SYDNEY, Jan 12: Russian Dmitry Tursunov beat power-serving Australian Chris Guccione in two tiebreak sets to win the Sydney International men’s title here on Saturday.
Tursunov broke the deadlock in both sets to win 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4) in 1hr 22min.
The California-based Russian won his fourth career ATP title following tournament wins in Indianapolis and Bangkok last year and Mumbai in 2006.
Tursunov also became the first Russian since Wimbledon champion Alex Metreveli in 1972 to win the Sydney International title, formerly the NSW Open.
There were no break point opportunities in the two sets and Guccione lost despite dropping just 10 points in his 12 service games.
“The main concern for me was to not give him any free points because if I gave him a lot of unforced errors, there was very little chance that I would ever break him,” Tursunov said.
“It was just really to make him play and go for shots that he might not be able to make. This week is a result of the work that I’ve been putting in on getting everything together.”
Guccione fired 15 aces in the final and finished the tournament with a tally of 84.
“At the end he came up with two great returns and a good pass. So he just played a little bit more solid and won a couple of return points in the tiebreaks,” Guccione added. “It’s been a great week. This puts me back into the top 100 rankings and hopefully it will jumpstart my year and I’ll have a good Aussie Open.”
The 35th-ranked Tursunov was a member of the Russian team that lost the Davis Cup final 4-1 to the US in Portland, Oregon, last month.
Guccione, ranked 125, was playing in his second ATP final after losing to Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in Adelaide last year.
The tall Australian left-hander, who received a wildcard into the tournament, reached the final after wins over Spanish qualifier Alberto Martin, sixth-seeded compatriot Lleyton Hewitt, fourth-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych and unseeded Czech Radek Stepanek.
Seeded 32 at next week’s Australian Open, Tursunov has a first-round match against Belgium’s Xavier Malisse, while Guccione takes on Asia’s leading player South Korean Lee Hyung-Taik.
It was the first men’s final at the Sydney International tournament between two unseeded players since Lleyton Hewitt beat Jason Stoltenberg in the all-Australian final in 2000.
Tursunov pounced with two mini-breaks in the opening tiebreaker and clinched the opening set when Guccione hit an unforced backhand into the net.
Again games went with serve in the second set and Tursunov had early control after rifling a volley as Guccione positioned at the net.
He brought up two match points with a rasping return of serve and then forced Guccione to hit wide on the first match point to claim the title.
RODDICK SEALS HAT-TRICK
MELBOURNE: Andy Roddick sealed his Australian Open preparation with a third straight Kooyong Classic title on Saturday, defeating Marcos Baghdatis in the final 7-5, 6-3.
Roddick, ranked sixth in the world, fired ten aces and nailed the win over the Cypriot with an untouchable serve after 76 minutes.
The American added the former Australian Open finalist to his list of Kooyong victims who include Tommy Haas in 2006 and Roger Federer in 2007.
The hat-trick equalled the three in succession won by fellow American Michael Chang from 1995-1997.
“Winning here means I’m well prepared for the Aussie Open,” said Roddick, who faces a qualifier in the Grand Slam first round.
Results:
Final: Andy Roddick (US) bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 7-5, 6-3.
Final for third place: Marat Safin (RUS) bt Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) 6-3, 6-3.—Agencies
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