July 27, 2024 (ATP)
Photo Courtesy of the ATP
Carlos Moya became the first player in win four titles at the Croatia Open on Sunday with his three-set victory against Italy's Filippo Volandri.
Moya, who has won three straight titles in Umag, defeated the rising Italian, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
Moya broke Volandri midway through the first set and though Volandri had a break point to even the match at 5-5, Moya took the first set on serve. Volandri played better in the second. They exchanged breaks before Volandri took control of the second set with pin-point shots from the baseline off both sides.
In the third set, Moya jumped to a quick 4-0 lead before Volandri battled back and served for the match at 5-4. Moya won the next three games to win his fourth Umag title.
Moya moves to sixth in the ATP Champions Race 2003 with the 35 points he picks up here at the Croatia Open Umag. His fourth title in Umag is a record, passing Thomas Muster who was tied with Moya with three.
The former World No. 1 defeated Jiri Vanek, Federico Browne, David Ferrer and Rafael Nadal -- all in straight sets -- to reach Sunday's final. He has now won 15 straight matches in Umag and is 28-5 in nine appearances.
Moya improved his 2003 record to 44-13 and has now won three ATP titles (Buenos Aires, Barcelona, Umag). He is also 3-1 in ATP finals this year (l. to Agassi in Miami).
Volandri was playing in his first ATP final and was looking to become the first Italian to win an ATP event this year -- the first since Davide Sanguinetti won Delray Beach in March 2002.
Volandri defeated Attila Savolt, Stanislas Wawrinka, Fernando Gonzalez (saved 3 match points) and Dominik Hrbaty to reach the final.
With his win, Volandri will move into the top 50 of the ATP Entry Rankings and possibly as high as the low 40s when the rankings come out on Monday.
Volandri moves to 17-12 on the year and 4-1 in his career in Umag.
NADAL, LOPEZ MORON WIN DOUBLES CROWN
The Spanish duo of Rafael Nadal and Alex Lopez Moron needed just over an hour to defeat Todd Perry and Tom Shimada in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3.
The unseeded team defeated the No. 2, 3 and 4 seeds en route to winning the Umag title in their first ATP doubles event together. Perry and Shimada were also playing in their first ATP final as a team.
This is Nadal's first ATP title of his career. The 17-year-old also reached the semifinals in singles, losing to eventual winner Carlos Moya.
Lopez Moron has won two ATP doubles titles in his career, both here in Umag. In 2000, he won with partner Albert Portas.
WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID
Carlos Moya: "I never thought I was going to lose at any point, maybe that's why at 4-0 I relaxed a little bit and let him back in the match. At 5-4 I was thinking, this is the first time in his career he's been serving for a championship, so I was still confident and I think he made a few errors."
"It was a great match, he played well and I think we both played better than in our match at Roland Garros. He really impressed me with the way he played. If he can just improve his serve some he will be dangerous because he's so tough from the backcourt -- but he gets no free points on his serve."
About 4th title in Umag: "This is the only tournament I've won so many times. In fact, other than Buenos Aires, all the other tournaments I've won I've only won once -- so it's obviously a special place for me. When I say I love this place in my speech it comes from the heart and I really look forward to coming back here next year."
About surpassing Muster and Muster possibly coming back: "I hadn't heard that he was going to try and play again but I hope he doesn't get a wild card here [next year] because then he would be able to tie my record of four titles here."
Filippo Volandri: "I thought I was dead there at 4-0 down in the third and I was just looking for something that you forget you have in you. I don't know where I got it from the crowd maybe, but I kept going for the people that were clapping and for myself. I was a little tired and before the match I wasn't sure how much I'd be able to fight."
About serving for it at 5-4: "I'm mad about those first two points in that game, but after that, he played a good game. There's nothing I could do. I feel more satisfied than disappointed about the way I played tonight, last night and in that match against Gonzalez."
About his confidence level: "Any time you play a match like that against Carlos Moya where it's just two or three points that make the difference you really feel like you belong, so this was important for me."
About Umag: "This is a special place, the tournament, the stadium -- it was full or almost full every night. The tournament is run so well, I hope to come back if Slavko [Rasberger] will have me again."
Alex Lopez Moron: "I feel so good when I play here, what can I say. I've won two ATP titles, both here. This place is good for me."
About playing with Nadal: "I was really surprised with his play this week. He hasn't played much doubles so for me it was a real surprise. He has such natural ability and plays so easy."
Rafael Nadal: "Sure I'm a little surprised my first ATP title is in doubles, I wasn't even sure if I was going to play in the doubles draw. I'm really happy to win."
Thomas Shimada: "It was a great week for us, obviously we would have hoped that it would turn out a little better today, but we started a little slowly and they were just the better team today."
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