All-Argentine Final at Casablanca
Posted on April 10, 2005Unseeded Argentine Juan Monaco advanced to his first career ATP final Saturday at Casablanca, rolling past fellow un-seed Tomas Zib 6-2, 6-4.
"It's been a very difficult semifinal, although I won the first set quite easily," Monaco said afterwards. "I had to fight every single point. What made me win today is that I was very solid, made very few mistakes and kept my concentration the entire match."
In the final the 21-year-old will face countryman and No. 6 seed Mariano Puerta, who upset No. 2 seed Filippo Volandri in straight sets.
"I am really happy about this victory. It has been a very difficult match from the beginning," said Puerta, who closed out the second set in a tiebreak after failing to serve it out at 5-3. "I had the possibility to win the second set 6-3, but he came back and things could have gotten really ugly."
Puerta his only meeting with Monaco earlier this year at Vina del Mar in three sets.
"I know Juan a little," Puerta said in previewing the final. "We played each other in Vina del Mar. I barely won, it was a very tight match. He is a young rising player who plays very well and tomorrow it won't be an easy match."
In the doubles final the No. 2-seeded Czech team of Cermak/Friedl defeated Garcia/Horna 6-4, 6-3 for their third title of the year.
"It's been a very difficult semifinal, although I won the first set quite easily," Monaco said afterwards. "I had to fight every single point. What made me win today is that I was very solid, made very few mistakes and kept my concentration the entire match."
In the final the 21-year-old will face countryman and No. 6 seed Mariano Puerta, who upset No. 2 seed Filippo Volandri in straight sets.
"I am really happy about this victory. It has been a very difficult match from the beginning," said Puerta, who closed out the second set in a tiebreak after failing to serve it out at 5-3. "I had the possibility to win the second set 6-3, but he came back and things could have gotten really ugly."
Puerta his only meeting with Monaco earlier this year at Vina del Mar in three sets.
"I know Juan a little," Puerta said in previewing the final. "We played each other in Vina del Mar. I barely won, it was a very tight match. He is a young rising player who plays very well and tomorrow it won't be an easy match."
In the doubles final the No. 2-seeded Czech team of Cermak/Friedl defeated Garcia/Horna 6-4, 6-3 for their third title of the year.