Corretja wins tourney

KITZBUHEL, JULY 30. Second-seeded Alex Corretja of Spain easily won the $700,000 Kitzbuhel Open here today after his opponent and compatriot Emilio Alvarez retired with a shoulder injury.

Corretja was leading 6-3, 6-1, 3-0 and was in control when Alvarez threw in the towel complaining of shoulder pain.

It was the 26-year-old's 12th ATP victory as he dominated the match showing solid concentration and an attacking game brushing off any fatigue from his tough semifinal win over Argentine Agustin Calleri yesterday which he won 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2.

It was the Spaniard's third victory of the season after wins at Indian Wells, and Gstaad as he pocketed $120,000 for his week's work.

On Saturday, Alvarez reached his first final by ousting another Spaniard, 10th seed Francisco Clavet 6-3, 7-5.

In the other semifinal, Corretja struggled in the second set after exchanging breaks with Calleri in the opening games.

Calleri, who had never before reached a semifinal, broke again for a 3-1 lead before dropping serve at 4-3 in a set he eventually won on the tiebreak 7-3.

``I had to remain concentrated throughout the whole match. Calleri was the underdog, he was relaxed and it was difficult to play him. I had no chance in the tiebreak. I then started hitting as hard as I could and that won the match for me,'' said Corretja.

Alvarez breezed through the first set, had a one-break lead in the second at 5-5 and took the 11th game to deuce from 40-0 but missed three matchpoints.

He had another matchpoint the following game but lost his nerve and dropped serve. Alvarez then broke for 5-6 and used his fifth matchpoint for a 7-5 victory.

``At 5-5 I thought about the headlines tommorrow - `Clavet saves five matchpoints and wins' - that made me laugh and it relaxed me,'' Alvarez said. ``It would have been typical of Clavet though.''

The results:

Final: Alex Corretja bt Emilio Alvarez 6-3, 6-1, 3-0 (conceded).

Semifinals: Corretja bt Agustin Calleri 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2; Alvarez bt Francisco Clavet 6-3, 7-5.

- Reuters

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