Gerry Weber Open 2005 (Halle)

[Madou]

Wow so exciting ^^. Now that I remember, I saw a photo of this doubles team in a magazine, but they didn't mention Roger and Marat winning the tournament , makes it all even funnier !
Perhaps he won a title on Grass, but if it's the case it was not an ATP event 'cause they wrote on the ATP site that Marat never reached a semi on grass before this year in Halle

[Andrada]

Pics from today's match

Thank U, Lau, for Ur help!

[Andrada]

[Jasmine]

Good job Marat. Runner-up is not a bad start on grass. I'm so prund of you. ;D

BTW, take care of your knee.

[Andrada]

Live comments

15:58 Federer has just claimed his third straight Halle title

15:57 Safin was too careless in the third game of the third set which cost him the match

15:56 Obviously Federer is relieved after his difficult win

15:55 Safin misses his forehand...Game set and match Federer who screemed YEAH!

15:55 Ace Federer ,40-30 Match point

15:54 Great return Safin for 30-30

15:54 Forehand volley Federer for 30-15

15:51 Safin fires two aces to reduce the score at 4-5 but Federer will next serve for the match

15:50 Federer holds serve fofr 5-3 lead ... It's difficult to see Safin breaks back

15:45 Safin keeps his serve

15:43 Federer holds serve pulling off saveral great volleys...Safin looks more and more frustrated at himself and can lose his concentration for a couple of seconds but he can't allow to do that against Federer

15:40 Safin secures his service game to reduce the score at 2-3

15:37 Federer confirms his break to lead 3-1

15:33 Federer breaks ... Safin's firs serve didn't work here and the Top seed took full advantage putting all balls back

15:33 30-40, Break point Federer after the Russian missed a first serve, The top seed returned it well

15:31 Safin down 15-30 on serve aftr missing a volley

15:29 Federer levels back with a superb display of volleys

15:26 Safin opens the third set scoreboard with a forehand winner

15:23 Just one mistake in the tie break from the top seed and that cost him the set

15:21 Game and second set Safin 7-6

15:21 Federer misses a forehand ...Set point Safin

15:20 6-6

15:19 6-5 Federer

15:18 Winning serve Safin : 5-5 ...Still no break of serve

15:18 Forehand volley winner Federer: 5-4

15:17 Ace Federer: 4-4

15:16 Ace Safin : 4-3

15:16 3-3 in the tie break no break of serve yet

15:13 Safin levels for a tie-break

15:08 Federer keeps the pressure up for Safin leading 6-5...Safin will next serve to stay in the match once more

15:04 Safin managed to hit key volleys at the best moment to level

15:02 Federer pulls off saveral great forehand passing shots to maintain the lead 5-4...Safin will next serve to stay in the match ...Pressure on Safin's shoulders

14:59 Safin levels back at 4-4 with a good service game

14:56 Federer holds serve saving two break points...Safin is furious at himself and throws his racquet down the floor once more

14:55 Ace Federer...Safin throws his racquet for missing two more opportunities to break

14:54 Great second serve from the top seed to level

14:54 Federer saves the first one with a backhand volley

14:53 Great return from Safin who has two break points

14:52 Federer down 0-30 on serve...Looks very mad at the empire for a bad call

14:51 Safin levels back with a 218km/h bullet

14:46 Safin grabs his first love game of the match to lead 3-2

14:45 Safin pulls off a series of aces to level

14:41 Federer holds serve saving a break point...Safin might regret this opportunity later

14:41 Volley winner Federer for an advantage

14:40 Federer saves the break point with a serve which surprised Safin

14:39 Safin beats Federer at the net for a break point

14:38 It's Deuce on Federer's serve after the Swiss missed a backhand pass

14:35 Safin holds serve to level

14:32 Safin opens the second set scoreboard with a backhand volley

14:28 Three bad serve and three unforced errors from Safin cost him the set

14:27 Safin fell apart over the last three points handing Federer the set 6-4

14:26 Backhand error from Safin who faces a set point

14:25 Safin too tentative on the backhand side, Federer back at him with a passing shot for deuce

14:25 A 216 Km/h serve puts Safin with a 40-30 lead

14:24 Safin hits an ace to level at 30-30

14:24 Two forehadn errors from Safin...The Russian is down 15-30

14:23 Safin serves to stay in the set...He might feel some pressure

14:21 Federer closes the game with an ace to lead 5-4

14:20 Forehand winner Federer for Advantage

14:20 Two backhand errors from Federer who is at 30-30 on serve

14:16 Despite a volley error Safin keeps his serve to level

14:15 Both are doing backhand rallies and Safin has won all of them so far

14:13 Federer moves ahead with a 4-3 lead

14:11 Safin holds serve...The Russian saved a break point with a backhand pass, then hit a volley winner and fired a 205Km/h bullet to close the game and level at 3-3

14:04 Safin breaks back having trouble with his first serve...Safin charged at the net saveral times and Federer couldn't pass him

14:02 Safin enters the scoreboard

14:00 Federer confirms his break for a 3-0 lead

13:55 Federer breaks! Safin didn't serve well on this game ans Federer put pressure on each return

13:50 Federer opens the scoreboard with an ace

13:48 Federer to serve first

13:47 It's the first time both meet on grass

13:46 But Safin won their last meeting in Australia saving a match point

13:46 The head-to-head meeting between those two is 8-2 in favour of Federer

13:45 Top seed Roger Federer is about to meet second seed Marat Safin for a dream final

13:45 Hello again and welcome tou our final coverage of the german grass court event in Halle

08:00 Welcome to eurosport.com's LIVE coverage of the ATP Halle tournament! The final swings round on Sunday and it doesn't get much better than this - top seed Roger Federer has the chance to avenge his Australian Open defeat when he takes on second Marat Safin. LIVE 13:30cet!

[lau]

Well, what was expected happened (but you know Marat does the unexpected things once in a while ).
But, I`m so proud. He could have win that match!!! Great job, baby!! I was so nervous this time, and the trophy seemed to be soo close at the end of the second set!!!! But, you know.....the best player on grass (and currently n1) was on the other side of the court.
Incredible things happened during the match!! I`ll write some comments while the doubles match is played (I HATE the scoreboard).

[Teresa]

Andrada thanks for those pics already ;D wow
AND LAU ;D

I am so proud of Marat
He has had one hell of a week
He has played some really worthy apponets and
made it to the final.

He has not disappointed me at all
I could not be prouder or happier for him

It was expected that Roger would win, after all he has won Wimbledon twice. But this match today shows that Marat is no push over, it was not a walk in the park for Roger by any means.

Molodet/Molodec Marat

[Teresa]

lau said:

Well, what was expected happened (but you know Marat does the unexpected things once in a while ).
But, I`m so proud. He could have win that match!!! Great job, baby!! I was so nervous this time, and the trophy seemed to be soo close at the end of the second set!!!! But, you know.....the best player on grass (and currently n1) was on the other side of the court.

*ditto*

Incredible things happened during the match!! I`ll write some comments while the doubles match is played (I HATE the scoreboard).

Can't wait to find out these incredible things that happened during the match lau ;D

[Andrada]

teresa said:

Andrada thanks for those pics already ;D wow
AND LAU ;D

I am so proud of Marat
He has had one hell of a week
He has played some really worthy apponets and
made it to the final.

He has not disappointed me at all
I could not be prouder or happier for him

It was expected that Roger would win, after all he has won Wimbledon twice. But this match today shows that Marat is no push over, it was not a walk in the park for Roger by any means.

Molodet/Molodec Marat

You're welcome, Teresa!

I have to say I totally agree with U, again! U took the words from my mouth! ;D

BTW, does 'molodec' mean 'well done'?

[Teresa]

Someone on another forum said

Marat said that he'll fly to Milan tonight for the appointment because of his knee's injury!!

Jasmine did you hear this too?

[Jasmine]

Finally, the two players get the trophy which very shinny. Hope Marat will hold it sometimes.

Good job Marat.Wow Andrada, looks what you've done. Impressive.

[lau]

Federer beats Safin for third successive Halle title

HALLE, Germany, June 12 (Reuters) - World number one Roger Federer beat Australian Open champion Marat Safin 6-4 6-7 6-4 to win his third consecutive Halle Open title on Sunday.

Top seed Federer, who is also going for a third successive Wimbledon title later this month, produced another masterly performance on grass, his finesse and consistency proving too much for the powerful but erratic Russian.

Federer extended his three-year winning streak on grass to 29 matches but is still well short of Bjorn Borg's record of 41 over five years in from 1976 to 1980.

Second seed Safin had beaten the Swiss in their last meeting, saving a match point in a five-set thriller in this year's Australian Open semi-finals. They had never previously met on grass.

Safin, who has been complaining of a troublesome left knee since the Indian Wells Pacific Life Open in March, was upset by controversial line calls during the match but did well to take the second set tiebreak 8-6.

Federer broke in the third game of the third set, however, and that was enough to give him victory in a high-tempo match which thrilled the spectators packed into the 12,500-seater Gerry Weber stadium.

The two players meet again in the doubles final later on Sunday, Federer partnering fellow countryman Yves Allegro and Safin playing with Sweden's Joachim Johansson.

[Teresa]

Andrada

BTW, does 'molodec' mean 'well done'?

Yes, but Madou says its 'molodec' and Annie says its 'molodets'
so I now say molodec/molodets

[Jasmine]

teresa said:

Someone on another forum said

Marat said that he'll fly to Milan tonight for the appointment because of his knee's injury!!

Jasmine did you hear this too?

Yep, I heard that. Now he thank you to fan and the tounament and also all linemen, except one.(That's what he really said. )

[Andrada]

Lau, looking forward to find out about those moments!

BTW, I LOOOOOOOOOVE Marat's photo in Ur signature! He is gorgeous!!!