Date:30/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/30/stories/2008033060702100.htm

Sport - Tennis

Kevin Anderson dethrones Novak Djokovic

Paes-Hanley pair moves up

KEY BISCAYNE: Men’s defending champion Novak Djokovic was upset 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-4 by qualifier Kevin Anderson in the Sony Ericsson Open second round here on Friday.

Djokovic, who won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January and last week’s Pacific Life Open, looked sluggish against the giant South African Anderson.

Spaniard Nadal beat Benjamin Becker of Germany 7-5, 6-2. David Nalbandian lost in straight sets to Belgian Xavier Malisse and eight-seeded Richard Gasquet of France was upset 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(5) by Russian Dmitry Tursunov.

In the women’s section, top seed Henin disposed of Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-4, 6-2 in 77 minutes with a barrage of 40 winners.

Defending champion Serena Williams was impressive in her 6-1, 6-2 demolition of Romanian Edina Gallovits.

Sixth seed Venus Williams was not quite as formidable as her sister in a 6-4, 6-3 win over Marta Domachowska of Poland which put her into the third round.

Overcoming bad start

Meanwhile in men’s doubles, Leander Paes and his partner Paul Hanley overcame a bad start to advance to the pre-quarterfinals. The eighth-seeded Indo-Australian duo rallied to pip Yves Allegro of Switzerland and Paul-Henri Mathieu of France 2-6, 6-0, 10-3 in the first round on Friday.

The results: Men: Second round: Radek Stepanek bt Sebastien Grosjean 6-3, 6-3; Nicolas Kiefer bt Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 6-2; James Blake bt Andreas Seppi 7-5, 6-3; Juan Carlos Ferrero bt Albert Montanes 6-3, 6-2; Feliciano Lopez bt Juan Martin Del Potro 6-4, 6-2; Kevin Anderson bt Novak Djokovic 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-4; Fabrice Santoro bt Ivan Ljubicic 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-3; Rafael Nadal bt Benjamn Becker 7-5, 6-2; Dmitry Tursunov bt Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(5); ; Carlos Moya bt Nicolas Mahut 7-6(10), 6-4; Xavier Malisse bt David Nalabandian 6-1, 6-4.

Women: Second round: Ashley Harkleroad bt Virginie Razzano 6-4, 6-4; Justine Henin bt Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-2; Marina Erakovic bt Michaella Krajicek 6-2, 3-6, 6-2; Shahar Peer bt Nathalie Dechy 7-6(6), 6-3; Serena Williams bt Edina Gallovits 6-1, 6-2; Svetlana Kuznetsova bt Chan Yung-Jan 6-1, 3-6, 6-0; ; Patty Schnyder bt Vania King 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-2; Venus Williams bt Marta Dmachowska 6-4, 6-3. — Agencies