Russia's Marat Safin conquered Barcelona's Seat-Godo Open 2000 Sunday, beating Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero (6-3, 6-3, 6-4) in an hour and 43 minutes.
The twenty-year old who only last month considered dropping out of the open was grateful he didn't after he broke Ferrero in the seventh game and again in the ninth game to win the first set. He breezed through the finals boasting 16 aces throughout the game in what he said might have been the best match he ever played, attributing his triumph to his new coach Andrei Chesnokov and dedicated it to his ex-coach, Rafael Mensua.
The Associated Press quoted the champion as saying, "I was under control since the first point, it was like chess. I knew just where I needed to play each ball."
Ferrero, however, attributed his loss to his inability to control the many powerful serves by Safin. The Press quoted him, "he certainly played as well as I've ever seen him." I was fine and ready to play but when he served I had no chance. He was returning my serve very well. All those aces, those free points, ate away at my morale."
Safin agreed that his serves were destructive saying that if you're not serving well you have to play long points and that's the kind of game Ferrero likes. The Agency quoted Safin, "My serve didn't give him much chance to play."
Safin won $148,000 for his win as well as the trophy while Ferrero received $77,900 for his loss - (Several Sources).
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
