All-Latin final in Sweden
From correspondents in Bastad, Sweden
July 13, 2003
MARIANO ZABALETA and Nicolas Lapentti set up an all-South American
final in the Swedish Open by eliminating the top two seeds today.
Fifth-seeded Zabaleta upset top seed Carlos Moya 2-6 6-3 6-4 before
No.6 Lapentti ousted second seed Tommy Robredo 6-4 6-2.
It was a tough day for Robredo, who had earlier completed a 6-4 6-4
win over Italy's Filippo Volandri after their match was postponed
overnight at 1-1 in the first set due to rain.
"It was an advantage for me, him having played a match in the morning,"
Lapentti said.
"But I've played better and better in this tournament."
This is Lapentti's best result of the year and his 11th career final.
But he has lost his last four meetings with Zabaleta, all on clay.
Zabaleta, coached by 1988 Swedish Open champion Marcelo Filippini,
snapped Moya's eight-win streak on Bastad's clay to make his sixth
career final.
The Argentine played for the title at Acapulco in February and lost
to countryman Agustin Calleri. Zabaleta's only title was five years
ago at Bogota.
After splitting the first two sets, Zabaleta made the only break in
the third for 3-2 on a forehand volley winner into an open court.
Moya missed a chance to break back in the next game and also blew two
break points in the eighth game, after which Moya broke his racquet
in frustration.
Serving for the match at 5-4, Zabaleta fell behind 0-30 and needed
two match points, ending the match with an angled backhand volley
after chasing down Moya's stop volley.
"I played well," Zabaleta said."It's great to beat a player
like Moya, who's No.5 in the world, and be in my second final of the year."
The Associated Press
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.csie.ntu.edu.tw)
◆ From: 218.167.201.105