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NOTTINGHAM (England), June 16: Paradorn Srichaphan’s defence of his Nottingham Open title came to an abrupt end at the hands of French teenager Richard Gasquet in the quarterfinals here on Thursday.
Gasquet always had the upper hand as he took just over an hour and a half to complete a 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 victory over the Thai number one who never managed to impose himself at the net.
The rising French star now faces either Taylor Dent or former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson for a place in the final.
Paradorn meanwhile will have to pick himself up in time for a tough first-round clash at Wimbledon against Russian fifth seed Marat Safin.
Kuznetsova ADVANCES
EASTBOURNE (England): Defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova survived a frustrating afternoon of rain interruptions to see off France’s Nathalie Dechy 6-4, 7-5 in their quarterfinal tie at the US$585,000 Eastbourne Championships on Thursday.
The French eighth seed led 5-2 in the second set in heavy, overcast conditions at Devonshire Park before her nerve faltered.
Results:
Kim Clijsters bt Mashona Washington 6-2 6-2; Marion Bartoli bt Vera Douchevina 0-5 RET; Svetlana Kuznetsova bt Nathalie Dechy 6-4 7-5
PETROVA BEATEN
DEN BOSCH (Netherlands): Second seed Nadia Petrova was beaten 6-4 4-6 6-3 by Argentine Gisela Dulko in the quarterfinals of the Ordina Open on Thursday.
Sixth seed Dulko, the world number 37, went through to her second semi-final of the year where she will meet unseeded Czech Lucie Safarova, who upset Russian fourth seed Dinara Safina 6-4 6-4.
Russian Petrova, a semifinalist at the French Open earlier this month, was outplayed in the first set but varied her game well to win the second, with her old-fashioned sliced forehand keeping Dulko off balance.
Results:
Men (second round): Mark Philippoussis bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/2); Mario Ancic bt Wayne Arthurs 6-4, 7-6 (7/1); Jonas Bjorkman bt Julien Benneteau 6-4, 6-2
Women (second round)
Meghann Shaughnessy bt Michaella Krajicek 3-4, retired; Gisela Dulko bt Nadia Petrova 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; Klara Koukalova bt Denisa Chladkova 6-3, 6-3; Lucie Safarova bt Dinara Safina 6-4, 6-4.—Agencies
