Organisers announced to a whistling Foro Italico crowd that the unseeded Spaniard had failed a late fitness test, bringing to an end his run of 11 successive victories on clay.

``There is nothing I can do,'' said a disconsolate Costa, denied the chance to become the first unseeded Italian champion for 25 years. ``I tried to hit some balls before the match and I had no power. There was no way.''

ATP Tour doctor Giovanni di Giacomo described the injury as a serious sprain and said it would prevent Costa from picking up a racket for at least five days, putting his appearance at the French Open, which starts on May 25, in doubt.

Ironically, Costa had won last week's Hamburg Open in similar fashion when his compatriot Alex Corretja was struck down by fatigue in the final.

Martinez too strong

BERLIN: Conchita Martinez endedthe run of French qualifier Amelia Mauresmo to end an 18-month title drought and claim the German Open Championship with a 6-4 6-4 victory here today.

The win earned Martinez $150,000 with 50,000 going to 18-year-old Mauresmo.