Roddick Captures 2008 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships

American number one seed digs deep to defeat an inspired Lopez and win maiden title in Dubai.

Dubai, UAE, March 8th, 2008: What a way to end the 2008 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships! Andy Roddick, playing in Dubai for the first time, overcame a valiant challenge from unseeded Spanish left-hander Feliciano Lopez to win 6-7 6-4 6-2. He didn’t lose his serve all week, he didn’t even face a break point in the final, and his ace total for the week was 84.

Lopez, who had already beaten three top 10 players - Tomas Berdych, David Ferrer and Nikolay Davydenko - pushed the sixth seeded American all the way, until two costly errors late in the second set gave Roddick some breathing space and ultimately decided the outcome.

Lopez was under pressure in the first set, saving a break point at 1-0 and two more at 4-3, and he also faced a set point in the tiebreak when Roddick led 7-6. But he saved that with his 10th ace of the match, and eventually took the tiebreak 10-8 when Roddick sent a return over the baseline.

In the second set, with both players serving well neither managed to earn a break point until, at 4-4, Lopez made a backhand error and then hit a double-fault to gift Roddick a crucial break.

The American served out the set to love, and then immediately broke Lopez again to begin the final set. Lopez let down a little after that and never looked capable of turning the match back in his favour, and Roddick all but tied things up with a further break for 5-2.

“I’m excited,” said Roddick. “I stated a couple of weeks ago that a big part of my decision to come here was to try to get a shot at the top players and I was able to do that, and success here has made it look like it was a good idea. I’m just happy to be playing really good tennis right now.”

Even when the second set began to come down to the wire, Roddick remained confident that he could turn things around.

“The whole time I felt like I was playing well. It’s not like I’m down a set and it’s 4-4 and I’m really struggling to hit the ball. Every point I was confident I was going to play the point I wanted to the next point.

“I don’t think I missed a ball in the tiebreaker but I lost it, obviously not making a return (on the final set point). He was playing too good, but I find if you put enough pressure on someone sometimes they crack, and he did in the second set. Then in the third set I played very well.”

Lopez knew he had let a golden opportunity slip away in just a couple of points.

“I’m very disappointed,” he said. “I think I played almost perfect the first two sets. Two mistakes at 4-4 cost me the second set, then in the third I was feeling a little bit tired. He was returning my serve much better and playing better from the baseline, so it was tough for me to win the points.

“Of course when you win the first set you always think you have a good chance to win the match, but I was sure that Andy wasn’t going to give up and he was serving huge and he was not going to give me anything.

“But I beat three top 10 players which is unusual in one week, and I’m so happy with my game this week. Hopefully this is going to help me out for the rest of the season.”
By www.atptennis.com

 

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Dementieva Wins 2008 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships                                  

Dementieva Wins 2008 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships

Dubai, UAE, March 1st, 2008: In yet another three-set thriller, Dubai debutant Elena Dementieva overcame fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 4-6 6-3 6-2 to win the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships on Saturday.

The first two sets were evenly balanced as both sought an advantage, with Dementieva’s big forehand causing damage and Kuznetsova challenging with some occasional charges to the net.

Kuznetsova took a 2-0 lead but then lost the next three games. Then she won the next three to lead 5-3. Dementieva then broke as Kuznetsova served for the set, only to drop her own serve for the fourth time in the next game. Ten games, seven breaks.

The second set was just as close. Kuznetsova had a chance to place her opponent under further pressure when she held a break point to lead 2-0, but she made an error on her return to let Dementieva off the hook. Then the number eight seed broke twice to go up 4-1. Second seeded Kuznetsova recovered one break in the sixth game, but Dementieva broke again for the set.

Dementieva kept her momentum going in the final set, hitting a fierce winner at the net to break for 2-0. Although Kuznetsova broke back to reduce Dementieva’s lead to 3-2, Dementieva finished strongly by winning the final three games.

“I just feel so happy,” said Dementieva. “First time here and such a big win, especially in the final against Svetlana. I think it was a great match and I was playing really, really good, probably the best match for a long time for me.

“I think the whole week I had such a tough draw. all the top players were here and every match was difficult, and every win gives you a lot of confidence. I’m just happy that I played my best tennis in the final. Even if I was a little bit tired from playing such long matches before I was very confident and that really helped me today.

“I think in the first set I was playing wrong tactically. I was playing too short, playing too much and staying too much on the backhand crosscourt. I didn’t move Svetlana at all. Then I realised I have to play the whole court, I have to move her, I have to be aggressive and go more for the forehand winners.”

Kuznetsova was disappointed at her performance after she lost her second final in Dubai. She also lost the 2004 final to Justine Henin.

“I am very disappointed because I think I got all the chances and all the possibilities today but I just didn’t make it. I was playing within myself and my level was going lower and lower.

“At the start I was keeping it together and then I started missing. I didn’t watch the ball properly. I don’t know with the night match if it was my vision or something, but my level got lower and she just played consistent. She was doing the things she always does and I was missing it.

“I was not tired physically. I was very frustrated because I was not making anything. I was rushing too much. I was trying to finish the point quicker, and with her it doesn’t work. If I work the point I win it, and I didn’t work it and I didn’t serve first serves in, and it’s really tough winning a match playing like that.”

It was Dementieva’s first time in Dubai, and you can be sure it won’t be her last.

“I always wanted to come here because I heard from other players it’s a great place and all of the payers really like it here, but I was usually playing Paris and Antwerp. This time I really decided to come and I have no regrets about it!”
By www.dubaitennischampionships.com