|
|
|
| April 18, 2006 | Tuesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 19, 1427 |
Fish claims title in battle of unseeds
HOUSTON, April 17: American Mardy Fish captured the US Men's Clay Court Championships on Sunday after beating Austrian Juergen Melzer 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a battle of unseeded players.
The 212th-ranked Fish lost the first set and was down in the second before he broke Melzer's serve to begin a comeback that ended with his victory on the red clay courts at Houston's Westside Tennis Club.
Fish collapsed on to the clay, lying on his back and raising his arms, when Melzer hit a backhand into the net to give him the match.
It was Fish's second title on the ATP circuit after Stockholm in 2003 and comes after missing much of last year due to a wrist injury that required two operations.
Even though he trailed midway through the match, Fish said he felt he was playing well enough to win, but had to become more aggressive.
Fish virtually waltzed into Sunday's final when his second round opponent, German Rainer Schuettler, could not play because of stomach problems and his semifinal opponent, fifth-seed Tommy Haas of Germany, had to quit because of a wrist injury just six games into their match on Saturday.
Haas had earlier knocked out top-seed Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals.
Two years ago, Fish was the 17th ranked player in the world and he said on Sunday his goal is to get back into the top 100 before Wimbledon begins in late June.
PETROVA TRIUMPHS
CHARLESTON: Second seed Nadia Petrova survived both Patty Schnyder and searing heat on Sunday to claim her second title on US green clay in as many weeks and her biggest career win.Petrova with her 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 triumph of power over finesse won her first Tier I title and broke into the top five of the WTA Tour rankings for the first time. She will be number five when the rakings are issued on Monday.
Petrova required medical attention during a second-set break while leading 6-3, 1-2. A rainer took her blood pressure and pulse and applied an ice pack to her neck and legs.
She recovered to place herself among the Roland Garros favourites after becoming the first player since Conchita Martinez in 1995 to sweep the two US clay court tournaments in the same year.
Petrova reached the French Open semifinals last year, losing to eventual champion Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Schnyder had advanced to the final with a three-set victory over top seed and defending champion Henin-Hardenne, on her day the world's best clay court player.
It was Schnyder's first victory in seven matches against the Belgian and assured her of a move from number nine to number eight.
Schnyder in her four previous Family Circle Cup appearances had made one final in 2002 and two semifinals.—Reuters
|
|
|
|
