It's Grosjean vs Hewitt

SYDNEY, NOV. 17. Sebastien Grosjean on Saturday became the first Frenchman to reach a year-end Masters Cup final with a convincing 6-4, 6-2 win over Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov here.

Grosjean, who finished second behind newly-crowned World no.1 Lleyton Hewitt in the John Newcombe round-robin group, swept to victory in one hour nine minutes.

He will play Hewitt, who defeated Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero 6- 4, 6-3, in Sunday's final.

Grosjean, who will lead his country against Australia in the Davis Cup final in Melbourne later this month, only qualified for the Sydney Masters Cup by winning in Paris a fortnight ago.

The diminutive 23-year-old Frenchman, playing in the best form of his career, broke Kafelnikov's service four times to be in control of the semifinal played indoors on hardcourt at the Sydney Superdome.

Grosjean enters the Masters Cup final the winner of two titles - Paris and last year on grass in Nottingham, England.

It was a disappointing end for Kafelnikov, who was competing in the year-end championship for a seventh successive year and had beaten Grosjean three times in their four previous meetings.

Grosjean's only success over 27-year-old Kafelnikov was over four sets in the Masters series final in Paris recently. Yet, Kafelnikov bows out of the season having finished in the world top ten for the sixth time in seven years.

Kafelnikov's loss leaves 20-year-old Hewitt the only unbeaten player left in the Masters Cup.

Newly-crowned world no.1 Hewitt will have to soldier on through a worrying groin injury if he is to fend off Sebastien Grosjean and win the final.

Hewitt, backing up a day after seizing the top ranking spot from Gustavo Kuerten, vanquished Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in one hour 30 minutes.

The two young Turks are their respective countries' gun players for the November 30-December 2 Davis Cup final on grass at Melbourne Park.

Hewitt remains on course for an unbeaten run at the Masters Cup and should he overcome Grosjean he will walk away with $1.52 million. Hewitt, the youngest player at 20 to finish a season at no.1 since Jimmy Connors in 1974, said he aggravated the injury during Friday's straight sets win over compatriot Pat Rafter.

``Halfway through the match against Pat it got worse and I actually hurt it more serving for the match in the last game, but I won't be taking an (pain-killing) injection before Sunday's match,'' said Hewitt.

``If it doesn't come up right I won't be risking it, but I'm going to give myself every opportunity with treatment over the next 18 hours before the match.''

- AFP

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