Top-seeded Davydenko, Six Other Seeds Ousted at ATP Kitzbuhel

Posted on July 28, 2005

Argentina's Mariano Zabeleta, once touted as a force in the game as a misguided late-hour addition to the ill-fated "New Balls, Please" marketing campaign, drew on his early-career form Wednesday at the ATP stop in Kitzbuhel to oust No. 1 seed and Roland Garros semifinalist Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 7-6(5).

"I'm very happy because I'm having a good time, playing with a lot of confidence after my injury," said Zabaleta, who benefited from the Russian's inability to close it out serving at 5-4 in the second. "I won against a great player who's in the Top 10. I played the important points very well."

Davydenko was one of a host of seeded upset victims on the day, including (8) Olivier Rochus (l. to Verdasco), (11) Jose Acasuso (l. to Mayer), (12) Christophe Rochus (l. to homecountry favorite Koubek, retiring in the third set with cramps), (13) Igor Andreev (l. to Almagro), (14) Luis Horna (l. to (WC) N.Lapentti), and (16) Paul-Henri Mathieu (l. to Vik, retiring in the second with gastritis).

Seeds advancing into the third round were (2) Mariano Puerta (d. (Q) Labadze), (3) Gaston Gaudio (d. Kohlschreiber), (4) Fernando Gonzalez (d. (WC) Marach), (5) Feliciano Lopez (d. Di Mauro), (6) Mikhail Youzhny (d. Minar, bagel in the first), (7) Nicolas Massu (d. (WC) Koellerer), (9) Jurgen Melzer (d. (Q) Vemic in three), (10) Andrei Pavel (d. Schuettler 7-6 in the third), and (15) Victor Hanescu (d. Behrend 0-and-1).

"I'm happy. I didn't play a great game today," said Gonzo, struggling with the altitude. "The conditions are very different to last week and the ball flies a lot."

Battling for quarterfinal berths on Thursday are Mayer vs. (5) Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez, (WC) N.Lapentti vs. (4) Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez, Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco vs. (9) Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, (7) Massu vs. Koubek, (3) Gaudio vs. Vik, Zabaleta vs. Almagro, in doubles Rochus/Rochus vs. (2) Suk/Vizner, (15) Hanescu vs. (2) Puerta, and (10) Pavel vs. (6) Youzhny.