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St. Petersburg Open—Russia
Russian favorite Marat Safin faltered in his bid to advance to his final career final at home on Saturday, losing in three tough sets to Sergiy Stakhovsky, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Safin, who has not won a Tour title since claiming the Australian Open in 2005, rallied to take the second set after breaking Stakhovsky at 3-4.
Tied at one set apiece, Safin squandered a break point opportunity during the ninth game of the third set. Serving to stay in the match at 4-5, Safin hit two unforced errors to fall behind two match points at 15-40.
Stakhovsky capitalized on his first match point, sending the two-time St. Petersburg champ out of his final Russian tournament.
Stakhovsky, who won 64 percent of his total service points, improved to 15-14 on the season, while staying on course to capture his first title of year.
"Today beating one of my idols was strange, because I didn't think I was going to be able to do that," Stakhovsky said.
"Marat is a great player and I grew up watching him. To play him and beat him in his final match in Russia is very special for me and something I will remember for a long time. When I got the match points, I still didn't think I couldn't do it."
Safin, who was positive after his defeat, will retire after the upcoming Masters 1000 event in Paris. The two-time Grand Slam champ dropped to 18-21 on the year.
“I’ve reached the semifinals and it’s a good result for my recent form,” Safin said. “I was serving bad through the entire match and I had to risk and made too many unforced errors. Stakhovsky felt it and dominated the match.”
Stakhovsky's interpretation of how the match unfolded was slightly different from his opponent. By contrast, Stakhovsky felt that Safin had served well in the match, particularly in the second set.
"In the second set, Marat really lifted his serve, and I didn't have a chance to break him. Then in the third set, it was more of the same.
I was really having a hard time on his serve and managed to hold at 4-4 in the third set after saving a break point, and then he presented an opportunity on his serve at 4-5 and I was happy to take it."
With the win, Stakhovsky advanced to his second career final, where he will meet No. 8 seed Horacio Zeballos. Zeballos defeated Russian favorite Igor Kunitsyn 7-6 (7), 6-3.
Zeballos, who is only playing in his fourth career tournament, has made eight Challenger level finals this year, winning on five occasions.
The 24-year-old Argentine struck 10 aces, while saving one of two break point chances during the one hour and 24 minute encounter.
The Buenos Aires native capitalized on the only break point opportunity by either player in second at 3-2, improving his year-to-date mark to 4-3.
Kunitsyn, who was bidding to reach his first final since winning the Moscow tournament in 2008, fell to 16-30 on the season.
Zeballos alluded to the difficult match that lies ahead against Stakhovsky.
"Tomorrow, it will be very important to be patient in the moments when the pressure is coming. So I will try to do what I do every match, I will try to use my serve and my forehand.
"It’s going to be a really hard match (against Stakhovsky), especially because it’s a final and we don’t play finals every day," said Zeballo.
"I know that he is a really strong opponent but if I keep doing my tactics, I think I will have a lot of chances as I feel so good with my serve."
Zeballos and Stakhovsky will battle in their first career ATP World Tour match on Sunday.
Bank Austria Tennis Trophy—Vienna
Vienna born Jurgen Melzer surpassed his seeding of No. 7 this week, advancing to the finals of his hometown tournament by defeating Janko Tipsarevic 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.
The two hour and 29 minute clash became nothing short of a war of attrition.
Melzer, who lost the first set despite winning 93 percent of his first serve points (11-12), while striking three aces, found himself in a one hour and five minute second set, which saw the Austrian two points from defeat.
After tying the match at a set apiece, Melzer sustained his motivation for the remainder of the contest.
The third set remained leveled until Melzer broke Tipsarevic at 4-5, capturing the lone break of serve by either player in the final set.
With the win, Melzer improved to 35-29 on the year and will attempt to become the first Austrian player to win the event since Horst Khoff in 1998.
Tipsarevic, who was attempting to make his second straight final on Tour, fell to 29-23 on the year.
In Sunday's final, Melzer will face top seed Marin Cilic, who defeated No. 4 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 7-6 (4).
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