News Feature

Verdasco victorious at Croatia Open in Umag

21 July 2008

Top seed Fernando Verdasco eventually prevailed at the Croatia Open in Umag after winning the longest final in the tennis tournament's history.

He defeated fourth seed Igor Andreev despite having lost the first set 3-6 and saving a crucial break in the fourth game of the second set.

Verdasco won that game and then broke himself at 4-4, holding on to level the match at one set apiece before taking the last set on a tie-break, after two hours and 50 minutes.

It gave the Spaniard success on his first visit to the Croatia Open and was his second ATP tour title following victory in Valencia four years ago.

He told the Croatian Open website: "I am overjoyed to have won in Umag when I came for the first time."

Roko Karanusic, the final Croat left in the tournament, was eliminated at the quarter-final stage by the conqueror of countryman Ivo Karlovic, Maximo Gonzalez, who then lost himself in the semi-finals against Andreev.

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