Date:12/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/12/stories/2007051207451700.htm

Sport

Amelie Mauresmo crashes out

BERLIN: Second-seed Amelie Mauresmo and defending champion Nadia Petrova were the big name casualties from Berlin's WTA tournament on Friday.

World number-three Mauresmo was playing her first tournament following a two month lay-off after an appendicitis operation and despite winning Thursday's first set, Mauresmo struggled when the match resumed, losing 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 to Julia Vakulenko, ranked 53rd in the world.

Martina Hingis went down to Swiss compatriot Patty Schnyder 6-4, 6-0 on Thursday and promptly withdrew from Rome with a back injury.

Defending champion Petrova was the second surprise exit on Friday when she was beaten 7-6(5), 6-4 by third-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals.

Justine Henin managed to beat the weather and Maria Elena Camerin 6-1, 6-3 to book her place in the quarterfinals on Friday.

On a roll

Meanwhile in Rome, Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-3 on Friday for his 75th consecutive win on clay, matching John McEnroe's streak for most victories on one surface.

McEnroe, who watched Nadal's latest win at the Rome Masters from a courtside seat, had a 75-match winning streak on indoor-carpet between September 1983 and April 1985.

Nadal can break the record in Saturday's semifinals against fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko, who rallied to beat Tommy Robredo 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

In the doubles section, the third-seeded Indo-Czech pair of Leander Paes and Martin Damm reached the semifinals, beating the eighth-seeded duo of Andrei Pavel and Alexander Waske 6-4, 6-3 on Friday.

However, Mahesh Bhupathi and Radek Stepanek crashed out losing 6-4, 4-6, 11-9 to Finland's Jarkko Nieminen and Sweden's Robin Soderling.

The results:

At Rome (ATP Rome Masters): Singles: quarterfinals: Nikolay Davydenko bt Tommy Robredo 1-6, 6-3, 6-3; Filippo Volandri bt Tomas Berdych 6-2, 6-3; Rafael Nadal bt Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-3.

Third round: Nadal bt Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 6-2; Djokovic bt Marcos Baghdatis 6-2, 7-5.

Doubles: Quarterfinals: Leander Paes & Martin Damm bt Andrei Pavel & Alexander Waske 6-4, 6-3.

First round: Jarkko Nieminen & Robin Soderling bt Mahesh Bhupathi & Radek Stepanek 6-4, 4-6, 11-9.

At Berlin (WTA German Open): Quarterfinals: Svetlana Kuznetsova bt Nadia Petrova 7-6(5), 6-4; Ana Ivanovic bt Patty Schnyder 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.

Third round: Justine Henin bt Maria Elena Camerin 6-1, 6-3; Julia Vakulenko bt Amelie Mauresmo 2-6, 6-1, 6-2; Jelena Jankovic bt Peng Shuai 6-1, 6-7(3), 2-3, retd.; Schnyder bt Martina Hingis 6-4, 6-0.

At Prague (WTA Prague Open): Quarterfinals: Marion Bartoli bt Jarmila Gajdosova 6-1, 6-4; Klara Zakopalova bt Julia Schruff 6-3, 6-1; Victoria Azarenka bt Dominika Cibulkova 6-1, 6-1; Akiko Morigami bt Camille Pin 6-3, 6-1. — Agencies