Corretja lifts Swiss Open for third time
Timothy Collings
Spaniard Alex Corretja maintained his country's exceptional record in the Swiss Open tennis championships on Sunday when he won the title for the third time in five years, beating Argentina's Gaston Gaudio 6-3 7-6 7-6.
Corretja, the champion in 1998 and 2000, added the 2002 trophy to his 15 previous career title successes as he swept his Latin American opponent aside with an enthusiastic performance on a cool and cloudy day in the Swiss Alps.
His win was the 10th by a Spanish player in the last 12 Swiss Opens, extending a record of outstanding success on the clay courts of Gstaad.
Compatriots Albert Costa (1996 and 1999), Felix Mantilla (1997) and Sergi Bruguera (1992, 1993 and 1994) have all been victorious since Emilio Sanchez began the streak in 1991.
"I have had four weeks rest since the French Open and that has helped me here," said Corretja.
"I played well and I was aggressive in this final," he added following a performance of remarkable freshness and purpose little more than 14 hours after he had won his rain-delayed semi-final under floodlights on Saturday.
He said that since losing to fellow-Spaniard and eventual winner Costa in the French Open semi-finals, he had picked up a virus that took 10 days to shake off.
Corretja praised Gaudio for his performance and said he was not only thinking of his efforts in the final, but his progress this year in which he had won both the Barcelona and Mallorca titles.
HARD WORK
"But I have won here three times and that is due to a lot of hard work," he said.
In a final that lasted two hours and 52 minutes, Corretja was always in command and often exuded more energy and purpose than Gaudio who was still overcoming a heavy cold that had bothered him throughout the tournament.
Corretja had a chance to win when he was serving for the match at 5-3 in the third set after two and a half hours on court, but Gaudio broke back.
When Gaudio had a chance to win the set, he similarly made mistakes and failed.
Corretja's victory extended his head-to-head record against Gaudio to 4-1.
"The way he served in the first two sets, I couldn't do anything against him," said Gaudio, who has risen to 17th in the ATP Champions Race this year.
"The key was in the tie-break of the second set when he took control. I just couldn't play my game.
"At this altitude his serve, with all the top spin, is very heavy and it bothered me a lot more than it usually does at other places."
Corretja's victory earned him $78,450, taking his career earnings past $9.5 million dollars.
