Sport | Sailing

Unheralded Ferreira had the last laugh

Cash, Bruguera, Ivanisevic among top names who fell early

  • Staff Report
  • Published: 00:00 February 3, 2012
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: Gulf News Archives
  • Wayne Ferreira, winner of the 1995 Dubai Open tennis tournament, and Shaikh Hasher Maktoum, Dubai Director of Information, during the presentation ceremony at the Aviation Club.

Dubai: The 1995 title went to a surprised Wayne Ferreira, who was weary after doing Davis Cup duty in South Africa. But having already experienced the now famous tournament hospitality, he was unable to resist another visit to Dubai and he swept all before him. Seeded four, he overcame Italy's Andrea Gaudenzi, who also made an unexpected run to the final 6-3, 6-3.

The year also saw the appearance of former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash as more and more household names decided to witness for themselves what was fast becoming one of the most popular and talked about tournaments on the ATP Tour.

Cash was one of those who fell to an inspired Ferreira, in the quarter-finals. The top seed was once again Sergi Bruguera, and once again he came up short, having to default his second round match against Javier Sanchez. The second seed was the charismatic Goran Ivanisevic, but he lost in the opening round as he became the first victim of the unfancied Gaudenzi.

Doubles heroes

The doubles once again attracted a world-class field. Pat Cash teamed up with fellow Aussie and former champion John Fitzgerald, but they were beaten in the semi-finals by eventual champions Grant Connell and Patrick Galbraith. That pair went on to claim a hard-fought 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Tomas Carbonell and Francisco Roig.

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