 Safin ousted; Stakhovsky, Zeballos make up St. Petersburg final
2009-10-31 11:23:00
St. Petersburg, Russia (Sports Network) - Ukrainian qualifier Sergivy Stakhovsky ended Marat Safin's goodbye tour in thrilling fashion, knocking out the unseeded former world No. 1 in the three-set match to read the final at the $750,000 St. Petersburg Open. Safin, who was making his first semifinal appearance in 23 tournaments, had fond memories of the SCC Peterburgsky hardcourts, claiming the title in 2000 and 2001. He drew from those memories to reach the semifinals, but fell 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to the qualifier.
Safin plans to retire from the ATP World Tour at season's end.
In the other semifinal, eighth-seeded Argentine Horacio Zeballos moved into the final with a 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 victory over Russian Igor Kunitsyn, who had momentum from a three-set victory over second-seeded Romanian Victor Hanescu in Friday's quarterfinals action.
Sunday's winner will collect $115,150.
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