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| October 04, 2006 | Wednesday | Ramazan 10, 1427 |
Henman advances at Japan Open
TOKYO, Oct 3: Tim Henman coasted to a 6-2, 6-1 win over unseeded Canadian Frank Dancevic on Tuesday, while seventh-seeded Robby Ginepri was ousted in the second round of the Japan Open.
Henman, seeded 10th, broke Dancevic's serve in the second game and needed just 55 minutes to set up a third-round match against 18-year-old Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro, who upset US player Ginepri 6-2, 6-2.
“I'm very pleased with my start,'' said Henman. “I hit the ball well, served well and enjoyed the conditions.''
Top-ranked Roger Federer had a first-round bye and will play on Wednesday against Serbia's Viktor Troicki, a 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2 winner over Spain's Fernando Vicente.
In other men's first-round matches, Danai Udomchoke of Thailand defeated Croatian Marin Cilic 7-6 (3), 6-3. Alexander Waske of Germany outclassed Japan’s Tetsuya Chaen 6-4, 6-4.
2003 champion Rainer Schuettler defeated fellow German Michael Berrer 6-2, 6-1, Japanese wild card Satoshi Iwabuchi had a 6-2, 6-1 win over Taiwan's Ti Chen, Italy's Stefano Galvani downed Austrian Stefan Koubek 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 and Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan beat Ramon Delgado 6-2, 6-3.
Germany’s Lars Burgsmuller beat Wayne Arthurs of Australia, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3).
The 32-year-old Henman has not reached a top tier final since Indian Wells in 2004 and his ranking has dropped from a career-high No 4 in 2002 to No. 55.
Yet he said he's more relaxed about his game since Andy Murray replaced him as Britain's No. 1 player.
“It takes a little pressure off of me. Towards the end of my career, I can play with a little less expectations,'' Henman said. “It's positive all around, not only for me and Andy but for tennis in the UK in general.''
Murray, seeded fourth, was due to play Jiri Novak in a second-round match on Wednesday.
In the women's tournament, top-seeded Marion Bartoli of France had a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 win over American Jill Craybas.
Two of the women's seeded players were upset, with American Jamea Jackson ousting sixth-seeded Gisela Dulko of Argentina 6-4, 6-1 and Lilia Osterioh beating eighth-seeded American compatriot Meghann Shaughnessy 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
Vera Dushevina of Russia defeated Shikha Uberoi of India, 7-6 (3), 6-3. Aiko Nakamura of Japan thrashed Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3.
Taiwan's Chan Yung-jan needed just 44 minutes for a 6-3, 6-0 over Germany's Julia Schruff.—Agencies
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