Kunitsyn wins all-Russian Kremlin Cup

Oct 12, 2008 - 5:41 PM MOSCOW (Ticker) -- Igor Kunitsyn claimed the 2008 Moscow Cup title on Sunday after beating compatriot Marat Safin 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 in an all-Russian men's singles final.

It was Kunitsyn's first career title and he claimed the $171,000 first prize.

The 28-year-old Safin squandered two break points in the opening game, while Kunitsyn was unable to convert two break points in the eighth game of the first. In a tense tie-break, Safin saved one set point at 5-6 and went on to close out the opener in 69 minutes.

Midway through the second set the pair exchanged breaks of serve and battled through to a second tie-break, which Safin clinched on his third set point.

Kunitsyn broke the Safin serve for a 4-2 lead and held his nerve to close out the match for victory in two hours and 43 minutes. He hit seven aces and won 76 of 110 service points.

While Safin hit 21 aces, the former World No. 1 - currently No. 40th ATP Rankings - could only convert one of six break point opportunities and won 34 of 110 points on serve.

Kunitsyn improved to 15-13 on the season.

On Saturday Kunitsyn defeated Frenchman Fabrice Santoro, 6-4, 6-3, to set up a final against No. 7 Safin, who won by walkover when Mischa Zverev withdrew due to illness.

Kunitsyn on Friday dominated Jeremy Chardy of France 6-4, 6-2 in 63 minutes, to move into the semis here for the third time in four years.

Kunitsyn, ranked 71st in the world, twice was a semifinalist earlier this year and previously reached the semis of this event in 2005 and 2006.

Safin had been 3-0 lifetime against Kunitsyn, including a 6-4, 6-3 triumph in the semifinals of this event two years ago.

Safin rode a powerful serve to knocked off the top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of this hardcourt event.

A former No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion, Safin fired 17 aces to outlast the two-time defending champion, denying him a fourth shot at the title of this $1 million hardcourt tournament.

Safin also put an end to two winnings streaks by Davydenko. He ended a four-match skid against the world No. 5, which included a defeat here in the 2006 final.

The world No. 40, Safin improved to 3-4 overall in the series and ended Davydenko's string of 12 straight match victories.