Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, former JC Ferrero Equelite attendee, rallied to beat lucky loser Julien Benneteau of France to capture the Kitzbuhel title. He captured the Austrian trophy after battling the Frenchman for three hours and ten minutes for a 3-6 7-6(1) 6-3 victory. Kitzbuhel is the Spaniard’s first ATP career title, so a congratulations is in order for the 25-year-old world no. 74.

On the doubles side, the Brazilian duo of Marcel Melo and Andre Sa successfully defended their title. They overcame a one-set deficit to beat Romanians Andrei Pavel and Horia Tecau 6-7(9) 6-2 10-7. The championship is their first of the year and their fifth title together.


Championship Results
Singles Final
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) def. LL Julien Benneteau (FRA) 3-6 7-6(1) 6-3

Doubles Final
2 M. Melo (BRA)/A. Sa (BRA) def. A. Pavel (ROU)/H. Tecau (ROU) 6-7(9) 6-2 10-7


(Image: AP)

Friday's Results
Singles Semifinals
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) def. 7 Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 6-3 1-6 7-6(5)
LL Julien Benneteau (FRA) def. Oscar Hernandez (ESP) 6-3 6-4

Doubles Semifinals
2 M. Melo (BRA)/A. Sa (BRA) def. C. Kas (GER)/A. Peya (AUT) 6-4 6-0
A. Pavel (ROU)/H. Tecau (ROU) def. J. Knowle (AUT)/J. Melzer (AUT) 6-7(1) 6-3 15-13

Saturday’s Order of Play

With the top-six seeds out of the way for the Russian, the title is his (Mikhail Youzhny) to lose.

-me

Youzhny went on to lose to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3 1-6 7-6(5) in today’s semifinals. Garcia-Lopez is now 3-0 over the Russian. The Spaniard will now play lucky loser Julien Benneteau in the finals.

(Image: Gepa/Osterauer)

Mikhail Youzhny was able to upset second-seed and local favorite Jurgen Melzer 6-4 6-4. With the top-six seeds out of the way for the Russian, the title is his to lose. Youzhny has played well of late and was the finalist in Munich the other week but lost to Tomas Berdych.

Youzhny first needs to get past Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who took out the third-seed Victor Hanescu, in the semifinals tomorrow. Garcia-Lopez leads their head-to head 2-0, so the Russian could have his work cut out for him.


Thursday's Results
Singles Quarterfinals
7 Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) def. 2 Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 6-4 6-4
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) def. 3 Victor Hanescu (ROU) 6-2 6-2
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) def. Q Juan Chela (ARG) 6-4 6-4
LL Julien Benneteau (FRA) def. WC Daniel Koellerer (AUT) 6-2 6-7(5) 6-0

Doubles Quarterfinals
2 M. Melo (BRA)/A. Sa (BRA) def. S. Aspelin (SWE)/P. Hanley (AUS) 6-3 6-4

Friday’s Order of Play

(Image: AP)

Wednesday’s Results
Singles Second Round
2 Jurgen Melzer (AUT) def. Agustin Calleri (ARG) 6-4 7-5
3 Victor Hanescu (ROU) def. Marcel Granollers (ESP) 6-1 7-6(2)
7 Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) def. WC Stephan Koubek (AUT) 6-2 6-4
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) def. WC Andreas Beck (GER) 7-5 6-4
WC Daniel Koellerer (AUT) def. Diego Junqueira (ARG) 6-1 6-2
Q Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) def. LL Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) 6-3 6-2
LL Julien Benneteau (FRA) def. Nicolas Massu (CHI) 6-1 6-7(4) 7-6(7)

Doubles First Round
L. Arnold Ker (ARG)/O. Marach (AUT) def. WC M. Kohlmann (GER)/P. Oswald (AUT) 6-4 6-7(5) 10-8 – finished from yesterday
S. Aspelin (SWE)/P. Hanley (AUS) def. M. Ancic (CRO)/M. Youzhny (RUS) 6-2 6-4

Doubles Quarterfinals
A. Pavel (ROU)/H. Tecau (ROU) def. 1 M. Fyrstenberg (POL)/M. Matkowski (POL) 4-6 7-5 10-7
J. Knowle (AUT)/J. Melzer (AUT) def. 4 F. Cermak (CZE)/M. Mertinak (SVK) 6-2 6-4
C. Kas (GER)/A. Peya (AUT) def. L. Arnold Ker (ARG)/O. Marach (AUT) 6-3 6-4

Thursday’s Order of Play

Seventh-seed and ATP world number 46 Mikhail Youzhny defeated Stefan Koubak 6-2 6-4 in front of the Austrian’s hometown fans. The win for the Russian sets up a quarterfinal meeting against another Austrian and second-seed, Jurgen Melzer.

Melzer, who beat Agustin Calleri 6-4 7-5, has been playing well lately, so the matchup should be a good one. The two players are even at 2-2 in their head-to-head matchup, with Youzhny winning their last two meetings.





(Image: AP)

Tuesday's Results
Singles First Round
2 Jurgen Melzer (AUT) def. Frederico Gil (POR) 6-3 6-0
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) def. 4 Fabrice Santoro (FRA) 6-2 6-3
Q Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) def. 6 Marc Gicquel (FRA) 5-7 6-3 6-0
LL Julien Benneteau (FRA) def. 8 Dudi Sela (ISR) 7-5 6-1
WC Stephan Koubek (AUT) def. Philipp Petzschner (GER) 7-6(8) 6-4
Diego Junqueira (ARG) def. LL Paul Capdeville (CHI) 6-3 6-2
Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) def. Q Mario Ancic (CRO) 6-4 6-3

Singles Second Round
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) def. 5 Martin Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 4-6 6-4 6-3

Doubles First Round
C. Kas (GER)/A. Peya (AUT) def. 3 M. Granollers (ESP)/B. Soares (BRA) 6-3 6-2
A. Pavel (ROU)/H. Tecau (ROU) def. V. Hanescu (ROU)/J. Levinsky (CZE) 7-6(5) 3-6 11-9
J. .Knowle (AUT)/J. Melzer (AUT) def. E. Butorac (USA)/P. Petzschner (GER) 6-2 6-7(5) 10-8
1 M. Fyrstenberg (POL)/M. Matkowski (POL) def. WC R. Kendrick (USA)/D. Koellerer (AUT) 7-5 7-6(2)
L. Arnold Ker (ARG)/O. Marach (AUT) vs. WC M. Kohlmann (GER)/P. Oswald (AUT) 6-4 6-7(5) – to finish due to lack of light

Wednesday's Order of Play

Top-seed and defending champion Nikolay Davydenko pulled out of the tournament due to an ankle injury and will be replaced by lucky loser Paul Capdeville of Chile. France’s Nicolas Devilder also pulled out of the tournament for an ankle inury and was replaced by lucky loser Julien Benneteau. Both lucky losers will make their tournament debuts tomorrow.

Monday’s Results
Singles First Round
3 Victor Hanescu (ROU) def. Q Nicolas Lapentti (ECU) 6-7(6) 6-3 7-5
7 Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) def. Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 6-2 7-6(7)
Marcel Granollers (ESP) def. Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) 7-6(11) 6-3
Nicolas Massu (CHI) def. Q Robin Vik (CZE) 6-4 6-2
WC Andreas Beck (GER) def. Jan Hernych (CZE) 5-7 6-3 7-5
WC Daniel Koellerer (AUT) def. Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) 6-4 6-4
Agustin Calleri (ARG) def. Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) 3-6 7-5 0-1 ret. (illness)

Doubles First Round
2 M. Melo (BRA)/A. Sa (BRA) def. M. Gicquel (FRA)/C. Rochus (BEL) 6-2 6-4
4 F. Cermak (CZE)/M. Mertinak (SVK) def. J. Cerretani (USA)/D. Vemic (SRB) 6-3 3-6 10-2

Tuesday’s Order of Play

City: Kitzbuhel, Austria
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Championship Points: 250
2008 Singles Champion: Nicolay Davydenko
2008 Doubles Champions: Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa

Nikolay Davydenko will defend his title and is also the top seed. The Russian has been playing pretty well this clay-court season since his return from injury. Second-seed Jurgen Melzer is also playing pretty well this season and should do well in front of his hometown audience. Mikhail Youzhny, who is the seventh-seed, should go deep in the draw. He is on Melzer’s side of the draw, and the two could meet in the quarterfinals.

There are other players who have had good tournaments, but there is still a lot of inconsistency, so it will be interesting to see who steps up this week.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles

And The Qualifiers Are . . .
Mario Ancic (CRO) def. Alexander Peya (AUT) 6-2 6-3
Robin Vik (CZE) def. Julien Benneteau (FRA) 6-4 7-6(5)
Nicolas Lapentti (ECU) def. Paul Capdeville (CHI) 5-5 Ret’d
Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) def. Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) 7-6(4) 7-6(4)

Singles First Round
5 Martin Vassallo Arguello (ARG) def. Christophe Rochus (BEL) 6-2 6-4
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) def. Bjorn Phau (GER) 6-3 6-2

Monday’s Order of Play

(Image: Deco Pires)