Second seed Guillermo Coria was fortunate to rally from one set down to beat Thomas Johansson for the final of the China Open ATP tennis tournament, after bouncing back in his stride in time to rule off four match points in the second set on Saturday.
The world number eight, who had made the semis with luck by overcoming an injured Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 on Friday, launched a strong comeback run against the 30-year-old Johansson, the fourth seed for the US$500,000 hardcourt event, winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
It's only the second match for the eighth-ranked Argentine facing Johansson after he last lost 6-1, 6-4 to the Swede, currently the world number 15th on the ATP Entry Rankings board, in an early stage of the hardcourt event at Miami in 2002.
Johansson served eight aces against five double-faults during the match, while Coria committed 12 double-faults.
"That's a pity that I didn't serve at the match points, otherwise I could be the winner here," said Johansson at a post-match press conference. "It's difficult to serve against him, he's a great player that he can handle every serve and he moves fast on the court."
Holding match points when leading 5-4, Johansson played his tennis in the 10th game of his own server, but the much luckier Coria got the bounce back in his stride in time when saving a dropshot from Johansson and improved his advantage for tie on sets after three deuces.
"It's an incredible shot, it's important for me to save the three match points," said Coria.
"I'm tired to play two matches yesterday. It's very hard, but fortunately I won today and hope I can recover tonight."
"Johansson had been anxious to win at the match points and that cost his chance."
"I earned three match points but could not convert one of them. It's tough to win over Coria since he makes you play all the time," said Johansson.
Opening the match in a stuffy way, Coria seemed yet to get out of the shocks from Friday's thrilling full-set win over seventh-seeded Youzhny, committing four double-faults to give up the first set in ease to Johansson, who upset former world number one Carlos Moya of Spain to reach the semi-finals.
Johansson, the former Australian Open champion in 2002, then continued his in style play in the second set, breaking Coria twice to overtake the lead on four games to three after the Swede was broken at as early as the fourth game, before Coria saved four match points to tie on 1-1 and held on to brake Johansson twice in the decider for a 6-2 win.
Another semi-final clash will pit Spaniards, the top seed Rafael Nadal and the sixth-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero, later the day as finalists will fight for a US$ 69,200 prize money on Sunday.
(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2005)
