Blake Blows Match Points in Opener Loss at New Haven

Posted on August 23, 2006

Playing his first ATP-level hard court tournament since Miami 2004, Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo stunned top seed and defending champion James Blake 2-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(4) to reach the third round in New Haven Tuesday.

The Spaniard saved five match points.

Ramirez Hidalgo, who is just two places below his career-high INDESIT ATP Ranking of No. 57, had a career record of 0-7 on hard courts at ATP level before this week. He is making his first appearance of the US Open Series.

Ramirez Hidalgo saved two match points during the second set tie-break, two more when Blake served for the match at 5-3 40/15 in the third set and a fifth match point on his own serve at 5-6, 30/40.

Blake, who began the US Open Series by winning Indianapolis, converted just five on 18 break point opportunities. Since Indianapolis, Blake has not won consecutive matches, going 3-4 in his past four tournaments.

Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis survived two tie-breaks to defeat German qualifier Michael Berrer 7-6(5), 7-6(6). The Cypriot will next face Swede Robin Soderling, who stopped 18-year-old American Sam Querrey 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.

Second seed Nikolay Davydenko moved into the third round at New Haven with a comfortable win over Washington champion Arnaud Clement. The Russian won 95% of points on his first serve in a 6-2, 6-1 victory.

Davydenko will next face the No.16 seed Paradorn Srichaphan who beat Stanislas Wawrinka, the Umag champion, in the second round. Srichaphan came through in three tight sets, 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-4 in a match that lasted 138 minutes.

The No.6 seed Jose Acasuso made it through his first match of the tournament against Nicolas Mahut of France. Acasuso was at 7-5 and 3-3 before Mahut retired with a left hip injury. Acasuso will now encounter fellow Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela, after the 26-year-old dismissed Italian Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-2 in 68 minutes.

Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who is the No.7 seed in New Haven, also progressed to the third round with a 7-6(4), 6-4 triumph against Frenchman Julien Benneteau. Verdasco, who served nine aces on the way to victory, made this win his 28th on the circuit so far in 2006.

David Ferrer, the No.5 seed, advanced to the third round with a 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(5) win over American Mardy Fish. Ferrer, who won the Stuttgart tournament last month, only won the half the number of points on his second serve during the 127-minute win. The Spaniard will line up against Agustin Calleri who ousted Cincinnati doubles champion Max Mirnyi 7-6(4), 6-3. Calleri was the third Argentine to make it through into the next round Tuesday.
-- ATP