The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Verkerk wins Dutch Open

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 19, 2004

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Sport - Tennis

Verkerk wins Dutch Open

AMERSFOORT (THE NETHERLANDS), JULY 18. Martin Verkerk became the first Dutchman in 31 years to win his country's tennis championship on Sunday, beating Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4 to win the Dutch Open.

It was the second career ATP title for Verkerk, who also won the 2003 Milan Indoors title and reached his first Grand Slam final at last year's French Open. Verkerk's title was the first since Tom Okker won in 1973.

Canas triumphs

In an all-Argentine final at the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart on Sunday, Guillermo Canas upset the second seeded Gaston Gaudio in a marthon five-setter at 5-7, 6-2, 6-0, 1-6, 6-3.

Earlier on Saturday, French Open champion Gaudio needed seven match points to eliminate David Ferrer 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to reach the final.

Gaudio and the 11th-seeded Spaniard played for nearly 2-1/2 hours before Ferrer's forehand missed the line and ended the match at the 614,750 clay court event.

"I had a lot of chances but I couldn't use them,'' said Gaudio, the second seed. ``I'm finished, beat up. I was lucky to win it.''

The results:

At Los Angeles (Mercedes Benz Cup): Semifinals: Tommy Haas bt Cyril Saulnier 7-5, 7-5; Nicolas Kiefer bt Jeff Morrison 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

At Amersfoort (Dutch Open): Final: Martin Verkerk bt Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4.

At Stanford (Bank of the West Classic): Semifinals: Lindsay Davenport bt Maria Vento-Kabchi 6-3, 6-2; Venus Williams bt Amy Frazier 6-3, 6-1.

At Stuttgart (Mercedes Cup): Final: Guillermo Canas bt Gaston Gaudio 5-7, 6-2, 6-0, 1-6, 6-3. Semifinal: Gaston Gaudio bt David Ferrer 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. — Agencies

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