Ginepri Wilts Dent in ATP Indianapolis Final

With a heat index over 110 degrees, the questionable fitness level of Taylor Dent demanded a quick straight-set victory in the ATP final Sunday at Indianapolis versus countryman Robby Ginepri.

Unfortunately a 6-4 win in the first set didn't prove quick enough as the burly American went on to lose the next nine games before retiring with fatigue/heat illness at 6-4, 0-6, 0-3.

"I was really struggling that whole first set," Dent said. "I dug as deep as I could to finish that first set. I was struggling that first set. The second set I tried to push myself, but unfortunately I had nothing. It is extremely disappointing. I was getting worse as time went on...We tried some things, like the ammonia sniffing, which only helped me for a point. I didn't want to risk doing physical damage to myself."

Ginepri is the first unseeded champion in Indy since the tournament moved to hardcourts in 1988, and captured his career-second title after Newport on grass in 2003.

"I could tell he was running out of energy pretty early," Ginepri said. "As a friend, you don't want too see that, and you don't want to win a tournament like that. All the hard work down in Miami with my fitness coach Paul (Pisani), it has definitely worked out."

Dent is now 0-2 in finals in 2005.

"Conditioning is a big deal," Dent said. "I haven't gotten back from my ankle injury. I've got to get my conditioning back to where it was."

In the doubles final the first-time team of Paul Hanley and Graydon Oliver defeated top seeds Simon Aspellin and Todd Perry 6-2, 3-1, ret., when Perry suffered a stomach illness.