Brisbane, Australia - France fell to disaster on Saturday as
three players failed to win at the Brisbane International tournament.
Paul-Henri Mathieu and Richard Gasquet crashed out in the men's
semi-final stage.
Marion Bartoli ceded to Victoria Azarenka in the women's final as
the player from Belarus won the first title of her career on her
fifth try, 6-3, 6-1 in 70 minutes.
'I'm a bit shaky now, after my first title,' said the winner. 'I
don't know what to say. I enjoyed this week so much.'
Men's third seed Fernando Verdasco, hero of Spain's Davis Cup
final over Argentina in November, dispatched Mathieu 6-2, 6-1, while
notoriously irritating Czech Radek Stepanek wore down seventh seed
Richard Gasquet 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Bartoli was overwhelmed by Azarenka, 19, the second seed who broke
three times in the second set to make her trophy breakthrough.
'I'm sorry I didn't play my best match of the week,' said Bartoli.
'Vica was playing well, I congratulate her for her first win.'
Stepanek displayed his full array of celebratory gestures after
almost every winning point to the fatal distraction of Gasquet. The
French youngster eventually began turning his head just to avoid
seeing the over-the-top gesticulations of his 30-year-old opponent.
Stepanek rallied after losing the first set to Gasquet, who
claimed the last four games. But the veteran's antics and shotmaking
began to take a toll in the second set with two breaks of 23rd-ranked
Gasquet.
In the third set, Gasquet's concentration was broken, with
Stepanek advancing into his first final since San Jose last February.
'It's the first time for this tournament and I'm in the final,'
Stepanek said of the event which swallowed the former ATP Adelaide
and WTA Gold Coast competitions in a schedule reshuffle.
'I'm trying to mix up my game, since the first match this week
I've been playing good tennis. I worked hard in the off-season,
that's why I'm playing like I am now. It would be really nice to win
the title,' said Stepanek.
Stepanek has beaten Verdasco both times they have played, in 2004
and 2006.
'He's been playing great tennis since the Davis Cup,' said the
Czech. 'And that's given him confidence. But tomorrow is a different
day and I'm looking forward to a good match.'
USA
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