Home
News
In Focus
Business
Metro
Nation
World
Sports
Feature
Opinion
View more »Opinion Columns
Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
Scalpers rear their ugly heads as train tickets sell like hot cakes before holiday
Jing’an continues to lead in general public budget revenue
Sunday
- Subscribe
Soderling triumphs at home
Source: Agencies |
July 21, 2009, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ROBIN Soderling beat Juan Monaco 6-3, 7-6 (4) to win the Swedish Open in Bastad on Sunday for his fourth ATP Tour title and first on clay.
The second-seeded Soderling became the first Swedish winner of the tournament since 2000 when his coach, Magnus Norman, won the title.
"I'm so happy, I wouldn't trade this victory for a grand slam," Soderling said.
This was his third ATP final on home soil. He lost both previous - on indoor hard court to Mardy Fish in the 2003 Stockholm Open and last year to David Nalbandian in the same tournament.
The 12th-ranked Soderling did not drop a set in his four matches at Bastad.
He broke for a 1-0 lead in the second set and had a break point for 4-1. But he let Monaco back in the match when his serve deserted him in the eighth game. Monaco broke back to 4-4 after Soderling hit a backhand wide.
"He started playing well in the second set," Soderling said. "I got nervous. I had a break point to 4-1, but the ball hit the top of the net. That was the match I thought. I got tense and he started playing better and better."
Leading 5-4, the unseeded Argentine reached set point when Soderling fell behind 30-40. But he managed to hold his serve after hitting a forehand winner in the corner.
Soderling took command early in the tiebreaker and never trailed. He moved to 6-2 and won it on his third match point when Monaco netted a return.
Soderling, this year's surprising French Open finalist, broke Monaco in the second game of the opening set when the Argentine netted a forehand. The Swede was never challenged when serving the rest of the way, closing out the set with a love game.
Monaco eliminated two seeded players - No. 1 Fernando Verdasco in the quarterfinals and No. 3 Tommy Robredo in the semifinals - en route to the title match. Ranked 61st, Monaco was the first Argentine to reach the Swedish Open final since Mariano Zabaleta, who won back-to back titles in 2003-04.
In the Czech Republic, Sybille Bammer of Austria beat top-seeded Francesca Schiavone 7-6 (4), 6-2 on Sunday to win the Prague Open.
"It was very difficult and windy, she (Schiavone) has a very accurate topspin game and I am very happy I won," Bammer said.
In Stuttgart, Germany, Jeremy Chardy of France rallied to beat Victor Hanescu of Romania 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 and win the Mercedes Cup for his first career title.
It was Chardy's second career final, after finishing as runner-up in Johannesburg in February.
The second-seeded Soderling became the first Swedish winner of the tournament since 2000 when his coach, Magnus Norman, won the title.
"I'm so happy, I wouldn't trade this victory for a grand slam," Soderling said.
This was his third ATP final on home soil. He lost both previous - on indoor hard court to Mardy Fish in the 2003 Stockholm Open and last year to David Nalbandian in the same tournament.
The 12th-ranked Soderling did not drop a set in his four matches at Bastad.
He broke for a 1-0 lead in the second set and had a break point for 4-1. But he let Monaco back in the match when his serve deserted him in the eighth game. Monaco broke back to 4-4 after Soderling hit a backhand wide.
"He started playing well in the second set," Soderling said. "I got nervous. I had a break point to 4-1, but the ball hit the top of the net. That was the match I thought. I got tense and he started playing better and better."
Leading 5-4, the unseeded Argentine reached set point when Soderling fell behind 30-40. But he managed to hold his serve after hitting a forehand winner in the corner.
Soderling took command early in the tiebreaker and never trailed. He moved to 6-2 and won it on his third match point when Monaco netted a return.
Soderling, this year's surprising French Open finalist, broke Monaco in the second game of the opening set when the Argentine netted a forehand. The Swede was never challenged when serving the rest of the way, closing out the set with a love game.
Monaco eliminated two seeded players - No. 1 Fernando Verdasco in the quarterfinals and No. 3 Tommy Robredo in the semifinals - en route to the title match. Ranked 61st, Monaco was the first Argentine to reach the Swedish Open final since Mariano Zabaleta, who won back-to back titles in 2003-04.
In the Czech Republic, Sybille Bammer of Austria beat top-seeded Francesca Schiavone 7-6 (4), 6-2 on Sunday to win the Prague Open.
"It was very difficult and windy, she (Schiavone) has a very accurate topspin game and I am very happy I won," Bammer said.
In Stuttgart, Germany, Jeremy Chardy of France rallied to beat Victor Hanescu of Romania 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 and win the Mercedes Cup for his first career title.
It was Chardy's second career final, after finishing as runner-up in Johannesburg in February.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
