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Safin lifts trophy at China Open Russian Marat Safin ended a 22-month title drought with a 7-6 7-5 victory over compatriot Mikhail Youzhny in the final of the China Open on Sunday.
Fifth seed Safin recovered from an early break to win the first-set tiebreak 7-4 thanks to four thundering aces. The second set went with serve until Safin broke through in the 11th game, Youzhny's nerve crumbling as he double-faulted on break point. Safin, runner-up at the Australian Open and in Estoril this year, converted his first match point with another huge serve after one hour 37 minutes. He earned $69,200 for his 12th career victory and edged above Andre Agassi into eighth in the 2004 ATP Champions Race. The top eight players qualify for the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Houston. Youzhny had beaten three seeded players, Rainer Schuettler, Dominik Hrbaty and Paradorn Srichaphan on his way to the final of the inaugural $500,000 tournament. The 22-year-old, who was bidding for his second career title, earned $40,700 for reaching his third final. |
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The former world number one, who did not drop a set in Beijing, needed
all his experience to claim his first title since winning in Paris in November
2002.
