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| September 7, 2005 | Wednesday | Sha’aban 2, 1426 |
Pierce surprises Henin, Agassi survives scare
NEW YORK, Sept 6: Mary Pierce avenged the most painful defeat of her career when she surprised Belgian seventh seed Justine Henin-Hardenne 6-3, 6-4 in the fourth round of the US Open on Monday.
Three months ago the 30-year-old Frenchwoman sobbed uncontrollably after collapsing 6-1, 6-1 to the Belgian in the French Open final but on Monday a wide grin replaced the tears under the glistening lights on Arthur Ashe Court.
Plagued by double-faults, 2003 champion Henin-Hardenne looked a shadow of her usual self and Pierce controlled her fragile temperament sufficiently to set up an all-French quarterfinal with third seed Amelie Mauresmo.
Resilience was the by-word on Labour Day at Flushing Meadows.
US seventh seed Andre Agassi and number eight Guillermo Coria of Argentina came through five-setters and wild card James Blake recovered from a set and 5-2 down to win.
Pierce’s nerve has failed her so often in the past but never as badly as in Paris, when she apologised to the crowd for her abject display.
On Monday, though, she ripped into a 5-0 lead with some clubbed forehands and despite some customary wobbles towards the end, drew the decisive error out of the under-par Belgian on her fourth match point.
It was her first win in five meetings with 23-year-old Henin-Hardenne.
Agassi delved into his 20 years of experience at Flushing Meadows and plucked out a 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 4-6, 6-2 victory over belligerent Belgian Xavier Malisse.
It was hard work for the 35-year-old twice former champion who reached the quarterfinals for the fifth straight year.
In the last eight he will face compatriot Blake, who recovered superbly to upset Spanish 19th seed Tommy Robredo 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3.
Agassi is Blake’s idol and the 25-year-old, who shocked Spanish second seed Rafael Nadal in round three, finds himself in uncharted territory after reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Coria also showed great resilience to win a bad-tempered five-set encounter with Nicolas Massu of Chile.
The two were involved in heated verbal exchanges on Louis Armstrong Court before the Argentine eventually prevailed 6-4, 2-6, 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 in over four and a half hours to reach the quarterfinals for the second time in three years.
Olympic champion Massu was infuriated after Coria requested treatment for damaged toenails. Coria later described the incident as a “misunderstanding.”
He will face unseeded American Robby Ginepri who defeated French teenager Richard Gasquet 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (10-8), 6-4, 6-0 in the second evening session match.
In contrast to the men, women’s second and third seeds, Lindsay Davenport and Amelie Mauresmo, enjoyed a holiday stroll into the quarterfinals.
Davenport thrashed Nathalie Dechy of France 6-0, 6-3. The 29-year-old American was severely tested by Dechy in the Australian Open semifinals this year before winning in three sets but there was never any prospect of a repeat on Monday.
In the quarterfinals Davenport, the 1998 champion, faces Elena Dementieva, the Russian with the dodgy serve who was runner-up last year.
Dementieva beat Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder 6-4, 6-3 to avenge her fourth round defeat by the same player at the same stage of this year’s Australian Open.
Mauresmo, the 2002 semifinalist, was a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Russian 19th seed Elena Likhovtseva.
Monday’s results:
Men’s singles:
Fourth round: Robby Ginepri (US) bt 13-Richard Gasquet (France) 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (8-10), 6-4, 6-0; James Blake (US) bt 19-Tommy Robredo (Spain) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3; 7-Andre Agassi (US) bt Xavier Malisse (Belgium) 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 4-6, 6-2; 8-Guillermo Coria (Argentina) bt Nicolas Massu (Chile) 6-4, 2-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-2.
Women’s singles:
Fourth round: 12-Mary Pierce (France) bt 7-Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) 6-3, 6-4; 3-Amelie Mauresmo (France) bt 19-Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) 6-1, 6-4; 6-Elena Dementieva (Russia) bt 11-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 6-4, 6-3; 2-Lindsay Davenport (US) bt 15-Nathalie Dechy (France) 6-0, 6-3.—Reuters
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