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| March 16, 2006 | Thursday | Safar 15, 1427 |
Hingis ousts Davenport
INDIAN WELLS, March 15: Martina Hingis beat second seed Lindsay Davenport 6-3 1-6 6-2 to reach the Pacific Life Open quarter-finals in one of several upsets on Tuesday. Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis overcame seventh seed Gaston Gaudio 6-7 6-3 6-2, Czech teenager Tomas Berdych knocked out number nine Lleyton Hewitt 7-5 6-3 and Russia’s Dinara Safina ousted her fifth-seeded compatriot Anastasia Myskina 6-1 6-3.
Just two and half months into her comeback after three years off the WTA Tour, Hingis continued her race towards the top of the rankings, showing the quick footwork and inventive play that once made her world number one.
After the taller and stronger Davenport found the range of her big serve and ground strokes in the second set, the Swiss 25-year-old rapidly regained her edge, moving her opponent around the court and retrieving a succession of heavy shots from behind the baseline.
Hingis broke Davenport three times during the set and won the match when Davenport made a mistake on a backhand volley.
Davenport was clearly struggling with a back injury but still gave credit to her longtime rival.
Hingis was thrilled with the victory after going into the match having lost eight of her last 11 meetings with the American.
Baghdatis, who lost to world number one Roger Federer in the Australian Open final, is making his Indian Wells debut and he will take on fellow 20-year-old Berdych in the last eight.
Another youngster, Richard Gasquet of France beat Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia 6-3 6-4.
Top seed Federer and second seed Rafael Nadal were scheduled to play later, along with women’s top seed Justine Henin-Hardenne and Maria Sharapova.
Results
Men (third round): Marcos Baghdatis bt Gaston Gaudio 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2; Tomas Berdych bt Lleyton Hewitt 7-5, 6-3; Richard Gasquet bt Dominik Hrbaty 6-3, 6-4; Roger Federer bt Olivier Rochus 3-6, 6-2, 7-5; Ivan Ljubicic bt Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2; Mario Ancic bt Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-6 (7/5), 6-3; Sebastien Grosjean bt Xavier Malisse 6-4, 6-7 (10/12), 6-2; Rafael Nadal bt Mardy Fish 6-1, 6-4
Women (fourth round): Anna-Lena Groenefeld bt Maret Ani 6-1, 6-4; Dinara Safina bt Anastasia Myskina 6-1, 6-3; Martina Hingis bt Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 1-6, 6-2; Gisela Dulko bt Emma Laine 7-5, 7-6 (7/3); Elena Dementieva bt Li Na 6-3, 6-2; Ana Ivanovic bt Anna Chakvetadze 6-3, 6-3; Justine Henin-Hardenne bt Ai Sugiyama) 6-2, 6-1; Maria Sharapova bt Shahar Peer 7-6 (7/2), 6-1.—Agencies
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