Kiefer Keeps Choke Streak Alive at ATP Moscow
Posted on October 17, 2005Surging No. 7 seed Russian Igor Andreev came back from a 5-7, 0-4 deficit to win his third title of the year Sunday in Moscow, stunning No. 6 seed Nicolas Kiefer 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-2.
"It was a lot of luck, and maybe he believed a little bit too early in his victory," said Andreev, who struggled with a knee injury during the match. "The crowd was supporting me win or lose and finally I could turn around the match. After the second set I felt more confident in myself that I could win this match."
The championship-choking German has now lost his last eight ATP finals, with his last title coming in 2000.
"This is very tough to digest, but Igor played very well when he was down and fully deserved to win," Kiefer said. "I did not play too well this week but still reached the final. There are many things I can still improve so I am hopeful for the future."
In the doubles final, No. 3 seeds Max "The Beast" Mirnyi and Mikhail Youzhny rolled unseeded defending champs Andreev and Nikolay Davydenko 5-1, 5-1 under the ATP's experimental doubles scoring, Youzhny's career-first doubles title.
"It was a lot of luck, and maybe he believed a little bit too early in his victory," said Andreev, who struggled with a knee injury during the match. "The crowd was supporting me win or lose and finally I could turn around the match. After the second set I felt more confident in myself that I could win this match."
The championship-choking German has now lost his last eight ATP finals, with his last title coming in 2000.
"This is very tough to digest, but Igor played very well when he was down and fully deserved to win," Kiefer said. "I did not play too well this week but still reached the final. There are many things I can still improve so I am hopeful for the future."
In the doubles final, No. 3 seeds Max "The Beast" Mirnyi and Mikhail Youzhny rolled unseeded defending champs Andreev and Nikolay Davydenko 5-1, 5-1 under the ATP's experimental doubles scoring, Youzhny's career-first doubles title.