KITZBUEHEL (Austria), July 25: French Open champion and top seed Albert Costa raced into the quarterfinals of the Austrian Open tennis tournament Thursday with an easy 6-1 6-1 win over Germany’s Michael Kohlmann.
After a long delay due to pouring rain at this Tyrolean mountain resort, the Spaniard wasted no time in beating his German opponent under a threatening grey sky.
Costa, a finalist on the clay here last year, is chasing his fourth Kitzbuehel crown after winning in 1995, 1998 and 1999.
Results: (prefix number denotes seeding):
Third round: 8-Alex Corretja (Spain) beat Jean Rene Lisnard (France) 6-3 6-2; 1-Albert Costa (Spain) beat Michael Kohlmann (Germany) 6-1 6-1
LOS ANGELES: Michael Llodra advanced to the third round of the 400,000 ATP event here upsetting French compatriot Sebastien Grosjean in a third set tiebreaker Wednesday.
The unseeded Llodra, whose best showing this year is a semi-final berth last week in Newport, Rhode Island, beat the No. 3 seed 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3).
It worked. Eventually Grosjean wilted under the 35 degree Celcius (95 Fahrenheit) heat and the steady serve-and-volley attack from the left-handed Llodra.
In other matches Wednesday, Andy Roddick, the fourth seed, beat fellow American Brian Vahaly 7-5, 6-4, eighth seed Max Mirnyi of Belarus beat Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, and No. 7 seed Xavier Malisse of Belgium beat American Taylor Dent 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
Grosjean, ranked No. 11 on the ATP tour, was down 3-6 at triple match point in the tiebreaker. Grosjean’s next return went long, giving Llodra the victory in the one hour, 54 minute match.
Grosjean is coming off an injury suffered during Davis Cup play in the Czech Republic in April.
The torn left adductor muscle caused him problems at the French Open but he still advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Russian Marat Safin.
In an evening match, big serving Roddick overpowered fellow American Brian Vahaly in straight sets.
Roddick started slowly, and had to fight off two set points in the opening set, before his 216 kmph (135 mph) serve started clicking. He finished with 13 aces.
Results:
Second round: Michael Llodra (Fra) bt Sebastien Grosjean (Fra x3) 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3); Andy Roddick (USA x4) bt Brian Vahaly (USA) 7-5, 6-4; Max Mirnyi (Blr x8) bt Paradorn Srichaphan (Tha) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4; Xavier Malisse (Bel x7) bt Taylor Dent (USA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.—Reuters/AFP