Youzhny, Schiavone win Kremlin Cup titles

MOSCOW (AP)—Mikhail Youzhny of Russia beat Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia and Francesca Schiavone of Italy defeated Olga Govortsova of Belarus to win Kremlin Cup titles on Sunday.

Youzhny won 6-7 (5), 6-0, 6-4 to earn his fifth career title and extend Russia’s winning streak at the home event to six straight years. American Taylor Dent was the last non-Russian to win the tourney, in 2003.

“The first set was a tough one for both of us,” Youzhny said. “But in the second set he appeared to be really tired after a tough doubles match he had played late on Saturday.”

Schiavone won her second career title with a 6-3, 6-0 victory.

“It’s difficult to play with Francesca on this (hard-court) surface,” Govortsova said. “She practically made no mistakes. She made me run a lot in the first set and it had an impact on me later in the match.”

Tipsarevic had not lost a set on the way to his first ATP Tour final.

“I’m obviously disappointed because I’ve lost,” he said. “But I think, I didn’t lose today—Misha beat me. He was a better player.”

The sixth-seeded Serb prevailed on the first-set tiebreaker, but the 30th-ranked Youzhny charged back, winning eight consecutive games to level at one set apiece and lead 2-0 in the decisive set. Tipsarevic saved four match points in the ninth game before Youzhny served for the match and sealed the win with a crosscourt forehand.

It was Youzhny’s first final in 11 appearances at the event. He is now 5-11 in ATP finals.

Schiavone is 2-10 in WTA Tour finals. She also won the 2007 Gastein Ladies.

The eighth-seeded Italian, the 2005 Kremlin Cup runner-up, said that a break on the ninth deuce in the sixth game for a 4-2 lead was the key moment of the match.

“The game was very long but I did very good,” Schiavone said. “Everything changed at that moment. When I found the way, it was much easier, and she (Govortsova) didn’t know how to finish points, I think.”

Govortsova broke back immediately, but Schiavone then won eight games in a row.

The 24th-ranked Schiavone was playing in her second final in as many weeks, having lost to Samantha Stosur of Australia at Osaka, Japan.

The 67th-ranked Govortsova was playing in her second career final.