Hewitt Pulls From French; Amelie Gets Andy Reebok Money

Last year Chile became the first country to win back-to-back World Team Cup titles since the John McEnroe-led U.S. teams in 1985-84.

In the second match on the day, France defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 with Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean straight-setting Jiri Novak, Czech Tomas Berdych stomping Michael Llodra (giving up only three games), and in the decider Arnaud Clement and Llodra bread-sticking Berdych and Novak in the doubles.

On Friday Germany and Spain will determine who reaches the final (Haas vs. Robredo, Mayer vs. Ferrer) against Argentina, and in the loser sideshow the U.S. faces off against Sweden (Spadea vs. J.Johansson, Morrison vs. T.Johansson).

Top-seeded Davydenko, Unseeded Grinders Into ATP St. Poelten Semifinals

Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko (d. (WC) Mantilla) and No. 4 Jurgen Melzer (d. (Q) Sanchez from a set down) advanced to the semifinals Thursday at the ATP stop in St. Poelten, but the real stories were two dirt-grinding un-seeds who won two matches each on the day to punch their semifinal tickets.

A rain-out on Wednesday required multiple players to contest two matches Thursday, with two unseeded players successfully doing double-duty in Argentina's Jose Acasuso, who bested Spaniard Nicolas Almagro and German qualifier Michael Kohlmann in straight sets, and Belgian Christophe Rochus defeating David Sanguinetti and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in straights.

"The key today was that I kept my concentration in the two matches, this morning against Nicolas Almagro and this afternoon against Michael Kohlmann," Acasuso said. "I play next against Nikolay Davydenko who is a very tough opponent. He has been playing extremely well lately, but I feel really confident and am playing well at the moment so I believe in my chances."

Scheduled for the Friday semifinals are (4) Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer vs. Christophe "The Roach" Rochus, and (1) Davydenko vs. Acasuso.

Rochus is now 13-10 on the year, while Davydenko has reached his second consecutive semifinal after the Masters Series-Hamburg.

Dechy Lone Semifinal Seed at WTA Strasbourg

Top-seeded Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy became the lone seed to advance to the semifinals Thursday at the WTA stop in Strasbourg, weathering a three-set battle with wildcard countrywoman Stephanie Cohen-Aloro 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

"I felt the first set was a little too easy," Dechy said. "In the second, I was concentrating on my serve too much and let her back into the match. She was playing well. Finally in the third I was able to put my serve out back in perspective and just play more naturally and I was able to win it. I expected to reach the semifinals here, so I am happy."

The three un-seeds into the semifinals were Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues (d. Douchevina 6-1 in the third), Poland's Marta Domachowska (d. Peng from a set down), and Madagascar's Dally Randriantefy (d. (6) Sprem in three).

On tap for the Friday semifinals are Randriantefy vs. Domachowska, and (1) Dechy vs. Anabel "Funky Cold" Medina Garrigues.

"Medina Garrigues will be difficult, all the Spanish are good on red clay," Dechy said. "I feel I can do well."

Venus, Top 3 Into Semis at WTA Istanbul

Top-seeded Venus Williams continued her claycourt tear through the lower ranks of the WTA Tour Thursday in Istanbul, bulldozing No. 7-seeded Russian teen Anna Chakvetadze 6-2, 6-1 to gain the semifinals.

"I was in a good rhythm today, which was good," Venus said of the goodness. "I've had a great week so far, and it's not over yet. I hope to be here for two more days and take the title with me to Paris."

The elder Williams sister was joined in the semis by (2) Nicole Vaidisova (d. (5) Groenefeld), (3) Anna Smashnova (d. (8) Washington), and Bulgarian No. 220-ranked qualifier Tszvetana Pironkova (d. Peer) who is competing in her first WTA event.

Scheduled for Friday are (1) Venus vs. (Q) Pironkova, and (3) Smashnova vs. (2) Vaidisova.

DAILY TENNIS-X E-NEWSLETTER
Read what tennis industry insiders read each morning to get the latest news, insight and opinion on pro tennis. Get the Tennis-X Daily Dish in your e-mail in-box, even before it's posted on the web, by signing up for the net's most complete daily e-newsletter at http://www.tennis-x.com/subscribe.php

TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
As expected, Lleyton Hewitt pulled from the French Open Thursday due to a rib injury received in a "mysterious" fall: "My sights are now firmly set on the forthcoming grasscourt season starting with Queen's and then Wimbledon, building up to (Australia's) tough Davis Cup tie against Argentina in Sydney," Hewitt said in a press release. Previously sidelined due to foot surgery, Hewitt hasn't competed in an ATP event since March. "I have decided to take doctors advice and not play next week as returning too early runs the risk of prolonging my recovery period."...The majority of the punters have Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal as the odds-on favorite to win his first French Open title in his first appearance at Roland Garros, yikes...Amelie Mauresmo has struck a multi-year deal with Reebok: "I am thrilled to partner with Reebok because the brand stands for the two pulse points that matter most to me -- individuality and authenticity," Mauresmo said. So that's what Reebok did with their we-need-to-dump-Andy-ASAP money...Hard to imagine since he hardly ever gets injured, but American Taylor Dent has pulled from the French Open with a bad ankle...At 11:30 a.m. Paris time today the French Open draw will be made at the "Tenniseum" at Roland Garros...Richard Gasquet, who last year won the mixed doubles at Roland Garros with Tatiana "Hot Pants" Golovin, will this year team with French countryman Gael "Force" Monfils in doubles on the men's side...Brad Gilbert has been working out with new pupil Tatiana "Hot Pants" Golovin at Roland Garros since the Frenchwoman-girl lost at Strasbourg...ESPN plans 109.5 hours of French Open coverage in the U.S. between ESPN2 and ESPN Classic...Vince Spadea, Jeff Morrison and Bob and Mike Bryan attended a cocktail party at the American Consulate in Dusseldorf this week at the World Team Cup...Guy Forget on Amelie Mauresmo taking on Yannick Noah's counsel in an attempt to win the French: "It's worth trying. They both admire each other. Yannick is the one who can really inspire Amelie or at the very least make her understand what matters and what doesn't. He can unlock her mystery. She will have to open the door herself, but Yannick can help her to put the right key into the lock." Correct us if we're wrong, but we don't think Yannick is the right gender to "unlock her mystery," or "put the key in the lock." Mauresmo on working with Noah: "We started two months ago," Mauresmo told Reuters. "It's not a magical solution. There are just little things we want to improve. It's exciting, we're having a great time and hopefully it's going to pay off, not only for the French Open but also for Wimbledon and the next few tournaments."...MaLigne TV and GlobeCast, both subsidiaries of the France Telecom group, have partnered to provide a package of television channels that will allow French viewers to watch live broadcasts of all matches on the seven main courts at Roland Garros. Top that ESPN!...Look for Chinese star Li Na to pull from Roland Garros in the coming days with a foot injury...Peter Bodo (Tennis.com) on why blogging, where writers share the minutiae of such things as brushing their teeth in the morning, rule: "It's moving day here at TENNIS (magazine), high above New York's Madison Avenue, and I'll be too busy relocating to a new office down the hall to do much blogging." Thanks for sharing! And then the Bodo meltdown: "Whiners! You're all Stinking Whiners! Okay, can we stop it with the e-mails complaining about my rant turned into rumination on the lack of satisfying structure in clay court tennis (see my posts of May 11 and May 16)? TW has moved on; you can sink back into your oozing pit of dark, primordial ignorance." Time to alter the medication...A fit and un-injured Mary Pierce says it's time to kick ass at Roland Garros: "Something unique happens when I'm at Roland Garros," Pierce told Reuters. "I'm able to play my best tennis when I'm there. It's my favorite tournament."...Maria Sharapova on adapting her one-dimensional game to the red clay: "This is not an overnight process," the cell phone mannequin told Reuters. "I'm not going to change overnight and all of a sudden be Superman and win everything."