Nalbandian eases into final: Sharapova faces Molik for trophy
MADRID, Oct 23: Fourth seed David Nalbandian tamed the big-serve threat of Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-4 Saturday to move into the final of the 2.425-million-euros Madrid Masters.
The Argentine, plagued by niggling injuries and without a title this season, reached his second final of 2004 with the win past world number 29 Ljubicic.
Nalbandian earned a break in the third game of the opening set, which held up, despite being forced to save two break points as he served for the set.
Ljubicic, playing in his second Masters Series semi of the season after Hamburg in the spring, found his ace count well-reduced against Nalbandian.
After banging over 27 on Friday when he beat Swede Joachim Johansson, the Croatian managed only 13, going nil-for-five on break point chances.
Nalbandian broke once per set on his way to victory. The win helped the Argentine to keep pace as he, Agassi and Safin all chase the last four spots remaining for next month's season-ending, eight-man Masters Cup.
Nalbandian improved to 30-12 this season as he reached the final without the loss of a set this week.
Nalbandian's season has been a shambles as he dealt with ankle, abdominal and thigh injuries. His high point came as he reached the final in Rome, losing to Spain's Carlos Moya.
Earlier on Friday, flamboyant Russian Marat Safin lived dangerously Friday night, flirting with a deciding third set, but salvaging three break points to hang on for a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Luis Horna at the 2.425-million-euro Madrid Masters.
Safin, seeded third and fighting for a place in next month's season final, will Saturday attempt to hand popular Andre Agassi his first career loss at the Rockodromo in their semi-final.
Agassi, the number two, knocked out the final Spanish contender when he overcame a patchy start to produce a 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-2 victory over Tommy Robredo.
Agassi won Madrid the only other time he played, in the 2002 inaugural edition.
But he needed a fightback to kick-start his game against the feisty Robredo, on pain-killers for a shoulder problem and suddenly a candidate for the Davis Cup final against the U.S.
Agassi finally earned the break that turned the corner in the second set as he broke for 3-1 to begin the erosion of Roberdo's confidence.
The break was pro ceeded by a marathon struggle in which the American saved six break points.
Sharapova, Molik in final
ZURICH (Switzerland): Maria Sharapova defeated fellow-Russian Elena Dementieva 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday to set a showdown against unseeded Australian Alicia Molik in the final of the 1.3 million dollars WTA event.
Molik ended tenth seed Patty Schnyder's hopes of making final winning 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Fourth seed Sharapova struggled at times to overcome an opponent who struck the ball just as hard and sometimes more accurately.
It took the Wimbledon champion until the middle of the second set to gain any sort or control, and she was able to claim the last three games of the second set and the first three games of the third to put herself in the lead.
In a match with plenty of skilful and competitive rallies, third seeded Dementieva took the opening set, breaking to lead 3-2 on her fifth break point when her opponent netted a backhand, and then holding off one break point at 4-3 and another at 5-4.
Sharapova eventually managed to combine aggression with accuracy in the second set.
After the players had swopped breaks at 2-1, the 17-year old broke again to lead 4-2 when the ball hit the net cord and fell in her favour, and dropped just two more points in the set.
In the third, a break for 2-0 when Dementieva netted a forehand was enough to decide the match, but Sharapova had to struggle to maintain her lead. She had to hold off three break points at 3-1, before earning two match points on Dementieva's serve at 5-2.
Dementieva saved the first with a big forehand and Sharapova netted a return on the second. Sharapova then had to hold off a break point as she served for the match at 5-3, but Dementieva put the ball wide.
Semifinals results:
Alicia Molik (AUS) bt Patty Schnyder (SWI) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4; Maria Sharapova (RUS) bt Elena Dementieva (RUS) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.-Agencies
