Kuerten Wins 2005 Debut at Valencia
Posted on April 5, 2005Three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten made his 2005 comeback a successful one Monday on the clay at Valencia, with the unseeded Brazilian easing past No. 4 seed Olivier Rochus of Belgium 6-2, 6-4.
It was the first match since hip surgery in 2004 for "Guga," who says he still has "a long way to go."
"I feel really good and I think it will be possible. My game is really going to improve," Kuerten said. "I have changed a few techniques to see if I feel better on the court. I think my definitive physical recuperation will not be happen from one day to the next. I felt really well a couple of months after my operation and this makes me think positively."
Seeded winners of the day were No. 4 Chilean Fernando Gonzalez (d. Phau) and No. 7-seeded Russian Igor Andreev (d. (WC) Vicente).
Un-seeds advancing into the second round were Austrian Stefan Koubek (d. (WC) Matos Gil) attempting to find his form after a drug suspension, and Georgia's Irakli Labadze (d. Karlovic).
On the dirt Tuesday in Valencia are (WC) Corretja vs. (Q) Luzzi, (1) Davydenko vs. Costa, (Q) Michael "Yogi" Berrer vs. (6) Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco, Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau vs. (5) Ferrer, Mantilla vs. O.Hernandez in an all-Spanish, Montanes vs. A.Martin in an all-Spanish, Kohlschreiber vs. Garcia-Lopez, "You Say" Potito Starace vs. Calatrava, Dupuis vs. (Q) Djokovic, and (8) Carlsen vs. (Q) Navarro Pastor.
It was the first match since hip surgery in 2004 for "Guga," who says he still has "a long way to go."
"I feel really good and I think it will be possible. My game is really going to improve," Kuerten said. "I have changed a few techniques to see if I feel better on the court. I think my definitive physical recuperation will not be happen from one day to the next. I felt really well a couple of months after my operation and this makes me think positively."
Seeded winners of the day were No. 4 Chilean Fernando Gonzalez (d. Phau) and No. 7-seeded Russian Igor Andreev (d. (WC) Vicente).
Un-seeds advancing into the second round were Austrian Stefan Koubek (d. (WC) Matos Gil) attempting to find his form after a drug suspension, and Georgia's Irakli Labadze (d. Karlovic).
On the dirt Tuesday in Valencia are (WC) Corretja vs. (Q) Luzzi, (1) Davydenko vs. Costa, (Q) Michael "Yogi" Berrer vs. (6) Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco, Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau vs. (5) Ferrer, Mantilla vs. O.Hernandez in an all-Spanish, Montanes vs. A.Martin in an all-Spanish, Kohlschreiber vs. Garcia-Lopez, "You Say" Potito Starace vs. Calatrava, Dupuis vs. (Q) Djokovic, and (8) Carlsen vs. (Q) Navarro Pastor.