Five Seeds Sent Home at ATP Hamburg

Posted on May 13, 2004

The seeds went a-tumblin' at the Masters Series-Hamburg Tuesday with fatalities (4)Rainer Schuettler (l. to Burgsmuller, always tough playing the countryman), (6)David Nalbandian (l. to Ferrer, too tired after the Rome final), (9)Nicolas Massu (l. to Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer), (12)Martin "Berzerk" Verkerk (l. to Ljubicic, French chances not looking so great), and (14)Sjeng Schalken (l. to O.Hernandez, retiring in the first set with injury).

"It's a tough loss, no question," Schuettler said. "Especially here at home, no matter against whom. At least against Lars, so he is one round ahead. That's the only positive thing about it. Otherwise it's really tough. Not because I lost to Lars -- of course it's always a matter of pride --but to lose a match with so many opportunities is extremely tough."

Seeded winners on the day were (1)Roger Federer (d. Gaudio in three), (5)Tim Henman (d. (Q)Seppi in three), (7)Carlos Moya (d. D.Sanchez for seventh win in a row), (13)Fernando Gonzalez (d. F.Lopez), and (17)Lleyton Hewitt (d. Bjorkman).

Other un-seeds into the second round were Andrei Pavel (d. Saulnier), former French winner Al Costa (d. Malisse), Argentine Mariano Zabaleta (d. Soderling in three), Romania's Victor Hanescu (d. Mirnyi in three), and Russian Mikhail Youzhny (d. Kiefer in three).

On court today are Horna vs. (2)Coria, (17)Hewitt vs. (WC)Haas, Youzhny vs. (WC)Burgsmuller, (WC)Mayer vs. (Q)Portas, (1)Federer vs. N.Lapentti, Sargsian vs. Safin, (Q)Knowle vs. (13)Gonzalez, (5)Henman vs. Pavel, A.Martin vs. (7)Moya, Melzer vs. Labadze, (16)Robredo vs. Zabaleta, Costa vs. (Q)O.Rochus, Saretta vs. (LL)O.Hernandez, Ferrer vs. Hrbaty, Hanescu vs. Ljubicic, and J.Johansson vs. Verdasco.

WTA REVIEW/PREVIEW
Maria "Grunt-o-rama" Sharapova caused the only upset at Rome Tuesday, stomping fellow Russian Elena Dementieva 6-1, 6-4 in second round play.

Top-seeded Serena Williams also advanced with a shaky 7-5, 6-3 win over Maria Sanchez Lorenzo. Other seeds in the winner's circle were (11)Patty Schnyder (d. Barna), (12)Paola Suarez (d. Zuluaga who retired in the third set with injury), (13)Conchita Martinez (d. Fedak), and (16)Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi (d. Serna).

Wearing her "Wonderwoman" outfit, Serena looked rusty in her first match in over a month.

"It was a struggle today, I hit a lot of fly balls, I couldn't hit the ball in," Serena said. "But, hey, at least I got through it."

Un-seeds into the second round were Karolina "The Spreminator" Sprem (d. Hantuchova), Maria Elena Camerin (d. Dokic), Flavia "I'm Dating Moya" Pennetta (d. Granville), Mary Pierce (d. "Sgt." Dulko), Nathalie Dechy (d. Brandi), Russian Elena Likhovtseva (d. Loit 7-6 in the third), American Meghann Shaughnessy (d. Kostanic), and Maria Vento-Kabchi (d. Koukalova in three).

On court Wednesday are Vento-Kabchi vs. Capriati, Schiavone vs. Reeves, Dechy vs. Mauresmo, Shaughnessy vs. Farina Elia, Likhovtseva vs. Myskina, Camerin vs. Smashnova-Pistolesi, Petrova vs. Pennetta, Kuznetsova vs. Marrero, Pierce vs. Sugiyama, Zvonareva vs. Safina in an all-Russian, Suarez vs. Golovin, Martinez vs. Sprem, Bovina vs. Schnyder, and Douchevina vs. Randriantefy.

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
Matthew Cronin reported that Jennifer Capriati and coach Craig Kardon hooked up in Charleston for (coaching) try-out, not Joel Drucker as we reported.

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