Date:27/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/27/stories/2008022755542100.htm

Sport - Tennis

Haas eases past Hartfield

MEMPHIS: Tommy Haas easily won his opening match of the Memphis championships, defeating Argentine Diego Hartfield 6-3, 6-2 in the first round here on Monday.

The third-seeded Haas won his 11th consecutive match in the tournament and converted five of 10 break points in avenging a loss to Hartfield at Delray Beach earlier this month.

Important results: At Memphis (Memphis championships): First round: Women: Lindsay Davenport bt Sabine Lisicki 7-5, 6-3; Stephanie Dubois bt Vania King 6-2, 2-6, 6-1; Olga Govortsova bt Mashona Washington 6-4, 6-2; Melinda Czink bt Olga Poutchkova 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

Men: Juergen Melzer bt John Isner 6-7(8), 6-3, 7-6(4); Chris Guccione bt Robert Kendrick 7-6(6), 7-6(5); Jonas Bjorkman bt Paul Capdeville 6-3, 6-1; Tommy Haas bt Diego Hartfield 6-3, 6-2.

At Acapulco (Acapulco International championships): First round: Women: Julia Schruff bt Greta Arn 6-2, 6-7(6), 7-6(5); Lourdes Dominguez Lino bt Rika Fujiwara 7-5, 6-3; Flavia Pennetta bt Ekaterina Bychkova 6-4, 6-1.

Men: Nicolas Almagro bt Jiri Vanek 6-1, 6-2; Albert Montanes bt Igor Andreev 7-6(4) 6-3.

At Zagreb (ATP Zagreb indoors): First round: Simone Bolelli bt Rainer Schuettler 6-3, 6-2; Janko Tipsarevic bt Mischa Zverev 6-3, 6-1; Olivier Rochus bt Fabrice Santoro 6-3, 2-0, retd.

At Dubai (WTA Dubai Open): First round: Singles: Dinara Safina bt Selima Sfar 6-1, 6-3; Alona Bondarenko bt Maria Kirilenko 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Elena Dementieva bt Patty Schnyder 7-5, 6-0. Doubles: Sania Mirza & Francesca Schiavone bt Svetlana Kuznetsova & Amelie Mauresmo 6-4, 6-4. — Agencies