Date:21/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/21/stories/2008052157621900.htm

Sport - Tennis

Davydenko advances

POERTSCHACH: Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko eased past Rainer Eitzinger of Austria 6-1, 6-1 on Monday, in the first round of the Hypo Group International.

USA rallies

Americans James Blake and Wayne Odesnik recovered from a dreadful start in their doubles match at the World Team Cup on Monday to beat Tomas Berdych and Pavel Vizner of the Czech Republic 0-6, 7-5, 10-8. The victory gave the Americans a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in their Red Group tie on the clay court in Duesseldorf.

Important results: At Dusseldorf (World Team Cup): Blue Group: Germany 2 bt Spain 1 (Philipp Kohlschreiber bt David Ferrer 6-1, 6-0; Denis Gremelmayr lost to Feliciano Lopez 4-6, 3-6; Christopher Kas & Philipp Petzschner bt Marcel Granollers & Feliciano Lopez 6-7(5), 6-4, 10-5).; Russia 2 bt Italy 1 (Mikhail Youzhny bt Potito Starace 6-4, 5-7, 6-2; Igor Andreev bt Simone Bolelli 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3; Igor Andreev & Dmitry Tursunov lost to Simone Bolelli & Potito Starace 4-6, 4-6).

Red Group: USA 2 bt Czech Republic 1 (James Blake lost to Tomas Berdych 6-7(5), 6-7(5); Wayne Odesnik bt Ivo Minar 6-2, 6-1; James Blake & Wayne Odesnik bt Tomas Berdych & Pavel Vizner 0-6, 7-5, 10-8).

Sweden 2 bt Argentina 1 (Robin Soderling bt Guillermo Canas 6-3, 6-1; Thomas Johansson lost to Juan-Ignacio Chela 2-6, 1-6; Robin Soderling & Robert Lindstedt bt Lucas Arnold Ker & Sebastian Prieto 7-5, 6-2).

At Portschach (Hypo Group International): First round: Nikolay Davydenko bt Rainier Eitzinger 6-1, 6-1; Andreas Seppi bt Ernests Gulbis 1-6, 6-4, 6-3; Jurgen Melzer bt Donald Young 7-5, 6-2; Jiri Vanek bt Martin Verkerk 7-5, 4-6, 6-2; Ivan Navarro bt Vince Spadea 6-4, 6-4

At Casablanca (Grand Prix Hassan II): Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bt Albert Montanes 6-4, 7-6(10); Gael Monfils bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-7(8), 7-5, 6-0; Agustin Calleri bt Thierry Ascione 3-6, 6-1, 6-2; Marc Gicquel bt Reuben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-3, 6-0.

At Strasbourg (Strasbourg International): Flavia Pennetta bt Nathalie Dechy 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; Anabel Medina Garrigues bt Klara Zakopalova 7-6(3), 7-5; Ai Sugiyama bt Mariya Koryttseva 7-5, 7-5.

At Istanbul (Istanbul Cup): Olga Govortsova bt Ipek Senoglu 6-3, 6-2; Andreja Klepac bt Sofia Arvidsson 6-3, 7-6(2); Jill Craybas bt Tzipora Obziler 6-2, 3-6, 6-4; Marta Domachowska bt Marina Erakovic 7-6(2), 6-3. — Agencies