Safin Outlasted by The Beast in Davis Cup Play, Philippoussis Upset
Posted on February 8, 2004
Sweden at Australia -- Tied 1-1Friday Results:
Thomas Enqvist (SWE) d. Mark Philippoussis (AUS) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
Get ready for a media manure-rain to come down on Flipper, who has now lost six straight sets in his last two matches. Flip thrashed by Enqvist's return game.
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) d. Robin Soderling (SWE) 6-4, 6-3, 6-1
The ever-steady Aussie ties the all-time Australian singles win record for Davis Cup matches, and schools the rookie Swede in the process.
Saturday:
Wayne Arthurs/Todd Woodbridge (AUS) vs. Jonas Bjorkman/Joachim Johansson (SWE)
The intrigue lies with Woodbridge and Bjorkman, regular partners on tour, now playing each other, and Joachim "Lleyton's sister's boyfriend" Johansson competing against the Aussies. Another must-win match for the Swedes.
Sunday:
Philippoussis (AUS) vs. Soderling (SWE)
Flip beat the Swede in their only meeting last year on hardcourt at Shanghai.
Hewitt (AUS) vs. Enqvist (SWE)
A barn-burner if it goes this far.
Austria at USA -- U.S. leads 2-0
Friday Results:
Robby Ginepri (USA) d. Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer (AUT) 6-7(6), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
Tuna melt blows a two-set-to-love lead after Ginepri chokes the first set with a double fault to lose serve up break point, and a double at 6-6 in the first set tiebreak. You need to learn how to close it tuna melt.
Andy Roddick (USA) d. Stefan "Tony" Koubek (AUT) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
A-Rod rolls Koubek to put the U.S. up 2-0; it will be a shocker if the Bryans don't put it away on Saturday.
Saturday:
Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) vs. Julian Knowle/Alexander Peya (AUT)
Austrian low-wattage doubles specialists in a huge uphill battle against 2003 year-end No. 1s.
Sunday:
Roddick (USA) vs. Melzer (AUT)
Should be a dead rubber by this point -- Roddick and Tuna have never faced each other on tour.
Ginepri (USA) vs. Koubek (AUT)
Another first-time meeting, another dead rubber.
Russia at Belarus -- Tied 1-1
Friday Results:
Igor Andreev (RUS) d. Vladimir Voltchkov (BLR) 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 5-7, 4-4, ret.
Russia gets a huge lucky break when Belarus' Voltchkov twists his ankle and retires, up two sets to one and two games from winning the match.
Max "The Beast" Mirnyi (BLR) d. Marat Safin 7-6(3), 7-6(5), 1-6, 4-6, 11-9
The Beast looks like he's going to choke the 2-0 sets lead, but pulls it out to keep BLR in the tie.
Saturday:
Mirnyi/Voltchkov (BLR) vs. Safin/Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)
Youzhny thrown into the mix after he was expected in singles, this one could go either way, with the nod to The Beast's doubles experience and Safin's general lack of doubles skills.
Sunday:
Mirnyi (BLR) vs. Andreev (RUS)
This would be a bad loss for The Beast.
Voltchkov (BLR) vs. Safin (RUS)
This would be a walk for Safin if it comes down to the fifth match.
Argentina at Morocco -- Argentina leads 2-0
Friday Results:
Guillermo "The Wizard" Coria (ARG) d. Mounir El Aarej (MAR) 6-1, 6-1, 6-4
Coria pounds the hapless Moroccan in a Davis Cup singles debut for both players. Morocco should have played captain Karim Alami instead.
David Nalbandian (ARG) d. Hicham Arazi (MAR) 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, 2-1, ret.
Arazi injures his leg in the fourth set and is forced to retire, leaving the Moroccans without their top two players in Younes El Aynaoui and Arazi. Bring in coach Karim Alami, or some Moroccan ball kids.
Saturday:
Arazi/El Aarej (MAR) vs. Lucas Arnold/Agustin Calleri (ARG)
Another bad look for the Moroccans, as El Aarej lost in both of his doubles appearances last year, one each with El Ayanaoui and Arazi. Should have went with Arazi/Alami, or someone out of the crowd.
Sunday:
Arazi (MAR) vs. Coria (ARG)
Likely a dead rubber.
El Aarej (MAR) vs. Nalbandian (ARG)
Ouch.
Switzerland at Romania -- Tied 1-1
Friday Results:
Andrei Pavel (ROM) d. Michel Kratochvil (SUI) 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
As expected, Pavel increases his career record to 2-0 over the Swiss.
Roger Federer (SUI) d. Victor Hanescu (ROM) 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-1
A slow start sees the world No. 1 trailing 2-4 in the first set tiebreak, but he keeps his composure and rolls to even the tie at 1-1.
Saturday:
Pavel/Gabriel Trifu (ROM) vs. Yves Allegro/Federer (SUI)
Bring in the "doubles experts," Trifu and Allegro, who don't do jack on the regular tour. This match demonstrates the lack of depth on both teams, with this match up in the air. Look for Fed to take control in the end.
Sunday:
Pavel (ROM) vs. Federer (SUI)
This is man-or-mouse time for Pavel, who could be in a position to clinch the tie or extend it to the fifth match.
Hanescu (ROM) vs. Kratochvil (SUI)
This would be the ugliest deciding match in D-Cup history.
Croatia at France -- Tied 1-1
Friday Results:
Arnaud Clement (FRA) d. Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic (CRO) 6-4, 6-3, 6-3
Baby Goran gets rolled in straights, opening the possibility of seeing gentle giant "Dr." Ivo Karlovic on Sunday.
Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) d. Thierry Ascione (FRA) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4
Ivan the Terrible rolls the neophyte Ascione, begging the question as to why captain Guy Forget went with him over the more experienced Nicolas Escude, or Michael Llodra. This tie should be 2-0, with Escude-Llodra clinching on Saturday, but now the French will be forced to put it away on Sunday.
Saturday:
Nicolas Escude/Michael Llodra (FRA) vs. Ancic/Ljubicic (CRO)
The Croats will bring the heat on the serve, but the French are the more experienced pair.
Sunday:
Clement (FRA) vs. Ljubicic (CRO)
This will likely be a must-win for Croatia to extend it to the fifth and deciding match.
Ascione (FRA) vs. Ancic (CRO)
If it comes down to this and Ascione gets rolled, Forget should leave his resignation on the desk.
Canada at the Netherlands -- Netherlands leads 2-0
Friday Results:
Sjeng Schalken (NED) d. Frank Dancevic (CAN) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1
Schalken, save for a hiccup in the second set, works the Canadian No. 1 on the red dirt, with Dancevic for some reason staying 20 feet behind the baseline in his best Gustavo Kuerten impression rather than playing his aggressive game.
Martin "Berzerk" Verkerk (NED) d. Simon Larose (CAN) 6-4, 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3
The Berzerker pulls on his French Open runner-up experience to straight-set the challenger-level Canadian on the red dirt, setting up the Saturday clincher.
Saturday:
Paul Haarhuis/Verkerk (NED) vs. Daniel Nestor/Frederic Niemeyer (CAN)
The Dutch dig Haarhuis out of retirement for the clinching point against the battle-tough Nestor and the shaky Niemeyer. Needless to say, Niemeyer will be hitting A LOT of balls.
Sunday:
Verkerk (NED) vs. Dancevic (CAN)
Dead rubber. Dutch will probably insert "Everyone Loves" Raemon Sluiter.
Schalken (NED) vs. Larose (CAN)
Dead rubber. Dutch will probably insert a fan from the crowd.
Spain at Czech Republic -- Tied 1-1
Friday Results:
Jiri Novak (CZE) d. Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal (ESP) 7-6(2), 6-3, 7-6(3)
Too much pressure for the 17-year-old Nadal in front of the partisan Czech fans, a tough D-Cup debut. Novak stands the manliness test.
Tommy Robredo (ESP) d. Radek Stepanek (CZE) 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(7)
Tommy the R. wins a tight one to even it on day one.
Saturday:
Novak/Stepanek (CZE) vs. Nadal/Robredo (ESP)
A real tight affair, with the experienced Czechs against the new-sensation Spanish teaming, giving Alex Corretja the boot in doubles.
Sunday:
Novak (CZE) vs. Robredo (ESP)
Should be a walk for Novak, who has dominated the Spaniard 3-0 in their previous meetings without dropping a set.
Stepanek (CZE) vs. Nadal (ESP)
If it gets this far, it will be an intriguing first-time meeting in front of the screaming Czech crowd. Nadal could be the hero after all.
WTA REVIEW/PREVIEW
Venus Williams hit another snag in her comeback from injury Friday when she was forced to pull out of her quarterfinal match in Tokyo against fellow American Chanda Rubin with a muscle strain on her lower right leg. "Basically, I originally had the issue in Australia," Williams said. "Today, it was very difficult for me in practice to move or play in any way, shape or form that was normal for me. It's the lower right leg, below the knee and basically, it's hard to move...I was getting various treatments from the tournament doctor but things just didn't click for me."
Joining Rubin in the semis were (2)Lindsay Davenport (d. (8)Daniela "The Walking Stick" Hantuchova 6-2, 6-2), (7)Jelena Dokic (d. Tatiana "The Pocket Baseliner" 6-1, 6-1), and unseeded Maggie Maleeva (d. (4)Sugiyama 6-1, 6-1). Nice blow-outs.
Saturday's semifinals in Tokyo line up as (2)Davenport vs. (7)Dokic, and (5)Rubin vs. Maleeva. The doubles semis are Navratilova/Raymond vs. Black/Stubbs, and Likhovtseva/Maleeva vs. Davenport/Morariu.
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NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Leander Paes made a successful return to singles play Friday, beating Mark Nielsen 6-2, 6-3, 7-6(2) to leave the Davis Cup match between India and New Zealand in zonal play tied at 1-1...It didn't take long for Aussie Mark Philippoussis to go from hero to goat, winning the critical match in the Davis Cup final last December, but then getting upset at the Australian Open (and hammered in the media by teammate Todd Woodbridge and general loudmouth Pat Cash), and yesterday getting crushed by Thomas Enqvist in the Aussie Davis Cup opener against Sweden. Flip says his troubles are due to overplaying, not too much partying: "Whatever anyone wants to say about my personal life, if they think that is the right thing then so be it. I have been through a lot in my life and I have seen it before, it didn't affect anything. It's just unfortunate that something like has to be brought up before a Davis Cup, I don't think it's the right thing to do."...Sjeng Schalken on beating the usually-aggressive Canadian Frank Dancevic on the red clay: "I was a bit surprised that he stood so far behind the baseline and let me attack -? I thought he would serve and volley more. But I think he played very well and it was a very high standard of tennis." Hey Frank, you're not Guga, step in and take the return early...Rotterdam Tournament Director Richard Krajicek on giving Goran Ivanisevic a wildcard: "I didn't need much time to make up my mind when Goran called to ask for a wildcard. He is a fantastic player and a great personality, both on and off court. He will add even more dynamism to the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament, and I hope he makes a highly-successful comeback here in Rotterdam." Nothing like more dynamism to spice up an event...Thailand's version of the Bryan brothers, twins Sonchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana, make their Davis Cup debut in doubles today against Pakistan...Greg Rusedski in a press statement yesterday: "I'm feeling strong and confident in facing my tribunal hearing in Montreal on Monday as I know I am innocent. I am advised that the tribunal chairman, Mr Fortier QC, is very highly qualified in this area so I am confident of a fair trial. I am represented by Mark Gay, who is known as the lawyer for the prosecution in sports drugs cases. He was so convinced of the exceptional nature of this case that he agreed to represent me. I am driven by the fact that the seven other players with identical findings of the metabolites of nandrolone and the same unique fingerprint were exonerated. Since the initial shock when the test results were revealed I have gained strength from the overwhelming circumstances of this case and the tremendous support I have received from the public and my sponsor Donnay. I expect a fair trial and hope for a swift verdict so that I can return to playing tennis and put an end to this extremely stressful period of my life.". Rusedski has barred the World Anti-Doping Agency from attending the hearing, a spokesman for the agency said Friday, according to Canada's TSN. "We were supposed to be there as observers but we were notified (Thursday) that Greg Rusedski refused to have us there," agency spokesman Frederic Donze said Friday. "So we won't attend."...Serena Williams has pulled from Paris, still recovering from knee surgery...The ATP announced that American doubles specialist Graydon Oliver tested positive for the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide during the 2003 TMS-Miami, and will be slammed with a two-month suspension; Jan-Mike's buddy is bumming.