Sizzling Swede Johansson Sweeps Past Dent to Claim Adelaide Title

ADELAIDE, Australia, 10 January 2005 — Joachim Johnasson lifted the second title of his fast-blooming career yesterday as he thrashed Taylor Dent 7-5, 6-3 to win the US $ 419,000 Next Generation hardcourts.

The sizzling Swede, moving towards a Top 10 ranking after improving a massive 102 places last season, added the Adelaide title to his first, achieved last February indoors at Memphis.

He took lees than 90 minutes to dominate Dent, whose reliance on a serve-and-volley attack, which never quite hit full stride, cost him dearly as he played Johansson for the first time.

Dent rained over 10 aces but suffered 11 double-faults.

“He was playing too good,” said Dent, who last season failed to add to his four career titles and was playing for a trophy for the first time since losing to Jiri Novak in Tokyo last October.

“Joachim served me off the court and came up with some huge returns,” said the 32nd-ranked American, who put out Lleyton Hewitt in the quarter-finals. “But I’ve had a good week, you couldn’t ask for much better to start off 2005.”

Johansson, who will play this week in Sydney as third seed, broke through last season and reached at the least the quarter-finals in his last six straight tournaments, including a run to the semi-finals at the U.S. Open

He closed out the year by winning the Luxembourg Challenger over Frenchman Gregory Carraz.

His parents, visiting Australia for the first time, were in the stands for their son’s triumph. “I’m happy they could be here today,” said the winner of US $ 52,750 who has trained in Adelaide for years thanks to his romantic relationship with Jaslyn Hewitt, younger sister of Lleyton.

Johansson began working in late autumn with Swede Fredrik Rosengren, has now won two titles with his new mentor.

“I started with him at the end of the year and we’ve won two tournaments out of two,” said the delighted winner. “I can’t complain about that.”

The winner said that the venue feels as much like home to him as does his native Sweden. “It means a lot to win the title here. Apart from Stockholm, this feel very comfortable to me.”

Johansson went off on a tear in the opening set, throwing down three straight love games as he lost just four points on serve during the 45-minute initial encounter.

The Swede, kept Dent under pressure, forcing the Californian to errors in hot 32-degree-Celsius temperatures at Memorial Drive.

The second seeded Johansson, who won 14 of the first 15 points on his serve, took a 6-5 lead as he landed a backhand winner followed by a backhand cross-court winner to break.

The European collected the set a game later as Dent finished with six aces - but seven double-faults from his go-for-broke game.

Dent saved three match points on his own serve in the final game of the match before falling from Johansson’s untouchable return winner, one of his 23 winners.