Tennis: Coria's upset brings a new face to Monte Carlo final

MONTE CARLO - Argentine Guillermo Coria upset Carlos Moya 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 at the Monte Carlo Masters yesterday, preventing the Spaniard meeting compatriot Juan-Carlos Ferrero in a repeat of last year's final.

Earlier, Ferrero, the defending champion, dismissed American Vince Spadea 6-3, 6-4 to win his 11th successive match in Monte Carlo.

Coria, suspended for six months in 2001 for having the drug nandrolone in his system, continued his great form since the start of the year to reach his fifth career final and his second this season.

Coached by 1989 Monte Carlo champion Alberto Mancini and named Guillermo after three-times winner Guillermo Vilas, Coria took sweet revenge over Moya, who beat him in the Buenos Aires final earlier this year.

Moya, winner here in 1998, seemed to have the upper hand in the first set, but Coria saved five break points in the 11th game and the former world No 1 one suddenly lost his momentum in the tiebreak which the far more consistent Coria won 7-3.

The loss of the set seemed to demolish Moya's game and spirit, and the former French Open winner quickly found himself 1-5 down after a series of blunders.

Moya had to be content with saving four match points before bowing out.

"The five break points I saved at the end of the first set were the key," Coria said.

"We're going to discuss the final with Alberto [Mancini]. He won his, so this is kind of special," he added.

Today's final will be only the second encounter between top seed Ferrero and Coria.

The Spaniard beat the Argentine in three sets in last year's French Open.

* Russian 10th seed Elena Dementieva staved off a match point before rallying to stun top seed Justine Henin-Hardenne 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 in the semifinal of the Bausch and Lomb championships in Amelia Island, Florida.

The 21-year-old will bid for her first career title today when she squares off in the final against No 2 Lindsay Davenport, who outlasted third seed Jennifer Capriati 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 in an all-American encounter.

Dementieva's first victory in four attempts against Henin-Hardenne ended the Belgian's seven-match winning streak.

Leading 4-1 in the final set, Dementieva lost the next four games and faced match point.

But Henin-Hardenne missed a backhand shot that would have sent her into her second straight final after her surprise victory over world No 1 Serena Williams at the Family Circle Cup last week.

Dementieva battled back to take a 6-5 lead and benefited from two shots by the Belgian that failed to clear the net to end the match.

The Russian's victory set up her fourth final appearance in five years on the WTA Tour.

- AGENCIES