Nalbandian Claims Third Career Title

[joseph parikian]

Nalbandian Claims Third Career Title

 

http://www.atptennis.com/shared/photos/180x250/nalbandian_munich_trophy.jpg

 

 

Top seed David Nalbandian won his third ('02 Estoril, Basel) career ATP title at the BMW Open by Credit Suisse on Sunday. Playing in his tenth final, the Argentine defeated the No. 5 seed Andrei Pavel 6-4, 6-1 in 69 minutes.

 

The 23-year-old Argentine takes home 35 INDESIT ATP 2005 Race Points, €44,100, and a brand new silver BMW Z4 convertible.

 

In the final, Pavel took an early 4-1 lead before Nalbandian bounced back to win 11 of the next 12 games, including five breaks of serve.

 

Nalbandian defeated Nicolas Lapentti, qualifier Peter Luczak, Juan Monaco, qualifier Jarkko Nieminen, and No. 5 seed Pavel in today's final, on his way to the Munich title. He was playing in his first tournament since the NASDAQ-100 Open in Miami and in his first ATP final of 2005.

 

With Nalbandian winning the Munich title and countryman Gaston Gaudio winning the Estoril Open in Estoril, Portugal today, it's the first time since 1983 that two Argentines won ATP titles in the same week. In the week of July 24th, 1983, Guillermo Vilas won in Kitzbuehel and Jose Luis Clerc triumphed in Washington.

 

Pavel was playing in his first ATP final since losing the ATP Masters Series final in Paris in 2003. He was seeking his fourth career title, playing in his seventh ATP final. The 31-year-old Romanian appeared in the BMW Open final in 1999, where he lost to two-time Munich winner, Franco Squillari.

 

ANCIC/KNOWLE CLAIM DOUBLES TITLE

 

Mario Ancic and Julian Knowle won their first title as a team, playing in only their second tournament together (2003 Wimbledon). The duo defeated the German team of Florian Mayer and Alexander Waske 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in the doubles final of the BMW Open.

 

This was Ancic's second doubles title, while Knowle collected title No. 5. Both Mayer and Waske were looking for their first career ATP title.

 

Exclusive Audio from Munich...

 

WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID:

Nalbandian: “I didn't start the match really well doing some mistakes. I knew when I broke back to 3-4 in the first set it would be tough for him to keep playing at the level he did.”

 

“It's great to win here. 2003 and 2004 were very strange with so many injuries. This year I started very good in Australia and I then got a virus. Right now I'm trying to get back to my best level.”

 

“Rome and Hamburg are coming and then Roland Garros. It's nice to start of well on the clay courts by winning here.”

 

Pavel: “It's pretty tough to lose but I have to accept it. He showed that he is a top ten player right now. I had to play fast against him because my body wasn't hundred percent after yesterday's semifinal and the problems with my stomach. I thought that he would give me some free points but that was not the fact. He knew that I was a little bit tired and he made me run until my engine was off…”

 

“It was a perfect week for me. The final here gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the clay court season.”

 

Ancic: “We played very good from the beginning of the week. In the first match we saved three match points. I'm great friends with Julian for a long time so it's a nice feeling winning with him.”

 

Knowle: “It's a great feeling especially since I've been struggling the whole year. I had a great partner here with Mario. It was fun to play and it's great to be here winning a title.”

 

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http://www.atptennis.com/en/newsandscores/...nich_sunday.asp

[gamavor]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38120000/jpg/_38120149_nalbandiannew300.jpg

 

The Argentinian-Armenian goes to finals at Wimbledon facing Hewitt.

[Armen]

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200511/2...121_222799.html

 

Nalbandian lifts year-ending title of Masters

 

Argentina's David Nalbandian came through a thrilling five-set victory against world number one Roger Federer here on Sunday to claim his ever first year-ending title at the ATP tennis Masters Cup.

 

The 23-year-old lay down his back on the floor of the Qi Zhong Stadium's central court after wrapping up the final 6-7 (4), 6-7(11), 6-2, 6-1, 7-6(3) in four hours and 34 minutes and coming out the first winner from Argentina in 31 years.

 

"Of course (this is the best moment of my career). I think it's more important the way that I win," said Nalbandian at a post-match news conference.

 

"It's really incredible, these kind of matches in the finals against the No. 1 of the world. He didn't lose many matches during the year. So it's really important."

 

"I feel like the better guy won today. He was better, way better, in the third and fourth and fifth," commented Federer.

 

"I always say the winner deserves it more than the loser, even though I don't feel like a loser at all, because the season was so great. The match I played today and the whole tournament I played is for me still a great satisfaction.

 

"But He did well and deserves to win, no question about it."

 

With the victory, Nalbandian, last qualifying for the 4.45 million US dollars event on a world rank of 12th after Andy Roddick decided to skip the tournament due to a back injury, snapped a 35-match winning streak of Federer who has taken in six titles including two grand slam titles with the straight wins since June.

 

Limping on an injured right foot, Federer managed tie-break wins from both of the first two sets, but obviously ran out of energy before forcing a tie-break in the decisive fifth set, which the 24-year-old Swiss lost after forehanding the ball under the net.

 

Being broken in as earlier as the first game of the best-of-five final, a very longest match during this week's season-ending event in Shanghai, Federer was pulled into tie-break as each of the players broke twice.

 

He luckily took the first set after a serving out of bound was mistakenly ruled an ace and a returning from the superlative Swiss rolled over the net to keep live.

 

Same tune sounded in the second set. Trailing 4-1 in the second tiebreaker, Federer held his nerve to make a 5-1 run and overtook the lead 6-5 before winning it 13-11.

 

"Both sets was very, very close. Some important points he had a little bit of lucky sometimes. The way that he win the first set, with the net...And then the second set was almost the same, a lot of set point for both, very close," said Nalbandian, referring to the first two sets taken by Federer.

 

"But I know that he wasn't hundred percent for the ankle, his preparation wasn't the perfect one."

 

"I feel in the beginning of the third when he play not so good, that I had my chance in there. I had to keep going, to keep fighting, and play the most important match that I do during the year.

 

"I left everything on court."

 

Yes, fortune has yet accompanied the Swiss all the time.

 

urning out his energy reserved in some breezy wins in former matches, Federer gave up the third and fourth set in ease, respectively 6-2, 6-1.

 

Further down 4-0 in the fifth and decisive set, the top seed launched a successful fighting back from the fifth game, took four games in a row and broke his Argentine opponent thrice to force tie-break, before a better Nalbandian cost him a third Masters title in straight.

 

"I came much closer than I ever thought. I would come to this tournament victory," said Federer. "But it was unfortunate in the end. I cannot believe myself I came back in the fifth, but somehow I did."

 

"There's sort of also pride in there, of course, because three weeks ago I was still on crutches. No to be back playing at the best level, I'm very happy about that."

 

Federer, losing ten games in a row with cracking nine aces and 63 winners against 8 double faults and 72 unforced errors, won 41 net points out of 62 plays, but just converted 6 out of 20 breaking points into efforts.

 

"I don't know how many games I lost in a row at that point, but I knew I needed a good start into the fifth set or the fourth set, but I couldn't because I was just not physically good enough prepared for this event," said Federer.

 

"Those first two sets took too long, too much out of me. I couldn't push up for my serves in the end any more. That caused me that bad start in the fifth set, too."

 

Nalbandian won 2 aces against 6 double faults, made efforts of 11 out of 14 breaking points, and took a total of 66 winners against 57 unforced errors.

 

If Federer went through the final as a winner, he should have tied John McEnroe's Open Era record for best match winning percentage in a season. McEnroe had a 82-3 mark in 1984, and Federer held his own on 81-3 into Sunday's final.

 

The last second breakdown from the world No. 1 beat everything back into dust.

 

Before Saturday's 6-0, 6-0 semifinal win over Argentina's Gaston Gaudio, the two-time defending champion Federer had kept in low as he was pulled into deciders in his Red Group opener against 12th-ranked David Nalbandian on Sunday and was even forced tiebreaker when facing the world No. 7 Ivan Ljubicic on Tuesday.

 

But the effects of the ankle ligament injury kept hurting Federer's playing. After American veteran Andre Agassi and second seed Rafael Nadal pulled out due to injuries on Monday, Federer has been left the only top-five player in the elite field.

 

The Shanghai tournament was the first in six weeks for the superlative Swiss, who has already clinched the world No. 1 year-end ranking for the second year in succession. He last competed in Bangkok, winning his 11th title of the season on October 2.

 

Following is the factbox on Argentina's David Nalbandian who claimed his ever first Tennis Masters Cup title with a 6-7(4), 6-7(11), 6-2, 6-1, 7-6(3) victory over world number one Roger Federer of Switzerland on Sunday:

 

Born: January 1, 1982 in Cordoba, Argentina

 

Age: 23

 

Residence: Cordoba, Argentina

 

Height: 180 cm

 

Weight: 79 kg

 

Plays: Right-handed

 

Turned Pro: 2000

 

Grand slam titles: None

 

Previous Year's Final ATP Race Position: 9

 

Current ATP Race Position: 11

 

Career High ATP Entry Ranking: 4 (July 6, 2004)

 

Current ATP Entry Ranking: 12

 

Year Review:

 

Singles Record: 44-18

 

Singles Titles: 2

 

Career Review:

 

Singles Record: 169-87

 

Singles Titles: 4

 

Source: Xinhua

[Armen]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-11/21/xinsrc_3521102210818296110652.jpg

 

David Nalbandian of Argentina kisses the winner's trophy after defeating world number one Roger Federer of Switzerland at the Tennis Masters Cup tournament held in Shanghai, China, November 20, 2005. (Xinhua photo)

 

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-11/21/xinsrc_582110221081492130461.jpg

 

David Nalbandian of Argentina returns a shot during the finals match against world number one Roger Federer of Switzerland at the Tennis Masters Cup tournament held in Shanghai, China, November 20, 2005. Nalbandian won 6-7 (4/7), 6-7(11/13), 6-2, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3).(Xinhua photo)

[Accelerated]

I watched most of that match, and I must say its by far the best Ive ever seen him play. Granted, Federer was unfit/slightly injured, if Nambaldian can regularly produce that sort of performance he will become a real threat to Federers crown.

[Armen Half-Celt]

Nalbandian beat Federer now? that is pretty cool then. well done.

[gamavor]

We need to get this guy Armenian citizenship!

 

He improved a lot his service and is much more confident.

[arziv]

I watched most of that match, and I must say its by far the best Ive ever seen him play. Granted, Federer was unfit/slightly injured, if Nambaldian can regularly produce that sort of performance he will become a real threat to Federers crown.

 

Federer's injury was past bothering him. For the final he was fitter than Nalbandian, after all Federer disposed of Nalbandian in the first round, and then clinically dispatched Lubcicic.The media always requires insurance policies and fall back positions,in case they are proven wrong with their silly bias predictions, having erroneously built Federer as a Demi God and portraying him as invincible they were taken aback and shaken to their roots at Federer's loss. The God is down ,long live the new God. Federer admitted he was beaten by the better player. "My father is an idol" said Federer after his loss; Nalbandian's patternity over Federer continues with the latest tennis exhibition of furious power, subtle touch and superlative class.

 

Federer admitted before the match that he never relishes playing Nalbandian. Nalbandian is the only player that holds a favorable record against Federer, 6-4, ironically two of those victories were in finals, 1998 the world Junior championships where Nalbandian clobberede Federer who was then number one junior in the world, and in last Sunday's final.

 

The most beautiful aspect of Nalbandian is that he always acknowledges his armenianess.

[Zartonk]

The most beautiful aspect of Nalbandian is that he always acknowledges his armenianess.

 

Snorhavor Daveet jan..