ARAG ATP WORLD TEAM CUP, MAY 18, 2003
Martin Upset Helps USA Defeat Spain
Czech Republic also wins on day one
Veteran American Todd Martin helped the United States to claim a surprise 2-1
victory over Spain on day one of the ARAG World Team Championship in
Dusseldorf when he upset accomplished clay courter Alex Corretja 6-3, 6-4.
Martin, playing his first match in Europe during the clay swing, came into
the match needing to win to keep the tie alive after Carlos Moya had earlier
beaten James Blake 7-6(2), 7-5.
Corretja had won their two most recent meetings - both on clay - without
dropping a set. But the Spaniard has been struggling for form this season and
slumps to 2-5 on the season after Sunday's loss. In the deciding doubles
rubber, Blake and Mardy Fish defeated Corretja and Fernando Vicente 6-2,
7-6(9) after winning a 20-point second-set tie-break.
Jiri Novak and Radek Stepanek claimed the decisive doubles rubber 6-4, 6-4
against Wayne Arthurs and Lleyton Hewitt to give the Czech Republic a 2-1 win
over Australia. Hewitt earlier defeated Novak 6-3, 6-2, but Stepanek kept
alive the tie with a 7-6(1), 6-3 win over Arthurs.
WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID
Hewitt: "I felt like I played pretty well out there. Jiri is a tough player,
especially on clay. I am very happy with today's match, although I know that
I can turn it up a notch as I have not quite adjusted to the clay court.
Compared to Hamburg, I played much better today. But as I said, I must and
can play even better."
Moya: "I was very happy with my game today. It was a very tight match, but I
made all the big points. James Blake played very well, considering this is
only his second clay court season. It was important for me to win the first
set, otherwise it would have been a much tougher match. I am very happy to
spend this week in D餷seldorf where I can play for my country. Every single
team is going to be tough to beat. Chile and Argentina have the most
experience on clay. I have to think of Spain in the final but it's going to
be very difficult."
Blake: "I did not play quite as well today, but Carlos Moya is one of the
world's best clay court players. I still lack experience; I need to be more
patient. There is also more pressure on me as people expect more from me as I
am now more often seeded. I am going through a learning process and I am
improving. Last year I learned a lot from Pete Sampras here in D餷seldorf
mentally. We practiced together and he taught me how to quickly put a loss
behind me and to go positively into the next match."
"There was some great tennis today. Carlos Moya is one of the best players on
clay, but I still had my chances. I think I played better in the first set
than he did. I had two set points, but then he played a great tie-break. With
any of the really important points, he never gave them to me. It's the big
points that make the biggest difference.
I never feel happy having lost a match, but maybe tomorrow I will feel better.
Tomorrow, looking back, I'll think I've played a good match. I'm expecting
some really good and close matches this week.
"There is definitely an art to sliding on clay. You see players like Moya or
Ferrero, who grew up on the surface, and they are so natural on it. I still
do that American slide - slide, hit the ball, slide a little more and then
almost lose my balance. Moving on clay is something you can learn and I am
getting better and better."
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※ 編輯: esnique 來自: 61.230.103.119 (05/19 23:05)