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| March 24, 2006 | Friday | Safar 23, 1427 |
Moya books shot at Nadal
MIAMI, March 23: Former world number one Carlos Moya of Spain booked a second-round shot at his sensational young compatriot Rafael Nadal on Wednesday at the 6.9 million-dollar WTA and ATP Masters Series tournament. Moya, the 1998 French Open champion, defeated Romanian Victor Hanescu 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 to line up the clash with the reigning Roland Garros title holder, 19-year-old Nadal.
Nadal ranked No. 2 in the world, is seeded second in Miami, behind world number one Roger Federer of Switzerland. The two met in the final here last year, when Federer rallied from two sets down to triumph.
Nadal who stretched his career record against Federer to 3-1 with a victory over him in the final at Dubai, couldn’t make it to a re-match at the Indian Wells Masters Series last week. He bowed out in the semi-finals to American James Blake, who fell to Federer in straight sets in the final on Sunday.
The top 32 men and women have first round byes, but the opening day was enlivened by the unveiling of instant replay to challenge line calls.
The women’s field is headed by Australian Open champion Amelie Mauresmo of France, who regained the world number one ranking on Monday.
Belgian Kim Clijsters, who won here last year as an unseeded player, returns to defend her title as the second seed, after being sidelined by a sprained right ankle suffered in the Australian Open semi-finals.
Mauresmo will face Samantha Stosur in the second round after the Australian defeated Dutch wild card Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 6-3, 6-3.
Belgium’s Justine Henin-Hardenne is the third seed, followed by Maria Sharapova, a finalist here last year who routed Elena Dementieva in an all-Russian final at Indian Wells on Saturday.
Dementieva is the sixth seed, while 1997 and 2000 champion Martina Hingis pf Switzerland is seeded 24th.
Henin-Hardenne will face Meghann Shaughnessy in the second round after the American rallied to beat Italian Mara Santangelo 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Results
Men (first round)
Augustin Calleri (ARG) bt Juan Monaco (ARG) 6-2, 6-1; Christophe Rochus (BEL) bt Wesley Moodie (RSA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4; Florent Serra (FRA) bt Gilles Simon (FRA) 6-2, 6-4; Kenneth Carlsen (DEN) bt Cyril Saulnier (FRA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-0; Jose Acasuso (ARG) bt Tomas Zib (CZE) 5-7, 6-1, 6-1; Fabrice Santoro (FRA) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 6-3, 7-6 (7/5); Robin Vik (CZE) bt Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) 6-4, 6-4; Nicolas Massu (CHI) bt Raemon Sluiter (NED) 6-4, 6-3; Mardy Fish (USA) bt Jan Hernych (CZE) 6-3, 6-3; Kevin Kim (USA) bt Jurgen Melzer (AUT) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Mickael Llodra (FRA) bt Lukas Dlouhy (CZE) 6-7 (4/7), 6-0, 6-3; Carlos Moya (ESP) bt Victor Hanescu (ROU) 5-7, 7-5, 6-4; Alex Bogomolov (USA) bt Sam Querrey (USA) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Women
Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) bt Shenay Perry (USA) 6-3, 7-5; Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (ESP) bt Roberta Vinci (ITA) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1; Sun Tian Tian (CHN) bt Angela Haynes (USA) 6-2, 6-4; Mariana Diaz-Oliva (ARG) bt Kristina Brandi (PUR) 6-4, 6-0; Zuzana Ondraskova (CZE) bt Maria Vento-Kabchi (VEN) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5; Jamea Jackson (USA) bt Ashley Harkleroad (USA) 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 7-5; Samantha Stosur (AUS) bt Brenda Schultz McCarthy (NED) 6-3, 6-3; Julia Schruff (GER) bt Antonella Serra Zanetti (ITA) 6-1, 6-3; Meghann Shaughnessy (USA) bt Mara Santangelo (ITA) 2-6, 7-5, 6-4; Stephanie Foretz (FRA) bt Milagros Sequera (VEN) 6-4, 6-3; Alona Bondarenko (UKR) bt Tszvetana Pironkova (BUL) 6-2, 6-2; Anastasiya Yakimova (BLR) bt Aiko Nakamura (JPN) 1-6, 6-1, 6-2; Iveta Benesova (CZE) bt Sanja Ancic (CRO) 6-7 (2/7), 6-1, 7-6 (7/2); Vera Zvonareva (RUS) bt Vera Dushevina (RUS) 6-4, 6-2; Mashona Washington (USA) bt Lisa Raymond (USA) 6-1, 6-4; Peng Shuai (CHN) bt Amy Frazier (USA) 6-4, 6-2.—AFP
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