The Hindu : Sport : Gasquet clinches title

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 01, 2007
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Sport

Gasquet clinches title

Nandakumar Marar

Rochus puts up a brave fight

— Photo: Vivek Bendre

TRIUMPHANT: France’s Richard Gasquet took his first career hardcourt title by winning the Kingfisher Open on Sunday.

MUMBAI: Oliver Rochus proved a worthy opponent for Richard Gasquet in the Kingfisher Airlines Open 2007 singles final, partly making up for the withdrawals of big guns Marat Safin and Marcos Baghdatis due to injury.

Figuring in his first ATP final of the season, the chunky Belgian, credited with one of the best backhands on the men’s circuit, fought toe-to-toe with the elegant Frenchman for 86 minutes over two sets before making way for the champion.

Gasquet won 6-3, 6-4 for his first career hardcourt title and the second ATP 2007 triumph (lost to Novak Djokovic in Estoril). “I am happy with my first win on hard court. Now I can play on any court. I had won on grass, indoor, clay and now hard court here (Mumbai),” said the champion.

Awkward moments

Gasquet went through awkward moments for the first time in the Mumbai week. Rochus broke back on game two, second set against a rival who had cruised into the final without dropping a set in four matches.

The Belgian attracted applause for leaving the favourite perplexed at the baseline many times with inspired retrieving and shot selection. Two points stood out in game five, second set as the eighth seed chased down a lob, ran crosscourt and was in time at the net to lob back and across.

The burst of energy carried him through the next point, following up on serve and converting the top seed’s return into a scooped forehand crosscourt winner.

Rochus’s sixth appearance in an ATP final and the first on hardcourt began with a rally for the first point on Gasquet serve, both hitting five shots each before the point went in the latter’s favour.

Ranked world number 66, the Belgian then swung into action, nailing the top seed at the baseline by bringing out his bouquet of backhands.

He tried to catch up by going into overdrive, dared to surprise the Frenchman with placements, found a couple of line decisions going against him, ended up with a few errors.

Later, Rohan Bopanna, pairing up with Pakistan’s Aisam Qureshi, finished runner-up on his second back-to-back doubles final entry.

The duo went down 7-6(3), 7-6(5) to third seeds Jarkko Nieminen of Finland and Robert Lindstedt of Sweden in 99 minutes.

Bopanna had reached the 2006 doubles final partnering Mustafa Ghouse.

The Governor of Maharashtra, S.M. Krishna, presided over the prize distribution function at the CCI.

The results: Final: Singles: 1-Richard Gasquet (France) bt 8-Oliver Rochus (Belgium) 6-3, 6-4. Doubles: Jarkko Nieminen (Fin) & Robert Lindstedt (Swe) bt Rohan Bopanna (Ind) & Aisam Qureshi (Pak) 7-6(3), 7-6(5).