Ferrero, Blake, Rusedski Lead Unseeded Winners at Miami
Posted on March 24, 2005Third-set tiebreaks were the order of the day Wednesday at the ATP stop in Miami as play kicked off with an all-unseeded line-up, with all 32 seeds receiving first-round byes.
Advancing into the second round with breaker wins in the third were Spain's Al Martin (d. Calleri from a set down), Germany's Rainer Schuettler (d. Starace), Russian Igor Andreev (d. (Q) Almagro 14-12, saving two match points), and American Kevin Kim (d. Horna 0 in the breaker).
Former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero opened with a win against American wildcard Brendan Evans, looking to overcome the mental more than physical blocks that have kept him from rising up the rankings since his injury- and illness-filled 2004 season.
"Physically, I felt really good since long time ago," Ferrero said. "I had a lot of problems last year, but was last year, not this year. So this year I am perfect physically. I am trying to go back again...I think I need a lot of matches to play to try to make this rhythm as before."
Brit veteran Greg Rusedski overcame the changing weather Wednesday to come from a set down against Italian qualifier Andreas Seppi.
"The conditions the first set were probably some of the most difficult I've ever played," Rusedski said. "Just the wind. I mean, the wind, there was no real direction on what the ball was doing. It's not coming straight. It's swirling, it's mixing all the time...It was a little frustrating to be honest. But I stuck with it. The weather changed. Got a break. Got inside. And then, you know, the wind stopped and I could play my aggressive tennis and be more positive with the ball."
Other winners on the day were Spain's Dave Ferrer (d. Kohlschreiber) and Fernando Verdasco (d. Wessels, setting up a meeting with Andy Roddick), Americans Robby Ginepri (d. Volandri) and (WC) James Blake (d. (Q) Carlsen), Argentine Jose Acasuso (d. Melzer), Korea's Hyung-Taik Lee (d. Enqvist in three), Georgia's Irakli Labadze (d. El Aynaoui 6-1 in the third), French wildcard teen Gael Monfils (d. countryman Llodra in three), Swede Jonas Bjorkman (d. Mirnyi 6-1 in the third), and Fin Jarkko Nieminen (d. Saulnier).
On tap for Thursday in another day of all-unseeded play is (Q) Zib vs. Mardy "Silver" Fish, (Q) Christophe "The Roach" Rochus vs. (WC) Mark "The Dud Scud" Philippoussis, (Q) N.Lapentti vs. Beck, (Q) Lisnard vs. (WC) "The" Donald Young, Koubek vs. (Q) Jeff "The Lizard King" Morrison, Juan "The Principality" Monaco vs. Schalken, Muller vs. Zabaleta, (Q) Clement vs. Tomas "I Beat Federer in '04" Berdych, Ricardo Mello "Yello" vs. Santiago "Jessie" Ventura, Sargis "Sarge" Sargsian vs. Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau, "Dr." Ivo Karlovic getting out the bug spray vs. Olivier "The Other Roach" Rochus, Hernych vs. (Q) Sanguinetti, (Q) Phau vs. Calatrava, Dupuis vs. Hanescu, (Q) Burgsmuller vs. Florian "Oscar" Mayer in an all-German, and Mathieu vs. Tabara.
Advancing into the second round with breaker wins in the third were Spain's Al Martin (d. Calleri from a set down), Germany's Rainer Schuettler (d. Starace), Russian Igor Andreev (d. (Q) Almagro 14-12, saving two match points), and American Kevin Kim (d. Horna 0 in the breaker).
Former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero opened with a win against American wildcard Brendan Evans, looking to overcome the mental more than physical blocks that have kept him from rising up the rankings since his injury- and illness-filled 2004 season.
"Physically, I felt really good since long time ago," Ferrero said. "I had a lot of problems last year, but was last year, not this year. So this year I am perfect physically. I am trying to go back again...I think I need a lot of matches to play to try to make this rhythm as before."
Brit veteran Greg Rusedski overcame the changing weather Wednesday to come from a set down against Italian qualifier Andreas Seppi.
"The conditions the first set were probably some of the most difficult I've ever played," Rusedski said. "Just the wind. I mean, the wind, there was no real direction on what the ball was doing. It's not coming straight. It's swirling, it's mixing all the time...It was a little frustrating to be honest. But I stuck with it. The weather changed. Got a break. Got inside. And then, you know, the wind stopped and I could play my aggressive tennis and be more positive with the ball."
Other winners on the day were Spain's Dave Ferrer (d. Kohlschreiber) and Fernando Verdasco (d. Wessels, setting up a meeting with Andy Roddick), Americans Robby Ginepri (d. Volandri) and (WC) James Blake (d. (Q) Carlsen), Argentine Jose Acasuso (d. Melzer), Korea's Hyung-Taik Lee (d. Enqvist in three), Georgia's Irakli Labadze (d. El Aynaoui 6-1 in the third), French wildcard teen Gael Monfils (d. countryman Llodra in three), Swede Jonas Bjorkman (d. Mirnyi 6-1 in the third), and Fin Jarkko Nieminen (d. Saulnier).
On tap for Thursday in another day of all-unseeded play is (Q) Zib vs. Mardy "Silver" Fish, (Q) Christophe "The Roach" Rochus vs. (WC) Mark "The Dud Scud" Philippoussis, (Q) N.Lapentti vs. Beck, (Q) Lisnard vs. (WC) "The" Donald Young, Koubek vs. (Q) Jeff "The Lizard King" Morrison, Juan "The Principality" Monaco vs. Schalken, Muller vs. Zabaleta, (Q) Clement vs. Tomas "I Beat Federer in '04" Berdych, Ricardo Mello "Yello" vs. Santiago "Jessie" Ventura, Sargis "Sarge" Sargsian vs. Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau, "Dr." Ivo Karlovic getting out the bug spray vs. Olivier "The Other Roach" Rochus, Hernych vs. (Q) Sanguinetti, (Q) Phau vs. Calatrava, Dupuis vs. Hanescu, (Q) Burgsmuller vs. Florian "Oscar" Mayer in an all-German, and Mathieu vs. Tabara.