Tennis: Finland's finest finally finds form in the final

A virtual unknown before the tournament, Jarkko Nieminen certainly caught the attention of tennis fans this week, especially Helen Clark.

Soon after the Prime Minister had taken her seat in her corporate box, Nieminen fired down a blistering serve that tipped off Mario Ancic's racket and flew into Clark's box forcing her companions, which included Maori queen Dame Atairangikaahu, to dive for cover.

Nieminen doesn't have the type of game that makes people sit up and take notice in the way Andy Roddick fires down aces and Andre Agassi reels off blistering ground strokes.

But he has the game capable of winning tournaments, as he proved yesterday, and could force his way close to the world's top 10.

The 24-year-old went into the match trying to break a five-year drought on the ATP circuit which had many labelling the Finn as possibly the best player never to have won a tournament. He also had some labelling him a choker considering yesterday was his fifth ATP final.

However, a scan of some of his opponents from those finals - Roger Federer, David Nalbandian and Gaston Gaudio - would suggest this is a little unfair.

"It feels so great," he admitted. "I have been in the final four times and about 10 times in the semifinal and I felt that my game was good enough to win a title but I never did it before.

"I didn't feel any pressure because of that but now it is behind me so it will be easier next time. Hopefully I will be in many other finals."


But the teetotal Nieminen has little time to celebrate his win as he faces Australian wildcard Marc Kimmich in the first round of the Australian Open tomorrow.


No matter what happens there, the world No 29 will return to Finland as something of a national hero, as his win was the first by a Finn on the ATP Tour.


"It's a first for my country and is a big thing," Nieminen said. "It feels so great but I have to forget about it now [and concentrate on the Australian Open].


"One of my goals for this year was to win my first title and now I have done it in the second week of the year - I couldn't have more confidence going to Melbourne."


No doubt he will be wanting to make an impression there as well.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY