Posted at 6:22 a.m., Sunday, July 29, 2007
Tennis: Monaco wins Austrian Open for third ATP title
Associated Press
KITZBUEHEL, Austria — Juan Monaco won his third career ATP tour title by beating Potito Starace 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the Austrian Open final today.Only Rafael Nadal (six titles) and Roger Federer (four) have won more tournaments in 2007 than Monaco, who won in Buenos Aires and Poertschach earlier this year. The Argentine is 3-1 in career finals.
"I really can't believe this is true," the 31st-ranked Monaco said. "Only Nadal has done better on clay, so it's a pity my clay-court season is over now."
It was Starace's second career final after losing to Nicolas Almagro in Valencia last April.
The fifth-seeded Monaco used an early break to go 4-1 up in the first set, but Starace was successful with several drop shots to disturb Monaco's rhythm. The 10th-seeded Italian then used two breaks to claim the first set.
The second went without breaks to 4-3, when Monaco converted his fifth break point.
Monaco controlled the decider, but lost serve once at 3-2 as he hit the only double fault of the match.
He clinched the title with a drop shot on his first match point.
"An incredible final," Monaco said. "Starace gave me a tough match so it was great that I could raise my game in the final set."
The 23-year-old is the third consecutive Argentine to win at Kitzbuehel, after Gaston Gaudio in 2005 and Agustin Calleri in 2006.
