Stakhovsky Becomes First "Lucky Loser" To Win ATP Crown In 17 Years

ZAGREB, Croatia - Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine won his initial ATP title with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over top-seeded Ivan Ljubicic on Saturday, becoming the first "lucky loser" to win a tour crown in 17 years.

Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine returns the ball to Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia during their Zagreb Indoors ATP Tour final tennis match, Saturday, March 1, 2008.
The 22-year-old, 209th-ranked Stakhovsky faced only one break point, converted two of five of his own break opportunities, and prevailed in one hour 49 minutes.

He improved to 5-0 this season and became the first player to win a tour event after advancing from qualifying as a lucky loser since Argentine Christian Miniussi won Sao Paulo in 1991.

Stakhovsky, who came into the tournament with a career 6-13 match record, is only the fourth man in the history of the tour to achieve the feat.

He had not played on the main tour since San Jose more than a year ago and his previous best showing in eight attempts was a quarter-final appearance in Milan in 2005.

Ljubicic was his third seeded victim, having also beaten No. 2 Ivo Karlovic and No. 8 Janko Tipsarevic.

Source: AP