open Era record.

Ljubicic, who said before the final he would buy everyone in the crowd a drink were he to defeat Federer, dropped to 0-3 in finals this year.

"I was 4-2 up in the tiebreak," Ljubicic said. "If I had a chance to rally with Roger I thought I had a chance. I felt like in the rally he was the one who felt more pressure. I could go for my shots without overdoing it. I don't think he was expecting me to stay in the rally, to stay with his power, but I did it pretty good today and he found himself down a set. But he's No. 1 in the world and he was fighting all the way."

In the doubles final, Israeli No. 4 seeds Jonathan Erlich/Andy Ram won their first title of the year with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over No. 3-seeded Czechs Cyril Suk/Pavel Vizner.

"It's our fourth title together," Ram said. "It's a great feeling. We really enjoy playing in Holland, it's a great tournament."

Carlsen Ends Three-Year Drought with ATP Memphis Title

Unseeded Dane Kenneth Carlsen became one of the unlikeliest players to lift the ATP Memphis trophy Sunday, withstanding a barrage of aces from No. 8 seed Max "The Beast" Mirnyi in a 7-5, 7-5 win.

It was the third career title for the 31-year-old Carlsen and his first since 2002 Tokyo.

"This one (Memphis) and Tokyo is something special," Carlsen said. "When you win a tournament is always something special. It's amazing. That's what you worked for. It makes everything worthwhile."

The Beast dropped to 1-2 in career finals, with his only win at Rotterdam in 2003.

"I felt like I certainly had my chances," said Mirnyi who delivered 15 aces in the final. "He play good enough sometimes, (and) sometimes I was not good enough to take him, but that is the way it goes. He came away with the win and certainly deserves it."

Carlsen's success on The Beast's serve came from standing far back and taking big cuts, surprising the Belarussian.

"He was so far back and was just swinging at my big coming serve," Mirnyi said. "He was fortunate enough to connect and make very good returns. I was not counting on it because is not one of his strengths, to be this from this far back and swinging is not a very high percentage play, but it worked for him today and it happened to be at the same time on both sets."

The anticipated Andy Roddick-Tommy Haas final was derailed in Memphis when Roddick pulled from the semis with a twisted ankle and Haas was mauled by The Beast, ending a seven-loss streak.

In the doubles final the American Bryan brothers dropped their 2005 record in finals to 0-2, with the top seeds falling to No. 3-seeded Aussies Simon Aspelin/Todd Perry 6-4, 6-4. It was the tour-leading second doubles title of the year for the Aussies.

Mauresmo Beats Venus for WTA Antwerp Crown

No. 1 seed Amelie Mauresmo came from a set down to beat Venus Williams 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in a battle of former No. 1s in the final of the WTA stop in Antwerp Sunday.

The win denied Venus the 1,700-diamond $1.3 million Diamond Games trophy, presented to the player who can win the Antwerp title three times in five years. Venus won Antwerp in 2002-03, and last year missed the event with a knee injury.

"I was so close to winning and it is very frustrating," said Venus, who led by a set and a break, and was also up a break in the third set. "I wanted to win that incredible racket so badly...I felt 100 percent at the start of the match but my stomach muscles started to hurt again after a while, especially when serving. I'll definitely be back next year -- racket or no racket. This is a top-class event, all the players love it."

Mauresmo was happy with the result after a slow start, and with Venus choking in the second set.

"Venus played very well to be up a set and 5-3, but I wasn't playing my best," Mauresmo said. "I was making lots of mistakes and I wasn't as solid as I should have been. At 5-3 maybe she started thinking about winning the title, while I tightened my game up a bit. Then I knew I had to hang in there."

In the doubles final the top-seeded team of Cara Black/Els Callens came from a set down to edge No. 2 seeds Anabel Medina Garrigues/Dinara Safina 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 for their first title of the year.

Pennetta Beats Back Qualifier for Title at WTA Bogota

No. 2 seed Flavia Pennetta won her second career title Sunday at the WTA stop in Bogota, ending the Cinderella run of Spanish qualifier Lourdes Dominguez Lino 7-6(4), 6-4.

It was the 22-year-old Italian's third straight final in her last three claycourt events, with her first career title last year at Sopot.

In the final the unseeded Swiss/Slovak duo of Emmanuelle Gagliardi/Tina Pisnik upset No. 4 seeds Lubomira Kurhajcova/Barbora Strycova 6-4, 6-3 for their first 2005 title as a team.

Federer, Agassi Tap Big Oil Field at ATP Dubai

The money this week on the ATP tour is in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where world No. 1 Roger Federer, Marat Safin, Tim Henman, and Andre Agassi pocket the guarantee checks to headline the Dubai Open.

"B"-level seeds joining the big four are Spaniard Tommy "The R." Robredo, Russians Nikolay Davydenko and Mikhail Youzhny, and Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.

The numerous opening-round matches of note are former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. rising German Florian "Oscar" Mayer (winner to face (1) Federer), rockin' Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui in his comeback from a foot injury vs. Rainer "Shine" Schuettler, (7) Youzhny vs. Thomas "Tommy the J." Johansson, (4) Agassi vs. upset specialist Radek Stepanek, Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan vs. Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez, (6) Davydenko vs. Fabrice "The Original Wizard" Santoro, (3) Henman vs. "Grinning" Greg Rusedski in an all-Brit, (5) Robredo vs. hot-handed Belgian Olivier "The Roach" Rochus, and (2) Safin vs. the former champ Nicolas Kiefer.

"I had a sneaking feeling that I would draw Tim when I heard he'd taken a wildcard," Rusedski told The Independent. "There's extra motivation to show who is the best player in Britain on the day."

Former champs in the field are the two-time defending champ Federer (2004-03), Santoro (2002), Ferrero (2001), and Kiefer (2000).

On court Monday in Doha are (5) Robredo vs. The Roach, (WC) Ferrero vs. Mayer, (4) Agassi vs. Stepanek, El Aynaoui vs. Schuettler, The Dominator vs. (WC) Bahrouzyan, (Q) Voltchkov vs. Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco, and Berdych vs. Beck.

Spadea, Tennis Channel Come Together at ATP Scottsdale

Tennis Channel darling Vince Spadea (with a reported "reality series" in the making), the defending champion in Scottsdale, is the No. 2 seed this week at the newly-purchased Tennis Channel Open, joining top seed Tommy Haas and a handful of American "C"-level players.

Other seeds at Scottsdale are Americans Taylor Dent and Kevin Kim, along with Croatian Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic, Irakli "Freak Show" Labadze, Memphis winner Kenneth Carlsen, and German "C"-player Lars Burgsmuller.

Spadea will receive great joy in being introduced as the defending champion after last year finally capturing his first career title.

"That'll be great," said Spadea, who last year beat James Blake, Andy Roddick and Nicolas Kiefer. "It was a dream week. Leaving a city undefeated was spectacular. Having never won a match in my life (in Scottsdale before last year) tells me I can turn the tables around no matter what the circumstances."

Unfortunately Vicnenzo will be a question mark after pulling from Memphis last week during his second-round match with a shoulder injury.

Opening-round matches of note in Scottsdale are (1) Haas vs. American teen wildcard "The" Donald Young, (4) Dent vs. Aussie serving machine Wayne Arthurs, (6) Freak Show vs. American (WC) Alex Kuznetsov, the returning-from-injury Mark Philippoussis vs. Tomas Behrend, (3) Baby Goran vs. American (WC) Brendan Evans, (7) Carlsen vs. Blake, and (2) Spadea vs. a qualifier.

Returning champs in the field are Spadea (2004), Jan-Mike Gambill (1999) and Philippoussis (1997).

Monday's schedule at the Tennis Channel Open is Y.-H. Lu vs. (8) Burgsmuller, Bogomolov vs. Salzenstein, Gimelstob vs. Vliegen, (6) Freak Show vs. (WC) Kuznetsov, Tipsarevic vs. Gambill, in doubles the Blake brothers vs. (3) Allegro/Kohlmann, and Moodie vs. G.Lapentti.

Former French Champs Moya, Gaudio Lead ATP Acapulco Field

Roland Garros champions Carlos Moya and current holder Gaston Gaudio lead a strong claycourt contingent this week at the ATP stop in Acapulco, joined by seeds Guillermo Canas, Juan Ignacio Chela, Jiri Novak, Filippo Volandri, David Ferrer, and last week's Costa Do Sauipe winner Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal.

Tough opening-round matches include (1) Moya vs. former contender (Q) Nicolas Lapentti, (7) Ferrer vs. Ricardo Mello "Yello," (8) The Prodigy vs. Alex Calatrava in an always-tenuous all-Spanish, (4) Chela vs. riser Juan "The Principality" Monaco in an all-Argentine, and (6) Volandri vs. former new-ball Mariano Zabaleta.

Former champs in the field are Moya (2004,'02), Agustin Calleri (2003), and Novak (1998).

Scheduled for Monday on the dirt are Calleri vs. Olivier "All We Need is Just a Little" Patience, The Principality vs. (4) Chela, Ventura vs. Almagro in an all-ESP, Montanes vs. (WC) A.Hernandez, (5) Novak vs. Marin, (3) Canas vs. (Q) Massa in an all-ARG, and Guillermo "G-Lo" Garcia-Lopez vs. (WC) Puerta.

Mauresmo, Sharapova, Myskina Highlight Strong WTA Doha Field

Four Top 10 players in Amelie Mauresmo, Maria Sharapova, Anastasia Myskina, and Alicia Molik headline the oil-rich WTA stop in Doha this week.

Mauresmo, coming off the title at Antwerp, is also joined among the seeds by Swiss Patty Schnyder, Russian Elena Bovina returning from injury, Italy's Silvia Farina Elia, and Argentine Paola Suarez.

Sharapova has recovered from the illness that forced her to pull from the Paris Open.

"I was sick, down with flu and an upper respiratory illness. That's why I pulled out of the Paris Open but now I have recovered," Sharapova said.

The top four seeds receive byes in early-week mojo-killing fashion, but a couple opening round clashes of interest match-up in (7) Farina Elia vs. Francesca Schiavone in an all-Italian, (6) Bovina vs. Japan's riser Shinobu Asagoe, and Daniela Hantuchova vs. Maggie Maleeva in an all-unseeded.

Myskina (2004-03) is the lone returning champ in the field.

On court Monday are Bovina vs. Asagoe, Suarez vs. Bartoli, Schiavone vs. Farina Elia, and Camerin vs. Kostanic.

Bogota Champ Pennetta Leads WTA Acapulco Field

Italian Flavia Pennetta, winner at last week's WTA stop in Bogota, goes for her second consecutive claycourt title this week at the shaky dirt field in Acapulco.

Pennetta is joined by seeds Meghann Shaugnessy of the U.S., France's Emilie Loit, Russian Alina Jidkova, Dally Randriantefy, Maria Sanchez Lorenzo, Poland's Marta Domachowska, and Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives.

Wildcards for the event went to Mexicans with the longest names in Maria Jose Lopez Herrera and Melissa Torres Sandoval.

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