Mark Nielsen came within a point of ending the drought of New Zealand men's players winning events at home when he was defeated in the final of the US$15,000 Futures in Hamilton in a third-set tie break.
Nielsen, 27, lost to top seed Vasilis Mazarakis of Greece 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (5) in an enthralling, 2 1/2 -hour match.
For Nielsen, who has been ranked as high as 172 in the world, it was his third final in New Zealand after runner-up places in Blenheim and North Harbour in 2002.
Hamilton was his tenth final for only one success - China in 2000.
Mazarakis, ranked at 281, had the early advantage in the first set, moving to a 3-1 lead with relative ease, but Nielsen then reeled off the next three games to lead 4-3. But the Greek No 1 managed to maintain his composure and take the set 7-5.
The second was all Nielsen, who served and volleyed and charged the net at every occasion to counter the phenomenal speed of Mazarakis.
The final set had the top seed up 5-3 before Nielsen held his serve in a long game where he saved two match points as well. He then broke Mazarakis and then held his own serve and had a match point on Mazarakis' serve.
The match went to a tie break, where Mazarakis led 5-1. In yet another comeback, Nielsen won the next three points, starved off a match point before double faulting to give the match to Mazarakis seven points to five.
Although disappointed at the loss and his finish, Nielsen, ranked at 616, was happy with the standard of his tennis throughout the week.
"I was behind and then came back and then he'd get in front. I think I volleyed the best of my life out there. I can't complain. I played well," he said.
"He was the No 1 seed, but that doesn't mean I should feel good about losing to him. Mazarakis is very athletic. He made every point hard."
Nielsen and Mazarakis will now play the second US$15,000 Futures indoors at North Harbour, starting tomorrow.
Nielsen is also a certainty to be named in the New Zealand Davis Cup team today to face Kazakhstan at North Harbour in just over a week.
Tennis: Double fault ends Nielsen's bid for Futures title
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