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Week 3: Auckland [Altman], Sydney [Orlov], Kooyong [Špidlá], AOQ; Salinas [Langley]

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Salinas Challenger 1
Quarter Finals - Singles - Salinas

A guaranteed CWLand finalist would take to the courts on the final day in Salinas, thanks to another successful day.

  • Marcuss Deane met former compatriot Mat Mitchell in an encounter sadly relegated to court number 2. However, the decision of the club officials stood the test, as the encounter proved to be very one sided. Mat Mitchell was the player in form, and in an incredible display of clean hitting and placement, he blew Deane off the court in the first set. A shell shocked Deane could only look on in disbelief as a succession of excellent shots flew past him. Deane only managed a total of 8 points in a set that took the briefest of time (17 minutes). Deane cut a forlorn figure at the drinks break as he slapped himself in the face and seemingly muttered to himself. He came back stronger in the 2nd set and began to exert significant pressure on the Mitchell serve. However, the effort was all for nothing as the form of Mitchell prevailed in straight sets 6 - 0, 6 - 4.
  • Mitchell would be playing the winner of the encounter on court number 1 - either West CWLand's Rick Langley or 2nd seeded Russian Oleg Puder. Following the two killer matches that Langley had endured on the previous day, the odds were firmly against him against his much more illustrious opponent. However, as well as tiring you out, having long matches does afford you the luxury of a good amount of match time and the (relatively) fresh Langley came out on fire. Puder held his opening service game without too many difficulties, but Langley established his intent with an audacious winning drop shot. Incredibly, Puder failed to gain a break point opportunity in the first set, whilst Langley continued to show the form that had allowed him to progress in a very tricky draw past the 8th and 11th seeds. Puder lost his next two service games, giving Langley the first set 6 - 2. Puder came out of the blocks quickly in the 2nd, stealing a break from Langley and then building on that with a 2nd break. Langley, however was not keen to see the match go to a third and managed to find another gear. Puder, maybe relaxing too much, lost his next service game to love. Back in the set, Langley managed to drag it into a tie break a game of all out attack. Still, the fatigue wasn't showing. With the tie break going the distance, Langley managed to steal the crucial point with a great passing shot from a Puder 2nd service to gain the win. 6 - 2, 7 - 6 (12 - 10)
  • First seed Ninteh Doh defeated 5th seed Miguel Bertolotto 6 - 4, 6 - 3, but needed to call the physio on a number of occasions. The buzz around the changing rooms after the match is that Doh has sustained an injury and could be forced to withdraw from the singles. In order to maximise his chances of making his semi-final match against 9th seed Yevgeny Pushkov, he shortly thereafter announced his withdrawal from the doubles tournament. Rick Langley was thought to not be overly disappointed with this outcome.

  • Seeded players out: Oleg Puder (2, RUS), Miguel Bertolotto (5, ARG), Renato Varas (16, CHI) .

Salinas Challenger 1
Semi Finals - Doubles - Salinas

  • Oleg Puder took out his singles frustrations with the help of Valeri Belousov on 4th seeds Doug Plunkett & Anthony Weatherby. An aggressive Puder dominated the court and managed to hit some superb winners on the important points. The Russian/Ukrainian duo progressed 6 - 4, 6 - 3.
  • Richard Langley and Ninteh Doh officially withdrew from their match against 3rd seeds Hoffman and Rabin, smoothing their progression to the final as the only remaining seeded pairing.

  • Seeded players out: Doug Plunkett & Anthony Weatherby (4, GBR) .
 
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SirBloody Idiot

Cricketer Of The Year
Heineken Open II
Final - Auckland (New Zealand)

Men's singles (Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)
Men's doubles (Draw)

  • For the second week in a row, Italy's Antonio Bachunelli has fallen short of claiming a maiden ATP title as he was tamed in straight sets by world No. 9 Illya Altman. Facing a possible second round clash with Dwayne Murdoch next week at the Australian Open, Bachunelli played perhaps his least impressive tennis of the last fortnight as he meekly fell to a 6-4, 6-4 loss. Altman, meanwhile, looked typically aggressive and stymied the penetrative forehand of Bachunelli with some deep hitting as he picked up his first title of the year.

  • Seeded players out:
    Antonio Bachunelli.
  • Altman pulled double duty in the doubles final, but was not able to replicate his singles form as he and Gregor Gorshkov lost in a super tiebreaker. Second seeds Ion Andueza & Sanchez Emelio started strongly, and although they were really disappointing in the second set managed to comeback to secure a first title of the year 6-3, 1-6, (10-5).

  • Seeded players out: None.
 
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SirBloody Idiot

Cricketer Of The Year
Medibank International Sydney II
Final - Sydney (Australia)

Men's singles (Finals - Top Half - Bottom Half)
Men's doubles (Draw)

  • World No. 48 Dmitry Orlov has secured his first tour title as he came from a set down to upset world No. 4 Radivoj Daneu in the final of the Medibank International. The unseeded Russian had claimed some big scalps this week and beating Daneu would undoubtedly be the biggest, but he started slowly to drop the first set 3-6. But in a rematch of their Davis Cup final match where Daneu took the win in four sets, Orlov got the better of his higher ranked opponent to break early in the second and send the final to a decider. There, after a number of breaks of each man's service it seemed fitting the match would be decided in a tiebreaker and after four match points Orlov finally converted to prevail 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(9).

  • Seeded players out:
    Radivoj Daneu.
  • In comparison to the singles final, the doubles was a fizzer as top seeds Sandro Bachunelli & Hicham Hadir enhanced their Aussie Open title chances with a crushing win over Eric & Rick Henson. The American brothers ought not to have even turned up as they produced a poor performance that lacked intensity as Bachunelli and Hadir won the title 6-1, 6-2.

  • Seeded players out: None.
 

SirBloody Idiot

Cricketer Of The Year
AAMI Classic
Finals (Saturday) - Kooyong (Australia)

  • World No. 3 Radek Špidlá has firmed as one of the favourites for the Australian Open as he overcame a spirited display from Argentina's Juan Moreno to pick up a straight sets win in the final of the AAMI Classic in Kooyong. Undefeated thus far in season II, Špidlá was met with stern resistance from the fifth seed but prevailed in two tight sets 7-5, 7-6(5). The third seed's campaign gets underway with a showdown against Jason Hall's Auckland conqueror Atthaphol Sae-ul, whilst Moreno will look to improve on his first round defeat last year against Paraguay's Marcelo Alavos.
  • In the third place match, fourth seed Dwayne Murdoch completed a satisfactory warm up with a three-set win over Tiago Matías of Portugal. Murdoch looked like he'd ice the match early as he put a breadstick on Matías in the first set, but the eighth seed struck back to take the second 7-5. In a tight decider, it was the American world No. 10 that came through to finish third this week 6-1, 5-7, 7-6(4). Murdoch made three Grand Slam quarter finals last season, but like at the CW Open finds himself drawn in the same section as Jason Hall for a fourth round clash. Matías, meanwhile, starts things off with a tricky clash against Spain's Sergio Joaquín.
AAMI Classic
Fifth/Sixth Play-off (Saturday) - Kooyong (Australia)

  • World No. 7 József Boros has finished fifth in Kooyong following a strong showing against Italy's Carlo Amato. Both players had big wins in the 1st round of play-offs, but met sterner tests in the form of each other in a three-set affair. Despite looking the goods in the second, Amato could not produce a victory and fell to Boros 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(6). Unfortunately for Boros, he has drawn a horror start as in-form Dmitry Orlov, the Sydney champion, starts things off. Amato, however, will start more gently against Hugh James whose best results have come in the doubles arena.
AAMI Classic
Exhibition Match (Saturday) - Kooyong (Australia)

  • With Randy Smeltz's withdrawal, Rasmus Olesen finished seventh by default but still wanted some crucial match practice following an uninspiring outing against Amato on Friday. Against Australian prodigy Harry Thompson, Olesen found his form in a clinical display despite some impressive play from the 17-year old in the second set. Olesen won 6-1, 6-4 and begins next week against Pascal Schmidt of Switzerland. In his fourth Grand Slam (all wildcards), Thompson is still looking to pass the first round but was again dealt a stinker against ninth seed Illya Altman.

 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Salinas Challenger 1
Semi Finals - Singles - Salinas

Which of the two CWLand semi-finalists will take to the court to see if they can take home the trophy in Ecuador?

  • It was bad news for Japanese number 1 seed Ninteh Doh who failed to take to the court against the 9th seeded Russian Yevgeny Pushkov. Pushkov is yet to drop a set all tournament, and the crowds were looking forward to an entertaining match against the veteran Japanese star. Doh has yet to announce the extent of the injury which has led to his withdrawal and his place at the Australian Open is sure to be in question
  • Moved up to the main event due to Doh's withdrawal, the match between the in form Mat Mitchell and the tenacious Rick Langley took centre stage. Given the matches that Langley had competed in the tournament so far, it was no surprise that he was involved in another 3 set marathon against Mitchell. The first set was a serious grind. Some of the audacious winners that Mitchell has been playing successfully all tournament were suddenly being sent back in his direction by Langley. Mitchell struggled to cope with the movement of Langley early on, and this cost him an early break of serve. However, Mitchell's form didn't desert him and he broke back late in the set to send it to a tie breaker. The breaker went with serve until Langley unleashed a telling winner of his own against the Mitchell serve. However, as the pressure mounted Mitchell was up to the task, approaching the net for the first time in the match to steal the mini break back, and then capitalising on a weak Langley 2nd serve to win the tie break 8 - 6. Langley's tenacity came to the fore in the 2nd set. With Mitchell facing longer points, longer games and longer sets than he'd faced all tournament, the extra match strength of Langley began to shine through. Langley was finding it easier to hold his serve, and Mitchell more difficult to hold his. With Mitchell on the back foot, the break of serve was only a matter of time, and it came with Langley 4 - 3 up. Even with Langley then serving for the set, and Mitchell taking an aggressive mindset, he could not find a chink in Langley's armour as the match proceeded to a third set. Langley, the third set specialist, wasn't going to let the game slip at this stage and sure enough he booked himself a finals appointment with Yevgeny Pushkov with another single break of serve towards the tail end of the set. Langley wins 6 - 7 (6 - 8), 6 - 3, 6 - 4

  • Seeded players out: Ninteh Doh (1, JAP) .

Salinas Challenger 1
Final - Doubles - Salinas

  • Much like the semi-final the day before, the pent up aggression of Oleg Puder following his dismissal from the singles tournament was enough to lead him and Valeri Belousov to victory in a tough 3 setter against 3rd seeds Nico Hoffman and Benjamin Rabin. 6 - 2, 3 - 6, [10 - 5]

  • Seeded players out: Nico Hoffman & Benjamin Rabin (3, LUX/ISR) .
 

HeathDavisSpeed

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Salinas Challenger 1
Final - Singles - Salinas


  • After a host of three set slogs, Centre Court was set for another all-nighter as West CWLand's Rick Langley took to the court against Yevgeny Pushkov. Disappointingly, the match didn't go the distance. However, the dominant player with the inexperienced CWLander as the extra match fitness and tough matches from his previous encounters give him the advantage over Pushkov, who hadn't played for a couple of days. The first set was a tight affair as the game went with serve until the business end of the set when Langley managed to gain a set point against Pushkov. With the pressure on, Pushkov caved in - missing his first serve by more than a foot and following it up with a weak miss-hit that Langley capitalised on to earn the break and the first set. Pushkov couldn't find a way to work his way back into the match, and failed to earn a single break point against the Langley serve as the CWLander took his first title 7 - 5, 6 - 1.

  • Seeded players out: Yevgeny Pushkov (9, RUS) .
 

SirBloody Idiot

Cricketer Of The Year
Well done Mr. L :)

Australian Open - Qualifying
2nd Qualifying Round (Friday) - Melbourne (Australia)

  • After a shaky start yesterday, Martti Korpinen has bounced back in Melbourne by advancing to the final qualifying round with a straight sets win over Dutch player Marc Lubbers. The 25-year old Lubbers looked in fine touch as he beat compatriot Ronald Bergsma on Thursday, and had the early lead against Korpinen as he snatched a break of service. But Korpinen broke back immediately, and ran straight through Lubbers to claim the first set 6-2. The second set started in a similar fashion as Lubbers put away an easy volley to earn the break, but he could not maintain his lead again as Korpinen snuck back into the set. Serving to stay in the match, Lubbers failed to convert a game point as the DR CWLander moved a win away from an Australian Open berth.
  • Pierre Rose, meanwhile, could not earn a spot in the singles draw to go with his doubles as he was tamed in three by Sao Paolo finalist Fernando Aguero. Rose started sluggishly, but after dropping the first set looked in cool form as he dispatched the Spaniard to one and looked on the verge of an upset. In good form, Aguero put the second set behind him, though, and broke service twice in the third to move to the final qualifying round 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.

  • Seeded players out:
    Gocha Berianidze;
    Takis Georgilas;
    Waylon Jones;
    Sebastian Moss;
    Adem Tadić;
    Stipo Vučemilović.
 

SirBloody Idiot

Cricketer Of The Year
Australian Open - Qualifying
Qualifying Round (Friday) - Melbourne (Australia)

Men's qualifying singles (Section 1 - Section 2 - Section 3 - Section 4)

  • World No. 128 Martti Korpinen has earned a spot in his second Grand Slam main draw after coming from a set down to beat Croatian 31st seed Jiří Gross. The world No. 170 has coming off back-to-back straight sets wins and looked to continue that form as he clinched the first set in the qualifying round 6-4. The scoreline, however, flattered the Croat as it was Korpinen who created most of the opportunities but failed to convert. That changed in the second as he brought up his first break point in the twelfth game and was never going to let the powerful Croatian player get away with it as he sent the match to a deciding set. Whilst Gross started well by holding, he began to falter and the quality returning of Korpinen allowed him two easy breaks of service as he advanced to the main draw 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
  • In other big results, shock semi finalist at the Brisbane International Rod Bosnar continued his great form with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Justin Williamson; world No. 1 doubles player Ralph Robinson narrowly missed out on qualifying for the singles as he was beaten 6-4, 6-2 by Guilermo Crespo of Argentina; and eighth seed Fernando Aguero failed to earn a spot in the draw as he was beaten in a three-hour epic by Finland's Matti Räihä 5-7, 7-6(4), 7-5.

  • Seeded players out:
    Fernando Aguero;
    Jack Griffen;
    Jiří Gross;
    Jimmy Holland;
    Samuel Thorpe;
    Thomas Velten.
 

SirBloody Idiot

Cricketer Of The Year
Heineken Open – Men's Singles

Jason Hall was the defending champion, but lost in the second round to Atthaphol Sae-ul 4-6, 3-6.
Illya Altman won in the final 6-4, 6-4, against Antonio Bachunelli.







Heineken Open – Men's Doubles

Ion Andueza and Sanchez Emelio defeated Illya Altman and Gregor Gorshkov in the final, 6-3, 1-6, [10-5].

 
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SirBloody Idiot

Cricketer Of The Year
Medibank Sydney International – Men's Singles

Morgan Carter was the defending champion, but chose not the participate this year.
Dmitry Orlov won in the final 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(9), against Radivoj Daneu.







Medibank Sydney International – Men's Doubles

Sandro Bachunelli and Hicham Hadir defeated Eric Henson and Rick Henson in the final, 6-1, 6-2.

 
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