Date:19/06/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/06/19/stories/2003061901891900.htm

Sport - Tennis

Chanda Rubin storms into last eight

EASTBOURNE JUNE 18. Defending champion Chanda Rubin charged into the quarterfinal of the Eastbourne grass-court championships on Wednesday, beating Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand 6-0, 6-3.

In a match that started close but wound up one-sided, Tamarine held points to win three of the first four games, but twice dropped her serve after leading 40-0 and then failed to win a break point at 3-0.

The players exchanged breaks as the second set got underway, and Tamarine again dropped her serve from 40-0 to give the second seeded American a break for 4-3. In the final game, Rubin broke again to claim victory on her third match point.

Daniela Hantuchova had to hold off a stronger challenge from American Alexandra Stevenson before she also advanced to the last eight.

The fourth seeded Slovak took one hour 45-minutes to secure a 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 victory, and struggled throughout the match to overcome her hard-hitting opponent.

After exchanging breaks of serve in the first two games Stevenson won 11 of 12 points to break for 4-2 and hold three points for a 5-2 lead. But she allowed Hantuchova to recover, and then dropped her serve with a double-fault.

Stevenson again dropped her serve after leading 40-0 to leave Hantuchova serving for the set at 6-5.

Although the American raised her game and her greater aggression allowed her to take the set to a tiebreaker, she failed to maintain her momentum and Hantuchova took it 7-3.

The players again exchanged serves at the beginning of the second set. Hantuchova nudged in front to lead 4-2 after Stevenson had again failed to convert three game points on her serve. But the next four games also went against serve, before Hantuchova eventually claimed victory on her second match point.

The results (second round): Daniela Hantuchova bt Alexandra Stevenson 7-6 (7-3), 6-4; Nathalie Dechy bt Ai Sugiyama 6-1, 7-5; Chanda Rubin bt Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-0, 6-3.

Tuesday's results: Ai Sugiyama bt Anne Keothavong 6-2, 6-2; Elena Likhovtseva bt Silvija Talaja 6-4, 6-1; Amy Frazier bt Amanda Janes 7-5, 6-4; Nathalie Dechy bt Meghann Shaughnessy 6-3, 6-3; Amanda Coetzer bt Anastasia Myskina 6-2, 6-4; Saori Obata bt Jelena Dokic 6-3, 6-1.