Andrey Golubev Victorious in Hamburg
World No. 82 Andrey Golubev became the first Kazakhstan player to win an ATP tour title with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over third seeded Jurgen Melzer at the German Open Tennis Championships in Hamburg. The win capped-off s dream week for Golubev, as he also celebrated his birthday earlier in the week by earning his first Top 10 win over No. 6 seed Nikolay Davydenko.
The clay-court tournament in Hamburg was worth 500 points on the ATP World Tour and with the win, Golubev also won €228,000 in prize money. Melzer received 300 points for being the runner-up and €104,000 in prize money. The 23-year-old Golubev also joined John Isner and Ernests Gulbis as the third first-time winner on the ATP world Tour this year.
“I’m very happy to win my first title, especially here in Hamburg on a clay-court. I never expected that my first title would be on clay," confessed Golubev. "I played very well, I believed in myself. It was very tough [today]. I served well; I played very well from the baseline. In the important points I played very good. I think the most important thing this week was that I believed in myself, I believed in my game, my forehand and backhand.”
Golubev had a slow start to the season having just won eight tour matches leading up to Hamburg. However, he certainly found his form after going through the tournament without dropping a set.
In the final against Melzer, Golubev got off to a strong start with a solid serving display by dropping only five points on serve in the first set. Leading 4-3 in the first set, Golubev capitalised on his first break opportunity at 30-40 for a 5-3 lead. Golubev then went on to hold serve to win the first set 6-3. Melzer did have a chance to even the set at 4-4, but wasted a 30-15 lead in the pivotal eighth game of the opening set.
The second set started much like the first, as both players held serve early, but this time it was Melzer who had the first chance to break open the set. However, unlike Golubev, Melzer was not able to capitalize. Serving at 2-3 in the second set, Golubev escaped the lengthy six game, as Melzer was unable to take advantage of five break point opportunities. Both players then held serve to 5-5. In the crucial 11th game of the set with Melzer serving, Golubev was able to comeback after falling 0/30 down to break Melzer for the first time in the second set for a 6-5 lead. Golubev was then able to hold on and serve out the second set for the win in a match that lasted 89 minutes.
Melzer admits that he had his chances.
“He played a really good match," conceded Melzer. "He started off unbelievable in the first set and I was a little unlucky to get broken at 4-3. In the second set I had my chances and couldn’t convert them. It is how it is. He really felt good out there and I wasn’t just playing well enough to get him struggling.”
Melzer, who is currently ranked No. 15 in the South African Airways 2010 ATP Rankings, dropped his record to 2-7 in ATP World Tour finals. He was trying to win his first ATP World Tour Final since defeating Marin Cilic in a hometown tournament in Vienna last year.
With the win, Golubev will jump up 45 spots to No. 37 when the new rankings come out on Monday. Golubev was originally born in Russia, but became a Kazakhstan citizen in June 2008. It was Golubev’s second ATP World Tour Final having lost in 2008 to Andy Murray in the 2008 St. Petersburg Open final.
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