SYDNEY, Jan 9: Justine Henin made a belated start to her build-up for next week’s Australian Open by thumping Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi 6-2, 6-0 at the Sydney International on Wednesday.The Belgian world No 1’s first match of the year had been delayed after she received a first-round bye then a walkover in the second round but she made up for lost time with a superb performance.
She had won the Sydney International on her last two visits to the Olympic tennis centre and went on to make the Australian Open final both times but may have her work cut out after three of the top four seeds reached the semi-finals.
Henin’s next opponent will be Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic, who beat Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, while Svetlana Kuznetsova is lurking on the other side.
Kuznetsova, the Russian world No 2, beat Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-0 to join Nicole Vaidisova in the semis after the Czech upset third-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
While the women’s results mostly went according to script, the men’s draw has been decimated, with just one seeded player making the quarter-finals.
Czech Tomas Berdych was the only seed to survive by beating Gilles Simon of France 7-6, 6-2 while Richard Gasquet, Carlos Moya, Lleyton Hewitt and Fernando Verdasco all lost.
Top-seed Gasquet was beaten 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 by Russian Dmitry Tursunov, Moya fell to Agustin Calleri of Argentina 6-3, 6-4 and Sebastian Grosjean of France beat Spain’s Verdasco 6-3, 6-4.
However, the biggest surprise was Hewitt’s 7-6, 7-6 loss to his Australian Davis Cup team mate Chris Guccione, who needed a wild card to get into the tournament.
Hewitt was chasing a record fifth Sydney title but came unstuck against the lanky lefthander ranked 104 places below him.
Results (prefix number denotes seeding):
Men’s singles:
Second round: Agustin Calleri (Argentina) bt 5-Carlos Moya (Spain) 6-3, 6-4; Chris Guccione (Australia) bt 6-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-2); Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) bt 1-Richard Gasquet (France) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Sebastien Grosjean (France) bt 8-Fernando Verdasco (Spain) 6-3, 6-4; Fabrice Santoro (France) bt Steve Darcis (Belgium) 6-1, 6-3; Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) bt Andreas Seppi (Italy) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4; Evgeny Korolev (Russia) bt Ivo Minar (Czech Republic) 6-2, 6-3; 4-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) bt Gilles Simon (France) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2.
Women’s singles:
Quarter-finals: Nicole Vaidisova (Czech Republic) bt 3-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4; 1-Justine Henin (Belgium) bt Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 6-2, 6-0; 4-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) bt Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2; 2-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) bt Francesca Schiavone (Italy) 6-4, 6-0.
SANIA CRASHES OUT
HOBART: Second seed Vera Zvonareva advanced to the semi-finals of the Hobart International with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Russian compatriot Elena Vesnina on Wednesday.
Zvonareva is the only seeded player remaining in the draw after sixth seed Sania Mirza of India was beaten 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 by Italy’s Flavia Pennetta in an error-strewn quarter-final.
Ashley Harkleroad of the US booked a place in the semis against Zvonareva with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over fellow qualifier Edina Gallovits of Romania.
Quarter-final results: Eleni Daniilidou (Greece) bt Casey Dellacqua (Australia) 6-4, 7-5; 2-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) bt Elena Vesnina (Russia) 6-3, 6-3; Flavia Pennetta (Italy) bt 6-Sania Mirza (India) 7-5, 1-6, 6-3; Ashley Harkleroad (US) bt Edina Gallovits (Romania) 6-4, 6-4.
Champion Ferrer advances in Auckland
AUCKLAND: David Ferrer showed his determination to retain the Auckland Open title by winning both his first and second round matches on Wednesday.
Forced to play two games because rain on Tuesday allowed just three matches to be played, the world No 5 easily accounted for Spanish compatriot Oscar Hernandez 6-1, 6-2 before beating Argentine Sergio Roitman 6-1, 7-6.
While the top seed, and Masters Cup runner-up, advanced to the quarter-finals four other seeds were knocked out of the tournament on Wednesday.
Second-seeded Argentine Juan Igancio Chela, who came back from a set behind and a break down in the final set against local wildcard Dan King-Turner on Monday, lost 6-3, 7-6 to Germany’s Florian Mayer in their second round match.
Results:
Second round: Nicolas Massu (Chile) bt Xavier Malisse (Belgium) 6-4, 6-4; 3-Juan Monaco (Argentina) bt Olivier Rochus (Belgium) 6-3, 6-3; 1-David Ferrer (Spain) bt Sergio Roitman (Argentina) 6-1, 7-6; 4-Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) bt Juergen Melzer (Austria) 6-3, 7-6; Michael Llodra (France) bt 8-Albert Montanes (Spain) 6-3, 6-4; 7-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) bt Marin Cilic (Croatia) 6-3, 6-7, 6-4; Julien Benneteau (France) bt 6-Nicolas Almagro (Spain) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; Florian Mayer (Germany) bt 2-Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) 6-3, 7-6 (9-7).—Reuters
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.