Costa Staying Alive in Barcelona; Sharapova Injured Again

Posted on April 27, 2006

Costa v Ferrero Today at ATP Barcelona

Former Roland Garros champ Albert Costa showed he is not ready to go quietly into the night in his final ATP event, and Croatian giant "Dr." Ivo Karlovic put on a serving clinic to take out a former Roland Garros semifinalist Wednesday at the ATP stop in Barcelona.

The wildcard entrant Costa moved into the third round with a straight-set defeat of No. 8 seed Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, making due on the gimpy knee that will end his career at the conclusion of the event.

Karlovic shocked Russian No. 2 seed Nikolay Davydenko 6-7(7), 7-5, 6-4, throwing down 19 aces to move into the third round.

Other seeded winners Wednesday were (1) Rafael Nadal (d. countryman F.Lopez), (4) Radek Stepanek (d. Volandri from a set down), (6) Tommy Robredo (d. Starace, bagel in the second), (7) Jarkko Nieminen (d. Kohlschreiber), (10) Juan Carlos Ferrero (d. countryman A.Martin), and (12) Fernando Verdasco (d. Calleri).

"I didn't play a great match, but once I pass the first two rounds, things get easier," Nadal told reporters after his 43rd consecutive claycourt win. "I'm used to the court and the conditions."

32-year-old Spaniard Albert "The Dropshot Dragon" Portas also provided an upset Wednesday, mixing up play sufficiently to distract No. 9 seed Tomas Berdych for a straight-set win.

Another unseeded winner was hot-handed Russian qualifier Evgeny Korolev, who following up his win over Carlos Moya earlier in the week with a 6-3, 6-0 pasting of Spaniard Fernando Vicente.
 
Thursday's match-ups on the Barcelona dirt are (3) Coria vs. Almagro, (10) Ferrero vs. (WC) A.Costa in an all-Spanish, (1) Nadal vs. (Q) Navarro Pastor in another all-ESP, (6) Robredo vs. (12) Verdasco in yet another all-ESP, (Q) Korolev vs. Karlovic, (5) Ferrer vs. Wawrinka, Mathieu vs. (4) Stepanek, and Portas vs. (7) Nieminen.

Top-Seeded Massu Shakily Into Quarters ATP Casablanca

Top seed Nicolas Massu recovered from a stumble Wednesday on the dirt at the ATP claycourt stop in Casablanca, dropping a first-set tiebreak before storming back and losing only four games in a 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-1 win to move into the quarterfinals.

The two other seeds in action Wednesday both suffered straight-set losses when Frenchman Nicolas Mahut ousted No. 5-seeded countryman Arnaud Clement, and Czech Jiri Vanek beat No. 6 Jurgen Melzer.

Other unseeded winners were Germans Bjorn Phau (d. (Q) Saoudi) and Alexander Waske (d. Muller).

Scheduled for Thursday in Casablanca are (Q) Gicquel vs. (2) Horna, (8) Simon vs. (WC) Tahiri, Mayer vs. (3) C.Rochus, and (7) Bracciali vs. Waske.

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