May 04, 2007	Friday	Rabi-us-Sani 16, 1428

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LISBON, May 3: Former champion Nikolay Davydenko was bundled out 7-5, 6-1 by French qualifier Olivier Patience on a day interrupted for four hours by rain at the Estoril Open here on Wednesday.

The top-seeded Russian, who won the 2003 title and lost the final a year ago to David Nalbandian, admitted he was off the boil on the damp surface, made more slippery during the long weather interruption despite being covered.

The world number four had begun the match a day earlier against number 123 Patience, who also won their only other encounter at the Australian Open in 2004.

Second seed Tommy Robredo and number three Novak Djokovic came up winners against Spain’s Albert Montanes and Santiago Ventura of Serbia respectively.

On the women’s side, French top seed Marion Bartoli advanced into the quarter-finals, beating Virgina Ruano Pascual of Spain 6-3, 6-3.

Results: (x denotes seeding)

Women (second round): Marion Bartoli (FRA x1) bt Virgina Ruano Pascual (ESP) 6-3, 6-3; Lucie Safarova (CZE x3) bt Anastasiya Yakimova (BLR) 6-3, 2-6, 6-4; Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP) bt Alberta Brianti (ITA) 6-1, 6-1; (first round): Nika Ozegovic (CRO) bt Maria Kirilenko (RUS x6) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.

Men (second round): Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) bt Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) 6-2, 6-1; Novak Djokovic (SRB x3) bt Santiago Ventura (ESP) 6-2, 6-2; Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) bt Dmitry Tursunov (RUS x6) 6-4, 6-3; Juan Monaco (ARG) bt Sam Querrey (US) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4; (first round): Olivier Patience (FRA) bt Nikolay Davydenko (RUS x1) 7-5, 6-1; Tommy Robredo (ESP x2) bt Albert Montanes (ESP) 6-4, 6-3.

VENUS CRUISES

WARSAW: Venus Williams earned a comfortable 6-4, 6-3 victory over young Dutchwoman Michaella Krajicek, but fifth seeded Russian Nadia Petrova was upset 6-3, 6-3 by Mara Santangelo of Italy at the Warsaw Open here.

Results (seedings in parentheses)

Singles (first round): Venus Williams (US) bt Michaella Krajicek (NET) 6-4, 6-3.

Second round: Mara Santangelo (ITA) bt Nadia Petrova (5) (RUS) 6-3, 6-3; Anna Chakvetadze (6), (RUS) bt Tathiana Garbin (ITA) 6-2, 6-2; Alona Bondarenko (UKR) bt Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 0-6, 6-4, 6-3; Svetlana Kuznetsova (3) (RUS) bt Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1.

WASKE MAKES LAST EIGHT

MUNICH: After local favourite Tommy Haas's first round exit from the ATP tournament in Munich, his German compatriots were left to battle their way into the quarter-finals.

Alexander Waske, ranked 121 in the world, struggled early on in his second round match before the 31-year-old eventually defeated qualifier Daniel Brands 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5), to reach the last eight.

Waske faces Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in the last eight, and the 2006 Australian Open finalist took his time to find his rhythm before beating qualifier Matthias Bachinger 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-4.

Results:

Second round: Mikhail Youzhny (RUS x3) bt Benjamin Becker (GER) 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3); Jurgen Melzer (AUT x8) bt Raemon Sluiter (NED) 5-7, 6-1, 6-2; Alexander Waske (GER) bt Daniel Brands (GER) 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5); Marcos Baghdatis (CYP x4) bt Matthias Bachinger (GER) 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-4. –Agencies