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SYDNEY, Jan 9: Marat Safin pulled out of the Sydney International with an injured shoulder on Thursday to leave Juan Carlos Ferrero as the last remaining men’s seed in the final warm-up tournament before the Australian Open.
The giant Russian withdrew from his quarterfinal with Korean qualifier Lee Hyung-taik in the hope of recovering in time for the first grand slam of the year.
World number three Safin’s withdrawal provided Lee with a free ride into Friday’s semifinals where he will meet Wayne Ferreira, who crushed Franco Squillari 6-0 6-4.
Ferrero is the only seeded player left in the men’s draw after he blasted aside Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan 6-3 6-1 in brilliant fashion.
The Spaniard, runner-up at last year’s French Open and season-ending Masters Cup, will play Rainer Schuettler for a place in Saturday’s final after the German beat Mardy Fish 7-6 6-4.
Currently ranked fourth in the world, Ferrero says he now has his eyes set on overtaking Lleyton Hewitt for the number one spot.
While the men’s draw has been decimated by big-name casualties, the women’s tournament has thrown up an intriguing semifinal showdown between Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Clijsters crushed Chanda Rubin 6-1 6-2 while newlywed Henin-Hardenne had a tougher workout from South African Amanda Coetzer before triumphing 6-4 6-4 to set up an all-Belgian semifinal.
Russian giant killer Tatiana Panova, who knocked out top seed Jennifer Capriati in the first round, booked her place in the semi-finals with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 win over Olga Barabanschikova.
She will play Lindsay Davenport in the semifinals after the former world number one beat fourth seed Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 3-6 7-6.
Sporting a big diamond ring following her engagement to her coach Rick Leach’s younger brother Jon, a leaner and fitter Davenport clawed her way back from 4-2 down in the final set to win the deciding tiebreaker.
Results:
Men: Wayne Ferreira bt Franco Squillari 6-0 6-4; Lee Hyung-taik bt Marat Safin walkover; Juan Carlos Ferrero bt Paradorn Srichaphan 6-3 6-1; Rainer Schuettler bt Mardy Fish 7-6 (7-5) 6-4
Women: Lindsay Davenport bt Daniela Hantuchova 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-3); Kim Clijsters bt Chanda Rubin 6-1 6-2; Justine Henin-Hardenne bt Amanda Coetzer 6-4 6-4; Tatiana Panova bt Olga Barabanschikova 6-3 6-2.
AGASSI IMPRESSED
MELBOURNE: French teenager Richard Gasquet prefers a neat and tidy haircut and traditional tennis garb to dyed-blond locks and lurid lycra outfits, but still Andre Agassi sees a little of his teenage self in the French youngster.
The world number two had just turned professional in 1986 when Gasquet was born in the French town of Beziers to tennis coach parents Francis and Maryse.
He was fast making a name for himself with his brash attitude and bold tennis while the schoolboy Gasquet monitored his progress on television.
Seven grand slam titles and more than $25 million of prize money later, the pair collided on a tennis court at the Kooyong Classic Australian Open warm-up event.
The clash — a 6-2 5-7 6-2 win for Agassi — provided fireworks and food for thought for both men.
Gasquet left the court tired, ragged but with an enormous smile plastered across his face.
Gasquet has been awarded a wildcard into the first grand slam of the year beginning on Monday.
Results on Thursday:
Semifinals: Andre Agassi bt Richard Gasquet 6-2 5-7 6-2
Consolation match: Alex Corretja bt Hicham Arazi 6-3 6-4; Younes El Aynaoui bt Thomas Enqvist 6-4 6-4.
novak given fright
AUCKLAND: Top seed Jiri Novak was given a fright by American qualifier Robby Ginepri when he was thrashed 6-1 in the first set of their second round clash at the Auckland Open on Thursday.
The Czech trailed 4-1 in the second before finally restoring order to win 1-6 7-6 (7-6) 6-3. Novak now meets Spain’s Felix Mantilla, who beat Dane Kenneth Carlsen 6-4 6-4.
The 2000 Auckland winner, Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty, won a close battle against sixth seed Jan-Michael Gambill of the U.S. States 6-3 6-7 (6-7) 7-6 (7-4) and next plays Spain’s David Ferrer, who knocked out the third seed, Chilean Fernando Gonzalez, 6-4 6-3.
Gustavo Kuerten had his match against American Michael Russell interrupted by rain, which set in by mid-afternoon and play was finally abandoned at 2000 local.
Kuerten and Russell were locked at one set all. If Kuerten wins, he will meet Argentine Guillermo Coria, the second round’s easiest winner, 6-2 6-2 over Spain’s Fernando Vicente.
TASMANIAN TENNIS
HOBART, Australia: Results of semifinals in the Tasmanian International women’s tennis tournament on Thursday:
Alicia Molik bt Ivita Benesova 6-1 4-6 6-3; Amy Frazier bt Elena Likhovtseva 6-3 6-4.
CANBERRA CLASSIC
CANBERRA: Results of quarterfinals at the Canberra Classic women’s tennis tournament on Thursday:
Meghann Shaughnessy bt Magui Serna 7-6 (7-5) 6-4; Emilie Loit bt Adriana Serra-Zanetti 6-4 6-2; Francesca Schiavone bt Flavia Pennetta 6-3 4-6 6-2; Marion Bartoli bt Marlene Weingartner 6-4 6-4.—Agencies
