Mauresmo, Sharapova Win in Rome; Federer, Coria on Tap Today in Hamburg

Top-seeded Maria Sharapova drew closer to a possible No. 1 ranking as she edged former French Open winner Mary Pierce 7-6(4), 6-4. The “Cell Phone Mannequin” was up 5-2 before letting it slip away until the regaining hold in tiebreak.

Only the ninth-seeded countrywoman Elena Bovina stands in the way of Sharapova’s first career clay semifinal.

Also winning was No.6 seed Vera “Warren” Zvonareva, who survived a three-set scare with qualifier Catalina Castano, 6-1, 5-7,  6-2. “Warren” will next test Italian queen Francesca Schiavone, who posted her second straight upset by knocking out Ai “Got My Butt Kicked” Sugiyama 6-3, 7-5. Schiavone upset Serena in a stunner on Wednesday.

The remaining quarter will pit nutty No.8 seed Patty Schnyder, an impressive 6-3, 6-2 winner over rising star Ana Ivanovic, and Russian Evgenia Linetskaya, who defeated Argentina's Gisela “Sgt.” Dulko, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Federer, Coria Roll Toward Friday Showdown

In perhaps the most anticipated match of the clay season thus far, World No. 1 Roger Federer will test his clay skills against dirt wizard Guillermo Coria today in the quarterfinals at the Masters Series Hamburg.

The Argentine Coria coasted by Mario Ancic 6-4, 6-3 to raise his record in H-Burg to 15-1. Meanwhile, Federer slapped No. 14 seed Tommy Robredo all over the court with a 6-2, 6-3 victory. Federer is now a perfect 6-0 against Tommy, and he’s lost just 15 games against three worthy clay foes this week. Yikes.

“With such tough draws, you catch them early sometimes,” Federer said after raising his record to 38-2 on the year, 17-3 lifetime in Hamburg.

On playing Coria, Federer is already thinking beat-down: “He came from winning Rome as well. I’m feeling much fresher I guess than him. He had a couple of tough matches back in Rome. So, I hope I can use that to win.”

Coria, didn’t seem to have that same confidence heading into the showdown: “It’s going to be similar to how it was against Nadal. You have to take it one point at a time. They are very good technically, have great shots and are very complete players. So, I just will have to play my best tennis.”

As for the other quarterfinals, all one cay say is...U-G-L-Y.

No. 15 seed Nikolay Davydenko battles Filippo Volandri which surely will have the early afternoon near-frozen H-burg crowd in the frenzy. Davydenko advanced with a three set over qualifier Juan Carlos Ferrero. Too bad, how can you not pull for Juan Carlos!

Volandri had a surprisingly easier time of it dispatching Sebastien Grosjean 6-3, 6-4.

Okay, so Davydenko-Volandri didn’t do it for ya, well, what about a clash between qualifier Christophe Rochus and the ever-charismatic Juan Igancio Chela. Can’t wait for that one…

Rochus, who if not for his brother, Olivier, would probably be the smallest guy on the tour, took out fourth seeded Gaston Gaudio 2-6, 7-5, 6-3. See, being low to the ground has its benefits. Chela, meanwhile, also needed three sets to eliminate testy (5) Tim Henman 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.

And in the final quarterfinal pairing of two qualifiers, Richard Gasquet, a 6-1, 6-2 winner over Dominik Hrbaty, will match up with Italian Andreas Seppi who defeated Jiri Novak 6-3, 6-4.

Seppi knows who to give credit too when he wins, his mom. Can’t go wrong with mom.

“This is nearly the first time that my mother accompanies me to a tournament; normally I just travel with my coach,” said Seppi. “Maybe she brings me luck. It went well so far. She only has to take another day off now. As long as I win she’s happy.”

Safina, Benesova Set to Clash at WTA Prague

Top seed Dinara Safina posted an easy 6-2, 6-2 win over Michaela Pastikova to set up a showdown with her doubles partner and local favorite, fifth-seeded Iveta “Beat Marat’s Sister” Benesova,.

Benesova, a 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 victor over Anne “Cosmo” Kremer, and Safina have never met in a singles match before. Safina will face her third straight Czech player in the event, and if she defeats Benesova she probably won’t make it out of the country alive. Okay, just kidding. Don’t email us.

Other winners included Kristina Brandi (d. Jackson) and qualifier Laura Pous Tio (d. Nagyova).

Friday's other quarterfinal matchups feature No.2 seed Klara “Kooky” Koukalova against American Jill Craybas and Czech native Zuzana Ondraskova will face Argentina's Mariana Diaz-Oliva.

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TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Roger Federer has won five of the past nine Masters Series tournaments he has contested, and is seeking his third Hamburg title…Guillermo Coria has reached the Hamburg final the last two years, winning in 2003. Coria has reached the finals (and lost) at the last four big clay “majors”…Trivia time: Name the last player to have won all four clay “Majors” (Monte Carlo, Rome, Hamburg, Roland Garros). That’s an easy one…The Hamburg folks must be tickled that for the first time two Italians (Filippo Volandri, Andrea Seppi) will appear together in a Masters Series quarterfinal. Meanwhile, the Rome tournament staff must be kicking themselves… Italian qualifier Andreas Seppi had just nine career match wins at the ATP-level before this week…Three qualifiers are in the final eight in Hamburg – Richard Gasquet, Andreas Seppi and Christophe Rochus. So what does that mean? Well it could mean that the top guys really didn’t feel like sticking around in hail and cold in Hamburg. Or that they are just that good. Either way, Roberto Carretero is smiling somewhere…From the “We Kid You Not” file, the last time Roger Federer lost to a guy whose name ended in a vowel was Albert Costa a year ago in Rome. And Fed has had just two such loses (Ferrero the other in Madrid in 2003) since losing to Horna in first round at the French in 2003…In her last three European events, Serena Williams has won exactly ONE match. Glad that reality show was filming in Rome. Hope they got the good stuff!...Linespeople are breathing a sigh a relief as the USTA said yesterday that they are not going to use the Auto-Ref electronic line-calling system this year at the U.S Open. "We're disappointed that Auto-Ref is no longer a candidate for an electronic line-calling technology at the 2005 U.S. Open," said USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier. "But we will continue to monitor their progress and look forward to a time when they may complete their independent testing process." According to Canadian media man Tom Tebbutt, the move comes as a result of a “business dispute.”…2003 French Open finalist Martin “Berzerk” Verkerk will not return to Roland Garros this year due to a bad shoulder. The 124th-ranked Verkerk has been off the circuit since undergoing right shoulder surgery last fall. Golfer Scotty Draper will take his place. Edgardo Massa has also withdrew with a bum shoulder, and he’ll by replaced by Thomas Enqvist. And if someone else should pull after that – Lleyton Hewitt? – Tiger Woods would be next in.