Costa Collects First Victory as Safin Washed out of Shanghai Tennis Masters Cup

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, November 14, 2002

Costa Collects First Victory as Safin Washed out of Shanghai Tennis Masters Cup

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Moya Continues Winning Streak at Shanghai Tennis Masters Cup

Albert Costa of Spain claimed his first ever season-ending championship victory as he came back to brush aside Russian Marat Safin 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a Red Group match at the Shanghai Masters Cup tennis tournament on Wednesday.

Both making the second appearance in the year-ending championship, Safin was seeking a better result than his semi-final defeat to Andre Agassi in 2000 in Lisbon while Costa was looking for his first win, who made his debut in 1998 as an alternate replacing injured Marcelo Rios only to lose both his matches.

The two players staged an eye-riveting clash marked with thunderous serves as well as centimeter-precision forehands and backhands.

Eighth seed Costa was in good form, which took him to the Roland Garros crown, his only title this year, and much steadier than his younger opponent. He hit the balls to all corners of the court which offset the power unleashed by the Russian, seeded third, through their two hour battle.

"It was a great campaign and it was difficult," said 27-year-old Costa, who surrendered to world number one Lleyton Hewitt 2-6,6-4, 3-6 a day earlier.

Costa's win made their head-to-head record straight at 1-1 after 22-year-old Safin previously in lead, beating the Spaniard 7-6, 7-6 in 2000 Tennis Masters Hamburg in Germany. It also kept his semi-final hope alive while Safin has been virtually eliminated out of the tournament.

With Safin slashing a deep ground stroke, Costa desperately scampered to hit a forehand low into the net to hand the Russian big server a break. Holding his nerves, Safin served out the opening set.

Claiming his first title in 13 months in Paris Masters, Safin met the setback at the year-ender, falling to Costa's fellow countryman Carlos Moya 4-6, 5-7 in his opening match here.

Safin carried on his advantage in service, in which he hit 16 aces through the match while Costa had three, but Costa made only 14 unforced errors in his play while the Russian committed 37.

Costa broke Safin in the tenth game in the second set to level the score before he jumped to a 4-2 lead in the last one.

Splitting the next two games, Costa got three match points at 40 to love before disheartened Safin returned a forehand too wide to hand the Spanish clay specialist a precious win.

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