Two-Time Defending Champ Srichaphan On Task at ATP Long Island

Posted on August 26, 2004

No. 4 seed Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan defeated unseeded South African veteran Wayne Ferreira 7-6(3), 7-5 Wednesday at the ATP stop in Long Island, looking to resurrect his season with a successful title defense.

"I always have a good match with Wayne," The Thai Fighter said. "He moves really well. It was fun to put on a good show for the crowd, they were really into it. I like the courts here, the atmosphere."

Srichaphan won the grasscourt title at Nottingham, but has not reached a quarterfinal at a Masters Series event or a slam on the year.

Other winners on the day were (7)Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson (d. (Q)Koubek), (10)Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer (d. Andreev), and unseeded Cali-Russian Dmitry Tursunov, extending American Jan-Mike Gambill's season of decline with a win in three tiebreaks.

Thursday's schedule at Strong Island is Davydenko vs. (8)Verdasco, Llodra vs. (2)Hewitt, (9)Luis "Me So" Horna vs. Nieminen, and (5)Chela vs. Enqvist.

Raymond Ousts Petrova, Advances to Quarters at WTA New Haven
Well-placed wildcard Lisa Raymond ousted No. 5 seed Nadia Petrova in three sets Wednesday, proving the only upset on the day at the WTA stop in New Haven.

"Maybe the less pressure that I put on myself, when I just go out there and play freely, obviously, the better tennis I play," Raymond said. Or maybe you're just a head case.

There were two seeded winners on the day in (2)Elena Dementieva (d. Schaul) and (8)Nathalie Dechy (d. Morigami in three), and two other unseeded winners in Daniela "The Former Walking Stick" Hantuchova (d. (LL)Irvin in three) and Serb Jelena Jankovic (d. Kostanic).

The line-up for Thursday's quarterfinals are Bovina vs. Washington, Hantuchova vs. Raymond, Jankovic vs. Dementieva, and Capriati vs. Dechy.

This Crappy Tournament is Still Going On
Four winners at the Tier V WTA stop in Forest Hills Wednesday in (2)Emilie Loit (d. Barna in three), Iveta "Not Have to Play Here Again" Benesova (d. (WC)Kobak), Katarina Srebotnik (d. Garbin), and Kirsten Flipkens (d. Camerin).

"Someone kill me," we imagine a player saying in a press conference, if anyone had sent press to this seemingly experimental 16-draw event. "Kill me now. Here, take my racquet. Beat me about the head and shoulders."

Thursday's quarterfinals line up as Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues vs. Brandi, Flipkens vs. Loit, Likhovtseva vs. Bartoli, and Srebotnik vs. Benesova.

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