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| June 16, 2003 | Monday | Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1424 |
Roddick romps past Grosjean to claim Stella crown
LONDON, June 15: Andy Roddick swept to his first grasscourt title on Sunday after thrashing Sebastien Grosjean 6-3 6-3 to win the Stella Artois Championships.
The American, possessor of the fastest serve in tennis and conqueror of Andre Agassi in the semifinal, took just 59 minutes to wipe the Frenchman off the court.
“They’re not joking around here,” Roddick smiled as he was handed the enormous silver cup. “That thing’s bigger than I was when I was 12-years-old.
“It is pretty humbling to be in the same category as some of the names on that trophy... anyone who’s anyone has won here. I couldn’t be happier right now.”
Roddick joins an illustrious list of former champions of the Queen’s Club event including John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker and Pete Sampras.
He pocketed 94,700 euros ($111,300) for the one-sided victory but more importantly it will serve as a major confidence boost eight days ahead of Wimbledon.
“It is great,” he said. “I will relax now and then come back in a week’s time and try to do it all over again at Wimbledon.”
A single break in the first set was enough for the American to clinch it on a scorching day.
The third seed broke for 4-2 in the opening set when, having clawed his way back from love-40, Grosjean double-faulted.
A second break for 2-1 in the second put Roddick firmly on the path to victory, one he completed when he broke again for 6-3, winning match point on a lucky netcord.
“Everything went my way today,” Roddick said. “Even that match point... it was laughable.”
While the American failed to repeat his feat of Saturday when he crunched down a 149 miles (239.8 km) per hour serve to equal the fastest ever, his deliveries were still too hot to handle for the Frenchman.
Parading the baseline in a deep red shirt, Grosjean was never given the time he needed to set up his shots and looked only a patch of the player who destroyed Tim Henman in the semi-finals.
“Well, he had a great week here,” Grosjean said of his opponent. “He served really big so it was tough to return.
“Still, I am pleased with my week. I beat Lleyton Hewitt and Henman... I am happy.”
Roddick said he had enjoyed his week in the British sun and would definitely return.
“Hey, how ‘bout this English weather,” he said. “It’s great... I’ve had a great week here.
“I will certainly be back next year.”
The title came in his first week under the guidance of Brad Gilbert, former coach of Agassi.
“We have been working on a few things,” Roddick said. “Brad told me, if I am going to miss I might as well miss really going for it, not making some stupid error.
“It seems to be working.”
HALLE (Germany): World number five Roger Federer warmed up for Wimbledon in ideal fashion when he crushed German Nicolas Kiefer 6-1 6-3 in the Halle Open final on Sunday to win his first ATP grasscourt title.
The top-seeded Swiss needed just 68 minutes to claim his fourth title of the year, putting him alongside an elite band of active players to have won on all four surfaces - grass, clay, hard courts and indoors.
Having been beaten by Kiefer in the semifinals in Halle last year, Federer looked in the mood for revenge and he began in style, storming to a 5-0 lead as his opponent, perhaps suffering from nerves, struggled to find his best form.
Kiefer, runner-up to Yevgeny Kafelnikov in 2002, stopped the rot by holding serve in the sixth game but it was only a temporary reprieve as the Swiss served out for the set.
While Federer hit his share of winners, world number 73 Kiefer, who has struggled with injuries and form in the last 12 months, was guilty of too many unforced errors.
A cruel net cord then handed Federer a vital break in the third game of the second set and, after Kiefer had treatment to his right thigh, the Swiss romped away with the set to clinch his first senior title on grass.
The victory, his 43rd of the year - the highest on tour - makes him the 12th active player to have won on all four surfaces.
BIRMINGHAM (England): Japan’s Shinobu Asagoe’s dreams of winning her first ever WTA tour crown were ruthlessly crushed by experienced Bulgarian Magdalena Maleeva on Sunday who coasted to the Birmingham grasscourt title winning 6-1, 6-4.
It was the 28-year-old Maleeva’s tenth title of her career with her win coming in just 65 minutes.
Asagoe, ranked 103 in the world and appearing in her first final a day before her 27th birthday, had put an end to the magical run of Russian teenager Maria Sharapova in three sets in the semi-finals but that performance took its toll on Sunday.
Maleeva, a former world number four, dominated the final from the start taking the first set in just 23 minutes.
The Japanese girl battled gamely in the second set, but Maleeva’s experience proved crucial taking the title on her third match point.—Reuters/AFP
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