| Home | News| Living in China| MMS | SMS | About us | Contact us|
   
 Language Tips > Sports news
Updated: 2005-03-21 09:45
Federer Beats Hewitt at Pacific Life Open 

总奖金额高达272.46万美金的ATP2005赛季第一项大师系列赛--印第安威尔斯大师赛决赛在备受瞩目的光环下结束,世界NO.1费德勒6-2/6-4/6-4轻松击败两届赛会冠军休伊特,成功卫冕,这已经是瑞士人本赛季的第四项巡回赛单打冠军,目前在ATP冠军积分排名榜上,他以350分的总分遥遥领先休伊特多达97分,而且他还将从组委会那里得到高达45.5美金的巨额冠军奖。

 

Roger Federer, from Switzerland, celebrates after defeating Lleyton Hewitt, from Australia, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4, in the finals of Pacific Life Open Sunday, March 20, 2005, in Indian Wells, Calif.  [AP]

Top-ranked Roger Federer had every part of his game working Sunday, beating No. 2 Lleyton Hewitt 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 to successfully defend his Pacific Life Open title.

Federer, on a roll that has carried him to 42 wins in his last 43 matches, displayed his usual dazzling array of shots.

Hitting powerful, accurate groundstrokes that kept his Australian opponent scrambling back and forth at the baseline, Federer mixed in winning volleys, winning drop shots and the occasional overhead that he rarely failed to put away.

Federer extended his winning streak over Hewitt to seven in a row, including last year's U.S. Open final.

Federer's skills were evident during an amazing 45-shot rally in the second set - even though he lost the point.

Toward the end of that rally, the 23-year-old Swiss star chased down a shot near the net, sprinted back and across the court to return a lob, came up again to hit another shot, then scurried back once again to flick the ball over his shoulder to return another lob.

Hewitt then hit a drop shot just over the net far to Federer's right. It looked to be a winner, but Federer raced forward, stretched as far as he could and hit the ball back. Hewitt went sprawling to his right and volleyed for a winner - finally.

Both players were out of breath, but smiled broadly. The crowd roared its approval, with the applause continuing for several minutes.

Federer ended the match with his 15th ace - to Hewitt's four - and raised his arms high and beamed. He hit the ball into the cheering crowd, with his usual one-handed backhand.

Federer's title was his fourth of the year and seventh in his last eight tournaments.

His only defeat since he began last year's U.S. Open last year was by Marat Safin in this year's Australian Open semifinals. Safin then beat Hewitt in the final.

The 24-year-old Hewitt, who held the No. 1 ranking in 2002 and 2003, lost for just the third time in 23 matches this year. He had a relatively quick turnaround for the match, with his semifinal victory over No. 3 Andy Roddick going three sets - and three tiebreakers - the previous night.

Federer had cruised to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Guillermo Canas in their afternoon semifinal.

The men's final was changed to a best-of-five sets format this year. A year ago, the best-of-three final didn't last long - Federer beat Tim Henman 6-3, 6-3.

Kim Clijsters had beaten Lindsay Davenport 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 for the women's title at Indian Wells on Saturday. Clijsters, also the 2003 champion, missed most of last year after hurting her left wrist during the tournament. She had two surgeries on the wrist.

(Agencies)

Vocabulary:
 

lob:to hit a ball in a high arc(高球)

scurry :to flurry or swirl about(急跑;急转)



 
Go to Other Sections
Story Tools
Related Stories
· Alonso Fastest in First Qualifying Session
· All-Star NHL Goalie Tommy Salo Retires
· Russians Take Gold in Pairs Figure Skating After Chinese Quit
more
 
Copyright by chinadaily.com.cn. All rights reserved

版权声明:未经中国日报网站许可,任何人不得复制本栏目内容。如需转载请与本网站联系。
None of this material may be used for any commercial or public use. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.