SCOTTSDALE (Arizona), March 9: World number one Lleyton Hewitt defeated American Taylor Dent 6-2 6-4 to move into the final of the $380,000 Scottsdale Classic on Saturday.
Hewitt will meet fellow Australian Mark Philippoussis, who defeated Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina 6-3 7-6 in a night match.
The top seed was impressive in dismantling one of the tour’s hottest players in Dent, who entered semi-final on an eight-match winning streak. Dent won at Memphis two weeks ago.
Results: (prefix number denotes seeding):
Semifinals: Mark Philippoussis (Australia) beat Mariano Zabaleta (Argentina) 6-3 7-6 (10-8); 1-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat Taylor Dent (U.S.) 6-2 6-4
INDIAN WELLS (California): Leading seeds Jennifer Capriati and Lindsay Davenport stormed into the fourth round of the $2.1 million Pacific Life Open with comprehensive straight-set wins on Saturday.
Second seed Capriati crushed Czech Denisa Chladkova 6-2 6-2, while fourth seeded Davenport blitzed Russia’s Elena Likovsteva 6-3 6-0. Fifth seed Amelie Mauresmo also advanced, but was made to struggle in a 6-3 5-7 6-2 victory over Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn.
Results:
Third round: 2-Jennifer Capriati (U.S.) beat Denisa Chladkova (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-2; 5-Amelie Mauresmo (France) beat 29-Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thailand) 6-3 5-7 6-2; 13-Elena Bovina (Russia) beat Samantha Reeves (U.S.) 6-1 6-0 14-Elena Dementieva (Russia) beat Virginia Ruano Pascual (Spain) 6-3 6-7 (7-1) 6-3; Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4; Magui Serna (Spain) beat Angelique Widjaja (Indonesia) 7-5 6-2; 23-Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.) beat Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) 6-4 6-3; 4-Lindsay Davenport (U.S.) beat 25-Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) 6-3 6-0
DELRAY BEACH (Florida): American Mardy Fish upset third-seed Marcelo Rios of Chile 6-3 6-4 on Saturday to advance to the finals of the International Tennis Championships.
Fish will meet fourth seed Jan-Michael Gambill, who advanced to the final of this event for the second time in three years with a 6-3 2-6 7-6 win over qualifier Robert Kendrick in the other semi-final.
Results:
Semifinals: Mardy Fish (U.S.) beat 3-Marcelo Rios (Chile) 6-3 6-4; 4-Jan-Michael Gambill (U.S.) beat Robert Kendrick (U.S.) 6-3 2-6 7-6 (7-5).—Reuters