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| October 8, 2005 | Saturday | Ramazan 3, 1426 |
Stepanek, Ginepri crash out: Sania upsets Zvonareva
TOKYO, Oct 7: Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic and American Robby Ginepri, the top remaining seeds in the men’s draw at the Japan Open, crashed out of the tournament on Friday in the quarter-finals.
The Czech second seed, who won a rain-postponed match against American Kevin Kim earlier in the day, bowed to unseeded South African Wesley Moodie 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (8/6).
Ginepri, the US Open semi-finalist who was the third seed here, failed to celebrate his 23rd birthday in winning style, losing to Bjorn Phau of Germany 6-4, 6-3. Moodie defeated Luis Horna of Peru 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (2/7), 6-4 in the morning.
Stepanek, ranked 14th in the world, said: “It was two tie-break sets with no breaks of serve. I have to say my opponent today was better on the deciding two or three points of the match.”
Fifth seed Mario Ancic of Croatia set up a semi-final meeting with Phau with a 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) winner over Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus, who upset top seed Mariano Puerta of Argentina on Thursday.
The women’s semifinals will be an all-teenage affair pitting India’s rising star Sania Mirza, 18, against the 17-year-old Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin and 18-year-old Russian Maria Kirilenko against 16-year-old Czech Nicole Vaidisova.
Mirza pulled off an upset victory over top seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 to set up a meeting with the 17-year-old Golovin, who eliminated Japan’s last hope Ai Sugiyama, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Second seed Vaidisova, the winner at the Korea Open last weekend, outclassed Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, while fourth seed Kirilenko defeated 2002 Japan Open winner Jill Craybas 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
Results
Men’s singles(third round)
Radek Stepanek (CZE) bt Kevin Kim (USA) 6-1, 6-3; Wesley Moodie (RSA) bt Luis Horna (PER) 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (2/7), 6-4; Jarkko Nieminen (FIN ) bt Paradorn Srichaphan (THA x9) 2-6, 7-6 (8/6), 7-5; Taylor Dent (USA ) bt Wayne Arthurs (AUS) 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3.
Quarterfinals
Bjorn Phau (GER) bt Robby Ginepri (USA) 6-4, 6-3; Mario Ancic (CRO) bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 6-1, 7-6 (7/4); Wesley Moodie (RSA) bt Radek Stepanek (CZE) 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (8/6).
Women’s singles (quartgerfinals)
Sania Mirza (IND) bt Vera Zvonareva (RUS ) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4; Maria Kirilenko (RUS) bt Jill Craybas (USA) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2; Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) bt Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2; Tatiana Golovin (FRA) bt Ai Sugiyama (JPN x5) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Semifinal line up
Mirza vs Golovin, Vaidisova vs Kirilenko
Women’s doubles semifinals
Shinobu Asagoe/Maria Vento-Kabchi (JPN/VEN) bt Stephanie Foretz/Henrieta Nagyova (FRA/SVK) 6-4, 6-4
Gisela Dulko/Maria Kirilenko (ARG/RUS) bt Sania Mirza/Shahar Peer (IND/ISR) 6-1, 6-4.
FILDERSTADT,(Germany): Daniela Hantuchova, whose career nearly fell apart amidst the loss of weight and confidence, continued her encouraging return to form on Friday by booking a meeting with top-seeded defending champion Lindsay Davenport for a place in the final here.
The 22-year-old Slovakian’s new-found stability was again in evidence as she won a battle of the seed-beaters by 6-4, 6-3 against Flavia Pennetta of Italy to reach her fourth semifinal of the year at the 650,000-dollar Grand Prix.
Davenport came through with a display of thunderous final set hitting to win 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 against Anastasia Myskina, the 2004 French Open champion.—AFP
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