Feliciano Lopez won his second-career title. It looked like the Spaniard would have problems at the Johannesburg tournament this week because the altitude and heat troubled him. He persevered and now has his second-career title.
Lopez beat Frenchman Stephane Robert 7-5 6-1 after 73 minutes of play in the singles final today. The first set was close, but the Spaniard was able to seize it by securing a break at the end of it. With the opening set under his belt, Lopez was off to the races by winning five-consecutive games and thus putting the match out of the Frenchman’s reach.
The title is Lopez’s first title in 5 ½ years. His last match came in 2004 in Vienna. The 28 year old is off to a good start this year with a 5-2 record. Last year he was 0-2 at this time. With the tournament win, the world no. 39 should move up a few spots on Monday.
Championship Sunday
Singles Final
3 Feliciano Lopez (ESP) def. 8 Stephane Robert (FRA) 7-5 6-1
Doubles Final
R. Bopanna (IND)/A. Qureshi (PAK) def. K. Beck (SVK)/H. Levy (ISR) 2-6 6-3 10-5
(Image: Etienne Rothbart, The Star)
Feliciano Lopez rallied to upset top-seed Gael Monfils. The Spanish lefty beat the world no. 13 3-6 6-1 7-6(1) after 92 minutes of play.
Monfils started out well in the first set. The Frenchman served 11 of his 19 match aces on the Spaniard in the first set and made 62% of his first serves, but his play dropped dramatically in the second set. Lopez, on the other hand, was consistent for the entire match. The Spaniard was also helped by the Frenchman’s injury, which slowed Monfils down in the second set.
The Frenchman managed to pick up his play in the third set and held his serve for the duration of it. Lopez proved too much and took over in the tiebreak. With today's win, Lopez is in the hunt for his second-career title. His only title came in Vienna in 2004.
The real shocker of the day was David Ferrer’s ouster. The Spaniard is one of the fittest players on tour and is usually so consistent. He usually beats the players he should beat. Today, Stephane Robert, the world no. 100, upset the world no. 18 7-5 6-4 after 96 minutes of play.
The 29-year-old Frenchman seeks his first ATP World title of his career. Robert usually plays on the challenger and futures tours. By making it to the final of an ATP World tournament, the Frenchman is having a dream run this week. He has only played in 2 other ATP World tournaments and 2 grand slams in his entire career. Before he would lose in the first rounds (Houston 2004 and Roland Garros 2004), this year he made it to the second round at Chennai and the Australian Open. His run this week marks his best career performance to date.
Obviously, Lopez and Robert have never played. On paper, Lopez should win the final tomorrow. It shall be seen if the Frenchman can follow up today’s upset.
Singles Semifinals
3 Feliciano Lopez (ESP) def. 1 Gael Monfils (FRA) 3-6 6-1 7-6(1)
8 Stephane Robert (FRA) def. 2 David Ferrer (ESP) 7-5 6-4
Doubles Semifinals
K Beck (SVK) / H Levy (ISR) def. S. Darcis (BEL)/X. Malisse (BEL) 7-5 4-6 10-7
Championship Sunday
Singles Final
3 Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs. 8 Stephane Robert (FRA)
Doubles Final
K. Beck (SVK)/H. Levy (ISR) vs. R. Bopanna (IND)/A. Qureshi (PAK)
Sunday’s Order of Play
(Image: Reg Caldecott)
In semifinal one, we have second-seed David Ferrer of Spain versus eighth-seed Stephane Robert of France. Ferrer had an easy time with Somdev Devvarman, and Stephane Robert shutdown Jamaican sensation Dustin Brown, who had knocked out fourth-seed Marco Chiudinelli in the first round.
In semifinal two, we have Frenchman Gael Monfils and Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in a marquee matchup -- style versus flash. To get to tomorrow's semifinal, Monfils took out Yen-Hsun Lu, and Feliciano beat fifth-seed Rajeev Ram today. Surprisingly, Monfils and Lopez have never met in ATP competition.
The second semifinal should be a good match. Too bad it cannot be seen live on television in the US. As a consolation, Tennis Channel will show the first semifinal on Monday and the second on Tuesday. Check your local listings.
Friday’s Results
Singles Quarterfinals
1 Gael Monfils (FRA) def. 7 Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) 6-1 6-4
2 David Ferrer (ESP) def. Somdev Devvarman (IND) 6-1 6-3
3 Feliciano Lopez (ESP) def. 5 Rajeev Ram (USA) 7-6(2) 6-3
8 Stephane Robert (FRA) def. D. Brown (JAM) 7-6(5) 6-3
Doubles Semifinals
R. Bopanna (IND)/A. Qureshi (PAK) def. 3 E. Butorac (USA)/R. Ram (USA) 7-6(5)
Saturday's Matches
Singles Semifinals
1 Gael Monfils (FRA) vs. 3 Feliciano Lopez (ESP)
2 David Ferrer (ESP) vs. 8 Stephane Robert (FRA)
Doubles Semifinals
S. Darcis (BEL)/X. Malisse (BEL) vs. K. Beck (SVK)/H. Levy (ISR)
Saturday’s Order of Play
(Image: AP)
Feliciano Lopez and his flip flops gave tennis instruction to South African children. Too cute.
(Image: Reg Caldecott)
David Ferrer had a routine win over Swedish qualifier Filip Prpic. After 108 minutes of play, he advanced to the quarterfinals after a 6-3 6-4 victory over the Swede. The second seed will meet world no. 162 Somdev Devvarman of India next. The two players have never met in ATP competition.
Thursday’s Results
Singles Second Round
1 Gael Monfils (FRA) def. Josslin Ouanna (FRA) 6-4 7-5
2 David Ferrer (ESP) def. Q Filip Prpic (SWE) 6-3 6-4
7 Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) def. WC Raven Klaasen (RSA) 6-4 7-5
Somdev Devvarman (IND) def. Thiago Alves (BRA) 6-4 6-1
Doubles First Round
WC R. Klaasen (RSA)/I. Van Der Merwe (RSA) def. 4 J. Coetzee (RSA)/R. Wassen (NED) 4-6 6-2 10-8
Doubles Quarterfinals
R. Bopanna (IND)/A. Qureshi (PAK) def. 2 J. Brunstrom (SWE)/J. Rojer (AHO) 3-6 6-3 0-0 Default
3 E. Butorac (USA)/R. Ram (USA) def. P. Amritraj (IND)/J. Cerretani (USA) 6-4 7-6(6)
K. Beck (SVK)/H. Levy (ISR) def. WC R. Klaasen (RSA)/I. Van Der Merwe (RSA) 6-4 2-6 10-8
S. Darcis (BEL)/X. Malisse (BEL) def. S. Ratiwatana (THA)/S. Ratiwatana (THA) 3-6 6-4 10-8
Friday’s Order of Play
(Image: Reg Caldecott)
Third-seed Feliciano Lopez beat Blaz Kavcic 6-2 7-6(4) in their second-round matchup. The world no. 39 is starting his year out much better than last year. This year he is 4-2. Last year he hadn’t won a match until mid-February. Next up for the Spaniard is American Rajeev Ram. The two players have never met in ATP competition.
Jamaican sensation Dustin Brown, who lives in Germany, is having a good run in Johannesburg. The world no. 141 upset fourth-seed Marco Chiudinelli yesterday and then beat Frenchman Laurent Recouderc 6-4 6-4. The 25 year old will meet another Frenchman Stephane Robert in the next round. Should he surpass the world no. 100 in the quarterfinals, the Jamaican could face second-seed David Ferrer in the semifinals.
Singles Second Round
3 Feliciano Lopez (ESP) def. Blaz Kavcic (SLO) 6-2 7-6(4)
5 Rajeev Ram (USA) def. Bjorn Phau (GER) 7-6(10) 7-6(2)
8 Stephane Robert (FRA) def. WC Izak Van Der Merwe (RSA) 7-6(7) 6-1
Dustin Brown (JAM) def. Laurent Recouderc (FRA) 6-4 6-4
Doubles First Round
S. Darcis (BEL)/X. Malisse (BEL) def. 1 W. Moodie (RSA)/K. Ullyett (ZIM) 7-6(2) 7-6(3)
4 J. Coetzee (RSA)/R. Wassen (NED) vs [WC] R. Klaasen (RSA)/I. Van Der Merwe (RSA)
R. Bopanna (IND)/A. Qureshi (PAK) def. Y. Allegro (SUI)/M. Chiudinelli (SUI) 4-6 6-3 10-5
K. Beck (SVK)/H. Levy (ISR) def. T. Bednarek (POL)/M. Kowalczyk (POL) 5-7 6-4 10-7
S. Ratiwatana (THA)/S. Ratiwatana (THA) def. L. Recouderc (FRA)/S. Robert (FRA) 6-2 6-2
Thursday’s Order of Play
(Images: William West/AFP/Getty Images, Reg Caldecott)
Gael Monfils and David Ferrer advanced easily. Monfils steamrolled Dominik Hrbarty 6-2 6-1. Ferrer did not have it quite as easily but triumphed nonetheless in straight sets over Slovakian Karol Beck 6-1 7-5.
Third-seed Feliciano Lopez had a difficult time with Benjamin Balleret, a qualifier from Monaco. After three sets, the Spaniard eventually prevailed 6-1 6-7(5) 6-3. Lopez acknowledged in his press conference after the match that the heat and altitude bothered him during his match. Hopefully, he will get used to the conditions in time for his second-round match.
Now, the three move on to the next round. Monfils will play his good friend Josselin Ouanna. Ferrer will meet a Swedish qualifier Filip Prpic. Lopez draws another qualifier Blaz Kavcic.
Tuesday's Results
Singles First Round
1 Gael Monfils (FRA) def. Dominik Hrbaty (SVK) 6-2 6-1
2 David Ferrer (ESP) def. Karol Beck (SVK) 6-1 7-5
3 Feliciano Lopez (ESP) def. Q Benjamin Balleret (MON) 6-1 6-7(5) 6-3
Dustin Brown (JAM) def. 4 Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) 6-4 3-6 6-4
Somdev Devvarman (IND) def. 6 Xavier Malisse (BEL) 6-4 6-2
7 Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) def. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 6-3 6-2
Thiago Alves (BRA) def. Oleksandr Dolgopolov Jr. (UKR) 5-7 6-2 6-3
Josselin Ouanna (FRA) def. Harel Levy (ISR) 7-6(4) 6-2
WC Izak Van Der Merwe (RSA) def. Q Noam Okun (ISR) 7-6(5) 7-6(2)
WC Raven Klaasen (RSA) def. David Guez (FRA) 6-4 6-3
Bjorn Phau (GER) def. Q Fritz Wolmarans (RSA) 6-4 7-5
Q Filip Prpic (SWE) def. Ivan Navarro (ESP) 6-3 7-5
Doubles First Round
2 J. Brunstrom (SWE)/J. Rojer (AHO) def. R. de Voest (RSA)/Y. Lu (TPE) 6-3 6-4 3
E. Butorac (USA)/R. Ram (USA) def. P. Marx (GER)/I. Zelenay (SVK) 7-6(6) 6-3
P. Amritraj (IND)/J. Cerretani (USA) def. WC R. Roselofse (RSA)/N. Scholtz (RSA) 6-4 6-1
Wednesday’s Order of Play
(Image: AFP)
Name: SA Tennis Open
City: Johannesburg, South Africa
Surface: Outdoor Hard
Championship Points: 250
2009 Singles Champion: Jo-Wifried Tsonga
2009 Doubles Champions: James Cerretani and Dick Norman
Featured Players: Gael Monfils, David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez and Marco Chiudinelli
Monday’s Results
Singles - First Round
8 Stephane Robert (FRA) def. Brendan Evans (USA) 3-6 6-2 6-2
Rajeev Ram (USA) def. Rik De Voest (RSA) 6-7(3) 6-3 6-3
Blaz Kavcic (SLO) def. Thierry Ascione (FRA) 1-6 7-5 6-3
Laurent Recouderc (FRA) def. Steve Darcis (BEL) 3-6 6-3 6-4
Tuesday's Order of Play
Top-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat fellow French countrymen, Jeremy Chardy in 108 minute match to win his first title this year and third career title.
Singles Championship:
1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. 5 Jeremy Chardy 6-4 7-6(5)
Doubles Championship:
J. Cerretani /D. Norman def 4 R. de Voest/A. Fisher 6(7)-7 6-2 14-12
REUTERS/Mick Tsikas/Files
Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had a routine win over Frederico Gil of Portugal in a little over an hour. His fellow countryman, Jeremy Chardy had a more challenging match, where the Frenchman upset the second seed, David Ferrer of Spain. Chardy saved three match points and managed to upset the Spaniard in two hours and 34 minutes. This sets up an all-French final. The Frenchmen have never played before.
Singles Semifinals:
1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Frederico Gil 6-3 6-4
5 Jeremy Chardy def. 2 David Ferrer 1-6 7-6(9) 7-6(4)
Doubles Semifinals:
4 R. de Voest /A. Fisher def.1 J. Coetzee /W. Moodie 7-5 6-4
SA Tennis Open/Reg Caldecott
David Ferrer needed an hour and 16 minutes to beat Marcos Baghdatis in the South African quarterfinal. He will face Frenchman Jeremy Chardy in the semifinal. Ferrer currently leads this match-up 1-0.
Singles Quarterfinals:
1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. 7 Kristof Vliegen 6-4 6-1
2 David Ferrer def. 8 Marcos Baghdatis 7-5 6-2
Frederico Gil def. 4 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6(6) 6-3
5 Jeremy Chardy def. Q Sebastien de Chaunac 7-6(4) 6-3
Doubles Quarterfinals:
1 J. Coetzee /W. Moodie def. J. Levinsky /J-C Scherrer 6-4 1-6 10-6
4 R. de Voest /A. Fisher def. alt F. Cipolla /B. Phau 7-5 6-4
Doubles Semifinals:
J. Cerretani /D. Norman def. D. Ferrer /I. Navarro Pastor 6-3 6-2
ATO/Reg Caldecott (via ATP)
Singles:
1 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Denis Istomin 6-1 6-4
4 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez def. Leonardo Mayer 6-4 7-5
5 Jeremy Chardy def. Q Marco Chiudinelli 6-4 6-4
7 Kristof Vliegen def. Ivo Minar 6-4 6-1
Frederico Gil def. wc Rik de Voest 4-6 7-5 6-4
Q Sebastien de Chaunac def. wc Izak Van Der Merwe Izak 6(3)-7 7-5 7-6(5)
Doubles:
3 M. Granollers /S. Ventura def. D. Ferrer /I. Navarro Pastor 6-3 4-6 13-11
J. Levinsky /J-C Scherrer def. M. Baghdatis /J. Chardy 6-3 6-2
J. Cerretani /D. Norman def. wc I. Van Der Merwe /F. Wolmarans 6-4 6-4
alt F. Cipolla /B. Phau def. G. Garcia-Lopez /R. Ramirez-Hidalgo 6-3 6-3
Singles:
David Ferrer def. Simon Greul 6-3 6-49
Sebastien de Chaunac def. Marcel Granollers 7-5 7-6(3)
Marcos Baghdatis def. Raven Klaasen 6-3 7-5
Izak Van Der Merwe Izak def. Benjamin Becker 7-6(4) 7-6(3)
Doubles:
J. Coetzee /W. Moodie def. C. Haggard /R. Klaasen 6-4 (5)6-7 10-8 I.
Van Der Merwe /F. Wolmarans def. E. Butorac /R. Hutchins 6-4 7-5
J. Cerretani /D. Norman def. F. Gil /F. Moser 6-4 6-4
Singles:
Marco CHIUDINELLI (SUI) def. Flavio CIPOLLA (ITA) 7-5 1-6 6-4
Frederico GIL (POR) def. Daniel KOELLERER (AUT) 6-4 6-0
Ivo MINAR (CZE) def. Kevin ANDERSON (RSA) 7-6(4) 6-4
Kristof VLIEGEN (BEL) def. Ross HUTCHINS (GBR) 7-6(3) 6-4
David FERRER (ESP) def. Dudi SELA (ISR) 6-2 6-0
Jeremy CHARDY (FRA) def. Jiri VANEK (CZE) 6-0 6-4
Jo-Wilfried TSONGA (FRA) def. Thiago ALVES (BRA) 6-4 6-1
Denis ISTOMIN (UZB) def. Santiago VENTURA (ESP) 4-6 6-4 7-6(3)
Doubles:
R. DE VOEST (RSA)/A. FISHER (AUS) def. Y. ALLEGRO (SUI)/H. TECAU (ROU) 6-2 6-2
Singles:
Leonardo MAYER (ARG) def. Sergio ROITMAN (ARG)6-2 6-4
Simon GREUL (GER) def. Victor CRIVOI (ROU) 6-2 6-4
Rik DE VOEST (RSA) def. Ivan NAVARRO (ESP) 6-3 6-4
Raven KLAASEN (RSA) def. Ruben RAMIREZ HIDALGO (ESP) 6-3 7-5
Marcos BAGHDATIS (CYP) def. Andrew ANDERSON (RSA) 6-4 6-2
Guillermo GARCIA-LOPEZ (ESP) def. Bjorn PHAU (GER) 6-4 6-3
Doubles:
M. GRANOLLERS (ESP)/S. VENTURA (ESP) def. K. ANDERSON (RSA)/JW TSONGA (FRA)
6-4 3-6 10-8
D. Ferrer(ESP)/I. Navarro (ESP) def. D. Istomin (UZB)/D. Koellerer (AUT)
6-4 6-2
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