BEIJING, 20 September 2004 — Russian Marat Safin won his first title in almost two years with a gritty 7-6, 7-5 victory over compatriot Mikhail Youzhny at the China Open yesterday.
The powerful former world No. 1, who did not drop a set in Beijing, needed all his experience to claim his first title since winning in Paris in November 2002.
Fifth seed Safin recovered after surrendering his serve in the opening game, leveling the first set at 4-4 with a piercing forehand. He then seized control in the tiebreak, serving four aces to take it 7-4 and leave Youzhny shell-shocked. The second set went with serve until Safin broke through in the 11th game, Youzhny’s nerve crumbling as he double-faulted on break point. Safin, runner-up at the Australian Open and on clay in Estoril this year, converted his first match point with another crunching serve after one hour 37 minutes.
Safin earned $69,200 for his 12th career victory and edged above Andre Agassi into eighth in the 2004 ATP Champions Race. The top eight players qualify for the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Houston.
Acasuso Claims First Title in Bucharest
In Bucharest, Argentina’s Jose Acasuso claimed his maiden ATP tournament by crushing Russian Igor Andreev 6-3, 6-0 in the finals of the 375,500 euro ATP tournament.
The unseeded 21-year-old from Buenos Aires needed just 1hr 10min to secure his second victory over Andreev in as many meetings after defeating the fourth-seeded Russian during the second round here last year.
After achieving three breaks in the first set, the 85th-ranked Acasuso crushed his rival 6-0 in the second.
Spadea, Mello Reach Delray Beach Final
In Delray Beach, Florida, Brazil’s Ricardo Mello reached the first ATP final of his career on Saturday, in which he’ll try to stop American Vince Spadea from claiming his second career title.
Spadea, the top seed, routed fellow American Jeff Salzenstein 6-1, 6-3, to reach the final of the $380,000 Millennium International hardcourt tournament.
Mello, a 23-year-old lefthander, upset third seed Mario Ancic of Croatia, 7-6 (7 2), 6-3. Mello saved three set points in the first set before cruising in the second.
Red Hot Kuznetsova Wins Bali Title
In Nusa Dua, Russian teenager Svetlana Kuznetsova’s winning streak continued yesterday as the newly-crowned US Open champion won the $225,000 Wismilak International in Bali in straight sets.
The 19-year-old from St. Petersburg took the title for the second time in three years with a 6-1, 6-4 win over unseeded German Marlene Weingartner, just eight days after claiming her first Grand Slam title in Flushing Meadows.
Victory gave Kuznetsova her fifth tour title, extending her unbeaten run to 11 games and improving her ranking to world No. 5.
The Russian dominated the first set with some powerful forehand play as her 24-year-old opponent struggled to find her game.
The German found her range in the second set, but Kuznetsova broke in the seventh game and served out for the match.
Kuznetsova had less luck in the doubles when she and Spanish legend Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, suffered a 3-6, 5-7 defeat in the finals at the hands of top seeds Anastasia Myskina of Russia and Japan’s Ai Sugiyama.
