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| August 25, 2006 | Friday | Rajab 29, 1427 |
Mauresmo, Henin make winning comebacks
NEW HAVEN (Connecticut), Aug 24: World No 1 Amelie Mauresmo and No 2 Justine Henin-Hardenne came through their first matches since the Wimbledon final to reach the New Haven quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Wimbledon champion Mauresmo overcame Russian qualifier Galina Voskoboeva 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 and Henin-Hardenne had to work harder than the scoreline suggests for her 6-4, 6-2 win over Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain.
Having delayed her return to the Tour because of a shoulder injury, top seed Mauresmo shrugged off a slow start to set up a clash with former world No 1 Lindsay Davenport.
Frenchwoman Mauresmo was lethargic in the early stages and Voskoboeva, the world No 93, took advantage in the first set.
Any thoughts of an upset were soon dashed, however, as Mauresmo cruised through the next two sets.
Defending champion Davenport set up a repeat of last year's final with a confident 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian Francesca Schiavone.
The American, in just her second tournament back after five months out with a back problem, eased through in 68 minutes.
Belgian Henin-Hardenne, the French Open champion, was pushed hard by Medina Garrigues before advancing to the last eight.
A mammoth fourth game of the second set proved to be crucial as the second seed held for 2-2 before reeling off the next four games to clinch victory.
She will play lucky loser Mara Santangelo in the quarter-finals after the Italian advanced when Li Na of China pulled out through injury before their match.
Third seed Elena Dementieva survived a second-set wobble to defeat Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-0.
The Russian, who won the Los Angeles title this month, now plays compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova in a repeat of the 2004 US Open final, which Kuznetsova won.
Fourth seed Nadia Petrova was upset 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 by Marion Bartoli of France.
In the men's event, second seed Nikolay Davydenko took his place in the last eight with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand
But third seed Marcos Baghdatis was ousted 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 by unseeded Swede Robin Soderling and number five David Ferrer was crushed 6-3, 6-1 by No 10 seed Agustin Calleri of Argentina.
Belgian Olivier Rochus, Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela, lucky loser Juergen Melzer of Austria and Belgian Xavier Malisse all advanced to the last eight.
Wednesday’s results:
Men’s singles:
Third round: 13-Xavier Malisse (Belgium) beat Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (Spain) 6-1, 6-3; 15-Robin Soederling (Sweden) beat 3-Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 7-5; 14-Nicolas Massu (Chile) beat 4-Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) 6-3, 6-4; 10-Agustin Calleri (Argentina) beat 5-David Ferrer (Spain) 6-3, 6-1; 8-Olivier Rochus (Belgium) beat 9-Gael Monfils (France) 6-4, 6-3; Juergen Melzer (Austria) beat 7-Fernando Verdasco (Spain) 6-4, 4-1 –Verdasco retired; 2-Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) beat 16-Paradorn Srichaphan (Thailand) 6-4, 6-1; 12-Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) beat 6-Jose Acasuso (Argentina) 7-6 (7-1), 6-2.
Women's singles:
Second round: 2-Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) beat Anabel Medina (Spain) 6-4, 6-2; 3-Elena Dementieva (Russia) beat Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 6-2, 5-7, 6-0; 7-Lindsay Davenport (US) beat Francesca Schiavone (Italy) 6-4, 6-2; 1-Amelie Mauresmo (France) beat Galina Voskoboeva (Russia) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2; Marion Bartoli (France) beat 4-Nadia Petrova (Russia) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4); Mara Santangelo (Italy) beat Na Li (China) – walkover.—Reuters
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