- News>
- Tennis
Clay specialist Coria sends Safin tumbling out of Monte Carlo Masters
Monte Carlo, Apr 25: Guillermo Coria and Rainer Schuettler to meet in Monte Carlo Masters final.
Monte Carlo, Apr 25: Guillermo Coria and Rainer Schuettler to meet in Monte Carlo Masters final.
Russian Marat Safin had no answer to the claycourt expertise of Guillermo Coria on Saturday (April 24) as the Argentine reached the final of the Monte Carlo Masters for the second year in a row.
Third seed Coria won 6-4 1-6 6-3 against the 2000 U.S. Open champion to set up a showdown with German Rainer Schuettler, who overcame Spain's Carlos Moya 7-6 6-4 in the other semi-final. Sunday is fourth seed Schuettler's 28th birthday.
Coria has now won his past 25 matches on clay and looks the best player on the surface a month before the start of the French Open.
The Argentine, who lost the 2003 final to Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, was only in trouble briefly in the second set against Safin and he is hungry for another title.
Unseeded Safin, who missed most of last year through injury but reached this year's Australian Open final, made a great start and led 1-0 and 40-0 on Coria's serve. Coria stepped up a gear, though, and broke his Russian opponent's serve in the third game of the first set which he sealed in 42 minutes.
Safin, who was given treatment for foot blisters, served better and calmed down in the second set while Coria seemed to falter. Two breaks were enough for Safin to take it 6-1.
It was only a short reprieve, however. Coria, after a tight start to the final set, broke Safin to love to lead 5-3 and served out for victory after one hour and 51 minutes.
Schuettler has been impressive all week with victories over Gustavo Kuerten, Lleyton Hewitt, Tim Henman and now Moya, the 1998 winner in Monte Carlo.
Within a week Schuettler has beaten three former number one players, a superb feat as the German had previously only won two matches on the ATP circuit in 2004.
Against Moya, Schuettler kept his head in the first set tiebreak, taking it 7-5, and the 2003 Australian Open finalist maintained his grip in the second set to seal another impressive victory.
Semi-final results at the 2.425 million euros Monte Carlo Masters on Saturday (prefix number denotes seeding): 3-Guillermo Coria (Argentina) beat Marat Safin (Russia) 6-4 1-6 6-3 4-Rainer Schuettler (Germany) beat 8-Carlos Moya (Spain) 7-6 (7-5) 6-4
Bureau Report
The Argentine, who lost the 2003 final to Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, was only in trouble briefly in the second set against Safin and he is hungry for another title.
Unseeded Safin, who missed most of last year through injury but reached this year's Australian Open final, made a great start and led 1-0 and 40-0 on Coria's serve. Coria stepped up a gear, though, and broke his Russian opponent's serve in the third game of the first set which he sealed in 42 minutes.
Safin, who was given treatment for foot blisters, served better and calmed down in the second set while Coria seemed to falter. Two breaks were enough for Safin to take it 6-1.
It was only a short reprieve, however. Coria, after a tight start to the final set, broke Safin to love to lead 5-3 and served out for victory after one hour and 51 minutes.
Schuettler has been impressive all week with victories over Gustavo Kuerten, Lleyton Hewitt, Tim Henman and now Moya, the 1998 winner in Monte Carlo.
Within a week Schuettler has beaten three former number one players, a superb feat as the German had previously only won two matches on the ATP circuit in 2004.
Against Moya, Schuettler kept his head in the first set tiebreak, taking it 7-5, and the 2003 Australian Open finalist maintained his grip in the second set to seal another impressive victory.
Semi-final results at the 2.425 million euros Monte Carlo Masters on Saturday (prefix number denotes seeding): 3-Guillermo Coria (Argentina) beat Marat Safin (Russia) 6-4 1-6 6-3 4-Rainer Schuettler (Germany) beat 8-Carlos Moya (Spain) 7-6 (7-5) 6-4
Bureau Report