Seeds Cruise, Gael Force Blown Away at ATP Bucharest
Posted on September 14, 2005All five seeded players in action advanced in straight sets on the dirt Tuesday at the ATP stop in Bucharest in (1) Mariano Puerta (d. Tipsarevic), (2) Filippo Volandri (d. Behrend), (3) Andrei Pavel (d. A.Martin), (4) Victor Hanescu (d. Starace), and (8) Fernando Verdasco (d. Zabaleta).
"It's really nice to win today because I've been going through a period where I have been struggling a little bit," said the homecountry favorite Pavel. "Coming home is great after a five-set loss at the US Open. I was a little bit nervous in the beginning but I'm so glad that I went through."
Puerta says he is happy to be back on the dirt, with a slim chance at qualifying for the eight-man year-end championship.
"I'm happy, I have some expectations to do well at this tournament," Puerta said. "I have a small change to qualify for [the Masters Cup in] Shanghai so I want to try to win this tournament."
No. 5 seed Gael "Force" Monfils failed to capitalize on a set lead, ousted in three by Spain's Al Montanes.
Two Spanish qualifiers moved into the second round in Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (d. countryman Almagro) and Al Portas (d. C.Rochus), while Austrian qualifier Oliver Marach led Pole-position qualifier Mariusz Fyrstenberg 6-4, 2-2 when the match was suspended due to darkness.
Other unseeded winners into the second round were Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (d. Horna in three) and Russian Igor Andreev (d. Waske).
Scheduled for Wednesday are (7) Mathieu vs. (Q) Portas, Serra vs. (2) Volandri, (1) Puerta vs. Garcia-Lopez, Andreev vs. Montanes, and (Q) Marach vs. (Q) Fyrstenberg (to finish).
"It's really nice to win today because I've been going through a period where I have been struggling a little bit," said the homecountry favorite Pavel. "Coming home is great after a five-set loss at the US Open. I was a little bit nervous in the beginning but I'm so glad that I went through."
Puerta says he is happy to be back on the dirt, with a slim chance at qualifying for the eight-man year-end championship.
"I'm happy, I have some expectations to do well at this tournament," Puerta said. "I have a small change to qualify for [the Masters Cup in] Shanghai so I want to try to win this tournament."
No. 5 seed Gael "Force" Monfils failed to capitalize on a set lead, ousted in three by Spain's Al Montanes.
Two Spanish qualifiers moved into the second round in Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (d. countryman Almagro) and Al Portas (d. C.Rochus), while Austrian qualifier Oliver Marach led Pole-position qualifier Mariusz Fyrstenberg 6-4, 2-2 when the match was suspended due to darkness.
Other unseeded winners into the second round were Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (d. Horna in three) and Russian Igor Andreev (d. Waske).
Scheduled for Wednesday are (7) Mathieu vs. (Q) Portas, Serra vs. (2) Volandri, (1) Puerta vs. Garcia-Lopez, Andreev vs. Montanes, and (Q) Marach vs. (Q) Fyrstenberg (to finish).