Rios Pounding Wimbledon Champs at Seniors Eindhoven
Posted on October 14, 2006So far the theory that the fast-court specialists on the Merrill Lynch Tour of Champions would take it to the undefeated Marcelo Rios this week on the slick indoor courts in Eindhoven, The Netherlands has proved false.
First it was Pat Cash going down meekly in straight sets to the Chilean.
On Friday it was another former Wimbledon champ in Michael Stich, with the German earning only four games in a 6-2, 6-2 beating.
Before the event began, homecountry favorite and yet another former Wimbledon champ Richard Krajicek bragged that with the proper preparation, and the hiring of his old coach, he would be the one to break Rios' streak of five straight tournament titles in 2006.
"He's just warming up against these guys -- 6-1, 6-3 and 6-2, 6-2, whereas I've been lucky to even win my matches," said Krajicek, who edged Cash Friday 10-6 in a final-set tiebreak. "It's looking pretty bad for me."
Krajicek is nonetheless 2-0 in round robin play, and the winner of his match with Rios on Saturday will advance to the final.
Goran Ivanisevic (d. Paul Haarhuis 10-6 in the third) and Wayne Ferreira (d. Leconte 6-4, 6-4) also kept their round robin records perfect, and the winner of their meeting Saturday will move into the final.
"When I lost the first set I thought, like usual, Paul is going to win," Ivanisevic said. "I lost count of the times he has beaten me -- he always causes me problems. This time, I won, and now that I beat him I achieved my goal for the week. It doesn't matter what happens now."
Other matches Saturday in the final round of round robin play are Haarhuis vs. Leconte, and Cash vs. Stich.
First it was Pat Cash going down meekly in straight sets to the Chilean.
On Friday it was another former Wimbledon champ in Michael Stich, with the German earning only four games in a 6-2, 6-2 beating.
Before the event began, homecountry favorite and yet another former Wimbledon champ Richard Krajicek bragged that with the proper preparation, and the hiring of his old coach, he would be the one to break Rios' streak of five straight tournament titles in 2006.
"He's just warming up against these guys -- 6-1, 6-3 and 6-2, 6-2, whereas I've been lucky to even win my matches," said Krajicek, who edged Cash Friday 10-6 in a final-set tiebreak. "It's looking pretty bad for me."
Krajicek is nonetheless 2-0 in round robin play, and the winner of his match with Rios on Saturday will advance to the final.
Goran Ivanisevic (d. Paul Haarhuis 10-6 in the third) and Wayne Ferreira (d. Leconte 6-4, 6-4) also kept their round robin records perfect, and the winner of their meeting Saturday will move into the final.
"When I lost the first set I thought, like usual, Paul is going to win," Ivanisevic said. "I lost count of the times he has beaten me -- he always causes me problems. This time, I won, and now that I beat him I achieved my goal for the week. It doesn't matter what happens now."
Other matches Saturday in the final round of round robin play are Haarhuis vs. Leconte, and Cash vs. Stich.