DEMENTIEVA CROWNED CHAMPION IN TORONTO
Elena Dementieva was crowned Rogers Cup champion after defeating Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-3 on Centre Court at Rexall Centre. The 27-year-old fought hard against Sharapova in a match that was much closer than the score would indicate. Dementieva also became the second consecutive Russian to win Rogers Cup, as fans were treated to fabulous tennis in the event's first all-Russian final.
"I feel so happy to win today," said Dementieva immediately after the match. "I've come to this tournament for so many years and I finally won."
Both players struggled with their serve throughout the first set, as Dementieva broke Sharapova an astonishing five times. She jumped out to an early 4-1 first-set lead, before Sharapova made things interesting by converting three break points of her own. Many of the games featured multiple deuces, as Dementieva continuously frustrated Sharapova with her defense. She thrilled the crowd by returning Sharapova's powerful ground strokes and winning many of the long back-and-forth rallies.
"I was fighting for every point," said Dementieva. "She put a lot of pressure on the first two shots, and I was just waiting for my chances and didn't rush."
Another story in the first set was Sharapova's inability to control her serve, as she double-faulted nine times and gave Dementieva free points. The eventual champion took advantage, as she broke Sharapova to win the frame.
The Russians stayed on serve until the sixth game of the second set, when Dementieva broke Sharapova once again to lead 4-2. Then, leading 5-3, she squandered two championship points before Sharapova's drop-shot attempt fell short to end the match. Dementieva fell to her knees, having won her first Rogers Cup title in seven tries, beginning with her first trip to Canada in 1999.
"Every time I come, I have such great crowd support and I just like this tournament," she said. "I just feel so happy to finally win this title and it means a lot to me."
Ranked world No. 5, the 27-year-old captured her third championship of the year, and 14th of her career. Dementieva also raised her career head-to-head record with Sharapova to 3-8. She leaves Canada well prepared for the upcoming US Open, and will head to New York in search of her first Grand Slam title.
"This kind of win gives you a lot of confidence for New York," said Dementieva.
Sharapova, meanwhile, is still in search of her first title since returning from a shoulder injury earlier this year. The former world No. 1 showed a lot of fight on Sunday, saving numerous break points and extending the match. Still, she was unable to come back against Dementieva, one day after climbing back to beat another Russian, Alisa Kleybanova, in the semifinals.
"I certainly had my chances," said Sharapova. "In both of the sets I had so many opportunities to get back in the match."
For Dementieva, it's another significant accomplishment on her career resume, with a Grand Slam title as the only real challenge left. For now, she is simply thrilled to be a champion at Rogers Cup.
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Murray crowned Rogers Cup champion
Twenty-two-year-old Brit Andy Murray, who will climb to the No.2 ranking in the world on Monday, captured the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank title on Sunday, defeating 20-year-old Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 6-1.
The match lasted two hours and 44 minutes and could have gone either way until the start of the third set.
In the first set that saw no breaks of serve, both players were playing solid and naturally until the tiebreak. And even then, it was a simple mini-break at 4-4 on the Scot’s serve that made the difference.
The second set started off quite differently. Right off the bat, Murray broke the giant Argentine’s serve and was broken right back in the next game.
From then on, both players held until the tiebreak.
Collapse and injuries
Even then, Del Potro was showing signs of physical weaknesses. He called the trainer near the end of the second set and was suffering from a stiff neck and left shoulder. During the tiebreak, he wasn’t serving as well as usual, giving up three mini-breaks to Murray compared to just one for the Scot.
From then on, the fans on Centre Court saw the giant’s collapse. Exhausted from the marathon of the first two sets, suffering from cramps and incapable of using his backhand because of a sore arm, Del Potro had a hard time moving. Add to that the fact that it was 38 degrees Celcius on Centre Court, with a humidity factor of 55%.
Murray took advantage, exploiting his rival’s deficiencies. He broke him three times in a row in the final set – in the second, fourth and sixth games. He especially picked on Del Potro’s backhand, knowing that he would have to run around it to hit a forehand.
The only spurt of energy by the Argentine came in the fifth game when he ripped two powerful forehands to break Murray’s serve.
“I’m sorry for not being able to fight right until the end,” said Del Potro, upon receiving a cheque for $220,000. “But I know that I did my best. It was my first Masters 1000 final and I’ll be back.”
Murray didn’t hide his satisfaction in winning the Rogers Cup at a time when he’ll surpass Rafael Nadal to take the No.2 ranking in the world. $443,500 richer, the Scot paid tribute to his opponent.
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Bhupathi wins his fifth Canadian title
India’s Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles of the Bahamas, the tournament’s third seeds, were crowned doubles champions of the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank Sunday on Centre Court of the Uniprix Stadium.
They easily defeated the seventh seeds, Belarusian Max Mirnyi and Andy Ram of Israel 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and two minutes of play.
The winners didn’t give up a single break point to their rivals throughout the entire match, taking advantage of three of the 12 they had on offer themselves.
Bhupathi and Knowles follow Canada’s Daniel Nestor and Serb Nenad Zimonjic as holders of the Rogers Cup title. To reach the final, the new champions successively defeated South African Jeff Coetzee and Jurgen Melze of Austria, Poles Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski, and then Nestor and Zimonjic.
The winning team receives $175,000 for its success, while the finalists get $76,000.
It’s the fifth Rogers Cup doubles title for Bhupathi, who has achieved the feat with four different partners. In 1997 and 2004, he did it with Leander Paes; while in 2003, his partner was Sunday’s opponent, Max Mirnyi. Finally in 2007, he found success with Pavel Vizner.
It’s worthy to note that four of Bhupathi’s five wins came in Montreal.
More results:
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