Search:
StoriesVideos
Home Tennis 

Story


Safin, Kunitsyn To Meet In All-Russian Moscow Final

Saturday, October 11, 2008

(Sports Network) - Marat Safin and Igor Kunitsyn will meet for the title at the Kremlin Cup on Sunday after both Russians posted semifinal wins on Saturday.

The seventh-seeded Safin was a walkover winner against Moscow-born German Mischa Zverev, who was unable to play because of an illness, while Kunitsyn notched a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over France's Fabrice Santoro.

Safin, who beat fellow Russian and two-time defending Moscow champion Nikolay Davydenko in the quarterfinals on Friday, will play in the final of this event for the second time in three years. He lost to Davydenko in 2006.

The former world No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion hasn't won a tournament since capturing the last of his 15 titles at the 2005 Australian Open. He was a surprise semifinalist this year at Wimbledon and is currently ranked 40th.

Kunitsyn, ranked 71st, will play in ATP final for the first time in his career. The 27-year-old native of Vladivostok twice was a semifinalist earlier this year and previously reached the semis of this event in 2005 and 2006.

Safin is 3-0 lifetime against Kunitsyn, including a 6-4, 6-3 triumph in the semifinals of this event two years ago.

The 2008 Moscow champ will collect a first prize of $171,000.

Sports E-News

Gastrointestinal ailments – whether temporary or chronic – can be unbearable. Learn how to recognize symptoms and treat digestive woes. Full Story ››

Decorating your home for Christmas should be fun and enjoyable. Learn how to keep it that way and avoid the holiday stress. Full Story ››

Find out what a sputtering economy and an increasingly difficult to crack job market means to you. Full Story ››

A little healthy competition between partners is fine, even healthy. But cross the line and you could doom your relationship. Full Story ››

Don’t be left out. Make the switch to Digital TV.

Market Place

Sponsor Links