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| March 12, 2003 | Wednesday | Muharram 8, 1424 |
Capriati and Safin made to work hard for victories
INDIAN WELLS (California), March 11: Seventh seed Marat Safin had to come from a break down in the third set to overcome Austria’s Stefan Koubek 3-6 6-3 7-5 in the first round of the Pacific Life Open ATP event on Monday.
Second seed Jennifer Capriati also needed three sets before clinching a place in the quarter-finals of the women’s tournament with a 6-4 4-6 6-1 win over 14th-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva.
American Capriati now meets 18-year-old Russian Vera Zvonareva, who put out 23rd seed Meghann Shaughnessy 6-3 4-6 6-1.
Fifth seed Amelie Mauresmo of France powered into the last eight with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Spain’s Magui Serna.
Safin, who has struggled since pulling out of his third-round match at the Australian Open with a shoulder injury, had a difficult time with left-hander Koubek, who played a high risk game, going for the lines at almost every opportunity.
But, despite his frustration with his own erratic play, Safin waited patiently for the Austrian to make errors.
Safin was broken at the start of the third set before taking an injury timeout in the fifth game after developing a cut on his left foot after a hole opened up in his shoe.
He twice broke Koubek’s serve in the third before clinching victory with a service winner.
Mauresmo used lots of variety to unsettle left-hander Serna, charging the net, keeping the ball deep off the ground and pouncing on her opponent’s second serves.
In reaching her first Tier 1 quarter-final, Zvonareva played a more consistent match than Shaughnessy, challenging the American on her favoured forehand and serving with plenty of accuracy.
Unseeded Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov advanced in the men’s event by beating Czech Radek Stepanek 4-6 6-1 6-1 while 14th-seeded Dutchman Sjeng Schalken put out Spain’s Fernando Vicente 6-2 6-3.
Belgium’s Xavier Malisse defeated Spain’s David Ferrer 6-1 6-0 while Germany’s Nicolas Kiefer overcame Croatia’s Mario Ancic 6-2 6-4.
MEN’S:
First round results: Alex Corretja (Spain) bt Jose Acasuso (Argentina) 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (9-7); Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) bt Karol Beck (Slovakia) 6-4 7-5; Robby Ginepri (U.S.) bt Hyung-Taik Lee (South Korea) 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-4; Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) bt Sargis Sargsian (Armenia) 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-4; Olivier Rochus (Belgium) bt Fabrice Santoro (France) 6-1 2-6 6-3; Albert Costa (Spain) bt Richard Krajicek (Netherlands) 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-4); Max Mirnyi (Belarus) bt Wayne Ferreira (South Africa) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3; Marat Safin (Russia) bt Stefan Koubek (Austria) 3-6 6-3 7-5; Agustin Calleri (Argentina) bt Nicolas Lapentti (Ecuador); 6-4 6-3; Sjeng Schalken (Netherlands) bt Fernando Vicente (Spain) 6-2 6-3; Nicolas Kiefer (Germany) bt Mario Ancic (Croatia) 6-2 6-4; Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia) bt Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) 4-6 6-1 6-1; Xavier Malisse (Belgium) bt David Ferrer (Spain) 6-1 6-0
WOMEN’S:
Women’s fourth round: 4-Lindsay Davenport (U.S.) beat 13-Elena Bovina (Russia) 6-4 6-3; 2-Jennifer Capriati (U.S.) beat 14-Elena Dementieva (Russia) 6-4 4-6 6-1; Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat 23-Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.) 6-3 4-6 6-1; 5-Amelie Mauresmo (France) beat Magui Serna (Spain) 6-2 6-3.—Reuters
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