Skip to main content
BBC SPORT / TENNIS
Graphics Version | BBC News Home
Sport Homepage | Football | World Cup 2010 | Formula 1 | Olympics | Vancouver 2010 | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Athletics | Cycling | Motorbikes | Boxing | Snooker | Horse Racing | Disability Sport | Other sport... | Sports Personality | TV/Radio Schedule | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Inside Sport | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Tennis Contents:  Live scores | Results | Skills | Rules and Equipment | Get Involved

15:24 GMT, Sunday, 12 October 2008 16:24 UK

Kunitsyn sees off Safin for title

Igor Kunitsyn

Igor Kunitsyn ended fellow Russian Marat Safin's hopes of a first title in three years with victory in the Kremlin Cup final on Sunday.

Safin went into the Moscow final ranked 31 places higher at 40 in the world and with a 3-0 head-to-head record.

But Kunitsyn came through 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 for his first ATP title.

German qualifier Philipp Petzschner enjoyed a stunning win over Gael Monfils to take the Vienna title, and David Nalbandian won in Stockholm.

Safin was looking for his first tournament win since the Australian Open in 2005, having lost to another Russian, Nikolay Davydenko, in Moscow two years ago.

Kunitsyn took a tight first set in 66 minutes and broke midway through the second set, but Safin recovered to force a decider.

606: DEBATE
Will Safin win another ATP title?
However, it was Kunitsyn who made the decisive break for a 4-2 lead in the third set and saw out victory in two hours 49 minutes.

"Everybody knows Marat is better than me but today I'm the winner," said Kunitsyn.

"It's terrific to win my first title in front of my home fans and I hope I would be able to defend it here next year."

Safin said: "I was chasing him all the time. I could not capitalise on my chances but he converted every time he had a chance and didn't make many mistakes.

"There's no surprise he won."

Petzschner, ranked 125 in the world, had to play two qualifying rounds to enter the main draw and became only the third qualifier this season to win an ATP tournament.

"This is unbelievable, I can't describe my feelings now," he said after beating seventh seed Monfils 6-4 6-4.

"I will enter the top 100, which makes a dream come true."

Top seed Nalbandian boosted his ailing ranking with a 6-2 5-7 6-3 win over Sweden's Robin Soderling in the Stockholm Open final.

The Argentine is currently ranked down at 26 in the world having won just one tournament this year when he took the Buenos Aires title in February.



E-mail this to a friend

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Latest tennis talk on 606
Tennis on the BBC
Tennis tips and tricks
Download our tennis masks
Kremlin Cup
Stockholm Open
Vienna Trophy
ATP
ITF
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC SPORT: 

Sport Homepage | Football | World Cup 2010 | Formula 1 | Olympics | Vancouver 2010 | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Athletics | Cycling | Motorbikes | Boxing | Snooker | Horse Racing | Disability Sport | Other sport... | Sports Personality | TV/Radio Schedule | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Inside Sport | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Tennis Contents:  Live scores | Results | Skills | Rules and Equipment | Get Involved

^ Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage | Feedback | Help | ©