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| June 2, 2006 | Friday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 5, 1427 |
French Open: Henin and Hewitt advance
PARIS, June 1: Defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne celebrated her 24th birthday on Thursday with a second-round victory at the French Open, overcoming three set points in the second set to beat Anastasiya Yakimova 6-2, 7-5.
Yakimova, a 19-year-old Belarussian, was on the verge of forcing a third set serving at 5-4, 40-love. Henin-Hardenne won the next nine points and closed out the victory when Yakimova hit a wild forehand on match point.
The center-court match was played in a drizzle on another chilly day at Roland Garros.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt also won before rain forced the fourth delay in two days.
Henin-Hardenne, seeded fifth, advanced despite losing serve four times and committing 43 unforced errors. She saved one set point with a lob winner, and another with a drop shot that sent Yakimova skidding to one knee, unable to reach the ball.
After the match, fans serenaded Henin-Hardenne with ''Happy Birthday.''
She's bidding for her third title in four years.
In men's play, Hewitt overcame a slow start to beat Mathieu Montcourt 7-5, 6-3, 6-3. The 14th-seeded Hewitt, who has been hampered by calf and ankle injuries, was playing only his third match since early April.
Hewitt, a two-time quarterfinalist at Roland Garros, missed the tournament last year with a rib injury and has played little on clay the past two years. The Australian will next face No. 22 Dominik Hrbaty, who overcame Ivo Karlovic's 31 aces to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5, 6-2.
No. 9 Fernando Gonzalez was upset by 19-year-old Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-1. Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis, seeded 19th, lost to Julien Benneteau 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-4.
No. 7 Tommy Robredo, No. 31 Dmitry Tursunov and qualifier Martin Vassallo Arguello won matches suspended overnight because of darkness.
Arguello, ranked 181st, trailed when his match was halted after three sets but rallied to beat No. 21 Sebastien Grosjean 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Grosjean finished with 87 unforced errors.
Tursunov, a Russian who has lived in California since age 12, eliminated Tim Henman 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Henman criticized the handling of his match Wednesday night, when officials called a halt after two sets.
A bigger problem for Henman: He converted only three of 21 breakpoint chances. Tursunov, who improved to 3-5 on clay this spring, next plays No. 3 David Nalbandian.
Robredo beat Ilia Bozoljac 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.
No. 11 Radek Stepanek lost only 16 points on his serve and beat Davide Sanguinetti 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. No. 27 Olivier Rochus eliminated Jiri Vanek 6-2, 6-0, 6-2.
A rain delay of 1 hour, 50 minutes forced some play to be postponed until Friday, including matches involving No. 2 Kim Clijsters and No. 12 Martina Hingis.
Results (second round)
Men's:
Radek Stepanek (CZE x11) bt Davide Sanguinetti (ITA) 6-3, 6-3, 6-1; Olivier Rochus (BEL x27) bt Jiri Vanek (CZE) 6-2, 6-0, 6-2; Alberto Martin (ESP) bt Dieter Kindlmann (GER) 6-3, 6-3, 6-3; Lleyton Hewitt (AUS x14) bt Mathieu Montcourt (FRA) 7-5, 6-3, 6-3; Martin Vassallo Arguello (ARG) bt Sebastien Grosjean (FRA x21) 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2; Julien Benneteau (FRA) bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP x19) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (1/7), 6-4; Dmitry Tursunov (RUS x31) bt Tim Henman (GBR) 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Tommy Robredo (ESP x7) bt Ilia Bozoljac (SEM) 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1; Dominik Hrbaty (SVK x22) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 7-5, 6-2
Women's:
Ana Ivanovic (SEM x19) bt Emilie Loit (FRA) 6-1, 6-1; Anastasia Myskina (RUS x10) bt Melinda Czink (HUN) 6-2, 6-4; Daniela Hantuchova (SVK x15) bt Emmanuelle Gagliardi (SUI) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Shenay Perry (USA) bt Akiko Morigami (JPN) 6-3, 6-0; Gisela Dulko (ARG x32) bt Yuliana Fedak (UKR) 6-2, 6-4; Justine Henin-Hardenne (BEL x5) bt Anastasiya Yakimova (BLR) 6-2, 7-5; Shahar Peer (ISR x31) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 6-2, 6-3 —Agencies
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