Apia International Sydney Tennis - Australian Open Series

Tursunov captures Medibank International crown

Saturday 12 January 2008 Comments Off

Dmitry Tursunov has become the first Russian since Alex Metreveli in 1972 to win the Medibank International.

Tursunov and Chris Guccione battled it out for an hour and 23 minutes in front of a near capacity Centre Court crowd that created an awesome atmosphere.

The final did not see a single break point but it was in the two tiebreakers that were played that Tursunov stepped up the pressure and closed out the final 7-6(3) 7-6(4).

“You’re surprised that Chris didn’t get broken this week?   Well, no, I mean I think his main weapon is his serve, and that’s what he relies mostly on,” said Tursunov. “If his groundstroke game was a bit better I think he would be a very difficult.  He’s already difficult to play against because you really have to rely on a lot of luck in tiebreakers.

“God forbid he gets one ball in the court and you’re not prepared to play it.  You’re really going to be having a difficult time getting one of his serves.

“So I mean, I’m not really surprised that there were no breaks, because that’s kind of his game.  He doesn’t really — he goes for a lot of risky shots on the groundstroke on the returns, and he knows that he’s not going to get broken too often.  That’s pretty much the scenario.  That was very expected.”

Guccione said he wasn’t nervous. He said that Tursunov came up with a couple of great returns and a passing shot fort he match. He added that the Russian just played a “little bit more solid and won a couple return points in the tiebreaks”.

The Australian is using his performances at this tournament to achieve the goals that he and his coaches have set.

“It’s been a great week,” he said. “This puts me back into the Top 100 and hopefully jump start my year and have a good Aussie Open. Before this tournament and Adelaide we sort of set the goal top 50, which we thought was definitely achievable, even though my ranking was I think 130 at the time.  So I’m back inside the top 100, and I definitely think top 50 is achievable.”

Tursunov was aksed if he saw this as good preparation for next weeks Australian Open and he said it could be seen two ways. Good preparation because it gives confidence or that the better preparation is to have been rested.

“I think it’s really best not to even look at it in anyway, but just to come out and — this is what it is,” said Tursunov. “I happen to do well in this tournament and go far and play all these matches, so I really can’t complain about gaining points or being mentally or physically tired going into the Grand Slam.”

In the doubles final the first time pairing of Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga scored a huge upset by defeating the world number one team of Bob and Mike Bryan 4-6, 6-4, 11-9. It was a gripping final as the French combination came back from two match points down to win the championship. The Bryans meanwhile were yet again denied winning this title; this was their second time in the final.

Tags: Chris Guccione, Dmitry Tursunov

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