Roddick, Federer Into Quarterfinals at ATP Bangkok

Posted on October 1, 2004

The top four seeds advanced into the quarterfinals at the ATP stop in Bangkok Thursday in (1) Roger Federer (d. countryman Heuberger), (2) Andy Roddick (d. countryman Morrison in three), (3) Marat Safin (d. Vanek), and (4) Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan (d. Bogomolov Jr.).

"I was serving well, I was returning especially well," said Federer who gave up only four games. "It was tough to play against another Swiss...Ivo has a tooth problem, he didn't play well and I took advantage of this. He didn't play 100 percent and against me you have to play 100 percent."

Roddick, still fighting jet-lag after flying from Davis Cup in the U.S. over the weekend, struggled with a three set win over countryman Jeff "The Lizard King" Morrison.

"We had fun out there," Roddick said. "Playing against most of the Americans, we compete well and have fun. The fans were great, they supported both players. They're coming in big numbers, it's very impressive."

No. 8 Robin Soderling (d. Baccanello) was another seeded winner, while defending champ and No. 5 seed Taylor Dent was thumped 6-0, 6-4 by Dutchman Dennis Van Scheppingen. One night in Bangkok and the world wasn't Taylor's oyster.

Other un-seeds into the quarters were Brazil's Flavio "Of the Day" Saretta (d. (Q) Wassen in three) and Swedish veteran Thomas "Tommy the J." Johansson (d. A.Garcia).

The Friday quarterfinals line-up in Bangkok is (1) Federer vs. (8) Soderling, Tommy the J. vs. (2) A-Rod, (4) The Thai Fighter vs. van Scheppingen, and Saretta vs. (3) Safin.

Novak, Canas Lead Seeds Into Quarters at ATP Shanghai

Four of the five seeds in action advanced into the quarterfinals at the ATP stop in Shanghai Thursday in (2) Jiri Novak (d. (Q) Van Gemerden), (3) Guillermo Canas (d. Pless in three), (7) Ricardo Mello "Yello" (d. Tipsarevic in three), and (8) Jan-Mike Gambill (d. (WC) B.-Q. Zhu).

"I had some problems with my shins for about eight months and I thought I could play through the injury instead of resting it, so that was some of the reason (for his poor play), but winning matches against anybody is part of the way to getting back and I think I can," said Gambill on his health. "The injury is not unlike 'jumper's knee' and I seem to get hit with it every time I play on the European indoor carpet courts."

The lone upset on the day was committed by Italian veteran Davide Sanguinetti, who upset No. 6-seeded Fin Jarkko Nieminen in straights.

"I thought I played very good today and I enjoy to win and I like it here so I would like to stay another three days," said Sanguinetti with some in-depth analysis. "I want to play as many matches as I can until the end of the year."

Unseeded players into the quarterfinals were Luxembourg's Gilles Muller (d. Weiner in three), Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen (d. Arthurs 7-6 in the third), and Germany's Lars Burgsmuller (d. (Q) Roger-Vasselin).

Friday's QF line-up reads as (7) Mello Yello vs. (3) Canas, (8) Gambill vs. (2) Novak, Muller vs. Carlsen, Burgsmuller vs. Sanguinetti.

Massu, Local Volandri Lead Seeds Into Quarters at ATP Palermo

Top-seeded Nicolas Massu led the winners Thursday on the red dirt at the ATP stop in Palermo, defeating rising Italian star "You Say" Potito Starace who retired in the first set with a stomach illness.

"I did not know he had a problem, but when he served two double faults in the first set I realized there was something wrong," Massu said. "On one hand it is better to have a short match but on the other hand it's important not to lose one's rhythm in the tournament."

Also into the quarterfinals was local hero (5) Filippo Volandri (d. (Q) "Julio &" Galo Blanco), along with (8) Tomas Berdych (d. Acasuso in three), and Italian wildcard Andreas Seppi (d. Vliegen, who retired in the third with an ankle injury).

"It was a good match, I felt good on court, I could force the game especially with my forehand," Seppi said. "It's great to be in my first quarterfinal on the ATP circuit, I hope to reach the semifinals and get a special exempt next week (in Lyon)."

Friday's quarterfinal line-up is (7) Ferrer vs. (4) Davydenko, Juan "The Principality" Monaco vs. Olivier "Mucus" Mutis, (8) Berdych vs. (WC) Seppi, and in the nightcap (1) Massu vs. (5) Volandri.

Sharapova Advances Among Sad Field at WTA Seoul

They should have renamed it the "Maria Sharapova Open."

Sharapova, the only Top 30-ranked player in the draw at the WTA stop in Seoul, continued to hammer the low-ranked opposition Thursday, defeating Japanese lucky loser Miho Saeki 6-3, 6-1 to advance into the quarterfinals.

"I struggled in the opening game because of the slow pace of my opponent, but kept my concentration and got back to my pace," Sharapova said. "The support from the fans became a big factor."

There were only two other matches on the day, with Israeli qualifier Shahar Peer shocking No. 5 seed Katarina "Robotnik" Srebotnik, and Luxembourg's Anne "Kosmo" Kremer dismissing Japanese lucky loser Rika Fujiwara.

Friday's shaky quarters line up as Mamic vs. Kremer, Sharapova vs. Stosur, Peer vs. Spears, and Talaja vs. Domachowska.

Chinese Li, Peng Stun Seeds at WTA Guangzhou

The homecountry players gave fans something to cheer about Thursday at the WTA stop in Guangzhou, China, where two unseeded Chinese players thumped two of the top seeds to move into the quarterfinals.

Wildcard entrant Ting Li overwhelmed (7) Nicole Pratt 6-2, 6-0, then Shuai Peng followed by crushing (4) Marion "Roly Poly" Bartoli 6-1, 6-0.

In all four seeds lost on the day.

Others into the quarters Thursday were (6) Kristina "You're a Fine Girl" Brandi (d. Panova, losing one game), Czech Barbora Strycova (d. China's Zheng), Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn (d. (3) Flavia "Of the Day" Pennetta, who retired in the second set with a wrist sprain), and Russian Dinara "Little Sis" Safina (d. (1) Gisela "Sgt." Dulko).

Friday's quarters contain three Chinese players and line up as Brandi vs. N.Li, Peng vs. T.Li, Tanasugarn vs. Sucha, and Safina vs. Strycova.

Dementieva Joins Clijsters in Quarterfinals at WTA Hasselt

Top-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva pasted Czech lucky loser Michaela Pastikova in straight sets Thursday to advance into the quarterfinals at the WTA stop in Hasselt, Belgium.

Italy's Maria Elena Camerin had the lone upset on the day, ousting No. 4 seed Karolina "The Spreminator" Sprem, while two other seeds advanced in No. 5 Francesca Schiavone (d. Nuria Llagostera "Pancho" Vives 1-and-0) and No. 7 Maggie Maleeva (d. (WC) Callens 1-and-0).

Today Kim Clijsters returns to the court in her second match since her comeback from wrist surgery.

"I still lack match rhythm," Clijsters said. "But if I keep winning and play a lot of games, my strength and top level will quickly come back."

Friday's quarterinal match-ups will be Dementieva vs. Chladkova, Camerin vs. Ruano Pascual, Maleeva vs. Clijsters, and Schiavone vs. Bovina.

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