KUALA LUMPUR SUNDAY PREVIEW - TIPSAREVIC EYES FIRST ATP TITLE, BAGHDATIS LOOKS FOR NO. 5  
One player hopes to finally break through and capture his first ATP World Tour title, the other player hopes to breathe new life into a difficult season and win his fifth title -  both storylines will clash in the final of the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic, the No. 3 seed, is the only player in the Top 20 without an ATP World Tour title - he is 0-4 in his career in ATP World Tour finals, with runner-up finishes at Moscow in 2009, ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2010 and Eastbourne and Delray Beach this year. He hasn’t lost a set this week and can the 27-year-old Tipsarevic finally shake the “highest-ranked-player-without-a-title” tag in the 148th ATP World Tour-level tournament of his career?

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Cyprus’ Marcos Baghdatis, a former Top 10 player who is ranked No. 60 this week and a wild card into the draw, has also stormed into the final without losing a set, including in wins over No. 6 seed Alex Bogomolov Jr., No. 4 Jurgen Melzer and No. 2 Viktor Troicki. Baghdatis began the year at No. 20 and has fallen 40 spots since then, but has now made his first final since finishing runner-up in Moscow 11 months ago. His last title came in Sydney in January 2010. He is 4-6 in his career in ATP World Tour finals.

Baghdatis leads Tipsarevic in their head-to-head series, 2-1, although Baghdatis’ wins came in 2005 and 2007, with Tipsarevic winning their most recent meeting in Los Angeles last summer.

“I know I have to play like I did today or better to have a chance to win the final,” Tipsarevic said after his 64 63 semi-final win over No. 8 seed Kei Nishikori. “Both Marcos and I are playing good tennis. He’s an experienced player, he will not give me the final. I will have to play aggressively and take it from him. I’m here to win one more match - if not it has still been a good week overall.”

“It’s great to be in another final, but there’s still one match to go,” Baghdatis said after his 63 61 semi-final win over Troicki, which snapped a five-match losing streak against Top 20 players.

Beating multiple Top 20 players in the same tournament is nothing new for Baghdatis - he has done it three times before, at the Australian Open in 2006 (beat four Top 20 players), at Paris in 2007 (beat three Top 20 players) and at Cincinnati in 2010 (beat three Top 20 players). Another good omen for the Cypriot is wild cards are 2-0 in ATP World Tour finals so far this season.

WHAT’S AT STAKE –
Winner: $155,000 and 250 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points
 Runner-up: $81,500 and 150 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points
 
FINALS HISTORY –
Baghdatis: Appearing in his 11thth ATP World Tour level final……He is 4-6 in finals (first in 2011)
Tipsarevic: Appearing in his  5th ATP World Tour final…………….He is 0-4 in finals (0-2 in 2011)

First-Time ATP Winners (9) - Tipsarevic is trying to become the 10th (or 11th) first-time winner on the ATP World Tour this year. Donald Young is in the Bangkok final. Players trying to win their first ATP World Tour title are 9-9 in finals this year. Here is a look at the winners list:
 
Player/Nationality                   Age             Tournament
Kevin Anderson (RSA)             24               Johannesburg
Ivan Dodig (CRO)                   26               Zagreb
Milos Raonic (CAN)                 20               San Jose
Pablo Andujar (ESP)                25               Casablanca
Ryan Sweeting (USA)              23               Houston
Andreas Seppi (ITA)               27               Eastbourne
Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)     22               Umag
Robin Haase (NED)                 24               Kitzbuehel
Florian Mayer (GER)                27               Bucharest

SUNDAY CHAMPIONSHIP FEDEX HEAD 2 HEADS ---

Centre Court

(WC) Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) vs (3) Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) Baghdatis Leads 2-1
05 Tokyo (Japan) Hard R64 Marcos Baghdatis 6-4 6-4
07 Marseille (France) Hard R32 Marcos Baghdatis 6-3 6-4
10 Los Angeles (U.S.A.) Hard QF Janko Tipsarevic 6-3 7-5

Baghdatis FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: s-Hertogenbosch (l Dodig); QF: Brisbane (l Roddick); Rotterdam (l Ljubicic); Washington (l Young); Winston-Salem (l Isner)
YTD W-L: 25-22
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 4
Date of Birth: June 17, 1985
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 60

• Baghdatis, 26, is playing in his  first ATP World Tour final of the year, his 11th in his career (4-6) and trying to win his first title since January 2010 in Sydney (d. Gasquet)…His last final came in Moscow last October (l. to Troicki)
• Prior to this week, his best result came in June as he reached the semis on grass at ‘s-Hertogenbosch (l. to Dodig)…Also a quarter-finalist in four other tournaments, all on hard courts
• He comes in with a 25-22 match record (15-13 on hard courts) on the season
• He is making his third appearance here (7-2 record); has gone at least one round better every year, reaching 2nd Rd. in 2009, QFs last year (l. to Youzhny both times) and final this week…So far has posted wins over  No. 6 seed Bogomolov Jr., Devvarman, No. 4 seed Melzer and No. 2 Troicki… Leads the tournament in aces (28) and No. 3 in service games won (37 of 41, 90%)…Has also saved 21 of 25 break points (84%)
• Came in ranked No. 60 and will jump back into Top 50 to around No. 46 and around No. 41 IF wins title
• Career-high is No. 8 (set August 21, 2006)

Tipsarevic FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
F: Delray Beach (l Del Potro); Eastbourne (l Seppi); SF: Chennai (l Malisse); Belgrade (W/O vs Djokovic); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Montreal (l Fish); QF: Washington (l Monfils); US Open (l Djokovic)
YTD W-L: 43-20
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: June 22, 1984
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 17

• Tipsarevic, 27, is the No. 3 Serb (behind No. 1 Djokovic, No. 15 Troicki)  is the highest-ranked player without an ATP World Tour title in his career (0-4 in finals)
• He is playing in his sixth ATP World Tour semi-final of the year; runner-up twice, at Delray Beach (l. to del Potro) and Eastbourne (l. to Seppi); semi-finalist three times, at Chennai (l. to Malisse), Belgrade (w/o vs Djokovic) and Montreal (l. to Fish)
• He comes in with a career-best 43-20 match record (31-13 on hard) and No. 17 ranking this week…He reached a career-high No. 13 on Sept. 12
• He is making his tournament debut (2-0 this week - as No. 3 seed w/1st Rd. bye, d. Cipolla and No. 5 seed Davydenko in first two matches)
• A member of his country’s winning Davis Cup team last year (w/Djokovic, Troicki)

DOUBLES FINAL - (2) Butorac/Rojer (USA/AHO) vs. (3) Cermak/Polasek (CZE/SVK)
• Eric Butorac and Jean-Julien Rojer, the No. 2 seeds, have lost two sets in their first three matches this week, including in their 63 67(5) 106 semi-final win over No. 4 seeds Lipsky/Ram
• Butorac and Rojer have a 4-2 record together in ATP World Tour doubles finals
• Frantisek Cermak and Filip Polasek, the No. 3 seeds, have lost one set in their first three matches, but beat top seeds Melzer/Petzschner in straight sets in the semi-finals, 76(7) 64
• Cermak and Polasek have a 2-1 record together in ATP World Tour doubles finals
• ATP World Tour doubles final W-L: Butorac (11-4), Rojer (4-7), Cermak (25-17), Polasek (6-7)

BANGKOK SUNDAY PREVIEW – MURRAY LOOKS FOR THIRD TITLE AGAINST FIRST-TIME FINALIST YOUNG
One of the most established top players on the ATP World Tour will face one of its brightest rising stars, as the final of the PTT Thailand Open takes place in Bangkok on Sunday.

World No. 4 Andy Murray, the top seed this week, has a special place in his heart for Bangkok, reaching his  first career ATP World Tour final here in 2005 (finishing runner-up to Federer). He is 18-9 in his career in ATP World Tour finals, including a 2-1 record this year (he was runner-up at the Australian Open but has won his last two finals at the Queen’s Club and Cincinnati).

“It’s great to be in another final,” Murray said after his 62 36 62 semi-final win over No. 3 seed Gilles Simon, his eighth straight win over the Frenchman. “I’ve only played here a few times; I had’t been back in a while. Hopefully I can go one further than the first time I got to the final here.”

Unseeded Donald Young is having a breakthrough week, reaching his first ATP World Tour final and projected to rise from his current ranking of No. 55 to inside the Top 50 for the first time to around No. 43 on Monday (around No. 40 if he wins the title). The 22-year-old American has taken out No. 4 seed and defending champion Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the second round and No. 2 seed Gael Monfils in the semi-finals. Young is trying to become the fifth American to win an ATP World Tour title this season and become only the second left-hander to win a title in 2011. Rafael Nadal has three titles.
 
“I’m excited, I’m stoked, all the words that mean you’re happy to be in your first final,” said Young, who rallied from a 4-1 third set deficit to beat Monfils in a semi-final nail-biter, 46 76(5) 76(5). “I’ve seen a lot of my peers make ATP World Tour finals and I’m happy to be in my first one.”

Young was 0-3 against Top 10 opponents coming in this season but he is 2-1 in 2011, beating Murray in the second round of Indian Wells in March, falling to Murray in the fourth round of the US Open and now beating Monfils this week. They have split their previous two meetings.

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WHAT’S AT STAKE –
Singles Winner:    €$107,000 and 250 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points
Runner-up:             $56,300 and 150 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points
 
FINALS HISTORY –
Murray: Appearing in his 28th ATP World Tour level final…….He is 18-9 in finals (2-1 in 2011)
Young:  Appearing in his  1st ATP World Tour final

ATP World Tour Title Leaders – Murray is trying to capture his third ATP World Tour title of the season and if he does, he will be the fifth player to win three or more titles in 2011:

                                    No.
Djokovic, Novak             10  
Soderling, Robin             4  
Almagro, Nicolas             3  
Nadal, Rafael                  3 
del Potro, Juan Martin     2
Ferrer, David                  2
Isner, John                     2
Murray, Andy                 2
Simon, Gilles                  2

First-Time ATP Winners (9) - Young is trying to become the 10th or 11th first-time winner on the ATP World Tour this year. Janko Tipsarevic is in the Kuala Lumpur final. Players trying to win their first ATP World Tour title are 9-9 in finals this year. Here is a look at the winners list:

Player/Nationality                   Age             Tournament
Kevin Anderson (RSA)             24               Johannesburg
Ivan Dodig (CRO)                   26               Zagreb
Milos Raonic (CAN)                 20               San Jose
Pablo Andujar (ESP)                25               Casablanca
Ryan Sweeting (USA)              23               Houston
Andreas Seppi (ITA)               27               Eastbourne
Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)     22               Umag
Robin Haase (NED)                 24               Kitzbuehel
Florian Mayer (GER)                27               Bucharest

SUNDAY CHAMPIONSHIP FEDEX HEAD 2 HEADS  --

Centre Court

(1)Andy Murray (GBR) vs Donald Young (USA) Tied 1-1
11 ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells  Hard R64 Donald Young 7-6(4)  6-3
11 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Andy Murray 6-2    6-3  6-3

Murray FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
W: London / Queen's Club (d Tsonga); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati (d Djokovic); F: Australian Open (l Djokovic); SF: ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo (l Nadal); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome (l Djokovic); Roland Garros (l Nadal); Wimbledon (l Nadal); US Open (l Nadal)
YTD W-L: 44-11
YTD Titles: 2
Career Titles: 18
Date of Birth: May 15, 1987
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 4

• Murray, 24, comes into his fourth final of the season with a 44-11 match record on the year (23-6 on hard), winning 15 of his past 16 matches…During that span, won his second title of the year at ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati (d. Djokovic), reached the semi-finals at the US Open (l. to Nadal) and won a pair of Davis Cup matches vs. Hungary…Has an 18-9 career record in finals (8-2 indoors, won last six)
• Leads the tournament with 29 of 31 service games held this week (94%), saving five of seven break points, and leads in second serve points won (66%)…Has converted 10 of 20 break points
• He is making his third appearance in Bangkok (7-2 record), the first since 2006 when he lost to countryman Tim Henman in the first round…The previous year he made his debut ranked No. 109 and reached his first ATP World Tour final (l. to No. 1 Federer)
• Has already qualified for season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London along with Djokovic, Nadal and Federer…Stands No. 3 in 2011 ATP Year-to-Date Rankings (ahead of Federer)
• In June, won his second Queen’s Club title in London (d. Roddick in SF, Tsonga in F) and followed with semi-final at Wimbledon (l. to Nadal)
• Went into the clay court circuit with a 6-4 match record before reaching the semi-finals in Monte-Carlo (l. to Nadal in three sets)…He then made 3rd Rd. in Madrid (d. Simon, l. to Bellucci) and semi-finals at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome (l. to Djokovic) and Roland Garros (l. to Nadal)
• He began the season with a second straight runner-up at the Australian Open (l. to Djokovic) and then lost three straight opening round matches before turning things around on clay in April, going 12-4
• He posted a career-best 21-4 mark in Grand Slam play, reaching SFs or better for first time in a season

Young FastFacts:
2011 Highlights:
SF: Washington (l Stepanek)
YTD W-L: 18-13
YTD Titles: 0/Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: July 23, 1989
South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking: 55

• Young, 22, is appearing in his first career ATP World Tour final…Since the beginning of August, he has won 12 of his past 15 matches and has climbed from No. 128 on Aug. 1 to around No. 43 by reaching the final, his first Top 50 appearance on Monday…IF wins, will move to around No. 40
• He has an 18-13 ATP World Tour match record (15-9 on hard) this season after 6-10 start…Has a 13-5 mark in Challengers with one title (Tallahassee, d. Odesnik) and runner-up in Savannah (l. to Odesnik) in May
• On Aug. 6, he reached his first ATP semi-final in Washington, defeating No. 18 Jurgen Melzer (by ret.) and No. 26 Marcos Baghdatis before losing to eventual champ Radek Stepanek…Then lost 2nd Rd. in Winston-Salem
• Has broken opponents a tournament-best 16 times this week and No. 3 in 2nd serve pts. won (57%)
• This is the left-hander’s first tournament since reaching a career-best 4th Rd. at US Open where he posted wins over No. 14 Wawrinka in five sets (2nd Rd.) and No. 24 Chela (3rd Rd.) before losing to No. 4 Murray... Afterwards jumped from 84 to No. 57 and comes in this week ranked a career-high 55
• Has four Top 20 wins and eight overall Top 50 wins this season after defeating No. 35 Garcia-Lopez on Thursday and No. 9 Monfils on Saturday…Has a 2-4 career mark vs. Top 10 opponents and in March in Indian Wells, posted his first Top 10 win over No. 5 Andy Murray in 2nd Rd.
• The Atlanta resident is 4-2 in main draw matches in Bangkok  after 1st Rd. losses in 2008-09

American Title Winners – Young is trying to become the fifth American to win an ATP World Tour title in 2011. Americans are 5-4 in finals with all five titles coming on U.S. soil:
                          No.
John Isner           2 (Newport, Winston-Salem)
Mardy Fish           1 (Atlanta)
Andy Roddick      1 (Memphis)
Ryan Sweeting    1 (Houston)

DOUBLES FINAL -- (1) Marach/Qureshi (AUT/PAK) vs. Kohlmann/Waske (GER/GER)
• Oliver Marach and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, the No. 1 seeds, have lost one set in their first three matches, but beat No. 3 seeds Bolelli/Fognini in straight sets in the semi-finals, 64 61
• Marach and Qureshi are playing their first ATP World Tour doubles final together
• Michael Kohlmann and Alexander Waske, unseeded, have taken out two seeded teams en route to the final, No. 4 seeds Hanley/Norman and No. 2 seeds Erlich/Ram
• Kohlmann and Waske have a 2-1 record in ATP World Tour doubles finals
• ATP World Tour doubles final W-L records: Marach (10-8), Qureshi (2-7), Kohlmann (5-13), Waske (4-3)