Intresting

J-man · Intresting

HAMBURG, May 20 (Reuters) - Spain's Tommy Robredo reached the final of a Masters Series event for the first time on Saturday when he beat Mario Ancic of Croatia 7-5 6-4 to set up a Hamburg title clash with Czech Radek Stepanek.

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The Barcelona-based eighth seed, a former French Open quarter-finalist, edged a tight first set against the towering Croat and completed the victory when Ancic netted a volley on a second match point.

Robredo said his ability to pass Ancic at the net had been the key to his win.

"Obviously when you play a guy like that, passing is the best shot you can do as he is trying to go to the net very often. I played very well tactically," said Robredo.

Ancic had battled back from a set down to win his previous three Hamburg matches, while Robredo had only dropped one set all week, but the Split-born 22-year-old did not put the loss down to fatigue.

"He took his chances and I didn't. I think that's the story," he said. "When the number 12 and number 13 in the world play in such a big match it comes down to a couple of points. I don't think I played anything bad."

Sunday's match will be Robredo's first final in the elite nine-tournament Masters Series after semi-final appearances in Hamburg in 2002 and Cincinnati in 2004. Stepanek, the 15th seed, is also going for his first Masters crown.

The pair have played each other three times in ATP events, with Robredo holding a 3-0 advantage. He beat the Czech 6-3 6-2 in the quarter-finals in Barcelona last month.

FAST START

Earlier Stepanek profited from an excellent start to defeat Argentina's Jose Acasuso 6-4 7-6.

With the umbrella-like retractable roof over centre court closed to keep out the rain showers, Stepanek broke the unseeded Argentine in the first game of the match.

That was enough to secure the first set and he sealed the second-set tiebreak 7-5 when Acasuso netted a forehand.

"I was getting ready to play aggressively right from the beginning as I saw that Jose had incredible starts and was winning pretty easily the first sets in his matches," said Stepanek, runner-up at the Paris Masters event in 2004.

Stepanek will break into the world's top 10 for the first time regardless of Sunday's outcome, while Robredo will return to the top 10.

The Czech said he had received a message of congratulation from friend Martina Hingis.

The Swiss former world number one, who was born in Slovakia, beat Venus Williams in Rome on Saturday to clinch a place in final of the Italian Open.

World number one Roger Federer and Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal pulled out before the start of the Hamburg tournament due to fatigue after their marathon final at the Rome Masters last Sunday, won by Nadal.

The winner of Sunday's Hamburg final will be the 50th different Masters champion since the series began in 1990.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ten/news;...re&prov=reuters&type=lgns

So Martina is dating the Radek. Confused

note: It says friend but in the but i beeped gi,rl

PSALT

yes Hingis is dating Stepanek. which is strange seeing as Hingis is great looking and Stepanek....... yeah, not so much.

Benchwarmer1

stepanek is pretty.... uhhh.... yeah

leftys_rock

i think martina is ok looking but stephanek is just BUTT UGLY man!!

PSALT

Chelsey

Martina is a nice looking women, but I agree with Lefty about Radek.

Benchwarmer1

Right now, i feel bad for Martina Laughing

leftys_rock

well, i find martina nice looking, but i wouldnt really think she would be hot to guys.......but yeah, radek is probably even worse than BUTT UGLY....

Benchwarmer1

whats worse than BUTT UGLY, leftys?

PSALT

leftys_rock

Benchwarmer1

that is just an understatement to (this will be his name of royalty) His Ugliness

stevos14

I do not think Hingis is hot at all! Yikes. Shes not really ugly or anything, just kinda plain I guess.

leftys_rock

that was the word i was trying to find to describe her.....she is rather plain looking.....but with right makeup and clothing, she would look nice.....

stevos14

I suppose so, she could clean up nicely. I havent seen any pics of radek though, dont know if I want to now.

PSALT

Benchwarmer1

i thought he was just ugly, but uhhhhh..... gross Extreme Anger

x.doublea

Yes, sort of like the ugly duckling of the tour...did anyone see the shirt he was wearing today? It was almost worse....

x.doublea

Here it is:

My brother turned on the television, and he went, "Ew. What the heck is her wearing?" when he saw....

leftys_rock

what on earth does martina see in him? Shocked

x.doublea

Yes...perhaps he has a nice personality, but he looks pretty mean....

Benchwarmer1

the shirt, i think he missed the paintball finals as the ref and ended up in hamburg

J-man

I actually like the shirt Laughing

But if anyhthing the only thing I like about Radek is his serve

x.doublea

Yes, he's very smart in terms of mixing up serve placement and spin....

stevos14

In that match he came to net every single point! It was so predictable, robredo would sometimes hit a lob return and radek wouldnt even get a hand on it! And the shirt, that is almost worse than Hrbaty's at the US open. Now that was bad fashion sense, anyone can see that! No one wants to see your back. My friend was like "why is the ref playing?''

x.doublea

At least Refs don't wear think bright red bands around their shirts as well....