Regions Morgan Keegan Championships & The Cellular South Cup
US$ 690,000  

Memphis, USA 
February 14-20,  2005
Hard  / Indoor 

 

INTERNET
www.ATPtennis.com
http://www.atptennis.com/memphis/

TELEVISION
Mon - Fri: TimeWarner
Wed - Sun: Tennis Channel

DRAWS
Log on to the Memphis singles draw at: http://www.atptennis.com/en/common/TrackIt.asp?file=/posting/2005/402/MDS.pdf
Log on to the Memphis doubles draw at: http://www.atptennis.com/en/common/TrackIt.asp?file=/posting/2005/402/MDD.pdf 

• Kenneth Carlsen claimed his third career title and his first since 2002 when he defeated Max Mirnyi 7-5 7-5 in the title match of the Regions Morgan Keenan Championships in Memphis. 
• The Dane opened up the match holding serve easily and had four break points at 2-2 that Mirnyi was able to overcome. Both players held serve consistently to reach 5-5, where Carlsen converted his second break point of the game by attacking the net and hitting a backhand volley winner. He went on to close the set winning the next four consecutive points including an ace on set point.  
• Carlsen continued his strong playing in the second set and had two break points in the third game, but Mirnyi was able to overcome them with an ace and a serve winner. At 4-5, Carlsen saved one set point with a powerful ace down the middle of the court and tied the set at 5-5.
• In the eleventh game at 30-40, the Dane hit a blasting backhand return setting up an easy volley winner to break Mirnyi’s serve. Serving for the match at 6-5, Carlsen saved one break point at 30-40 and converted his first match point to win the title. 
• The win draws the series between Carlsen and Mirnyi even at one win apiece.
• Carlsen is now 3-4 in ATP finals in his career. In addition to Sunday’s win, Carlsen owns titles from Hong Kong in 1998 (d. B. Black) and Tokyo in 2002 (d. Norman). This is his first indoor title.
• This was the fifth appearance for Carlsen in Memphis. He is 8-4 all-time since debuting here in 1994.
• Carlsen joins Rafael Nadal, who won Saturday night in Costa do Sauipe, as the first left-handed ATP winners since Feliciano Lopez claimed the title in Vienna in October 2004.
• The 31-year-old Carlsen is the first over-30 winner of an ATP title since 34-year-old Andre Agassi claimed the title at the ATP Masters Series in Cincinnati.
• Mirnyi moves to 1-2 in finals, all three of which have been indoors. His only career title came at Rotterdam in 2003. His only other final appearance was at the ATP Masters Series event in Stuttgart in 2001.
• Mirnyi fired 89 aces this week, for an average of 17.8 per match. Mirnyi entered the tournament averaging 13.2 aces per match for the year.
• This was the second appearance for Mirnyi in Memphis. He now owns a 4-2 record all-time here.
• For his career, Mirnyi is now 72-48 (.600 winning percentage) on indoor courts, and 113-117 (.491) on outdoor courts.
• Carlsen wins 50 INDESIT ATP 2005 Race points and will take home a check for $128,000. Mirnyi will get 35 Race points and $67,500.
• In the doubles final, Simon Aspelin and Todd Perry won their second title together in their fourth ATP final of 2005 with a convincing 6-4, 6-4 victory over Bob and Mike Bryan. Aspelin and Perry one their first title together two weeks ago in Delray Beach.
• The Bryans were playing in their fifth Memphis final, having won the title in 2001 and 2004.

WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID:

Carlsen: "This one (Memphis) and Tokyo is something special. When you win a tournament is always something special. It's amazing. That's what you worked for. It makes everything worthwhile." 

 

On playing big servers all week: "It definitely prepared me because I've been playing players with big serves all week. Especially the first two matches was good preparation for this one because they serve and volley and they are trying to come in as much as possible. In the quarterfinals against Gambill, he serves very well but stays back. Max played the same way as the first two matches so that was good preparation for this match."

 

Mirnyi: "It was a competitive match today. I felt like I certainly had my chances. He play good enough sometimes, sometimes I was not good enough to take him but that is the way it goes. He came away with the win and certainly deserves it."

 

"He just picked his points and really went aggressive on the return. He was so far back and was just swinging at my big coming serve. He was fortunate enough to connect and make very good returns. I was not counting on it because is not one of his strengths, to be this from this far back and swinging is not a very high percentage play, but it worked for him today and it happened to be at the same time on both sets."  

   

RESULTS – SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2005

Singles – Semifinal Round
 K Carlsen (DEN) d (1)A Roddick (USA) walkover (left ankle)

(8)M Mirnyi (BLR) d (2)T Haas (GER) 75 63

 

Doubles - Semifinal

(1)Bryan/Bryan d (3)Arthurs/Hanley 64 36 76(6) (saved one MP)

(4)Aspelin/Perry d (2)Bjorkman/Mirnyi 76(5) 63

 

RESULTS – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18 , 2005

Singles - Quarterfinal
(1)A Roddick (USA) d R Ginepri (USA) 76(7) 76(2)
(2)T Haas (GER) d (5)X Malisse (BEL) 64 63
(8)M Mirnyi (BLR) d A Dupuis (FRA) 76(1) 76(1)
K Carlsen (DEN) d J.M Gambill (USA) 76(7) 75

Doubles - Quarterfinal
(4)Aspelin/Perry d Kim/Oliver 63 62

RESULTS – THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2005

Singles - Second Round
(2)T Haas (GER) d K Kim (USA) 76(4) 63
A Dupuis (FRA) d (3)V Spadea (USA) 75 20 ret. (shoulder)
(5)X Malisse (BEL) d (Q)F Dancevic (CAN) 62 62
R Ginepri (USA) d (6)M Fish (USA) 61 75
(8)M Mirnyi (BLR) d C Saulnier (FRA) 75 64
J.M Gambill (USA) d I Labadze (GEO) 76(2) 76(3)
K Carlsen (DEN) d W Arthurs (AUS) 64 76(5)

Doubles - Quarterfinal
(1)Bryan/Bryan d (WC)Gambill/Ginepri 36 63 64
(2)Bjorkman/Mirnyi d Labadze/Lee 60 63
(3)Arthurs/Hanley d Levinsky/Novak 63 62