Mens Play Begins at Indian Wells; Flipper Tells Fiancee Sit Down, Shut Up

Posted on March 11, 2005

Girls Gone Wildcard as Teens Strike at WTA Indian Wells

Five wildcard winners led the advance on the second day of unseeded play Thursday at the WTA stop at Indian Wells in an "attack of the teens."

Wildcards advancing into the second round were 15-year-old Sesil "The Mouth" Karatantcheva (d. Weingartner, coming from a set down), Czech Daja "Caught" Bedanova (d. countrywoman Peschke in three), 16-year-old American Jessica "Captain" Kirkland (d. (Q) Voskoboeva 7-6 in the third, saving a match point), the Ukraine's 16-year-old Viktoriya Kutuzova (d. (Q) Gagliardi), and post-teen American Angela Haynes (d. Santangelo).

The outspoken Karatantcheva made her WTA Tour debut as a 14-year-old last year at Indian Wells, advancing to the third round. The Bulgarian's win this year earns her a meeting with world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport in the second round.

In 2004 Karatancheva said she was going to "kick her butt" prior to a meeting with Maria Sharapova, but this year "The Mouth" is more subdued in her approach.

"I'm going to approach things more professionally," Karatancheva said. "Besides, I was 14 (last year). I have a right for one strike."

The other two wildcards in action Thursday were losers in 15-year-old American Alexa Glatch (l. to countrywoman Craybas) and Russian Alisa Kleybanova (l. to Anne "Kosmo" Kremer).

Other un-seeds into the second round were Americans Lindsay Lee-Waters (d. Pastikova, coming from a set down) and qualifier Shikha Uberoi (d. Morigami), Korea's Yoon Jeong Cho (d. Marrero from a set down), Slovak Ludmila Cervanova (d. (Q) Yakimova from a set down), Ukrainian lucky loser Alyona Bondarenko (d. Srebotnik in three), Italian qualifier Antonella Serra "Nevada" Zanetti (d. Strycova from a set down), France's Emilie Loit (d. Mandula, bagel in the second), Spain's Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (d. Schaul, bagel in the second), and Czech teen wunderkind Nicole Vaidisova (d. Washington).

"Last year I proved I can play on the pro tour," the 15-year-old Vaidisova said. "This year I need to take another step and start beating the big players. It's just a matter of time."

On Friday the seeded players finally come out to play, with scheduled matches (16) Asagoe vs. the former No. 1 Clijsters, Garbin vs. (2) Mauresmo, Spears vs. (4) Dementieva, (5) Kuznetsova vs. (Q) Birnerova, (14) Tatiana "Hot Pants" Golovin vs. Fedak, (8) Bovina vs. (Q) Kirilenko in an all-Russian, (23) Martinez vs. Randriantefy, (WC) Jamea "Action" Jackson vs. (12) Suarez, (30) Linetskaya vs. Granville, (Q) Diaz-Oliva vs. (21) Gisela "Sgt." Dulko in an all-Argentine, Domachowska vs. (28) Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues, (Q) Talaja vs. (32) Vento-Kabchi, (26) Groenefeld vs. Beltrame, Chakvetadze vs. (18) Jankovic, (Q) Fujiwara vs. (9) Schiavone, and (24) Benesova vs. Llagostera Vives.

Tennis Men Kick Off Friday at ATP Indian Wells

While no seeds take to the court Friday at Indian Wells, men's play begins with a few back-stories on court in a mentally struggling former No. 1 Spaniard, some French and American next-generation teens, a newly-engaged Aussie trying to find his form, an old Aussie playing young again, a handful of American qualifiers trying to make the leap, and a British pariah-turned-Davis Cup hero.

Indian Wells is the first ATP Masters Series event of the year, with world No. 1 Roger Federer looking to make it two in a row in the desert.

Scheduled for Friday is the former No. 1 Ferrero vs. Andreev, (WC) Blake vs. A.Martin, Morrison vs. (WC) Gael "Force" Monfils, Max "The Beast" Mirnyi vs. Xavier "X-Man" Malisse, (Q) Carraz vs. (WC) Philippoussis, (WC) Kuznetsov vs. Rainer "Shine" Schuettler, Tursunov vs. Calleri, (Q) Clement vs. (WC) "The" Donald Young, (Q) Vahaly vs. Ferrer, Beck vs. Enqvist, (Q) Odesnik vs. Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco, "Grinning" Greg Rusedski vs. (Q) Salzenstein, (Q) Giovanni "Little L" Lapentti vs. K.Kim, Florian "Oscar" Mayer vs. Carlsen, (Q) Wayne "The Serving Machine" Arthurs vs. "You Say" Potito Starace, Volandri vs. (Q) Zib, Arazi vs. Berdych, Bjorkman vs. Irakli "Freak Show" Labadze, Fabrice "The Original Magician" Santoro vs. Ricardo Mello "Yello," Dupuis vs. Juan "The Principality" Monaco, Zabaleta vs. Olivier "The Roach" Rochus, (Q) Goldstein vs. H.-T. Lee, Sargis "Sarge" Sargsian vs. (Q) Reynolds, and "Dr." Ivo Karlovic vs. Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau.

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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
The ATP All-Star Rally for Relief, an exhibition event benefiting UNICEF, will take place tonight in Indian Wells, featuring Roger Federer and the rest of the Top 10 on the ATP Rankings. Special fundraising activities will begin at 5 p.m. at the Village Stage before moving inside the stadium for the exhibition matches. Among the special fundraising activities on the schedule is a silent auction and a special sale of limited edition copies of "Tennis Masters Cup Uncovered II -- Facing Federer" that have been autographed by Federer...Britain's Lawn Tennis Association has booted Wimbledon junior finalist Miles Kasiri out of their training program for lack of effort...Lleyton Hewitt says it won't be awkward running into former fiancee and soul-crushing-relationship-killer Kim Clijsters this week in Indian Wells: "I don't think so, it's something you're going to go through. It's going to be different than seeing any other player, I think. But then again, we've both got big careers to look forward. We'll do our normal thing, anyway. There's nothing you can do about it anyway. I haven't spoken to her in a while but I'm sure we'll chat here. There's no bad blood at all, there's no bad feelings. We'll both do our own thing and prepare for our matches as we normally would."...Mark Philippoussis has banned his teen fiancee Alexis Barbara from talking to the media about the massive rock on her hand, reportedly the width of her finger, according to the Daily Telegraph: "He told me not to say anything," Barbara said. "Mark's words are that I am not allowed to say anything...I can't do anything to show you." That's a good model, now sit courtside and look pretty. Flipper was likewise reluctant to acknowledge the engagement: "She likes to wear nice jewelry on an important finger. She likes beautiful jewelry," was all the Aussie would say. "I'm here to play tennis." Probably not for very long...Tennis Channel CEO Steve Bellamy was given the 2005 Distinguished Entrepreneur Award from his alma mater, Indiana University's Kelley School of Business.