Chakvetadze claims Ordina Open over Jankovic

Ljubicic edges Wessels in men’s final to stop Dutchman’s miracle run

FROM THE ORDINA OPEN IN ROSMALEN – Anna Chakvetadze and Ivan Ljubicic will be heading to Wimbledon high on confidence, after both Eastern European players claimed career first grass titles in The Netherlands on Saturday. Anna C. bested Jelena Jankovic 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-3, while Ljubicic outlasted No.488 Peter Wessels 7-6(5) 4-6 7-6(4).

Chakvetadze had a false start in her first round match against Belarussian up-and-comer Victoria Azarenka, when the 20-year-old Russian dropped the opening set, but she has been playing solid tennis for the rest of the week. She convincingly dispatched Daniela Hantuchova in straight sets for a final berth, after the 13th ranked Slovakian had thrashed Roland Garros finalist Ana Ivanovic 6-3, 6-1, in the quarterfinals.

In the final, she faced red-hot Serb Jelena Jankovic, who had won the tournament of Birmingham last week, beating Maria Sharapova in three sets in the final. Jankovic had a pass to the quarterfinals in Rosmalen, with a bye and a walkover win over American Meilen Tu.

Amidst two rain delays early on in the match, Chakvetadze raced out to a 5-0 lead, but faltered when she had the set for the taking. Jankovic almost closed the gap, when more rain stopped play with the No.3 serving at 4-5, Ad-40.

The covers went on and off for the next three hours, and the players were called up twice during some of the dry spells, but not a single point was played over the entire second half of the afternoon. The clock had struck six when the skies finally cleared and play could be resumed.

Jankovic held for 5-5, but she had another cold start coming out of the rain delay, spraying too many unforced errors, which helped Chakvetadze take the opening set in a tiebreak.

In the second set, Jankovic stepped it up a notch and she dominated most of the points. Chakvetadze was playing well herself, but Jankovic displayed the ability to up the pace and take control of the rally with a single shot. The Serb served out the set at 5-3, after having missed four set points in the previous game.

Jankovic was looking for the early break in the third set, but Chakvetadze hit some excellent serves from 1-1 15-30 down to go up 2-1 and she pumped her fist in celebration.

With Jankovic serving at 2-3, deuce, Chakvetadze hit two cracking backhands to force the break, but she lost her next service game by sending a backhand wide on break point.

Where her emotions have let her down in big matches in the past, most recently against Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros, Chakvetadze displayed the fighting spirit of a champion on Saturday, when the Russian rebounded directly after dropping the break. She aggressively pounced on Jankovic’ next service game to again take the advantage.

Serving for the match at 5-3, Chakvetadze faced three break opportunities, but she dominated each point with her backhand to hang in the game. With a forehand winner the Russian got her first match point, and she immediately claimed the win with a strong first serve.

“I was nervous in the last game,” Chakvetadze said, “because in the first set I was 5-0 up, and if I didn’t take my serve at 5-3, I know Jelena would fight for every point.”

Despite the nerves near the end of the match, Chakvetadze confirmed that she felt strong out there. “I didn’t have pressure. I like the tournament here, it’s nice and quiet and it almost feels like I’m playing exhibition.”

She said she feels no added pressure for Wimbledon, having beaten one of the hottest players on Tour on Saturday. “It doesn’t put extra pressure on me, it just gives me more confidence.”

Chakvetadze also thinks having gone through the tough weather conditions on Saturday will help her in London.“It was the first time I stepped on court six times [for one match], “so now I have experience,” she said with a smile.

It was the fourth career title for Chakvetadze, and her second in 2007. In January, she won the Tier IV tournament in Hobart. Her biggest win came in Moscow last year, where she won the Tier I Kremlin Cup. She is now 4-0 in finals.

LUBY WINS CAREER FIRST GRASS EVENT

For the third year in succession, the Croatian flag was waving high in Rosmalen. After two tournament wins by Mario Ancic in 2005 and 2006, Ivan Ljubicic claimed the honours in his countryman’s absence, besting Dutch journeyman Peter Wessels in the final 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(4).

“I have never played quarterfinals on grass, so to win here is unbelievable,” the big-serving Croat said.

He may have come up short in his match against Ljubicic, but Wessels played some excellent tennis to reach the final in Rosmalen. His biggest win of the week came in the quarterfinals, when the Dutchman thumped the top-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo 6-3, 6-3. Wessels played serve and volley throughout the match, and charged the net whenever possible on Robredo’s serve. The No.7 had no answer to his opponent’s aggressiveness and suffered a firm beating.

Wessels had a career best ranking of 72, but injuries and motivational problems have seen him drop to a current No. 488. The 29-year-old decided on the last minute to enter the qualifiying event for the Ordina Open, out of which he succesfully advanced to the main draw. The Dutchman did not lose a set in the main event en route to the final, and he was not broken once in his match against Ljubicic.

“Before the tournament I would have been very happy with my final here,” Wessels said, “but I never lost my serve today and even though I managed to break him I couldn’t win. About that I am disappointed.”

Wessels qualified for the final earlier in the morning, when he beat veteran Frenchman Antony Dupuis in two tiebreaks. Their match was suspended due to darkness the night before, after rain had set back the programme.

Wessels was playing in his first ATP tournament of the season and only his second event in two years time. Had he won the final, he would have become the second lowest ranked player to win an ATP tournament, behind Lleyton Hewitt, who won in Adelaide in 1998, as a 16-year-old.

The Dutchman says he has set no goals anymore for the remainder of his career, “because with me that never works out.” He will be returning to the challenger circuit, as he is not accepted in the Wimbledon draw.