Safin, Gasquet Beaten Thursday at ATP Metz
Posted on October 6, 2006Tournament favorites Marat Safin and Richard Gasquet both took the loss collar Thursday in Metz, France. Safin was ousted by Austrian lefty Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, who saved five match points before prevailing 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(5) over the slumping big Russian.
Safin, whose last title came at the 2005 Australian Open, saved three consecutive match points at 0-40, 4-5 in the third set. The Russian saved one additional match point in the tiebreak at 4-6 before Melzer closed out the match on his own serve.
Meanwhile, the fifth-seeded Gasquet was sent home by French countryman Arnuad Clement 6-7(3), 7-6(3), 7-5. Clement had defeated Gasquet in three sets back in February at Marseille.
Also, No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic defeated Italian Danielle Bracciali 6-0, 6-3. The Serb next will face German Tobias Clemens, who edged Frenchman Cyril Saulnier in a match-up of qualifiers 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5). American Mardy Fish was also victorious, defeating Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-3, 6-3
Safin, whose last title came at the 2005 Australian Open, saved three consecutive match points at 0-40, 4-5 in the third set. The Russian saved one additional match point in the tiebreak at 4-6 before Melzer closed out the match on his own serve.
Meanwhile, the fifth-seeded Gasquet was sent home by French countryman Arnuad Clement 6-7(3), 7-6(3), 7-5. Clement had defeated Gasquet in three sets back in February at Marseille.
Also, No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic defeated Italian Danielle Bracciali 6-0, 6-3. The Serb next will face German Tobias Clemens, who edged Frenchman Cyril Saulnier in a match-up of qualifiers 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5). American Mardy Fish was also victorious, defeating Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-3, 6-3