Thursday, May 29, 2003
Thursday, May 29, 2003 |
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Tennis
Ashley Harkleroad is ecstatic after eliminating the ninth seed, Daniela Hantuchova, in the second round of the French Open in Paris on Wednesday.
With the win, the 18-year-old American advanced to the third round of a Grand Slam event for the first time. Harkleroad won despite blowing a 5-1 lead in the third set and losing five consecutive games. The letdown left her on the verge of defeat, and her eyes welled with tears. ``I was so tight and wanting it so bad, I guess,'' she said. ``I said, `OK, Ashley, you're not going to lose this. You're going to fight.' I tried to breathe and relax.'' Harkleroad regrouped, and after three hours, eight minutes of tennis, she earned the first match point. When Hantuchova sailed her final shot wide, Harkleroad squealed, dropped her racket and sprinted to the stands for celebratory hugs. Harkleroad also beat Hantuchova at Charleston, South Carolina, in April, but this win came on a much bigger stage. Hantuchova, who had reached the quarterfinals in the last three major events, contributed to her defeat with 106 unforced errors. ``Sometimes I was going too much for it and doing too many mistakes,'' Hantuchova said. ``In the end, it was just a couple of points that decided the match.'' She was exactly right: The slender Slovakian won 131 points, Harkleroad 133. Another marathon involved 1996 champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who was eliminated in the 30th five-set match of his career. Flavio Saretta of Brazil, ranked 78th on the ATP Tour, outlasted the No. 17-seeded Russian 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, 6-7(0), 6-4 in three hours, 55 minutes. No. 21 Lisa Raymond lost to Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 7-6(3). Advancing to the third round were No. 14 Eleni Daniilidou, No. 16 Ai Sugiyama and No. 19 Patty Schnyder. Harkleroad has drawn comparisons to Anna Kournikova, and her matchup with the equally photogenic Hantuchova attracted a crowd of cheering youngsters who made Court 1 sound like a schoolyard playground. The two blond opponents appeared almost identical in matching powder-blue outfits — to their dismay. ``It's a nice colour,'' Hantuchova said. ``But I don't think it's good when both of us are wearing the same thing.'' Despite some sloppy shotmaking, the match was filled with entertaining, scrambling exchanges. Through a series of momentum swings, Harkleroad showed impressive persistence. ``I've always been very feisty and a fighter,'' she said. ``I don't know where it came from. It's just me.'' Ranked 52nd, Harkleroad began rushing her shots in the third set to fall behind 6-5. She recovered with help from the erratic Hantuchova, who committed eight unforced errors to lose eight of the next nine points. Harkleroad held serve for an 8-7 lead, and errors by Hantuchova on the final three points gave the American the victory. Kafelnikov saved a match point in the fourth set before bowing out a set later after almost four hours. ``He was a tough competitor, he fought hard and deserved to win,'' said Kafelnikov. ``Kuerten told me before he was very good, so I prepared myself for a tough match. ``This is the match I wanted to avoid, I knew nothing about him and this got me out of my comfort zone. Daniilidou needed three sets to beat Tathiana Garbin 6-0, 4-6, 6-2. Sugiyama eliminated Sandra Kleinova 7-5, 6-0, and Schnyder defeated Stephanie Cohen Aloro 6-3, 7-6(4). In men's play, No. 23 Younes El Aynaoui beat Christophe Rochus 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
Seles' worst defeat
Monica Seles, suffering from nagging foot problems, was beaten 6-4, 6-0 by Russian Nadia Petrova for her first loss in the first round of any Grand Slam at the French Open on Tuesday. The American, seeded 12th, had never been beaten before the quarterfinals in 10 previous appearances in a tournament she won three times between 1990 and 1992. Seles, 29, has been hampered by foot injuries for several seasons and was forced out of several tournaments this year, the last time in Rome earlier in May. ``Today my wish to play and my performance did not match,'' she said. ``Like I said in Rome, I wanted to play in the French Open and once I had decided to play, I gave it my best shot.'' Her previous worst showing in a grand slam came in second-round defeats at Wimbledon in 1996 and the Australian Open earlier this year. But despite the defeat and her injury worries, she believes she can still compete at the top level. ``Last year I had a very good year and when I'm healthy, I know I can play well, have good results and still have real pleasure out there,'' she said. ``This year has not been a good year. I just have to give it a break and reassess what I'm going to do.'' Seles said she was now going to take some time off and see how her foot condition improved before making a decision about the future, but said she would skip Wimbledon if the pain did not ease. ``I'm in the later stages of my career and I don't have the luxury of taking five or six months off,'' she added. ``I'm hard-headed but I must see how my foot will respond. It's not the way I would like to leave. ``I won't give up but I also must listen to my body.'' Asked whether she might retire because of the injury, she did not completely rule out the possibility. ``It's one of the options if I'm in pain, but I won't give up,'' she said.
Chang fades out
Michael Chang walked off centre court on Tuesday, following his last match at Roland Garros, French fans rose to applaud an ageing player whose greatest moment came at 17 on the same rust-coloured stage. The worldly Chang knows that a standing ovation for an American in Paris is a rare thing, and it left him fighting back tears. Chang's game has slipped so badly that he was beaten by an opponent with a seven-match losing streak, fellow thirtysomething Fabrice Santoro. But the postmatch tribute removed much of the sting. ``This tournament has been so special to me,'' Chang told the crowd, his voice breaking. ``The funny thing is that in my 16-year career, I've only cried twice, and both times were on this court.'' He first wept in '89, when he mounted a remarkable run to his only Grand Slam title. Cramps reduced him to serving underhand in the round of 16, but he still managed to beat Ivan Lendl. In the final, he upset Stefan Edberg to become the youngest men's Grand Slam champion.
Sargsian stuns Roddick
Sixth-seeded American Andy Roddick was upset by Armenian Sargis Sargsian 6-7 (3-7), 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in the first round. The results: Men's singles (second round): Mariano Zabaleta (Arg) bt Dominik Hrbaty (Slo) 6-2, 6-4, 6-2; Galo Blanco (Esp) bt Mariano Puerta (Arg) 6-2, 6-2, 6-4; 22-Wayne Ferreira (SA) bt David Ferrer (Esp) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3; Flavio Saretta (Bra) bt 17-Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Rus) 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, 6-7(0), 6-4. 11-Rainer Schuettler (Ger) bt Jean-Rene Lisnard (Fra) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-0; Attila Savolt (Hun) bt 27-Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) 3-6, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4; 23-Younes El Aynaoui (Mor) bt Christophe Rochus (Bel) 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. Women's singles (second round): 16-Ai Sugiyama (Jap) bt Sandra Kleinova (Czech) 7-5, 6-0; 19-Patty Schnyder (Swi) bt Stephanie Cohen Aloro (Fra) 6-3, 7-6(4); 14-Eleni Daniilidou (Gre) bt Tathiana Garbin (Ita) 6-0, 4-6, 6-2; 31-Laura Granville (U.S.) bt Iva Majoli (Cro) 6-1, 6-2; 8-Chanda Rubin (U.S.) bt Cara Black (Zim) 7-6(6), 6-3. 4-Justine Henin-Hardenne (Bel) bt Jelena Kostanic (Cro) 6-2, 6-2; 18-Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.) bt Ludmila Cervanova (Slo) 6-3, 7-6(5); Dally Randriantefy (Mada) bt Stephanie Foretz (Fra) 6-2, 6-1; Ashley Harkleroad (U.S.) bt 9-Daniela Hantuchova (Slo) 7-6(2), 4-6, 9-7; Flavia Pennetta (Ita) bt 21-Lisa Raymond (U.S.) 6-3, 7-6(3). First round: Nadia Petrova (Rus) bt 12-Monica Seles (U.S.) 6-4, 6-0. Tuesday's results: Men's singles (first round): Attila Savolt (Hun) bt Andreas Vinciguerra (Swe) 7-5, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-0; Nicolas Kiefer (Ger) bt Todd Larkham (Aus) 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 2-6, 6-3; Nikolay Davydenko (Rus) bt Greg Rusedski (GBR) 6-3, 7-5, 6-2; Hicham Arazi (Mar) bt Raemon Sluiter (Ned) 6-2, 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 6-0; 19-Fernando Gonzalez (Chi) bt Jan-Michael Gambill (U.S.) 6-0, 6-2, 6-3; 30-Jarkko Nieminen (Fin) bt Nicolas Escude (Fra) 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-1; Albert Portas (Esp) bt Thierry Ascione (Fra) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4; 12-Sjeng Schalken (Ned) bt Scott Draper (Aus) 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Fabrice Santoro (Fra) bt Michael Chang (U.S.) 7-5, 6-1, 6-1. 20-Felix Mantilla (Esp) bt Hyung-Taik Lee (Kor) 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, 7-6 (7-4); Sargis Sargsian (Arm) bt 6-Andy Roddick (U.S.) 6-7 (3-7), 6-1, 6-2, 6-4; Nicolas Lapentti (Ecu) bt Richard Gasquet (Fra) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 3-0 retd; Franco Squillari (Arg) bt 18-Agustin Calleri (Arg) 7-5, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3; 15-Gustavo Kuerten (Bra) bt Marc Rosset (Sui) 6-2, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-3); 14-Sebastien Grosjean (Fra) bt Adrian Voinea (Rom) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-3; Julien Varlet (Fra) bt Kenneth Carlsen (Den) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5); Federico Browne (Arg) bt Olivier Rochus (Bel) 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3. Women's singles (first round): 9-Daniela Hantuchova (Svk) bt Alina Jidkova (Rus) 2-6, 6-0, 6-1; Cara Black (Zim) bt Myriam Casanova (Sui) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4; Marion Bartoli (Fra) bt Rossana Neffa-de los Rios (Par) 6-3, 6-0; Rita Grande (Ita) bt Ansley Cargill (U.S.) 6-3, 6-1; 24-Conchita Martinez (Esp) bt Tatiana Perebiynis (Ukr) 6-2, 6-3; Corina Morariu (U.S.) bt Daja Bedanova (Cze) 4-6, 7-5, 6-3; 20-Elena Bovina (Rus) bt Tatiana Golovin (Fra) 6-4, 6-1; Gala Leon Garcia (Esp) bt Gisela Dulko (Arg) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5; Marlene Weingartner (Ger) bt Lindsay Lee-Waters (U.S.) 6-2, 7-5; Marissa Irvin (U.S.) bt Maria Elena Camerin (Ita) 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-4; Evgenia Koulikovskaya (Rus) bt Celine Beigbeder (Fra) 6-4, 6-2; Silvija Talaja (Cro) bt Janette Husarova (Svk) 6-2, 6-4; Evie Dominikovic (Aus) bt Iveta Benesova (Cze) 6-0, 6-1.
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