Coria, Fish, Sharapova Out; Hysteria at Hyper-bad
Posted on February 10, 2005
Coria Ousted in Opener at ATP MarseillePerhaps the wad of guarantee cash will console Guillermo "El Fragile" Coria who, instead of defending his title this week on the dirt at Buenos Aires, lost in his opener Wednesday at the ATP hardcourt stop in Marseille to unheralded French qualifier Sebastien De Chaunac 6-4, 7-5.
"Physically I was fine but I didn't have any rhythm today," said Coria, who had two set points in the first set. "I had to stop playing after the Australian Open because of my (groin) injury. I only started playing again on Friday. I knew it was a risk to come here but that's life. It's a shame as it was a good opportunity to get some points indoor but I will continue my preparations for Rotterdam and hopefully rediscover my top form."
The other two seeds in action both advanced, albeit barely, in (2) David Nalbandian (d. Schuettler, coming from a set down and saving two match points) and (8) Ivan Ljubicic (d. (Q) Hanescu in three).
Against Nalbandian the German Schuettler performed the throat-clencher, double faulting on one match point and failing to serve out the match at 5-4 in the third.
Unseeded players advancing into the second round were "Dr." Ivo Karlovic (d. (LL) Wang), American Taylor Dent (d. Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau), Russian Igor Andreev (d. (WC) Gael "Force" Monfils), Dutchman Sjeng Schalken (d. (WC) Haehnel), and (WC) Arnaud Clement (d. Stepanek 6-1 in the third).
"I've had a cold for the past few days so I wasn't feeling a hundred percent," the teen Monfils said. "It's tough at this level."
The Thursday schedule in Marseille produces some big match-ups in (6) Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez vs. "Dr." Ivo, Tomas "I Beat Federer in 2004" Berdych vs. Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic, (Q) De Chaunac vs. "Grinning" Greg Rusedski, Beck vs. (WC) Clement, (Q) Simon vs. (3) Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson, and in the late match Dent vs. (2) Nalbandian.
Roddick Wins, Fish Netted at ATP San Jose
Top-seeded Andy Roddick put in an erratic display Wednesday in his opener at the ATP stop in San Jose, tossing in 21 unforced errors in a 6-3, 6-4 win over American qualifier Paul Goldstein.
"I felt like I hit the ball pretty well, especially my forehand, which was the shot that essentially won me the match," Roddick said. "I have to be aggressive. I had to enforce myself on him and not give him as many chances."
The American enforcer will next try to enforce himself on Korea's net-rusher Hyung-Taik Lee.
Roddick also reminisced on his missed opportunity in his last match against Lleyton Hewitt in the Australian Open semifinals.
"I was just mad at myself that I didn't step up and hit my shots," Roddick said. "That feeling didn't sit too well with me."
Other seeded winners on the day were (3) Tommy Haas (d. (Q) Frank "You Can" Dancevic), (4) Vince Spadea (d. (WC) J.Blake in a 3-and-0 blowout), and (8) Max "The Beast" Mirnyi (d. Peter "Nuclear" Wessels in three).
"There is something about the size of the balls that is not making me comfortable," said Mirnyi, complaining about the tournament's Prince balls that also drew the ire of Roddick. "They aren't friendly."
Posting upsets Wednesday were France's Cyril Saulnier (d. (5) Novak) and Swedish veteran Thomas Enqvist (d. (6) Fish), while Delray Beach winner Xavier "X-Man" Malisse (d. Lu) also eased into the second round.
Thursday's schedule in San Jose is Saulnier vs. (Q) Zib, (7) Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer vs. X-Man, Kim vs. (8) Max "The Beast" Mirnyi, Robby "Baby Courier" Ginepri vs. Enqvist, and in the night session Carlsen vs. (2) Agassi, and (1) Roddick vs. H.-T. Lee.
Moya Mowing Down Argentines at ATP Buenos Aires
Top-seeded Carlos Moya made Argentine riser Juan "The Principality" Monaco eat dirt Wednesday at the ATP stop in Buenos Aires with a 6-1, 6-2 thrashing, setting up a quarterfinal meeting with another Argentine in wildcard Mariano Puerta.
"It was a good match for me," said Moya, erasing any doubt. "I haven?t played the best this year. I felt like I was really able to play my game. Hitting my forehand and serving well."
Un-seeds into the quarterfinals were Spaniards Al Martin (d. (3) Canas) and Felix Mantilla (d. Marc "M-Lo" Lopez 7-6 in the third), and the Argentine veteran Puerta (d. Burgsmuller).
"To be in the quarters in Buenos Aires is fantastic -- playing against a Top 10 player (Moya), even better," Puerta said. "I really look forward to the match and will give everything I have."
Dictating on the dirt Thursday in B.A. for a place in the quarterfinals are (LL) Guillermo "G-Lo" Garcia-Lopez vs. Acasuso, (7) Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal vs. "You Say" Potito Starace, Almagro vs. (8) Zabaleta, and Brazil's Flavio "Of the Day" Saretta vs. (2) Gaudio.
Seeds Stroll, Sharapova Pulls at WTA Paris
All four seeds in action at the WTA stop in Paris Wednesday advanced in straight sets in (1) Serena Williams (d. Cohen-Aloro), (4) Nadia Petrova (d. (Q) Sfar), (5) Nathalie Dechy (d. Kostanic), and (7) Silvia Farina Elia (d. (WC) Razzano).
Serena appeared testy in dropping three straight games during the first set and smashing her racquet, which she eventually tossed to a fan in the crowd.
"I have a little cold and slight stomach problems," Serena told Reuters after blowing off her post-match on-court interviews. "I just opted for a new racquet and it seems much more fragile."
One un-seed moved into the second round when France's Marion Bartoli led Eleni Daniilidou 6-3, 2-0 when the Greek retired with inflammation in her thumb.
Maria Sharapova also pulled from the Paris event Wednesday with a respiratory illness.
"I'm very disappointed I won't be playing in Paris this year," the No. 2-seeded Sharapova said. "I'm not in my best condition and will not be able to perform at my best."
The withdrawal opened up a spot for lucky loser Sandra Mamic of Croatia.
On court Thursday are Maleeva vs. Jankovic, Mamic vs Golovin, Pierce vs. Mauresmo in an all-French blockbuster, Dechy vs. Bartoli in an all-French less-than-blockbuster, and Douchevina vs. Safina in an all-Russian.
China Continues Strong Presence at WTA Hyderabad
Chinese top seed Na Li (d. Salerno) and unseeded Tian Tian Sun (d. (6) Tanasugarn) continued China's strong representation at the WTA stop in Hyderabad, India on Wednesday.
The rising sun's only fatality was No. 4-seeded Jie Zheng, upset in three sets by India's new sweetheart Sania Mirza.
Other winners Wednesday were (2) Anna-Lena Groenefeld (d. (Q) Gajdosova), (8) Maria Kirilenko (d. Santangelo 7-6 in the third), (9) Alyona Bondarenko (d. Czink in three), Israel's Tzipora Obziler (d. Dominikovic), and Canadian Marie-Eve Pelletier (d. (WC) Peer).
Highlights scheduled for Thursday in Hyderabad are Li vs. Kirilenko, Mirza vs. Obziler, Groenefeld/M.Navratilova vs. Amanmuradova/Panova, Sun vs. Groenefeld, and Bondarenko vs. Pelletier.
TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Australian umpire John Blom tells Rediff.com that the Indian crowds this week at the WTA stop in Hyderabad are out of control: "The people are so enthusiastic. It's amazing how they get behind the local girl Sania (Mirza). I understand the crowd really wants to support their local player and the atmosphere is really good. But the only thing, I think, inappropriate is the spectators whistling. They do it without realizing that it is offensive. When they shout it is distracting for both the players, and even Sania can lose out because of that. You can't do much in these situations. Even holding the game up could only be in extreme cases. Basically, I told the players before the game that there will be a lot of noise and you just have to bock it up. But this is India. You expect people to come out in huge numbers." Adding to the problem in Hyderabad is the tournament letting the mostly non-tennis fans in for free...Maria Sharapova withdrew from Paris Wednesday with a respiratory illness...Tennis Magazine Senior Editor Pete Bodo, a 25-year veteran of covering the game, has been blogging since the Aussie Open and tells Tennis-X he will be shooting for near-daily blogs at Tennis.com with Peter Bodo's TennisWorld. We're all about free pub to writers who tell it like it is...Here's Knight Ridder's Ann Killion creaming herself with the A-Rod tribute: "Roddick is our entry in a fabulous international age of men's tennis. Myopic Americans might prefer U.S.-only rivalries like Connors-McEnroe or Sampras-Agassi. But the four finalists at the Australian Open -- young, powerful and dashing -- made for compelling tennis. Roddick represents America well. Last summer, he made the most of his Olympic experience in Athens, living in the village with his old friend Mardy Fish. Though he was distraught when he lost his chance to win a gold medal, he stayed on to cheer for Fish. Unlike some of his apathetic predecessors, he's a willing member of the Davis Cup team, and embraces Andre Agassi's inclusion with his usual fist-pumping enthusiasm. When Agassi called to tell him he would play, Roddick tried to maintain his cool. "I was driving with my friends," he said. "I tried to stay composed with Andre on the phone...but when I hung up the phone I started screaming and yelling." And unlike some tennis stars, who seem satisfied to stay behind their private gates and perpetuate the elite aura of their sport, Roddick knows how to sell tennis." Nice stuff, Andy is a do-gooder when he's not melting down in the locker room during match breaks -- and we could be wrong, but we think those "myopic Americans preferring U.S.-only rivalries" days are long gone, this isn't the '80s anymore Ann...Headline from Agence France-Presse after Andy Roddick struggled with 21 unforced errors in his opening match at San Jose: "Roddick begins on fire"...Nicolas "The Golden Child" Massu, out with a toe injury, will also miss next month's Davis Cup encounter for Chile...According to the Moscow Times, "Hockey heartthrob Pavel Bure is suing Arbat Prestizh for 300 million rubles ($10.66 million) after the cosmetics chain's free promotional paper ran an article in which Bure brags about taking the virginity of tennis princess Anna Kournikova."...Tennisreporters.net reports that American quote machine Vince Spadea may be taking part in an upcoming reality TV show...Tennis legend Jack Kramer, perhaps showing some early signs of dementia, said at a recent ceremony speaking on tennis and golf that "golf is the best game." For what, getting fat? Like John McEnroe said, "If you don't run, it's not a sport."