Source: http://www.atpworldtour.com
The eagerly anticipated final between top seed Andy Roddick
and defending champion Juan Martin del Potro did not disappoint Sunday in
Washington, D.C., as second seed del Potro successfully defended his Legg Mason
Tennis Classic title with a thrilling 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(6) victory over the
American in the final of the ATP World Tour 500 tennis tournament.
Del Potro is the first back-to-back champion in the U.S.
capital since Andre Agassi won consecutive titles in 1998-’99. Last year, he
captured his fourth straight ATP World Tour title at Washington
(d. Troicki) amidst a 23-match winning streak that began with his maiden title
in Stuttgart (d. Gasquet) and
culminated in a quarter-final showing at the US Open (l. to Murray).
As winner, the Argentine received 500 South African Airways
2009 ATP Ranking points, strengthening his bid to qualify for the year-end
Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The World No. 6 qualified for the elite
eight-man event for the first time last season, when it was held in Shanghai.
It is the second straight tour-level final loss that Roddick
has been forced to endure. The American was contesting his first event since
losing a heart-breaking Wimbledon final to Roger
Federer, 16-14 in the fifth set.
As runner-up, Roddick put 300 South African Airways 2009 ATP
Ranking points towards his bid for qualification at the Barclays ATP World Tour
Finals – to be held at the O2 Arena in London
for the first time this season. The No. 5-ranked Roddick has made five previous
appearances at the season finale.
Martin Damm and Robert Lindstedt added more silverware to an
already successful debut season together by clinching their third ATP World
Tour title at Washington, D.C.
The Czech-Swedish duo overcame fifth seeds Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin
Matkowski 7-5, 7-6(3) Sunday in the final of the ATP World Tour 500 tennis
tournament.
Victory marked the successful defence of the Legg Mason
Tennis Classic title for the 32-year-old Lindstedt, who triumphed last year
with Frenchman Marc Gicquel (d. Soares-Ullyett). As winners, he and Damm now
receive 500 ATP World Tour Doubles Ranking points, boosting their chances of
qualifying for the year-end Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London;
they currently lie in 12th place in the 2009 ATP Doubles Team Rankings.
The 37-year-old Damm also became a two-time winner at Washington,
having previously lifted the trophy in 2001 with German partner David Prinosil
(d. Bryan-Bryan).