The Hindu : Squillari stuns Safin

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 01, 2003

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Squillari stuns Safin

VALENCIA APRIL 30. Russia's Marat Safin made a shock exit on Tuesday as he was eliminated from the Valencia Open 4-6, 7-5, 2-6 by Franco Squillari of Argentina.

The second-seeded Russian had no excuse as Squillari beat him for the first time in three meetings.

Squillari will be hoping his momentum lasts longer than usual. He's 11-10 on the year, tending to follow big wins like Safin with mediocre losses, and he has only two quarterfinals on his record in eight months.

Home-town favourite and the top seed Juan Carlos Ferrero clinched a place in the second round beating countryman Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4, 6-4.

Fourth-seeded Gaston Gaudio drubbed Andre Sa of Brazil 6-1 in both sets, but Gaudio's Argentine compatriot, sixth-seeded Mariano Zabaleta lost 1-6, 3-6 to Brazil's Flavio Saretta in other encounters.

Spain's David Sanchez rallied past Frenchman Olivier Patience 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 and Chile's Nicolas Massu edged Spain's Alberto Martin 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).

Czech player Frantisek Cermak ousted Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (9-7), 6-0 and Galo Blanco defeated fellow Spaniard Alex Calatrava 6-3, 6-1.

In another match, Belgium's Christophe Rochus outlasted Spain's Albert Montanes 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2.

The results:

David Sanchez bt Olivier Patience 3-6, 6-4, 6-2; Nicolas Massu bt Alberto Martin 6-2, 7-6 (7-4); Frantisek Cermak bt Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (9-7), 6-0; Gaston Gaudio bt Andre Sa 6-1, 6-1; Flavio Saretta bt Mariano Zabaleta 6-1, 6-3; Galo Blanco bt Alex Calatrava 6-3, 6-1; Juan Carlos Ferrero bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4, 6-4; Christophe Rochus bt Albert Montanes 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2; Franco Squillari bt Marat Safin 6-4, 5-7, 6-2; Agustin Calleri bt Igor Kunitsyn 6-4, 6-0. — AP

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