The Hindu : Sport : Youzhny makes it to final

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Sunday, Jan 06, 2008
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Youzhny makes it to final

Nandita Sridhar

Marin Cilic errors once too often

— Photo: R. Ragu

VICTORY SALUTE: Mikhail Youzhny acknowledges the cheers of the crowd after prevailing over Marin Cilic in the semifinals.

Chennai: Russian Mikhail Youzhny prospered on Croatian Marin Cilic’s largesse. The two men, bleary-eyed and initially stiff, clashed in the semifinals of the Chennai Open on Saturday.

Despite coming off wee-hour quarterfinal finishes, there was a healthy energy to their approach. A torrent of deuce games suggested a contest, and the extended games showed unwillingness on both sides, to relent.

Eventually, the fourth seeded Youzhny proved the one with better control and a readiness to wait for a Cilic error. Youzhny beat Cilic 6-2, 6-3, to enter the final.

The Russian was quick, his backhand deadly, and his strokes sound. The 19-year-old Cilic showcased potential, if not the patience to watch his game flourish.

The Croat’s backhand had its dimensions, and posed problems, but the errors surfaced to terminate points.

The fourth seed managed a break in the first game of the match, but was forced into difficult holds thereafter. Cilic had his chances in the sixth game to break even, but Youzhny’s two brilliant serves denied the Croat. Cilic’s serve lacks a lethal ease to its execution, unlike what his countrymen habitually breed. The motion lacks fluidity; but on Saturday, it was inaccurate as well.

The first serve percentage was a mediocre 46. The second serve had spin, but needed more spite. The 19-year-old’s strokes were deep, but he overcooked most of them. The Russian’s serve was hard to read. He varied its pace and direction, and Cilic managed just 10 points on his return.

There was dynamism near the net, which made the rallies entertaining, despite the odd ugly error. Youzhny backhand resembled an unleashed terrier. The execution, the snap and the follow-through-building up towards monstrosity — came off brilliantly.

The second set went neck and neck, till Cilic’s double fault gave Youzhny a crucial break. The Croat tried his utmost to make a match of it. His approach shots were not as bad as they were made to look by Youzhny.

The results: Singles (Semifinals): Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) bt Marin Cilic (Cro) 6-2, 6-3.

Quarterfinals: Rafael Nadal (Esp) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 6-2; Youzhny bt Xavier Malisse (Bel) 6-4, 6-4; Cilic bt Robin Haase (Ned) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

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