Raonic, Melzer advance to Memphis final

Updated February 26, 2012 15:15:11

Red-hot Milos Raonic booked a finals showdown with Austrian Jurgen Melzer on Saturday at the Memphis Open.

Canada's Raonic, seeking a third ATP title of the year, subdued Germany's Benjamin Becker 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 15 minutes.

Melzer, meanwhile, defeated Czech third seed Radek Stepanek 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Women's action wrapped up as Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson notched her second career title - and her second in Memphis - with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Marina Erakovic of New Zealand.

Arvidsson shook off a sluggish start to polish off the victory in one hour and 24 minutes, lifting the title six years after she won her only previous WTA Tour trophy at the same venue in 2006.

"I think I'm going to buy a house here," said Arvidsson, who also reached the Memphis final in 2010.

"I just love to play here."

Raonic, 21, won his ninth straight match and says he feels he is improving with every contest.

"I feel like I'm not stalling at any point," he said.

"I'm constantly getting better throughout the matches. That's very encouraging. It's something fun to build off of."

Raonic, seeded fourth, fired 14 aces past Becker and never faced a break point as he stayed on course to add to the titles he has won this year in San Jose and Chennai.

The Canadian, who has won 19 successive sets since he fell to Lleyton Hewitt in the third round of the Australian Open, converted both of his break opportunities.

"I felt in the beginning, he started well, especially serving. But I was able to get close in the games, and that put a little pressure on him," Raonic said.

Melzer, who upset US top seed John Isner in the quarter-finals, is delighted to find himself in the final.

"I've played a great tournament thus far," he said.

"Reaching a final is something special. I haven't played a final since 2010."

AFP

Tags: tennis, sport, united-states

First posted February 26, 2012 15:15:11

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Melzer stops Raonic to win Memphis title

Updated February 27, 2012 10:59:19

Unseeded Jurgen Melzer defeated Milos Raonic 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) in the final of the $1.28 million ATP Memphis Open to capture his fourth career title.

It was the second year in a row the fourth-seeded Canadian Raonic lost in the Memphis final after winning the week before in San Jose.

Melzer, who upset top seed John Isner and third seed Radek Stepanek en route to the final, clinched Sunday's victory in a second set tie-break when Raonic hammered a backhand into the net.

Melzer broke Raonic's mighty serve in the seventh game of the second set to cut Raonic's lead to 4-3. Melzer then survived a set point in the 10th game before both players held serve to set up the tie-break.

Melzer also broke Raonic's serve in the 11th game of the first set to take a 6-5 lead. He ended the 41-minute opening set with an ace out wide on his second set point that Raonic could not reach with his backhand.

By taking the first set, Melzner snapped Raonic's 2012 win streak at 19 consecutive sets. Raonic had not lost a set since he fell to Aussie Lleyton Hewitt in the third round of the Australia Open in January.

The left-handed Austrian earned $260,000 in prize money for his first win since successfully defending his crown in his hometown of Vienna two years ago.

It was the first career meeting between the Canadian rising star and the 14-year veteran Melzer, who was playing with a broken toe suffered in his hotel when he first arrived in Memphis.

Melzer now has a 4-7 career record in finals and also won his first title on US soil after finishing runner-up in his previous three attempts.

Raonic, who lost in last year's final to American veteran Andy Roddick, came into Sunday's final riding a nine-match win streak and was seeking to add the Memphis crown to titles he already won this year in San Jose and Chennai.

AFP

Tags: sport, tennis, united-states

First posted February 27, 2012 10:59:19

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Ferrer thrashes Melzer to reach final

Posted April 16, 2011 23:24:00

Fourth seed David Ferrer roared back from a shaky start to cruise into the Monte Carlo Masters final with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Juergen Melzer.

Austria's Melzer was inspired when beating Roger Federer to prevent the top four seeds all reaching the semi-finals at the beachside Monte Carlo Country Club, but he was only half as potent against the dogged Spaniard.

Melzer broke early for 2-1 as Ferrer struggled with his first serve but the Austrian inexplicably let his opponent back in by losing his serve twice, with a double fault effectively sealing his fate in the first set.

Bandana-wearing Ferrer, bidding for a 12th career title and third this year, extended his record over Melzer to four wins in six meetings after the seventh seed was broken to love in the fifth game of the second set before losing his serve again.

The world number six produced a succession of powerful winners to delight the crowd and the latecomers, who clambered up the galleries looking for rare empty seats as the previous day's windy conditions were quickly forgotten thanks to bright sunshine.

Top seed and world number one Rafa Nadal, aiming to extend his record and win the same tournament for a seventh straight time, meets British third seed Andy Murray in the second semi-final.

- Reuters

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Ferrer defeats Melzer

 Published:Saturday, April 16, 2011 11:20 AEST

David Ferrer celebrates defeating Jurgen Melzer during day seven of the ATP Masters Series Tennis at the Monte Carlo Country Club on April 16, 2011.

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