Magnus Norman overcame stubborn late resistance to defeat holder Gustavo Kuerten 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 yesterday to claim the title in the $2.95 million Masters Series in Rome and consolidate his position at the top of the points table.
Third seed Norman became the first Swede since Mats Wilander in 1987 to claim the title at the Foro Italico.
He also prevented the Brazilian fourth seed from becoming the fourth man to win back-to-back titles on the Roman clay. Kuerten put up a brave fight, saving four match points late in the fourth set before the Swede won through.
Norman replaced Andre Agassi on Saturday as the leader in the constantly changing Champions race and now has 321 points to the 267 of the American.
Norman broke at the beginning of the fourth set but Kuerten provided the dramatics near the end. The Brazilian saved four match points in the ninth game to the delight of the capacity crowd.
With the cheering all for the Brazilian, Norman's Swedish calm served him well. He recovered from love-30 and saved a break point as "Guga" disappointedly scooped a return wide.
Meanwhile, Conchita Martinez yesterday overcame South Africa's Amanda Coetzer 6-1, 6-2 to regain the German Open title she won in 1998 - just hours after she withdrew from today's Italian Open with an injury!
The 28-year-old Spaniard decided that the Achilles tendon strain was not painful enough to prevent her playing the final in Berlin, but that it was too tender to risk further damage with the French Open looming in two weeks time.
"Even though the score was like that I thought it was a really tough match. The points went long and the result was not the way it was," said former Wimbledon champion Martinez. "I've been going non-stop and it's not only my foot. It's my body can't hold out another week like that. I want to be fit for the French Open, and if I play Rome, who knows. I could get injured and that wouldn't be very smart."
Her victory over 10th seeded Coetzer not only earned Martinez $166,000, but means she will soar from eight to three in the new world rankings. It is her highest ranking since November 1996, and comes after she reached the Australian Open semi-finals and finished runner-up on the Gold Coast and in Amelia Island earlier this year.
Hingis also withdrew from Rome because of left plantar fascitis, which is an inflammation of connective tissue on the bottom of her left foot, and she has returned to the Czech Republic for treatment.
Coetzer gave Martinez all the encouragement she needed in the first set, despite breaking the Spaniard to lead 1-0. Martinez then claimed the next six games. She won just three points on her own serve, made a succession of volleying errors, and at one stage a serve even failed to reach the net as she double-faulted.
By contrast, Martinez was patient in the rallies, mixing high looping balls with a powerful forehand while waiting for the opportunity to work her way into the net and put away a volley.
