Tennis roundup
Safin ousted by Kiefer in opening round of Dubai Open DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Marat Safin lost to Nicolas Kiefer of Germany 7-6 (2), 6-4 in the opening round of the Dubai Open on Tuesday, dropping his first match since winning the Australian Open three weeks ago.
Safin looked sluggish and was admittedly uncomfortable against Kiefer.
Kiefer “was playing the kind of game that doesn’t give you any sort of rhythm,” the second-seeded Russian said. “Chipping and charging, slicing and spinning and changing the power.”
In the match of the night, Tim Henman beat Greg Rusedski 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4 after saving a match-point in the second set.
Kiefer, the 2000 Dubai champion and a two-time finalist in the United Arab Emirates, earned grudging applause from a capacity crowd, which overwhelmingly supported Safin.
“It is never easy against Marat,” Kiefer said. “He is one of the top players in the world and has just won the Australian Open. So yes, I am very happy with my game today.
“I started a bit slowly in the first set but then I started getting my serves in. It is important to serve well against these guys.”
Safin said a lack of match practice wasn’t to blame.
“If I had played a few more matches, who could have guaranteed that I will win?” he said. “It is just the beginning of the season and there are many tournaments to go.”
In other matches, Feliciano Lopez of Spain eliminated Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to earn a second-round matchup with American Andre Agassi.
“It is going to be an exciting match,” Lopez said. “It’s going to be a great match with packed stands and a great atmosphere. It is one of the matches that I have always wanted to play.”
Seventh-seeded Mikhail Youzhny beat Thomas Johansson 7-6 (3), 6-1; No. 6 seed Nikolay Davydenko eliminated former Dubai champion Fabrice Santoro of France 6-3, 6-0; and Igor Andreev beat qualifier Marco Chiudnelli of Switzerland 6-3, 7-5.
Martinez advances to second round of Qatar Open
DOHA, Qatar (AP) – Conchita Martinez of Spain rallied to beat Roberta Vinci of Italy 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 Tuesday in the Qatar Open.
Martinez broke Vinci six times in the match, three in the second set, to prevail in 1 hour, 46 minutes.
Also Tuesday, Ai Sugiyama of Japan reached the second round with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Samantha Stosur of Australia, setting up a clash with Francesca Schiavone of Italy. Elsewhere, 18-year-old Russian Maria Kirilenko of Russia defeated Lucie Safararova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-1, and Nicole Pratt of Australia outlasted Selima Safr of Tunisia 7-5, 6-2 to earn a second-round matchup with compatriot and No. 4 seed Alicia Molik.
With her victory, Martinez advances to face defending champion and No. 3 seed Anastasia Myskina of Russia on Wednesday.
“I am relieved to have won my first match here. It was a tough match. I started quite slow. I couldn’t find rhythm in the first set. Only when I changed pace on my shots did I manage to win games,” Martinez said.
In another three-setter, 21-year-old Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia outlasted Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Nadal defeats Calatrava in Mexican Open
ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) – Eighth-seeded Rafael Nadal of Spain defeated countryman Alex Calatrava 6-4, 6-4 Tuesday in the first round of the Mexican Open.
The 18-year-old Nadal dominated in serves on the clay court. Sixth-seeded Italian Filippo Volandri struggled on the surface, but ousted No. 9 Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina 6-2, 7-6 (8).
Meanwhile, Alina Jidkova of Russia fourth-seeded among the women, routed Rose Maria Andres Rodriguez of Spain 6-0, 6-2, but Antonella Serra Zanetti of Italy ousted No. 8 Nuria Lllangostera Vives of Spain 6-2, 6-1.
Arthurs upsets Dent in first round of Tennis Channel Open
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Wayne Arthurs had a winning streak against Taylor Dent and a poor record in final-set tiebreakers.
He extended one and improved on the other Tuesday, beating fourth-seeded Dent 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) to advance to the second round of the Tennis Channel Open.
Earlier, top-seeded Tommy Haas withdrew because of flu.
Third-seeded Mario Ancic of Croatia beat wild card Brendan Evans 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; fifth-seeded Kevin Kim overpowered Horia Tecau of Romania 6-3, 6-2, and Glenn Weiner beat Canada’s Frank Dancevic 6-4, 7-6 (4) in other early matches.
Dent came in with a 10-5 record, but remained winless against his Australian opponent, who beat him on clay and grass in 2002.
Arthurs maintained the jinx on a hardcourt in their third match, breaking Dent in the fourth game of the second set and persevering when each held service in the third.
Arthurs was only 6-16 in match-deciding tiebreakers previously, but got a minibreak on the ninth point and served out.
“You just try and keep positive,” he said. “I knew I was serving pretty well.”
Ancic, ranked 29th after reaching semifinals at Marseille and Rotterdam the last two weeks, got a challenge from a Florida teenager ranked 565th and playing in his second ATP event.
But after Evans broke through in the eighth game and won the first set, his inexperience caught up. He double-faulted three times in the eighth game of the second, giving Ancic his second service break and the set.
Rain interrupted the third set twice. After the first delay, Evans overcame a break point to tie it at 3, but Ancic reasserted himself by winning four straight service points, broke Evans in the eighth game and served two of his eight aces while taking the ninth.