Amersfoort Champ Out; Coria on Track for Stuttgart Title

ATP REVIEW/PREVIEW
Defending champion Juan Ignacio Chela was forcibly put on a plane Thursday in Amersfoort, losing to hence-unknown Spaniard Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-1, 6-1 in an embarrassing exit stage left. "I wasn't expecting to play so badly," said Chela, summing up his Amersfoort experience. "He has a great forehand." No. 6-seeded Dutchman "Everybody Loves" Raemon Sluiter beat Wawrinka, while Dutchman John van Lottum's match with Markus Hipfl was postponed due to rain in the first set. Yay Amersfoort. "When the top-seeds of the tournament were knocked out, I thought I had a good chance to reach the final again this year and defend the title," Chela said. Well think again! In Stuttgart Thursday, No. 2 seed Guillermo Coria rolled through Spaniard David Ferrer 6-1, 6-1, looking unbeatable now that top-seeded Carlos Moya is out of the picture. Other seeds advancing were (3)Schuettler (d. (15)Corretja), (12)Youzhny (upset (5)Novak), (9)Robredo (d. (Q)Vanek), and (6)Gonzalez (d. (11)Nieminen). Among the upset-minded were Germany's Tomas Behrend (d. (13)Mirnyi, after earlier beating Grosjean), Spain's F.Lopez (d. (10)El Aynaoui), and Volandri (d. (14)Davydenko in three).

Seeds in action Friday at the anemic Amersfoort are (7)Massu vs. (WC)van Scheppingen, and Ramirez Hidalgo vs. (6)Sluiter. In the Stuttgart quarterfinals are Volandri vs. (9)Robredo (Volandri has never reached an ATP semifinal), Behrend vs. (6)Gonzalez (Behrend has never reached an ATP semifinal), (12)Youzhny vs. (2)Coria (tied 1-1), and F.Lopez vs. (3)Schuettler.

WTA REVIEW/PREVIEW
The Fed Cup quarterfinals begin Saturday, with the U.S. vs. Italy, Belgium vs. Slovak Republic, Slovenia vs. Russia, and Spain vs. France. There is also World Group Playoff action to see which countries get banished to the minor leagues for 2004, featuring Argentina vs. Hungary, Australia vs. Colombia, Austria vs. Canada, Croatia vs. Brazil, South Africa vs. Czech Republic, Indonesia vs. Germany, Japan vs. Sweden, and Switzerland vs. Israel.Fed Cup World Group Quarterfinal Match Preview:

SLOVAK REPUBLIC AT BELGIUM
Site: Spiroudome, Charleroi, BEL
Surface: hardcourt (indoor)
Ball Type: Dunlop Fort All Court

Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne pounding the Husarovas,
Gajdosovas, Kurhajcovas, and Fislovas of the Slovak Republic in Belgium.
See: Belgium into the semifinals.

NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Roger Federer launched his own line of fragrances at a press conference in Gstaad earlier this week. The line, which is called "RF - Roger Federer," was launched at the Allianz Suisse Open with the slogan "Feel the Touch." We're not making this up...Andre Agassi attended the launch of the new men's fragrance "Aramis Life" at Christie's in New York City on Wednesday...Tennis-X staff attended the launch of the new Tennis-X.com fragrance "Stank" on Friday...Anna Kournikova's agent is now saying she may miss the US Open...Andre Agassi has only once finished as the year-end No. 1 ranked player…Following a press conference announcing a new event Thailand, Paradorn Srichaphan headed over to a golf event where the star revealed: "I've never hit a hole in one. I don't have much time to play golf, so I just play it for fun."