|
|
|
| June 23, 2005 | Thursday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 15, 1426 |
Shadow of Safin stalks Federer: Sania goes down fighting
LONDON, June 22: Roger Federer remained on course for a third straight Wimbledon title with a lop-sided win in the second round on Wednesday, but the giant shadow of Marat Safin was beginning to loom large.
The Russian who has discovered a liking for grass after years of loathing the surface, blasted past former runner-up Mark Philippoussis in straight sets 7-6, (7/4), 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in a bruising Centre Court clash.
The two would meet in the semifinals, a repeat of last week’s final in Halle where Federer won in three sets, although former champion Lleyton Hewitt also figures in the equation in the top half of the draw.
Hewitt came through his second round tie with a 6-2, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 win over Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic.
There were no early surprises in the women’s tournament either with top seed Lindsay Davenport, third seed Amelie Mauresmo and last week’s Eastbourne winner Kim Clijsters all coming through in straight sets.
India’s hope Sania Mirza was not disgraced when beaten in three sets by Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 in an absorbing second round clash.
Federer, looking for a third straight Wimbledon title won his 31st grasscourt game in a row and scarcely had to break sweat against the overmatched Ivo Minar of the Czech Republic.
It was a routine win for the Swiss star out on Court 1 which left him happy with his form to date having dropped just 19 games in two ties and proving invincible on his serve.
“I was consistent, played all right and held on to my serve,” was his own assessment of his game.
“I held on to my serve and the breaks came at the right time. But it was tough to get the rallies going.”
Next up for Federer is Germany’s Nicolas Kiefer who scored a straight sets win over Andrea di Mauro of Italy.
Playing with a nagging chip on his shoulder after being seeded third behind Andy Roddick in violation of the world rankings, Hewitt will have to face Federer at the semi-final stage like last year if they both win through.
The biggest threat to that encounter though is the stunning form of Safin, who has done an acute about-face over his feelings for the All England club to turn into a genuine title contender at Wimbledom.
Safin was given a real Centre Court workout by surface specialist Philippoussis edging two tense tie-breaks before the Australian’s suspect physique let him down again.
“That gave me confidence but this year here I don’t have an easy draw. I probably deserve that because in the past I have had easy draws and couldn’t get past the first round,” he said.
The only leading seed to go out was French Open semifinalist Nikolay Davydenko who was forced to retire with a wrist injury while leading one set to nil and 2-1 in the second to Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkmann.
The 15th seeded Clijsters underlined her Wimbledon challenge with a lop-sided 6-1, 6-1 win over Marissa Irvin of the United States.
It was the 22-year-old Belgian’s seventh straight win on grass following her title triumph in Eastbourne last week and she next goes up against Italy’s Roberta Vinci who came through 6-3, 6-2 against Anne Kremer.
“I was moving a lot better, bending my legs better and seeing the ball better,” she said. “It’s been a long time since I felt like this. On a scale of 10 I would give myself eight.”
Ahead in the fourth round for Clijsters, as in Paris for the French Open, could be top seed Davenport who won her only title here in 1999.
The 29-year-old world No.1, who has lost only five games in two ties, blasted past teen compatriot Jamea Jackson in double quick time.
“Both matches have gone the way I would have like them to have gone,” she said.
Also into the third round was last year’s French Open champion Anastasia Myskina.
The Russian, who has been struggling with a shoulder injury, produced her best performance for some time to defeat Japan’s Aiko Nakamura 6-4, 6-3 and set up a tough third round tie against Jelena Jankovic of Serbia.
Mauresmo, looking to rebound from yet another French Open let-down, blasted past Spain’s Maria Sanchez Lorenzo 6-1, 6-3.
Results
Women’s singles (second round): Jelena Jankovic (SEM) bt Mariana Diaz-Oliva (ARG) 6-3, 7-5; Roberta Vinci (ITA) bt Anne Kremer (LUX) 6-3, 6-2; Anastasia Myskina (RUS) bt Aiko Nakamura (JPN) 6-4, 6-3; Kim Clijsters (BEL) bt Marissa Irvin (USA) 6-1, 6-1; Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) bt Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (ESP) 6-1, 6-3;Elena Likhovtseva (RUS) bt Meghann Shaughnessy (USA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4); Shenay Perry (USA) bt Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 7-6 (7/1), 6-2; Nicole Vaidisova (CZE x27) bt Michaela Pastikova (CZE) 7-5, 6-3; Silvia Farina Elia (ITA) bt Maria Vento-Kabchi (VEN), 6-1, 5-7, 6-3; Mashona Washington (USA) bt Selima Sfar (TUN) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3; Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) bt Sania Mirza (IND) 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4; Elena Dementieva (RUS) bt Sabine Klaschka (GER) 2-6, 6-3, 8-6; Lindsay Davenport (USA) bt Jamea Jackson (USA) 6-0, 6-3.
Men’s singles (first round): Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) bt Mikhael Llodra (FRA) 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4;
Second round: Feliciano Lopez (ESP) bt David Sherwood (GBR) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2; Tomas Berdych (CZE) bt Lars Burgsmuller (GER) 6-3, 6-3, 6-1; Taylor Dent (USA) bt Kevin Kim (USA) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4; Marat Safin (RUS) bt Mark Philippoussis (AUS) 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4), 6-4; Juan Carlos Ferrera (ESP) bt Lee Hyung-taik (KOR) 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3; Justin Gimelstob (USA) bt Nicolas Massu (CHI) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/0); Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) bt Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 6-7 (4/7), 1-2 retired; Roger Federer (SUI) bt Ivo Minar (CZE) 6-4, 6-4, 6-1; Nicolas Kiefer (GER) bt Alessio di Mauro (ITA) 6-3, 7-5, 6-3; Fernando Gonzalex (CHI) bt Tomas Zib (CZE) 6-4, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3; Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) bt Jan Hernych (CZE) 6-2, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.—Agencies
|
|
|
|
