Date:06/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/06/stories/2006030615672500.htm

Sport - Tennis

Horna and Groenefeld clinch titles

MEXICO CITY: Luis Horna of Peru beat seventh-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 7-6(5), 6-4 to win the Mexican Open.

In the women's final, second-seeded Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany defeated defending champion Flavia Pennetta of Italy 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 on the clay court of the Fairmont Acapulco Princess on Saturday. With less than 30 minutes of rest, Groenefeld then paired with Meghann Shaughnessy of the US to beat Japan's Shinobu Asagoe and France's Emilie Loit 6-1, 6-3 to win the doubles title.

Hewitt in final

At Las Vegas, top-seeded Australian Lleyton Hewitt squelched an upset bid by unseeded American Paul Goldstein 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 to reach the final of the $ 380,000 ATP tournament. Hewitt, seeking his first title since January 2005, will face fifth-seeded American James Blake, who beat big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic 7-6(2), 6-1.

The results:

At Mexico City (ATP & WTA Abierto Mexicano Telcel): Men's singles (Final): Luis Horna bt Juan Ignacio Chela 7-6(5), 6-4. Men's doubles (Final): Leos Friedl/Frantisek Cermak bt Potito Starace/Filippo Volandri 7-5, 6-2

Women's singles (Final): Anna-Lena Groenefeld bt Flavia Pennetta 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. Women's doubles (Final): Anna-Lena Groenefeld/Meghann Shaughnessy bt Shinobu Asagoe/ Emilie Loit 6-1, 6-3.

At Las Vegas (ATP Tennis Channel Open, Semifinals): Lleyton Hewitt bt Paul Goldstein 3-6, 6-1, 6-0; James Blake bt Ivo Karlovic 7-6(2), 6-1. — Agencies