Monte-Carlo semifinalist falls in three sets, while defending champion Andy
Roddick moves into the quarterfinals.
Second seed and two-time defending champion Andy Roddick came back from a break
deficit in both sets to beat American qualifier Paul Goldstein 7-5, 6-4, and
advance to the quarterfinals for the third straight year at the US Men's Clay
Court Championships. Roddick improved his career pro record to 14-0 in Houston.
Goldstein led 3-1 in the first set and 4-2 in the second before Roddick charged
back by breaking him twice each time to win the match. Roddick takes on
Fernando Meligeni in the quarterfinals on Friday and he is 1-1 lifetime against
the Brazilian.
Meligeni rallied to beat No. 5 seed Vincent Spadea 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3, saving
three match points along the way. Spadea went up in the second set tie-break
5-0 and led 6-3 before Meligeni came back. Spadea was also up a break 3-2 in
the third. Meligeni improved to 4-1 lifetime over Spadea and the last time he
reached an ATP quarterfinal was on the hard courts in Washington, D.C. last
summer.
No. 3 seed James Blake advanced to his second straight quarterfinal in Houston
and fourth ATP quarterfinal of the season on Wednesday night with a 6-2, 7-6(2)
victory over Attila Savolt of Hungary. Blake fell behind a break at 2-1 in the
first set but reeled off the next five games to win the opening set in 29
minutes. Both players held serve throughout the second set and Blake jumped out
to a 5-1 lead in the tie-break before winning 7-2. Blake will face Frenchman
Olivier Mutis in the quarterfinals on Friday. Mutis was a straight sets winner
over Brazil's Flavio Saretta, 6-2, 6-0.
WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID
Roddick: "It wasn't pretty and the conditions were sloppy out there. The wind
affected my serve a lot but I was able to bear down and win the big points. I
knew Paul was going to put up a good fight and he's a very smart player."
About playing Fernando Meligeni in the quarterfinals: "It's kind of funny that
I beat him on clay and he beat me on hard courts.He's a great clay court player
and it will be a strong test for me and it will give me a good indication where
I am."
Goldstein: "I'm pleased that I gave myself opportunities in the match. I was
able to get in front but I wasn't able to shut the door. That is something that
I haven't done well this year. I put myself in a situation to win but then let
it get away."
Meligeni: "We always have an interesting match when we play. I played very
solid and this is my first ATP quarterfinal in a long time."
Blake: "It feels good to get back to the quarters (again) but I would like to
go even farther this year. I'm happy I could win here in Houston in front of
these great fans. My year is going pretty good and I'm continuing to improve
and get experience every tournament I play."
THURSDAY MATCHES
Top seed Andre Agassi takes the court for his second round match on Thursday
against Irakli Labadze. Two years ago in Shanghai, a relatively unknown Labadze
stunned Agassi in their first round encounter in straight sets, handing the
American an early exit from China. This time, the Republic of Georgia native
will have to contend with the 32-year-old American who has been virtually
unstoppable this year and enters the match with a 19-1 record and looking for
his first clay court title of the year. His only loss of the year came in the
first round of Scottsdale to Sweden's Thomas Enqvist. Agassi owns a 13-3 career
mark at the US Men's Clay Court Championships, which includes capturing the
1988 title when the event was held in Charleston, South Carolina.
American Mardy Fish won his first career ATP clay court match this week and
will be looking for his first clay court quarterfinal against Peru's Luis Horna
. Fish has reached the quarterfinals in Memphis and Sydney and lost to
Jan-Michael Gambill in the Delray Beach final and will be striving to better
his 14-8 record with a spot in the Houston quarters. However, Fish might have
his hands full with the Peruvian clay-courter. Horna reached the quarterfinals
in Buenos Aires earlier this year and can even his 8-9 record on the year with
a win against Fish.
Veteran Todd Martin will look for his second straight Houston quarterfinal in
his match against Brazil's Ricardo Mello. Martin, playing in the US Men's Clay
Court Championships for the seventh time, reached the final eight last year
before losing to eventual finalist Pete Sampras in straight sets. Martin
reached the second round at the Bermuda Challenger last week and has expressed
interest in playing in as many matches as possible this week as a tune-up for
Roland Garros. Mello, a 22-year-old from Campinas, Brazil won his second ATP
match of the year in his first round victory against countryman Andre Sa.
Mello has reached the quarterfinals in three Challengers this year, but a win
against Martin would secure the Brazilian his first ATP quarterfinal since
Salvador in 2001.
In Thursday's other second round match, Austria's Jurgen Melzer - fresh off
an upset of No. 4 seed Taylor Dent - with face Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen.
Carlsen won the only career meeting between these two - a straight sets victory
at the Magdeburg Challenger last year. Melzer reached the quarterfinals in St.
Poelten and Vienna and the semifinals in Umag last year, but has yet to advance
beyond the second round in 2003.
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※ 編輯: maria08452 來自: 61.230.117.166 (04/24 23:27)