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Saturday January 10, 06:53 PM
Escude back on track after Doha comeback victory
DOHA (AFP) - French wild card Nicolas Escude completed a remarkable comeback
after six months away from competition through injury by winning the one
million dollar Qatar Open.
Escude's wild card entry was the only way in which he could gain entry to a
main tour event after sinking below 80 in the rankings during a long-lasting
hip injury.
However the status did not seem to bother France's 2001 Davis Cup hero, who
seemed completely fit as he overcame Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 7-6 to conclude a
startling week in which he never dropped a set.
The Frenchman's dashing serve-volley style, a rarity in the professional
game these days, was in terrific working order, and his performance raised
hopes that 2004 will be as successful as last year was miserable for him.
"I was nervous at the start of the match, and it was my first match this
week at night," Escude said.
"The light was completely different. But I got used to it and after that it
was easier.
"It has been a perfect week. I started playing well and as the week went on
I thought 'why not, why not?'"
Escude raced through the first set, breaking Ljubicic's heavy serve in the
seventh game and again in the ninth, and looking as though he might trample
all over his opponent.
But the Croatian conjured up some of the fighting qualities which proved
so handy when he battled against the odds to beat seventh seed Tim Henman
in the semi-final.
Escude was made to escape from trouble at the start of the second set when
he saved three break points. Ljubicic hit harder, came forward more often
himself and made Escude work increasingly hard as the second set went all
with serve.
But Escude's momentum was irresistible. He made the first mini-break in the
tie-break, lost it, and then regained the advantage with an arrowing forehand
pass against a perfectly good approach shot.
It was the killer blow which earned Escude the tie-break by 7-4, bringing
him the fourth title of his career and pitting him top of the 2004 Champions
Race for at least one week.
"Yesterday I made a great pass at 4-5 in the tie-break (against Henman) and
today he made a great one at 5-4 so I can't be disappointed," said Ljubicic,
who also beat Nicolas Massu, the world number 12 from Chile, and Sebastien
Grosjean, the world number ten from France, en route to the final.
"This was the second best performance of my career, I think I played well and
it has been a fantastic week. I want to reach the top 20 if I can and then
start thinking abut other ambitions," added the world number 42.
For Escude the triumph was a good omen both for the Australian Open starting
in a week's time and for his relationship with new coach Thierry Champion.
This is their first tournament together.
Escude helped France to Davis Cup victory on grass in 2001 and he has also
reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open, six years ago in Melbourne.
"It will be good to go there again," he said. "It's great to win a title
like this but playing in a Grand Slam the atmosphere is completely different.
The weather will also be more hot in Australia than here, so we will have to
see."
http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/040110/323/ej3r6.html
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