2008 PBZ Zagreb Indoors
Encyclopedia
The 2008 PBZ Zagreb Indoors was a tennis
tournament played on indoor hard courts. It was the 5th edition of the PBZ Zagreb Indoors
, and was part of the International Series
of the 2008 ATP Tour
. It took place at Dom Sportova
in Zagreb
, Croatia
, from February 23 through March 1, 2008.
The singles field was headlined by Doha semifinalist and recent South African Airways Open
Challenger
titlist Ivan Ljubičić
, Rotterdam semifinalist Ivo Karlović
, and Marseille quarterfinalist and Rotterdam semifinalist Gilles Simon
. Also present in the field were Sydney semifinalist Fabrice Santoro
, Chennai semifinalist Mario Ančić
, Nicolas Mahut
, Andreas Seppi
and Janko Tipsarević
.
, who entered the tournament as world number 209, became the first lucky loser
to reach an ATP Tour final since Nicklas Kulti
at Halle
in 1999. In winning the title he became the first lucky loser to take a trophy home since Christian Miniussi
at São Paulo
in 1991, and only the fourth to do it in the history of the ATP Tour.
Sergiy Stakhovsky
def.
Ivan Ljubičić
, 7–5, 6–4
Paul Hanley
/ Jordan Kerr
def.
Christopher Kas
/
Rogier Wassen
, 6–3, 3–6, 10–8
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
tournament played on indoor hard courts. It was the 5th edition of the PBZ Zagreb Indoors
PBZ Zagreb Indoors
PBZ Zagreb Indoors is a tennis event on the ATP Tour held in the Croatian capital of Zagreb. From 2009 it is part of the ATP 250 Series and offered 250 ranking points. The tournament is played on a fast and hard indoor surface and features both a men's singles and a men's doubles tournament.The...
, and was part of the International Series
ATP International Series
The International Series was a series of professional tennis tournaments held internationally as part of the ATP Tour until 2008....
of the 2008 ATP Tour
2008 ATP Tour
The ATP Tour is the elite tour for professional tennis organized by the Association of Tennis Professionals. The ATP Tour includes the four Grand Slam tournaments, the Tennis Masters Cup, the ATP Masters Series, the International Series Gold and the International Series tournaments.-Schedule:This...
. It took place at Dom Sportova
Dom Sportova
Dom Sportova is an indoor sporting arena, located in Zagreb, Croatia. The venue was built in 1972, on Trešnjevka, in the western part of the city. It has 32,000 m² of floorspace, and it features six halls...
in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, from February 23 through March 1, 2008.
The singles field was headlined by Doha semifinalist and recent South African Airways Open
2008 ATP Challenger Series
The ATP Challenger Series is the second tier tour for professional tennis organised by the ATP. The ATP Challenger Series includes tournaments with prize money ranging from $25,000 up to $150,000.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:...
Challenger
ATP Challenger Series
The ATP Challenger Tour, known until the end of 2008 as the ATP Challenger Series, is a series of international men's professional tennis tournaments...
titlist Ivan Ljubičić
Ivan Ljubicic
----Ivan Ljubičić is a Croatian tennis player born in Bosnia and Herzegovina . His career-high ATP ranking to date has been no. 3, and he stands at no. 37....
, Rotterdam semifinalist Ivo Karlović
Ivo Karlovic
Ivo Karlović is a Croatian tennis player. He has won four ATP singles titles: three in 2007 and one in 2008. Karlović is the tallest player ever on the ATP Tour at 208 cm . He is a serve-and-volleyer, Karlovic holds the fastest serve recorded in professional tennis, measured at 251 km/h ...
, and Marseille quarterfinalist and Rotterdam semifinalist Gilles Simon
Gilles Simon
Gilles Simon is a French professional tennis player and former world no. 6. He is a nine-time winner on the ATP World Tour...
. Also present in the field were Sydney semifinalist Fabrice Santoro
Fabrice Santoro
Fabrice Vetea Santoro is a retired French professional male tennis player from Tahiti. Though not counted among the top ranked players, he had an unusually long professional career – with many of his accomplishments coming toward the end of his career – and he is popular among spectators and other...
, Chennai semifinalist Mario Ančić
Mario Ancic
Mario Ančić is a retired Croatian professional tennis player. He won three singles titles and five doubles titles. His highest international ranking came during the 2006 ATP Tour, when he reached no. 7 in singles...
, Nicolas Mahut
Nicolas Mahut
Nicolas Pierre Armand Mahut is a French tennis player. Mahut is right-handed and has previously won the Orange Bowl in 1999, becoming professional in 2000. He is a good serve and volleyer and a doubles expert, having won many tournaments with his doubles partner Julien Benneteau. His career high...
, Andreas Seppi
Andreas Seppi
Andreas Seppi is a professional tennis player from South Tyrol, northern Italy, who turned professional in 2000. He considers clay and hard courts his favourite surfaces. and is coached by Massimo Sartori....
and Janko Tipsarević
Janko Tipsarevic
Janko Tipsarević is a Serbian tennis player. His career-high ranking is No. 9, achieved on 14 November 2011. He is the 117th player in history to crack the top 10....
.
Lucky Loser Wins Title
Twenty-two-year-old Ukrainian Sergiy StakhovskySergiy Stakhovsky
Sergiy Stakhovsky is a Ukrainian professional tennis player. Stakhovsky turned professional in 2003 and had been playing mostly at the Challenger level from 2005–2008. His career high in singles of #31 and his high of #86 in doubles...
, who entered the tournament as world number 209, became the first lucky loser
Lucky loser (tennis)
A lucky loser is a sports player who loses a match in the final qualifying round of a knockout tournament, but who then enters the main draw when another player withdraws after the tournament has started because of illness or injury. The lucky loser then enters the main draw, normally in place of...
to reach an ATP Tour final since Nicklas Kulti
Nicklas Kulti
Nicklas Kulti is a former professional tennis player from Sweden.Kulti was ranked the World No. 1 junior tennis player in 1989 after winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior titles, and finishing runner-up at the US Open.In 1990, Kulti won his first top-level singles title at Adelaide...
at Halle
Gerry Weber Open
The Gerry Weber Open is a tennis tournament held in Halle, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Held since 1993, the tournament is played on four outdoor grass courts and is a part of the ATP World Tour 250 series on the ATP Tour schedule....
in 1999. In winning the title he became the first lucky loser to take a trophy home since Christian Miniussi
Christian Miniussi
Christian Carlos Miniussi Ventureira is a former tennis player from Argentina.Miniussi turned professional in 1984. He started playing tennis at the Adrogué Tennis Club and he also represented his native country as a lucky loser at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, where he was defeated in...
at São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
in 1991, and only the fourth to do it in the history of the ATP Tour.
Singles
Sergiy StakhovskySergiy Stakhovsky
Sergiy Stakhovsky is a Ukrainian professional tennis player. Stakhovsky turned professional in 2003 and had been playing mostly at the Challenger level from 2005–2008. His career high in singles of #31 and his high of #86 in doubles...
def.
Ivan LjubičićIvan Ljubicic
----Ivan Ljubičić is a Croatian tennis player born in Bosnia and Herzegovina . His career-high ATP ranking to date has been no. 3, and he stands at no. 37....
, 7–5, 6–4
- It was Sergiy Stakhovsky's 1st career title.
Doubles
Paul HanleyPaul Hanley (tennis)
Paul Jason Hanley is a professional male tennis player from Australia, specialising in doubles. His parents, Jay and Judy, co-own a tennis centre, one of the main reasons Hanley pursued a career in the sport.He lost the 2005 Wimbledon finals in mixed doubles, playing with Tatiana Perebiynis...
/
Jordan KerrJordan Kerr
Jordan Kerr is an Australian professional tennis player. His highest ATP singles ranking is 356th, which he reached on 7 August 2000. His career high in doubles was at 23rd, which he reached on 18 August 2008...
def.
Christopher KasChristopher Kas
Christopher Kas is a professional German tennis player. His highest ATP singles ranking is No. 224, which he reached on 4 November 2002. His career high in doubles is No. 23 set at 3 November 2008.-Doubles: 15 :...
/
Rogier WassenRogier Wassen
Rogier Wassen is a Dutch tennis player who competes regularly on the ATP Tour as a doubles player.Wassen reached his highest doubles ranking on the ATP Tour on 10 September 2007 when he became world no. 24. The right-hander has won three ATP doubles titles...
, 6–3, 3–6, 10–8