Rafter Wins Classic Final

Pat Rafter won the AEGON Masters Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall after a spell-binding serve-and-volley showdown with Stefan Edberg in Sunday’s final.

The Australian triumphed 6-7(5), 6-4, 11-9 (Champions Tie-Break) in a match that rolled back the years and reminded a packed crowd and ITV4 television audience of how tennis used to be played in the 1980’s and 1990’s. This was the ATP Champions Tour at its best.

Edberg had been the in-form player coming into the final, with round-robin victories over Younes El Aynaoui, Mark Philippoussis and Stefan Edberg, while Rafter had lost to Pat Cash and benefited from the retirement of Goran Ivanisevic while trailing 3-5 in the first set on Saturday.

In a pulsating first set against against Rafter, it was a similar story, with Edberg winning the big points in the tie-break to take it 7-5.

The 36-year-old Rafter went up a gear in set two, breaking the 43-year-old Edberg to win the set 6-4 and take it into a sudden-death decider - the Champions’ Tie-Break.

Both players continued to throw the kitchen sink at one another, serving, volleying, chipping and charging, and generally giving a masterclass in how to play tennis near the net.

It was Rafter who finally struck the decisive blow, hitting a stunning running backhand down the line passed the incoming Edberg to take the mini-break and a 10-9 lead. A point later he served it out to take the title on his debut at the AEGON Masters Tennis. It was Rafter’s first win over Edberg in four attempts.

http://www.atpchampionstour.com/news58.html

Kalendarz na sezon 2010

Delray Beach: 20.02 - 23.02

Zurych: 9.03 - 13.03

Bogota: 18.03 -21.03

Sao Paulo: 8.04 - 11.04

Barcelona: 16.04 - 18.04

Chengdu: 1.05 - 4.05

Graz: 4.08 - 8.08

Algarve: 10.08 - 13.08

Paryż: 23.09-26.09

Belgia - niepotwierdzony

Londyn: 30.11 - 5.12

Zurich

GRUPA A
Goran Ivanisevic 3-0 (6-0)
Yevgeny Kafelnikov 2-1 (4-3)
Sergi Bruguera 1-2 (3-4)
Michael Chang 0-3 (0-6)

Goran Ivanisevic d. Michael Chang 6-4, 7-6(3)
Yevgeny Kafelnikov d. Sergi Bruguera 4-6, 6-3, 10-6
Goran Ivanisevic d. Sergi Bruguera 7-5, 6-4
Goran Ivanisevic d. Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-4, 6-3
Sergi Bruguera d. Michael Chang 7-6(4), 7-5
Yevgeny Kafelnikov d. Michael Chang 6-4, 6-4

GRUPA B
Stefan Edberg 3-0 (4-2)
Richard Krajicek 2-1 (5-2)
John McEnroe 1-2 (3-5)
Henri Leconte 0-3 (0-6)

Richard Krajicek d. Henri Leconte 6-4, 7-6(4)
Stefan Edberg d. Richard Krajicek 4-6, 6-3, 10-8
John McEnroe d. Henri Leconte 6-3, 7-6(2)
Stefan Edberg d. John McEnroe 6-4, 4-6, 13-11
Richard Krajicek d. John McEnroe 6-4 RET
Stefan Edberg d. Henri Leconte 6-1, 6-4

O 3 miejsce
Richard Krajicek d. Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-3, 6-2

Finał
Stefan Edberg d. Goran Ivanisevic 3-6, 6-3, 12-10

Sampras Drawn To Face Srichaphan In Chengdu

Pete Sampras has been drawn into the same round-robin group as ATP Champions Tour debutant Paradorn Srichaphan ahead of the Chengdu Open in China, which starts on Thursday.

Sampras, who won seven Wimbledon titles and 14 Grand Slam tournaments in a glittering career, will be making his first trip to China and has never previously played against Srichaphan. He will also face the 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash and French left-hander Guy Forget in the group stages.

In Group B, former World No.1’s Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Pat Rafter will take on the 1991 Wimbledon champion Michael Stich and the current No.1 player in the South African Airways ATP Champions Tour Rankings - Thomas Enqvist.

Sampras is looking forward to the challenge of playing Srichaphan, and possibly Thomas Enqvist if the Swede makes it out of Group B. “The competition is exciting with this level of tennis,” said Sampras.

http://www.atpchampionstour.com/

Fajnie, Joao, że to wrzuciłeś, mogę być dumny ze swego idola.

Ostatni w tym roku turniej z serii Champions Series rozgrywany w Grand Cayman wygrał Stefan Edberg, który pokonał Marata Safina 7-6(5) 2-6 10-8.

Ostatnio edytowany przez Joao (02-12-2010 10:56:12)

QUARTER-FINAL LINE-UP COMPLETE AT AEGON MASTERS TENNIS


Pat Rafter will face Henri Leconte
in the quarter-finals.

The quarter-final line-up at the 2010 AEGON Masters Tennis will be headlined by a mouth watering match-up between Greg Rusedski and Goran Ivanisevic and a clash between South African Airways Rankings leader Thomas Enqvist and home favourite Tim Henman. In the other quarter-finals, Patrick Rafter faces Henri Leconte, and Cedric Pioline meets Todd Martin.

Rusedski booked his place in the last eight with a trouble-free 6-4, 6-2 victory over Russia’s Yevgeny Kafelnikov. Ivanisevic breezed through his final group stage match 7-5, 6-3 against Younes El Aynaoui. Rusedski is anticipating a tough challenge against Ivanisevic, a fellow big-serving left-hander.

“My record against Goran is even worse than my record against Tim (Henman)!” said Rusedski, who trails Ivanisevic 9-1 in their head-to-head. “It’s not a great record, I only ever beat him once on Tour. I played him on the Champions Tour in the Algarve this year, he wasn’t playing too well and I still couldn’t beat him. Goran for me is always a challenge, I always find him a tough opponent.”

Henman’s quarter final against Enqvist will be the first time the pair have met on the ATP Champions Tour. During their careers on the main tour they met a total of six times, with the Swede leading the head-to-head 4-2.

All singles matches (and some of the doubles matches) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be screened live in the UK on ITV4.

Nine years on from their three-day Wimbledon semi-final, Goran Ivanisevic faced Tim Henman at the AEGON Masters Tennis in London's Royal Albert Hall.

In our exclusive video, we show you a few match highlights, take you into the locker-room before the match begins, and ask Goran if he feels guilty for beating Tim in 2001.

KAFELNIKOV REVELS IN RUSSIAN WORLD CUP BID SUCCESS

Former World No. 1 tennis player Yevgeny Kafelnikov was delighted and surprised to hear the news on Wednesday afternoon that his homeland of Russia had beaten England to become a World Cup host nation for the first time in 2018.

Kafelnikov beamed with joy at the moment when FIFA President Sepp Blatter made the hotly anticipated announcement that Russia had pipped the bids of both England and Spain and Portugal to host one of the world’s biggest sporting events in 2018.

“I’m very happy that we’re going to see such a big event in our country,” said Kafelnikov, who is competing this week at the AEGON Masters Tennis at the Royal Albert Hall in London. “It’s important that we have eight years to be able to complete all the infrastructure that the bidding committee has promised, but I’m sure we will be able to do that.”

“I am a big football fan,” he continued. “So I’ll definitely use every opportunity to watch every match I can, especially every match that Russia is playing in. One of the host cities will be Sochi which is my home town where I was born and grew up so I will definitely be watching there.”

Kafelnikov was also quick to admit that he had been expecting bid rivals England to win the crucial FIFA vote in Zurich on Wednesday.

“To be fair I really thought England was going to get it,” he said. “England is such a major football country and has such a football empire I really thought they would have the strongest bid. So this is a big surprise to me, a big, big surprise.”

Kafelnikov is also a good friend of Russian Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovic, a man who is believed to have been very influential in securing support for the Russian bid.

“I will call Roman to congratulate him and I’m sure when I see him next we will celebrate,” he said. “He’s definitely a huge factor in developing football in Russia. He’s invested so much money into football so to see it reaping rewards with the World Cup coming to Russia is a great thing.”

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … p-Set.aspx

IVANISEVIC TRIUMPHS OVER MARTIN IN AEGON MASTERS FINAL


Goran Ivanisevic dismissed Todd Martin in the final.

Goran Ivanisevic won his first ever AEGON Masters Tennis title at the Royal Albert Hall after sinking former Wimbledon finalist Todd Martin 6-2, 6-4 in Sunday’s final.

Ivanisevic, who had lost his serve just once going in to Sunday’s final, again overwhelmed his opponent with serves of more than 130mph. The 2001 Wimbledon champion thoroughly dominated the first set, hitting his serves as hard and accurately as ever and returning in much the same way. Martin was able to mount a challenge early in the second set, but the Croatian was determined to hold his nerve. With Martin serving to stay in the match at 4-5, Ivanisevic seized his chance, scorching a couple of backhand returns down the line to win the match and the title.

“I'm just so happy I finally won this tournament,” said Ivanisevic, after lifting the trophy. “The first set today was probably the best set I played this week. The rhythm on my serve was great, I returned well from the back and I also felt good physically. I was surprised how well I was moving today because after yesterday's match against Pat everything hurt. That was a great match against Pat and I've really enjoyed my whole week.”

The final victory over Martin completed a perfect day for Ivanisevic as his beloved British football team West Bromwich Albion were also 3-1 winners over Newcastle at the Hawthorns on Sunday afternoon.

“My day can't get any better!” shouted Goran to the crowd, mid-way through the second set after discovering that West Brom had taken a 1-0 lead.

The AEGON Masters Tennis title is Goran’s third of the year, meaning that 2010 has been his most successful year to-date on the ATP Champions Tour. The 2001 Wimbledon Champion explained what it is that keeps him motivated to play on the Tour, six years on from his debut in Eindhoven in 2004.

"I enjoy playing on this Tour a lot,” he said. “It keeps me in shape, I get to play good tennis still, the people enjoy it and it's still competitive and fun. I love it.”

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … sters.aspx

Delray Beach:

GRUPA A:

Todd Martin d. Jimmy Arias 6-2, 7-5
Aaron Krickstein d. Todd Martin 7-5, 6-4
John McEnroe d. Jay Berger 6-3, 6-3
Aaron Krickstein d. Jay Berger 7-5, 6-3
John McEnroe d. Todd Martin 3-6, 6-3, 10-8
Aaron Krickstein d. John McEnroe 6-3, 4-6, 10-3

Tabela:

1.Aaron Krickstein 3-0 (6-1)
2.John McEnroe 2-1 (5-2)
3.Todd Martin 1-2 (3-4)
4.Jimmy Arias - injured 0-1 (0-2)
5.Jay Berger - Arias replacement 0-2 (0-4)

GRUPA B

Pat Cash d. Mark Philippoussis 7-6(5), 3-6, 10-8
Pat Cash d. Mikael Pernfors 6-3, 3-6, 10-6
Mark Philippoussis d. Mats Wilander 6-4, 6-3
Mats Wilander d. Pat Cash 6-4, 6-2
Mark Philippoussis d. Mikael Pernfors 6-2, 6-2
Mats Wilander d. Mikael Pernfors 5-7, 6-2, 10-3

Tabela:

1.Mark Philippoussis 2-1 (5-2)
2.Mats Wilander 2-1 (4-3)
3.Pat Cash 2-1 (4-4)
4.Mikael Pernfors 0-3 (2-6)

FINAŁ:

Mark Philippoussis d. Aaron Krickstein 6-3, 6-2

Bogota:

GRUPA A:

Thomas Muster d. Yevgeny Kafelnikov 2-6, 6-1, 10-3
Carlos Moya d. Mario Rincon 6-3, 6-3
Carlos Moya d. Yevgeny Kafelnikov 7-5, 6-3
Thomas Muster d. Mario Rincon 7-6(4), 6-2
Yevgeny Kafelnikov d. Mario Rincon 6-3, 6-4
Carlos Moya d. Thomas Muster 6-4, 6-3

Tabela:

1.Carlos Moya 3-0 (6-0)
2.Thomas Muster 2-1 (4-3)
3.Yevgeny Kafelnikov 1-2 (3-4)
4.Mario Rincon 0-3 (0-6)

GRUPA B:

Mark Philippoussis d. Mauricio Hadad 6-2, 6-4
Younes El Aynaoui d. Thomas Enqvist 6-4, 6-4
Mark Philippoussis d. Thomas Enqvist 6-4, 6-3
Younes El Aynaoui d. Mauricio Hadad 6-1, 6-3
Thomas Enqvist d. Mauricio Hadad 6-4, 6-4
Mark Philippoussis d. Younes El Aynaoui 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-3

Tabela:

1.Mark Philippoussis 3-0 (6-1)
2.Younes El Aynaoui 2-1 (5-2)
3.Thomas Enqvist 1-2 (2-4)
4.Mauricio Hadad 0-3 (0-6)

Mecz o 3 miejsce:

Thomas Muster d. Younes El Aynaoui 7-6(10), 7-6(4)

FINAŁ:

Mark Philippoussis d. Carlos Moya 7-5, 6-7(3), 10-4