Srichaphan Avoids Home Choke, Seeds Go Tumbling at WTA Leipzig, 2004 Davis Cup Draw Released

If you're Thai star and No. 4 seed Paradorn Srichaphan, how do you make your debut at your country's first-ever ATP event in Bangkok? How about choking away the first set 0-6 against Vladimir Voltchkov, before regaining your composure to win 6-3, 6-2 in the next two sets? "I lost in the first set because he played well," said the lying Thai. "I was quite nervous because of more expectation, but I tried to us my talents and experience to win. Most players attending Thailand Open played in Davis Cup, and some are not in good shape but I can't lose because I play in my hometown in front of my home crowd." Other seeded winners Wednesday were (1)Ferrero (d. D.Norman), (3)Moya (d. (Q)Luxa), and (8)Dent (d. Moodie). Italians were 0-2 on the day in Sanguinetti (l. to Ulihrach) and Galimberti (l. to Bogomolov), while Carraz ousted (7)Santoro in an all-French affair, and wilcard Prakash Amritraj narrowly lost to Nicolas Thomann of France 6-3 in the third.

It's always dicey playing a lower-ranked countryman you practice with, as No. 3-seeded David Sanchez found out in Palermo Wednesday when he was tripped up 7-6 in the third by Challenger-level Spaniard Oscar Hernandez. In other matches, (1)Massu advanced when Acasuso retired in the second set with injury, and (4)Volandri subdued Italian countryman and wildcard Aldi 6-2, 7-5. "After the Davis Cup tie last week against Zimbabwe (which they lost) I felt very tired before and during the match," Italy's Volandri said. "I just had to hang in there and try and win it and that's what I did. I felt that the crowd was more in support of him because he is from Palermo but now I hope the crowd will be on my side until the end of the tournament." Not after that Davis Cup performance last weekend. Un-seeds advancing were Romania's Hanescu (d. Andrev) and Spain's Montanes (d. Behrend).

Matches of interest Thursday:
Shanghai: (all first-time meetings) are Taino vs. (WC)Canas, Draper vs. (2)Verkerk, Salzenstein vs. (3)Philippoussis, "Dr." Ivo Karlovic vs. Kiefer, Arthurs vs. (LL)Suzuki, and the 19-year-old Swede Soderling vs. American car crash Justin Gimelstob.
Bangkok: the all-Croatian Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic vs. Ivan "Andy Roddick Fan Club President" Ljubicic (first meeting), (8)Dent vs. Ascione, Vahaly vs. (3)Moya, (4)Srichaphan vs. Carlsen (Carlsen leads series 1-0), (1)Ferrero vs. Bogomolov, and (5)Nieminen vs. Ulihrach.
Palermo on the dirt: Puerta vs. (8)Horna, (5)Mathieu vs. (Q)Almagro, veteran Franco "The Squirrel" Squillari vs. (4)Volandri, and (6)A.Martin vs. Blanco in an all-Spanish coin flip (tied 2-2 in career meetings). Puerta is 4-12 thus far in 2003.

WTA REVIEW/PREVIEW
Three of the four seeds in action went tumbling Wednesday in Leipzig, with the winners including Patty "Pissed That I'm Not Seeded" Schnyder (d. (5)Daniela "Point Me Towards the Food Court" Hantuchova 7-6 in the third), qualifier Maria Vento-Kabchi (d. (8)Farina Elia), qualifier Sandra Kleinova (d. (4)Maleeva), and (3)Myskina winning one for the seeds (d. Russian countrywoman Krasnoroutskaya). "She's just short on confidence and is still emotional," said Hantuchova's coach Nigel Sears. "But she's playing well and just needs to feel that. This was a good performance, she just needs to win." Good performance aren't enough to pick up the Wendy's tab, especially if you coach is working on a percentage. The quote you won't see from Sears is "Why can't she win!?! Dammit!! Stop crying!!"

On the schedule today in Leipzig are (Q)Callens vs. Alexandra "Dr. A" Stevenson, (WC)Groenefeld vs. Petrova, Denisa "Hanging" Chladkova vs. Henin-Hardenne, and in the feature match, Clijsters vs. Dokic (The Belgian leads the head-to-head 5-2, including a 6-2, 6-0 thrashing earlier this year at Miami).

2004 DAVIS CUP WORLD GROUP DRAW
First round Feb. 6-8, 2004:

Sweden at Australia
Austria at United States
Russia at Belarus
Argentina at Morocco
Switzerland at Romania
Croatia at France
Canada at Netherlands
Spain at Czech Republic

ATP TOP 10 PLAYERS ENTERED IN UPCOMING EVENTS
Excludes players who take last-minute wildcards (Top 10 at time of tournament entry, as of Sept. 25, 2004):
Tokyo -- Novak, Schuettler
Metz -- none
Moscow -- none
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Vienna -- Ferrero, Federer, Coria, Moya, Novak
Lyon -- Schuettler, Grosjean
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TMS-Madrid -- "Mandatory attendance"
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Basel -- Ferrero, Roddick, Federer, Coria, Moya, Nalbandian
Stockholm -- Agassi
St. Petersburg -- Schuettler, Grosjean
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TMS-Paris -- "Mandatory attendance"
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Tennis Masters Cup -- Top 8 players

NOTES, QUOTES, AND BARBS
Marat Safin will give the injured wrist another go next week at the Moscow Open in Russia -- is the wrist really healed or is it just pressure to play the home-town event? "We want Marat back, Russian fans want him back, the tournament also needs him, so we're all praying for him to come back as soon as possible," said Kremlin Cup chairman Shamil Tarpishchev. Sounds shaky...Thomas Johansson, who hasn't played since November 2002 with knee problems, could be out the rest of 2003 also: "Things don't look too bright," Johansson's coach Magnus Tideman told Reuters. "He is likely to miss out on most of the year. We haven't given up on this year, though...we're still aiming at the Stockholm Open. He is still at the gym most of the time." The Swede underwent knee surgery in February of this year...Boris Becker, convicted of tax evasion last year in Germany, plans to move to Switzerland, his spokesman told Reuters. The former No. 1 founded a sports marketing company with Swiss business partner Hans-Dieter Cleven. "I am looking forward to my life in Switzerland. Friends of mine have praised the attractions of the country in the highest tones," Becker said in a statement. "Of course, I will still remain true to Germany." Wow, out of the Davis Cup World Group, and now losing Becker to Switzerland -- hey Germany, "ouch." Maybe Becker can play No. 2 singles for the Swiss behind Club Fed, bring Switzerland home the Davis Cup?...Martina Navratoliva says she'll give it another full year on tour in 2004 playing doubles, then make the transition into politics: "If Arnold Schwarzenegger can run for governor in California, then who knows? I have the muscles. I will be involved, especially the way things are going right now. The conservative party is too strong...I felt 50-50 about playing next year, but then the idea of playing in the 2004 Olympics came up and that was a big carrot. I enjoy playing tennis but I also enjoy not playing tennis. I love life whether it's with or without tennis."...Did coach Brad Gilbert advise his protege Andy Roddick to also pull out of Tokyo? Would seem like the smart thing to do since he had already pulled from Thailand, and there is no rankings rush since he has already qualified from the Masters Cup, and he is only one good tournament result away from taking over the No. 1 ranking for the first time. Why not pull from a couple tournaments and rest up for the two upcoming Tennis Masters Series events in Madrid and Paris? Too bad for Bangkok and Tokyo, which had already invested money in promoting A-Rod as their top draw...As expected, the Aussies will put the Spaniards on grass for the Davis Cup final, with the Oz team boasting a Wimbledon winner in Lleyton Hewitt and a runner-up in Mark Philippoussis. A portable grasscourt will be installed at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena for the final, which begins on Nov. 28...The once-proud Italian Davis Cup team is mired in Euro-African Zone Group Two, a good six wins and two years at best from getting a shot at the World Group...The doubles team of Navratilova/Kuznetsova are working to qualify for the year-end WTA doubles championship, which Navratilova last qualified for nine years ago: "I think we should get there now," Navratilova said. "I think we overtake (Lindsay) Davenport and (Lisa) Raymond now and I don't think Davenport will play much more this year because of her knee. So two pairs would have to play very well to overtake us."