Nadal Faces Gaudio at Stuttgart, Dent-Ginepri at Indianapolis

Posted on July 24, 2005

Dent, Ginepri in All-American Final at ATP Indianapolis

Unseeded Robby Ginepri made good on his quarterfinal upset of top-seeded Andy Roddick, on Saturday defeating No. 10 seed Karol Beck 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 to reach the final at the ATP stop in Indianapolis.

"I had the will to fight today," said Ginepri, who will try and add to his lone title at Newport. "After a great win last night, I tried to do the same today. I couldn't be happier. Good things happen when you stay positive, stay mentally tough. It's been a tough week, mentally and physically."

Despite winning the first set, Beck was happy with meeting his low expectations.

"It was a great week for me and I didn't expect to get to the semifinals so I am happy," Beck said.

In the final the red-hot Ginepri will face No. 4 seed Taylor Dent, who finally broke through for a win against Greg Rusedski, defeating the No. 7-seeded Brit 6-4, 6-4.

"I was making him play a lot of balls," Dent said. "I had a couple double faults here and there. Hit one or two bad volleys the whole match. I thought I was pretty solid."

Dent has won three of his four meetings with Ginepri, who is not normally known for winning three-set matches, with three of their four encounters going three sets.

The doubles final will be (1) Aspelin/Perry vs. (2) Hanley/Oliver.

Nadal v Gaudio in Blockbuster ATP Stuttgart Final

The ATP stop in Stuttgart set up its dream final Saturday when No. 1 seed and French Open champion Rafael Nadal (d. Nieminen) and No. 3 seed and former French champ Gaston Gaudio (d. (2) Davydenko, who retired in the second set with a stomach illness) advanced to the final.

"I'm happy with this victory and to be in the final and I will try to play my best tomorrow," said Nadal, eying the additional Mercedes that goes to the winner. "The car is a good motivation for me, but my main motivation is to win my next match."

The 19-year-old Nadal has won seven titles in 2005, one short of Roger Federer's eight, and has won 33 straight on clay, short of Ilie Nastase's 36, the fifth-highest streak behind Thomas Muster (38, 40), Bjorn Borg (46), and Guillermo Vilas (53).

Gaudio leads the career series with Nadal 3-1, though Nadal won their most recent meeting.

"It will be a very difficult match," Nadal said. "He is playing well, he won in Gstaad last week and he is in the final again here. I know it will be difficult and I have to play my best tennis to win. I think that Gaudio and I are amongst the best players in the world on clay so it will be a good match."

Nadal will also rise to a career-high No. 2 on Monday when the new ATP Rankings are released.

"It's a lovely situation to play against him -- and try and take his record away," Gaudio said.

The doubles final will be all-unseeded in Hood/Robredo (d. Nadal/Verdasco in the semis) versus Acasuso/Prieto (d. (WC) Beck/Rieschick).

All Gonzo, All the Time at ATP Amersfoort

Chile's Fernando Gonzalez advanced to the singles and doubles finals Saturday at the ATP claycourt stop in Amersfoort, defeating unseeded Spaniard David Sanchez 6-2, 6-1 in the singles semifinals.

Gonalez, top-seeded with countryman Nicolas Massu, also moved into the doubles final with a straight-set win over the No. 3-seeded team of Bachelot/Benneteau.

In the final Gonzalez will take on unseeded Argentine Agustin Calleri, who defeated fellow un-seed Ivo Minar of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4.

Gonzalez has beaten Calleri in two of their three career meetings, all on clay.

The doubles final will be (1) Gonzalez/Massu vs. (4) Garcia/Horna.

Medina Garrigues, Koukalova in WTA Palermo Final

Defending champ Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues (d. Pironkova in the semis) will face (5) Klara Koukalova (d. (2) Pennetta, bagel in the second) in the final of the claycourt WTA stop in Palermo.

Medina Garrigues won just four matches in her first 10 tournaments this year, but turned things around at Strasbourg with her first title of 2005.

Koukalova stopped Pennetta who was the runner-up at last year's event.

Koukalova leads the career series against Medina Garrigues 2-1.

In the doubles final, unseeded Giulia Casoni of Italy and Mariya Koryttseva of the Ukraine defeated Polish No.4 seeds Klaudia Jans and Alicija Rosolska 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 for their first title as a team.

Schnyder, Morigami Advance to WTA Cincinnati Final

Patty Schnyder defeated No. 177-ranked qualifier Bethanie Mattek 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the final Saturday of the WTA stop in Cincinnati.

Schnyder will shoot for her second title of the year after winning in her first outing of the year at Gold Coast.

"I'd love to win a title in the United States," Schnyder said. "I have never one won here. It's the only continent where I have never won a title."

Mattek was appearing in her first tour semifinal.

"It was definitely a good week and a great stepping stone for my career," Mattek said. "I haven't had this type of week at a tour event."

In the final Schnyder will face Japan's unseeded Akiko Morigami, who upset No. 4 seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-4.

Schnyder easily won her lone career meeting with Morigami at Wimbledon last year.

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