Henman Returns at Washington, Clijsters Takes Title Momentum Into San Diego

Posted on August 1, 2005

Agassi Conquers Back Injury, Muller in ATP L.A. Final

Andre Agassi stifled rumors that 2005 could be his last year on tour due to a nerve/back injury, on Sunday defeating unseeded Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-4, 7-5 for his first title of the year.

Andre was on his game during the trophy presentation, jokingly telling the presenters to take back the check-presentation envelope because he knew it was an empty gesture, from his previous three experiences in L.A., and after being presented with a Raymond Weil watch calling it "an eBay watch" (adding that the proceeds, of course, would go to his foundation charity).

"It feels amazing," said Agassi upon winning his 60th career title. "This is why you work so hard. These moments don't happen very often anymore. I'm taking it in, and it's feeling pretty good."

Agassi's previous best results in 2005 were semifinals at Dubai and Miami (both l. to Federer) and Rome (l. to Coria).

Muller beat Agassi in their only previous meeting.

"I wasn't even close to breaking him," Muller said. "In the second set, I start to return better and also I felt that he wasn't serving as good anymore. I had good chances. I got a little bit too excited on the set point. I regret nothing."

The doubles final was won by 40-year-old American Rick Leach and his countryman Brian MacPhie, with the wildcards defeating No. 4-seeded Israelis Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram 6-3, 6-4 for their first title of the year.

Coria Beats Moya for ATP Umag Crown

After beng shut out during the claycourt season, Guillermo Coria collected his first title of the year Sunday at the ATP claycourt stop in Umag, defeating former No. 1 Carlos Moya 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 for the Croatian Open crown.

Coria had previously lost finals in Monte Carlo and Rome to Rafael Nadal earlier this year.

"My wife is Croatian and from this region, so I felt like home," Coria said. "It was a tough match and it had to go into three sets as Moya is a great player on clay and he puts up a lot of resistance."

Down 0-2 with games points against him in the first set, Coria flicked the switch to win the next seven games, then bounced back from the second set loss to frustrate Moya with his retrieving skills.

The doubles final was taken by top-seeded Czechs Jiri Novak and Petr Pala, who won their first title of the year with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Michal Mertinak and David Skoch.

Gaudio Wins 5th 2005 Clay Title at ATP Kitzbuhel

Gaston Gaudio defeated unseeded Fernando Verdasco Sunday at the ATP claycourt stop in Kitzbuhel, coming from a set down for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 win in the best-of-five set final for his fifth claycourt title on the year.

Gaudio's 2005 record on clay is 42-8, only bested by Rafael Nadal's 48-2.

"I felt so good after the French Open, and now I'm having another good experience winning five titles," said Gaudio who dealt with numerus rain delays. "It is always tough with rain. You are always thinking about having to stop every 15 minutes. You're getting nervous and you have to go back and forth to the locker room. It was a bit frustrating."

The 26-year-old Argentine was appearing in his third straight final after defeating Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka in Gstaad and losing to Nadal in Stuttgart.

Verdasco is now 1-2 in career finals.

"It's tough to play Gaston in a best-of-five set match for any player," Verdasco said. "I think today's conditions were better for Gaston because the court was slower than the last couple of days."

In the doubles final, No. 4 seeds Leos Friedl and Andrei Pavel defeated the Rochus brothers of Belgium, Christophe and Olivier 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-0 for their first title as a team.

Clijsters Beats Venus for 4th 2005 Title at WTA Stanford

Kim Clijsters turned around a three-match losing streak to Venus Williams Sunday at the WTA stop in Stanford, dismissing the Wimbledon champ 7-5, 6-2 for her fourth title on the year.

"I had to step in and take the balls early and be aggressive on my second serve," Clijsters said. "To win the first set was crucial against Venus."

Clijsters has been piling up the titles since spending much of last year on the sidelines with a wrist injury.

"I'm just glad I'm healthy and moving well," Clijsters said. "Looking back, the injury was the best thing that could have happened to me. I had time to learn about myself. Now I have friends and a life off the road. This victory means more to me than the other wins here because of the injuries I've had in the past."

Williams falls to 2-4 in finals at Stanford.

In the doubles final, Cara Black and Rennae Stubbs won their first title of the year, defeating the Russian duo of Elena Likhovtseva and Vera Zvonareva 6-3, 7-5.

Smashnova Wins 2nd Straight 2005 Title at WTA Budapest

Anna Smashnova raised her career record in finals to 11-0 Sunday at Budapest, with the 29-year-old defeating Colombia's Catalina Castano 6-2, 6-2 for her second title in three weeks.

"It's always nice to win a tournament, so I'm very happy," Smashnova said. "Budapest is a beautiful city and I hope to be back next year."

In the doubles final the top-seeded team of Emilie Loit and Katarina Srebotnik won their first title together, defeating the No. 4-seeded pair of Lourdes Dominguez Lino and Marta Marrero 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.

Roddick, Agassi, Henman Lead Pack at ATP Washington

Tim Henman returns to play for the first time since Wimbledon this week, joined by top seeds Andy Roddick and L.A. winner Andre Agassi at the ATP hardcourt stop in Washington.

Also among the Top 8 of the 16 seeds are Radek Stepanek, Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, Nicolas Kiefer, Max "The Beast" Mirnyi, and Sebastien Grosjean.

The Top 16 seeds receive opening-round byes, but second-round matches of interest loom in (7) The Beast vs. "Dr." Ivo Karlovic, (3) Henman vs. Wimbledon doubles winner Weslie Moodie, (12) Karol Beck vs. the hot-handed Robby Ginepri, (5) Hrbaty vs. (WC) Mark Philippoussis, and (4) Stepanek vs. James Blake.

In last year's final the No. 2-seeded Lleyton Hewitt defeated unseeded Gilles Muller 6-3, 6-4.

Returning champions in this year's field are Henman (2003), Blake (2002), Roddick (2001), and the five-time winner Agassi (1999-98,'95, and '91-90).

Six French Finalists Featured at ATP Sopot

Last chance on dirt this week for the claycourters on the ATP, with a strong field at Poland's Idea Prokom Open featuring French runner-up Mariano Puerta, French champ Gason Gaudio, French runner-up Guillermo Coria, French champ Carlos Moya, Filippo Volandri, Jose Acasuso, Igor Andreev, and Victor Hanescu.

Heavy hitters among the un-seeds are multiple Roland Garros winner Gustavo Kuerten, and fellow French winner Al Costa.

First-round matches of note are (1) Puerta vs. Fin floater Jarkko Nieminen, (3) Coria vs. Kuerten, and (2) Gaudio vs. French teen Gael Monfils.

Former champs in the field are Coria (2003) and Acasuso (2002).

On court Monday in Sopot are Garcia-Lopez vs. (7) Andreev, Di Mauro vs. (WC) Chadaj, Kohlschreiber vs. Costa. (6) Acasuso vs. Vanek, (8) Hanescu vs. Montanes, Koubek vs. Starace, and O.Hernandez vs. Sabau.

Russian Revolution This Week at WTA San Diego

Injury withdrawals of world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova have left the Acura Classic in San Diego resembling the Moscow Open with seeds Svetlana Kuznetsova, Elena Dementieva, Nadia Petrova and Vera Zvonareva leading the field, joined by fellow seeds Patty Schnyder, Mary Pierce and Stanford champion Kim Clijsters among the Top 8.

The Top 8 of the 16 seeds at San Diego receive opening-round byes, with early-round matches of interest including (16) Dinara Safina vs. former Wimbledon champ Conchita Martinez, (11) Jelena Jankovic vs. Amy "Joltin' Joe" Frazier, (Q) Tathiana Garbin vs. (Q) Sania Mirza, Mashona Washington vs. Karolina "The Spreminator" Sprem, and (13) Shinobu Asagoe vs. Sesil "The Mouth" Karatantcheva.

In last year's final, No. 4 seed Lindsay Davenport bludgeoned No. 4 seed Anastasia Myskina 6-1, 6-1.

Martinez (1995) is the only returning champ in the field.

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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Andre Agassi on his back pain: "I'm still considering another injection for the pain that I feel in the evenings when I cool down. Maybe I can just knock it out completely. I might be hoping for a lot. But my body has responded. My recovery is great. I'm moving well and making a lot of good decisions. It leaves me hopeful for doing what it is I love to do and how it is I love to do it."...Andre Agassi trainer Gil Reyes on his protege, speaking to the L.A. Times: "Either we were going to surface and rise above or we were just going to be swept away. It was just that simple. Unfortunately, it was that dramatic as well. We're more scared now than we've ever been. He understands it: a 35-year-old athlete being asked to not only withstand the rigors of tennis, but, let's face it, it's being played a little differently these days. These guys are coming up awfully big, awfully strong, good athletes. And they've grown up watching guys like Andre play and wanting to knock the cover off the ball. There are no more gentlemanly rallies out there, so the toll it takes on the body is different. So, of course we were afraid after the French. My biggest fear was that a doctor would decide when Andre retired. That was a nightmare to me. I've always wanted it to be on his terms. We still fantasize about how to go out, still talk about it, and I had nightmares about a doctor being the one who said, 'He's done.'...I respect him more now, if that's possible, than I ever have, because I know the doubt and the pain and the uncertainty that were inside the four walls of that gym when we came back from Paris...He's hungry right now, he's focused."...Tim Henman on taking some time off since Wimbledon: "I felt I needed a good break after Wimbledon. I was mentally and physically exhausted and frustrated. I've come back to practice with a much greater purpose, the way I'm hitting the ball has made me excited. It may not happen this week, next or at the Open, but I know I'm good enough for what I want to do to pay dividends somewhere down the line."