Top-Seeded Henman Ousted, Agassi Into Quarters at ATP Madrid

Posted on October 22, 2004

Tim Henman's run as the top seed at the ATP Masters Series-Madrid came to an end Thursday when he was out-served by Croat Ivan Ljubicic in three sets.

"I was so erratic and so inconsistent, every game was a struggle," said Henman, who said he hasn't been ill but was feeling weak, and had a blood test. "My movement, first and foremost, was poor."

It was the third straight win for Ljubicic over Henman.

Seeded winners into the quarters were (2) Andre Agassi (d. American countryman (14) Spadea WTA-style (under an hour)), (3) Marat Safin (d. Koubek), (4) David Nalbandian (d. (16) Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan), (7) Joachim "Pim-Pim" Johansson (d. Dupuis), and (8) Tommy "The R." Robredo (d. Spanish countryman Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco in three).

"I think Vince was a little flat," said Agassi, who saved six of six break points against him. "He was missing more than he probably normally does."

Two more un-seeds into the quarters Thursday were American Taylor Dent (d. Haas) and Luis "Me So" Horna, who followed his upset of (6) Juan Carlos Ferrero with a win over (9) Andrei Pavel.

It is the first Masters Series quarterfinal for Dent.

Match-ups for Friday's quarters are Ljubicic vs. (7) Pim-Pim (Croat leads meetings 1-0), (4) Nalbandian vs. Dent (first meeting), (3) Safin vs. Horna (Russian leads 1-0), and (2) Agassi vs. (8) Robredo (Agassi leads 1-0).

Tommy the R. on beating Agassi: "One knows how to play against him. Once you're on the court, maybe you can or cannot, but you know how to do it. You need to try to change the rhythm, the pace, make him run, make him do what he does to you. That's the way to defeat him. It depends whether you're capable of doing it on court or not."

The doubles semifinals Friday will be Aussies Arthurs/Hanley vs. Czechs Damm/Suk in an all-unseeded, and world No. 1s Knowles/Nestor vs. (3) Bhupathi/Max "The Beast" Mirnyi.