TENNIS in DEPTH.

Top-seeded Gael Monfils has won his second career ATP Tour title, taking the Open de Moselle final 7-6 (1), 3-6, 6-2 over Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany.

Monfils served 14 aces and broke the 23rd-ranked Kohlschreiber twice in the last set before closing out the match in 2 hours, 13 minutes on Sunday. The Frenchman had won their previous encounter last year in Vienna.

Monfils reached the fourth round at this year’s U.S. Open. His first ATP victory came at Sopot, Poland, in 2005

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Albert Montanes won his second ATP World Tour title of the season after edging third seed Juan Monaco 7-6(2), 7-6(6) Sunday in the final of the BCR Open Romania, an ATP World Tour 250 clay-court tennis tournament in Bucharest.

Montanes is the third Spanish played this season, together with Rafael Nadal (five titles) and Tommy Robredo (two titles), to win at least two ATP World Tour titles. He received 250 South African Airways 2009 ATP Ranking points and €71,700, while runner-up Monaco earned 150 Ranking points and €37,700 in prize money.

Barcelona-resident Montanes is the first Spaniard to win the BCR Open Romania title since David Sanchez lifted the trophy in 2003. Montanes himself had nearly claimed the title two years earlier, when he finished runner-up to Younes El Aynaoui on his tournament debut.

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Shahar Peer has taken her fourth and fifth WTA titles in back-to-back weeks in 2009, following up last week’s Guangzhou title run with another in Tashkent, beating Akgul Amanmuradova in straight sets in the final.

Peer, the No.2 seed at the International-level tournament, won a routine first set and survived a break-filled second set to prevail, 63 64. Peer got the only two breaks in the first set but seven of the 10 games of the second set went against the server, with the Israeli winning four. It was the pair’s fifth career meeting – Peer is 5-0 now, and has never lost more than four games in any set.

“I’ve played 10 matches in row without dropping a set, and that’s a nice feeling. I’m happy I’m playing well,” Peer said. “I had played Akgul four times before and knew her game fairly well, but I knew today would be difficult, so I tried to play my best and not give her any chances. I’m happy by father was with me these last two weeks, because I won both tournaments!”

“The keys to my wins this week, my forehand and serve, just didn’t work today,” Amanmuradova said. “I’m disappointed to have lost after coming so far, but I’m happy to have lost to a good player. I give credit to Shahar for playing great tennis and handling the pressure of the large crowd today.”

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Former world number one Ana Ivanovic’s alarming slump was prolonged by Czech Lucie Safarova in the first round of the Pan Pacific Open on Sunday.

The Serb’s 6-4 7-6 defeat at the $2 million Tokyo event follows her first-round exit from the U.S. Open earlier this month, underlining a mystifying loss of form.

“I know how Ana is feeling and I feel it with her,” a sympathetic Safarova told Reuters. “She’s struggling with her serve and when that goes, all your game goes.”

Safarova’s win was arguably the highlight of a low-key opening day at the lucrative Pan Pacific Open, featuring nine of the world’s top 10 women.

World number one Dinara Safina, last year’s Tokyo winner, second seed Venus Williams and French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova begin their campaigns on Monday.

Japan’s Kimiko Date Krumm will get little time to savour winning her first WTA Tour title in 13 years in Seoul on Sunday as the wildcard is also in action on Monday, her 39th birthday.

Safarova had lost two of her previous three meetings with Ivanovic, one of them at last year’s French Open when the Serb went on to win the title before reaching number one.

But there was little grand slam pedigree in Sunday’s encounter as the 21-year-old Ivanovic, who has slipped to 11th in the world, was buried under a deluge of unforced errors.

“When I saw the draw I thought I could beat her,” said Safarova after knocking out the 10th seed. “But you never know what she’s going to bring.”

Ninth seed Flavia Pennetta was the first of the top 10 players to fall in Tokyo, bundled out unceremoniously by fellow Italian Roberta Vinci 6-1 6-2.

*Roberta Vinci (Italy) beat 9-Flavia Pennetta (Italy) 6-1 6-2

 *Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) beat 10-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia)6-4 7-6(1)

*Andrea Petkovic (Germany) beat Sybille Bammer(Austria) 7-5 6-4

Chang Kai-chen (Taiwan) beat Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 6-3 6-3

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) beat Carla Suarez Navarro

(Spain) 6-1 7-6(3)

Alisa Kleybanova (Russia) beat Ayumi Morita (Japan) 6-1 6-4

Gisela Dulko (Argentina) beat Agnes Szavay (Hungary) 6-3 6-0

Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez

(Spain) 6-3 6-2

Sabine Lisicki (Germany) beat Patty Schnyder (Switzerland)

6-4 6-0

Aravane Rezai (France) beat Sara Errani (Italy) 6-2 6-2

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Kimiko Date Krumm, one day shy of her 39th birthday, went all the way to the Hansol Korea Open title this week, dusting off the run with a straight set win over Anabel Medina Garrigues on Sunday afternoon.

Date Krumm finally got over the hump with a 63 64 first round win against Korean wildcard Lee Ye-Ra. She was down 64 52 to Alisa Kleybanova in the second round, facing a match point down 64 53 as well; but she overcame, rallying for a 46 76(4) 63 win, then toughed out another pair of tough wins, 76(3) 46 64 against top seed Daniela Hantuchova in the quarterfinals and 36 62 64 against the defending champion, Maria Kirilenko, in the semifinals.

Against No.2 seed Medina Garrigues in the final, Date Krumm faced her most tenacious and consistent opponent yet; the Japanese needed to withstand the mental pressure of playing one of the best grinders out there and she did just that, converting the only break point of the opening set and holding onto that momentum in the second set for a 63 63 victory and the trophy.

At 38 years, 11 months and 30 days, Date Krumm is the second-oldest player in the Open Era to win a singles title on the Tour, after Billie Jean King (who won Birmingham in 1983 at 39 years, 7 months and 23 days).

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What was the best thing about being a player in your era?

Being part of women’s tennis, a movement in transition, and starting new traditions in the game really helped us see both sides in tennis and in life. The memory that stands out was the day nine of us signed symbolic $1 contracts in 1970, and women’s professional tennis was born. I’ve always said sport is just about the toughest career a female can choose and it takes strong women to make a stand. Equal prize money was a long way off in those days but we made that stand.

What was the worst thing about tennis in your era?

The downside of playing when the sport was going from the amateur to the open era was the restlessness and not knowing what was coming next. It was a tumultuous time, full of upheaval and lacking clarity.

Who was the best coach you had, and why were they the best?

I was blessed to have different coaches for different period of my career. Clyde Walker helped me love tennis, Mervyn Rose and Frank Brennan Sr helped me get to the world No.1 spot and my college coaches, Dr Joan Johnson and Scotty Deeds, taught me so much.

Who was the best player you played against?

It would be wrong for me to single anyone out. Margaret Smith, who later became Margaret Court, was tough and I had to learn how to accept defeat in major finals against her. Later in my career, Chris Evert and Martina [Navratilova] were so hard to play against in different ways.

What was the best venue you played at?

There is only ever going to be one answer to this: Wimbledon. I was 17 years old when I first set eyes on the manicured grass in 1961 and it was an overwhelming moment. Every year when I return to the All England Club, I always take a moment to sit by Centre Court before the crowds pour in and reflect on the sport that I love so much.

Who do you rate as the best player in the female game today?

I wouldn’t like to pick anyone out but the Williams sisters have done a lot for the women’s game and hopefully will do a lot more. Serena had all the attributes to become the greatest woman ever to play the game. Venus has distinguished herself as the sort of person to lead the women’s game as a figurehead and said some noble things during the battle for equal prize money.

What is the worst thing about the game today?

The basic lack of the unity that existed in my playing days. Too many players just seem to think about themselves. Honestly, I wish there were two separate seasons; one for individual competitions and another for players to compete on a team. Today’s players need to get to know each other better and one of the great things about the world of sport is the unity of team spirit.

What was the best advice you were given as a player?

My parents always told me to just do what you love and do the best you can. My first coach, Clyde Walker, always reinforced that view.

Where are you now?

I’ve just enjoyed watching another US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, and that always feels pretty neat. I am 65 years old and a small businesswoman heavily involved in World TeamTennis. We’ve just completed our 34th pro season and I am still working hard to put more team play into tennis. I am also very involved in the Women’s Sports Foundation [which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year]. I still care deeply and campaign strongly on many issues but I remain convinced one thing is imperative for professional tennis to move forward and that is for the men’s game and the women’s game finally to come together under one banner

Courtesy  The Times.

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Richard Gasquet’s run at the Open de Moselle in Metz was ended at the semi-final stage by fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils on Saturday.

Gasquet, a former top-10 star, is attempting to climb back up the rankings after missing four months of the season successfully fighting a suspension following a positive test for cocaine.

The 23-year-old, now down at 47 in the world, registered his first ATP Tour wins since April in reaching the last four but found top seed Monfils too strong today, going down 6-4 6-3.

Monfils, who is looking for his first title of the season, will face German second seed Philipp Kohlschreiber in the final after he prevented Paul-Henri Mathieu making it an all-French affair.

Kohlschreiber took the first set on the tie-break against the third seed before claiming the only break of serve in the second to edge a tight match 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.

Monfils and Kohlschreiber have met once before, with the Frenchman coming out on top in a deciding tie-break in Vienna last year.

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Dinara Safina, yet to validate her status as world number one with a grand slam title, says she will not give up the top ranking without a fight.

The 23-year-old Russian promised to prove her point by successfully defending her Pan Pacific Open crown in Tokyo next week following an early exit from the U.S. Open.

“If someone steals it from me, I will shake their hand and say ‘well done’ but I won’t give it up easily,” she told a news conference on Friday.

Safina’s status as the women’s world number one has been a sore point after she repeatedly failed to make the breakthrough in the four grand slams.

A shock defeat by Czech teenager Petra Kvitova in the third round in New York earlier this month raised the stakes still further, but Safina was in bullish mood in Tokyo.

“I played the best tennis of my life here last year,” she said before the $2-million event. “I plan to bring my best tennis again and give 100 percent to keep (the ranking).”

World number two Serena Williams was a late withdrawal from Tokyo, citing knee and toe injuries.

The American has not contested a singles match since her angry rant at a lineswoman during her semi-final loss to eventual champion Kim Clijsters at the U.S. Open.

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