Hammer Dropped on Malisse for Meltdown; ATP Houston to Keep Red Dirt
Posted on April 27, 2005
Belgians Advance, Qualifiers Thrive at WTA WarsawThe two former No. 1-ranked Belgians, No. 7-seeded Kim Clijsters (d. (LL) Perebiynis 6-1 in the third) and unseeded Justine Henin-Hardenne (d. (LL) Chladkova), led the favorites Tuesday on the clay at the WTA stop in Warsaw.
"My first match on clay is always tough and I definitely didn't feel comfortable out there today," Clijsters said after winning her 15th consecutive tour match. "It's tough out there on clay and I feel I have to try 10 times harder than I have to on hardcourts, or grass even. Pushing off is a lot tougher for me, and especially today because the court was a little softer."
Henin-Hardenne said her biggest adjustment is moving from the green clay of Charleston to the red clay in Warsaw.
"(The win) gave me a lot of confidence for sure, but here the court is so different," said Henin-Hardenne, extending her winning streak to six. "It's almost like another surface. It was very dry and very slippery over there. Here, it's heavy so it's a different kind of play."
Other seeded winners on the day were No. 6 Nathalie Dechy (d. Maleeva) and No. 8 Silvia Farina Elia (d. (LL) Pastikova, bagel in the second), while No. 9 Francesca Schiavone was forced to retire against Venezuela's Maria Vento-Kabchi with a thigh strain.
Three qualifiers moved into the second round Tuesday in the Ukraine's Julia Vakulenko (d. (Q) Chakvetadze), Russian Maria Kirilenko (d. Benesova), and Czech Zuzana Ondraskova (d. Douchevina).
Other un-seeds advancing were Serb pin-up girl Ana Ivanovic (d. Sucha, baking a double bagel), Slovak Daniela Hantuchova (d. (WC) Kosinska), Israel's Anna Smashnova (d. Koukalova), and Polish wildcard Marta Domachowska (d. Razzano).
Scheduled for Wednesday are Farina Elia vs. Ondraskova, Clijsters vs. Kirilenko, Hantuchova vs. Bovina, and Smashnova vs. Kuznetsova.
Top-seeded Pennetta Falls, Krajicek Wins at WTA Estoril
The WTA stop in Estoril lost two of its seeds before they even got out of the gate Tuesday when top-seeded Flavia Pennetta was shocked by Ukraine qualifier Olga Savchuk, and No. 8 Virginia Ruano Pascual was ground down 6-0 in the third set by Czech qualifier Lucie Safarova.
Seeded winners on the day were (3) Gisela Dulko (d. Foretz), (4) Na Li (d. Cohen-Aloro in three), and (9) Jie Zheng (d. (Q) Nagyova from a set down).
Leading the un-seeds was Michaella Krajicek, younger sister of Wimbledon champ Richard, who posted a win from a set down against France's Severine Beltrame.
Other unseeded winners were Argentine Mariana Diaz-Oliva (d. (WC) Gloria 1-and-1), Spaniard Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (d. Osterloh after getting bageled the first set), German qualifier Martina Muller (d. Marrero), and Ukranian lucky loser Katerina Bondarenko (d. (LL) Czink).
Scheduled for Wednesday in Estoril are Schaul vs. Safina, Pratt vs. Li, Randriantefy vs. Sanchez Lorenzo, Muller vs. Zheng, and Dulko vs. A.Bondarenko.
Nalbandian Struggles to Opening Win at ATP Munich
Top-seeded David Nalbandian's rust showed Tuesday in a three-set win in his opener at the ATP stop in Munich against unseeded Nicolas Lapentti, with the Argentine posting a see-saw 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 win.
Nalbandian, who has been on an extended rest due to a virus and was making his claycourt debut for 2005, trailed 5-3 in the opening set, and blew a 4-1 lead in the third before closing it out.
Other seeded winners were (2) Nikolay Davydenko (d. Haehnel), (3) Mario Ancic (d. Acasuso), (4) Tommy Haas (d. Almagro), (5) Andrei Pavel (d. (WC) Waske), (6) Igor Andreev (d. Vanek), and (7) Paradorn Srichaphan (d. Wessels), with the only upset victim on the day (8) Rainer Schuettler (l. to Mello in straights).
Other un-seeds advancing were Argentine Juan Monaco (d. Burgsmuller), Aussie Wayne Arthurs (d. Labadze), and Dutchmen Sjeng Schalken (d. (WC) Summerer) and Raemon Sluiter (d. Zib).
On tap Wednesday in Munich is Florian "Oscar" Mayer vs. (Q) Luczak, (5) Pavel vs. Schalken, "Everyone Loves" Raemon Sluiter vs. (2) Davydenko, (Q) Nieminen vs. (Q) Ulihrach in an all-qualifier, H.-T. Lee vs. (LL) Lisnard, and Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau vs. (Q) Mertinak.
Moya, Ferrero Advance to Meeting at ATP Estoril
Top-seeded Carlos Moya (d. Mantilla, bagel in the first) and unseeded former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero (d. Baghdatis, saving two match points) advanced to a blockbuster second-round meeting with opening-round match wins Tuesday at the ATP stop in Estoril.
"I'm glad I've got a day off before we play," said Ferrero on facing Moya. "I'm still a bit tired form Barcelona. Of course it will be a tough match, playing Carlos, it always is when two Spanish guys meet. My confidence is getting better but it's not where it has been in past years at this time of the season."
Other seeded winners on the day were (3) Joachim Johansson (d. Calatrava), (4) Tommy Robredo (d. (Q) Cermak in three), and (8) Feliciano Lopez (d. (WC) Corretja from a set down).
Other unseeded winners were Argentine Agustin Calleri (d. (WC) MacHado 6-1 in the third), France's Paul-Henri Mathieu (d. (7) Novak), Costa Rican lucky loser Juan Antonio Marin (d. defending champ Chela), Italian Dave Sanguinetti (d. (Q) Condor, bagel in the first), Czech qualifier Tomas Cakl (d. Carlsen, bagel in the second), and Spaniard Al Montanes (d. (Q) Blanco).
"I tried everything to turn things to my side during the match, I had some opportunities to do it, but some how I couldn't get them," Chela said. "I felt lost on the court, and it is true that I didn't come here with much confidence. But I intend to keep working hard in order to be fit for Roland Garros."
One match was suspended, with Al Costa trailing (5) Nicolas Massu 3-6, 3-2 when the match was suspended due to darkness.
On tap for Monday are Costa vs. (5) Massu (to finish), Guillermo "G-Lo" Garcia-Lopez vs. (3) Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson, Tabara vs. (2) Gaudio, (LL) Marin vs. Calleri, and (8) Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez vs. Montanes in an all-Spanish.
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