PARIS, Feb 13: Russia's Dinara Safina upset hot local favourite Amelie Mauresmo to win the Paris Open with a 6-4 2-6 6-3 victory on Sunday.
Safina, who was beaten by the Frenchwoman in the Australian Open second round last month, took advantage of Mauresmo's weak serve to clinch her third WTA title in two hours and 19 minutes.
Second-seeded Mauresmo, a winner in Paris in 2001, has now lost three finals in the Pierre de Coubertin hall after two previous defeats by Serena Williams in 1999 and 2003.
"She took her chance. She was very solid. I had many chances in the first set, which I didn't convert," said Mauresmo. "Obviously, I didn't play my best tennis but she deserves her win."
Australian Open winner Marat Safin's younger sister Safina, hitting baseline winners, surprisingly won the first set in an hour after breaking Mauresmo's serve three times in a row. However, the Frenchwoman took a 2-0 lead in the second set before ramming the advantage home as she broke Safina again in the fifth game, forcing the Russian to a decider.
Three forehand errors by Mauresmo gave Safina a 3-1 lead in the final set and the Russian then held serve before breaking an embittered Mauresmo again to serve for the match. The Frenchwoman came back to 5-3 but eventually bowed out on Safina's first match point.
RODDICK, SAULNIER IN FINAL
SAN JOSE: Defending champion Andy Roddick advanced to the final of the San Jose ATP event with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 triumph over third seed Tommy Haas of Germany on Saturday. The 22-year-old Roddick beat fellow American Mardy Fish in the 2004 final.
Roddick is playing his first tournament since a disappointing four-set loss to Lleyton Hewitt in the Australian Open semi-finals. In Saturday's first semi-final, un seeded Frenchman Cyril Saulnier continued his strong run with a 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-3 victory over seventh seed Jurgen Melzer of Austria.
The 29-year-old Saulnier, ranked 50th, reached his first ATP Tour final. Last season, he made it to a pair of semi-finals. Melzer stunned second seed Andre Agassi of the United States, 6-3, 6-1, in the quarterfinals on Friday, ending Agassi's bid for a sixth San Jose title.
JOHANSSON, LJUBICIC CLASH
MARSEILLE: Swede Joachim Johansson will meet Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic in the Marseille Open final after beating Feliciano Lopez in three sets. The third-seeded Johansson served 19 aces to overcome the brave Spaniard 6-7 7-6 6-4 in a tight match on Saturday.
Earlier, number eight seed Ljubicic had to save 18 break points to tame compatriot Mario Ancic 7-5 2-6 6-4 and reach his second ATP Tour final this year. Johansson broke the Lopez serve just once to clinch the third set as he sealed the match in just over two hours.
The Swede knew what to expect as he had struggled to beat the Spaniard in five sets in the Australian Open second round. Johansson had to patiently wait for the 10th game of the third set to eventually break Lopez and wrap up the match.
He will have to play better on Sunday against the in-form Ljubicic, who lost to world number one Roger Federer in last month's Qatar Open final in Doha. Ancic, in aggressive mood throughout, had 20 opportunities to break his opponent's serve but managed to convert only two. However, Ljubicic broke his good friend twice - in the first and third sets - to seal the victory.
GAUDIO, PUERTA SHOWDOWN
BUENOS AIRES: French Open champion Gaston Gaudio set up a final showdown with Argentinian countryman Mariano Puerta when he came through his semi-final at the 380,000-dollar event here with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Spain's Alberto Martin.
Second seed Gaudio, who won the Vina del Mar ATP event in Chile last weekend, will be seeking his fifth career title. Puerta, ranked 117 in the world, beat compatriot Jose Acasuso 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) in his semi-final having knocked out top seed Carlos Moya of Spain in the quarterfinals. -Agencies
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