American star earns his stripes in Calderstones

Jun 16 2008 by Staff Copytaker, Liverpool Daily Post

DESPITE a cold and damp morning, capable of freezing everyone into an overcoat, the Tradition-ICAP Liverpool International tennis tournament managed to achieve arguably its finest ever finale yesterday.

Amer Delic, the big American paying his first visit, put on a spectacular performance to win the men’s singles, beating the highly-talented Chilean Paul Capdeville in an exciting third set.

The highly-popular Caroline Wozniacki from Denmark recovered from early mistakes to regain the ladies title which she had first won at the age of 15 two years ago.

Delic’s clash with Capdeville emphasised a striking contrast in styles and could have gone either way.

In the first act, the two players took turns to win their services, reaching 6-6 to ensure an exciting extension, that Capdeville won by 7-3.

Capdeville had somehow managed to hold his much bigger opponent at bay, but Delic raised his game in the second set, claim the honours at 6-4. The decider looked as if it might go either way, despite Delic gaining a service break to reach a 4-2 lead, but his opponent broke back in style.

The fluctuating match was wide open before Delic hit a wonderful series of volleys to lead by 8-7.

Delic then won a wonderful long rally, before his opponent hit the ball into the net and lost out, a little unluckily.

The winner said afterwards that this year’s event in Liverpool had provided him with his best-ever Wimbledon preparation on grass, so it will be interesting to see what he does achieve there.

In the other big final, Wozniacki must have been delighted to overcome her regular adversary Ashley Harkleroad, who beat her in last year’s final.

She took a little time to settle down, with her opponent taking the first set, and when Harkleroad came from behind to lead 4-3 in the second, it looked very much as though she would win again.

However, Wozniacki began to hit the ball more cleanly and move more decisively, and came from behind to level the match at one set all before completely dominating the third set.

Her popularity ensured that she got a great reception from the big crowd, enabling the two main events to finish on a really high note.

RESULTS

Men’s singles final: Amer Delic (USA) bt Paul Capdeville (CHI) 6-7 (3), 6-4 10-7(STB)

Women’s singles final: Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) bt Ashley Harkleroad (USA) 4-6 6-4 10-5