STORMING
SAFIN
5th of August 2000 ,Tennis Masters Series, Toronto, Canada |
courtesy
masters-series.com
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Marat Safin will play Harel Levy in the Tennis Masters Series
final after Safin won an incident-packed three set battle against
Wayne Ferreira.
The young Russian won 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 and while the first two
sets had plenty of dramatic tennis it was in the climactic deciding
set that the match really came to life.
Having clawed his way back from a set and a break down to force
the decider, Ferreira began showing he could live with the power
and aggression from the other side of the net.
The South African showed all his grit and fighting spirit too,
twice retrieving a break of serve and frustrating Safin time
and again.
Finally the Russian seized the initiative, breaking for third
time to serve and 5-4, when at 15-0 an overruled line exploded
into contraversy.
Ferreira refused to accept the overrule, and took so long to
accept umpire Rudi Berger's decision that he earned himself
a time violation.
Referee Gayle Brady was called but did not intervene, and with
Ferreira earning himself a point penalty, Safin fired down a
second service ace at 40-0 and took the match.
It was a sour end to a exciting and high quality match, with
the battling Ferreira threatening yet another upset. But it
was that very fire and determination which spilled over, and
proved his undoing.
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