March 28, 2003	Friday	Muharram 24, 1424

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MIAMI, March 27: Fifth seed Carlos Moya wore his lucky sleeveless shirt again to end the winning run of American wild card Robby Ginepri in a thrilling three-set quarterfinal at the Nasdaq-100 Open on Wednesday.

The Spaniard won 6-7 6-3 7-6 after a searching examination from the 20-year-old Ginepri, who left the $3.25 million hardcourt tournament with the consolation of a place in the world’s top 50.

Moya has become a fashion icon here with his blue and white vest, and said he would wear it again in his semifinal.

“I haven’t lost yet wearing it and, as long as it gives me luck, I’m going to keep wearing it,” he told reporters.

The match against Ginepri, who also reached the last eight at Indian Wells earlier this month, was a see-saw battle between two of the tournament’s hardest hitters.

Moya dropped the first set after leading 4-1, and also going 5-2 up in the tiebreak. But he hit back to break Ginepri’s serve in the second game of the second set.

The decider went with serve until the tiebreak. Ginepri forced three mini-breaks in the tiebreak to lead 4-2, the only time there was more than a point in it until Moya’s spectacular overhead volley set up two match points at 6-4.

He needed only one, with Ginepri returning a fierce forehand into the net.

Moya said: “It was a tough match and I made it even more complicated because I should have won that first set. I was 4-1, double-break up, a 99 percent chance of winning the set.

“I didn’t play my best match here but I kept fighting and gave it my all and it paid off.”

Ginepri beat two seeds, Alex Corretja and James Blake, on his way to the last eight and was attempting to become the first wild card since Jimmy Connors in 1987 to reach the semifinals.

He is also the only player to reach the quarterfinals of both Masters Series events in 2003 following his fine display at Indian Wells, where he beat former world number one Marat Safin.

Ginepri will rise significantly from his world ranking of 61 when the new list is released on Monday.

“I can’t let this match get me upset because I look back at my last two and a half weeks and they’ve been unbelievable,” he said.

In Thursday’s quarterfinals, Andre Agassi, seeking a record third successive title in Miami and sixth overall, will play Younes El Aynaoui of Morocco and Swiss fourth seed Roger Federer faces Albert Costa of Spain, the ninth seed.

Results (prefix number denotes seeding):

MEN:

Quarterfinals: 13-Paradorn Srichaphan (Thailand) beat Todd Martin (U.S.) 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-5; 5-Carlos Moya (Spain) beat Robby Ginepri (U.S.) 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-4) UPDATE 1-Tennis-Nasdaq-100 Open WTA tournament results

WOMEN:

Quarterfinals: 12-Chanda Rubin (U.S.) beat 4-Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) 6-3 6-2; 6-Jennifer Capriati (U.S.) beat 23-Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.) 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.—Reuters