Federer, Roddick Win, Henman with Upset at Madrid
Posted on October 18, 2006Top-seeded Roger Federer, No. 6 Andy Roddick, and unseeded Marat Safin were Slam winners in action advancing Tuesday at the Masters Series-Madrid.
Federer opened his campaign for a first title in Spain with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Chilean Nicolas Massu, and will next face the winner between former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero and Swede Robin Soderling.
"I played the big points better than he did, made it easier for myself," said Federer of Massu after upping his 2006 record to 78-5. "The match could have turned out much harder, but this is the perfect results for the first round...I'm just being very careful at the end of the year, trying to be really professional by warming up a lot and taping."
Roddick battered diminutive Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean off the court in straight sets, while Safin edged Argentine Jose Acasuso 6-3 in the third.
"My knees are hurting a bit, it's just a bit of tendinitis, nothing serious," said Roddick, who this week benefits from the attendance of part-time coach Jimmy Connors. "I've had (it) for years and years. At the end of the year after a long schedule, you have your good days and your bad days."
A roof leak in the morning delayed the start of play in Madrid.
Other seeded winners on the day were two players attempting to qualify for the year-end Masters Cup in (4) David Nalbandian (d. (Q) Benneteau from a set down) and (7) Tommy Robredo (d. Chela in two tiebreaks).
Wildcard Tim Henman recorded the only seeded upset, rushing and crushing against No. 14 David Ferrer 6-1 in the third.
"It hasn't been a pity. It's been a whole disaster," Ferrer said afterwards. "This has been one of the worst days of my career."
Other unseeded winners were Soderling (d. O.Rochus), Belgian Kristof Vliegen (d. Tursunov), Swede Joachim Johansson (d. (Q) Del Potro), Frenchman Richard Gasquet (d. Nieminen), and Slovak Dominik Hrbaty (d. Monfils who retired in the second).
Monfils was the victim of an unnecessary leap during his match, coming down on his ankle and requiring a wheelchair to leave the court. It is estimated he will be out four weeks with damaged ligaments.
High-profile doubles winners Tuesday were (1) Bryan/Bryan (d. Gonzalez/Youzhny), (3) Knowles/Nestor (d. (WC) F.Lopez/Nadal in a match tiebreak), and Israel's Erlich/Ram (d. Bhupathi/Blake, bagel in the first).
Top 10 seeds in action Wednesday in Madrid will be Srichaphan vs. (10) Gonzalez, Vliegen vs. (8) Blake, Murray vs. (3) Ljubicic, (Q) Fish vs. (2) Nadal, (9) Baghdatis vs. Safin, and (5) Davydenko vs. J.Johansson.
Federer opened his campaign for a first title in Spain with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Chilean Nicolas Massu, and will next face the winner between former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero and Swede Robin Soderling.
"I played the big points better than he did, made it easier for myself," said Federer of Massu after upping his 2006 record to 78-5. "The match could have turned out much harder, but this is the perfect results for the first round...I'm just being very careful at the end of the year, trying to be really professional by warming up a lot and taping."
Roddick battered diminutive Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean off the court in straight sets, while Safin edged Argentine Jose Acasuso 6-3 in the third.
"My knees are hurting a bit, it's just a bit of tendinitis, nothing serious," said Roddick, who this week benefits from the attendance of part-time coach Jimmy Connors. "I've had (it) for years and years. At the end of the year after a long schedule, you have your good days and your bad days."
A roof leak in the morning delayed the start of play in Madrid.
Other seeded winners on the day were two players attempting to qualify for the year-end Masters Cup in (4) David Nalbandian (d. (Q) Benneteau from a set down) and (7) Tommy Robredo (d. Chela in two tiebreaks).
Wildcard Tim Henman recorded the only seeded upset, rushing and crushing against No. 14 David Ferrer 6-1 in the third.
"It hasn't been a pity. It's been a whole disaster," Ferrer said afterwards. "This has been one of the worst days of my career."
Other unseeded winners were Soderling (d. O.Rochus), Belgian Kristof Vliegen (d. Tursunov), Swede Joachim Johansson (d. (Q) Del Potro), Frenchman Richard Gasquet (d. Nieminen), and Slovak Dominik Hrbaty (d. Monfils who retired in the second).
Monfils was the victim of an unnecessary leap during his match, coming down on his ankle and requiring a wheelchair to leave the court. It is estimated he will be out four weeks with damaged ligaments.
High-profile doubles winners Tuesday were (1) Bryan/Bryan (d. Gonzalez/Youzhny), (3) Knowles/Nestor (d. (WC) F.Lopez/Nadal in a match tiebreak), and Israel's Erlich/Ram (d. Bhupathi/Blake, bagel in the first).
Top 10 seeds in action Wednesday in Madrid will be Srichaphan vs. (10) Gonzalez, Vliegen vs. (8) Blake, Murray vs. (3) Ljubicic, (Q) Fish vs. (2) Nadal, (9) Baghdatis vs. Safin, and (5) Davydenko vs. J.Johansson.