Mighty Marcelo
Rios routs Becker to close in on No. 1 Sampras
Posted: Friday July 24, 1998 03:18 PM
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Rios' win was so lopsided that Becker began to grin and the spectators broke into applause when the German blasted a serve that Rios couldn't handle AP |
STUTTGART, Germany (AP) -- Marcelo Rios closed to within one win
of taking away Pete Sampras' No. 1 ranking -- and exacted a measure of revenge -- Friday by routing Boris
Becker in straight sets to reach the semifinals of the Mercedes
Cup.
Rios, the top seed, dominated the German with pinpoint passing
shots at the $1.04 million event in a match even more one-sided
than the final score of 6-2, 6-0 indicated.
On two occasions, the Chilean rattled off 10 straight unanswered
points.
"I said to him, this is my country, let me have at least one
point," said Becker. "But he answered, you're going to have to
earn it."
The Chilean would regain the top ranking on the ATP computer
from Sampras, who has taken the week off, if he beats world No. 11
Karol Kucera of Slovakia on Saturday.
Rios broke Sampras' 102-week hold on the No. 1 ranking March 30,
held the top spot for four weeks, then relinquished it to the
American again when an elbow injury sidelined him.
Rios' win was so lopsided that Becker began to grin and the
spectators broke into applause when the German blasted a serve that Rios
couldn't handle, ending one of his scoreless streaks.
Becker had been beaten this badly only twice in his career. He
was on the losing end of 6-1, 6-1 defeat to American Jay Berger in
1989 and fellow German Michael Stich three years later.
Just two weeks ago, Becker had defeated Rios in straight sets to
reach the final of the Swiss Open. The difference this time, he
said, were that rain storms had soaked the courts.
"He's probably the best player on the tour right now. He's
probably going to dominate for the next five years," said Becker.
"But he had all the time in the world to pass me. The courts were
slow and a slow match isn't my game."
But Rios, who has won five tournaments this year, showed why
he's regarded as one of the game's best returners against Becker,
ending the rout in just 45 minutes by slamming an ace.
When he broke the German's serve to take a 4-2 first set lead,
Rios drilled a passing shot down the left line, a second one
cross-court and finished by lifting a lob over the onrushing
Becker's head.
"I think I'm playing better that at the Swiss Open," said
Becker. "But this time he was a different opponent. He had
something to pay back after I beat him there. Plus it was No. 1
against a former No. 1."
Kucera downed Czech player Bohdan Ulihrach, 6-4, 6-4, while
Carlos Moya and Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten both won to set up a clash
of the last two French Open champions in Saturday's second
semifinal.
Moya, who won the grand slam this year, bounced fellow Spaniard
Fernando Vicente, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, while 1997 winner Kuerten ousted a
third Spaniard, Albert Costa, 7-5, 6-0.
Moya struggled with both his serve and forehand in the first
set, then steadied his play to win a baseline match against his
19-year-old friend and practice partner.
"Maybe I was too confident at first," said Moya. "It's always
hard playing against your best friend on the tour. We know each
other's games too well."
Becker, 30, has reduced his schedule to 10 to 12 tournaments a
year as he winds down his career. But the German said he's
satisfied with his performance when he does step on court.
He added that it was probably a good thing he beat Rios, who has
appeared in magazine polls as the tour's least-liked player, at the
Swiss Open two weeks ago.
"Personally, I get along with him fine," said Becker, whose
last Wimbledon title came in 1989. "But it's good for him to know
that some of us, occasionally played some good tennis in the
'80s."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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