By Tym Glaser,
Associate Editor - Sport
JAMAICAN teenager Ryan Russell battled his way into the final of the Cable & Wireless/ITF Men's Futures tournament after a gruelling semi-final clash with Venezuela's Ezequiel Nastari at the Liguanea Club yesterday.
Russell was forced to labour for two hours before overcoming the South American 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 and will now meet Argentina's Nicolas Todero in the event's ultimate match scheduled for 10:00 this morning.
Russell started the semi-final in fine style on serve but then dropped four straight games as Nastari capitalised on a pile of unforced errors and ill-advised charges to the net by the local hero.
A break back by Russell in the sixth game did little to stem the tide as Nastari won the next two to clinch the set and then promptly broke again in the first game of the second.
In a match where both players' serves were non-factors, Russell broke back, Nastari returned the compliment straight away and Russell then broke again. At 2-2, the Jamaican finally held serve in what ultimately proved to be the key game of the encounter.
The Venezuelan started to wilt in the heat and Russell smartly rattled off the next three games to even the match at a set apiece.
The third set was also a serving disaster but Russell broke Nastari four times and managed to hold twice to seal victory.
After the match, a tired Russell said when he was down a set and a break he was forced to dig deep.
"I just said to myself I am here at home and I am still feeling good," he said. "I just have to give 100 per cent.
"I wasn't feeling the ball and was making all the mistakes while he was very solid. I won some close points in the second set and he started to tire. He returned very well all day though; his return was better than his serve."
Todero was pushed for most of the first set of his semi-final with American Gavin Sontag before stepping up a gear and winning 7-5, 6-2.
The 21-year-old who has won five tournaments at this level has practised with Russell and knows he will have his work cut out against the rookie today.
"Ryan is very talented," Todero said. "He is a good one for the future. In fact, he is very good now."
In yesterday's doubles final, Jamaica's Jermaine Smith and Scott Willinsky outclassed Britain's Justin Layne and Croatia's Mirko Pehar 6-2, 7-5.
