Safin Avoids Beast Bite at ATP Moscow

Posted on October 12, 2004

Top-seeded Marat Safin survived a marathon serving duel with unseeded Max "The Beast" Mirnyi on Monday at the ATP stop in Moscow, losing the first set tiebreak but hanging on to win the next two sets in breakers.

"It was very tough, he's a tough opponent who has a lot of experience and is difficult to play against because he doesn't give you any rhythm -- good volleys, good serve, complete player," said Safin, who fought off two match points. "I was a little bit more sure against Mirnyi in the tiebreaks than against (Andy) Roddick, because I just had to wait for the opportunity to break him and Roddick has a little bit different game because he can play from the baseline."

Other winners on the day were No. 2 seed Joachim "Pim-Pim" Johansson (d. Hernych), Russian wildcard Igor Kunitsyn (d. (6) Berdych), and un-seeds "Grinning" Greg Rusedski (d. "Dr." Ivo Karlovic) and Sargis "Sarge" Sargsian (d. (WC) Gabashvili).

On tap for Tuesday at Olympic Stadium are former champ (Q) Rosset vs. (5) Youzhny, Thomas "Tommy the J." Johansson vs. (3) Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, (Q) Stakhovsky vs. (8) Davydenko, Elseneer vs. (Q) Vladimir "The Vladiator" Voltchkov, Stepanek vs. Labadze, Pless vs. Carlsen in a rare all-Denmark, Saulnier vs. (WC) Stoliarov, (Q) Ivo "I Dated Hingis" Heuberger vs. Beck, and in doubles The Beast/Safin vs. (2) Bryan/Bryan.

Chela Lone Seeded Casualty at ATP Vienna

Germany's Florian "Oscar" Mayer ousted No. 4 Juan Ignacio Chela in straight sets Monday at the ATP stop in Vienna in the only seeded upset.

Seeded winners on the day were No. 6 Guillermo Canas (d. (WC) Knowle) and No. 8 Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez (d. Calleri in three).

"He was very, very good from the beginning and, well, I couldn't find a way to play my game, but then I was lucky in the second set," said F-Lo after edging Calleri. "I was serving twice at 0-30 and came back. After this I started playing better and I was very lucky to win this match."

Other unseeded winners on the day were American Robby "Baby Courier" Ginepri (d. "You Say" Potito Starace) and South African qualifier Rik De Voest (d. Tipsarevic).

On the Tuesday schedule at the Vienna sausage is (Q) Kucera vs. (2) Massu, (Q) Moodie vs. Haas, Koubek vs. A.Martin, (1) Nalbandian vs. (Q) Seppi, Luis "Me So" Horna vs. Ferrer, and Sanguinetti vs. Zabaleta.

Wildcard Gasquet Thrills Homies at ATP Metz

French wildcard Richard Gasquet took out the only seed in action Monday at the ATP stop in Metz, France, defeating No. 7 seed Dennis Van Scheppingen in straight sets.

"It is great to win here in Metz," Gasquet said. "Next match I will play a French. I'm friends with all my countrymen but that's how tennis is, I will go out and try my best to win. It doesn't matter if it is against a French or a foreigner."

Three other Frenchmen were winners on the day in front of the home crowd in Olivier "Mucus" Mutis (d. (WC) countryman Mahut 7-6 in the third), Anthony Dupuis (d. countryman Ascione 7-6 in the third), and Olivier "All We Need is Just a Little" Patience (d. Kohlschrieber in three).

Other un-seeds into the second round were "Everybody Loves" Raemon Sluiter (d. Garcia who retired with a leg injury), and American Jeff "Baby Krajicek" Morrison (d. Christophe "The Roach" Rochus).

Qualifying play was also completed Monday, with four additional Frenchmen into the main draw in Gicquel, Haehnel, Simon, and Serra.

On court Tuesday are (Q) Serra vs. (5) Juan "The Principality" Monaco, (3) Acasuso vs. (Q) Haehnel, Clement vs. (8) Muller, (1) Ljubicic vs. Hanescu, Corretja vs. (4) Olivier "The Roach" Rochus, Vliegen vs. Mathieu, (6) Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau vs. Gambill, and an all-French in (Q) Simon vs. (Q) Gicquel.

Three-Time Champ Maleeva, Mauresmo Out at WTA Moscow

Russian qualifier Vera Douchevina came back from a set down to defeat three-time Moscow champion Maggie Maleeva Monday at the WTA's Kremlin Cup.

In the only other main draw match scheduled, Francesca Sciavone defeated Silvia Farina Elia in three sets in an all-Italian match-up.

Also out of the event was top seed Amelie Mauresmo, citing a leg injury suffered in the Sunday Filderstadt final where she retired against Lindsay Davenport.

"Amelie slightly pulled a thigh muscle so she is not going to Moscow," said coach Loic Courteau.

The final round of qualifying was also completed, with four into the main draw in Anna Chakvetadze (RUS), Sanda Mamic (CRO), Michaela Pastikova (CZE), and Alina Jidkova (RUS).

On Tuesday's schedule are (6)Vera "The Crying Game" Zvonareva vs. Dechy, Patty "Handshake" Schnyder vs. (5) Dementieva, Bovina vs. Hantuchova, (Q) Jidkova vs. (7) Venus, (8) Petrova vs. Suarez, Zuluaga vs. Likhovtseva, Smashnova-Pistolesi vs. Karolina "The Spreminator" Sprem, (Q) Mamic vs. Pierce, and Sugiyama vs. (Q) Pastikova.

WTA Tashkent Update: Due to the WTA Tour's misguided policy of running Tier IV and V events during the same week as their top-level Tier I events, thereby confusing fans and media, we are boycotting the results this week from the Tier IV Tashkent event while the Tier I Moscow event is being contested. Like the ATP, who run their Masters Series events uncontested, we hope the WTA will eventually make a calendar change to highlight their top-level events. We apologize for any inconvenience. Results from Tashkent can be found at www.wtatour.com.

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