Slumping Kuerten Leads Seeded Advance at ATP Barcelona

Posted on April 29, 2004

Seeded players went five-for-five Tuesday at the ATP stop in Barcelona, led by three-time French Open champ and No. 6 seed Gustavo Kuerten, who got a confidence boost by outlasting Swedish big-hitter Thomas Johansson 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(5).

"I haven't been playing with my usual rhythm in the past few months," the slumping Kuerten said. "Technically I feel good but I'm missing the rhythm and the mental strength which will only come with winning more matches. I feel as though one or two victories could take me to a level where I can compete with anyone."

Guga was mourning his lack of self-confidence after an early-round loss last week at the Masters Series-Monte Carlo to Rainer Schuettler. Kuerten is now 15-7 on the year, with a clay title at Costa Do Sauipe, and a runner-up effort (l. to Gonzalez) at Vina del Mar.

Other seeded winners were (7)Agustin Calleri (d. Berdych), (10)Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez (d. the clay-challenged Gambill), (15)Felix Mantilla (d. (Q)Wawrinka), and (16)Mariano Zabaleta (d. (LL)Dell'Acqua).

Unseeded winners on the day were Spaniards Tommy Robredo (d. Beck), Al Montanes (d. (WC)Almagro in three), Al Martin (d. Acasuso who retired with injury), David Sanchez (d. Tursunov), Fernando Vicente (d. "Dr." Ivo Karlovic), and wildcard Marc Lopez (d. Andreev 7-6 in the third), Aussie Peter Luczak (d. O.Hernandez), and French qualifier Olivier "All We Need is Just a Little" Patience (d. Sanguinetti in three). On total the Spanish Armada went 8-2 on the day.

On court Wednesday on the dirt are D.Sanchez vs. (10)F.Lopez in an all-ESP, (3)Nalbandian vs. T.Martin (first meeting), (Q)Elsner vs. (2)Moya, A.Martin vs. (4)Massu, Vicente vs. (16)Zabaleta, Luczak vs. Verdasco, M.Lopez vs. (15)Mantilla in an all-ESP, (5)Gonzalez vs. N.Lapentti, Saretta vs. (Q)Vliegen, (Q)Patience vs. (9)Chela, Canas vs. Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic, and (13)Gaudio vs. Alexander "My Serve Has" Popp.

Top seed Rainer Schuettler continued his season turn-around Tuesday at Munich with a first-round win over up-and-coming Swede Robin Soderling in straight sets.

"I pretty much knew I wouldn't be able to play my best tennis today having arrived here yesterday," Schuettler said. "I had a tough week last week and I am a little bit tired, but I am happy that I was fighting and that I've reached the next round. It was very important for me to have a good tournament last week."

Other seeded winners were (3)Jiri Novak (d. Youzhny) and (5)Vince Spadea (d. (Q)Kindlmann), with one upset in the clay-addled (2)Paradorn Srichaphan going out to Belgian Olivier Rochus.

Un-seeds into the second round were Germans (WC)Tommy Haas (d. Ulihrach), (Q)Alexander Waske (d. (WC)Ivanisevic), and (WC)Philipp Kohlschreiber (d. Carlsen), Swiss (Q)Michel Kratochvil (d. Malisse in three), and Serbian (Q)Boris Pashanski (d. Moodie).

On court today in Munich are (Q)Pashanski vs. (4)Verkerk, (WC)Kohlschreiber vs. O.Rochus, (5)Spadea vs. (Q)Waske, Luis "Me So" Horna vs. Mutis, and Sargsian vs. (Q)Kratochvil.

WTA REVIEWS/PREVIEWS
Things were pretty much still dead in the water Tuesday at Warsaw, with one seed in action in (8)Anna Shashnova-Pistolesi beating Swiss Marie-Gayanay in straights. Smells like a refund.

There were four all-unseeded matches on the day with winners Elena Bovina (d. Srebotnik 6-1 in the third), the embattled Daniela "The Walking Stick" Hantuchova (d. Sanchez Lorenzo in three), Marta Domachowska (d. Schlukebir), and Vera Douchevina (d. Peschke). On court today are Schnyder vs. Tatarkova, Likhovtseva vs. Maleeva, Smashnova-Pistolesi vs. Hantuchova, Zuluaga vs. Venus, Dulko vs. Daniilidou, Chladkova vs. Farina Elia, Nemeckova vs. Nagyova, and Pisnik vs. Schiavone. Mauresmo gets the Thursday start, can't beat that.
 
A full slate Tuesdat at Budapest saw five seeds in action through in (2)Petra Mandula (d. Razzano), (3)Anika Kapros (d. Talaja), (5)Barbara Schett (d. (LL)Gallovits), (6)Iveta Benesova (d. (LL)Foretz in three), and (8)Jelena Jankovic (d. (LL)Nociarova), with one upset in Ludmila Cervanova ousting (4)Anca Barna in three. Top seed Emilie Loit pulled from the tourney on Monday with injury.

Unseeded winners on the day were Aussie Sam Stosur (d. (Q)Nagy in three), (Q)Sanda Mamic (d. Leon Garcia), Marion Bartoli (d. (Q)S.Uberoi), Julia Vakulenko (d. (Q)Garcia), (LL)Tvonne Meusburger (d. Perebiynis), Roberta Vinci (d. Kurhajcova), and Martina Sucha (d. (WC)Klepac).

On court today in Budapest is Pennetta vs. Schett, Czink vs. Garbin, Cervanova vs. Bartoli, Vinci vs. Jankovic, Parra vs. Klara "Kouky" Koukalova, and in doubles Americans N.Uberoi/S.Uberoi vs. Stewart/Stosur.

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NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Respect to British tennis journalist legend John Parsons, who has died of kidney failure at age 66. Parsons was hospitalized last month during the Masters Series-Miami. Parsons covered 44 Wimbledons, and was the tennis correspondent for The Daily Telegraph for 23 years...Tim Phillips, Wimbledon chairman, says the ladies need to avoid getting their panties in a knot over the prize money differential at Wimbledon, because equal prize money is just not going to happen: "We have not been persuaded. We are just trying to be fair to men and women. Don't forget, the ladies' prize pot is over four-and-a-half million dollars." Who says England isn't mired in the 19th century? As Cartman would say, "Now get back in that kitchen and bake me some pie!" Wait until Martina Navratilova hears of this, get ready to be ripped...Wimbledon is also reducing their mixed doubles draw from 64 to 48 to ease the scheduling...From Tennis Channel President Steve Bellamy: "I get The Tennis Channel on Adelphia at home, and on the VOOM satellite service in my office. If you are not getting the channel yet, I promise you we're moving as fast as we can. I urge you to let your television provider know how much you want The Tennis Channel. That's the only way they'll know what customers want to see." We've let our cable provider know Steve, but Comcast doesn't seem that concerned. Little help over here!...Jan-Mike Gambill has lost his last eight ATP matches on clay dating to May 2002 -- nice effort, don't wait up for that World Team Cup invitation in May.