SAN MARINO

There was no seeded player left in the draw for Saturday’s semi-finals at the Go&Fun Open in San Marino. On another sunny afternoon Wild Card Alessandro Giannessi and Adrian Ungur were first up on Centre Court to face each other for the fifth time. Before today’s encounter, the 29-year-old Romanian has only been able to win once, which took place in their very first meeting at an ATP Challenger in Rome in 2011. Yesterday, Giannessi ended a 16-matches-win-streak of Simone Bolelli but had to cope with physical problems throughout today’s encounter. The Italian was taped at his left knee and could only gain one single break point in the entire match. On the other hand, Ungur played a solid match, dominated right from the beginning, took the ball early and therefore was in command of the baseline rallies. The Romanian sealed victory in 69 minutes winning 6-3, 6-3.

Adrian Ungur San Marino

“Alessandro is defending very well, so I was trying to go to the net as often as possible putting him under pressure, as from the baseline he is a very solid player. He is also younger and fitter than me,” Ungur said after the match. “I’m really happy with this victory today. This year I haven’t played that well so far. It is my first final of the season but the year is not over yet,” the world number 157 added.

In the second semi-final Guilherme Clezar met qualifier Antonio Veic for the third time. In 2013 each player could gain one victory on the ATP Challenger circuit. The match on Saturday evening in San Marino should become an entertaining but also strange one. The opening set contained eight breaks with only the Croat holding his serve in the third game. Clezar won only 13 per cent of his first service points and consequently lost the opening set in 34 minutes. The Brazilian held his first service game in the second game of the second frame. From then on the 21-year-old from Porto Alegre stabilized his shots and took the match the distance. Veic, however, fought back by showing some great defensive skills and also put more variety in his game. The world number 313 gained the decisive break in the seventh game of the final set through a lob shot tweener over his opponent eventually winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in one hour and 46 minutes.

Guilherme Clezar
San Marino

“It was pretty tough today. The balls were a little bit heavy and we both didn’t feel comfortable with our return games during the opening set. We played at night and the conditions weren’t that fast, which I think were the main reasons for the first set. I lost a bit my concentration in the second set but in general I think we played a fantastic match and in the decider he gave me some easy points, which finally made the difference,” Veic was happy afterward reaching his first final of the year. “I had a good preparation before this tournament, so physically I feel good. I really don’t feel tired and I just enjoy playing here. I’m looking forward to the final tomorrow but I have never beaten Adrian before. We had a couple of tough matches and we met in Barranquilla earlier this year, when I had just returned from my injury after five months off the court. I’m gonna give my best and I think that it’ll be an exciting match,” the Croat added.

Antonio Veic San Marino

In the doubles final Radu Albut and Enrique Lopéz-Pérez beat Franco Skugor and Adrian Ungur in straight sets winning 6-4, 6-1 in 62 minutes. The Croat went to Cordenons on Saturday morning playing singles qualifying and returned to San Marino just in time to team up with an obviously tired singles finalist.

Doubles final San Marino

The Moldovan-Spanish tandem was satisfied to gain the title. “I lost one Challenger final before, so this is my very first title on this level and of course I’m very happy. I have to say thanks to Radu because I felt very comfortable playing on his side throughout the week,” López-Pérez said afterwards. “It is nice to play with different guys and mix the different styles. Enrique is very solid from the baseline but in particular in this final today he also showed a great game at the net. So we are happy to win this nice title,” Ungur stated after taking his fourth doubles trophy on the Challenger Tour this year, always winning with another partner.

Radu Albot & Enrique Lopez-Perez
Doubles Champions San Marino